Doul-o

I have to take a moment (while Chase is sleeping and Gavin is snoozing on my chest-- seriously, is there any better feeling than a newborn warm and content and cuddly on you?!) and brag on my husband.

I know that he is a pretty good PR person for himself, and he has been known to let everyone know how great a birthing coach he is...but honestly, he really is telling the truth!  Those who know him may believe that he is being his usual sarcarstic self in all of his boastings of being the best coach ever, but I come here to tell you that he truly, truly is.  And if there is ever a niche in the market for male doulas (doulo?), I would highly recommend him.

We went to one 'class' on birthing before Ian was born, and he must have some kind of steel-trap memory, because he remembers specific phrases that she told us and visualizations that she used.  He talked me through every single contraction, advocated for me with the nurses and the doctors about going drug-free, walked me up and down the hallways and wasn't afraid to coach me in front of everyone in creation, helped me relax every muscle in my body, encouraged me when I was about ready to give up, and cheered me on the entire time.  I think there was only one time that I almost hit him... and I think he was purposely being a smart ass:)  Seriously, I would not have been able to do it without him by my side.  And that goes for all three of the boys' births.

And services don't stop there.  I didn't change one diaper in the hospital.  He slept on the really uncomfortable pull-out chair thing in the room and woke up whenever I needed something.  He took me on a lunch date to the cafeteria on our last day there, and was ever ever attentive to me.  When we got home, he told Ian that it was their job to tell me to sit down whenever they saw me trying to do something, and to help Mommy out with everything that needed to be done.  And, if that wasn't enough, he and Ian are at this very moment, "surprising" me by taking the van to the gas station to clean and vacuum it all out (believe me, that is a job and a half, since at least half of everything I give to Chase to eat ends up in every crevice of the carpet and upholstry in there).

He is so incredible, and entirely deserving of partial credit for the awesome birth experience that I had (he can't have it all, because let's face it- I did push an almost 9 pound watermelon out of parts-that-must-not-be-named).

To the best doulo ever!  Love you, honey :)  MCH!