To say that we feel blessed is an understatement. Easton joined our family just over a month ago, and we are loving being a family of 3. We are finding that with a growing family, the amount of texts, calls, and emails is also growing. Those who don't get to be a part of our daily lives want to know what is happening (which is great!). So we thought one way for our family and friends to keep up with our growing little boy might be through a blog. We will try our best to update the blog weekly (TRY is the keyword there). So here we go...
Easton Charles Vonk arrived May 1, 2013 at 11:14 am, weighing in at 6 lbs 11oz and 20 inches long. Labor and delivery went great. The abbreviated version of the story is that on Tuesday April 30 we went to our 39 week appointment and our wonderful doctor picked up a just slightly lower heart rate than normal, which led her to do a little more investigating. After a non-stress test and a BPP (biophysical profile) test she determined that the placenta was probably starting to "poop" out (her words not mine) so baby needed to come out. She stripped the membranes so contractions started failry regularly at the doctors office, so she sent us in to be induced. She pre-warned us that she was not sure how baby would handle labor so a c-section might be necessary. Pitocin was was started at around 9pm on April 30 and our healthy baby boy was delivered, after only about an hour of pushing, at 11:14 the next morning. We feel so grateful that our doctor sent us in when she did, and that she was able to deliver the baby too. The unknown of labor and delivery was a scary thought for both of us, but the entire process was miraculous and amazing.
And for those of you who think we knew the gender and just kept it a secret, that is not true. We are not that good of secret keepers :) We did NOT know and are so glad we decided not to. Hearing the doctor ask Chris "what is it?!" and Chris telling me "it's a boy!" is a moment we wouldn't trade for anything.
Here is just seconds after that moment
After some food and a shower
We had many wonderful visitors at the hospital (too many to display all the pictures).
This is right before we headed home
First night home! He has a bili-blanket under him you just can't see it here. He was our little glow worm for his first night home.
Not even 24 hours after we got home we got a call from the pediatrician that his bilirubin levels were too high to manage at home. So back to the hospital we went. He was admitted to Helen Devos Children's hospital. We had wonderful doctors and nurses who took great care of us!
He spent the next almost 24 hours like this. He loved it! He came out only to eat.
Daddy's birthday was May 7 - only 2 nights after we got home from the hospital the second time. So needless to stay we stayed home as a family for the day. He enjoyed his day off with Easton, Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner, and an ipad mini from all of us.
Brooklyn and Rylee went to a wedding that weekend and stopped by to show us how pretty they looked.
Our first mothers day together was very special and low key. Easton got me an Origami Owl necklace with his birthstone in it, (great job picking it out buddy!). We had lunch with my mom and sisters. Rylee had a busy weekend so the poor kiddo was overly tired, but this was the best pic we could get of Grandma with all of us!
We have started some bedtime routines around here too. He is learning to love his bath and even looks at the books we read to him!
Brooklyn graduated from preschool last week. Good job Brookie! Off to Kindergarten in the fall.
When our friends Jenna and Nate came to visit from Indy they brought their camera. Here are a few of my favorites they took of baby Easton.
And just for fun here are a few pictures of Easton's nursery (thanks Jenna)
