Jack Root arrived at 2:44am on Thursday May 23rd, 2008. 7 lbs 7 oz and 19.5 inches long. Dark hair and steelblue/grey/browish eyes (in other words, hard to tell).

After the first checkup yesterday, we headed back to my grandma’s house and spent the afternoon trying to work Stacey through hours of contractions 4-6 minutes apart. Family and friends stopped by and the day moved along. We went back to the hospital around dinnertime and heard the rather depressing news that she had only dilated another half a cm. So the decision was made to break her water and speed things along. During that process, it turned out that her cervix might have been being hindered by a little skin grown together. Because when our doctor went to break the water, Stacey’s cervix popped open to 5cm and the water broke with little help.

After that, things move along pretty quickly. The contractions got a lot more powerful and Stacey worked very hard to breath through them and prepare her body for the birth. Jack was about 90 degrees posterior, so Stacey had to modify her position on the bed to encourage him to turn a little. Which he did just fine.

The final hours went quickly. Once Stacey got to the pushing stage, she could see the end in site and put everything she had into it. With Clarity holding one leg and me holding the other while she pushed, Stacey worked Jack’s head out. At this point I got to do something that I never anticipated getting to do. I was suited up in a gown and gloves, and just after Jack’s head was out the doctor had me hold and “catch” him as Stacey pushed him out the rest of the way. I then placed our newborn son his mother’s chest. I still can’t really explain how amazing it was to be part of that process. It was one of the most magical and powerful things I imagine that I will get to do in my life. Within minutes, Jack was cleaned off, bundled up against Stacey’s skin and and working at figuring out breast feeding.

Dr. Garde and the maternity staff at Island Hospital were great through the whole process. They respected our wishes and birth plan, encouraged us when things were tough, and were just absolutely wonderful overall. Our family and friends helped above and beyond what we could have expected. Extra thanks to Chad and Beth for dog-sitting Griffen and to our family for sticking it out all the way to 3am at the hospital (though my mom at least got to run back home, David, Cheryl, Vera & Alicia dozed in the waiting room). But the most special thanks must go to Clarity for being there to support and encourage us through the birth. There is nobody else who could have done it better and we are thrilled to have shared such an important moment with such a special friend.

Thank you Clarity. You are amazing.