Announcing the arrival of Gavin Glen Peterson!

Well, now I understand it.  I've always wondered why it takes new parents so long to post on their blogs, etc. about the new baby in their lives.  Now I realize it's because they would much rather be cuddling said sleeping baby all the time!  (That and the fact that they are likely very tired!)

Gavin Glen Peterson came into the world on Monday, July 11 at 1:29pm.  He weighed 7lb 4oz and stretched out to 19.5 inches long.  And because Brandon and I were incredibly blessed to be a part of the lives of his birthparents, they welcomed us into the delivery room just after he was born.  He's absolutely perfect and loved by so many that it's somewhat hard to convey the feelings that I have about this experience through words.  We are without a doubt, beyond imagination, amazingly and astoundingly blessed.  God is good.

On Sunday, we got a call that it was time to head to the hospital.  We met S & D just as the nurse was telling them to go back home.  But just a few short hours later, we were called back at midnight as labor had begun.  Brandon and I snoozed in the waiting room and visited when they were awake.  Then it was time to push!  Gavin's mom was so brave and strong as she worked to bring him into this world while we waited with his birth-grandma for the news.  After 2 1/2 hours, S came to tell us that little Gavin was born and everyone was doing well.  That had to be one of the longest 2 1/2 hours of our lives!  And then the moment we'd waited for so long, she asked if we'd like to hold him. (sigh)

First family pic

The next couple of days went by in a blur as we learned about how to change him, when to feed him, immunizations, and a ton of other things that I'm sure we've tucked away in our adoption notebook.  We were treated so well by Overland Park Regional Medical Center as they gave us our own room where we could care for our son.  We traipsed back and forth between his birthmother's room and ours while we cuddled, fed, and changed him - sharing these first milestones with her.  She was truly amazing.  And it was so obvious how much his birthfather, grandmother, and even great-grandmother love him as they all visited and poured out blessings on his little life.  I am so grateful that we know them and that they will be there when he has questions that we can't answer along the way.

On Wednesday, we got to bring him home and we got settled into the house by unpacking all the diapers and formula.  He was so tired that first day.  He also got to meet Sammy & Bianca that evening and it went really well.  Bianca took to him right away as we were sure she would and Sammy was very concerned whenever he cried.  They spent the first night standing guard as we took shifts feeding and rocking him in the nursery.

Two on the lap, one on the foot stool

Since then, we've spent all our time learning about our baby boy.  He likes to sleep all swaddled up, loves himself a nice full belly, makes adorable faces right before he falls asleep, usually saves the best diapers for Dad, and makes us fall more in love with him every day.  In about one hour from now, he will be one week old.  That's a little surreal to me - where did that week go?  I'm sure we'll say that sort of thing many times for years to come.

There's more to say, but I'm starting to hear my baby wake up.  The wait is over . . . . and the adventure is just beginning.