Laurel Jane Mitchinson – Part III – The Birth and First Days.

True Love will Find you In the End.

True love will find you in the end
You’ll find out just who was your friend
Don’t be sad, I know you will,
But don’t give up until
True love finds you in the end.

This is a promise with a catch
Only if you’re looking will it find you
‘Cause true love is searching too
But how can it recognize you
Unless you step out into the light?
But don’t give up until
True love finds you in the end.
By Daniel Johnston.

The Story of September 22nd, 2011.

Laurel Jane Mitchinson was born at 10:20pm on September 22nd, at Vrednedal Hospital in the Western Cape, weighing 3.26kg, to Mother Celeste De Kock, and Father Ian Mitchinson *thats me!*

On September 15th, Celeste and I drove the 400Km from Cape Town to Vredendal, the home town of her parents.  The doctors told us that Celeste had to be near the hospital during the grace period of the babies suspected birth, which was predicted to be on October 1st, 2011.  We decided to have the baby delivered near to Celeste’s Mom and Dad and they also work at the hospital.

Vredendal is on the border of Namaqualand in the Western Cape.  It’s a small South African town.  The drive to Vredendal is long and eventful – sometimes very scary.  I always love the drive though, we really get away from the city and it just feels like “the country”.  As I run my own business I couldn’t stay in Vredendal with Celeste and we made a pact that the second she went into labour, I would get in the car and make the journey back to Vredendal.

Of course we spoke everyday – most of the day in fact, and from the 15th – 22nd of September I didn’t have any shoots going on, just the normal day to day operations of our studio.  I had a wedding in Johannesburg on the 23rd of September and then I had to fly back to Cape Town for another wedding on the 24th.  My plan was to then drive up to Vredendal after the 2nd wedding and spend the next few days with Celeste until the baby was born.  I had both the bookings before we found out about the pregnancy.  I have a obligation to my clients and unless I’m on deaths doorstep I will be at a job.  I have never missed a wedding booking in the 18 years of my career thus far.  However, we just said to each-other and were praying that if the baby came on those two days that I had to shoot the weddings, or the day before the wedding in Johannesburg, I wouldn’t be able to be there for the birth.  We were really crossing fingers that it wouldn’t happen on any of those three days.  All was well and there was no sign of the baby making her entrance.  On the 21st, Celeste and I chatted and we agreed that if she went into labour now we had now reached the deadline (that I wouldnt be able to make it), as I had to fly to Joburg the next day (the 22nd) for the wedding on the 23rd.

At 4am that next morning I got a call!  I had been so stressed out over having the 2 bookings on opposite sides of the country, and making sure I had all my logistics in order, and also in the back of my mind I knew the baby was coming.  I even got some stress reliever tablets from the doctor.  I was at two minds whether to take them or not, but on the night of the 21st, just to ensure I got a good nights rest, I took one of the tablets (I call them Trampolines, but the tablets are Trepaline).  Well, the phone rang and I was still a bit under the spell of the trampo – trepalines, so I was very groggy.  Celeste said, in the most peaceful voice.  “Ian, my water has broke”.  I was spinning, I was half conscious, and I told her.  “Celeste, I can’t come I have a flight to catch.  I have to be at my job” and she said to me, “I know!  Don’t worry, My mom is here I will be fine.”  Then I hung up the phone and closed my eyes with the intention of going back to sleep.   I’ll admit, I was so angry that I had to go to a job, at this time when I was going to have a daughter.  With my eyes closed, I just wanted to scream.  I thought, “I dedicate my whole life towards being a portrait photographer.  I spend my whole energy celebrating other peoples love, and now when the most important day of my life thus far arises, I have to chose my job over my self”.  At that moment I burst awake!! I was up!, and it was 4:03am!

I ran to my office, gathered up all my gear for the two jobs.  Printed out my Kulula tickets, threw two pairs of work clothes in a bag and hurled everything into my car! It was 5am.  My flight was later that evening at 11pm.  I knew I could make it to Vredendal and back.  I have a fast Car!

I locked the house, got in my car, and knew I wasn’t going to be back here until I had Celeste and the baby with me.  I called my Mom in the UK and told her what was going on.   Mom, Celeste is in labour!  I have a flight to catch later.  I have about 1000Km to drive, and need to make sure I am there and get back to Cape Town in time for my flight.

I drove over Ou Kaapse Weg and sped along the M3 on my way to the N7 to be there for Celeste and to see my new baby.  It was adrenaline central!  Only 20Km and almost to Cape Town, and my brand new car started jerking around….This cant be happening! I thought, the early morning rush hour was already slowing everything down.  I pulled over and looked under my car, something had come loose.  Not now, not now!! I have to drive 1000km and the car is messed up, It wont make it I thought.  I just got back in the car and drove, but it was really bad.  I called Frank, “Whats wrong?” he said “its so early!”….Frank I yelled, “Im coming to your house, I need your Bakkie!”…”what for?” and I yelled, “My car is falling apart, and Celeste is having the baby.  I need to be there!$%!”  I raced!….slowly and made it to Franks apartment in the CBD.  He had his Bakkie waiting.  I hurled all my gear into his car, and we exchanged keys.  He told me he would take my car to the garage to get fixed and he said…”Ok GO!”  And Go I did!!

I made it to Vredendal at 10Am, I hadn’t made one stop at all  The whole way I had music blasting and wind hurling around the car cabin.  My phone battery had long died and I had no communication, I raced up and down the roads looking for the hospital.  I had no idea where it was, and I had just had a traumatic experience before a 4 hour journey into the heart of the Cape.  I thought the baby had already arrived, I was afraid something may be wrong with Celeste!  I finally found the hospital and being me, grabbed my camera and ran from the parking lot into the reception.  The nurse for some reason knew who I was and said “Ian! you need to come with me.”  My heart sank, and I was shaking.  She led me to the room. Hunkered on a bed in pain, and staring at the floor – the true love of my life, Celeste.  She didn’t look up, and I walked into view and I guess she saw my shoes and then looked up.  She saw me and started crying.

The Doctor said that she was only 1cm dilated, and a woman must be 10cm dilated to give birth.  She told us she would be back in a few hours to check again.  The Doctor instructed us to walk around as it helps induce the labour.  So we did.  It was so hard to see Celeste in so much pain.  There was nothing I could do, I wanted to tell her that everything was OK, but I had no idea what was going on myself!  Celeste could only make a few steps at a time, and most of the time would have to stop and support herself on the wall.  It was really tough.  I had no physical pain and was mentally confused, I don’t think its comprehensible to understand what she was going through.

I wanted to take some pictures of Celeste, I told her to sit on the bed and smile.  The above picture, is the smile!  The best she could muster.

Contractions.

We agreed that if the baby didn’t come by 6pm I would have to leave.  We spoke with the doctor and asked when would she give birth, and the doctors reply was “I’m a doctor not a psychic, it could take up to 20 more hours. She is dilating slowly, she is only 2cm dilated after 12 hours….She told me to go, if I planned on catching my flight”.   I couldn’t go though.  I was so frustrated.  So I ripped out the Ipad and logged on to my job detail for the next day and was reminded that the  wedding started at 3pm the next day.  I thought, ok that’s it I’m staying.  I called Kulula and asked them to change my flight to the early morning flight, and they were able to.  My new flight was now at 9am in the morning.

I was freaking out, I called my friends in Joburg “Thyme Photography” and told them the situation, that I might need their help in case something goes wrong with the flight or if I miss it and I’m late for the wedding.  Being the most awesome people ever they told me not to worry and that they would help me out, if need be.  What a relief!  I called my good friend Monica (another photographer that could help me reason my decisions) and she assured me, you need to be there don’t think about your job tomorrow, just be there for Celeste.  Your baby is coming.

At 9:30ishpm the nurse came into do another check up.  We thought, maybe Celeste is 3 or 4 cm dilated now.  The Nurse started getting excited, and said, “ok get ready the baby is coming now!”  I wasn’t prepared, we were just walking around and no one even told us to go into the room in the first place, we were just there kinda hanging around….And now the baby is coming!!!!! Freak Out Session!

