What an exciting night. When I heard my phone beeping at a little after 12:00am, I knew it was my daughter Julie calling. She had had a few labor pains the afternoon before and I was not suprised to discover the message telling me she was on her way to the hospital.

As I dressed I thought of Julie's birth and the ordeal that lie ahead for her. I was out the door and on my way to attend the birth of my grandaughter. Baby Zoey will not be my first grandchild, but it has been a long time since I have held a grandbaby. Justin, my only other grandchild is twenty years old now and has long since left the crook of my arm.

But, to be honest I wasn't sure of my own feelings about Julie having a baby. She is 31 years old and I know she was concerned about her 'biological clock'. Please understand the Julie is a daughter that anyone of you would be proud to call your own. She has overcome so much already, and I am proud to say that she has always tried to keep her eye on the prize. Her ex-husband was going to medical school and Julie worked every extra hour that she could get in order to support the both of them. It's unfortunate that her marriage didn't work out, but it was best for them to part and go their own way. Although she is not married now, she is with a man who seems to make her happy and so, here I am, driving to the hospital to witness the birth of their child.

When I walked into the birthing room, I found my daughter with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. Richard was sitting there with her watching a monitor and waiting for the next contraction. When it came, she did a great job of breathing her way through it. The nurse had told her to let her know when she was ready to have the epidural and she would call the doctor to come in and administer it.

While we talked, she continued to have contractions and they were 8-10 minutes apart. Nurses came to check her progress and Richard and I tried to help Julie in any way that we could. After a while she decided it was time for the epidural and the doctor came in, so Richard and I went to the waiting room. Our heads bobbed as we waited to be called back into the room. He finally went out to get a quick smoke and while he was gone I was told we could return to the birthing room.

He brought coffee back with him when he returned; Starbucks and it was divine compared to what was in the machines in the hallway. Julie told me that she was pain free now and I was both amazed and greatful for the medical strides that now enabled a woman to endure hours of labor without any pain.

We all dozed for about an hour, but I think our excitement kept us from really sleeping. Eventually the sun came up but we couldn't see it for the driving snow that had begun overnight. With the light of morning came a report from the nurse telling us it would be time to push soon. When the time came I stood at Julie's side and pushed against her knee, while she pushed her baby into the world. When I saw sweet little Zoey's head, tears came to my eyes. What a blessing to be here for the birth of my grandaughter! Then, there she was, arms and legs flailing, and an angry cry coming from her tiny mouth. She was beautiful, perfection itself.

Before I knew it, Richard was cutting the cord and what had been refered to as a 'fetus' became a baby; a tiny individual. I've always hated the word fetus and find it a distasteful way of making a baby less of a person because it has not been born yet. Zoey is a baby now, ready to begin her life with us.

After the usual weighing, cleaning and measuring she is returned to her mother, clean but still naked, and placed on my daughters chest, skin to skin, so they can share eachother's warmth, breath and touch.

I stayed with Julie and Zoey for a couple hours before returning home, again. I couldn't wait to get back and download the pictures on my camera to my computer, so I could share them with my friends; relative and anyone else who would care to look at them. My friends here on Eons seemed to be as excited as I was. How great to be able to share pictures of my grandaughter who was only hours old.

It's been two days now and Zoey is doing well. When I saw her today I realized how beautiful she is. No, it's not just because I'm her gramma that I say this. She is beautiful. Tiny. Rosebud mouth. Glowing skin. Peaceful. Content...and so am I :-)