Grandson Named David

As our daughter-in-law suffered all weekend through on and off contractions, and my husband's nephew's wife seemed to be going through the same things, it was like a race developing and we wondered who would give birth first.

The birthday 10-4 reminded me of the old truckers code, so I googled what all the other numbers meant. I learned that:

10-1 means "receiving poorly"
10-2 "receiving well"
10-3 "stop transmitting"
10-4 "okay" or "message received"
10-5 "relay message
10-6 "busy, standby"
10-7 "out of service, leaving air"
10-8 "in service, subject to call"

there are more, but I liked 10-11 which means, "talking too fast" and 10-12 "visitors present"

Well, on Thursday morning, I got up, checked facebook, and noticed that there was chatter between our son and a babysitter. I thought it curious that Abby was staying overnight with someone who had a daughter close to her age. And what fun they were having...not to worry...now they are sleeping soundly. They only fought over one toy, a pillow pet. (I had to google pillow pet, having no clue)

So, I called our son's wife's mom, my dear friend from our teen years (we attended the same church, and had sleepovers). My friend had received a tantalizing message at midnight their time and they could hear the grandson's heartbeat swooshing away in the background. So, we knew she was in labor, and in the hospital hooked up to monitors. We did not have to wait long. My firstborn called me from Alaska about 8:30am our time with the good news: the grandson had been born at 11:32 pm while we slept. Mom and baby were doing well. And we were given his name: David Mace Williamson. My friend had guessed it days before, but had been told, "you are very, very close." David is a family name on the bride's side going back generations, in fact, my friend told me that she was suppose to be a David if she had been a boy.

I had to google what a mace was. It is so easy to type in: picture of a mace, and get instant mind improvements.

But, sworn to silence, my son said to wait and let him call the close relatives first. He sounded so groggy from their all nighter. But, back to facebook, I was able to message chat with the granddaughter's babysitter.

Noon came and went. I went on to the chiropractor, and got some lunch. I called our other dear daughter-in-law hoping if she had gotten a call, surely, the message was going to be one we could shout from the rooftops...but, when I called our son to check, he still had not reached all the grandparents. (there are four sets) And the dog needed let out...and he was going to take the granddaughter to meet her brother. I hope they got pictures. And I hope she was not dissappointed---word was that she was expecting a baby sister, too.

I was glad to hear that our daughter-in-law was getting to eat a big meal for the first time in days...and more calls to her mom gave me the cute reports of much cooing and enjoying that baby boy.

Back to the trucker's code. To be born on 10-6 was kinda cute: for indeed he kept them pretty busy as we were all on standby. David was born on my Great Uncle Ralph Harvey's birthday. And my friend, Nancy's son, Cameron's 32nd birthday---I remember Cameron when he was four months old!

And I kept checking facebook for news of the other lady-in-labor, Bob's nephew's wife, also expecting her second child, but they knew she was going to be a girl. She had been scheduled to be induced at 7:30 on 10-7: Emily had a date with the doctors, and eviction notice in many ways. They broke her water, and labor started without drugs, but Emily was a nine pound, two ounce baby. Yikes. Labor took all day. Born at 3:13 pm Georgia time...I did not get word until hours later after talking to our nephew's mom by phone. By 3:18pm, my son had released me to brag with a facebook "chat" message. So, I had started emailing, and stole the picture off my son's facebook page to send around. In that first picture, David looked so much like his sister at that age I was suspicious my son had downloaded an old picture of the granddaughter!

It was fun to see the congrats roll in via facebook and email. I tried calling a few folks, but some were not home, or I got caught in long, boring stuff...and my mind was so easily distracted.

I did learn some serious news---my aunt has a blood clot in her leg. Not good. Yikes.

And phone chats with Bob at work as well as emails to try and keep him up on the latest...and what a beautiful autumn day to be born! 10-7 in my Grandma James' birthday. She would have been 97. She died a few years ago on my brother's birthday. Technically, with the time changes and daylight savings time, it was her birthday in Illinois when David was born in Alaska. I hope she knows about him. I think she would like that. As farmers, it must have been difficult to have a birthday during the harvest.

Our middle son's wife is next---her baby is due in January. I went out and bought two more sets of children's blocks. I had put up the granddaughter's name in blocks on top of my yarn keeper in our living room. Now I have added David and baby James the second. I may need more shelves!

And another little cousin is coming in May! Bob's first cousin's only son and his wife are expecting. More Williamsons!! Yippeee!!!

David was born fifteen hours ahead of Emily Williamson if you read their birth certificates. But, 11:32 pm Alaska time is like 3am central time, and 4am Georgia time, so technically, they were only born 12 hours apart. Just on different days. David was lighter. Seven pounds, 15 ounces is almost eight pounds, but Emily was over nine pounds.

I like what my daughter-in-law's mom said: there are two things a woman does not want to hear: that her hips are wide enough a ten pounder, and that she is having a ten pounder. I agree. My firstborn was nine pounds ten ounces, and the doctor had to spend half an hour stitching me up. Our hips may be okay with passing a nine pounder, but our lady parts are not. The doctor apologized to me after our firstborn came into the world---he said, if we had known you were having such a big baby, we would have done a C-section. My middle son was an emergency C-section when the monitor indicated his heart rate dropped, and then our youngest, born 14 months later, was a "planned" C-section where the anesthesia did not work. I guess they had trouble giving me enough, and were afraid of giving me too much, but it was like I was down in a well. I could hear what everyone was saying in surgery, and I could feel them cutting and taking him out... So forgive me if I shudder when people brag about having their babies at home. There is just so much that can go wrong.

I am so thankful our daughter-in-law's epidural worked well, and she only had to push once after two hours of hard labor. That is an answer to prayer. I am so glad she has relief from that little soccer player. He was a kicker! And there was just no more room in there. I wonder if she will soon forget the weeks and weeks of pain, sleepless nights and indigestion, nausea.

From the email and facebook updates, the other lady in labor had quite a long day and lots of pushing to get that big girl out. While I am thankful she did not have to have a C-section, I wonder whatall she did to her mom's plumbing. yikes.

Can't wait for more pictures. And a skype call or two...

Until then, 10-19: nothing, returning to base