PROVO — Today is Mother's Day and I feel safe in predicting that nobody's going to top the gifts that the three moms I met this week at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center received.
Each one got a brand new daughter.
Janell Johansen, Nicole Van Valkenburg and Shanna Coder were resting comfortably this past Friday afternoon when Janet Frank, media relations director for Utah Valley RMC, graciously escorted me into their rooms in the hospital's maternity ward.
"It's a great Mother's Day gift, especially for the grandmas," said Janell as she held 1-day-old Sage Johansen, whose arrival Thursday morning was six days ahead of schedule. "They're just tickled about the timing, and so am I."
Janell was so close to the experience of delivering Sage that she admitted she was yet to totally forget the pain of childbirth — dampening her enthusiasm for partying just a tad. "I'm still feeling it," she smiled as her husband, Chris, stood vigil. "But it's getting less as time goes by."
Janell explained that Sage has a 22-month-old brother, Wyatt, waiting at home. "I can already tell the difference in them," she said as she looked down at her daughter. "She's a little more temperamental, a little more fussy."
A few doors down, Nicole Van Valkenburg opened her eyes to talk to the media a mere five hours after bringing Austenne Van Valkenburg into the world — all seven pounds, 13 ounces of her.
As with the Johansens, this is also the second child for Nicole and her husband, David, who have 3-year-old Andrew at home. "I wasn't that emotional when my son was born," said Nicole. "But for some reason I was very emotional this time. Maybe it's because this one's a girl and I know more what she can expect. I think you start worrying the second you find out you're pregnant and I don't think the worry ever stops. It's such a great blessing that she's healthy. I hope she'll be happy and that she'll love herself as much as I love her, that's what I hope for my daughter."
"Now I won't be pregnant on Mother's Day," added Nicole. "That may be the greatest gift of all."
Her plan was to take Austenne home today, but only after letting the hospital serve her breakfast in bed. "Then I'll go home and take a nice long nap," she said.
In Shanna Coder's room, Shanna and her 3-day-old daughter, Camryn, were enjoying some alone time together. When they leave the hospital for home, 18-month-old Ellie, Camryn's older sister, will be there waiting with open arms. "Then," said Shanna, "Camryn will have two moms."
"Just being a mother is the most overwhelming feeling," said Shanna, who had to undergo an emergency C-section when the umbilical cord got in the way of Tuesday's birth. "You don't know you could love someone so much, or that with it comes so much worry and pain about the future. It's a good thing, but it hurts, because you know what's out there and you don't want anything bad to happen to your kids."
"I just want to cherish every minute of this," said Shanna as she cradled Camryn — sporting a stylish pink bow in her full head of black hair— in her arms. "It might never be just the two of us ever again and I want to enjoy every second that we're together. I know our world will change forever when we take this one home."
Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.