Reid Amani Quirk arrives!!!

 As the hospital tag states, we have a new baby boy!

Reid Amani Quirk seems to be as handsome as his brother, and we can't wait to watch as he turns into his own little person.  Here is a short photo essay on how he came into the world.

Contractions had begun by 10am on the 17th of February, 2010.  Liam joined in the "magic breaths" while his mother paused from reading a book to deal with a contraction.

We had two wonderful friends with us at the birth - Mo(nique) Kolster and Erin Hardie.  They were terrific supporters and made the process as easy as could be. They took lots of photos, and video, for which we are already infinitely grateful.  Their very presence made everything feel more possible.

We monitored contractions for 20 minutes before being let in to the birthing room with the birthing tub.   This was around midnight.

Over the next couple of hours we dealt with the contractions through breathing exercises and coaching.  Katie did a lot of walking to speed up the processes.  We're not sure that it worked.  So Katie ground her way through all the pain, head-on.  She's a marvel.  Reid was born at 6:24 on the 18th.  He's 8lbs 9.8oz, which is bigger than his big brother was at the same age (8lbs, 1oz). 

I brought Liam in for a visit this evening.

Reid is pretty small, it turns out.

Since he was born, apparently, with some gunk in his lungs, possibly an infection, possibly just liquid, we'll be in the nursery for a couple of days to a week, with some special contraptions that help monitor his breathing, and make it easier. 

 Like an infant oxygen tube, and these two contraptions:

The block on the right is a "don't steal this baby" alarm, like what they have on books in the library, or expensive items in a store.  If you leave the hospital with this child, alarms will sound.  I think that's pretty dang cool.  Reid is an important guy, at less than a day old.  And, yes, his left big toe is glowing, so he's super human too.  Actually it's a really cool, non-invasive way to measure blood oxygen in newborns using light.  His blood oxygen is doing well now.

But we keep monitoring that little guy, day and night.  (Green: heart rate, Blue: breath)  But the measurements aside, I am so very impressed with the quality of the scientific medical establishment at Sutter Health in Davis, CA.  This is the sort of place that is both nurturing and scientific, comfortable and efficient, a good place for your toddler to make friends with nurses, and to learn about the science of how to keep people alive.  We are indebted, and in awe.  The people at Sutter are doing a marvelous job.

Although all this means that the family will not be united until Reid's breathing is sorted out, it has a silver lining - mommy and daddy both get full nights of sleep.