There are the high points, and I'll maybe do details later:
The long-awaited Graysen Elizabeth arrived on February 13th. It was hard just getting the basic facts but probably overall the best thing too. Emily and Ryan were good to text us updates, which we then shared with others. There just wasn't much happening and thus the need finally for a C-section.
She was a perfect 8 pounds 3 ounces, 19-1/2 inches long and pretty much the most beautiful and intelligent baby on earth. No one is disagreeing with us to our face.
She was born right before we left for Atlanta, so that trip naturally was spent texting and e-mailing pictures and exclamations and contratulations and getting Graysen introduced to Facebook.
We stayed at one of the Airport Marriotts, and it was just a quick trip to the park and ride and a nice shuttle to the terminal. I was okay with it all, the concept of flying and everything, but just a little nervous. The shuttle bus driver was full of jokes and happy things, and it was early in the morning, so everyone was in pretty good moods. Even the curbside baggage guy was friendly, asking questions about where we were going and why. I wondered if Valentine's Day had mellowed everyone out to that extent, and Mike said it was very different from when he flew out of there so much. Maybe they had been required to take "being nice" lessons.
Following Mike made it pretty easy, but I tried to take it all in in case I ever go by myself. As long as I know where I'm going and why, there are plenty of directions and pretty much no walking - just a couple of those 3-story escalators and a superfast train. I had only one moment of sort of panic when we walked into the actual plane, but from there on it was just nice. We had good fellow passengers and nothing unusual. The takeoff and landing were so smooth I hardly noticed it. I tried to do needlework, but either I was too sleepy or the light was not good enough because I finally went to sleep for a couple of hours.
Ryan picked us up at the airport, and we went directly to the hospital, Swedish in Issaquah. A beautiful place. Pictures below. Emily's obstetrician's office is across the mezzanine from labor and delivery, so after her last visit, she just strolled over and got checked in. It's more like a nice hotel. I'm sure there were more patients on the OB floor, but we never saw anyone but the nurses. There was a nice cafe downstairs where you could get a variety of foods. Also a Starbucks which we took advantage of Thursday morning. There are gifts shops and clothing stores and a pharmacy besides other clinic offices that we didn't see. A player grand piano in the downstairs lobby and a violinist on Thursdays.
What everyone really wants to see are pictures of Graysen, and this poor child has gotten used to the camera in her face and taking pictures of her feet and hands. I'm working on my Shutterfly page, but it's slow going. A lot of these pictures have already been emailed or put on Facebook, but maybe there will be some new ones. I need to get some of Ryan's pictures too.
The hospital photographer took some good ones too. That website is http://www.bellababyphotography.com/password. Look for Login at the upper right, pick the baby choice on the right, and then add this password: aben0213windham.
And here a few more pictures. I'll try to get organized and find the others I just haven't downloaded.
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Congrats! Such a sweetie!
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