Monday, July 2, 2012

Ruby Marie Buchanan Berkin is here!




We are tickled pink, over the moon, swelling with gratitude, smiling every second of every day to meet our baby girl, Ruby.  She is healthy. She is strong. She is perfect.  She looks just like Jason.  I went into Labor on June 15th at midnight and she was born 17 hours later :) at 7:10 pm on June 16th.  She was worth every push and painful contraction.  It was such a profound and beautiful experience, one that I will never forget.   I had my tribe of women in the room, five closest girlfriends and sister, our Birthing Doula and Jason by my side holding my hand, coaching me every step of the way. And the incomparable Dr. Crane, who is worshipped by legions of women in LA, and now I know why.  There were lots of tears, dancing, bouncing on a big blue ball, standing in showers, throwing up, laughing, chanting, singing, cursing and finally after an hour of pushing, I was able to reach down and pull her out of my hoo-hoo (that's code for vagina) and onto my chest.  The first sight of her was heart exploding, mind melding, other worldly.  If you had told me aliens delivered her to me, I would have believed you because the other story, that I grew her in my belly and pushed her out of my vagina, and then pulled her onto my chest with my bare hands seemed just as unlikely.    Pregnancy has been a wonderful experience, but now that I think about it, it was mostly conceptual.  The kicks, the hiccups, the pictures of Ruby on the ultra sound were all real,  but the idea of her and what she would look like, how she would move, what it would feel like to touch her, and smell her skin was a concept.  Not anymore.  She's here.  And it's our job to keep her alive and watch her grow.  Another "concept" I'm slowly wrapping my head around.   To think that after five years of wanting, trying, praying, crying, and now we have this beautiful baby girl, well is just about the best way to wake up everyday that I could imagine.  The tears are still coming, but they are filled with Joy and a few moments of self doubt and fear, but so far I can handle those.   We are committed to staying close to home for the first six weeks of her life.  Today is the start of week three.  I'm basically a milking machine, and walking around our house in a breastfeeding daze.
The dogs are doing great, a little bit of an adjustment, but so far they are handling it.  By the way, I still love my dogs as much as I did before Ruby arrived, maybe even a little more.  Whew what a relief.

Angela, Thank you for the perfect burp clothes. I LOVE THEM!!!!

I'll write more soon.
xo,
Andrea



7 comments:

  1. *cry*

    Way to go! Just. Can't. Stop. Crying! So proud of you guys!

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  2. One word: BLESSING.

    Love, Terri

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  3. What a wonderful, loving, incredible description of a most amazing delivery and beautiful first days. Love to you and your blessed family!!!

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  4. Beautiful just beautiful! As I was reading I felt your heart!❤

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  5. I am so incredibly happy for the two of you! You will be a mind blowing mom and this child is in for the time of her life. She's beautiful just like her parents.
    xoxo
    Joy

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  6. I agree, Ruby is precious and beautiful =) =)

    JulianneMay

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  7. Awesome! Can't wait to met Ruby!

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