Thad’s Birth Story | Part 10: Family Introductions
I shared Thad’s birth story in installments on social media. Since not everyone is on social media, I wanted to also share the story of his birth here on my blog. This version is the narrative form version, which I wrote initially for family and friends. If you’re jumping in here on this post, you may want to go back and start with Part One.
Alternatively, I also have an overview post of my pregnancy and Thad’s birth over here on this post.
The baby made some little noises, I rubbed its feet and kissed its head and Charlotte draped a warm towel over its little body. Gabe and I stared wonderingly into its cute little face, already making adorable expressions. It never gets old – holding these precious new babies.
In a few short minutes, the baby was fussing agreeably and clearing out its lungs.
“Shall we wake up the kids?” I asked. Gabe got up and opened the door to the kid’s room. Jem emerged first – curly hair pointing all directions, her beloved blanket and chickie clutched in her hands.
“Good morning, Jemma! We have a baby!” I greeted her.
Gabe emerged from the room holding Lazlo in one arm and Mara in the other. Gabe set Mara down. She was bleary-eyed, but when she realised I was in the birth tub holding a baby under the towel, she perked up.
Lazlo looked on with an expression of curiosity and caution from Gabe’s arm.
“The baby is here! Shall we see if it is a boy or a girl?” I asked.
Nods from the girls. Lazlo’s expression didn’t change. I took that as a yes. I shifted the baby to look, and my eyes shot up: “It’s a boy!!”
I was genuinely shocked. We haven’t found out during pregnancy with any of our kids, choosing to wait until they are born, but I’ve always had a pretty strong intuition about what the baby is. That intuition has been right, until this time. I was sure this baby was a girl. But I was wrong, and the numbers of boys and girls was now even.
Jem was thrilled – she had been hoping for a boy.
Mara realised it was Thursday, and she was going to get to hold the baby soon, and she was thrilled as well – the baby had come on the day of the week she wanted it to come. She was sure this baby was perfect!
Gabe brought Lazlo over to admire the baby. “Oh! Baby! Baby Ava!” He pointed at the baby and smiled at me. Our friends’ little baby is named Ava, and Lazlo has associated all babies with Baby Ava.
Gabe laughed, “No, not Baby Ava. This baby is a boy.”
“Does he have a name?” Charlotte asked, beaming from her position by the table.
“He does. His name is Thad.” I said. Baby Thad curled up a little tighter on my chest, maybe oblivious to being the center of attention, but surely aware somehow that the people in this room were his people. He had made it. He was welcome. He was worth the wait. He is loved.
The Beginning.