After a whopping 39 hours of labor, we have a boy, born on August 19th, at 1:00 in the afternoon, weighing 9 lbs 4oz. I’m tired and happy. So, so happy to be done with that labor. Oh gosh.
He looks a lot like Leafy did, with YaYa’s color of complexion. He fits right into our family perfectly.
We are in love.
I promise to tell you more about the labor, but right now I have to nurse a wee one. Any ideas for a good internet nickname?
congratulations mama!!
Woot! 9 pounds? Yeesh. You should internet name him: nine-er
Welcome to the world, little one. May you recover well from labor, and your family be blessed.
Welcome to the world sweet Baby!
Welcome to the world beautiful baby. congratulations!!
WOW! Congratulations, mama! He is so beautiful, and kudos to you for surviving such a long labor! Here’s hoping my son will be inspired by yours and come on out.
How lovely, he is gorgeous, congratulations, you have all been in my thoughts & prayers.
Congratulations! He is beautiful.
Congratulations!! He’s beautiful.
Oh Rae, congratulations to you and your family! Welcome little man, what a happy day. Many blessings.
Nine pounds! Yikes! May you be blessed with a quiet nap each day. Congratulations on the glorious new addition to the family.
Well done you!
And welcome to the world, little one.
What a beautiful babe! Good work! Welcome to the world, baby boy.
Congratulations!!! What a beautiful little person 
Oh look a him! Welcome welcome sweet boy!
Hydes
Congratulations!
Yay! Great work girl! And what a doll he is! Maybe his nickname could be little man, though he came out big i know.
Er… little mon.
Ahhhh Rae, he is so beautiful! And such a big boy. Congradulations to the family.
Oh, wow! I was checking and checking, all day yesterday, and what joy to see that lovely face first thing this morning! What a beautiful baby!
Happy babymoon!!
Oh, congratulations to the whole family, and welcome to the world, little one! He’s beautiful, Rae. Can’t wait to hear more.
CONGRATS AND BLESSINGS!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
what about rainy? Or scooter? Just kidding. OH, congratulations, rachel! You give me hope my time is soon!!!!!!!
I like Devon’s name of Little mon. Wow, how do you produce those huge babies!!! Makes me sore thinking about it. I’m so very thankful that you are okay and so is the baby! Prayers were answered. Thank you God. He is beautiful by the way!!!
Oh my god, he’s beautiful. And perfect. Congratulations to everyone in the Journey Mama family!
Wonderful——-he is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!
Mary
Rae, he’s beautiful! Congratulations to you and Chinua!
He’s gorgeous!
What about Ishwar? It means “Lord”, and well, it’s somehwat appropriate.
We must add our congratulations. 39 hours. So proud of all your hard work. Enjoy that tender softness and hypnotizing scents. They are so precious.
The Koops
you are an amazing woman and a great mother. in the words of van morrison we should give thanks to the one, to the one. if you go with the name you have been thinking of, you could call him “wise guy”. i love you and yours more than i can say.
Congratulations, Rae!!
You guys make really beautiful babies… *sigh*
I wish you a quick recovery for that hard work - well done girl!
Congratulations!! I’m glad you and that baby are both doing well.
I don’t have any good ideas for an internet nickname… maybe Kid D? That’s all I could think of. Not too creative on my part.
Oh, he is just lovely! I’m so, so happy that he is in the air breathing world. Enjoy every sleepy moment.
Oh, he is georgous. You make pretty babies! How sad that we cannot know his name, I started reading your blog before you changed to nicknames and forgot that we don’t get to know what you chose this time. Oh well, maybe your superstar husband will let it slip sometime:) Hope your recovery goes well, enjoy.
Congratulations, he is beautiful.
Congratulations! What a beautiful baby!
Hip hip hooray……. beautiful baby boy.
wow-my first time here, and a new baby, born the same day, one year later, as my small one, Noah.
Congratulations to all of you
Gorgeous…congratulations mama!! You are blessed.
many, many congratulations! a beautiful addition to your already gorgeous family. big hugs! xx
Beautiful beautiful baby boy! What sweetness! Congratulations!
Congratulations times one million to all of you!…But especially you, 39-hours-of-labor-mama. He’s gorgeous! Now, wherever you end up, the other three kids can confuse people by saying stuff like, “My Indian brother is visiting for Christmas.”
Congratulations!
Beautiful!
