A review of Lydia's birth day

It all started with the itching. Or maybe the diabetes, depending on who you ask. However, in the end it came down to a liver function test. Once the results came back, the doctor sent Mom to go get induced to make sure that Lydia got born before any further in utero trouble could arise.

So, Mom informed Grandmother, tried to inform Dad, and then went to ask her neighbor friend for a ride to the hospital. Mom got to the hospital around 7 p.m., which was also about when she got there for Lydia's next older sibling. Once in her hospital room, Mom had more repeats from the previous sibling as the induction got underway.

And then things got a little different: Lydia didn't show up as quickly as her next older sibling. It wasn't so bad, though; Mom had plenty of time to watch the movie she'd brought along. Also, after a series of progressively less effective epidurals, Mom was pleasantly surprised that the epidural this time around was nearly as powerful as the very first one (which was for Lydia's sister's birth). Dad did get Mom's message, and so he was there in plenty of time for Lydia's arrival at 8:31 a.m.

And now, the part everyone really wants to see: pictures. Here is Lydia's very first picture. She was all coated in vernix when she was born; they'd wiped most of it off before Dad got the camera out, but that's what the whitish-stuff is on her.



Here she is a minute or two later, all 6 lbs 11 oz and 20 in of her, looking around at this strange, new world.


A better look at Lydia's face:


And finally, Lydia a few hours later all nice and clean and sleeping peacefully:

As is usual for babies in our family, Lydia spent most of her first 24 hrs sleeping. Mom thoroughly enjoyed being a patient, as usual, even more so this time around because she suddenly got to eat all the carbs she wanted after weeks of carefully counting and rationing them. But, all good things must come to an end, and so, reluctantly, Mom and Lydia left their cool and comfy suite at the hospital the next afternoon. Big sister Amanda got to visit Lydia at the hospital, but her big brothers and Grandmother were anxious to see her, too.