Salve, Regina: "I don't know much - but I know I love you"

Friday, May 13th, RKZ and I left for the hospital at 5 am. So different from our first experience with Buck (35 weeks - water breaking at 3am). It was so calm. We were able to walk in to the hospital and calmly speak with everyone. First crazy thing - the nurse who checked us in was a student of mine!! She got teary-eyed when we realized our past together. She was very sweet and I felt like it was a circle (I also felt old) to be speaking to a past student about such personal things.

There are so many details that are funny and will be stuck in my mind. Because I had a c-section, I wasn't able to see the actual surgery, but I was awake during the entire process and they used a mirror to allow me to see Hank as he was pulled from my tummy. All I could see was his huge shock of dark hair. Buck had been bald and Thunder had hair at 4 weeks - but neither of them had that dark, dark hair of their daddy. 8 pounds 7 oz and a beautifully formed little body. Immediately, Hank was a screamer. He came out yelling (which will fit right in around here).

The rest of the experience is hospital stuff. I have a lot of editorial comments regarding it all, but it is already slipping away to my mommy-hood. Hanky and I came home yesterday and we're beginning our real lives as a family of 5. We are all fine - wonderful even - still living in our Residence Inn. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger :)