My Elin ♡
A birth announcement from the babe herself...
Hello great big world!
As you can see, I’m kinda new around here. I was born Helina Gale Anderson but you can just call me Elin (pronounced EE-lin), an ode to my Swedish roots! As much as I enjoyed living in my little water world, at 40 weeks and 4 days I was ready to join the air club like all of you who came before me. So, on Mother’s Day around noon, I started letting mommy know with cute little contractions (that turned not so cute later on)….
Mommy doesn’t want me getting into too much detail but for those wondering: after 40 hours of laboring, completely unmedicated and natural, I was born! Mommy was inspired by how her Native Alaskan ancestors did things and all the strong matriarchs of her past like my grandmommy Susan (we share the same middle name!), as well as all the amazing mammal mommies in the Animal Kingdom who give birth in the wild everyday.
I’m glad mommy wasn’t alone, though. Her amazing birth worker/doula, midwife and my grandmommy Susan all helped mommy stay focused. Towards the end—and putting up with hundreds of contractions, barely sleeping or eating—mommy started crying to God for help. She got scared and felt trapped in her body with nowhere to go. I think He helped her push through the pain though—because, just minutes later, I took my first breath! 7lbs 6oz was my fighting weight into this world. It was Tuesday morning, May 13th in the land of the Midnight Sun--the same place as mommy was born so many years ago!
Mommy’s first words to me over and over were, “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!!” As I was crying, she was crying, too. Mommy let me nurse right away which soothed my little soul. I think we’re going to get along great. I look forward to being completely helpless for the next couple of years while I get on my feet. For right now, I’m going back to sleep…..
Grown from once a little cell of love,
♡ e l i n ♡
P.S. So many people want to shower me with gifts and whisper sweet nothings into my ear—but I’m fine with just the sweet nothings. I actually am well supplied thanks to some of my friends/families, including my Auntie Dana who already loves me so much! She has gone above and beyond to make sure me and mommy have everything we need: repurposing her adorable baby clothes, like this salmonberry hat in the picture (mommy grew up eating them!) for my little self without having to go shopping (mommy’s least favorite activity). Mommy always appreciates when people buy her children’s books though—that way she can support us both! Shop all 22 titles here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhitneyLAnderson
Read more about me and mommy’s story here:
https://substack.com/@whitneylanderson/p-153468469
