Written by Serge Bielanko for Babble.com
There is nothing quite like watching your own child being born.
No matter where we roam, no matter what we accomplish or conquer in this crazy life, there isn't even one single experience that a human being can go through that is as overwhelming and as powerful as being right there when your son or daughter comes into this world.
Nothing even comes close.
Not even winning a lifetime supply of beer and wings from a nice bar.
Not even catching a five-pound native brook trout on a dry fly.
Not even watching the Republican Party implode a little more each day.
Seriously. That's how good it is, watching your baby being born. If you haven't been there yet yourself, just ask anyone who has.
Looking back now, reflecting on the births of my daughter, Violet, and my son, Henry, I am still blown away by how it made me feel. Witnessing something so heavy and spiritual and breathtaking stays with you, of course. It doesn't ever slip back into your pool of medium-sized memories or anything like that.
As a largely imperfect son and husband and dad, I like to think that being there in the delivery room as my kids were born changed something in my fundamental makeup. I tend to recall something sort of popping open up inside of my head and down inside of my heart during the moments leading up to Violet and Henry each coming into my world, into their world. As a matter of fact, I like to think that being there caused me to become at least a slightly better person, overall.
Now then, as my wife and I await the arrival of our third child (another boy!), I look back on some of the four or five trillion incredible moments I experienced when my two kiddos were arriving.
They bring back such awesome memories.
And I can't wait to add a few trillion more.