If I was a brilliant writer which I am not even close to being, I don’t think I could put into words the pain that Celeste was going through.  Because the baby had decided to come, and come NOW…there was no time for any drugs, epidurals or pain remedies.  She was going 100% natural.  The Nurse was telling her to “Push, PUSH, PUSH.”  I just held on and told her that she could do it….although I didn’t know if she could.  At one point it looked like she just couldn’t carry on any more, I could see it in her face.  The Nurse told me, She had stopped having contractions and she has to just push it out.  “What the &*%? I thought, what does that mean.  Then the nurse told me, “come and look you can see the baby coming.”  I looked and I could just see what looked like a big vein covered in hair (hard to describe)…”oh my” that was the babies head coming out.  There was a point where the Nurse was yelling “its coming now you have to push”, and Celeste was screaming.  The nurse grabbed her scissors, and just started to cut her, it was hardcore…Im not a medical person, so I cant imagine doing that.  It was the only way though.  The nurse put her hands in and grabbed the babies head and just yanked it out.  I almost hit the ceiling watching it, seeing the baby just pop out, and also what followed, and my little baby was there all of a sudden, and started to Sscaaaaa-REAM!.  My knees were weak.  The nurse pulled the babies hands back like an elastic and let go, and the baby reacted with another scream and a full body spasm, and the nurse said.  “This is  a good sign.  She is perfectly healthy.”

She lifted up that baby and showed her to her Mother.  These images below are a witness to that.

A Mothers Love.  Celeste and Her mother.  It was just myself and Celeste’s Mom with her during the birth.

The First Kiss. She is Born.  Laurel Jane.

The baby was here.  Celeste’s Dad and Brother came, everyone was thanking me.  It was only about 11pm, and I realized….”Oh now I have to drive 400Km back to Cape Town to make sure I get my flight.”  I went back to Celeste, and my new baby daughter.  And said “goodbye, I love you both.”  I went back to the car and got in, drove and filled up the bakkie with Petrol, bought two Red Bulls, and exclaimed to the unsuspecting petrol attendant “Im a Dad now!”.

I raced through the night all the way to the airport, all 400Km along the hectic N7 road, trucks, and turns and all! Manic, I tell you!  I made it on time for my flight, I was in overdrive!  Over the next two days (which is as long a story as I have written already), I shot a wedding in Joburg, drove around for hours looking for a place to sleep (as I couldnt find my hotel).  Eventually found it! Slept for a few hours, got back in the rental car, raced back to the airport, flew back to Cape Town.  Raced again to the next wedding….shot for 10 hours, and then finally…..I realized.  Success! I had made all the jobs! I had done a good job.  Then, I got back in the car and raced back the 400km to Vredendal, this time with Celeste’s sister Cezanne, that had met me at the wedding in Stellenbosch.

4 Days, 2000Km driven, 3300Km Flown, A baby Girl, 2 awesome Weddings! It was all a success.  I could finally rest with my dream love Celeste and My dream girl Laurel Jane.

______

Fast forward 3 weeks!

Well She is born and she is home.  We needed to wait a few weeks before Mom and Daughter were ready to take some pix.  Everyone has been asking for pictures, but I wanted to only “release” some pictures online once we had some great ones, I didnt want the first pictures of my girl to be from a blackberry!! Im a photographer after all.

My very good friend and very skilled photographer Monica Dart offered to take pictures of Laurel.  Until those pictures were released I wanted to keep it on the down low.   Here she is, our Angel, Our Dream Come True, Our Love.  Laurel Jane, at 3 weeks old.  Thanks Monica, these will be with us for ever.

The Whole Family! Ian, Celeste, Laurel Jane, Simba Chips and Little Fin!

Some more pix by Me.

And So We are here Now.  A family.  I hope that I can be a good father, and I will always do my best for my daughter and for Celeste.

My favourite Pic above of Celeste and Laurel Jane.

I have nice hair!!

To all our friends and family.  I am so humbled by the love and help we have received by so many people.  Its not easy having a baby, there is so much to take into consideration, and to be honest we didnt plan on it.  Luckily however we have had so much support and love and I wish to thank everyone.  A true gift from God.

SO a big thanks to My Mom, Celeste’s Family for all your incredible love, help and support.  Ill always remember it and be grateful.

Also to all of our friends that have been there and helped us along the way – Francois Maritz (aka Frank Nash), Monica Dart, Michael and Denise Holland,Karabo and Sisa, Wilna Killian, Petro, Alta, Jeanie, Lauren (my cousin), Deidre, Juanita, Leanda, Nodene, Lizelle, Jacolien, Denise, Tannie Mariette, Lee – Ann, Delmarie, Wilma, Melanie Brodie, Dror Eyal, Dylan from Thyme Photography, Greg and Tiffany Lumley & Adrian and Kathy Stone.  So many more names to mention.  Thank you all.  I  hope that you guys will be a part of Laurels life that we all remain close and remain friends.  And I hope my stories of how this all came to be and these nice pictures will suffice, for an introduction for Laurel into our beautiful world.