Baby: Russell Forrest Joslin is here!!!

The Story:

   Early morning on Sunday, May 6th, 2012, Joanna and I were attempting to get some sweet sleep. However, our bladders, and the ferocious thunderstorms outside, thwarted our efforts. (Little did we know that behind the thick clouds lay the SUPER MOON!! (When the moon is 15,000 miles closer to the earth than average and the gravitational pull is the strongest.)) Joanna was having regular strong contractions, but we didn't think anything of it because the baby wasn't due for another 3 weeks.

   At 3:30am Joanna woke me up and said, "I think my water broke!"  We inspected the liquid and determined it was not a micturition product, and then we called the hospital. They told us to come in. So we showered and prepared our bags, and then left in the middle of the rain, thunder, and lightning storm!

   Once we arrived at the hospital, the nurses did some tests, but were not convinced that Joanna's water had actually broken. After a few hours, Joanna told the nurse: "Umm, I think I'm leaking something." At which point the nurse took a sample, and in a few minutes confirmed that it was amniotic fluid, and that the baby was going to be born today!

   With that news, we settled in as wonderful nurse Sakeena hooked in IVs, and prepared the room. Joanna was given a medicine that caused her contractions to become more regular. After several hours she was having contractions only a few minutes apart, and she was properly dilated. That is when Joanna started to push with all her strength to get baby out! The nurse and I helped out with encouragement and feet holding. After about 45 minutes of strong pushing, the doctor came in to the room, observed for a bit, then suited up and prepared the bed and other devices for the birth. With a little help from the doctor and nurse, and one gigantic final push by Joanna, baby Russell Forrest Joslin came squeezing out! After a few mouth and nose suctions, he immediately started crying and then promptly urinated on the doctor. The new-born nurse took Russell over to another table where she cleaned him, and checked his vitals. "He's a healthy baby boy!" she said, and then read off his stats: "6 pounds 12 ounces, 19 and a half inches long. Born at 6:26pm on May 6th, 2012." I was smiling ear to ear as I stood over his little squirmy self, and as he grabbed my pinky.

   While Russell was being examined, Joanna was being cleaned and stitched up by the doctor and nurse, and they were all marveling at the length of the very long umbilical cord, and the nice big placenta. They said that the baby must have been playing around all the time in the womb - a statement to which Joanna replied "Yes he did!" Soon after the new-born nurse brought Russell over to Joanna and she lovingly held him in her arms for the first time.

   During this whole time I was caught up in how amazing giving birth really is. I was emotionally moved several times during this whole evening, especially when: my son cried out the first time when the doctor held him up; when his tiny little hand grasped my pinky finger while he was being examined; and when Joanna got to hold him for the first time. Even though Joanna's top half was drenched in sweat, and her bottom half was drenched in blood and fluids, she beamed proudly and calmly caressed Russell in her arms. She had just spent nearly nine months working full time, helping me through the end of law school and the bar exam, helping me find employment, doing chores, eating healthy foods, locating and acquiring baby items, and doing a myriad of other things in preparation for this day. Joanna is a super wife, and will be a wonderful mother!

   After things calmed down, Joanna and Russell got washed up, the room was cleaned, and we contacted our families to let them know. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends, and we know that they will be a great strength to us and Russell!

   We are so blessed and happy to have this miracle addition to our family!

- Ben