He's Here!!!

It's a BOY! On Monday, May 25, 2009 at 5:21pm, we welcomed into the world our son, Joseph Casimir Grant. He is 6 lbs and 20 1/2 inches of perfection!

The whole day of delivery was a surprise to us, for many reasons: (1) I was 38 weeks and thinking that I still had at least a week if not two until I would deliver, (2) Danny predicted that it was a girl, weighing 7 lbs 2 oz, (3) I predicted that it was a girl, 6 lbs 15 oz, and (4) I had just seen my doctor 5 days prior who confirmed that the baby was head down and ready for natural delivery, but when I went into the hospital (dilated at 7cm for those of you who know about that stuff) I was told that the baby was breech and that I was being rushed into a c-section surgery! Thank God that everything went well and that I didn't have those few slices of pizza I was contemplating before I went to the hospital. I told Danny that I had schemed the whole thing as a good PR headline for him: "Director of IL VA has son on Memorial Day." As a sidebar, Danny's sister Bree came to stay with me on Monday morning because Danny was the keynote speaker at the Lincoln National Cemetery Memorial Day Service where (I have to brag) Obama made the keynote in 2005. Danny wanted to bow out but I said no way, so after he rushed there and back, we headed to the hospital. Here's a newsclip about the event: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6831002

Addy has been handling the whole thing so well - Aunt Bree, Uncle Sean, and her cousin Grant stayed with her the first few days, and then our friend Sunhee and her mom watched Addy Wed. morning, and now she's with my parents - a big thanks to everyone! She has come to see us in the hospital a few times, and each time she says goodbye without tears, so it has gone well. She is pretty mesmerized by Joey and we can see her growing up and becoming a big sister before our very eyes. Sometimes life changes without you realizing it, but then there are other times when you realize how life-changing certain moments can be...watching Addy with Joey for the first time was one of those moments.

Joey is just so sweet, and, (knock on wood) a crazy sleeper! While Addy was up and alert for hours on end, even in the first few days, Joey just snoozes away and is awake for 5-10 minutes at a time. Danny was up with Addy for a few hours her first night, trying to get her to stop crying - Joey, on the other hand, slept for 8 hours last night! I tried to wake him up to feed, but he was zonked out. Not that I think it'll stay that way for long, but for now, we're enjoying the peace of just watching him sleep (and sleeping ourselves).

The recovery has been going well...the usual pain that accompanies a C-section, but other than that, no complaints. Mom and Dad Teller are here to stay with Addy and to meet their new grandson, and Danny's parents and Grandpa Studz (who Joey gets his Polish middle name Casimir from) are coming out as soon as Grandpa recovers from a mild illness.

I included just a few pics of Addy from this last week at home and at the park - it's her last week of "just her" pictures.

Thank you for all the well wishes and support - we feel so blessed!