Weirdling Two Arrives

By Dad

Monday, January 12, 2015, at 6:32pm Asher Liam Britz Robertson was born with his bag of water on his face. He was born in a birthing tub at Ashland hospital after six hours of active labor. His mother did an amazing job and he was out in four or five pushes. His dad was in the tub but at some point during the actual birth ended up perched on the side to be out of the midwife's way.

He was born perfect.

Monday morning I was teaching my class and had started to get, "I think I'm having fake labor contractions" texts. This was 18 days before the due date so I told her to get in touch with the midwife and keep texting me. I emailed my principal that I'd be having my ringer on in class just in case and had the, "I might be leaving at any point in the next three weeks," conversation with my class. It probably wouldn't be today though. Today is 18 days early.

I left at lunch. Emergency sub plans unwritten, but two fantastic grade level team members ready to split my class and a friend ready to leave school as soon as she could to come help with Roland.

I rushed home and packing was midway done. We were better about being prepared this time than we were with Roland so there were bags ready and the car seat base had been installed. We packed, grabbed all of Roland's things, I almost walked out of the house without the car seat, and away we went.

Ashland hospital is a beautiful, small hospital with excellent nurses. Angela did early labor in one of their rooms with Roland still with us. He watched Netflix on his tablet and I went back and forth between using Drive to write Tuesday's lesson plans and comforting her during a squeeze.

Daniel Tiger is a new favorite

Wireless monitoring is the way to go

Being a good teacher

To move things along and to keep Roland sane we went for a walk in their courtyard. This worked on both fronts.

Then the keyfob we were given to unlock the door didn't work. So we pounded on the door (Roland kicked it). Then I pounded on a window. That worked too.

My friend Sabrina, a teacher I work with, arrived not long after and she went off with Roland to keep him entertained with her dogs and teenage son until we were done.

I think Angela was waiting for Roland to be taken care of because as soon as he was gone she really started moving along. The midwife arrived, the tub was filled, we moved into the tub room, and soon she and I were in the water being coached by the softest, calmest person I've ever met outside of select kindergarten teachers. And she'd give them a run for their money. A calm gentle, soft-spoken, encouraging run.

Angela did incredible and after details you don't need and can imagine Asher was born. His bag of water never broke. We watched the midwife pull it off his face and saw him take his first breath as he was handed to his mom. We actually couldn't tell if he was Asher or a sister for a minute or two because of how curled up he was. Fun Fact: We have had a girl name picked out that we loved for eight months. We changed the boy name four times, the last as recently as last week. We literally didn't have a middle name we were happy with until twelve hours after he was born. So he was, "he" for a few minutes because neither of us were 100% sure that a decision had been officially made.

Brand new human

Roland arrived shortly after Asher was born and couldn't have been more excited to meet his brother. He knew immediately that the baby was, "Sprout!"

We spent one night at the hospital, and they treated us fantastic. Two births in two different states in two different types of hospitals, both with a midwife but one with a tub, and both experiences were as perfect as we could have asked for. We know how lucky we are.

Tuesday morning when the nurse was doing all the little sticks and tests on Asher she pricked his heel and he started to cry. Roland pointed at her and said, "No no no! Don't hurt baby. Nice!" He has also gotten to hold Asher a few times and has proclaimed the baby his.

Angela did amazingly. She tore, but not nearly as badly as with Roland and only took five stitches. No OR trip this time! She's up and walking and in good spirits. We got home Tuesday afternoon and have begun to settle in to a new routine, which will change a dozen times in the next dozen days. Co-sleeping will be an adventure but we will make it work. That's mostly going to be keeping Roland from kicking his brother in the head, which I think is going to be a goal for the next eighteen years.

Asher Liam Britz Robertson was 7lbs 14oz and 19 1/4 inches long with a 14 inch head. He can count to 21, and was born with a full head of dark black hair.

He's perfect.

Family picture in the birthing room

Brand new comparison