Second time’s a charm. That’s what everyone told me. Once you’ve already had a child, you’ll be so much more relaxed with number two because you’ll know what to expect.

And on October 24, 2008 I was certain I knew what to expect.

I arrived at the hospital for my 2:00pm birth (the close proximity of my two sons, caused my doctor to caution that a VBAC would be too risky). My second son, Beckett, came into the world screaming at 3:32pm, with a perfect score on his APGAR (a simple test to evaluate newborn health based on Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration). He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces. Beckett was healthy (and after the initial shock of no longer being inside my warm and cozy womb, I was certain he would also be happy). I had visions of checking out of the hospital early and going home with my new baby, confident in my bathing, nursing and comforting skills.

But, if there’s anything a parent should be confident in, it’s that we should always expect the unexpected. My, everything went according to plan birth, ended with Beckett leaving the hospital after a life-threatening 11-day stay in the NICU.

With a newborn, life is always charmed (whether it’s your first, second–or dare I say third or forth time around). But life never goes according to plan. Just when you think you know what to expect, it’s the very moment your child will turn things upside down.

As a mother of two, I look forward to sharing life’s unexpected joys, setbacks, and tribulations with you on Just The Facts, Baby’s new pareting blog. Can’t wait to hear what all you new moms have to share as well.