Bri is Amazing

Bri is sleeping now and before I conk out I wanted to be sure I said how amazing Bri is. She definitely had a goal and a plan, but she was able to change as the situation called for it. She went through 16 hours of something that I have clue about how difficult it is. Then, she kept doing it with some meds another whole day! She is so tough and always kept Caleb's best interests as #1. She says she couldn't have done it without me, but I really have no clue what I did since her part was about a billion times harder and more important. There were so many times over the last two days when I could lay down and rest and while Bri could lay down with the lights out, she still had to deal with the constant pain, tubes, lines and then on top of that, the worries that only a mother would know about. The whole time she was positive and honest and made great decisions as things came up (and PLENTY did).

First Swaddling

Then, at the end, when it came time to push, she was the strongest I've ever seen her. We've done some difficult things on our tandem bike, many of which involve thousands of vertical feet, over 10 hours of hard riding, difficult weather and other challenges. However, I've never seen her as determined, concentrated, nor able to put as much effort into something as when she was pushing. Her epidural was turned way down by that time and even though it was still there, it's easy to tell when someone is doing something painful. Also, feeling it allowed her to better know when to push, she said. She was able to move her legs pretty normally, and her right leg was pretty much normal, she said. If you know Bri, then when I say that I've never seen her put more concentrated effort into something, that is a big deal.

First Bath - Video to Follow

It was the most amazing thing to finally see the half-dollar sized part of the top of his head and as soon as Bri could see it with the mirror, she picked up the intensity. An hour later, we could see more, and then he finally started to crown. We were both bawling when he started to really come. Then, as his head came out, the midwife said, "Ok Bri, reach down and deliver your baby." So, unexpectedly, Bri reaches down and pulls him the rest of the way out (!) up onto her chest. At that point we were both a mess and it was the most amazing and spiritual moment I've ever experienced. I almost didn't want to touch him because I was so in-awe.

More First Bath

Bri came through it rather well, considering some people's experience. With an 8lb 14oz first baby, she only had a 1st Degree perineal tear that was fixed with 1 suture. All of the other stuff that I will NOT describe isn't fun, but I hear it's part of motherhood.

Clean Baby Boy

This experience has made me love and appreciate and admire Bri more than any other time in the 6 and a half years I've known her. She really is the only one like her on the planet. Well, maybe now there's two. Hopefully.