Brenna's birth—Word Association #55

[vaneramos]

If one of these associations suggests a story from my life, I will try to tell it.

1. Angel:: daisydumont's icon
   
2. Birth:: Brenna
   
3. Logic:: Fuzzy
   
4. Stars:: Dust
   
5. Nursery:: Trees
   
6. View:: Fantastic
   
7. Hart:: to Hart
   
8. Creation:: Evolution
   
9. End:: Dead
   
10. Fortune:: Fantasy
    

Marian's birth was difficult and ended in an emergency C-section. The doctor did not make the same mistake for my wife's next pregnancy, so a C-section was planned.

I was allowed to attend both births but I remember Brenna's better because we were both relatively calm and relaxed. A low curtain was set up so that I could be present with my wife without watching the operation, but when the time came I suppressed my usual squeamishness and peaked over the top to observe the wonder of birth. I saw two pairs of hands lift Brenna pink and glistening from the obscure opening in Karen's belly.

I caught an inkling of both daughters' personalities the days they were born. With Brenna, in fact, I sensed it during the pregnancy. My wife expressed no intuition about it, so these hunches came from my own interaction with the fetus. I knew the second baby would be calmer than Marian.

This was confirmed when I saw her lifted from the darkness and, a few moments later, handed to me. She cried a little, but seemed generally unperturbed. I immediately sensed the sunshine spirit and peculiar humour that would eventually allow Brenna to smile and tease when everyone else was irritable and cranky.

A couple hours later, disaster struck. Karen hemorrhaged. I didn't realize what was happening. The nurses whisked me and the baby out of her room without much explanation. The problem was soon taken under control, but for a few moments I was terrified that I would be left alone to raise a toddler and a newborn baby.

At practicaly the same moment, my parents arrived. They had come down the night before, stayed at the house while I took Karen to the hospital, and brought Marian over as soon as we thought everything was fine. As it turned out, they couldn't see Karen and I was in a panic. But we had the baby, who was healthy and not yet named. Mom and Dad had also brought our video camera.

We have this video of them sitting in the hall: Nanum holding the newborn infant and Grandad beside her. Marian, 23 months old and usually a ball of noisy determination, is quiet and detached, sitting on the other side.

"Marian, do you want to touch your baby sister?" asks my mother. It takes some coaxing, and Mom repeats the question several times.

Then Marian, with her usual gusto, gives the baby's head a good, hard smack.

Comments

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

gerry was there for both my deliveries. both were difficult. the second was a section, after which he got to hold a very calm ted in his arms. it must be much easier on the baby than the usual squeezing out!

Re:

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I think you're right, DD, although it must be startling!

Marian came out with a conehead after fourty hours of hard labour.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Then Marian, with her usual gusto, gives the baby's head a good, hard smack.

Thereby establishing the normal older-to-younger-sibling relationship.

Re:

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Hehe, and so it continues to this day! They used to quarrel to the point of driving me nuts, but the past couple visits I was surprised at how well they're starting to get along.

[lotuspoet.livejournal.com]

Wow what an amazing and exciting event! That would be so scary to alomst loose the mother of your children. Many mother (and fathers) say that the way their children were as babies and even in the womb determines the way they turned out in life. Kudos to you and your instincts for picking that up :)

Re:

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Life events have certainly influenced their development, but I believe we're born with some dispositions. I wonder if some aspects of personality are genetic.