o my sheesh.

Val had her baby today. After two weeks of us being on the edge of our seats...because little Novi kept trying to make an appearance...she finally arrived!

We went to the Hospital around 7:30 after Val had been having contractions for 2 hours every 3-5 minutes. With the awareness that induction was coming the next morning, no matter what, we thought we would try the more natural route...

Val was so excited and calm and amazing at relaxing through her contractions. the adrenaline of her being in labor was palpable, and Rem and I were chatting away at all types of topics to distract her in between contractions.

At about midnight, so after about 5 hours of labor, we entered into the active labor. Different story. Val was still such a champ at breathing through and relaxing, but needed someone putting pressure on her tailbone with all their might (my role!) during every contraction. It quickly became exhausting for me and my poor lil' biceps, and i teased Val that next time she needed her assistants to go through some more rigorous training, with perhaps a physical check-off. =)

This kept on until 5 am. around that time her doctor showed up, things were progressing, and we started preparing for this new bundle of joy to come into the world. After some slight delays, she started pushing at 6 am and we heard sweet first cries from November Iris Moll around 6:30 am.

talk about bonding. talk about magical moments. to have seen our little baby whisperer, our always-present helper, our biggest fan during our pregnancies and births, be able to bring her own into the world...was a moment that stands still in my mind. her elation, her joy, the relief after the long, exhausting experience of back labor due to a posterior birth.

Valarie Moll is champ. and so is her coach-extraordinaire, Rem.

drew brought our pajamed, sleepy bear so he could be there for the moment, and although we were too exhausted to get pics of that...i love this shot...friends since 3rd grade...dads together in a foreign land...

and as we all piled into a taxi and drove home weary and so fulfilled, this is what we get at home...my sweet cuddly bear getting breakfast....