Lily Diana Stevenson was born the morning of January 2, 2026. She was due before Christmas but took her sweet time baking and came out fully cooked and weighing nearly 10 pounds. We decided she just wanted her own special day, and what a really really special day it was! Looking back now nearly 5 months later, and reflecting on this day just fills me with tears, happy ones.
As anyone who has ever delivered past their due date can confirm, there is so much waiting and anticipation once you past the due date. . . for nearly two weeks we waited and waited and hoped she would make her grand debut that day! Christmas came and went and then New Years came and went and then things finally started happening the wee morning of the 2nd on January!
At about 3am in the morning I woke up with contractions and just laid in bed, excited but also just hoping I could just sleep and that they would return in the morning. They didn't stop and just slowly grew closer as I laid in bed. I woke Riley up at 3:45 and called the midwife at 4. I wanted a home birth this time, but really wanted the midwife there and was worried about baby comes too fast and not having her with us. At about 5am in the morning the midwife came over and felt my body shift. Relaxing as Sophie (the midwife) was here and we weren't along but also not relaxing at all.. because hello i'm in labor! :)
The next two hours things became more and more intense, closer and closer the contractions became and more painful. At around 6:50am Sophie broke my water and there was meconium in the water. When this happens they like to have us in the hospital as there can be complications but she wanted to stay and see as she knew things would progress so fast but to be prepared so we called Riley’s parents to come just in case a hospital trip is needed I’d go out the window (yes, out the window the dutch way) to hospital or if things are okay and conditions stable stay and baby is okay.
As predicted, as soon as the water broke things became real and was pushing right away. It was painful, but i remember feeling very aware of what was going on the waves of the contractions the pain the pressure and feeling Lily's head with my hand as she made her way out. It is so raw and real and powerful. My alarm went off on my wrist watch at 7, as I was pushing and knew the kids would be waking up and sure enough little footsteps came and Riley shuffling them around. I really wanted them there, and nearby to see there mom do something hard and the magic of childbirth. I got my wish, the timing was perfect.
Within minutes, Lily was here born at 7:07 and the kids came in in their pajamas and sleepy faces and it was such a special sacred time to have all the kids in the room so soon after something so special. We didn't know the gender leading up so it made for an extra special morning to find out we had our baby girl.
She was super covered in the white vernix, which was surprising because she was so late but she was so dirty and beautiful and was a GIRL and just heaven was close.
Other things we'll remember- Luke cutting the cord was pretty cool to see, also cute that unprompted Luke took his shirt off to first hold the baby to get that skin to skin :) Our midwife Sophie was a gem (perfect combo of being chill, yet also totally in control and fun all at the same time. Her holding up the amniotic sac for all the kids to see its all its glory was a fun memory. Lucy helping Sophie weigh Lily for the first time and giving her a doll blanket. The timing of Grandpa and Mimi and Nicole showing up was pretty special. They were there less than 20 minutes after Lily was born, so was pretty neat having them in the room with everything so fresh. Riley remembers the look of pure happiness on his mom's face telling her that it was a baby girl :)
cutting the cord
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