You are my miracle! I tell you that every day, every time I hold you. You are truly a miracle.
But in case I forget to tell you one day … when you’re 13 and have just taken the family car for a joyride … this is exactly why.
We worried about you when I was pregnant. We had many doctors’ appointments. Your Great-Grandpa George prayed for you every day. Sometimes three times a day.
Now I realize that no one wants to hear their own birth story, but just give me a moment. You were born fast, Eva! Really FAST! Moments after you were born, we learned that your umbilical cord wasn’t attached correctly to the placenta. It was attached on the end, and only one of the three main arteries that should go into the umbilical cord were in the correct place. Doctor Amy Brown and Nurse Judy assured us that you were a miracle. In their experience, placentas like that end in miscarriage every time. The baby moves or pulls on the cord sometime during pregnancy and simply bleeds out. Nurse Judy remembers one baby who died full-term during labor, the saddest day of her career. Even within minutes, they couldn’t pull the baby out fast enough to save her.
How did you know, Baby Eva? How were you so nimble? So graceful? You came into this world so quickly and so smoothly. I only had about 10 or 15 minutes of pain, and then you were born in just a few contractions. You didn’t leave one moment for anything to go wrong. And your Dad had this sixth sense that an epidural would be dangerous for us. How did he know? An epidural would have slowed down labor and I shudder to think about what might have happened. Your Dad was right there with me, coaching me through a “natural” delivery. Touching his forehead to mine. Reminding me how much he loved me and how much we already loved you. I believe that your Dad saved your life.
I am so thankful, Eva. I don’t worry about you anymore. I see your strong spirit shining through those beautiful, dark eyes. I thank the heavens, stars, and God for you, Eva. Every night when we lay you in your crib, I touch your forehead and ask God to bless you, just like your Grandpa Mike did with me. You are perfect, Eva. Our perfect miracle.