Your new son is beautiful! Congratulations on surviving such a long labor. Best of luck to you in the days and weeks to come. I am looking forward to watching him grow.
wow he is gorgeous!!!!!
you wonderful, strong beautiful woman……..39 hours of labor!!!!!! and 9 pounds, you are amazing!congratulations to you, superstar husband and the little children on such a beautiful gift to the family.
i am so happy for you and i can’t wait to meet him.
Hi Rae and family,
I celebrate your new joy over here in Los Angeles, CA!
For names, to honor his birthplace, what about “sahaya,” … protected by….
or “ara” … arabic for “brings rain”?
Anyway, so many congratulations! Glad to hear you all are well!
He’s gorgeous.
Maybe he could be the peace baby. Like leafy was the leaf baby?
Congratulations! Hooray! Hmm.. what do his siblings call him? Seems like that might be a good starting point. ;o) Or perhaps something that has to do with floods/springs in the desert? Peace, joy, and rest to you!
(PS. Hi, by the way — I’m mainly a lurker, though I’ve commented once or twice before. Much appreciate the way you share your journey.)
Congratulations! What a beautiful boy. I hope the recovery from labor goes smoothly. I’m looking forward to hearing about the experience. And I hope you get some rest
he is adorable! what a precious baby!
so happy for all of you!
Well, I’m another lurker that meant to introduce myself on your birthday post, but never got around to it.
However, this is far too special of an event for me to just passively lurk. Congratulations to you and your family! Your son is absolutely beautiful! That picture just warmed my heart.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy!
As for nicknames, maybe something to do with India… Hindi??
So beautiful! Many congratulations to you all.
I hope that your water stays on now that the wee one is here. And, it looks as though the dryer arrived JUST in the nick of time!!
congrat’s.
Praise God that he is here all safe and sound!
Congratulations! Beautiful baby (as the other 3!)
Marta from Lisbon
He is so very beautiful. Congratulations to all of you, and God bless.
oh! oh! OH!
How very wonderful he is!
May he be blessed a thousand times.
A thousand blessings upon your family.
‘Weeble’ comes to mind…as you called him the wee one. i guess my girl hit was wrong, eh??
Wow! Congratulations! There is no doubt that little guy is one of your kids. I hope your recovery is an easy one. I think mama’s deserve easy recoveries after long labors. It’s only fair!
–Kim
He is beautiful. Thanks for sharing him with us. Maybe his internet name could be India.
Congratulations to you and your family. He is very beautiful.
Our prayers are with you. Enjoy this very special time.
congratulations, beautiful mama (and baby!!)!
39 hours! Wow. I mean, wow.
He shares his birthday with my brand new baby niece. Congratulations!
I have been a faithful lurker to the website since my daughter listed your site on her blog about 2 years ago. It has been enjoyable to watch as your family grows and takes on new challenges and opportunities for growth. The unconditional love and support that unites your family across miles and continents is a pleasure to observe. I also have been blessed to be part of a large and loving family. So from one family to another… Congratulation on the birth of your son, Baby Dahl. May the peace of the lord be always with you and may your well never run dry.
blessings! he is beautiful. i was lead to your blog through a link from gwendomama. i am so excited. i lived in india for just a year, but love reading about the experience of others in that great land. especially mamas. my daughter was 2.5 when we went there.
Big huge congratulations! Can’t wait to hear your birth story! The birthing center looked very interesting.
What a beautiful baby boy! How wonderful to not be pregnant anymore… although I must say I always thought they were easier to take care of “inside”.
wow - we all come out of lurking when the baby arrives! he is soooo beautiful!
have been loving your blog more and more over the last year. funny how a woman living on the other side of the world can feel so connected to someone who on the surface she has nothing in common with. but that’s what is so great about the internet, right?
congratulations to you and your family. can’t wait to hear more about your birth story.
He’s so beautiful and he has Leafy’s great mouth.
It’s funny what kids facinate on, but Cay and Noah are excited that Leaf’s a big brother now. They also think the new one is very cute.
Congrats to all of you. Blessings and prayers from all of us.
Sweet Jesus, 30 hours of labour! YOu have got to be kidding me! I was one of those freaks who only had 4 hours of labour from start to finish. Let me tell I was CONVINCED I was dieing! I can’t even imagine 39 hours! I was just a lurker before this but I can’t just stay quiet after 39 hours! You are my new hero!
Congrats on the beauty you created!
can we just call him delicious. because he is. such a mama…how many hours of labor? not to matter anymore. so glad he is here and you are both well. kisses to the baby and to you. congratulations. my friend. you truly are the journey mama.
