Hi there! It is so nice to meet you! After living in my belly for 36 weeks and 5 days, you decided to make your entrance into this world on June 1 at 10:44pm. You were three weeks ahead of schedule but are perfectly healthy and--at 7 pounds, 11.6 ounces and 20 inches long--as big as some full-term babies!
So my pregnancy with you was not the easiest. Around 26 weeks, I started having occasional contractions and had to go on modified bed rest, which meant that I couldn't take walks, do any heavy lifting or even stand on my feet for too long, which was hard to do since I had to take care of your older brother and sister. At 34 weeks, I was already dilated 6cm and had to be hospitalized for 11 days (more on that in a later post). The doctors and nurses thought you were going to be born at 34 weeks but thankfully, you waited a few more weeks until you were bigger and stronger. And when you finally were born, it happened fast! On Monday around 8:30pm, I suddenly started having painful contractions several minutes apart. I called Daddy at work and told him to come home right away to take me to the hospital while PoiPoi stayed home with GuhGaw and JieJie.
Since I'd already been 6cm dilated for weeks, there was a chance that if my water broke, you'd be born immediately. Luckily, my water didn't break en route to the hospital and I didn't have to have you on my kitchen floor or inside the Midtown Tunnel! There wasn't much traffic on the highway and Daddy and I arrived at the hospital around 10pm. I was immediately wheeled up to Labor & Delivery and when my doctor examined me, I was already fully dilated. There wasn't any time for me to get any drugs, so for the second time in my life, I went through the excruciating physical anguish that is childbirth sans any painkillers (I didn't have time to get any drugs when your sister was born, either). Yep, your mom is hard. CORE!
Since you were on the big side, I had to push a lot harder than I did with your siblings and for what felt like a longer period of time (though in reality, it was only maybe half an hour). But finally, you crowned and I could see the top of your head--which was covered with lots of black hair--in the mirror the nurse had placed near the foot of the bed. Daddy, as he had done with GuhGaw and JieJie, had consciously avoided looking "down there" and was therefore completely surprised when you came out and my doctor suddenly plopped you on top of my chest! (Disconcerting side note: The umbilical cord was wrapped around your neck when you came out but not tightly, so you were okay.) You were so warm and sticky and tiny and beautiful and I immediately fell in love with you as soon as I held you in my arms!
The nurse cleaned you up and when she handed you back to me, your right eye was already open and looking directly at me! We were eventually moved to a room in the maternity ward and even though I think it was around 2am by then, I didn't sleep--you may be my third baby but I marveled at you as if you were my first. Your cute button nose, your itty, bitty fingers, the adorable gurgly baby noises you made, the way you kept moving your mouth as if you were chewing gum, the fact that you'd opened both eyes for the first time on Tuesday morning and looked at me--I couldn't get enough!
I am so happy you are finally here and look forward to a lifetime of being your mama.
Love,
Mom
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