Parent Timeline...

Our first child had her birthday on Saturday.
We all sat together, with her husband and their two boys, to celebrate the day of her birth, 37 years ago.
Different city.
Different time, for sure.
Who was I 37 years ago?
"Wait! What?!? You're going to be 37! You can't be 37! If you're 37, that means I'm old!"
No response, although later in that dinner conversation the subject of age came up, again, and a reference to someone else being 60 put them in an older category than mine. I was reassured with the impression that she doesn't think I'm old, either, yet.
37 years ago we had wandered around the University of San Francisco hospital hoping to jumpstart, or restart, the whole dilation process.
10cm. That's the goal, right? You Montessorians know 10cm is the diameter of the circle in the classroom material. Before the hospital the 'water' had wet us in the middle of the night...'What the....?" "It's time," and it was sort of like the rehearsals we hadn't really practiced. We actually had a 'hospital bag,' but we had to leave Simba, our dog, behind...he wasn't thrilled.
Frances was 4cm at check in. "OK..."
But she was 4cm four hours later, and still at 4cm eight hours later...'go for a walk? Again?'
37 years ago, and it's like right now. Vivid memories.
The med students bumping into each other in the doorway; the doc comes in and asks, 'How long as she been at this?" as he glanced at the chart...he looked up at the eager but exhausted students, waiting. "Let's," he hesitated, and then lowered his voice, "step ouside." And he scooped up his students with arms extended and ushered them into the hall. Frances asked for some more ice, "What are they doing?" "I think they're finding out what they should have been doing."
Within minutes the whole scene changed...with quiet assurance from the doc we were heading down the hallway and he leaned toward Frances saying, "You've been working really hard, and we're going into surgery right now and I'm going to help you deliver this baby, so hold on a few more minutes...everything is going to be fine."
And that's what happened.
37 years ago.