You make me want to have another baby! Congratulations, Rae & Chinua.
I so want to hear about your experience with the birthing center.
Congratulations to you and your lovely family!Such a beautiful boy!
I stumbled into your blog a couple of months ago.My husband is from Goa and we are thinking of moving back soon, so I was delighted to see you found a midwife and a birthing center.Thank you for sharing your wonderful experiences for me to learn from! :o)
Yay!! That’s one loooong labour, girl.I have not laboured that long IN TOTAL with three children. You need an Indian-ish nickname. Chai?
How cute! Congratulations. So sweet.
Congrats on your new man!!!!!! Can’t wait to read your birth story! May I add Twittle bug as a possible nickname? It’s from Sesame Street, they are those little lightning bugs that float all around Love those Twittle bugs!!!!
Congrats! He is beautiful! Praying for your sweet family!
Congrat!!! Hes so cute. Get some rest. : )
Oh, he’s beautiful! Blessings to you all.
I recently found out I’ll be having a fourth too (not ’til March, God willing). What gorgeous madness is this?
so happy for you all - he is a truly beautiful boy and I am glad he will be adding his resounding “I am” to your most resonant one.
welcome to your very special family - your adventure begins blessed one
What a woman! And what a beautiful little boy! Can’t wait to see more photos. I’m missing you here in SoHum.
Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy.
~Beautiful Boy - John Lennon
Congratualations to you and your family!!!!
All of your children are beautiful, your love for your husband (and his for you) and your children is beautiful.
Like Nikki, I have mostly lurked for the past few years. My life is very different than yours (no children, stuck in the middle of the US), but I am always interested to see what is happening in your world and to life vicariously through you and your motherhood. I do the same with Notes from the Trenches and several other ‘mommy blogs’.
This might sound weird (and sad) to some, but I have been awaiting the birth of your fourth child while at the same time following another favorite blogger (Adrian Sudbury) who was in the end stages of his life. He passed away at age 27 in the early morning hours of 8/20. I had a feeling these two passages would occur within hours of each other.
A boy entered this world, a few hours later another boy left this world.
You grieve with one family, you rejoice with another.
Synchronicity.
Rejoicing with you and yours,
Kelly
Congratulations, JourneyMama! What a beautiful baby boy!! I think you can claim your own “superstar” title after that labor - wowza!
God gives such good, beautiful gifts, doesn’t He? may these first days with your new one be especially sweet.
Oh, he’s just BEAUTIFUL! And BIG! So glad he is here…sending much love and thankful prayers.
This is my first reply, but I love reading about your life. The first nickname that came to mind was August Moon.
I wish you the very best today and always,
Debra
oh i watch your blog constantly but never comment but he is beautiful.
Wise, he looks wise. Give him a nickname of wisdom
jackie
congratulations and prayers to you and your family!
Congratulations! I am so happy for you and your beautiful family, Rae!
Your new son is darling. I can’t wait to read the birthstory.
i’m in awe. good job, mama.
Oh that is so cool! Hope you are feeling okay! He’s just so beautiful, congrats!!!!!! :o)
Congratulations and welcome to the world little India baby. He is beautiful!
So many blessings, so much love to an oh-so-wonderful mama, her family and your beautiful, robust baby boy!
I know I speak for many when I say that you are an inspiration and a delight, both in your writing and your being.
Love,
GraceD
Congratulations to you and your lovely family Rachel! He is just gorgeous, really beautiful. Thanks for sharing your birth story, wow - what a ride that was! You did amazingly well, and what a blessing that he was born naturally. I just found out about your blog, (and baby) through Joy. I’m bummed I’ve missed out on it for 3 years, but I’m catching up! Miss you guys, hope to meet your new little man someday soon. Love, April & Fam
Forgot to leave my website for you.
Wow, he’s so beautiful! I just got back from vacation in Myrtle Beach and I’m catching up. This was great to come home to! I was thinking of you on vacation and wondering if you were going to have the baby while I was gone. Congratulations!!!!
Oh my… you are famous! 99 responses. Oh gee, I get to be 100. I am honored. Blessings friend.
Congratulations Rachel and Chinua!!! What a beautiful baby. We were out of town for a couple weeks but it was such a joy to read your happy news. I’m glad that even though the labor was hard you came through to the other end. You guys are so blessed
Still one of the most magical books that I have ever read.
*
