Introducing "Pi".
21 inches long
9lbs 10oz (gasp!)
arrived July 18th, raised arm first, a-la superman (a sign?!)
much beloved by his big sisters
Three year old LK is a genius at coming up with creative names for all of her stuffed animals and dolls, so naturally as soon as we discovered a baby brother was on the way she immediately set to work coming up with the perfect name. After much deliberation she decided on:
first name "Pi".
middle name "Cotton".
No she didn't mean "pie", and no, she is not aware of 3.14, she just liked the combination of sounds. We called him that for months, and now that he is here, with a birth certificate that officially says "Oliver", we are still calling him "Pi". Despite how funny it sounded the first time, the nickname has grown on us. Yesterday i even overheard my sister-in-law explaining to someone that although he's nearly 4 weeks old she's never actually heard anyone refer to him as Oliver. hmmmm, didn't realize this was going to stick!
As freaked out as i've been to inherit the "mother of 3" label, and as sleep deprived and blurry that i feel right this very moment, I can honestly say i've never been happier. The stars aligned and i was able to experience the natural childbirth i had hoped for, which i still can't quite find the right words to describe. It almost doesn't seem real. Painful, yes, a bit scary, yes, but incredibly life altering. I still feel awestruck and "high", and it never would have happened without T, my Mom, and my exceptional Midwife. They intuitively gave me all the help i needed when i needed it most... from silent support, to loud cheering, to gentle massage, to withstanding verbal abuse (although to my credit i kept that last part to a minimum!). and now Pi is here, welcomed to the world in a room so full of love my heart could have burst. He took my breath away, and i hope i never forget the feeling.
As always i'm amazed at the generosity of family, friends, and neighbors. We were welcomed home with a huge banner (handpainted by my good friend Sue) proclaiming "House of Pi", and so many thoughtful friends brought dinner that i didn't have to cook for nearly three weeks straight! Plus my friend Stace lovingly custom created an entire "Pi" themed wardrobe. (pictured below is his "Pi in the Sky" onesie!). I feel so loved.