The Family Berlin: The Godfather (and Mother) part 3

My last birthday Heather and Aidan and Janet came over to quietly celebrate my 27th (ugh, I just keep getting older) birthday. I had just had Summer a month prior and was sad that my little baby was sent away for 12 hours so that I could have some quality Me time. We were drinking and having a good time when Heather looked at me and said,
"Well, I was hoping that I could tell you that I was pregnant for your birthday but not quite yet."
Its my dream for every one of my friends to have kids. Charlie and I had Steve so young that really, no one was even thinking about babies at that time. Everybody needs to catch up!

A few weeks go by and I get a text from Heather
"Are you sitting down?"
"WHAT?? TELL ME?!"
"Do you think this is a positive? Its really light."
I'm pretty sure I started crying right on the spot. I was so happy that someone else was about to experience this journey of parenthood and love and frustration and to finally, really have someone to share all these things with. And someone to be like, "Where the fuck did all these stretch marks come from?" and "Why am I so sick all the time, I hate my life!"
You know the important things about pregnancy and child rearing.
We went camping. No complaints. Even when we were all fucked up drunk and (our children weren't present) annoying; not a peep.
We went to the beach and got sunburnt. No complaints.
She was at my house at least twice a week and even changed dipes and let Summer puke on her and had Steve all up in her face doing what my friend Jamie likes to call, The Weirdness.
Not one fucking complaint.
Pretty sure her whole first trimester went by without any nausea and maybe packed on about 3 measly pounds.
I am, by far, the worst pregnant person on the planet. As soon as that test says positive, my hormones are out of control and I get fat. Oh and sick, really, really sick. I was incredibly jealous of how smoothly her pregnancy was going and how lovely she was looking. She was glowing, whereas I, when pregnant, have a thick layer of sweaty sheen on my face.
Yeah, jealous.
Around month 4.5 is when you they found out the sex, they came over with a card announcing it was a girl.
We had talked about it and I was thoroughly convinced she was having a girl, because really, I needed someone to give all of Summers things to.
I cried of course, and had a packed up all of Summers too small clothes, which they will never need to buy. Ever.
Around the last trimester is when she started to complain about swelling. Finally, something I could be like, "Oh yeah, shit sucks! Welcome to pregnancy!"
But as it turns out it was way worse than anybody had thought.
She was delivering at Cascade Birthing Center which was the same place that I had delivered Summer and that many of our friends had gone as well. Heather had hyped me up about delivering naturally, I received many, MANY words of encouragement from her and I felt I did the same with her. Always reassuring her this was the right choice, a woman's body (most of the time) is made for childbirth, its a totally liberating, empowering experience and on and on.
So, when she called me saying that Cascade had now put her in the high risk category for Preeclampsia, she was devastated. Having to find a new doctor at the hospital and figure everything out while trying to hire a new person at work on the busiest day of the year at her job all while knowing that your baby is about to come a few weeks early, was more than a little stressful. I don't think the word devastated really covers it. It was heartbreaking to be a part of. I felt bad for being jealous of her easy pregnancy, I certainly didn't want this to happen. It made me realize that everyone is different, everyone is on their own journey, everyone experiences things differently. I had two sucky, nauseous, full-on weight gain extravaganza pregnancies with extremely easy deliveries. No two pregnancies are alike.

Luckily, she was able to take advantage of the Providence Midwives and found a really excellent midwife at the hospital where they could break her water, because of the preeclampsia, gently and take care of her and the baby with medical intervention, if needed.
I was so proud that even with being in the hospital and having the option to get the epidural, she battled for 5.5 hours and had Hattie Rae Hartman all naturally.

Charlie and I went to the hospital to see our newest little babe and we were immediately enamored with this little 6lb confection. She had the sweetest little swirl of dark brown hair and little cheeks you just want to kiss. I held her until we were overpowered by official family and when we came back a few hours later, I held her the whole time, not willing to give up the sweet newborn baby smell that I wont get personally, again.
(Well, after we left the hospital, Charlie told me we should probably have another child. If it were up to him we would have a whole army of Berlins, but I just don think so.)
The next few weeks were wrought with sickness at the Berlin house so we didn't get to see Hattie as much as I would have liked, but after the plague was cleared I made sure to pop over as much as I felt was not being too pushy. I Moby her every time I have her, on New Years, I'm pretty sure I wore her for 6 hours.
Not that I have baby fever or anything...

I'm beyond thrilled that the Hartman's are officially a family of 3 and so proud of the fight she endured the last little bit of pregnancy.

Hattie-Boo, Nanny loves you.