Promise

I promised myself that I would add one of these stories here every time I told one. I tell them at one point or another throughout the summer. There will be no chronology - not yet anyway - nor will there be much of a schedule. You never know; I might add a story every day and I might not. This is my life. Every day is an adventure.

Anna

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

And Baby Makes Three

I came to town last November so we could be there to help out when the new baby came, and to be a little moral support for the new mom and dad. When labor started, I was there for them, and I must say my daughter-in-law was a real trooper about the pains. She just kinda stiffened up and went all quiet for a bit, and then it passed. Boy, I could tell she was just all-around uncomfortable.

Some hours later, the doctor was starting to get concerned; there just wasn't much progress and momma was getting very tired. They gave her something like an epidural to numb all the pains and let her sleep for about an hour. When that didn't help much, they called in another doctor who had small hands, thinking the baby was facing the wrong direction now, but that didn't help. Their next and last choice was to try pulling. That sounds terrible, and I was really getting worried. The things I'd heard about pulling were just plain scary. The modern version was this small suction cup they stick to the head; it allows them a small amount of control from the outside. Still no luck.

I became truly frightened when they said C-section. This was way out of my experience. I've never known anyone who had one. I so wanted to watch over my girl, but I wasn't allowed. Only daddy could go with her. In one way, I was glad something could happen now, and that experienced doctors could handle the situation. I wasn't really afraid for her safety, but this is surgery, and God forbid, things could still go wrong, but after 12 hours of hard labor, it was good to have an end in sight.

Waiting in the room really sucks. I wished I could watch, even through the window in a door or something, just to keep an eye out, you know, but I had to wait, and I had to wait without really knowing how long I would have to wait. Yeah, they told me about it would be less than a half an hour, but I couldn't see it. So like twenty minutes later, my son comes for me and we go meet his brand new son.

The surgery went well, Baby was really stuck due to all the work they tried to get him born natural, but they got him unstuck and out safely. Momma was still getting all put back together, but she was doing just fine.

In the nursery, Baby got weighed and measured and tagged and labeled, and then, because he was pretty gooey, he got his first bath too. Then he was put in his first diaper and wrapped up like a baby burrito and handed over to Daddy. Then it was back to the room for us to wait for Momma.

He was such a bright baby, looking around at all the brightness and colors. And then he sneezed and scared himself. He might have had a bit of a headache too, but he just looked so surprised at his little explosion, and then he started to cry.

Momma told me once she was hoping for blue eyes and blond hair like Daddy, but we both told her there was like 0% chance of that. So, he is the first dark haired, dark eyed baby in my family. I have a brother with dark hair and eyes, and I have a sister with not so dark hair and eyes, but  their dark is an Irish dark. Momma is from the Philippines, so it's a different kind of dark. Most of my family is average for the Midwest - some shade of light colored hair and light eyes.

Since then, I have been totally enjoying watching him learn. He just turned a month old and already Momma and Daddy are totally wrapped around his finger. Momma does all the good things like nice warm titty and nice soft pillow and warm. Daddy gets the other end and deals out a cold wet wipe and a dry diaper, but he's got a nice warm chest to sleep on once in a while. I think Baby likes to listen to their hearts.

Already, I can tell he's getting stronger as he kicks and wiggles and squirms. He's also starting to do more than just holler for food and then sleep. He's starting to look around and play a little. Today, while laying on the floor (something I suggested), he almost rolled up onto his side. Couldn't quite stick it though.

I've proven useful a time or two with a willing lap and a rocking chair. Baby eats like he's got a hollow leg, so he gets a bottle or two of formula every day too, and sometimes I get the pleasure. Unless I'm actually babysitting, I'll let Daddy do the diapers though, Mmuahaha. I am having such a great time.

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