Day 2!

Well, everyone who reads this already has all of the happy news. Piper was born at 7:41AM on April 3. Baby and mom are both doing very well. Krissi's C section went well. It was weird and a little tough to see her all done up on the operating room table, but I got to be in there, and even see a little bit of the action, and soon enough the doctor was wrestling a baby out of her. She's 8 pounds even, and 20 1/4 inches long. Like most newborn babies, she's pretty much interested in sleeping and eating. I'm very pleased that we seem to be doing great on the breastfeeding angle. She's doing a great job of latching on, and drinking. She's a pro at pooping, and we've had at least 4 muconium filled diapers. Disgusting, but fairly easy to clean up, and no smell. The day passed somewhat in a blur for me, and for Krissi as well. We had a large part of the afternoon to ourselves, and then family and friends all showed up in the early evening and so we got to show her off and make introductions and so forth. All of our friends and family, both local and far away, are amazing folks. Its funny to watch people with the baby, my brother James seems completely moonstruck, and our friend Beth seems to have baby powder all over her (that's code for Seems completely taken, and just about ready for [another] one of her own). It was great to visit with everyone. Around 8 or 9 everyone cleared out, and we got to try to get some rest. Piper, who had pretty much slept ALL DAY, was a little more active in the evening, so we did a lot of changing sleeping positions and so forth. We fed fairly regularly, every two hours. Krissi and I were both pretty exhausted. I can't imagine how Maddie and John did it with two. We slept off and on until early morning, when we all got two good solid naps in between 4am and 8am. It was good, deep sleep, and felt really refreshing.

So things are going really well. Krissi has some pain associated with her c-section, but nothing out of the ordinary. Getting to the bathroom and such is an ordeal though. But each day she will get better, and the pain will decrease.

Our one matter for minor concern is that the baby has a bit of a heart murmer, which is apparently not abnormal for a newborn. The pediatric cardiologist had a look at her, and said that she's got a tiny hole in her heart, which again is not especially unusual. He said it usually closes in the first month or two as the heart develops, but we'll be taking her in after a few weeks for him to have another look. Crossed fingers.

So I could probably go on and on, but I'll try to wrapup. A few random thoughts and then I'm done.

We brought the laptop with us, and the hospital has free wireless access, which is GREAT. We've used it to stream classical music, and it has helped to relax us and make the hospital room slightly less hospitaly room-y. Also, I've been able to upload photos (---> here <---), and keep in touch with far away friends. I also am inclined to mention the convenience of twitter and facebook on my blackberry. I was able to keep our far away friends up to date on what was going on by sending out twitter updates. In brief, I was very pleased with being able to do that. It makes me feel connected to my people.

Blood and guts are scary. While in the OR, I was put in a chair by Krissi's head, with a large surgical sheet up in a partition, separating her head and shoulders from her lower body and all of the action. Maddie was in there with us as well, and urged me to stand up and look over the sheet. I told her no at first. I've seen blood and gore before, and felt that sudden weak-kneed light headedness, and did not really want to pass out in the OR, but I stood and looked, and got to see the whrilwind of activity, as our doctor tugged the bottom half of the baby out of Krissi (and the gush of bright red fluids, mostly amneotic and waters, but still scary looking), and then wrestled with the upper half of the baby, having to do some wiggling and tugging to get her out. I remember thinking about how sore Krissi would surely be, despite the cut. Quickly, the baby was out and handed over to the folks who cleaned her up in another whirlwind of medical efficiency. I recorded a few short video clips, and Maddie took bunches of photos. It was totally weird, standing there, looking at this little screaming baby on the heater, working through the flood of emotions, both heartbreaking love, but also "Who's baby is on the heater? I don't know this kid..". Then I'm picking her up and showing her to Krissi, and holding this little tiny baby. Its just really really surreal. And then, the baby and I are whisked out of the OR to drop the baby off at the nursery, and them I'm back in the hallway in Labor & Delivery. It really really felt like standing outside the exit of a bizaar and surreal amusement park roller coaster: RUSH RUSH WOW ADRENALINE HOLY CRAP WOW WOW Please watch your step as you exit the ride. Heh. Krissi was off to recovery, and after finding my people, we hung out for a few minutes. Family was hanging out the waiting room and got to see her through the nursery windows. After a short bit, I got to sneak back to recovery to visit Krissi, as she lay there, tired and spent on the table. She was all stitched up and fixed up and covered up, and again it was kinda surreal. All of the 10 months, the time, the energy, the twisting and thrilling emotional roller coaster, and then there we are hanging out in Recovery, no more pregnant belly. Soon, she was out of recovery, and fairly soon after that, they brought our little baby out to us. We had a moment early on in the afternoon where it was just the three of us in the room, Piper in the basinet, Krissi and I chilling out, when Piper made a noise, and we both started, having momentarily forgotten that there was a baby in the room with us. I'll say it again. Its surreal.

The hospital staff has been largely excellent, and even though they'll never read this, I am very grateful to Dr. Whaley, and the excellent L&D staff, Penny, Lori P., Shaune, Adrienne, and then the post-partum staff and nursery staff, Sam, Cheryl, Irene, and even our nurse trainee, Meredith. Even the housekeeping staff and food services staff have been friendly and downright awesome. And even though I already mentioned it, BIG BIG BIG thanks again to our local friends and family who came to see us, and to our long distance friends who texted and tweeted and facebook'd and so forth, sending us well wishes and totally making me feel warm and fuzzy and loved.

So, now this has gotten all crazy long winded, and I could probably keep going, but I suppose I need to leave something for tomorrow.

Hope you all like baby pictures, cause I'll sure be taking them and posting them.