How he got here, among other things...

Well, y'all, Emmett has been around for a week now and, man, are things different. Andy is embracing sleep deprivation and I am enjoying its new context (no pager... just sweet whimpering and a little rooting). Andy is redeeming the household by attempting to be productive between diaper blow-outs (preceded by a chorus of soundsunbefitting a gentleman of 7 pounds) and belching sessions (sometimes Andy and Emmett, sometimes just Andy). I am shamelessly staring at Emmett for the majority of the day. Sometimes I stop--like when we take our nap(s). Other than that, I also sit around and cry about cheesy things previously unconsidered. In short, it's amazing and he's amazing. We're enjoying visitors (and their goodies) so we have managed to maintain adult vocabularies for the most part. I haven't accidentally cooed at anyone.

Everyone's healthy and we continue to be grateful that Emmett's journey into this world was unmedicated, fast and problem-free. I forget that sometimes babies are born and they don't need oxygen or anything...they don't even need pediatricians, hallelujah! In short, Emmett's arrival:

1) Friday morning: those are contractions, NOT weird low back pain (oops). One of the nurses at the clinic I was working at said "People told me that when I was in labor I'd know for sure. I didn't. I worked all day and delivered that night." Mmmm...foreshadowing.
2) Friday afternoon: we realize this might be the real deal so we walk to Blockbuster ("Tommy Boy" for in-labor entertainment and mood lightening), the grocery store where I went in for eggs and milk and left with ice cream, popcorn, pretzels, chips, Newman-Os and eggs and milk. It might not have been a great idea to send in the laboring woman with no discretion. We also stopped to get a watch battery so we could time contractions (thanks to Morehouse for a graduation gift watch with a second hand). We interspersed it all with some relaxation stuff and exercises we learned from the doula, Claire. The exercises are designed to help the baby turn and descend. They worked for us. Uhhhh, rather quickly.
3) Friday evening: Labor on, for real. We head over to the doula's for a quick check but first I have to shower (always a good time to shave the legs after a months-long hiatus) . Andy continued lightning-fast response to my "We're rolling " that indicated another contraction. He was a pro with all the stuff we learned from our doula AND managed to load the car up with everything we own and a car seat
4) Friday night/Saturday morning: We visit the doula who, with Andy, helps me through a few particularly sassy contractions, checks the baby and decrees that all's well and it's time to head to the hospital pronto. Upon arrival we're declared fully dilated (yeehah!) and ready to push. We push for a while and the midwife steps out to check on another patient because she believes I have another 45 minutes or so before babytime. She exits, we squat and push. In the room are me, Andy (who's holding me up), Claire the doula and Michelle the nurse. Out comes baby's head and Claire says "Great, Brooke, there's the head...it's coming out...why don't you sit back and rest a minute." That would've been wise, seeing as all the people in the room seemed to be holding me up. Instead, Emmett and I decided to push again, Michelle leaped across the room to grab some gloves and sound the alarm that indicates imminent birth and the need for more hands. Claire braced to help, while Andy kept holding me up and helplessly watched our nino make an entrance without greeters. Michelle returned just in time, fully gloved and managed to catch the little rugrat. Everyone rushed in and the rest is a bit blurry. Somewhere along the line they handed me the baby, Andy announced "It's a boy," and our little guy started working his way to his new food source. It was nothing but incredible. That little person in my belly turned out to be gosh-awful cute and pretty darn resilient. He didn't need anything but a bath, performed by one Andrew Lewis Johnston. Pretty soon we were taken over to the postpartum unit where we received a warm, warm welcome and great care, and the chance to show off the little guy (then still Baby Boy Johnston since we didn't know his name) to lots of my co-workers.

That night some more friends came by bearing congratulations, pizza, and my first beer in about 9 months. It was a great way to welcome this little guy into the world.


Hey, look! Co-sleeping can be safe - with only a few minor modifications to your current sleeping arrangement! Simply remove your comforter, sheets, pillows, soft mattress covering and any other item that may make your sleep more comfortable. Swaddle infant to demobilize. Not shown here; construct barricade out of plywood andtyvek tape that ensures a 2 foot radius around baby. You may sleep outside of this radius. Lastly, do not look at baby.

(Alternative caption: Emmett in the Total Perspective Vortex)



Emmett sleeping in style. I just dig his little arm hanging out.

Dinner with Emmett (he's the entertainment). That's about the furthest I've been from him yet.


The injustice of diaper changing. There is little consolation.




Emmett got a big old head, oh yeah.

Emmett kicking it in his sweet chair (thanks again to great supplier of hand-me downs Shannon Murphy and Co.)