Henry's Arrival

Waking up and knowing it's the last morning without a child is a strange experience, which is why October 3rd will go down as one of the weirdest and most amazing days of my life.  I woke up super early (around 4:30 a.m.), which had become typical in the last days of my pregnancy.  I proceeded to scarf down some food, knowing I was going to be cut off from eating beginning at 9 a.m.  Needing to pass the time, I reverted to baking [brownies, cookies, rice krispie treats, and cupcakes] like a madwoman. 

A friend of mine advised that I bake goodies for the nurses to suck up - some of the best advice I received while being pregnant! I suggest any and all pregnant woman do this prior to the delivery of your child (or assign a friend/relative to do this for you), as you'll be spoiled by the nursing staff!  They apparently don't get fed very often....

Since we didn't have to be at the hospital until 3:00 p.m., Paul and I decided to have one last "hoorah," and we went to our last movie as a family of 2. As a side note, we saw 50/50, which is fantastic, but will make any pregnant woman cry like an idiot.

At 2:30 p.m., however, we packed up and headed to the hospital.

My chauffeur.

Arrival at Labor and Delivery.  I won the "Battle of the Bulge."

Waiting for surgery.....

 

...which was enthralling, as you can tell.

Paul was then prepped for surgery as well. Sexy. :)

My right left-hand man.  He got to keep his man card because I demanded a play-by-play throughout the surgery, and despite earlier hesitation as to whether he would look over the sheet, he managed to look over and keep me updated about what the doctors were doing during surgery.  I even have pictures to document Henry's arrival, but will spare the World Wide Web from such details. :)

My fabulous physician, immediately after Mr. Henry's arrival.

Henry Louis arrived at 5:48 p.m., weighing in at 8 lbs. 15 oz., and 19 3/4 in. long.

Our first meeting as a family. There's no other feeling in the world like this, especially with such a healthy boy! 

Gigi and Uncle Grant examining Henry for the first time.

Uncle Grant finally worked up the nerve to hold him.

Proud Daddy. 

Post-surgery in the recovery room.

First diaper change. If only we knew how many more were to follow.... :)



Gigi finally convinced Papa to hold Henry - he was convinced he was going to contaminate Henry with something he'd picked up from work, but he finally gave in!!  Looks like a natural.

And although we could have stayed 4 nights in the hospital, we were all ready to leave after 3 nights.   Henry was ready to head home!

The Paul Meredith family leaving the hospital.  Love these two boys more than life.

Headed home!



The newest love of my life.  Most kissable cheeks ever.

The Invasion of Henry Louis

Johnson & Johnson got it right - having a baby does change everything.  In fact, the expectation of having a baby changes everything.  Beginning with that spare bedroom [now Henry's nursery] we weren't really using, except for the storage of random stuff we didn't have any other place for....

 My sweet husband, beginning to take the room apart with the removal of the fan.

 With the help of my mother, Paul had the ceiling painted white and walls edged.

 Finished paint and preparation for window treatments.

 My wonderful parents helping us get the nursery finalized.

And finally,the finished product.....

 (How awesome is my Mom? She helped me pick out the fabric, and then designed and made this bedding!)

Henry even managed to take over our Master bedroom before he arrived.   

The coolest part about this crib is that it was made by my Dad and Papa while my Mom was pregnant with my older sister.  So while it breaks my heart that my Papa never got to meet the love of my life or my precious new child, I do still think of him every night when I put Henry to bed. 

And finally, the last picture we took of my gigantic self before I checked into the hospital to have Henry on October 3rd.

37 Weeks.

Pictures of Henry Louis to follow soon!

He's Almost Here......

So unless he decides he wants to arrive on an earlier date (he's got less than 48 hours), Henry's "official" birth date is scheduled for Monday, October 3rd.  Though I already love him entirely, he decided the breach position was the most comfortable position for him to hang out here in his last few weeks.  I hope this is not a foreshadowing of a stubborn little personality.... 

The magnitude of Monday has Paul and I feel like kids waiting in anticipation of Christmas - we kind of know what we're getting, but still haven't had the chance to see, touch, and feel our gift.  We've gotten to steal a few glimpses over the past few months, but know it isn't the same as seeing him in person!

Week 6: Confirmation that we're pregnant!

 Week 8: Confirmation that Henry was growing at the appropriate rate.



 Week 11: Starting to look more like a baby!  And when our tech first guesstimated that he was a boy (though that photo has been purposefully left off this blog).

 Week 19: First real glimpse of that sweet face, though I always think he looks slightly like an alien here.  Confirmation that he's a boy (once again, that photo is purposefully not included).

Week 38: Though this was the moment I learned he was being difficult and was breach, my heart still melted when I saw this face.  Monday cannot get here soon enough!!!