He's Here!

David Charles Owens. Born March 10th at 7:37 pm. 7 lbs, 3 oz and 20.5 inches long.

Needless to say, we are over the moon.

His arrival was a bit more harrowing than we had hoped for it to be. A routine test at my OB's on his due date caught a brief period of an alarmingly slow fetal heartbeat, prompting Dr. Johnson to send us straight to the hospital for an induction. I remember feeling scared, numb, and thinking "I'm not ready for this,", even after weeks (ok, months) of complaining that I simply could not wait one more minute for him to arrive.

Once at the hospital and despite a healthy infusion of pitocin, my labor languished for hours. Cory and I even were able to finish designing and proofing a business ad for the newspaper (deadlines don't care if you're having a baby, you know). The nurses kept telling me I looked "way too happy", as they cranked up the pit even more. The contractions suddenly increased in intensity early that evening, causing another unexpected and horrifying episode of fetal distress when the baby's heartrate dropped into the 30s for several minutes (it should have been in the 130s. So scary). I think the entire medical and nursing staff of the labor and delivery unit rushed in to the room, terrifying both Cory and me but providing the intervention necessary to keep the baby safe. His heartrate thankfully came up on it's own, but once Dr. Johnson arrived and declared, "I want that baby out," we consented to an emergency C-section without hesitation.

The ensuing minutes are a blur of fear, my memories clouded a bit by a morphine haze but still punctuated by moments of clarity. Like when I first heard him cry. What a wonderful sound. It's what kept me sane as I lay behind the sterile screen in the OR, practically dying to see him. But I had to wait for the NICU staff to give him the once-over, which, miraculously, he passed with flying colors despite the distress he had shown during labor (and having the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck not once but twice, the probable cause of his low heart rate, come to find out). Thankfully, Cory was able to get some pictures of his first moments since I was unable to see them with my own eyes. I will treasure those photos forever.

Finally, David was safe. And we were elated.

So, that's the short version of David's birth. I had imagined recording it a few days after arriving home, which obviously did not happen. Which takes me to my next thought...

Just a few weeks ago I couldn't imagine what could be so time-consuming about caring for a newborn. Considering the fact that after two full weeks at home I have managed little else on a daily basis than multiple nursing sessions, oodles of diaper changes, some personal vanity, and lots and lots of laundry. No scrapbook pages done, no shopping outings, very little sleeping. The hours whiz by regardless. Oh, how I wish I could make time stand still.

At his last pediatrician visit this past Friday, David topped the charts at 8 lbs 1 oz and 22 inches. He finally fills out his newborn sized clothes, and his days in newborn diapers are numbered. In a few short weeks, he's already changed in innumerable ways. We can't wait to watch him continue to grow. I just hope he does so slowly, so we can enjoy every minute. Meanwhile, check out our photos on my Picasa Web page. I'll be adding more over the next couple of days, when the little man allows me the time, of course.