The relief was so overwhelming that I was a new person. I could open my eyes and watch as Eric stood over the attending nurses and baby Alex. I was smiling, I was cheerful I WAS SO FLIPPING HAPPY TO HAVE THAT BABY.

There were some minor complications. Because I never really went through transition, the placenta was not detaching. They literally reached up inside of me and pulled and scraped to get it out. This was EXTREMELY painful. But I didn't care.

Soon I was holding my baby and felt almost no fatigue. I could stand on my own and was quickly attending to breastfeeding, something baby Alex does a little too well. Who says gums aren't hard on a nipple?

The most blissful moments were sitting in the room at the hospital watching Eric coo at this beautiful, sweet baby. I was so relaxed and for those brief hours I was the happiest person in the world. Then he left and the reality that all I had waited for and prayed for came, and now it was over. I felt sad and happy at the same time. Never again would I be a new mother and I knew I had to cherish every moment. For the first time in months I didn't worry about being broke, jobless and cranky. A new phase had begun, one that will have many challenges and milestones.

Thanks for letting me share this story. I wanted to get it down on paper, and now I can print it out and put it in Alex's baby book for him to read someday.

What a huge difference between my two children, but the outcome is undoubtedly the same. A child to love and hold and be in awe of for the rest of your life.