Thursday, November 24, 2011

Baby Name plus Obligatory Cutesy Photos

Despite Odin making a last minute vote change from Jango Fett to 'Pickle', we've decided to name the baby Ares Fischer.  Ares in keeping with our theme (and pronounced the same as the astrological sign) , Fischer because apparently all our kids have middle names ending in "er".



Biggest of our babies
Get used to the noise, boys!
Ares with cousin Jade
Mum with 2 littlest boys
Ares' disdainful opinion of his first little outfit.

Four boys.  The toilet seat will never be down again.
The future Doctor Octopus



Hiding in Hospital cupboards with cousin Jovin

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Baby Jango Fett

Procrastination turns out to be genetic. When I said a week to 10 days (almost 3 weeks ago) I actually thought I might be overestimating. Both Mars and Odin were three days early.

At the regular appointment on November 4th (the due date from the first ultrasound), our doctor said the baby would probably come within 24 hours, so I booted down from home. Nothing. I hung around until the 7th (the due date we had been working with, also my mum's birthday), but still no action.  (Local hospital doesn't do births, so we stay at Leaf's parents, 25 minutes from delivery hospital/delivery Dr's office).

I headed back home to catch up on some outside stuff I had been procrastinating on that needed to be done before cold weather/snow.  30 seconds after I finished the three hour drive, I got the phone call. Leaf thought it was time, but, based on previous experience didn't think the action would be for another 8 or 10 hours in the middle of the night. She would call back.

No 3am call this time, but next morning I headed back down. Contractions 10 minutes apart, so I booted it. The emergency cell phone had died so I went directly to the hospital, where they said "Leaf who?"... False alarm.  This little guy was not interested in coming out.  Tomorrow?  The day after?  11/11/11 would be a super cool date.  I stuck around.  A long, long week with multiple appointments and ultrasounds and another non-stress test (baby has had an irregular heartbeat issue) and we had an appointment to discuss inducement (and Leaf's fourth sweep).


Not something either of us wanted, but made an appointment to come in at 8:30 am and have a stress test, do another check/sweep, with the option of going with inducement or waiting.  First contraction was 7:07 am, so I guess baby didn't want to be induced either.  Less than 10 minutes apart on the trip to the hospital.  Contractions were less than 5 minutes apart by the time our Dr arrived for the scheduled inducement decision.  Called the fam to come a little after 9:30, called and said hurry up a little after 10:00, baby arrived at 10:40.

I think the fastest birth yet.  84 minutes active labour, less than 1 minute 2nd stage - the pushing part.  Odin was 2 hours then push push pop, this one was a mere push and a quarter.  The quarter push was only because our doctor said stop and had to clear the cord from around baby's neck.  Leaf - the amazing baby machine. 

First meeting of new baby brother
Beautiful blue-eyed baby boy with red hair, only ten days late.  9 lbs, 2oz, 21.5 inches.  All is good, an early ECG (again because of the heart irregularities) was sent to cardiologist, but no news is good news there.

And not really named Jango Fett.  That was Odin's choice for the short list.  Mars wants Ivanhoe.  Not from the book but from the southeastern Ontario cheese company.  For now he is Baby A13864.  Suggestions on a baby name in keeping with our current theme?