Bringing Home Baby

By the time we welcomed our fourth child in December, we knew a lot of what to expect about the first few days of settling in. For instance, any discomfort or sleeplessness has been put in perspective by an awareness of how fast those precious days fly by. On the other hand, we also know just how many diapers to expect to change and how very tired we will be until the baby is on a schedule.

This week we brought home our new daughter, a dark-haired beauty that arrived quietly on a Wednesday afternoon. She is our third girl in a row, and in many ways we think we know what will come in the next few years. But if having four children has allowed us to gain any small measure of wisdom or experience, we know that surprises are one of the few constants in parenting.

One surprise that came with our new daughter is the level of excitement that loved ones showed for our fourth baby. Our family members were at the edges of their seats waiting for our news, and when labor ran longer than expected, I was amazed at how every relative we called had a story of the thoughts of concern and excitement that were running through their heads as they anticipated our announcement.

Our church was having a Christmas party the night that our baby was born. Later we heard how the news spread throughout the building, with people saying, “Did you hear? The Wescoats had a girl!”

Our tiny baby had no idea how much fanfare there was for her arrival. The visitors started pouring into our hospital room shortly after we got settled in it, and my kids were able to see their new baby sister for the first time. Pictures were snapped of each one holding the baby, but the next day was a school day and bedtime was the priority.

Since we’ve been home, though, my older two children never stop campaigning for their next chance to hold their baby sister. If I lay her on a blanket on the floor, she has a three-sibling audience waiting to giggle at her expressions and imitate all her squeaks and sighs. It is so sweet to see this early beginning of the longest relationship any of them will have with another person.

We had our baby at Mercy Medical Center, and when my doctor came to check on me the next day, she teased me about “when we have numbers five and six.” My husband, too, when I asked him why he didn’t push for a particular name that I know he loves, said, “We’ll save that one, just in case.”

Less than a week past delivery, I can’t even fathom another baby. But sometimes I surprise myself, too. I can remember having my first and thinking that I could never love another child so much and I better just leave well enough alone. Three girls later, though, love has never been in short supply and I’m learning that each child brings its own spark and perspective on the world.

When we got home from the hospital just before Christmas, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of emotion when I noticed how our mantle has gotten pretty crowded with stockings in the 10 years we’ve lived in our house. It’s funny how sometimes in those moments, you find yourself surprised by where you landed in life. All of these children have been hoped for and celebrated, and yet I still can’t believe how my cup has overflowed.