Stories and Quandaries

Ezra James Nibbelink
Born: 4/16/2015
Weight: 7 lbs 10 oz
Length: 20.5"
APGAR: 9/9
Scream Volume at Birth: 7/10
Cuteness Level: 10/10

We met our son for the first time this past Thursday. Our hearts have never been so big and our lives will never be the same.

At 3:15 in the morning Christine broke open our bedroom door and with the light flooding in behind her announced to her dazed husband "my water broke"! I sleepily packed a few things and we jumped in the jeep as the contractions picked up. They were already 2 1/2 minutes apart on the drive. A stop light turned yellow and I gently slowed down to provide a soothing car ride for my wife. I failed to remember she was my Laboring wife and was immediately scolded for my poor decision making skills. I leaded my foot and sped to the labor and delivery Entrance to Sky Ridge. We were triaged and sent to one of the massive labor and deliver rooms where we were tasked with choosing epidural, or no epidural. Our OB helped us make the decision by saying "you don't become a hero by waiting until you are 7cm dilated", and an epidural was given.

12 hours of labor, with 3 hours pushing, and our baby was sunny side up and needed to be born via c-section. We had a few minutes to cry before the surgery but with in an hour we had ourselves a healthy baby boy, Ezra James. We didn't find out if he was a boy or girl, so I got to see him take his first breathes, hear his first screams and tell Christine "Ïts a Boy! His name is Ezra James!". Seeing my son for the first time was truly the most amazing moment of my life. It happened so quick, but it seemed like time slowed down. In that short time I remember being overwhelmingly surprised to find out that it was a boy and equally amazed at how much he looked like Christine. Even now I get excited/emotional/proud thinking about it.

I followed Ezra to the weigh station and took a picture of him with my phone to show to Christine. When I brought her the picture, I brushed her hair and whispered "we have a son" and we both cried tears of pure joy.

After Ezra was weighed and measured I got to bring him to Christine and bask in our first moments as a family. They has some skin to skin time and then I went with Ezra to get his first shots while Christine's surgery concluded.

I got to hold Ezra for a long time while we waited for Christine in post OP. When she finally came out she got to spend some quality time with her baby boy before we went to our room.

The next few hours can almost be summed up by one word: Awe. Christine and Ezra were very close the entire time and I ran around getting things for them both. We held him in our arms, learned how to swaddle him, and through all the nurse and doctor visits, couldn't take our eyes off of him. We looked at our future and soaked in the wonder of creating a little person. He was beautifully and wonderfully made!

We have a great community of friends and family who stopped by the hospital to meet Ezra on his birthday. Kalen and Amber and Luke and Kelsie both came to visit that evening. It was great to show him off and to share his birth story with our friends. Also, it was fun because their little kiddos are definitely going to be friends with Ezra.

Ezra did not sleep much the first night, which wouldn't have been so bad except that Christine was very weak/sore/exhausted/drugged/etc and could not really lift him. Thus, we got to spend a family night awake together. This was a foreshadowing of the next three nights, but at the time our excitement to be with Ezra transcended our tiredness and it was almost fun in a way.

Friday was much more relaxing. We ordered room service for both of us in the morning and Christine was able to stay in bed with Ezra for a large part of the day. Bri came to visit in the morning, Jason came in the late afternoon, and Kate came in the evening. The Shaler's also came in the evening and Jay and Andy met their cousin for the first time. They also brought Pizza Ranch pizza and monster cookies!

Late Friday night Christine's parents met their first grandchild! They arrived late and stayed til 12:30am Denver time, which was 1:30am Wisconsin time. Christine and I enjoyed watching them hold Ezra and love on him for the first time of many.

Saturday in the hospital was a whirlwind. Ezra had test after test, followed circumcision, followed by pictures, a few minutes of watching the Chelsea game here, getting the car seat checked there. It was busy, but at the end of it (1:30pm) our new family was on the road home where grandpa and grandma waited to take over. They have been AWESOME! They are the reason we can take naps during the day, why the clothes are cleaned, why the house is picked up, and why we feel like we can make it.

Christine and I have a lot to learn about raising a child, but the start of Ezra's life has been amazing to participate in and we are enjoying the journey. Our prayer is that Ezra will seek after our Savior and reflect His restorative love! We will do our best to help him along the way.