Hi son! Life has been crazy busy since you’ve arrived but I would like to take some time to finish writing my letter to you that I started the day you were born. I last left off with Mommy and I going to sleep to take a quick nap before Mommy started her pushing. Reading back Part One I can tell I was pretty sleepy. So shortly after I posted, I fell asleep. We slept for about an hour. I was awakened by a busy birthing suite full of people ready to help you arrive. Your grandmas and grandpas helped wake me up in time to help Mommy. I was so excited that I did not allow myself to really wake up, so I was still sorta asleep when I put my contacts in so that I could see you the best I could when you arrived.
Apparently I was causing a short delay as everyone was waiting on me to get ready, to get into position to help Mommy. My role was to hold one of Mommy’s legs up since she couldn’t feel them from the epidural medicine (it makes Mommy numb from her tummy down so she doesn’t feel any pain). I was also going to be there to comfort her, time her pushes by counting to ten, feed her ice chips, and tell her how much I love her and how great she was doing.
With everyone ready to go, it was time for Mommy to push. The midwife and nurse would tell Mommy when she was having a contraction and she would begin pushing through the contraction. While Mommy pushed, Auntie Kali and I would help Mommy with her breathing, holding her legs, timing her pushes, and encouragement. Everyone once in awhile Mommy would like at me like a little baby bird with her mouth slightly open; this meant she wanted an ice chip. Mommy couldn’t eat or drink because of the epidural so all she could have was ice chips. So I would give her some ice chips whenever she asked.
After an hour of pushing, we could see your head, your head full of hair! A little time later, Mommy gave birth to you, Ethan Alistair Rossman! You were born at 8:44am and weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and were 20 inches long! I got to cut the umbilical cord after you were born too!
Unfortunately, there was a concerning issue with your birth. You had pooped inside the womb and ingested it into your lungs. This poop is called meconium and of course, this stuff is not supposed to be in your lungs. You were having trouble breathing. So a special doctor and nurse from NICU (newborn intensive care unit) came to our suite to take care of you. They determined that you needed to be taken to the NICU to be cared for, cleaned up, and monitored. Before you left, Mommy got to hold you for a quick minute. Then Daddy left with you to go to NICU, so I could be by your side. We were there for a couple hours while the doctor and nurses took care of you and determined you were okay to leave NICU and go back to our room and be with Mommy and the rest of the family!
When we got you back to the room, everyone was so happy to get to really meet you, admire you, talk to you, and love you. First up was Mommy because boy, you were HUNGRY! You made that known while you were in the NICU. So Mommy began feeding you and you two got to bond, skin-to-skin. Once you and Mommy figured out how to feed, you got a full belly - and became sleepy. So we wrapped you up (Daddy makes a great baby burrito swaddle) and let you sleep after such an amazing adventure.
This was the beginning of the new chapter in our lives, the rest of our lives. We are so happy to have you join our family. You are a very handsome young man and we look forward to watching you grow. We love you Ethan!
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