Welcoming Peter

Peter Christopher Silva was born January 14, 2014.  
Here's how he got here...

On Monday January 13th, Chris and I sat in our living room winding down for the evening.  We had just returned from a potluck FHE with some other families in the MBA program.  Jane was in bed.
Chris looked over at me sitting on the couch holding my big belly with a pained look on my face.  "Are we going to have a baby tonight?" he asked.  I laughed.  I was exactly two weeks to my due date.  "I'm just wondering if I'm feeling a contraction or if I just need to go to the bathroom," I said.  In the end I decided it was gastrointestinal and dismissed it.  A little later around 10pm, I stood up and felt a tiny gush of water.  When my water broke with Jane, it was a big gush of water, so I wasn't certain that this was the real thing.  We spent a little time investigating on the internet, but when it started happening more frequently, it became apparent that this baby really was coming tonight.  We showered and ate, packed bags and made arrangements for Jane.  By the time we dropped her off with our dear friends, the Paxsons, it was midnight.  We checked into the hospital around 12:30 and confirmed that my water had broken.  They started me on Pitocin to get my contractions more regular, I was feeling a little discomfort on the way to the hospital, but I honestly wasn't even sure they were contractions.  Around 3AM, I started to get really tired and asked for my epidural so I could just go to sleep.  With big, heavy, numb legs, I fell into a not terribly restful sleep.  When I woke up around 6 am, I felt some intense downward pressure with each contraction.  I notified the nurse and she checked me.  Within minutes the room was buzzing with nurses and the doctor setting up equipment and getting in position.  After three quick pushes, Peter slid out at 6:51AM and they laid him on my tummy while they cleaned him up a little.  He was perfect and nearly as calm as Jane was.   He weighed in at 7 lbs 2 oz, was 19" long, and sported a pretty good head of hair.  I can't believe how smoothly it all went.  We feel incredible blessed to have him come healthy, happy, and two weeks early.  Chris even had a six day MBA break starting the day after he arrived.  It couldn't have been more perfect.

Peter's first bath.

A not so flattering picture of me post-delivery.

 

 

Chris picked up Jane later that morning and brought her by to meet Peter.  She touched him very gently and waved her hand and said "hi".   She's been mostly very gentle and sweet with him ever since.

 

 

 Grumpy face.