Happy Birthday to my second born: Joseph Daniel Osteen II. This child has been a source of so much growth and has been such a challenge.... in so many ways. Here's the story of his birth:
Daniel was the hardest one to wait for. I had been anxious for Abby when she was in her last weeks in-utero, but not like it was with Daniel. This is mostly because (I would find out afterward) he was almost 1 1/2lbs heavier than Abby and an inch and a quarter longer. In those last weeks, he had "dropped," but he still kicked my ribs and sternum. And I ached all the time. My hips hurt, my back hurt.... getting up in the morning was the worst! And he was late. Ugh. My due date for him was January 4th, which I knew to be a little too early. So when the 4th came and went, I was not concerned..... a little disappointed (I was sooooooo ready!) but not concerned. So the 6th came... and went... and the 9th came.... and went.... and the 12th came...... and went. By now he was over a week late! Talk about ready to have a baby.... if induction had been an option, it probably wouldn't have taken too much convincing!
I went to bed at 1am on Monday, January 14th (the first day of classes at UT for the spring semester AND the day of our first noon lunch of the semester!) but woke up only an hour later with a hard contraction. So I think "time to go to the bathroom." To the bathroom I go... then about 7 or 8 minutes later.... another hard contraction. Now, at 2 am, no one thinks very clearly, and even though I had been through labor once before, I still was not sure this was it. With Abby there had been no guess work: my water broke and I was in labor! But I was not ready for the "is this really it" mental debate. So for an hour I walked around, drank water and waited to see if the contractions stopped. They did not. So I woke up Joseph. Then we debated as to whether we should call the midwife... I mean, it was 3am. I wanted to make sure we were really ready. So an hour later, we call our midwife and Joseph's mom. Abby was 21 months old and sleeping sweetly in her room, so my mother in law was on call for staying with her when we went into labor. We also called my mom so she could come in to be with me. The midwife informed us that it would take her an hour to get into Tyler to the birth center and get things set up... but if things got urgent, to call. So we waited another hour. By now, the contractions were 3-5 minutes apart. I wasn't hungry, but knowing I'd need some energy, I ate some eggs and toast between contractions.
Finally, at a little after 5am, my mother in law got to our apartment, and we headed to the birth center, only five or so minutes away. On the way there I began to feel like I needed to push! I thought "maybe I'm just remembering the sensation of pushing and not really NEEDING to push." Hah! So I breathe through those contractions, and we get to the birth center. Just walking in and going up the stairs, I have to stop two or three times for contractions. Those babys were getting intense. When we get to the birth room I tell my midwife that I've sort of felt like I needed to push. But we're only a little less than 4 hrs into this, so she smiles sweetly, not quite believing me, and says "Let's check and see how things are going." Lo and behold, we're at a 10..... ready to go! And my mom's not there yet, the birth assistant isn't there yet.... my sister (who was supposed to come and provide any physical support needed) wasn't there. It was just me, my husband and the midwife in the early morning... so quiet and peaceful. I pushed once or twice.... then toward the end of the second push my water broke. Just after that my mom walked in, and just in time because with that next push he'd be born! Slowly, softly with little to no pain (on crowning.... the contractions were definitely painful). His head, then his shoulders. It was 5:56am. I remember not being able to believe how big he was. Sooooo fat! They placed him on my chest. I'm not gonna lie, he was not a cute baby in those first hours. haha. His face was a little swollen from birth... he was not as pretty as Abby had been. But I was still smitten. And I became more so every day.
It's funny to think back on his birth now. It was so sweet and quiet. And, if you know my son now.... those words aren't his best descriptors. He is sweet, for sure.... but quiet..... not so much. Haha. He's a normal boy. But every day he tells me he loves me..... every day he kisses my face.... without any solicitation. Sometimes he drives absolutely insane! But he is the most lovely little boy I know..... and I am grateful every single day that Jesus gave me charge over this Daniel. And I pray every day that I can be the mother... and woman.... he needs in his life to help him become the man he'll be one day. More than all of that, I pray for continued grace from Christ to cover where I lack and grow up this man to be madly in love with Him and do mighty things! Amen!
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