Samuel’s First Moments

I thought I’d post a little something on probably the greatest moment of my life. It’s those few seconds after Melissa gave birth to Sam and he’s resting on his Mommy. I can’t describe the emotions going through me at the time, except to say it felt like an explosion of intense joy as I never felt before…truly an unique feeling I’ll never forget.

I was now a father! Being a Dad has been a life long dream of mine as I’ve always loved kids…and not in the Dateline “To Catch a Predator” way.   The baby being a boy, a son, well that is a little special for me. What father-to-be doesn’t dream about raising a son? The birth of a boy is also significant for my family as this is the first boy to carry on the family name into the next generation.

All these thoughts and more are swirling through my head as I see him for the first time, and its too much to take as tears start rolling down my cheeks.

Melissa was crying, her Mom was crying and of course Sam was crying… There was about 6 nurses and doctors in the room as well and they all had smiles ear to ear. The birthing room had a panoramic view towards downtown Montreal and the sun was shinning through bright and eager, as if it was shining just for Sam, to welcome him to this world. It was was in retrospect, a perfect moment.

…the placenta reared its ugly head!!!

Was the perfect moment ruined? Well no, but it took a big hit. What an ugly mess that thing is! We knew it was coming. We had seen pictures and videos of births, so we’ve seen one before… and yet it still shocked us with its glistening ugliness. Like a gruesome crime scene in a slasher flick, even though you’re repulsed, you can’t help but stare a the flaccid mass that sustained you’re baby for nine months.

But all kidding aside, being the queasy, needle fearing, light headed guy that I am, I cannot express how happy and privileged I am to have witnessed Sam’s birth. As of my almost 30 years on this earth, nothing I’ve lived has come close to the overwhelming happiness of that day… well maybe being at the Stanley Cup winning game with my Dad in 1993 when the Habs won their 24th, and as of this year, last Cup.