Tennessee Xmas - Cody Arrives

Christine's due date of December 20th comes and goes without much excitement.  A visit to the midwife confirms she is ripe and ready (or as Matt says "locked and loaded"), but only just beginning to dilate. After making another appointment in two days for an OB at UT Medical Center, we return home to bake cookies to drown our disappointment in chocolate.

Yummm - Toll House chocolate chip cookies Grandma made from scratch

May I have another cookie? Pleeeease MaMaw?

Thursday morning, we're up before the dawn for an early appointment at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, which is a 45 minute drive on the other side of Knoxville.

Winter dawn in TN

Ahhh... we made it in time

We sign in and wait for an ultra-sound.

Babies and weddings for reading? Well there is a long tradition of shotgun weddings

Humm -baby looks good, but... your fluid's running a little low

Next, we wait for over an hour for the doctor who's scheduled to deliver Cody, but she's running rate due to another delivery in progress.

Christine talks to Brooklyn during the long wait

Brooklyn practices being a doctor on MaMaw

The news from the doctor isn't completely positive. She wants Christine to check into the hospital within the next few hours to be induced as it's time for Cody to get a move on. We treat ourselves to a nice lunch to give Matt some time to wind up at work.  He'll take Christine to the hospital, while I take care of Brooklyn at home.

Matt gets car seat ready for Cody

and then hugs Brooklyn good-bye for the birth

Actually, nature has taken it's course and no inducing is necessary.  Cody comes on his own and is born at 4:26am the next day via natural child birth. No drugs - Wow way to go Christine!

Yipeee!! Cody's finally here

He looks like a keeper

Matt comes home a few hours later and we change shifts.

Ack! That truck is sure bigger than my Prius Sure hope I can drive it to the hospital & back w/o a scratch

After giving birth, Christine is exhausted, but also happy and HUNGRY.

I practice holding Cody, who's only a few hours old.

Uhhhh - am I doing this right?

Hey - I think I'm getting the hang of being a Grandmother

Christine's visited by a number of nurses and other specialists.

Birth Certificate draft check

First try at breast feeding as nurse coaches on the side

Mmmmm... that was good. More?

That evening, we all return for a family visit.

Proud papa

At first, Brooklyn's not too sure about her new brother

Brooklyn soon warms up to her new baby brother.  Looks like bonding is going smoothly.
We are all exhausted after a long day. We turn down the lights for mother and baby to nap and return home for a much needed night's rest.

Night light behind bed

Mother and baby nap

Welcome to the world Baby Cody James Flowers. May you always put your best foot forward.

born December 23, 2011 4:26am  - 7 lbs 10 oz