On May 15, 2013, my mother’s birthday, at 5:27p, a 7lb 15oz baby boy was pulled from my wife’s belly after 17 hours of labor, 2 hours of intense pushing, and ultimately a caesarian section. Welcome to this world Eli Henry Sterenson, so named for my paternal grandparents Edward and Helen Sterenson.
When the anesthesiologist told me that “now would be a good time to stand”, no words could ever describe the deluge of emotions that come with seeing this being we created, finally emerge into this world after unrivaled anticipation. Sadly, only I could enjoy this moment since my wife was in a twilight. She remembers hearing “it’s a boy” as we both surmised for months. But then she was out, and it was I who got to hold this little miracle when he was less than ten minutes old.
These moments I can only sum up by saying they were the joyous moments of my life with nothing ever even remotely comparable ever preceding it. The miracle of life is real. That this unique little being could not ever be recreated and could never have been created before is too big a concept to illustrate. I’ve always known I was to be his dad, and I’d been waiting a lifetime to meet him.
In the following days we found ourselves falling in love over and over again, every minute, with this most beautiful bundle of joy. And he’s so well behaved! He cries only when wet and hungry, and naps, coos and peers with his big alert blue eyes for all of the rest of the moments. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness with our new family and our new son, Eli Henry.