I stand by helplessly watching as the woman I love doubles over in pain. It’s been twelve hours since we left the house. Rose went into labor about four in the morning, and we’ve been at the hospital ever since. The midwife assures us that she’s making progress. But progress or not, her strength seems to be waning—along with her patience.

“Just breathe,” Leo says and rubs her lower back as another contraction hits her.

“Don’t touch me,” Rose says and slaps his hand away. “What I need is space.”

She puts both hands on the wall and lowers her head, breathing through the contraction.

“You’re doing great,” Leo says from a few steps away this time. “Just keep breathing, and you’ll get through this.”

Rose shoots him a death glare, and even I step back. “I swear if you tell me to breathe one more time, I’m going to kill you.” She turns to me and holds out her hand. “Take me back to the room. I’m done walking.”

Obediently, I take her hand and shoot Leo a she’s the boss look. We only get a few feet down the hall when she grips my hand like a vice. I swear I hear the bones cracking, she’s squeezing so hard. Rose bends over again and pants. Learning from Leo’s mistake, I refrain from telling her to breathe.

“That was pretty close together,” Leo says, looking at his watch. We did the birthing classes together, but Leo takes his role as birthing partner very seriously. I’m pretty sure he memorized the What to Expect book down to the page numbers. “Do you feel the urge to push?”

“I feel the urge to stick my foot up your ass. Just get me back to the room. I need to sit. My legs hurt.”

We make it all the way back to the room this time before another contraction hits. Leo is right. They’re coming much faster now and seem way more intense.

After a full minute of breathing and swearing, Rose straightens. “Help me into the bed. Leo, call the midwife back in. I want this baby out now.”

Everything happens so fast after that. The room becomes a beehive of activity. The nurses and midwife get everything ready and then it is time.

My heart is racing with nervous energy. I grab Rose’s hand, and I glance over at Leo on her other side. I didn’t think it was possible, but this—starting a family with these two people—is the best thing that’s ever happened in my life. I can’t believe I almost screwed it up because now I can’t imagine my life without them. And we’re getting ready to add a new member to that family!

“Alright, are we ready to have a baby?” the midwife asks. “When the next contraction hits, I want you to bear down.”

“I’m so tired. I don’t think I can do this much longer,” Rose says with a bit of desperation.

I know just how she feels. This whole birth thing has been exhausting, and I’m not even the one in labor.

“It’s almost over, sweetheart,” Leo says and wipes a damp towel over her brow.

“You’ve got this, Bambi,” I say, squeezing her hand.

After few more contractions and a barrage of creative cursing on Rose’s part, the loud cry of a baby fills the room. They set our daughter on Rose’s chest. I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight. Ashley is wrinkled and squirming, with a tuft of dark hair, just like her mother's. Rose kisses our daughter and looks up at me. Her own hair is in a tangle, having fallen out of the braid hours ago. Sweat and tears mingle on her cheeks. But she’s never looked more gorgeous.

The nurse bundles up the baby and hands her over to Leo, and I tend to her mother.

“I love you,” I whisper against her temple and smooth back the stray hairs. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

She smiles weakly, and her eyes drop. “Remember that when you have to get up at three in the morning to change a diaper.”

Leo comes around to my side of the bed with Ashley in his arms. “She’s perfect.”

Leo holds out the baby for me to take and the second that bundle is in my arms, something I can’t explain happens. The whole world shifts. Nothing else before this moment matters. This baby—our baby changes everything. Her little eyes blink open, and her dark slate orbs bore into my soul and take up residence.

“Look at you, Ashley Rose,” I say. “Big, beautiful eyes just like your mom. Welcome to the family.”

I feel like everything I ever thought about love was wrong. My love for this child is instantaneous and bone deep. I look over to the bed searching out the other half of my heart. Leo is resting his head on Rose’s, and they are softly talking.

As corny as it sounds, I feel like the Grinch on Christmas morning. My heart swells, spilling over with love. With love for this new life and love for the woman who made all of this possible.