Look who decided to join us

It has been a few weeks since my last post but I have a pretty good reason for my "silence"...you see I / we have been a bit busy lately.  Many of my Blog followers may have already heard the news through the grapevine or through emails and messages sent out but for those who haven't yet heard...Victoria and I are proud to announce the arrival of our beautiful and healthy son, Benjamin Edward Brown, born at 1:02 pm, Sunday November 25, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto via unplanned C-section and weighing in at 6lbs and 11 oz.   We were supported by our midwives from Midwife Alliance, and our super awesome doula, Kinsi (sp?).  Victoria went into labour in the afternoon on Saturday November 25 and then active labour by about 11pm.  Our midwives and doula arrived at our home shortly after midnight and they helped me support Victoria who slowly dilated and increasingly got nearer to being ready to push.  But, Baby Benjamin had other plans I guess as he never fully dropped into position.  Our midwife, Abir, worked to stretch Victoria and have her progress but after after a few hours of pushing, consults with the doctors at St. Joe's to determine if Ben had dropped enough to be assisted out, and agonizing exhausting painful labour for Victoria, it became a more urgent situation.   Little Benjamin apparently pooped in the womb and his heartrate went into distress.  Benjamin decided to force his mother and I to veer from our birth plan after approximately 14 hours of active labour on Victoria's part but in the end it all worked out for the positive. 

 

And a special shout out to all the staff, the nurses, doctors at St. Joseph's - they are just spectacular.  Like the treatment I received on the Surgical ward after my surgery in March and the compassion with which I have been cared for by the Oncology team over the past several months...every staff member we interact with at St. Joe's is just great.  Truly this is a special hospital.

We are all doing well.  Victoria is slowly recovering from the events of the day almost a couple of weeks ago.  Benjamin is thriving (as his Nana would lovingly say), feeding well, and sleeping like a Champ for the most part.  He has decided he wants to sleep soundly throughout the day and be alert, fussy and needy from about midnight to early morning.  It's been a couple of weeks of wonderful firsts...first bath, first poop, first pee all over his Mom and we look forward to every day of firsts with our son. 

Attached are some pictures we had taken in the hospital...you will see that he inherited his Dad's prominent nose, piano-playing fingers and bend-it-like-Beckham feet and Mom's beautiful eyes, mouth, chin and forehead.

Also, a huge shout out to all of you who continue to show us much love and support.  We appreciate it!

But, lastly there is someone that deserves special recognition. Victoria:  I am entirely in awe of your truly amazing strength for what you endured during the labour.  You sacrificed so much and faced it all with such calm strength that you awed not only me but all those who supported you for those 14+ hours.  Thank you.  And seeing you with Benjamin, watching him thrive every day just further reinforces what I have known for some time now.  You are as wonderful a mother as you are a wife and partner to me.