Welcome, Eliza Marie!

She's here! Our little Eliza Marie made it safe and healthy into this world on October 8th at 12:50 pm.


What an amazing little girl!  She is so healthy and calm.  At birth, she weighed 9 lbs 1 oz and was 21.5 inches long, with an Apgar score of 9 and 10. I'm still in awe of her size and so grateful for her health.  Since birth, she has been quite content doing the baby thing of eating, sleeping, and filling diapers.  She protests loudly during diaper changes, but otherwise is just so calm.  She is starting to open her eyes more now, and she loves quietly studying faces and frequently displays coincidental(?) smiles.

Here's the quick birth story:

Her due date was originally estimated to be October 8th.  At her 19 week old ultrasound, the tech and OB remarked that all of her measurements indicated an October 1st due date.  John was a week early, so I emotionally set the due date as October 1st.  Then early labor contractions started 5 weeks early, and panic quickly gave way to excitement about meeting our little girl!  Pregnancy is less novel the second time around and we know just how much we adore John, so we have been so eager for the outcome!  I evaluated each day under the lens of "pros and cons of having a baby today," setting my heart on the pros but evaluating the cons as a reason why I should be grateful for such a productive day before the baby comes.  Weeks went by, October 1st came and went, and all of a sudden my mom's window of availability to help and an upcoming conference for Matt became a reality I needed to confront.  My appointment last Friday, October 5, was disheartening and rushed, and I went forward with the scheduling of an induction.  My heart goes out to all women on this emotional roller-coaster of expectation.

And then little miss showed up as punctual and thoughtful as ever, right on her due date!  All of the previous emotions seem excessive now, but they were very real in the moment.  My mom completed her two weeks of helping my sister-in-law with her newborn and helping with many things at home, then hopped on the train to New Haven to fit in almost two full weeks here.

That night, contractions started again, and this time, they didn't stop!  They were rather infrequent, ranging from 4-12 minutes apart for several hours, so it was hard to know when to go to the hospital.  Matt came home from a brief appearance at his new medicine rotation and we headed out.  I called the OB to say I was going to the hospital, and a receptionist and a Dr. I haven't met insisted I come in for a check first.  I switched to a closer office with a Dr. I know and went in for long enough for him to tell me I was a SIX and I should go immediately.  (Note to future self: Judge contractions by intensity, less so on frequency. And trust your instincts!)


The hospital team was wonderful, working quickly and calmly, got me a delightful epidural and then checked me: Ten and ready to push!  Thirty-five minutes later, our amazing, huge, and healthy little girl was laid on top of me.

I held her for the first hour of her life before they laid her still right next to me for a bath. I was able to just absorb that rush of overwhelming gratitude, being entrusted with this incredible little person.  I studied each delicate facial feature and just cried.  I can barely express how grateful I am to have her, my little girl, and for our health and safety.

Matt was around for the first three days; we got so lucky.  Without formal paternity leave, he was excused from work Monday, then Tuesday he had previously been excused for an OMS accreditation that ended up only requiring him for 2 hours, then Wednesday he went to morning rounds and was excused after 2.5 hours, just in time to join us on our trip home!  I admire and am so proud of Matt in each of his many roles, but my heart melts at a whole new level when I catch him just staring at our little girl, softly stroking her cheek.  When I see his groggy, sleep-pillow-haired self jump up to help me or assist with a middle-of-the-night diaper change.  When I see him plug in so intently with John to reassure him of our love for him.  He is such a calming presence for me and I love him more than ever.

John is doing well adjusting to our expanded family!  He still runs his own little cookie-oriented world, enjoying attention from all the adults.  Occasionally he checks in with Eliza, to give her a kiss on the head, smile at her, or imitate her baby sounds.  He is more sensitive than usual when things don't go his way, but so far, so good.

I am SO grateful for my mom's help!  She is covering all food, cleaning, and laundry demands, in addition to 95% of John-tending and holding Eliza when possible.  I can't imagine these two weeks without her!  It is especially moving to reflect on my relationship with her as I hold my own little girl in my arms.  Amazing.

So much to be grateful for! You are so very loved, my Eliza Marie.