What's In a Name...

My life is better today than it was yesterday...It was dark when we got up yesterday morning at O-dark-30. After going through the normal morning routine (shower, teeth brush, etc.) Chrystal and I headed to the hospital for a 6:45 am appointment in the labor and delivery ward. Our arrival was somewhat uneventful as the nurse noted we were "right on time".

We got to hang out and watch a slide show of Brody (which created some water works) and have an overall relaxing wait. We had to make Chrystal's "birthing goals", which may have been a bit lofty but you gotta aim high.
I went down and got some breakfast and a cup of coffee at about 8:20. By the way, hospital food is crazy cheap so we are going to come here more often for date night!

At about 9:15 AM Chrystal went into the OR. I have to say being present while your wife has what really is a pretty major surgery (though routine) while she is awake is a surreal experience. From TV shows you kinda think the OR is a serious place with calm music and quiet concentration. But there were 9 people in the room I think, not including the parents (us). The anesthesiologist, Dr. Mac was on his cell phone with another doctor. (Chrystal openly announced to me and her mom Dr. Mac was gorgeous. We found out the nurses call him Dr. Macaroon. Hilarious! She also crushed her past anesthesiologist from when Brody was born. Apparently to be an anesthesiologist at Cottage Hospital a pre-req is to make all the dads feel inferior.) The two doctors performing the surgery were casually talking about their kids having the flu. Two nurses were looking at charts, while another two nurses were engrossed in some conversation I could not hear. And a doctor in training was just observing the surgery. I kinda wanted to clap twice and yell, "Pay attention people, this is serious stuff!" But they seemed to know what they were doing so I saved my tirade for another day. And I didn't want anyone to accidentally drop an organ or something...

At 9:51 AM "baby sister" was pulled out of a 6 inch incision on mama's tummy with an amount of force that really catches you off guard. One doctor reached in through the incision while another pulled and pushed on her belly. They both then prepped the room with "Ready!?" and all the room went silent with a "This is now serious!" look. The doctor then grabbed Baby Sister and yanked her out, again with an amount of force which I was sure would make Chrystal slide right off the table on the floor with a "thump". But they really do seem to know what they are doing and Chrystal was apparently strapped down pretty tight.

The process is amazing really. If you have experienced the whole pregnancy and birth process but don't believe in God then I don't get you...it is the most amazing miracle of creation. But today and for the rest of my days my life is better because I got to be a daddy again. Baby Sister is the most beautiful baby girl. She is precious and sweet and so soft you want to dip her in honey and eat her (parents will get that statement, parentless will think me oddly cannibalistic). But God blessed us with a wonderful health baby girl, which is all we could ask for. Here are her stats...(yes I know they spelled our name wrong...and that is pretty normal actually)But at this point we are 24 hours into it and still do not have peace about this little sweet pea's name. I know what you're thinking, you've had 10 months to figure this out...and you're right. But she will have to live with a name her entire life, so it needs to be good and it needs to fit. We'll know soon, but either way it is my pleasure to introduce you to "Baby Sister" Sturm. I know...you don't even have to say it...she's gorgeous!