So You Think You Can Dance Season 10 just started and Momma C and I are obsessed. We promptly enrolled Baby Magic in dance classes and she is already a star! 

Here are two of her favorite routines:

Blurred Lines

Tiny Dancer

*Mama A is supposed to be napping when baby naps, but laughing while making these videos is way more fun. 

My latest blog post can be seen on our midwives’ blog. Check it out! 

http://birthsanctuary.com/forum/?p=217

As I sit here typing this with one hand and snuggling my precious daughter with the other, I find it hard to believe a month has passed since Micah’s arrival. I spend my days learning, trying to decipher every squawk, cry and gurgle. And yet it truly feels as though I’ve always known her. 

C is in charge of diapers, I cover the feedings and together we are rockin’ motherhood.  When I am freaking out that a simple rash may be scarlet fever (Google is a blessing and a curse) and C is calm, I am once again reminded that I chose the perfect partner. And when I take on the diaper change after an early morn feeding so C can sleep a few more minutes before her alarm goes off, I feel like a flippin’ hero. 

Gigi (my Mom) came to visit for a week and I felt so very proud to hand my daughter over to her as though she was a gift my Mom had always yearned for. And to see Gigi gush over Micah made me feel less guilty for the insane amount of cooking and cleaning my Mom did. Thank you Mom!! Grammie (C’s Mom) arrives tonight and I know it will be round two of pride and home cooked meals.

The most relaxing moments this month have been evenings spent on the couch next to C,who is holding our sleeping baby, as we watch the TV show Parenthood. We got into this show right before Micah was born and have been obsessively watching episode after episode every night. We watch the various stages of child rearing as this family laughs, lives and loves together. We mentally take notes on how to handle situations that are inevitably in our future. And every night C hums the theme song Forever Young by Bob Dylan. Our friend Katie said her Dad dedicated this song to her when she was born. We’d like to borrow that idea. This one’s for you, MIcah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7WTW-8RhR4

May God bless and keep you always 
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others 
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars 
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young 
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous 
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth 
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous 
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young 
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy 
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation 
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful 
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young 
May you stay forever young.

It is hard to believe a week has passed since Micah first entered the world. Here is the story of our journey:

I was due Monday, April 1st and was very ready to meet our daughter. I asked the doctor to strip my membranes which created cramping the next day. I went to acupuncture and by Tuesday night I was having contractions every 20 minutes or so. I put on my “sleep between contractions” hypnosis CD and did my best to rest knowing I would soon meet our baby. 

Around 7:20am Wednesday morning we called our doula, Didi, who arrived with serene yet confident energy. C and I knew we were in good hands. Didi sent us on walks around the block to help aid labor. Contractions were intense - more than I expected - mainly in my back. My beautiful wife became my pillar, holding me up, gently pulling my hips open, easing the discomfort as she whispered encouragement. By 1:50pm contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart and Didi called for the midwives to come. Angela and Aleks arrived shortly after and tears of relief streamed down my face, knowing the moment we had been waiting for was ever so near. 

The midwives checked and I was about 5cm dilated but baby was posterior and on the right side which was causing all the back labor pain. We needed her to rotate in order for labor to progress. With Angela guiding me and manipulating my belly, Didi massaging my back and C helping me into different yoga positions we were able to float the baby’s head out of my pelvis so she could turn in utero. By 5:20pm the baby was making her way back down into my pelvis. We found out later had this manipulation not work, we would have been transported to the hospital. I am so very grateful to our incredible birth team. 

Once baby was in the right position, labor actually slowed down and wasn’t nearly as painful. I took the time to talk to our baby. To tell her how great she was doing and we would journey together. I reminded her to keep her chin to her chest, hands across her heart and not to play with the cord. I couldn’t wait for her to arrive and yet I wanted to keep her cradled inside me forever. 

