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My husband, my soul mate, was my pillar of strength during this time. Don, stayed by my side and held my hand the whole time. My heart ached for him. Here he was beside me, and I was delivering his first child, but not in the way that either us had ever imagined.
We had wonderful nurses in the high risk maternity ward, especially two who were by our side while I delivered Aja. They were like guardian angels. One was named Esther and the other was Elizabeth. Later when we were talking about Aja’s birth, we found their names ironic. Don’s paternal granmother’s name is Esther Francis, like our nurse’s name, Esther, while my delivery doctor was named Francis. Also Ironically, Elizabeth had my grandmother’s maiden name Salmon but she spelled it differently and was of no relation.
Also at one time during Aja’s delivery, I saw Don’s father, who had passed 7 years previously, and his maternal grandma Marge who passed away last spring. They stood to one side, near the window, watching us, with his father holding Aja in his arms. I was suddenly filled with a warmth and was comforted that they were there, that Aja was now with family and they were taking care of her for us. I had forgotten about the experience until Don later passed the story on to his mother.
Our beautiful daughter Aja Dawn grew to be eight pounds, five ounces and twenty one inches long. She had her daddy’s mouth and chin, and my nose. She had black wavy hair, the softest skin and ruby red lips like snow white.(later I learned that her lips turned red, from the last breath she took) .She was born at 2:35 am, Saturday August 3rd., the day of her uncle Ross’s and her cousin Noah’s birthday. It was both the best and saddest moment of our life. The nurse brought her to us, bundled in a white blanket. We couldn’t wait to see her, to hold her. Don and I were both surprised how heavy she was. She was so beautiful, we were amazed that we created this wonderful little baby girl. She looked as if she was sleeping and smelled like baby powder. We both expected to cry uncontrollably when we saw her, but instead, we were so happy just to see her and hold her.
