Gabe has arrived (about 5 weeks earlier than expected)!!
He is a little guy but is doing very well, as is Jennifer. Read more for the pics we have so far…
Gabe was due early/mid July. On June 8th, Jennifer has a regularly scheduled doctor’s appointment. Looking at the ultrasound from the day before, the doctor and Jennifer agree there isn’t as much fluid around the baby as it should have and a c-section should be scheduled for the same day. Looks like our baby will get here early! First things first, Jennifer is hooked up to monitors and waits for her turn to go into the operating room. We have a very spacious room to wait in…
I am glad the room is comfy, because it turns out to be a busy day for c-sections. The baby is looking pretty stable on the monitors, so we aren’t a pressing emergency case. Which means we wait for a while…
and wait…
and wait. Jennifer is a real trooper, because as comfy as the room is, being big time pregnat and hooked up to monitors and laying on one’s back for 8 hours isn’t really all that comfortable after all.
Rufus is the good luck birthing balloon that Jennifer’s sister brought with her. He helped pass the time.
Finally Jennifer is taken back and prepped for surgery. It is go time! I get suited up and go into the operating room.
After all the waiting for the surgery to start, the actually birth comes amazingly fast. Obivously there wasn’t going to any extended labor, but I think there might have been only 5-10 minutes from the time I went through those doors until the baby was out! I wasn’t watching beyond the blue curtain that had been set up, I was down by Jennifer’s head, just talking to her. The
anesthesia doctor told Jennifer there would a lot of pressure, like WWF wrestling and then just a moment later I heard the baby crying!
Gabe got a 9/9 Apgar score, which is about as good as it gets, 10 being perfect. Not bad for an early arrival!
Gabe ended up going to the intensive care part of the nursery. His little lungs were a bit questionable, so extra care was in order. It was a rough start- Gabe was needing 40% oxygen in the beginning and there were some concerns about his heart and lung xrays, along with a possibility of pneumonia. This was about 11:00 at night, and the doctor told us he might get intubated if his condition got worse. In the morning, however, the doctors had good news. Gabe was doing better and was no longer needing so much oxygen. In addition, the suspected pneumonia was looking more like something called TNT or TMT, the important part being that the first ‘T’ stood for ‘transient’, i.e., temporary.
By 11:00 that morning, he was breathing on his own without any help. Still hooked up to some monitoring devices, but doing really well.
He’s beautiful!!!!
Wow… that’s awesome! Still a little scary that Danny has now procreated… 😉 but what a beautiful baby. Rawk on Gabe!
Danny and Jennifer….Young Gabe looks perfect-long and alert. It will be years until you sleep again, but it is all worth it. Congratulations.
So happy for all three of you that all is well. Really a beautiful baby.
This is one really prescious baby. Congratulations, Jennifer and Danny!
A VERY beautiful baby!! especially for being so early.
I hope Gabe is a much better sleeper than Thomas has been!
May God speed your recover and grant you all wisdom and knowledge as you raise this little one.
Congrats again you guys! Jennie and I look forward to meeting Gabe. We hope all continues to go well and that he can come home soon.
Dear Jennifer and Danny
Gabriel is very handsome! He is indeed the handsomest baby in the world. I am very anxious to eye this marvel in person. He is my second grand nephew and both have red hair. I feel very blessed. Congratulations to two of my favorite people. You will be great parents. Love, Aunt Joan
Congratulations, you two! Many years of joy to come. I wish all the best!
Oh, my goodness, he is absolutely beautiful!!! Amazing what God blesses us with!! Congratulations – I know everyone is so thrilled! Susan and Michael
WOW!!!! HE’S PERFECT!!! I am so proud for you both! Let us know what we can do for you!
Congrats! Praise the LORD that the baby looks like Jennifer and not like Danny!
He’s about as perfect as you can get! I’m so happy that both mom and babe (Gabe) are well. Prayers really do matter, don’t they?
Congratulations, Danny and Jennifer. Having a baby is one of the most beautiful things in the world. So enjoy every moment.
I am very happy for both of you for having a beautiful, healthy baby despite early arrival.
Congratulations…
Congratulations! He is such a cute little guy. All the best for you and baby. Glad that he and Mama are doing well.
Congratulations to Jennifer and Danny for the new arrival. Despite Gabe’s arriving early, he looks like a real champ! Loved the pics!
He is sooo precious!! I know you are really proud.
Congratulations!!