We welcomed Henry Duke 12 days ago. I can hardly believe he's been with us less than two weeks--already almost two weeks. It's like he always belonged with us.
Henry Duke carries the names of great men. Henry for Henry's way back on both Collin's and my family trees. Duke for Grandpa, Collin's dad, a little closer in time. I'm not sure what nicknames will come--I'm sure there will be ones that stick! So far he's just Henry, or "Henwy" if Eliza is talking to him.
I think he'll be one who lives life according to his own expectations and not mine. From conception through pregnancy he's been a bit unexpected and yet determined. So too his birthday unfolded.
From past experience my body needs a little help to get going to deliver those babies. We enjoyed family around the week of Thanksgiving without any sign of baby. My mom in town and ready to get to the having the baby in my arms part I scheduled the hospital to administer Cervadil overnight to have the baby on the 29th. I could have chosen any day after 39 weeks but decided if any day was as good as any other I'd like to have one less date to remember. Eddy is the 29th, Davy and Eliza the 18th. So why not even it out and have another 29-er? Right, no reason not to.
On Wednesday evening we readied to go to the hospital but when we called they were too crowded to accept us at 8:00. They called back later and we were able to get in and going around midnight. Cervadil was placed around 1:00 am and I settled in for an unrestful night. Next morning things were starting to progress but slowly. I anticipated that we'd have a baby by lunchtime, given the three previous deliveries. But by 2:00 nothing was really happening. Contractions but not enough for my liking. The doctor gave me some choices, I asked that my water be broken. Then Collin and I walked laps around the maternity ward. There were no pictures on the walls to distract me--only one Picasso mother and nursing baby print.
I'd finally given up my expectation that the baby would be born according to my plans. Silly me, to have any sort of plans or expectations. Then the contractions finally started to come more rapidly and consistently and harder. I was exhausted by 5:00 and wanted to quit. Isn't that funny, I kept saying, I don't want to do this any more. Like I had a choice. Ha!
The labor nurse, Judy, advised a shower, so I went in the water. I was so tired at 6:00 I lay down. My mom and the labor nurse wanted me to keep working with squatting or moving or anything but I simply ignored them. They brought a weird pillow to put between my legs but by then I was oblivious to pretty much everything around me. Suddenly time sped up and I was wanting to push. Collin says it was about 6:30. They called the doctor and she started getting ready to guide me through pushing and catch the baby. It seemed like there were so many random people and machines in the room, I remember asking where my mom was. She was still there, but hidden behind all the madness. Collin was right at my side.
I had to push for what seemed like forever. They kept saying, one more, one more . . . a dozen or more times. I guess my first efforts weren't quite the thing but eventually I wanted that baby out more than anything else in the world and there he was. He arrived at 7:06. They handed him up to me and Collin said it was a boy and I wasn't surprised after all. The kids had been right all along and I'd just the day before switched my thinking to trusting their intuition. It was a boy! Henry Duke Lambourne.
He was slimy and soft and perfect. His lungs worked very well from the beginning. That first cry--the best sound in the world.
The big brothers and sister were there within the hour. Aunt Camilla had been taking care of them all day and they came full of Wendy's frosties and ready to inspect their baby.
He weighed in at 9 lbs. 12 oz and was our longest at 22 inches.
The past days at our house have been a blur of bliss and tired. Henry's getting the hang of nursing and it isn't hurting me as much. He's sleeping well . . . during the day . . . He's getting so much love and attention from all of us. Just as it's supposed to be.
