He's Here!

 The excitement for Issac's birth has reached it's pinnacle! Grandpa and Grandma Luse have arrived and the sleepover at Grandpa and Grandma Whittaker's is about to commence!

Mama's tummy has grown as much as it will grow!

(Last pregnancy photo at 39 weeks)

On November 27th, at 5:30 in the morning, Tim and I packed up the last little bit for the hospital and set off to have our baby.

   

 

After a couple of hours of  prep work and monitoring, Tim and I walked down to the operating room.

Tim had to sit outside the room while the anesthesiologist placed my spinal and made sure that it was working properly. 

Meanwhile, Tim amused himself by reading obvious hospital signs.

   I couldn't have asked for a better c-section.  My favorite OBGYN doctor performed the surgery (as planned) and was assisted by my favorite resident doctor (who was on call the weekend we miscarried our 3rd child, performed the D&C because my body wasn't letting go of Baby Blah (Beniah's name for the baby we lost), and she was on call when I had my gall bladder attack. She's been through all of the horrible experiences with us).
I also had a wonderful anesthesiologist who listened to me explain my weird pains during my last 2 c-sections and worked hard to make sure I had no hot spots during this c-section.
I, of course, felt Isaac kick and squirm during the surgery. When he was born, I felt him give a massive kick as the nurses and doctors shouted out, "Oh my gosh! He is just jumping out of her!"

Isaac was born at 8:35 am and weighed  7 lbs. 9 oz., 20 1/2" long, and had a 14 1/2" head. He is my tiniest baby.

He was born hungry and aggressively attacked anything that went near his mouth.

Thankfully, the surgery ended soon and we were wheeled to the recovery room where he could eat...

 ... and get his reflexes tested.

(I'm falling! I'm falling!)

Once we were back in our room, Isaac was given his first bath.

Then it was time to meet his big brothers, who were thrilled to see Baby Isaac. 

 Grandma was equally impressed with her 10th grandchild.

Elijah kept exclaiming, "Look at his little (fill in the blank)!"  At one point, he noticed the size of Isaac's feet and ripped off his socks to compare the difference.

 

 
Beniah was thrilled to be able to hold his baby brother and ran to the sink to wash his hands, climbed up on the couch, and placed the boppy around his waist and waited to be given the baby.

Every time they visited us, Beniah would make sure that he had a chance to hold Isaac (which we were more than happy to oblige him).

 

We are all so thrilled that Isaac's arrived!