For the Sleepless...
I awoke in the middle of the night, feeling crampy and quickly realized, after being awake for a few minutes, that I was having contractions. I laid around for a bit, counting and feeling the intensity. 5-7 minutes apart and feeling like this was the real thing. I started a bath and went and woke up Jordan to tell him it was beginning. This was our 6th baby, so while I wanted to labor a bit at home, we didn’t want to wait around too long before heading in to do the rest of laboring in the hospital.
Me, pregnant with Maximus. Photo by my talented cousin, Abby Floyd.
By the time we were driving to the hospital, I could barely speak through contractions. We headed into triage where another mama was also very much in labor and definitely in distress. There was a flurry of action around her before they rushed her off for a c-section. It made me feel a little anxious, so I prayed and talked with Jordan to refocus. I chose to walk back to our room once we were checked in because every step counts! We got all set up and I found that I liked standing and rocking back and forth best. The nurse came in to check me, 7cm. She left and Jordan went to use the bathroom. Less than 2 minutes later, he comes out and I frantically tell him to call the nurse, that I am trying not to push. He suggests I wait a couple more contractions to be sure because they were JUST there with me. I assure him (frantically) with the next contraction coming on (no sooner than the last one ended), that I am indeed ready to push. He makes the call and the team rushes in while I climb up into the bed. 2 minutes from 7cm to complete and ready to push! The rest is kind of a blur as I roared and pushed our 6th (and final) baby out. Bliss. Exhaustion. Pure accomplishment and the deepest love we’ve ever known. There is nothing quite like it.
Fresh Baby Bliss with the Morson Family.
Flash forward to days and weeks and even months ahead, we are back into sleepless nights with a trail of diapers leading to our safe haven - our bed. Piles of clean, yet unfolded laundry left at the foot of the bed. Eyes that cannot hide how sleepy we are, but hearts that are fuller than our arms could ever be. I study our baby girl, her tiny features. I breathe in her precious newborn smell. I feel and see her movements and recognize them so closely as I remember how they felt inside my womb. I look around at our other 5 children, now 2, 5, 8. 10, and 11 years old. How did they grow so quickly? Where did those endless newborn days go?
The seriously precious Dabb Family
I am forever grateful for the gift of motherhood. I never knew my heart could love so big, so selflessly. I never knew motherhood would strengthen me as a wife, and make me feel so deeply connected with my husband. I didn’t think being a mom would make me feel more beautiful and womanly, but it has, even though my body has changed so much. I hold this role dearly. I know how delicate it is, how weary it can be, and how strong it makes us. As I cling to these final newborn days, I am ever aware of how I hope to help you savor and remember it all as well. It is my great joy to capture these sacred and tender days to help you remember what sleeplessness might otherwise make you forget.
