Our second little miracle baby has arrived. Zak and Dad lay their hands on my head and gave me a priesthood blessing a few days before he came, promising that there would still be some concerns, but everything would be all right.
The Porters came into town the night before we decided o be induced, so they took care of Miss V during the day, and then the Hoopers had a sleepover with her the next couple nights.
It turned out, many of the labor and delivery concerns were much the same as they were with Miss V, because rather than the cord being wrapped around her ankle, it was wrapped around his neck. Because of this, I diligently breathed through my oxygen mask as deeply as I could, and did just as the nurses directed, letting them know how I felt along the way. I gratefully accepted an epidural, just at the right time. I had some tearing, but not as much as last time, so my recovery was much faster and easier. My babies have been the exact same size, and both came more than a week past due, thus the induction. I think I'll just plan on that timeline in the future. Little C was born six-and-a-half hours after we checked into the hospital, with the help of medicine, excellent nursing staff, an experienced doctor, and Zak's support. He has his own look, but definitely shares the family resemblance with
Miss V.
Zak was alongside me almost our entire stay at the hospital, and we had many family members come to the hospital and neighbors provide service at home. Aunt Niki even decorated our home with "It's a Boy!" balloons, streamers, and other decor. Miss V likes having "her baby" at home, as well as giving him hugs and kisses. She wants to be held while I'm trying to feed him sometimes, which doesn't always work, but she's been very helpful and loving. We try to give her attention. I'm so grateful to have a supportive spouse who is such an involved parent. He changes diapers, holds Miss V when she's obviously very tired, brings items to me I can't reach while I'm nursing, and helping clean and prepare meals. Then again, he's helped with many of those things throughout our marriage. I'm very blessed. We are very blessed.
Part one of our journey to Eclipse Totality was from our house in Cache County on Friday to Sevier County so we could go to work then next morning. Zak and I found out his Grandma Manwill was anxious to tear down a historical outbuilding on her property to clear the way so her neighbor could use the land. Family members had decided the Saturday before the eclipse would work for the Porter and Manwill men to hammer cement and tear out the chicken wire holding the log building together. After much effort and some help from the skid steer, they separated the logs in organized piles for any future rebuilding. Grandma shared brief segments of its history, including the milling from local mountains, original build in Koosharem, rebuild on Grandma's parents' property, and her birth in that very one-room building. I love that Zak's family has so much local history in those small Sevier County towns, going back generations.
