Family Shot

3 weeks old...

Drool Bunny

Eric and his girls

Eric, Sky, Lulu

June Sky

Grandma and Sky...

Eat, gas, sleep

New tonight - open mouth sleep. Met grandma june a few hours ago. Pretty sweet.

Rest

Who knew that there were things to learn about eating, but there are when you're in your first TWO weeks of life, so it can be tiring . . . for everybody . . .

First Stroll

Mom and Skylar

What are we waiting for?

Week 2 triad

Daddy, sleepy, smiley...

Skylar: Dad, Mom, Eyes

Almost a week old . . .

Get used to it...

adorable baby pictures...

Address

I'll send out the "official" notice tomorrow (I think). The one thing (other than Skylar) that Auburn wanted me to let everyone know is her and Eric's new address in Novato. You can get it if you don't have it by emailing Eric:

hopki@mindspring.com

Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes and thank-yous and support in general. Louise and I left Eric and Auburn this evening about 5pm. Skylar is nursing on both sides. Auburn's milk is in fully. Skylar slept in Louise's arms while Eric and Auburn napped and I shopped. Then slept some more in my arms. We actually had to wake her to feed and then interrupt her for us to leave. She's a trooper already. She's smart, beautiful, an excellent sense of timing, and very very neat--a true Virgo, apparently. She's also still doing things right on time. Her latest is switching from fetal poop (that black stuff) to normal breast milk poop (it's still in transition to the yellow-brown-green stuff). The cats heard her cry and were finally interested in the invader. Auburn and Eric will have to report on how the full family integration goes.

Labor Day 09: Sky's First Full Day

Photos from first full day of Skylar's life...

Sky with Eyes and Grandparents

Skylar looking at the world and with grandparents.

Later Photos

Skylar and Mom after a few hours of life in air...

First images

Auburn soon after Skylar is first put on her chest, plus with Dad, Ed, and Papa Eric carrying his daughter for the first time. 

Sky's Eyes

Skylar has blue eyes. Even after the nurse rubbed the salve into them, she was open-eyed and very alert as Louise talked with her and held her hand while they were measuring her, taking footprints, giving her a vitamin K shot, etc. She gave a hand-shaking startle response when the shot hit. She gets that from me. As she opened her eyes as wide as she could to look at Louise and hear who was sending that welcoming voice her way, I could see how deep blue her eyes are--at least for now. I know that can change, but sure are pretty.

Noon footprints and rulers

Skylar Hopkins is right now crying lightly as Eric holds her. They are getting ready to eat. Auburn is HUNGRY. Her footprints are done. Strong looking feet. And her length is 21 inches, same as Auburn when she was born.

10 AM It's a...

GIRL. Baby Skylar Hopkins was born at 9:54 on 6 Sept 09, 7lb 11oz. We're in the delivery room. Skylar is nursing already (actually practice nursing since there's nothing to get yet). All went perfectly. Thanks to Alex, Eric, Lizellen, and a great, accommodating, cheerful team of people in blue. Photos to be posted in a while. Black hair, strong hands. Big feet. Heartrate is strong and fast (Eric and I both got to hear).

Wow. What an event for me. To see my daughter give birth. Everybody crying and happy. Auburn is on the phone with Isabelle now announcing the birth and name. Sky.

Yesteday I found myself picking PINK a lot, including the blog color. Somehow...

930 AM We Have Hair

We're at the hospital waiting. Eric gave us the rundown. It was a rough night, but Auburn is doing well now. Fully dilated. Head is crowning. BLACK hair is all that shows. Nurses had to break her water. Eric found that quite an amazing display--how huge an amount it is. The water was greenish, meaning that the baby had a bowel movement. That means they just have to check quickly as soon as born. If crying, all is fine. If not, perhaps suction. Lizellen (doc) is here already. She had to do emerg C-section on twins. Finished that and is now with Auburn until the birth. Auburn is eager for massage as soon as possible afterward. Fortunately, Louise is here and eager to serve.

6 Sept 09 830 AM Still...

Waiting. Message from Alex at labor central at 6 was "several more hours." Louise and I will be....

I started to say "on our way," but FLASH. Eric just called to say that:

1. Auburn wants her makeup bag
2. She's fully dilated and starting to crown and push

Eric also asked for a belt. We assumed he'd lost so much weight his pants weren't staying up.

...

10 PM The Big Wait

Lizellen, the "firecracker," made a visit about 8:30 and confirmed that Auburn and the baby are doing perfectly. After consulting with the nurses, we found out a lot more about how they think about the birthing area--very natural and casual, letting it happen as it happens. We met both Auburn's previous shift nurse and her on-coming one. Both knowledgeable and caring. In fact, the off-duty nurse called in while we were talking with others at the nurses station just to see how Auburn was doing. She is now "a solid 4," 4 cm dilated. The difference between 3 and 4 is huge. She is now in full labor, no longer in "pre-labor" or early labor.

She's in pain, but it will get worse--that from Alex, who could take a break while Auburn got to sit in the shower for a while. She also said that Auburn is doing well, that her attitude is great. In between contractions, she can even joke.

Louise and I are at Eric and Auburn's in Novato, waiting for Alex's call. She'll call when Aub starts pushing, unless things appear to be moving quickly. Then she'll call sooner.

730 PM Back to Contractions

Louise and I are now at Marin General. Saw briefly the huge birthing
room with Aub curled up and Alex and Eric attending. When they put
Aub on IV fluids, Eric said she was distracted and contractions
slowed. Turns out (from my investigations among the nursing staff)
that tighter contraction pattern is one symptom of dehydration and
it's common for rehydration to slow the contractions. Whatever the
cause, they've picked up and she's in "a good pattern now" according
to Eric. She sounded very healthy and a bit in pain from our vantage
point outside the door. We're in the waiting room now, waiting for the
8:00 checkup. Lizellen, Aub's ob/gym asked for a full check at 8:00,
10 min from now. But I heard the nurse's report to here--all doing
well: baby looking "great"; Auburn doing "perfectly"; and Alex doing
"a great job."

She didn't mention Eric, but we know he's doing a great job too, even
though he was already pretty tired from over 12 hours now of labor.

5 PM

Alex just caught me up on status. All going well. Auburn in shower, being moved to bigger room. Louise is on the road to Sacramento. Soon as she's here, we'll leave for San Rafael.

Alex says she thinks birth will be "late tonight."

Ed

4PM Hospital

Update from Alex: about 4pm to hospital. Auburn is at 4 cm dilation, so admitted.

3PM More contractions

As of 3pm, Eric spoke with doctor: "if Auburn can talk coherently about going to the hospital, she's not ready to go to the hospital."

Eric's ready now. He described the new sounds Auburn can make. And her new sport--something about projectiles and fluid.

About an hour ago, he and Alex were ready to take Auburn to the hospital if they could get her:

A. Out of the bathroom
B. Down the stairs
C. Into the car

That was before he spoke with Lizellen, the feisty doc. Did she give Eric any sense of the timing?

"All she said was 'See you sometime in the next 24 hours.'"

Noon 5 Sept 09 We Have Contractions

Eric called: "It's started."

Contractions 5-7 min. Alex on her way.