These things seem to happen on Fridays. So perhaps we should have ignored the false labors on Monday and Wednesday but at the time, the contractions Michele was feeling earlier this week were pretty convincing. Particularly because Michele was running about a week late of her initial due date of June 17th. But the false labors Michele felt earlier in the week faded every time she laid down for a nap.
Friday I went to work like usual and Michele and Lachlan attended a friend's birthday party that morning. Michele's contractions began again at the birthday party and continued on through the afternoon despite the nap attempts. I tried to be nonchalant at work as Michele gave me updates on the phone throughout the afternoon but it is hard to design concrete forms when you have a baby on the way even if you have experienced a couple of false alarms. By 4pm, Michele contractions jumped from 15 minutes apart to 6 minutes apart and I had my friend, Colin drive me the 2 miles up and over Capitol Hill to our house. Stella came by the house to watch Lachlan and we were off to Overlake Hospital in Bellevue within minutes of me arriving home. Michele and I were both a little anxious about the drive to Bellevue during rush hour but despite it being a beautiful Friday afternoon the floating bridges over Lake Washington were clear. We arrived at the hospital in less time that it took for me to drive from work to home. I didn't even speed...that much.
When the nurse checked Michele at the hospital, she was measuring at 5 centimeters and well into active labor. She labored for another two hours when she hit the wall at 8 centimeters and called in the epidural. The anesthesiologist was in another operation and Michele fought through another hour of the labor before getting some relief. Shortly after the epidural kicked in the doctor discovered the baby was positioned poorly with the face up. Michele spent the next hour doing labor pilates to get the baby to role into the correct position which he finally did around 10:3opm. About that time the doctor broke Michele's water and discovered meconium in the fluid which is a sign of distress in the baby. So the emergency medical team piled into the room and awaited the delievery. The baby came out after about four pushes with the cord wrapped around the neck. The doctor clipped the cord and our baby boy let out his first wails at 11:38pm on Friday night.
Compared with Lachlan's birth, this labor seemed at the moment to be relatively benign but looking back the good Lord guided us through some real hazards. All that being said the baby and Michele are doing great.
Yesterday we spent the day enjoying visitors and introducing Lachlan to his new baby brother. Lachlan was immediately anamored with his little brother showered him with kisses and a wayward finger in the eye. Like a good big brother he's a little protective. When the nurses took the baby for some routine tests Lachlan immediately protested, "MY baby brudder!"
You might be able to tell from this little story that Michele and I had a little trouble naming this guy. Like Lachlan it's taken us a full day of negotiations, nail chewing, and u-turns to brand the little man. Last night we slept on it and we are ready to introduce.
Silas Harold Johnson
Born on June 26th at 11:38 pm8lbs 4 oz, 20.5 inches long
Silas is New Testment figure in the Bible and a faithul friend of Saint Paul. It means "of the forest" which goes well with his brother who's "from the fjords". Silas' middle namesake is his great grandfather Harold Johnson.
So far he is a real sweetheart. He nurses like a wolverine and only seems to cry when he isn't eating which is rare.
Big stretch, "I need a hammock"
I already love my Momma!
Nap time is all the time
"Nice farmer's tan, Dad"
Lachlan likes being a "big brudder"
Silas with Grandpa and Grandma J
Awkward family photo
