You were such a big baby! 8 pounds 14.5 ounces. Too big, in my opinion, for an all natural delivery, but it was too late. Right after your arrival they plopped you on my tummy and I was able to told you for just one moment, but in that moment our bond was solidified and you became mine. I tried to listen to what the doctor was saying, something about lasers and "its only cosmetic", but I was being distracted by stitches and imaged you had webbed fingers. Then they brought you to me, your purple lip perfectly pursed. We had no idea what lay ahead of us and, thankfully so, as we had one day together blissfully unaware that anything was wrong. It wasn't until the next day after your bath that my lotion filled hands would caress a magnitude of tiny bumps hiding in the sweet fleshes of your neck. You can thank me later for not allowing them to send you to another hospital with a wet-nurse for an MRI. Instead we held you close and made dozens of long distance phone calls. Everyone rallied to get you quickly home, your doctors, the embassy, our families, and even Li Ayi. You set us on a whole new course, a new continent, a new consciousness. Our lives are so much better for it. Thank you dear Maaike for coming to us. These next few years may be though at times. You will have more surgeries and challenges to climb, but today on your birthday let us be as blissfully unaware as the day you arrived and only enjoy each other and the knowledge you are mine. Happy birthday.
Love,
Mom
Dear stranger!
ReplyDeleteI stumbled upon your blog by chance. Usually I just surf by, if the blog I'm looking at didn't have what I was looking for, but you had me hanging for a good half an hour, telling your story.
I just wanted to let you know, how moved and touched I am by your love for your daughter. I'm a mother myself, across the world from you, and still you had me in tears by your thaughts of motherhood.
Thank you:)
I wish all the best for you and your family,
Katrine, Denmark