I haven't really posted about the birth experience yet, and I know everyone is just dying to hear the gory details. And more importantly, I am dying to tell you.

It's funny how you get to the point where you are so ready for something that you tend to forget what is awaiting you on the other side. It's as though I had forgotten how painful labor was the first time around, which I can assure you is almost some sort divine miracle of the human physiology designed to make sure the species continues.

Labor is a painful process physically and emotionally. No matter how supportive your partner and support persons are, it is you against your body and your own soon-to-be-born child. As the baby is fighting its way out of you, your body has taken over the controls and your muscles are working hard to push this large object down a much smaller circumference. Your bones open and you feel like you are being split in two.

That's how I felt with Lily.

This time is was really different. I had followed someone's advice that spicy Mexican food will cause you to go into labor, my mother-in-law swore by castor oil - I tried both. Lo and behold Friday morning I woke up at 4:00 am with the urge to go to the bathroom. I was sure that between the laxative and the spice I had merely managed to give myself serious gastric distress. As I wandered around the house I began to feel some discomfort, at around 5:00 I decided to wake Eric - who shockingly responded calmly and quickly. He wanted to know if he could get cleaned up and I felt certain we had PLENTY of time.

I laid in the warm bath and started focusing inward, doing a mental chant my sister advised me would help, thinking of and saying "OPEN". Well that seemed to work minor wonders as the contractions started coming like gangbusters and quickly my mantra would become "It's only pain".

Lily soon awakened with all the activity going on and handled it like a champ even at 5:30 am. We were running around trying to get everything together while simultaneously having contractions that were coming two to three minutes apart. I remember watching Eric take Lily into his mom and dad's house thinking, "Oh dear, I hope he hurries, I have a weird feeling."

It was snowing lightly, but steadily - it seemed so peaceful and serene that had I not been experiencing painful and rapid contractions I would have described it as sublime. Traffic was light, but I think I counted every car that was in our way. As we approached the exit for the hospital I told Eric, "We better hurry, I feel funny". Eric assured me that we had plenty of time and to relax. He tried to hold my hand, I WANTED to hold his hand but I kept having to grip the handles as I tensed with pain.