The Birth Story of Iris Eve: Part One
This is birth story about dreams and visions. It's about nest-making and letting go.
This is the story about how Iris Eve Kendrick was born under the pink sunrise of snow swept Timpanogos mountain in the late days of winter.
Early in February I read a book about women who prayed with questions and dreamt the answers. It had a significant impact on me. At that time I was nine months pregnant and my due date was toward the middle of the month. After a very sick pregnancy I was eager to know how long this rolling and punchy baby was going to inhabit my body. So I prayed one night to know what day I would go into labor and this child would be in my arms.
That night I had a dream I was looking at a pool table. On the table were three pool balls with their numbers turned away from me. As I looked at them, the middle and the third balls turned to reveal a 7 and an 8. The first ball didn't turn.
I woke up with the thought that I would go into labor on the seventh and have the baby on the eighth. But given my three previous extended gestation periods, I didn't know if that meant I'd go really early this time and have the baby on February 8th, or last until forty-three weeks gestation on March 8th.
My urge to nest with this pregnancy was stronger than the others. More than anything, I desired to clean and organize my surroundings--and the longer my pregnancy went the more I scalded, swabbed and sanitized. The morning after the pool table dream was no different. I was rearranging the front room when I became really tired. I landed myself on the orange couch and put my head back and shut my eyes for a few minutes. As soon as my eyes closed I had a vision of the dream I had the night before. There were the three balls again, the 7 and 8 were still turned, but this time I saw the first ball turn to reveal a number. It was a 3.
And I knew it meant the third month. March.
Right away I texted Christopher to let him know we were going to go into labor on March 7th and have the baby on March 8th--the same day as my oldest brother Steve's birthday. Christopher was away on a business trip at the time.
His response: Oh really? I guess we'll wait and see.
*Maternity photos by Carolee Beckham Photography
This is the story about how Iris Eve Kendrick was born under the pink sunrise of snow swept Timpanogos mountain in the late days of winter.
Early in February I read a book about women who prayed with questions and dreamt the answers. It had a significant impact on me. At that time I was nine months pregnant and my due date was toward the middle of the month. After a very sick pregnancy I was eager to know how long this rolling and punchy baby was going to inhabit my body. So I prayed one night to know what day I would go into labor and this child would be in my arms.
That night I had a dream I was looking at a pool table. On the table were three pool balls with their numbers turned away from me. As I looked at them, the middle and the third balls turned to reveal a 7 and an 8. The first ball didn't turn.
I woke up with the thought that I would go into labor on the seventh and have the baby on the eighth. But given my three previous extended gestation periods, I didn't know if that meant I'd go really early this time and have the baby on February 8th, or last until forty-three weeks gestation on March 8th.
My urge to nest with this pregnancy was stronger than the others. More than anything, I desired to clean and organize my surroundings--and the longer my pregnancy went the more I scalded, swabbed and sanitized. The morning after the pool table dream was no different. I was rearranging the front room when I became really tired. I landed myself on the orange couch and put my head back and shut my eyes for a few minutes. As soon as my eyes closed I had a vision of the dream I had the night before. There were the three balls again, the 7 and 8 were still turned, but this time I saw the first ball turn to reveal a number. It was a 3.
And I knew it meant the third month. March.
Right away I texted Christopher to let him know we were going to go into labor on March 7th and have the baby on March 8th--the same day as my oldest brother Steve's birthday. Christopher was away on a business trip at the time.
His response: Oh really? I guess we'll wait and see.
*Maternity photos by Carolee Beckham Photography
