Introducing the most beautiful baby in the history of babies (in perhaps the most unflattering photo of a newborn ever):
Leta Elise Armstrong
7lbs. 10 oz.
20 inches long
born 3:59 a.m., 02/03/04
A better picture is up at dooce, but I look at this one and weep instantly. She’s right there, getting weighed and breathing and moving; healthy and life affirming. She’s also sucking on her arm, which we soon discovered was covered in blisters caused by _in utero_ sucking. Her other arm has three blisters as well.
I already had weepish tendencies, now it’s full blown. I can’t tell if it’s the profound experience of her birth or the lack of sleep. I will see her wiggle her long toes and tear up. Either way, she’s here and every time she grabs one of my fingers and tries to stick it in her mouth, I lose it. In the hospital, I had fallen asleep weeping and rolled over. The tears that had pooled ran down the side of my face and woke me up.
Childbirth is primal, beautiful and terrifying all at once. And I wasn’t the one doing the pushing. I tried to push (and keep my breath in so that my diaphragm would help push the baby out) so that Heather would know that I was helping, but was told, with a stern glare that translated through the oxygen mask that I couldn’t pass out. I stopped the breath holding and just counted and watched the strongest woman alive give birth to the sweetest, most amazing girl. They are both doing better than I could have ever hoped.
We are a family. Now we just have to re-integrate Chuck into the house. He’s staying with Grandma and getting all kinds of Grandma snacks and treats and we’ll probably have to send him to Doggy Phat Camp for Teen Male Neutered Dogs.
Non-sequitur below:
I’ve never been happier in my life. Thank you all for your kind wishes.
