This day, 7 years ago

There's not a lot that escapes me when I think back to this day 7 years ago. I woke up with contractions around 7:20. I called the office in Seattle and made plans to board the ferry to deliver my baby. Our friend Ben accompanied D and I as I paced the aisles on the boat, and then later on the bright sunny sidewalks in Ballard. D kept a hawks eye on our stopwatch as we marked the intervals my body was readying itself for it's most exhaustive work; welcoming our E. When it finally came time to officially check in to the labor and delivery wing Jen was there to help me through those first eye-opening moments when my water broke. And my mom was there when she was born. We called everyone we knew and the nurses shook their heads at us for having so many welcomed visitors. I cried out to an exhausted husband to retrieve our baby from the nurses because I couldn't remember what she looked like: that 8 pound 15 ounce baby that was finally ours to hold.

 I love you so, my dear daughter.