Flash Back Friday: Happy Birthday Ruby

One year ago in the wee hours of the morning my phone "chimed" indicating I had a new text. I was instantly awake. Amy checked into the hospital the day before to see if they could get some labor going - no pit or water breaking yet... just an attempt to get her body going on its own that didn't seem to be working. However, during the night she kicked in on her own and the text indicated that her water broke, she was dilated to 4 and got an epidural. I must have sat up quickly or something, maybe I made a stifled excited noise... Mark asked me what was going on. I was ready to get dressed and go to the hospital right then but as the sleepy wise man next to me pointed out - her labor was just beginning, we would rest better at home in bed than in the hospital waiting room and besides Amy requested we not be sitting outside her room while she labored...

I laid down, pulled up my covers, stared at the dark ceiling and smiled. My daughter was having a baby... I closed my eyes thanking God and praying for their safety.

I never really went back to sleep but I rested a little. An hour later another text... she was at a 10... that's my girl! Now.... can we go now? Sleepy voice of reason... "pushing for a first time mom can easily take two hours ".... I lay back down but stared wide eyed at the ceiling, I tried really hard to hold still, to breathe evenly and slowly... five minutes later another text. They could see the head! (I love text messages) That was it. I bolted out of bed... Mark sat up and asked what it said.... I don't care if we have to wait for another hour I wanted to go to the hospital. Realizing sleep was no longer an option we quickly got dressed and made the long drive (7 min.) to the hospital. We sat in the waiting room and saw Jordan's mom coming... this waiting room is so far away... we found a place to wait just outside the labor room (I know, I know but do you think she really cared at this moment... besides it's not like we were peeking in or anything, just wanted to be near). It was still over an hour that we waited but when that sweet newborn cry filled the air I cried too, I wouldn't trade all the sleep in the world for that. I closed my eyes again and thanked God for this wonderful new life... and went to find a tissue. It was still a while before we got to see her. When the nurse finally rolled her out in the bassinet on the way to the nursery she let us hold her for a moment. She was so tiny, 5 lbs., but so perfect... and I was in love all over again. So appropriate for Valentines.

PS She was not born on Friday the 13 and neither was I BUT we will both have our birthdays on Friday the 13 in the same years (until she's 23 or so)... which makes us Friday the 13th birthday buddies ;).