Introducing Elliot Michael

Our newest member has arrived!  Elliot "Eli" Michael Six was born August 3 at 5:09 a.m.  He weighed 8 lbs 6 oz and was 20.5 in long. 

Here he is just minutes after birth.  We had an amazing birth at Methodist.  I had an appointment with my midwife the morning of August 2nd.  My blood pressure had been up, so she was checking it every 4 days.  I had spent the previous week doing my best to lie down for an hour a couple of times a day.  That morning I went in and my blood pressure was back to normal.  Feeling pretty perky, Elena and I set off to Wild Oats to do some grocery shopping.  As we were headed to check out, Elena decided she had to go potty.  While we’re in the bathroom, my water breaks!  Funny, I think my last words to the midwife were, "I really hope I get to experience what it’s like to go into labor on my own."  I managed to make it out of the store (with my groceries!) and home.

Mike, Elena and I spent the rest of the afternoon at home together.  My contractions were pretty irregular and very manageable.  My mom came in the late afternoon to rescue Elena from pure boredome and took her to the pool.  I got a little misty seeing her go, knowing the next time I saw her she would be a big sister.  By 9 p.m. things still weren’t really progressing, so we called Betsy (our midwife) to see what we could do.  She gave us a few ideas (I’ll spare the details), and by 10:30 my contractions were about 5 minutes apart and much stronger.  We headed to Methodist and checked in just before midnight.  I was already 5 cm when we got there. 

After getting to our room and settling in, I was able to get in the birthing tub.  Pure heaven!  I don’t think it made the contractions themselves any less painful, but it was easier to relax through them, and when they were done I was immediately able to relax myself completely and rest in between them.  I spent most of the time in the tub, getting out for awhile to use the birthing ball.  The tub felt immensely better, though.  Around 3:30 I headed into transition.  Mike called my mom and my friend Julie in hopes that they would make it in time for the birth.  I started pushing around 4:15 and they got there shortly after.  Julie took some amazing photos for us of the birth and the joyful moments after.  Eli was born in the water at 5:09 a.m. 

So now we’ve had a couple of weeks at home and we’re slowly settling into some semblance of a routine.  Elena has been a wonderful big sister – very patient, loving and helpful.   She loves to hold Eli and she tries her best to comfort him with songs when he’s upset.  Here they are just a few days after he was born.

He’s been a real trooper, too.  I don’t think I left the house with Elena until she was a few weeks old, and even then it was a major production.  So far he’s been to the dr. twice, to the midwife’s office, to drop Elena off at camp, out to eat, out for coffee . . . you get the idea.  He’s even survived an evil stomach bug that Elena came down with last weekend unscathed.  Despite the name and the fact that he’ll probably be more partial to the NY Giants than our beloved Colts, we managed to begin the brainwashing right away.  Here’s Eli and Elena the day of the Colts first preseason game:

And starting today we have a kindergartner in the house!  Today was Elena’s first day of kindergarten.  She’s spending her kindergarten year back at the Montessori School of Westfield.  She was so excited this morning to see her old friends and teachers.  As much as she’s enjoyed this summer and these last couple of weeks with Eli, I can tell she’s ready to do her own thing again.  I can’t wait to pick her up this afternoon and hear all about her day.

As hectic as life is these days, I’ll do my best to keep the blog updated with stories and pictures.  I’m doing my best to perfect the "nursing-while-typing" hold (the only one they don’t show you  in the La Leche League book). 

Angie