Good things come

in small packages. Make that "tee-niny" packages.

February 14, 2004, 11:32 a.m., Baby Boy T____. (Mama and Daddy are still discussing the name issue. He should be named before he comes home.)

Weight: 5 pounds, 14 ounces
Length: 18 3/4 inches

All boy!

After all of the back and forth at the hospital Thursday night - Friday morning, when I went to bed Friday night I just had a hunch. So, I laid out clothes in the bathroom so that I could grab them quickly without disturbing hubby too much. Carried the phone to the bedroom and put it right over my head so that I could grab it if it rang. Then went into a sound sleep.

Which was shattered at about 3:30 a.m. A beautifully calm and quiet voice: Mom, my water broke. There's no hurry. The baby sitter is on her way over. We'll meet you at the hospital. She was contracting steadily - about 5 minutes apart.

Outside - it was SNOWING and warm. The road to Soldotna, to the hospital was pretty slick so the traveling was slow going. But all arrived safely, including Tim's mom and Jenn's cousin. We trooped into the labor triage room, got Jenn settled on a monitor and the poking and prodding began. When it was confirmed that her water had indeed broken and that we were now there for the duration, we all trooped next door into one of the labor/delivery suites.

There was much giggling and downrightbelly-laughing, most of the time started by the contracting lady herself. Jenn, her cousin and I walked the hallways (yes, again) for several laps in between progress checks back at the OB ward.

It was finally determined that a pitocin drip would be needed and Jenn was then confined to the room. Still much hilarity - even at the height of some of the contractions.

Jenn is such a trooper. I have never before seen anyone who can make giving birth look so easy. She used slow, deep breaths through every contraction, only breaking for transition breathing at the very end, and even that was tempered every other time or so by the slow deep breathing. She is pretty stoic, and (like her mama) has a high tolerance for pain.

Baby boy was in a hurry to arrive when he finally made up his mind to do so. The head was delivered and the doctor said "don't push" - Jenn said she was sorry and the baby squirted right out. The doctor had him up and onto her belly so fast none of us knew the gender, even the doctor. The nurse had him comvered in a towel and was suctioning his mouth and Jenn was crying for him to start crying - we couldn't tell who we had as a new member of our family.

And, then, glorious sound of all glorious sounds . . . the first cry - and then and only then the towel was pulled back by Mama so we could see that we could welcome grand-boy #5 into our family.

Nana got to hold the little tyke while Mama took a shower and her bed was being remade. I whispered his name to him - we will see if Nana is correct later.

They will be staying in hospital at least until tomorrow, but likely through Monday. Little guy's blood sugar count was low - and he had some amniotic fluid in his lungs at first - so he is with mama, but under observation. His lungs had cleared by the time I left this evening, and his sugar level was right up where it belonged.

But he is soooooooooo tiny - I went to Fred Meyer to see if they had any premie clothes left - none. And, the smalls are sooooooo big. He will swim in clothes for awhile until he starts to put some meat on his bones. One of his visitors this evening, however, brought over some of her little boy's premie gowns and pajamas. So, he will be set after all.

Here is a picture of the entire bug family. How sweet is that?

There are LOTS of pictures, but this Nana is much too tired to put them all up tonight. I promise more tomorrow. Good night everyone, and thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.
>..<

p.s.
Blogmadness Winners Bracket Round 4 has begun. Please read both entries and vote for your favorite. Timothy and I thank you.

Posted by Purplemoose at February 14, 2004 08:48 PM