Angela and Aleks left to give us some space. Didi stayed to look after us. When the midwives returned a few hours later to check on us, I was emotional, exhausted and questioning whether or not to go to the hospital. Our team suggested we try to sleep to restore energy for the approaching delivery. At 10:30pm the midwives left to rest and Didi went home for a quick respite. Despite my best attempts, resting was not possible. C and I laid in bed, and as she rubbed my back, contractions picked up.

Didi returned around midnight to find us in active labor. Just I was telling Didi I didn’t have the energy to go through another day of labor my water broke. She called the midwives as C started hypnosis. Hearing the hypnosis words we had practiced helped me focus. As the baby made her way down, I transported into a different state of being. I could hear myself emitting primal sounds I didn’t even know I could make. I had moments of clarity thinking “I haven’t even met all my new neighbors yet” and here we were, creating quite the ruckus at 1:00am Thursday morning. The midwives hadn’t arrived back so Didi furiously rearranged our bedroom and began to set up the birthing tub. She single-handedly set up a 6’ inflatable tub, ran the hose from the shower to fill it and still timed contractions, spoke with the midwives and encouraged me and C to dig deep. She IS a Superwoman. 

2:00am - C and Didi help me into the tub, ensuring me we were safe and “we’ve got this.” I knew Didi was prepared to deliver our child if it came to it. The warm water engulfed my belly and the lack of gravity helped ease my pain. Labor slowed enough to let me rest for brief moments before strong waves would overcome my body. By 2:30 Angela and Aleks had returned and listened to the baby’s heart. She sounds perfect. My vitals were strong. 

Time passed. I labored for 2.5 hours in the tub, on the birthing stool, on the bed. My eyes were closed as I focused inward. On occasion I would open my eyes, scanning quickly for my wife. We would lock eyes and I knew my partner was journeying right by my side. I still do not know how she tolerated the sounds and sights as I cried out for someone to just reach in and take the baby out. At 5:12am (and surely with the whole neighborhood awake) Aleks had me get back onto the birthing stool. The told me to reach down and feel the top of her head. C kept saying “I can see her hair!” I didn’t want to touch her head. I knew once I felt her I would have to find the energy to bring our daughter into the world and yet I felt depleted. 

Didi finally exclaimed “Touch her - touch her head” and I did. And then I felt around and I knew her head was in my canal and I knew she had to come out. I was so scared but that was the moment I became a Mom. My own fear was forced aside - all that mattered was getting her out safely and getting her out NOW. I pushed. I pushed passed the pain and the exhaustion, passed the “ring of fire” and the tearing. I pushed her head right into my hand and with one more push her sweet little body came sliding out. At 5:36am C and Angela helped me bring her upon my chest and together, baby and I took a giant breath. Together we did it - my wife, my baby, and our amazing birth team. 

Two became three as we laid on the bed together soaking up the sight and smells and sounds of our baby girl. Weighing 6lbs 11oz and 19.5inches long, Micah Zaino Levine gifted us the joy of motherhood on April 4, 2013 at 5:36am. 

What’s in a Name? 

Naming a child is a huge responsibility. Whether we realize it or not, so much of our identity is wrapped up in our names. One would think after nine and a half months of pregnancy we would have had a name picked out. We had a list. We just couldn’t decide. We felt we had to meet our little nugget before we dubbed her anything but Baby Magic. 

About six hours after she was born, we decided upon Micah. Typically a Hebrew male name, Micah means “Who is like God?” We both love boy names for girls and with a strong name like Micah, we hope our daughter will feel empowered to manifest her dreams and be true to her authentic self. 

C’s Grandma Martha and my Grandpa Merle inspired the “M” name. And as my cousin pointed out, Micah’s initials are MZL which looks like “mazel” as in “mazel tov!”  Mazel in Hebrew actually means “luck” although “mazel tov” is more commonly known as “congratulations!” We will gladly accept both as we rejoice in our daughter’s arrival. Welcome to the world Micah!