THE BABY
"Maria von Trapp," the nurse called her name, "the doctor will see you now."
Maria, anxious to learn English asked, "Baby well?"
"Yes, Maria, baby is well. You need more rest."
"More rest?"
"Lay down, Maria,"
"Yes, yes."
When Georg came home, he asked "Well, what did the doctor say, Maria?"
"Baby well, me lay down."
Georg chuckled; "you mean take a nap in the afternoon?"
"Yes, that's what he told me to do."
"When all the children go back to school in the afternoon, I want you to take your nap."
"I will Georg, I will."
The children had made friends; it was wonderful to see them play. They all spoke to each other in a mixture of English and German.
Several of the other wives had befriended Maria. One, Karla, was fluent in both German and English.
In the morning, Karla would come to the house and help Maria with her English.
Maria, being a woman with a small frame, grew very large; and was very uncomfortable by the end of October.
The children participated in their first Halloween. Georg took the children to the houses that night. Maria sat on the porch to give out their candy.
She never saw so many different costumes. Many of the children said, "Streich oder Süßigkeit," or "trick or treat" in German.
A few days later, Georg came home early. Maria was laying on the sofa, in obvious discomfort.
"Maria, what's wrong?'
"My back hurts, but not all the time, it comes and goes."
"When did this start, Maria?"
"Right after the children went back to school after lunch."
Suddenly, she moaned louder. "Georg, I feel something is pushing down."
Oh, no he thought, she's in labor, maybe even close to giving birth.
At that moment the children came home.
"Liesl, go get Mrs. Karla! Fast!"
"Friedrich, Kurt, Brigitta take Gretl and Marta into the other room. Louisa, I need you to get some towels."
He took a moment to call the clinic. "Please send help, Maria's in hard labor."
"Maria, try not to push."
At the same time he pushed towels under her; her water broke.
She was panting; but at the same time she couldn't resist the urge to push.
Karla ran into the house. "Georg, this baby's coming whether we like it or not."
"Liesl, bring me an apron."
Swiftly she donned the apron.
"Georg, help her sit up so she can push better."
"One more push, Maria;" Karla saw the head emerge followed by the rest of the baby. She placed the baby on Maria's tummy just as the doctor walked in.
"It's a boy Maria!" Karla shouted as the baby gave out his first cry.
Maria relaxed into Georg's embrace, tears running down her face. She held the baby close to her. Georg never left her side; he marveled at her immediate love for their son.
Liesl and Louisa just stood in awe. They had just witnessed the miracle of birth.
The doctor cut the cord; together Karla and the girls wrapped the baby in the blankets Maria had bought; green and yellow. They had hoped for a boy but nothing blue was ever bought.
Georg told Liesl to get the others. Together they stood by Maria and got their first look at their brother.
"Well, Maria, you will be the envy of most new mothers; you had a very easy delivery for your first baby." The doctor said as he turned to leave.
"God did it all."
"Yes, Maria but he had a willing and able helper."
"Louisa, please fix our bed, we need to let her rest. I think she would be more comfortable in a bed."
Liesl helped her. She remembered about the pads mother had shown her; that needed to be used after the birth.
Karla took the baby. Georg carried Maria up the stairs to their bedroom. Then it was Georg's turn to hold him as Karla took care of Maria. And then she gave the baby his first bath.
Later that night, Georg watched Maria nurse him. She was a natural mother; he never had a doubt. She had so much love to give.
When he finished, Georg put him in the cradle.
He snuggled close to Maria; kissing her and whispering over and over again, "I love you."
"Okay, Maria, we need to name him."
"Johann Karl or Johann Christoph, Maria."
"No, Christoph Johann, we'll call him Chris."
"Okay, Christoph Johann von Trapp it is."
In the morning all the children wanted to see their new brother. Georg let Maria sleep. He took the baby downstairs.
"Children, meet Christoph Johann, your mother wants to call him Chris." They each took a turn holding the baby. When it became Gretl's turn, she said, "thank goodness, I'm not the baby anymore."
Everyone started to laugh and woke him up.
Georg was taking him upstairs as Karla came to help Maria. She and another friend would take turns staying with her while the children went to school.
The following Sunday the baby was baptized and welcomed into the Church of God.
THE END