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We sleep (however rarely, these days) about 10 feet from the very spot where our son was born. I think about this each night as I lay down next to him and his mother.

I've put off writing this post because I'm never sure what to say after a birth. Even though I participated to the fullest extent possible I feel like there is much of the experience that only my wife can know.

She woke me up at 2:30am. It only took one sentence to write that, but she tells me that it was much harder to actually do it. I don't know what she tried prior to this, but I woke when she said "Steven, I'm having a contraction!" This being our third child it didn't take any more for her to let me know that this was the real thing. We got up and sat on the couch for a while. She was worried that it wasn't actual labor but I was pretty sure it was.

We got the birth tub ready, called the midwife, and by 7:45 or so Rebecca was in the tub, Claire was being cared for by a friend, and Emily was settled with her special box of coloring items and toys that we had prepared for the birth. The flurry of activity settling down gave Rebecca the space she needed to concentrate and this is where the mystery starts for me. I can not tell what goes on in her mind during labor. I offered her what support I could--encouraging words, gentle massage, a shoulder to lean on, a hand to hold--and I know she was comforted by me, but she was totally focused on her task.

Rebecca kept saying up to this point (laughably, in retrospect) that she was worried that  this wasn't real labor. It did seem unbelievable that the baby would actually come on his exact due date, but it was obvious to me that the baby would come soon. The midwife was finally able to convince Rebecca that it was real labor somewhere in the middle of transition.

Emily was absolutely perfect. She had her toys to keep her entertained, but she would come in often to check on her mommy. She would give Rebecca a hug and usually stand silently watching. We had prepared her by watching birth videos and telling her what was to happen. She seemed to understand and I think Rebecca liked having her there.

Just before the baby came Rebecca had a moment where she did not think she was capable of pushing the baby out. I watched as she went through this moment of panic and then pushed it away as quickly as it had come on. The baby was out and he was beautiful, resting on his mother's breast. I am happy to say that Emily witnessed this amazing moment and seemed entranced by its magic. I can't say enough how special it was for her to have seen this. She is proud of her baby boy brother and likes to tell everyone how he came out of her mommy's tummy (a not always appropriate, but always heart-warming conversation).