Could You Be The Most Beautiful Girl in The World?

October 22, 2013.

I woke up around 5:30 AM to shower, and get ready for work. 

After my shower, I put a towel over my head and walked into my kitchen to take my Synthroid and my supplements. My phone had a text message, at 5:57 AM. It was my mom. "r u up" it asked. I texted back that I was, and is everything alright? "Katie is in labor, water broke."

THIS IS THE DAY I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! 

My sister and my amazing brother in law, Drew, were finally going to become parents, and make me an aunt to this amazing baby girl.

I went into work, to open the clinic, turn on the TV in our lobby, print the doctors out their schedules, etcetera. 

I called my clinic manager at 7:08 to tell her about the good news. We agrees that I could stay until the 8:30 medical assistants clocked in. 

My patients arrived for their appointments, and I couldn't conceal my excitement. I told them what was happening, and everyone wished me well when I left around 8:36. 

I drove from Columbus to Delaware, which is about a 45 minute commute, but with the morning traffic, it set me back about an hour and a half.

Once I reached my exit, I filled my gas tank and stopped for coffee. It took another 20 minutes to get to the hospital.

Parking was so easy; I was relieved.

I walked in the automatic doors of the main entrance, and was greeted by a brunette sitting at the Information Desk.

"May I help you?" she offered. "Yes, if my sister is currently in labor, where do I need to go?" I asked. She directed me around the corner to the elevators, and instructed me to take it to the 4th floor: Labor & Delivery. 

I remember passing the hospital gift shop and coffee shop; oh man! They have Starbucks coffee here? I could have saved some misery going through the drive thru! No matter!

I got to the 4th floor and turned to the right, as previously instructed. The maternity waiting room was very small, with 2 flat screen Plasma TV's. There was a call light that had to be pressed to enter. The card read, “Please state your name and reason for visit.” 

Someone responded, "May I help you?" I advised them that I was Katie's sister. Open Sesame. The double doors opened wide, and I cautiously walked through them to the nurses's station. 

Once I was escorted to my sister's room, I walked in to find her tied up to IV's. She had a nasal oxygen mask on. Panic set in. Drew was sitting beside her, and he greeted me with a big hug. 

Katie said the contractions were, "no joke." She prides herself on being able to tolerate certain degrees of pain, but she said these were unbearable. Every 3 minutes. 

I laughed when she told me about her water breaking. She admitted she felt loopy from the epidural she had received, just minutes before I got there. 

Her nurses's name was Megan; she was very personable, and I was happy with how she was treating my sister. 

The nurse decided to start another IV to kick start Katie's contractions. I decided to go back to their house to hang out with my mom; I wanted them to have this moment together, without their kid sister getting in the way. 

I left around 10:08, and got back to Katie and Drew's new home. You can still smell the fresh paint when you walk in; I love that.

I found my mom vacuuming their living room, while our dog, Maggie, was patiently wagging her tail at me.

I made some coffee, and sat down to hang out with Mom and Maggie.

At about 12:30, we got a text message from Katie; she was fully dilated! We grabbed some miscellaneous items, and a baby gift, and headed out the door.

When we got there, Katie looked sleepy, and was watching a horror movie on Sci-Fi. Drew was pacing. Drew's parents arrived, and we hung out in her delivery room for about 30 minutes, before the show was ready to get on the road.

Drew's parents and I waited in the maternity lobby for over an hour. We were told at 2:30 that she had just started pushing. 

At 4:15, I was growing impatient. I kept ringing the call light for the maternity ward. "Hello?" someone asked. "Yes, this is Katie's sister. Is she OK?" I asked, breathlessly. "She just started pushing," someone responded. I was in disbelief. Someone has these important events turned around. I needed to know; I'm the aunt of that baby! 

The double doors to the ward opened up, and a nurse who must have just finished her shift, saw all 4 of us standing there, waiting for some kind of update. 

"You guys can't go back there yet." 

Duh. 

Another half hour passed. We asked a nurse in the hallway about Katie and Drew. She went to ask another nurse at the station; when she came back, she was smiling! Elliana was here! She had been born! She advised us that Drew would be out shortly, to deliver the good news.

Drew came out of the ward, in all smiles, with a paper mask hanging around his neck. Elliana Joy was born at 4:51. She was 8 pounds, 7 ounces, and measured 21" long. He showed us pictures; she had a full head of dark hair, and gorgeous, chubby cheeks! 

We wanted to go back, but Katie was doing skin-to-skin contact with Elliana. Drew told us to go have dinner somewhere, and come back.

We went to the Bag of Nails Pub that was up the street. All of us ordered our food and ate it in record time. Drew's dad ordered meals to go for the new parents. 

We met back at the ward, and Katie's best friend since childhood, Lesley, greeted me. 

We all walked into the ward to Katie's room. Katie looked beautiful; she was sitting upright in the bed, with Elliana in her arms. 

Elliana is perfect! She has the longest lashes you've ever seen. Her nails were so long! She didn't make a sound, she was so content. 

We all took our turns holding her, and watched the nurses give her a bath, as well as her immunizations. My baby girl niece is perfect! I am in shock! I still can't believe she's here! I just spent the last 7 months rubbing my sister's belly, and talking to her, and now, here she is!

Lots of tears were shed; ones of pure joy. 

My dad and my brother came up the very next day to visit with Elliana. 

Since she has been born, I have changed her and held her countless times. She is a very good baby. I'm known as Aunt Meggie, or Auntie M! 

It's the best feeling. My sister and Drew are such great parents; I'm so lucky to have the family I've got. 

Until next time...