What a Difference a Day Makes

I picked the bow.

Our little gal is so much better. The neonatalogist didn't press for a lumbar puncture today because her other lab work was good and she is looking healthy and acting hungry. Her breathing slowed down after a few hours and she was able to start holding her temperature. We've gone to nurse her 5 (?) times today. I say we; Teresa does the work and I hold her afterwards until she falls asleep. Her Aunt Sara and Tom and Carla (we're still debating "Mimi and Grandpoppy" vs. "MeeMaw and Poopsey") all got to hold her today. Hopefully mother and daughter will be released into the Minnesota wild tomorrow.

Thanks for all the prayers, encouragement and inquiries. Her first hours mirrored the hair, dirty and spikey. Now she's looking and living pretty clean and smooth.

I'm putting some video from day one and day two below. They should be small enough for even those using Haiti internet.

I'm a Dad. She's a Mom. It's a Girl!

Eleanor Nancy Price everybody!

Our little girl came into the world at 2:33 this morning. We had been in the labor room since for about 33 hours, and T had been pushing for an hour and a half, but when she came it was all a blur. Since T had a cold and a fever she had been put on antibiotics earlier in the day and we had been warned Eleanor would need them too when she came out. When she seemed a little distressed during delivery we knew we wouldn't be the only ones poring over her when she was out. Our doctor whisked the little purple one out of Mom and over to the neonatal Nurse Practitioner standing by. As Teresa caught her breath, Eleanor wasn't allowed to catch hers since they were clearing her airways of mucus and any meconium that could have entered. She wasn't overly responsive at first and only started to show good color and muscle tone after vigorous rubbing. Teresa got to hold her for less than a minute, but since she wasn't breathing well we turned her over to the NP's again to take her to the special care nursery. All the grandparents got a good look at her as she made her way down the hall, but I was the only one that got to accompany her into the nursery. She eventually became nice and pink and her breathing slowed a little. Since Teresa's water was broken about 10 hours before delivery and Eleanor's white blood cell count is elevated, they are checking her for signs of infection today. The chest x-ray looked clear and she will get a spinal tap later to check out the meninges. After about an hour of sleep Teresa got to go with me to the nursery.

We enjoyed hanging out with our girl for a little bit. Her vitals signs were good and breathing improved while we were with her. She's still huffing and puffing too much for T to nurse her, but we hope she can later today. She already makes some neat faces and although she prefers bright lights as fixation points, she would occasionally look at her parents as we spoke to her. She's got this really cool spikey hair-do right now and we found her first freckle. A few million more and she'll catch her Mom. We prayed for as we left and it was so good to finally touch her hand and not just Mom's belly as we blessed her and committed her day to the Lord. Pray for us, T's recovery and our little daughter today as she faces her first trials.

286 days

That's how long T has been pregnant. Wow. We are in our labor and delivery room and I'm accompanied by constant lub dub of the fetal heart monitor. I don't know how we've gone without one. Maybe they make a travel size one we can have the whole time for the next baby. The nurses here at Fairview Southdale have been very nice and Teresa is situated and just trying to get comfortable. Pretty much everything between her shoulders and ankles hurts, itches and is cramping. I brought the camera along so I can include some pictures of our situation.

Our view from our big baby room.

Me in the daddy chair.

Here we go.

Hospital time

Teresa has done a wonderful job making a home for our baby. She's so comfortable in there that she doesn't want to come out on her own. We had hoped and prayed this week that things would get moving naturally, but they did not. We had a doc visit this morning that comfirmed that our little one has battened down the hatches. The doctor's fall back plan is now in effect and we are going into the hospital tonight. They will start my wife on a therapy that will open the passageway for the baby. In the morning if all is well, she will be given another medicine to induce uterine contractions. Hopefully we'll have some exciting news tomorrow.

Not Yet

A little fun with lighting while waiting for Dr. Flad.

No news on the baby front, doesn't mean no news. Teresa and I are well and have been enjoying time with her sister's family, the Thompsons, in Minneapolis. We were here to cheer on Kate on her second birthday and helped with the swim party for Eloise's fifth. Teresa and I have caught up with friends in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota not to mention all the ones we can talk with on the phone since we are in the States now. Some of her family from Illinois visited last week, which allowed the very important scheduling of a game of "Settlers of Cataan".

Everyone in Chris and Sara's congregation at Hiawatha Church, has been encouraging and helpful to us expectant parents. There are many new families there and we can't wait to add our little one to the Sunday crowd.

We took a hospital tour last Saturday at Fairview Southdale where we will deliver. It was helpful to see parking and entrances, labor and delivery entrance, triage room, labor room, recovery room and nursery. Apparently this having a baby stuff is pretty involved.

Remember us as we ready ourselves. Especially pray for Teresa's rest.

Sisters having pool fun.

Teresa's cousins visited us in Minneapolis.

Teresa's 39 week check up with our FP.

Doctor Visits and Visiting Doctors

We hardly know what to do with ourselves being surrounded by cool summer weather, well-paved roads and all kinds of ice cream vendors! God has continually blessed us both with faithful supporters to stay overseas. Now we are relying on supporters to stay here. After a great couple of days with the Davis clan in Ft. Lauderdale, we've moved on to stay with T's family in Roscoe, IL. Barb and Mark kept us fed and entertained and showed us off to their friends. We enjoyed sharing our work in Haiti with their small group from Hope E.F. Church.

We're now in our longest static spell. We are co-residing with the gracious Thompson's in Minneapolis (Teresa's sister and bro-in-law and family). The weekly check-ups with Dr. Flad have been going well. Teresa is healthy and so is our baby. Still looking for the magical formula to get Teresa to sleep at night, though.

Yesterday we were able to visit with the Geddes family in Plymouth. On Sunday, Lori is headed to our clinic for a week. She has been to Christianville before and we are really happy that she could make time to come down this summer.

Littlest Missionary Tour

Dr. J and Lot Bo T have released their most recent schedule:

May 23, 24 Davis Home Ft. Lauderdale

May 25 Haitian Consulate Miami

May 26 O'Hare Airport Chicago

May 27 Fletcher Theater Roscoe, IL

May 29 Hatian Consulate 2 Chicago

June 2 Thompson's old BR Minneapolis

June 4 Luke's B-ball Diamond Minneapolis

July 31ish Granpa Tom's Cabin Anniston, AL

Aug 6 Benedict Lake House Benedict County, TN

*New Baby P will be joining Dr. and T somewhere along the circuit. Shows thereafter will feature the trio.