Announcing Vivian Joy! This little bundle joined our family on Friday, December 19 at 3:35pm. Five days late, and after a few "false alarms," my water broke at around 7:50 on Friday morning. After about 4 hours of some barely noticeable but somewhat regular contractions, we decided that we had better go to the hospital just to be on the safe side. I spent about 2 hours in the maternity triage, where I had about 2 more hours of these mild contractions. The monitor showed them coming quite close together, actually, but I was barely feeling most of them, many not at all. Because my labors with both Cameron and Gordon had progressed so quickly, I was a bit perplexed by this seemingly sluggish progress. Well, at around 2:30 the contractions began to get much more uncomfortable, and I sent Cody to grab the midwife on duty to let her know. By the time she came to move me to the delivery room, it was obvious that this had changed from "phantom" labor to the real thing. I was at 7 cm and going fast. Vivian arrived less than an hour later. I had planned on a "natural" childbirth this time, given my fast deliveries with the boys and a bad epidural experience with Gordon, but I'll admit that as Vivian's debut grew closer, I was asking if there was time for something to take the edge off. Nope, no time. So, I pushed this little one out the old-fashioned way. It was intense, but my recovery has been very easy and swift and I am feeling great. We brought Vivian home the next evening.
The biggest surprise was Vivian's size - a whopping 8 lbs, 1 oz. and 21". Cameron and Gordon were 7 lbs, 3 oz. and 19" and 6 lbs. 13 oz. and 19.5", respectively, and I was at the exact same weight as with both boys, so the fact that she was so much bigger was totally unexpected. Even the doctors and midwives were estimating that she'd be a 6.5 to 7 lb. baby. Perhaps this extra weight is all due to her fingers and toes, which are the longest I've ever seen on a baby. They look just like mine!
Cameron and Gordon are very excited about Vivian's arrival. Cameron is particularly attentive to and enthralled by her, and wants to hold her as much as possible. Today he told me that she looked bored, and went to get some music to play for her.
At just three days old, I know that this may change, but so far Vivian is just as sweet and good-natured as can be. We are very excited that she's here!
And a final note on her name, Vivian means "Full of Life." Her middle name, Joy, is my mom's middle name. So, her name means "Full of Life and Joy", and it's particularly fitting as we approach Christmas to say that our hope and prayer for this little one is that her heart and life will always be attuned to the One who came that we "may have life and have it to the full" and that her "joy may be complete" in Him.
Here's a link to several photos from Vivian's first three days.
