hello baby

Gunnar Wayne Stagg

Born 9/11/11 at 7:12 am at home. He weighed 9 lbs 6 oz and measured up at 21 inches in length.

I started feeling strange at about 4:00 in the afternoon after I had been on some crazy nesting cleaning frenzy. Kristin came over and checked things out and I was dilated to a 4 or 5. She said, you can have the baby tonight if you keep going at the pace your at, or you can lay down and stay in bed and maybe delay this a day or two (I was having issues about having a 9/11 birthday baby). Throughout the evening I continued to have what felt like very heavy Braxton-Hicks. We ate dinner, Eric cleaned the birth tub (it had been delivered that morning!), we put the girls to bed, finished setting up, and then went for a walk. Then we had a nap and I woke up at 4 a.m. with REAL contractions; the kinda stuff that requires you to focus and breathe. By 6:30 a.m. I started to go through transition, however it was much easier than with LindyJean because my water had not yet busted. My body began pushing, so I hopped in the tub. Eric brought both the girls downstairs and they all watched his arrival. My water broke as his head was crowning and one last good push and out the rest of him came along. It was really quite lovely. Eric was my night is shining armor, I was very connected to him this time. You should have seen the emotion and excitement that exuded from him as we realized I had given birth to his son! I know plenty of you think I'm nuts, but I much prefer the surprise.

The 2 subsequent photos may be a bit much for some of you, but before you get your panties in a wad - if you ever watch television or movies, you see people more naked than this regularly, so get over yourself. Also, my ability to share them certainly says a few things about me... any shred of modesty that I had retained post Adelaide & LindyJean has been completely eradicated. While we're at it, let's throw my vanity out the window too. They are immediately postpartum and show that I am not some graceful birther of babies who glows and looks unstrained by the tremendous effort my body has just put forth.

Just out the womb! Cord is still attached, beautiful baby boy. Both Adelaide & LindyJean witnessed their brother's birth.

This photo I love for Bitty's expression. She looks so very pleased. To my surprise, she did decline to cut the cord.

Couldn't believe how big he was. I thought he was a lot smaller than LindyJean.

Bitty & her baby brother. It took us nearly all day to name him, we really liked all of the possibilities and after carefully weighing their meanings, possible implications for personality, and other things, it came down to fate (we literally starting playing games and pulling the names out of a hat (Gunnar nearly always came up the winner)) and Bitty's insistence that he was a Gunnar.

RowdySue says "baybee Nahnuh," which we believe is her attempt at his name.

First nap. He looks identical to LindyJean at birth.

The infallible Aunty Staci & "Lil' Gun."

Attempt numero uno at our first family photo... fail.

Everbody smile... Lindyjean gets an A+, everyone else - pay attention dammit!

Ta-da!!!

We are glad you have come to join us Gunnar, bienvenidos.