Dear Elie,

A year ago today you were born. It was about 11:45 p.m. the night before, when I was woken by a massive contraction and then my water breaking. I flew out of bed so fast and yelled to your dad, "My water just broke! Let's go!" I called my doctor's answering service right away. As I was brushing my teeth I got another contraction. I stopped to crouch down to the floor for it to pass. As I was heading down the hallway to tell my mom we were leaving to the hospital, I crouched down to the floor again squeezing the banister railing to get through another contraction.

On the way to the hospital I had my phone out expecting my doctor to call me back. With every contraction in the car all I could do was squeeze my phone so hard and pressing my face and whole body up against the car door. As we are about 3/4 of the way there I had the uncontrollable feeling to start pushing. In my mind I was beginning to panic that we would deliver you en route.

Finally we pull up to the ER and your dad grabs a wheel chair from the doorway to wheel me in. He tells the ladies at reception we are headed up to the birthing unit. They ask who our doctor is and if they are expecting me. As I'm having another contraction I yell, "Oh my G-d, I have to push! Just go!" I remember seeing two elderly women staring at us with their jaws dropped to the floor and eyes like saucers.

We get up to the fifth floor and they rush me into a room, get me on a bed all while trying to get a gown and monitors on me. As the head nurse goes to measure how far I have dilated she immediately yells, "BABY IS HERE! IS THERE A DOCTOR AROUND?!" And then I push. She told me to push a little less forceful next time. Moments later, I push again trying to keep it more controlled and right then, I feel our baby being born and his beautiful cry! They wrap you in warm towels and hand you to me right away and I say with tears streaming, "Hi baby, I love you!" And I hug and kiss your dad and tell him I love him.

The time was 12:28 a.m. My labor was 45 minutes long.