- The quiet house in the dark, lit only by the streetlights, daughter in a rocking chair, flanked by me and a dear friend with another at her feet and another snoozing on the couch. Whispered conversation between contractions about love and life and children and relationships.
- The energy that flows when a baby is on the way - running effortlessly on an hour and half's sleep into the next day.
- Bringing my four year old grandson home from daycare so he can be part of the birth at home - playing in his room for a time - coming out to be with his mom - sitting with me, his hand on top of hers as she is seated in the birthing pool, going through the contractions - his love and concern for her with no fear and no hesitation.
- The skilled and calm midwives - the celebration when we heard my daughter was at 8 centimeters - she thought she still had a long way to go.
- The authority of the midwife who has caught hundreds and hundreds of babies, to get my daughter out of the pool for the final delivery - babe's shoulders were stuck - we just all reacted instantly and instinctively - she was out and onto the couch, which was prepared with the plastic sheets and bedding - Torin was out in one more push.
- The moments afterwards with my son-in-law and my grandson gathered around the couch, touching my daughter, hands on the new babe, with the daylight streaming through the window and the beautiful green plants all around - the warm intimacy of being at home with this new life just being brought into the world.
All my doubts about how to share my Grammy-ness with this new one vanished. I knew as I held him a little later, when he opened his eyes and looked up at me as I sang to him, that we will have our own special way with each other. He is unique and different and not-his-brother. We already have our connection and it will grow as we get to know each other. My heart, like the Grinch's, grew three sizes that day.
As our community gathered last night, sharing food and passing the baby, I was present to the wonder that a fresh new little one brings to us all. We are reminded of the poignant possibility that exists in each of us when we are brand new and how we can access that again and again.
