04/13/2026
Do you re-live your birth story on your child’s birthday, or is it just me? 👶🏼👣💜
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Seventeen years ago today, this baby boy made his grand entrance into the world. It was the day after Easter (his due date), and to my great disappointment, there was not a single sign of labor that morning.
By mid-afternoon, though—bam! Contractions started. I kept track of them on a post-it note I carried in my pocket… because this was 2009, and we didn’t have fancy contraction-timing apps. Or smartphones. Just paper. :)
I paced the house, wondering if the hypnobirth I envisioned was actually going to happen or if I was about to throw that plan out the window.
By 8:30 PM, it was go time. We dropped off big sister with , and I arrived at the hospital 5cm dilated. The room was buzzing with excitement and full of family—including and —ready to welcome the newest grandbaby.
About an hour in, things got real. I suddenly wanted everyone gone and locked myself in the hospital bathroom to ride it out solo... while texting from my flip phone. Yes, FLIP. PHONE. 🙈
Eventually, we decided I needed the tub. My amazing husband got it set up, and I labored there for about 30 minutes. Then—pop!—my water broke. The peaceful breathing turned into me hollering, “The baby is coming out right now!”
The nurses helped me out of the tub and we made a mad dash down the hall—right past my father-in-law , who was casually headed to McDonald’s. The look on his face? Priceless.
Three minutes later, Cal Steven arrived.
4/13/2009 — 10:27 PM — 8 lbs 6 oz — 21 inches⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What surprised you most about labor?
Or what’s one thing you wish someone had told you before it all started?
