myles was born two weeks earlier than expected, but at 8 lbs 14 oz, we think he was right on time. stephanie called me early friday morning to say she thought she was having contractions- nothing regular or super intense, but definitely a change from the mild cramping that had been going on for several days earlier. we both had a hunch that things were quickly on the move, so i frantically packed my bags, booked a flight, and spent the rest of the day texting steph's mom every 10 minutes and trying not to throw up or burst in to tears- usually both at the same time. i arrived at steph and lee's house just after 6:00pm. labour had gone into full swing around lunch time, so when i walked into the bathroom, steph simply looked up at me, we cried for a minute (me for much longer than that), then it was straight back to business. the rest of my time there was a bit a blur- i remember watching steph in complete awe- her strength and composure were staggering- taking each contraction one at a time. humming through the pain and never once loosing her focus. telling us to shut up when she needed quiet and getting right back into the zone immediately after. they say labour is like a marathon, but my sweet friend looked like she had trained her entire life for this moment. watching her made me feel like my labour was a total train wreck in comparison. :) and lee. oh lee. i knew he would be incredible. he's the guy that plays it cool so you think he's maybe not paying attention. but man, when things got serious, he was flawless. so attentive and gentle. reminding steph of the things she wanted to be reminded of, kneeled beside her for every contraction, offering a kind word after any moment of doubt. i was truly taken aback by him. and i will be forever grateful for his kindness and understanding in letting me play a part in such a personal time for their family.
myles alan gregory craig was born gently at home on friday, October 25th, 2013 at 10:18pm.
in a lot of ways i feel like being there for myles' birth was healing for me. after our loss over the summer, it was peaceful and reassuring to witness something so beautiful and perfect. i could feel from the moment that stephanie told me she was pregnant, that there would be something so special about the sweet little soul growing in her belly. i've always known i would love this baby like my own, but only now am i realizing how incredible it is to have this special connection between our families. my gratitude for this shared love is indescribable.
xo
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