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<\/a><\/p>\nTHE NAME:<\/strong><\/p>\n We originally chose Benedict Ren\u00e9e\u00a0Fisher, thinking \u201cblessed and reborn\u201d was pretty awesome, with the bonus of a tribute to our beloved pope and St. Benedict. \u00a0But then we realized her initials would be BRF, which any self-respecting sibling would immediately and permanently identify as BARF. \u00a0So\u00a0Ren\u00e9e was out.<\/p>\n When it became clear that the little stinker intended to be born in December, and not November, we started to think about more Marian names. \u00a0Maribel is for Mary, of course, with a nod to Our Lady of Guadalupe (whose feast is one of three due dates I was given) because . . . um, it sounds kind of Spanishy.<\/p>\n I tried really, really hard to give birth on Dec. 7, but the pious child simply wouldn\u2019t budge until the feast of the Immaculate Conception (two minutes into Dec. 8, to be exact).<\/p>\n Furthermore, when I was in early labor, I had the sudden idea to use the Sh\u2019ma Yisrael<\/a> (something I haven\u2019t thought about in years) as a mental chant while doing my useless breathing exercises. \u00a0The Sh\u2019ma is a short prayer derived from the Torah. \u00a0It\u2019s sort of the anchor for all Jewish prayer: \u00a0\u201cHear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.\u201d \u00a0You say it in the morning and in the evening, and, if you can manage it, as your last words before you die.<\/p>\n So I went with it. \u00a0After the birth, my mother reminded me that Edith Stein, the great Jewish philosopher, who converted to Catholicism, became a nun, and was martyred in the Holocaust, took the name Theresa Benedicta with her vows. \u00a0So, Benedicta again! \u00a0This child has, at last count, four patron saints, including one with an apparent penchant for making cryptic suggestions to women in labor.<\/p>\n THE BIRTH STORY:<\/strong><\/p>\n I hate, hate, hate giving birth, and this one was, to be honest, one of the most scary and unhappy labors and deliveries for me, although it\u2019s hard to say why, since there were no medical complications and I had so much care and support from my husband, family, friends, and doctors. \u00a0So I will spare you the birth story, and instead I\u2019ll take Jen Fulwiler\u2019s advice and put it into haiku form:<\/p>\n THE BIRTH OF BENEDICTA MARIBEL<\/strong><\/p>\n Everybody prayed,<\/strong><\/p>\n And I appreciate it!<\/strong><\/p>\n (I threw out those socks.)<\/strong><\/p>\n And we got us one of these:<\/p>\n So that turned out okay. \u00a0Let\u2019s see, what else?<\/p>\n THE OTHER KIDS:<\/strong><\/p>\n The kids are all more or less bonkers over her.<\/p>\n Irene, who is 2 1\/2, did not get the memo about how the birth of her baby sister would turn her little world upside down. \u00a0So far, the only thing that\u2019s upset her is the horrible belly button \u2014 she burst into tears the first time she saw it, and we were all much relieved when the scary stump fell off.<\/p>\n Yesterday, she said, \u201cMama, fanks for building Benny in your belly.\u201d<\/p>\n She and Lucy (the little ones at home) are slightly disgusted by my negligent care of the baby, and are constantly reminding me, \u201cRemember, don\u2019t sit on the baby! \u00a0I fink she\u2019s hungry, Mama. \u00a0You should feed her. \u00a0Be careful, don\u2019t get jelly on her.\u201d<\/p>\n MY HUSBAND:<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s a good thing I\u2019m married to my husband, because it would be very awkward to be this much in love with a man who\u2019s shown such tender, generous care and attention over the course of this year. \u00a0I had such wild expectations of how very happy we would be when we got married and had lots of kids, but this is more than I was even capable of imagining. \u00a0Thanks for the babies, Damien. \u00a0I love you.<\/p>\n AND EVERYTHING:<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m so very, very behind in thanking everyone for all the prayers and good wishes on this blog, on the Register<\/em>, and through Facebook and email. \u00a0Please do know that I was glad and grateful to read every one! \u00a0I know it\u2019s not easy to spare prayers and concern for others when everyone\u2019s lives are so full and complicated. \u00a0It\u2019s truly wonderful to have so many friends, and to know that my little one is so welcome in the world.<\/p>\n And my wonderful mother-in-law, HM (I\u2019m not being discreet \u2014 she goes by \u201cHM\u201d) dropped everything and cared for everyone for some long, long days while I got back on my feet (more or less). \u00a0And my daughter\u2019s friend\u2019s grandmother showed up with enough food for an army, just when I was thinking, \u201cUgh, can\u2019t put off dinner any longer.\u201d \u00a0 And my parents made the trip to see their 36th (?) grandchild, bearing presents and bagels:<\/p>\n AND THIS IS AWKWARD, BUT:<\/strong><\/p>\n Jen Fulwiler has been hosting a sort of virtual baby shower<\/a> for me over at Conversion Diary<\/a>, and even went to the trouble of collecting a few pieces I wrote. \u00a0Jen has been a constant, gracious, and genuine support for my writing for many years, despite her incredibly full schedule of speaking and writing profound but accessible insights into the spiritual journey of a modern convert! \u00a0I can think of no better way for me to show my appreciation for her than to let her write me a check after people send her money for me.<\/p>\n She also told me that I ought to tell you all about it (she will be taking the \u201cdonate\u201d button down on Dec. 16), in case you accidentally forgot to spend enough money Christmas shopping this year, and have been wondering how to make your bank account a little more lithe and manageable.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n