Welcome to the world Baby!

Martha Claire Dillender

July 11, 2011

10 pounds 6 ounces

22 inches

I know that most of you will already have had all of this information but I am pretending that I did this posting more quickly than I really did. Plus this is a chance to tell the long version. So here it is:

My mother kept coming to Memphis for the week and returning home for the weekends for most of June to be here for the big day. She was very determined to be here since Grace came on the one day that was impossible for her to be present. Also she was a tremendous help to me and a great playmate for Grace. I spent June ready for Martha to make her arrival any day. My doctor was ready to induce early but alas the hospital was completely booked, so I kept waiting and twidling my thumbs ready for the baby to decide to come on out.

My annual family reunion was scheduled to start on the 9th of July which meant that the Cooke's were going to be unrepresented most likely this year. However, so many folks flew in to Memphis on Sunday that we had a meal in Memphis and Tod and Mom and Grace and Dad and I all were able to go join in and see a large group of the family. It was a wonderful treat. Mom stayed to visit and the rest of us headed home to get Grace in bed. Dad and Tod headed of to run and errand, and I went through the bedtime rituals and all. I realized while I was reading to Grace that my contractions that I had been experiencing for weeks were finally in a regular rhythm. Mom and Dad and Tod came home and we sat down to play a game of cards. About half way through the game I announced to the table that I was having contractions every 5 minutes. Obviously they weren't terribly strong but they were quite consistent and growing in strength. Tod and I decided we would wait until the end of the game before we would think about heading to the hospital. I'll have you know that I creamed them all.

Anyway (this is the long version) We headed to the hospital at about 11. Since Dad was in town on his way to Alabama, Mom was able to come to the hospital and no desperate calls had to be made in the middle of the night to arrange for Grace's care. Everything went on smoothly and with the aid of my epidural and potocin Martha made her entrance to the world at 9:40 in the morning. No one thought she would weigh in at ten lbs plus. A few moments before she was born my Dr. said I thinks this is going to be a big baby. (not the thing you want to hear mid push by the way) But she was big and a she and she and I were both quite fine and healthy.

The biggest news of the morning was that Dad was able to sooth Grace in the middle of the night, because yes my 4 and a half year old doesn't sleep through the night, and get her up and dressed and fed and off to school (mother's day out) all by himself. Something he never had to do for Bob or I. Mom and he picked Grace up for lunch and then Grace got to see us late in the afternoon. She was interested in all of the buttons on the bed and playing with the ipod. She was interested in meeting Martha and defending her from Daddy's teasing, but the technology won out in the end.

Martha was wonderfully healthy and did great and we came home the next day. Grace had a bad case of swimmer's ear and so our fist night home as a family Grace ended up in our bed and woke me up at least three times in pain and needing comforting and Martha slept for like 10 hours.

Grace and Mom ended up at the lake for several days which was wonderful to have time to get some calm time with Martha and get acquainted as it were.

I must end with a line of thanks to my super mom. She was wonderfully helpful this summer and helped my stay calm and relatively rested and ready to welcome home Martha. It made all the difference in the world to have her help. Thank you!

Here are a few pictures of the first few days.