Welcome Baby!

No, not my precious baby, but one very dear to my heart ♥

My sister and my due dates are only 2 days apart.  It's been hard not being able to share this experience together since it's the first time we've been pregnant at the same time.  But we've kept in close contact using the phone, internet and photos to stay in touch.

We talked just yesterday about maybe setting up Skype for our births, so that the other one could "be there" to witness it all.  We both have home births and until now have been each others doula and birth support, but this time, it's not possible.

She called this morning to tell me she thought she was in labor, and then her husband got us set up on Skype around 11am.  I hung out watching and chatting with her kids and her husband.  At that point, they realized there was a leak in the birth tub, so I called her midwives to see if they could bring their tub or a liner to help stop the leak.  Then we used the Skype to distract her 3 kids and get them out into the living room where they would chat with my 4 kids.  After an hour or so, the midwives came and so I shut down Skype until they got her all settled and ready to birth the baby. 

Around 1:00, I called back because I couldn't handle the suspense.  They were in the hot tub outside because they decided that was a better option than dealing with a leaky birth tub.  They set skype up out there so I could watch the whole thing.  Her kids and the midwives kids were running around outside playing and swinging.  I knew from her sounds she was getting ready to push, so I called my family and the kids crawled up on my bed to watch their cousin be born.  They were so quiet and excited.  About 10 minutes later, little Simon Thomas was born! 

 

These photos are a little grainy since they're from the Skype session

 

It was such a wonderful experience!  Not quite as great as being there and being able to be involved, but I am SO SO SO thankful for the technology that allowed us to participate in this little mans welcome to the world.  

Simon Thomas ~ Born 5/7/11

8lbs 3oz ~ 20 3/4"

 

Your Auntie loves you so much and I feel so blessed to have witnessed your welcome into the world.