Labor of Love

Viviana Veronica Vargas
Born: March 29th
6.5lbs

My contractions began Saturday afternoon. Pain so sharp that it sliced itself through my lower stomach, reeled its way around my back and made my face grimace. There was no question. I knew it was time. I tried to relax like all those books said to. "In the early stages of labor, relax, play cards, watch a movie." A man must have written those books. How can I play Texas Hold'Em when a human being is beginning to descent further and further into my pelvis, knocking at the cervix door with a commanding, "Let Me Out!"? After 7 hours of this (none which included cards) I couldn't take the pain anymore. My contractions were not 5 mins apart, but I called the doc anyway. "Well, we like to wait, but come in and let's check you out" Lucky thing because after 13 hours of labor, our daughter was born.

When she was out, I cried so openly and with such intensity that all the doctors and equipment disappeared and all I could see was Cesar and Vivi there in the room. None of the labor mattered. None of the pain could take away the love that exploded in my heart like fireworks and confettied itself over my soul. Look at her. Look at what God gave us. This being of love and hope and innocence made of Cesar and myself. Of our love for each other, for life and now for our daughter.

"You did good," Cesar said while the docs were getting her ready for us and leaned over and gave me a kiss and I knew that my family was complete. How could I have ever thought I knew what it would feel like? I knew I would be happy, I knew that I would cry, but the tears that treaded down my face were filled with such emotion I could never have imagined. They placed her in my arms and Cesar and I told her how we felt. Her eyes opened, she looked at each of us as though making sure we were hers. At the moment that our eyes met, we each knew that we were each other's.

It's been five days since that moment, five days and nights filled with feedings, diaper changes, lack of sleep, but none of it matters. To see her sleep, to see her smile, her big gray eyes looking at us when we speak to her, to catch those memories of how wonderful of a father Cesar is, melts my heart into a river of peace and love, that I will happily swim in forever.