Big sister Sophia had been labouring with me earlier in the evening, breathing along, and demanding that the midwife check HER baby too when she came to check Mum. Soph went to bed and Eleanor was born...it was so normal, and quiet and lovely.
It was an incredible experience to give birth a second time. It was better than I imagined it could be. And it was SO powerful and strong and intense and great...so much better over 7 hours than over 50-plus... My sister-friend and doula Sandra, (who I never want to have a baby without) who among many other things is the most beautiful writer I know, composed this entry on her "truth and beauty" blog about our labour.
Sophia seemed totally unsurprised she was there the next day - we had said she would be, right? Soph adores her, she said tonight "I love my baby sister." She has however, been wavering back and forth behaviourally between a calm helper and acting like a raging jet-lagged drunken businessman being thrown off a plane. "No, I"M the baby! I want to sleep in the baby's bed!" More sleep and prayer will help that for all of us, we're sure, and we couldn't be happier, just pretty tired.
Wade is my Valentine forever...having a homebirth means that Wade has done all the helping me to the bathroom and all the other post-birth Mum stuff, helping with Soph and the babe and all the household stuff including all the laundry after the birth too... He should get an award. We have help coming soon, and in the meantime he remains my hero, my knight, better than I ever thought you could get in a Dad and a husband, and that is saying something, because my own Dad is pretty superhuman too.
And of course, I have a new daughter...unbelievable. I am in awe...physically uncomfortable, starry eyed and in love with my family...gotta go, Eleanor is squeaking....
Sophia meets Eleanor, early yesterday morning
She was easily as excited to get her "big sister" present....
Okay, actually more excited, it was a new train.
Angela Eleanor Joie Pallister
Soph and Eleanor hanging out, with the duck Sophia got for Eleanor.
1 comment:
beautiful family...congrats!
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