OK, OK!!! I made a decision!

Phew, this was tough. Weren't they all great?! Isn't it sort of interesting to look at birth with such a relentlessly editorial eye? I think that one of the things that really stuck out to me was that nearly across the board, no matter how difficult/painful/scary the writer felt the birth was, one of the six words was something like, "beautiful," "miracle," "amazing," "blessing," "proud." And that's really what it's about, I guess. A birth can go so many different ways and what I love is when moms and dads (yah, dads, I didn't see any submissions from YOU guys!!!) remember the birth of their child as a beautiful event.

So without further ado, let me announce the "winner!"





Although, seriously, I don't think that's the right word because you're all so great, and I mean that.



See, now I can understand what gets into Joe Biden sometimes. You know how he just can talk and talk and go into all these great, touching, funny, anecdotes about the great people he's had the fortune to have touch his life? Like, when he was introduced by Dan Rooney today in Greensburg? Seriously, I just love this guy.






OK, I'll be good.






Now, without further further ado:

Jessica KTS said...

Saw her head in mirror forever!

I just loved that! Just a moment in time frozen forever. And having pushed myself for a total of 6 1/2 hours between Chim and Badger, I feel your pain, dude. Congratulations!!!



Now, like I said, I had a hell of a time picking and I gave this a lot of thought and made many lists. I loved the progression in birth stories in Kris's response:

#1-excited, naive, painful, pitocin, failure, cesarean.

#2-scared, another surgery, tears, another boy.

#3-determined, communication, surgery, support, fearless, girl:)

... the personal story that Julie emailed me and explained a little about the "serendipity" part:

Induction, assumptions, urgency, support, relief, serendipity.

... the bravery of Kristi and so many others as she illustrates in her telling of the cesarean birth of her daughter:

induction, overzealous, scarring, disappointing, beautiful, painful

... Christine's joyous alliteration:

Hooray!

Hurry!

Herculean.

Hubristic.

Halcyon.

Henry

... and the lovely, gentle birth described by Maria (the description of, if she's who I think she is, is completely accurate!):

loving, peaceful, natural, PUSHING, beautiful BOY!

Oh, I could go on. But I've done enough of that already. And you guys know me, I do go on. Thank you everyone for participating! I hope you had as much fun as I did! I really hope I can do this again. PW inspires me with her contests, what can I say?