The Kotas: Happy 2nd Birthday Rebecca Maria!!

I remember the days when Rebecca was born like it was yesterday. The fear of the delivery but also the excitement for the biggest event of pregnancy! The antecipation of being able to look for the first time to the baby I carried inside of me for nine months! My baby! Our baby!

I remember I was somehow prepared for anything! We didn't do any of the scrennings for early diagnose of birth defects because I wanted a worry-free pregnancy and mainly because nothing would change the fact that I was going to keep the baby no matter what and love her with all my heart!

But I was mainly prepared for an ugly baby! lol I'd checked some pics of newborns and there are some little E.T.s among them! It's only natural. Many babies do born looking weird! Ok, so I was prepared for that!

Back to the labor. I was induced so I didn't suffer horrible pains at home before being addmitted to the hospital. Actually I was feeling nothing. A couple of hours after being induced I started feeling the first pains. It was tolerable at first but in half an hour I decided I would take some pain medicine!

So they gave it to me on my vein! I felt a super cold liquid getting into my arm! And I instantly slept! It was amazing! The pain immediately went away. For another half an hour, only! After this I remember asking for the epidural right away! I remember I was totally afraid of taking the epidural. Totally! So I wasn't going to have it! But I'm glad I did!

The epidural made me feel (besides painless) cold, my legs super heavy, and my mind quite light! I think I was speaking in slow motion and people would hide a little laugh when I was talking to them. Brazilian accent helped it!

Anyway, I was induced around noon and had Rebecca (after a less than 30 min pushing phase) around 7pm. She was born! My mom and hubby were there watching it! (My mom didn't have to beg to watch it only because I had agreed with her request very easily!)

So there Rebecca was. In my arms! And soooo pretty! The tears of hapiness coming to my eyes! (Actually seing the pictures after a while one can think she was a little E.T. indeed, but for me she was perfect). I only remember looking to her nose and thinking she got the ugly side of the family on this. And - actually - I endep up being wrong about it because her nose is beautiful now!

But there she was! Beautiful. And at the same time I started talking to her: "Mommy is here. Everything is alright!". She stopped crying so she could hear me! And she was holding my fingers! It felt so nice to be able to provide such a protection feeling to her! I was extremely concerned about making her feel safe in this crazy outside world!

I had the baby in the same room where labor started, and all of the after birth care was taken place in this same room! I had the best nurse ever taking care of her, and giving her first bath! I kept telling Dan to follow her to the corners of the room and talk to the baby so she would know mommy and daddy were there by her side. Dan took some pictures and he also hold her!

But I had become a lioness with my baby! I certainly endep up being a little selfish about her! I would let people carry her, but only for a little while! And she was so peaceful! (For the first couple of weeks). We had her baptized in the Catholic Church after only 3 days! It was held at the small chapel after the 5:30pm Thursday mass. Some dear friends where there! My parents were the godparents and I got emotional as per usual! In one word: perfect!

People from all over give you presents and more presents! And the first year flies by! I was completely in love with her and every new discovery is largely celebrated! You take pictures of every little grin, smile and weird faces! You record videos of the same thing over and over again but you swear they are different! Ah, the first christmas! You are obsessed with your baby! Then she is one year old! You throw her a party but you hardly believe she is actually enjoying it!

Then the second year comes! And some new exciting discoveries take place! Like first words, for some the first steps! The first ice cream, the first playgroung trip when she is actually playing, many new teeth, eating by herself, enjoying tv, completely interacting and being able to understand everything you say! She is shaping and showing her personality and personal preferences! You start thinking your baby is not a baby anymore!

And everything is good! You are still in love even though you have to discipline your growing kid every now and then! And you just know you are going to love her this big forever and ever no matter what!