The Birthday Boy Who was Almost Delivered By Daddy

11 years ago today Mike almost delivered Peter all by himself. It was a morning of comical mishaps that fits perfect with Peter as his pregnancy was by far the oddest. To this day, he is my most peculiar child. He was breech through the whole pregnancy and in hopes to get him to turn, besides our midwife trying to turn him, I had to lie on an ironing board upside down while Mike burned incense at my feet. Yes, I was 9 months pregnant lying on an ironing board upside down. How I regret that we never got a picture. When Mike and I started feeling loopy from the incense, we decided to only tell our midwife we were doing her earthy ritual.  

A week before he was born, he decided to turn all on his own. Peter’s stubborn nature was evident even before birth. There was no convincing him to do what the midwife wanted. When I was 2 weeks overdue, I had to enjoy the delights of castor oil and an enema in hopes to get me in labor. Still, there was no convincing Peter to come out into this strange world. He must have loved being tucked in my ribs and listening to the beating of my heart. He must have enjoyed the warmth and security of mom.

When my water broke early one morning, I hurried downstairs where Mike was sleeping on the couch. He remembered how long my last deliveries were and instead of calling the midwife, who lived an hour away, he sent me back to bed in hopes we both would get some needed rest before the big event. As Mike rested, I did not. A few hours later, I waddled down the stairs now in hard labor and woke him. While I labored, Mike ran with the phone in hand calling who he needed and getting our other four children up and ready to stay elsewhere.

When our midwife and her assistant arrived, I didn't notice or hear the grilling Mike was getting from the midwife as she thrust her equipment on the table. It seemed like seconds after she arrived that Peter was born. What I do remember is holding my new baby boy and gazing down at him as he looked up at me. He was beautiful. To this day his nick-name has stuck; Handsome Pete. To this day, older girls look at him and wish he was older or they were younger. To this day I am still his most favorite person in the world.

He will always be a mommy’s boy. He will always hug and kiss me. He will always invade my personal space when I cook and he will always tell he loves me. What a lucky mommy I am to have such an amazing boy.

Happy Birthday, Peter! How our world would be less without you! I look forward to another year of odd with you. We are kinder spirits I think!