I got the best Valentine present ever…my son!

When I first announced my pregnancy, of course everyone asked “when are you due?” My vague reply was always “early February” as I didn’t want to give an exact due date knowing that babies arrive when they are ready to be born. My little sister said to me “Oh, maybe you will have a Valentine’s Day baby!”.  “Um, probably not…that would be an awfully l-o-n-g pregnancy”.

However on February 13, when baby still had not arrived, having a Valentine’s baby suddenly became a real possibility. I was 42 weeks pregnant at that point. Yep, 42 weeks! Although I was not interested in any interventions to get labor started; I believed baby would pick the perfect day to be born! However on Febrary 13 we decided to prepare a Birth Day party for baby. It was more or less a distraction for me, but also the opportunity to send baby a message that we were ready to celebrate his/her birth. We went to the dollar store so Jeremiah and Abraham could pick out birthday decorations. We decorated the house that afternoon.

Then I wrote baby a Birth Day invitation:

Dear Baby-

I wonder when I will be able to hold you. I ask you gently and lovingly what it is you are waiting for? Is there something I can do to help ease you into our family? Please know that we are all here and ready to surround you with our love. You already have such a special place in our family and in our hearts.

I have truly cherished having you in my womb. Our time together in utero has been a blessed gift in my life. You (yes, YOU) have made me feel like a beautiful, strong, capable, vibrant woman. I am full of gratitude for the precious connection we have had throughout this pregnancy.

I believe waiting patiently for you will make our first earthside moments together a truly amazing experience. I believe waiting patiently for you will only deepen our relationship and teach me to be the mother you need.

I honor that you will arrive in your own time and in your own way. My arms, my love, my affection, and my happiness are here for you when you are ready to accept them. Know that I am ready to hold you close and nourish you with my milk. Are you ready to take that journey with me? I invite you into my arms and wait with serenity for you to accept that invitation. I trust you to decide when the time is right.

Later that evening Buzz and I were playing scrabble when active labor started. I decided to make baby a Birth Day cake…mostly as an activity to keep me busy as labor progressed.

After a total of 11 hours of labor and two hours of pushing,

baby boy #3 was born into his daddy’s loving hands.

Surrounded in love by my loves

Holding my sweet Valentine!

I never, ever expected to be pregnant for 42 weeks, especially as a third time mom. I joke that perhaps I enjoyed Isaiah’s pregnancy a little too much and that is why we spent extra time together. I also feel like his birth was an opportunity to put my beliefs into practice. I proclaim to trust nature and it’s design for pregnancy and birth…however allowing labor to start spontaneously would be a testament to that. I am glad I waited as I could not have picked a better birthday for my sweet boy than a day meant to cherish and celebrate love! Happy Birthday to my Izzy and to all the beautiful Valentine’s babies out there!!