Introducing Spencer Lewis Francl

He's here.  Blessedly here!  And isn't he handsome?!?!

Spencer Lewis Francl.  
Born Oct. 24, 2015 at 5:57pm. 
8lbs, 5oz.  21 inches long. 

His name means "Provider" or "Dispenser" and "Famous Warrior."  His middle name being for, of course, C.S. Lewis.  We settled on his name the day we found out we were pregnant.  I knew it was a boy, and I knew his name, which solved many a late-night discussion for Chase- we didn't have to rehash names, ever.  I can't explain how I knew.  I just did.

I had no idea that he would come on Saturday. In fact, by 10am I was pretty sure he wasn't going to come until Wednesday, the 28th (his due date).  Lily had been up early Saturday morning from about 2:30-4:30.  She was emotional and whiny - uncharacteristic for her to be up in the night, but we didn't know what was going on with her.

I got up with the kids at 7:15am, and we watched cartoons, made pancakes and bacon, and generally enjoyed a lazy Saturday morning.  A little after 10, I realized I was supposed to be at a friend's baby shower (and if I wasn't there, everyone would assume I was in labor) so I headed to the shower and had a wonderful time with dear friends.

I got home at about 11:30, just after Chase had put Lily to bed, and she didn't seem to be herself.  She woke up about noon, and I went into her room to cuddle with her... and she vomitted on me and herself and bed and everywhere!

My poor baby! No wonder she was up in the night! No wonder she kept saying her tummy hurt!  No wonder!  She can be dramatic, so I never know when it's real... I hate it when I miss things like that.

We got her cleaned up, got her bedding going in the wash, got her settled with a movie and comfy clothes and blankets and all manner of sickness-comforts.  Then Chase started to look pale.  Oh, and our washer backed up into our shower.  Yeah, that was awesome.

By 1:00pm or so, I was singing Lily to sleep in our bedroom while Chase was looking more pale by the minute in the recliner.  (Connor was napping normally, thankfully, and my mom had come over to watch the Huskers lose to Northwestern.)

As I sang Lily to sleep, what had been Braxton-hicks turned into not-Braxton-hicks-contractions.  I could still walk and talk through them, but I didn't really want to.  I got in the shower (between loads of laundry, which thankfully, hadn't backed up in the shower since that first load) in an effort to relax and calm down, and there was no doubt:  we were going to the hospital SOON.

By 3:30pm (after a lot of instructions to Mom like, "this pile of bedding has been washed, this one hasn't been" and "here's how to put a duvet cover back on a duvet" and "here are the medical releases should you need them" and "here are pet-feeding instructions") we were on the road headed to the hospital.  Chase had thrown up before we left, but I had him driving, a bucket along, and a promise that he'd pull over if he needed the bucket.

The 30 minute drive to the hospital never seemed so long... for either of us.  We arrived at about 4:00pm.

Bless the nurses who saw me walk in and put me straight into a room without triage!  We got the IV in, got changed into a gown, did vitals, got checked (I was at about 5.5cm) and then I stood up to head to the whirlpool tub (my favorite place to labor).

My water broke.  I nearly swore out loud.  I assure you, I swore in my head.

I'm telling you who have never done this before - there can be for many women (and is for me) a drastic difference between laboring with water and laboring without water.  DRASTIC.  I knew I was in for it.  And I had no idea how long it would take.

They tell me I was only in the tub for 30-40 minutes before I said, "Get the doctor!"  And I was right.  The doctor walked in at about 5:30, and Spencer joined the outside world at 5:57pm.  Blessedly, it was only about 25 minutes of pushing, and it (ironically) felt like even less than that to me.

That's the doctor who delivered Connor behind him -
I love the expression on her face!  It was how I was feeling,
though not what my face looked like!

I went from about 5.5cm to having a baby in my hands in 2 hours.  I went from no contractions to having a baby in my hands in 6 hours.  I went from washing puke out of my hair and off of bedding/clothing/carpet to holding my newborn in 6 hours.

The shakes attacked afterwards (as they almost always do) and took a looong time to go away.  I bled a bit more than they like to see, so it was after 10:00pm before we really got peace and quiet.

Notice the wet spot on Chase's shoulder - it was from the cold damp
cloth the nurses put across his shoulders when he nearly passed out
while I was pushing.  Chase took a break for a contraction, changed
into a short sleeve shirt, and splashed cool water on his face in order
to be able to come back for the grand finale.  Thankfully I didn't
realize what he was doing - I just knew a nurse stepped in for a minute.

And now... now it is 1:13am.  I have beheld his sweet face for little over 7 hours, and my heart could not be more full.

A healthy newborn.
A healthy (recovering) mama.
A daddy who is finally feeling a bit better.
A labor short enough (unlike my other marathon labors of 17 hours and 26 hours) that my ill husband could make it through.
A dear friend who came at just the moment I needed her support to finish strong.
A dear friend who came at just the moment we needed her to help us settle in.
Family nearby, ready, willing, and eager to take sick children so we could focus where we needed to.
Children, brave beyond their years, who went with Gram even though all they wanted was mommy.
A call in to have our sewer looked at - at least it's not snowing or frozen yet like the last time it backed up!
Likely a 24-hour virus, just the kind I almost never get, and we should be through it by tomorrow.
Great antibodies being shared with our newborn through my system so he won't get sick.
A place to give birth that is equipped to handle excess bleeding and make sure mommy (and daddy and baby) are ok each step of the way.

I could go on, but I should go to bed.

We are blessed beyond all reason.

Lord,
Thank you for Spencer's safe arrival.  I fought with You in the shower as I wept over the timing.  I fought with You in the whirlpool tub as I wrestled anger over my water breaking "too early."  I fought with Your divine design as I pushed our little miracle into the world.

You are Creator, God.  You had a plan.  You have a plan.  And tonight, as I lay down to sleep, teach me yet again to rest in Your plan, in Your grace, in Your peace.  You know better than I know; Your ways are higher than mine; I will try to remember that in the future...
Amen.

*I wrote that late last night.  Here are a few of our favorite moments from today*

The Francl siblings.

Connor surprised us - we thought he'd likely be indifferent about Spencer.
Instead, he was as smitten as his sister was and wanted to hold his brother
all the time.  For the most part, Connor was very gentle.

He was gentle until we tried to take Spencer away, at which point
Connor would hold on to his brother as if his life depended on it.
I hope this is a sign of the friendship for years to come!

My little mini-mommy watched everything and is ready for her
baby brother to come home.  Look at that paci-magic she's working!

*sigh* These little ones are so very, very dear.

Look out, world!  The Francls are now a family of 5!