Welcome Sweet Little Boy!

Dear Connor,

Welcome to the world, my little man! This is your Mommy writing, and I'm writing to you while you, me, and Daddy hang out at the hospital. We are taking you home later today, and waiting for you at home is your big sister, Emily. We're not sure she understands what is going on, so we want to introduce the two of you in a familiar setting for her, to ease her slowly into her new role of big sister. I can't wait to watch the two of you play together, tease each other, help each other, and love each other. I CAN wait to watch you fight together, and argue over the shower, but deep down, I will probably love listening to that as well. ;)

Like I did for your sister, I want to tell you a little about your birth, while my memory is fresh. Your due date was June 18. Just like your sister, you missed your due date, which is just fine, little man. The days surrounding the 18th were pretty hot, which made me uncomfortable, but I was ok letting you take your time. However, we didn't want you to take TOO long, so we planned with the doctor to induce you on June 24. When I went to the doctor on June 22, we found out the fluid surrounding you was getting pretty low. The sonographer, Carolyn, measured it to be a 6. In contrast, your sister's fluid was estimated to be a 20. So, yours had getting pretty low. Dr. Stone, Mommy's doctor, almost decided you needed to come on June 23rd, but we eventually decided to just monitor you on the 23rd and to stick with our plan for June 24th.

Daddy and I checked in to the hospital at around 9:45 the night of June 23rd. I hadn't dilated at all, so the plan was to start the induction process with a drug called Cervidel, which was meant to help me respond well to the Pitocin they would begin in the morning. We did the very same thing with your sister. You will find that your births were very similar! :)

The nurse got me set up with the Cervidel by about 11:30ish Wednesday night. Daddy and I got settled watching the movie "Oceans' 11," which is a great movie, little man - your Daddy especially loves it, because he has a weird, special love for Las Vegas...I'm sure some day around when you're 21 he will take you there for a boys' trip, but I digress.... :) When the movie was over, we went to sleep, and I was super surprised when my water broke at 2 am! I didn't get to experience this with your sister's birth, so this was pretty exciting, and also very weird! I called the nurses and told them, "Um, I think perhaps my water just broke??" :) The nurse came in to help me, took out the cervidel, and we settled in for whatever was going to happen next. We were VERY surprised and excited about how quickly, and UNUSUALLY, the cervidel worked. I had gone from a 0 to a 3 by the time my water broke - Wow!!

Contractions started immediately after, and were measured to be about 2 minutes apart. We were all concerned that I might miss my "window of opportunity" to receive an epidural, so they got that started at 3 am. I immediately relaxed and Daddy and I were able to get a few hours of sleep. When we woke again in the morning, I had progressed to a 5, and, after staying there for an hour or two, they decided to give me just a little bit of pitocin to try to encourage you to come meet us. Sweetheart, Mommy was SO excited to NOT have to experience pitocin-inspired contractions without an epidural. I experienced those with your sister's birth, and they are not particularly delightful. In contrast, with your birth, before my epidural, I got to feel real contractions, which honestly just felt like strong menstrual cramps. (I'm sure, though, had I not gotten an epidural, they eventually would have felt MUCH stronger & would have been MUCH more painful!)

Things progressed from then pretty nicely, and they found out I measured 9 cm dilated around 10:30ish. After that, I could feel you coming with each contraction and knew it wouldn't be long before we would see your handsome face! Dr. Stone arrived around 11, and after pushing through 4 or 5 sets of contractions, you were soon with us, arriving at 11:17! The room was very calm when you arrived, sweet boy. It was just me and your Daddy, Dr. Stone, my nurse, Darby, who was wonderful, and a nurse waiting just for you. Your Gran was also there, in the corner, video taping some of the pushing process, which I decided at the last moment I wanted to have documented. We'll watch it some time, just you and me. Actually, perhaps you, me, and say, your senior Prom Date. Won't that be fun?? ;)

You did swallow some amniotic fluid on your way out, so they did work on you a little bit, but you were/are such a handsome, healthy boy! You measured 7 pounds 14.8 ounces, 21 inches long. In contrast, your sister measured 7 pounds 8 ounces and was also 21 inches long. You arrived on Thursday, June 24, 2010, at 11:17 am. She arrived on Thursday, July 24, 2008, at 11:39 am. Everyone in the room agreed it would be VERY eerie if you arrived at the same time Emily did; however, I'm glad you chose your own time - you ARE a different person, anyway.

In other similarities, as I type this, it has been reported to us that you've just lost 2% of your body weight, and we are taking you home at 7 pounds 12 oz. Your sister also just lost 2% of her body weight. Nursing is going really well, and you've passed all the rest of your tests with flying colors. We are so proud of you Connor!

We feel so blessed to share this thing called life with you and your sister. Daddy and I were talking this morning about how we can't believe we are suddenly a family of four. We are so excited for the journey our lives will take us on, and SO excited to watch you grow up. Thank you, in advance, for putting up with us, for your patience with us, and for all the giggles, smiles, hugs, and kisses we will share in the years ahead. We love you little man!!

Love,
Mommy

An hour or so after your birth. Such a handsome little man! We love you!