Sweet Baby Bausch

McPhee asked me a long time ago, "If my mom isn't here for the birth, will you be in the delivery room with us?" And of course, I started secretly wishing that the baby would come a little early and I could wiggle my way into this exciting situation. McPhee's wonderful mom (Grandma Charlie) arrived on June 25 and it was official - I was out. This did not sadden me in any way, as I remember being in those same, fat, swollen feet about 19 months ago, absolutely COUNTING on the support of my own mom in the delivery room.
On the morning of June 30 McPhee called me to tell me that her brother's wife's water broke and they were in the hospital in Milwaukee delivering their twin babies at about 27 weeks. As you might imagine, Grandma Charlie felt she needed to be there and McPhee was showing no signs of labor, so off she went to Milwaukee. The twins are doing very well and her brother updates the following daily: http://www.freewebs.com/mckennatwins/index.htm.
I was feeling terrible that I was about to benefit from this scary time in McPhee's family's lives, and gave them the option to cut me loose in the event she went into labor before her mom's return to Boise. She assured me that Peter's response to her question, "Do you know what we need to bring to the hospital?" was, "Your black bag and GOOTCH."
As it would happen, McPhee went into labor on the afternoon of July 2. Things moved slowly at first, so Peter said to wait until after Kate was in bed to join them. I got there just in time for things to kick into gear, and Benjamin Francis Bausch was born on July 3 at 3:00 AM, weighing in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and 20.5 inches long.
This was one of the most incredible moments of my life, one I will never forget, and one for which I am eternally grateful to Peter and Kerry. I am blessed to have been a part of this remarkable event.