Welcoming Blessings...

December 6th saw a full, beautiful moon heralding a moment of sweet reprieve from the unexpected astrological shifts that have been in our midst of late.  Each month, a group of beautiful women in Sitka get together for a gathering of Goddesses, and this month we were saying goodbye to a wonderful friend as she embarks upon a new move.  I had offered to host this gathering at my home, since it might be the last I could host for a while, being thirty nine weeks pregnant.  This was the same group of women who a few weeks past threw me a beautiful blessingway, and I was happy to have the energy swirling in my space again.  As we were reading our cards for the month, I felt a few contractions, but had been feeling them off and on again throughout the week, so didn't really think much of it.  However, at one point while I was reading, one was enough to make me a touch unfomfortable.  After we had closed the circle and the corners, I leaned over to my girlfriend, Tiffany, who was to watch Finn once we went to the hospital, and whispered, "You may want to keep your phone on you tonight..."

Everyone left around eleven, and Reid came home soon after.  I told him I had started to time contractions, and that they were already three minutes apart and lasting a minute.  Perhaps we should call the hospital, and just let them know we may be heading in the next hour or so...Tiffany arrived, and after breathing through a few good contractions, we loaded into Meriwether, who had just been picked up that very day from the shop, in good working order.

As we arrived at the hospital, I had my labor stones ready, massage oil with neroli for optimism and jasmine for efficient labor.  Before I was allowed in the labor tub, the nurse checked, and said she didn't think I would be able to use the tub, for I was already 8 and a half centimeters dialated, and that she needed to call the doctor straight away.  I was almost flabbergasted, it was only 12:30, one and a half hours after when I thought labor began.  We got my labor crystals set up, put some You + Me on the speakers, and got to work with contractions.  The doctor came and said everything looked great, and that he believed the little guy would be here soon.  Two hours later, it was time to push, and as with Finn, I felt no urge to push at all.  When I told the doctor this, he said that if I decided not to push at all, the little one would still come, so I was free to do whatever I pleased.  For some reason, this was the most comforting thing I could have heard.  I said I knew I was getting close because I was getting really scared.  One contraction I literally screamed to where someone came to check on me.  The doc just smiled at her and said we were fine.  I was so impressed by the lack of concern, and the confidence of this doctor just to leave things alone to happen.  One push on the squatting bar and he said the next push we were going to have a baby, and he was right, the next push, at 2:51 in the morning, Oliver Duncan Brewer came sliding into this world.  Four hours of laboring, and two pushes.  I can't believe what an incredibly uneventful, uncomplicated delivery it was.  At four, I told Reid he could just go home and wake up with Finn and bring him over with breakfast.

Finn's reaction to baby Ollie was sweet.  Baby Ollie had a brought a gift for Finn with him, so he was excited to get a book all about Big Brother Finn, with an inscription from Oliver.  That week he had been talking of how Mama was going to go to the "doctor, and the doctor would pull out Baby Ollie, then Mama will have a NEW BABY!" So when he came in and saw, he said, "The doctor pulled out Baby Ollie?"  Tentatively curious.  But when he got to bring some popcorn after dinner, hop in bed with Mama and Baby Ollie and watch Yes, Virginia, I think he thought things were gonna be alright.

In the week since he has been here, I can't believe how wonderful recovery is when you don't have complications.  The hardest part is taking it easy and not trying to do too much.  The other thing that has struck me profoundly, is how expansive love is.  It really expands so readily to new life, that it seems like there is actually more for everyone here, instead of being difficult to balance time and energy and attention.  I'm sure as time passes there will be moments of struggle with that, but for now, we will just bathe in it.  And witness Super Dad as he gets to spend so much great time with Finn, seeing them grow together is one of the most heart warming things ever.  His intuition when Finn might need a little extra loving, or rough housing, is amazing.  And Finn's desire to help with Oliver keeps him busy and involved.  We haven't seen a speck of jealousy yet, and will just try to let them all grow together.

The only one who is still quite tentative is Squid.  She is very careful, and stays a good distance unless we invite her to sniff the new wee one.  So she gets extra walks and outdoor play with Dad and Finn, and extra pets from Mama for now to help her adjust.  All in all, things are almost as good as they could possibly be, and once nursing gets ironed out, we will be smooth sailing from there, to enjoy the next chapter of the life of our young family.  Life is so good.