There's something I haven't told many people before.
An hour after my beautiful daughter was born, I held her and cried about the scratches on her face. She was born sunny-side up, so her sweet little cheeks had gotten caught on my pelvic bone, causing lots of bruising on her face and bleeding scratches around her eyes. Somehow, even though I couldn't have controlled what happened, I felt responsible for hurting her during her first few moments in the world. It was my fault.
Her precious little face was so pitiful. It hurt me.
Jesse had to remind me for weeks that it wasn't my fault. Even though I knew there was nothing that I could have done for her, I still felt bad that *I* caused her that pain.
But you know what? Today, I'm so thankful for those scratches.
Those bleeding scratches that turned into little scabs that turned into tiny pink marks that I can still find in just the right light...they prove to me that she is my daughter. She came from me.
Each of us has things that make us truly unique, and I love the sweet little things that make my daughter one of a kind. Maybe, someday, she'll find those little pink marks around her eyes when she's studying her mascara. Maybe a friend will point them out.
You know what I'll tell her? Those marks are part of her story. They tell where she came from.
And what a beautiful story that is.
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I'll have to look for those little marks. All I see is perfection in that sweet face with her mommy's eyes and her daddy's smile. What joy she brings to all of us!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mom! She has some Grammy-sparkle in her eyes, too :)
DeleteI love you!
After a long, grueling few days, my daughter's birth ended in a C-section. During the surgery, the doctor cut my baby's face with a scalpel. She has a permanent scar between her cheek bone and eye. Most every day I kiss that precious scar. I can understand your pain, your tears and the memories. But God allowed those wounds - some day, they can be used for His glory.
ReplyDeleteOh! I'm so glad that God protected her eye. I often forget about how many dangers there are in just bringing your little one to the world. The marks our girls bear make them unique to us and precious in His sight.
DeleteThank you for sharing your story with me!
What a beautiful story! Things happen for a reason, whether that reason is known to us or not. It is reassuring to think about at times.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story, and I'm so glad you don't let the guilt get to you. What were you supposed to do, walk around all your life without a pelvis just so this wouldn't happen? ;)
ReplyDeleteMy son was born in three pushes (I was *very* tired of being pregnant), so he practically shot out of the birth canal. Apparently, that leads to bruising, so he looks like a Smurf in all of his early pictures. I didn't think much of it when it first happened -- I was just relieved not to have a 9lb 13 oz baby jumping on my bladder anymore -- but the nurses kept stopping by our room to see "the Blue Boy". (Needless to say, I put a stop to that quickly!)