HE'S HERE!!!

Benjamin Paul Ghiringhelli was water-birthed at 11:48 pm Friday, July 17, in a small quaint Victorian home birthing center in Sanford, Fla. He was 7 lbs even, healthy, ADORABLE, and nursed for at least two hours after being pulled from the water and placed on Jen's breast. Amazingly, Jennifer felt great once he was born, and was well enough for me to take her and Benjamin home at 330 am Saturday!!

Many reading this followed our exciting news on Facebook -- from when Jen's water broke at 6:40 am on Friday until he was born nearly 18 hours later. I really want to thank all of you for showing us so much love and attention (via Facebook). It was such a great morale booster. It was so wild to hear how excited and interested you all were that Friday and into the early morning hours Saturday.

My last update on Facebook was around 6 pm, when Jen was dilated 5 cm, and the contractions really began to pick up. It was an incredibly bonding experience between Jen and I to be all alone, all night long (besides our sweet midwife, Kaleen Richards), in this tiny two-story home on 13th and Park Ave. I think it even began raining outside that evening, just like Jennifer had hoped.

A night of incredible pain . .. indescribable joy....

For me, it did not take long to come to the realization that Friday night that if I did not at one point fully "own" this intimate experience with my wife and forsake the idea of taking her to the hospital 5 minutes down the road, it would be an even longer night of pain. I had been "on board" until that point, but I had to actually help navigate the ship now, and almost consider Jen's writhing as that of my own.

I screamed, groaned and even allowed my body to "push" ... many times just crying and praying in her ear as I held her from behind and her whole body shivered as if from a dangerous fever. The midwife acted only in a way of support, but never to tell Jen or I what to do, or issue orders.

Jen did not even take as much as a Tylenol!

I watched my wife, a picture of primal beauty and strength, who over and over again let her instincts take over, striving every millisecond to stay within each moment, listening and anticipating, and allowing her body to breathe Benjamin out. An aura of pure excruciation surrounded the tub as midnight approached and her body opened to 10 cm.

The last final push was the loudest I ever heard a woman scream. Kaleen placed Benjamin on her chest so quickly that at first I wondered: "What's that!!"

I'll never for the rest of my life forget that moment. In a flash pure and total joy fell on both of us. We cried, squeezed our precious baby, caressed each other, and shared an intimacy that was beyond words!!

We praise God for blessing us with our special and sweet baby Benjamin!!

This is Transformation

It has been one of the greatest joys to watch Jennifer undergo this miracle of pregnancy.

It's amazing how her body immediately took over, how she really had no choice in the matter (once fertilization occurred), and how a new human being with a purpose and a destiny to fulfill will soon be "here."

We can't wait for him to get here!!

In the photos she is, approximately, 7 months (blue shirt), 5 months (turquoise sundress), and 3 months (green shirt) .....

Love you honey!!
Steve

We're Having a ....

If I wait for current photos, and do this whole thing too perfectly, I might never get to the PRESENT. So this is the first "now" blog since last fall. :)

We found out a little over a week ago that we're having a baby boy!

It was the most amazing feeling to watch that screen and see a tiny human being forming inside of Jennifer. Truth is, as cliche as it may get, it's a true saying to say a child is a miracle. How a little baby can form inside of another person and cause that person to stretch for nine months in all of these difficult ways .... God has such a unique way of doing things.

Our baby "nonito" as we call him is healthy and very cute. We laughed as he stretched out during the ultrasound, arching his back, his legs bouncing off his face ... it was so funny. Apparently he's awake now as much as a new born, which is about 4 hours per day, I guess.

I wonder so much about what he's thinking in there. Does he push out on Jennifer's back, causing her major discomfort lately, because he didn't like what she had for dinner?

Jennifer is doing much better than the 1st trimester. But even now, almost half way through the 2nd trimester, she is still getting cramps and aches and pains. She's often so tired by dusk that she's ready for bed hours before I am. But even so, we have been spending a lot of time together and really enjoying this special (quiet) time in our lives.

We'll be visiting my parents and the Reynolds family up in Fort Mill, SC next weekend. I will try to blog after that trip.

Until then
Steve

Honeymoon in the North Country

Our honeymoon in Vermont. What a memory! We stayed in the Mansfield House of an inn built at the entrance of town way back in 1826.

These are just a few photos from our many pedestrian galavants. We had the time of our life.

Will try to get current pics up soon!

Steve

Need More Wedding Pics?

I know you're growing tired and wanna see updated posts. But there are a lot of people who will never actually see our wedding pics; here they can at least view a few. Also, I have no idea how to post more than a few shots at a time :O

This is one of my favorite pictures of Jennifer. It was before the wedding, moments before our "first glance." The minute Jennifer took her first step she says she heard a saxophone begin playing the opening notes of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World. Of course it came from Matt, my bro-in-law who drove all night from Atlanta to make it to our wedding with about 30 minutes to spare. He was practicing alongside my brother, who played guitar and sang a solo during the foot-washing. It really was a magical time in the garden that day.

The calla lilly in the other photo is being held by Allison, our niece, and beautiful flower girl that day.

Steve

PS - Jennifer just started showing!