introducing cade

Caedmon Cross Gifford made his debut on January 10, 2011 at 2:30 a.m.  I haven't been the best blogger for not sharing the news here sooner, but doing so requires me to put him down for a few minutes, and just look at that picture.  Would YOU put him down??

His labor was more challenging than my last 2 (which were so brief that it would've been hard for Cade to be easier).  And after 10 weeks of contractions, it was a little difficult to tell when the "real deal" had started.  Sunday afternoon I started feeling a little rougher than usual, but we went to church that evening anyway.  Figuring we were nearing the end of my (likely) last pregnancy, Sean took this picture of me Sunday afternoon.

After we got home from church, the contractions seemed to be ramping up, so we started timing.  An hour and a call to the midwife later, we were on our way to the birth center.  With my history of rapid labor, they wanted me to get there before the snow started falling.  So we went in around 9:00 p.m.  And we waited.  Things didn't get really moving until around 1:45 Monday morning.  Here's my very last pregnant pic, just before getting in the tub Cade would be born in.

And at 2:30, he arrived!  My sister-in-law Allison had come to the birth center, in the snow and in the middle of the night with her newborn in tow, to be with our kids because Sean's parents were out of the country and my parents weren't coming in to town for another few days.  A HUGE thanks to Aunt Ali for that!  Her hardest job was keeping the impatient siblings from going crazy - they couldn't wait to get their hands on Baby Cade.

 Allison had also driven out to Strawberry Plains to get Sean's grandmother, so she could be there for the birth.  She has 4 grandchildren, and this was her 12th great-grandchild, and yet it was the first time she'd ever seen a baby born.  We were so glad she could share the experience with us.

 Getting all checked out.  A perfect 40 weeker!  (Wonder if there's some sort of award for having 2 babies in a row ON their due date??)

All the little giffords with mommy.  Could I be any more blessed?

And the first shot of our new family of 6. 

 About 8:30 a.m., we were ready to go home!

Through the night, I'd been watching snow pile up outside my window.  We had to take our new darling home in the midst of a snow storm!

But he was snug as a bug on the ride home.  Awe.  Soooo little.

 Home sweet home!

His sister is definitely a big fan.  She loves her baby brother.

 We all do.  Wyatt got a little snuggle time with him.

He's also a big fan of sucking his thumb.  I haven't had a thumb sucker before!

I have to brag on my awesome husband for a bit.  You know how I said Cade was born at 2:30 in the morning?  And I mentioned there was a snow storm?  Well, the Amazing Mr. Gifford took his big boys sledding at 11:00 a.m. that day - just a few hours after Cade was born! - because he'd promised them they'd go.  We had just purchased new sleds the day before in anticipation of the big storm, and they were determined to use them.

 If that doesn't make him dad of the year, I don't know what would!