Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: A Photo Story of Dylan Jonathan Van Driel's Birth.

Pre-Labor - Waiting for contractions to get regular

Uncle Ryan always does the Monkey dance with his nieces and nephews. Will it work for Michelle and the baby?

At the Bellingham Birthing Centre to get contractions more regular. She's still smiling!!!

Ryan showing some humor before things get serious.

Back at home, dealing with some pre-labor contractions.

Ryan is joyfully mixing up the "smoothie" for Michelle that sent her into active labor. I should have taken a picture of her taking it. It tastes like rancid nuts and by the look on her face, it's pretty disgusting. If you ever want the recipe let me know...

Walking about to get the contractions going. The things mothers do to meet their babies.... Dads too!!!

Kathy, Michelle and Ryan's doula. She was excellent and a pleasure to work with. Here, she is "guarding" the Reece's piece that is Michelle's reward when she downs the second half of her smoothie.

Contractions start to come on strong and fairly close together. Kathy and I take turns doing massages and hip squeezes that relieve the pressure.

Things are getting intense but the other half of the smoothie is still coming!!!

I love this shot. It really shows a oneness in love and pain.

This a really strong contraction which the next three shots show in full. Notice the Recess's Piece in Michelle's hand, half eaten? She downed the rest of the smoothie!!! It was quite the scene, but we were all so proud of her for doing the thing she hated to do. As soon as it was down we started to become just alittle concerned about getting to the birthing centre on time.

Here we just arrived at the birthing centre. Behind Ryan and Michelle is Katriona, their midwife. See the tub in the background, you will see it again later. At this point contractions are quite strong and every 2-3 minutes. It is 2:45. At about 3:30 Michelle transitions into the pushing stage.

She is in the tub now and we are all taking turns pushing on her back and giving her cool clothes on her face. Once she started pushing, it was so quiet in the room. I whispered to the doula that I wanted to yell "push" and she replied "Her body knows what it has to do, and she will do it". It was so true and it was amazing to watch. Here, Ryan is doing the back pushing and I am doing the cloth switching. Michelle is being very brave at this point because here it all climaxes to great intensities.

4:45 Ta da!!! A miracle happens before our eyes!!! Michelle was getting very uncomfortable in the tub so Katriona and Kathy recommended the birthing stool, so gravity would assist the baby's descent. That's when things started to happen. Right away I could see the baby's hair, an Esau just like his brothers!!! Within minutes of going on the stool, the head crowned and within 3 pushes, precious baby Dylan was lifted into his VERY joyous mother's arms. She pushed for just over an hour and as he was delivered we saw the reason why - his little hand was up beside his head. The midwives said later that with the third, pushing does not usually go that long. Regardless, Michelle persevered and she was in due time awarded for her effort!!! I am so proud of her and I definitely have a new found respect for this woman I call sister. We discover that he's a boy and his name will forever and hereafter be Dylan Jonathan Van Driel.

A good strong name.

This is me videotaping the whole thing for private viewing. Notice my nose is all red and dribbly? It was just so beautiful to behold.

"You created my inmost being; you knit my together in my mother's womb. I praise you becaue I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13-14 Praise the Lord for his goodness!!!

Shortly after entering the world, Dylan had his first poop on his mother and made a mess of himself and his mother. Good thing the tub was still full of water.

Ryan and Dylan VanDriel enjoying some quiet moments.

Here he still looks abit bruised up from the whole process but that cleared up within three hours. Truly amazing!!!

Bonding is so important!!! I love this picture.

Now for the shocker!!! Dylan weighs in at 10lbs 3ozs!!!! No wonder she had to push so long for this little bruiser. We laugh about this for quite awhile, just in pure amazement. Way to go Michelle!!! You did it and you did it the way you wanted to. Way to go Ryan too!! It was hard to see Michelle like that but you persevered through it and supported her 100% of the way!!!

I want to be with my Mom and warmly wrapped up again !!!!

Dylan's first physical exam which he passed with flying colors. We find out he is 22 inches long.

Of course I am biased but isn't he just adorable? All that hair reminds me of Michelle when she was born.

He has good lungs. But already he has latched on really well and had a very good feed from MOM. That colostrum is so yummy!!!

He actually stops crying here. He liked his little back exam.

What a chubster!!!

Finally, I get to hold him too!!! What is it about newborns and that smell? He hasn't even been washed yet so it's not the soap, is it the amniotic fluid that smells good or just their plain, but every so soft skin?

Father and son bonding again.

At this point - 3 hours later I went home and on my way home I felt in awe of what I had just witnessed. A new life began and LORD willing he will live for four score and twenty and grow old and worship and praise the very Creator who was there the day he was conceived. The creator who was there yesterday, March 30, 2009 when he was born and made all things well. He is a blessed child because soon he will also be baptized and even before that sign and symbol is given he already IS a covenant child. Lord willing as he grows older, he will come to realize that yesterday he was not only given an earthly life (as opposed to an in-utero one) but also an eternal life. What a blessing and I praise God for it!!!