She's here! Nelly-butt-magoo-face!!

I have a girl! She's adorable and all wiggly and cute. A little baby girl! Of course I love my boys, but I've always wanted a little baby girl. I hope I do right by her. I know I will, but I always - "always" is a little over the top...the two other times I?ve done this, I mean - I've looked at the new baby in my arms and said, "I love you and I?m gonna take care of you the best ways I can." I did that with Nell, too, and then she yawned and stretched and went right to sleep. I take that as a good sign. I love her, Internet. I'm so happy.
The actual delivery was so much easier than Aaron and Lester. Oh, my gosh...SO much easier. I mean, that's obvious, right? Number three's easier than one and two. But Nelly was so ready to see the world, once the party got started, she didn't put up much of a fight at all. Bill was right there with us, of course, there in the room. Nicki and Barb were with Aaron and Lester in the waiting room, but they came in right after she was born. Barb cried. Nicki sniffled, but I don't think she cried-cried. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. I'm just saying. All I saw was sniffling. She might be getting a cold. (Did I just say, "I?m just saying"? I'm sorry. That's so...pissy.) Sarah and Ben brought everyone else by a few hours after. Raymond was so cute. He wanted to hold her right away. Right when he walked in he asked if he could hold her. He was the first, non-parent Henrickson to hold Nell. Once Barb told him to make sure he holds her head, he was convinced that, at least for a little while, her head would literally fall off. When a nurse carried Nell back to me, Raymond got in the ready position, palms to the ceiling...waiting to act if something happened...say, Nell's head rolled off, for example. It was cute. Bill was really proud. So was Ben, actually, which I thought was sweet. We think and talk about family a lot, I know, but two days ago was a really family-ish day. I felt really special. I felt like I had just run a marathon and everyone was there...no, that everyone -the whole fam, that is - ran the last 100 yards with me, all crying and happy, and then we all hugged and cried and were happy together at the finish line.

Alright. Just some details...not the gushy stuff (though there was some gushy stuff...get it?) I was watching the Tivo'd premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance", of course, and my water broke out of nowhere...during the first montage of all the season's contestants. Typical. Though I am taking this as a sign that Nell will either be a dancer or will love "So You Think You Can Dance" as much as I do...and I'm happy with either of those possibilities, frankly. So, I made a mess on the couch and ran over to Nicki's to get Bill. Ran? Not really. Waddled. Waddled/shuffled...quickly. I waddled/shuffled quickly across the yard to Nicki's, like a human water balloon that had sprung a leak. He was asleep on the couch with an open book on his chest. It?s amazing how quickly fathers can shift into gear. Moms do it, too, of course, but dads can become firemen, movers, construction workers, NASCAR drivers at the drop of a hat. Plus, Bill has a lot of practice (though he wants more, of course) so he's particularly good at this "call to duty" moment. He told me to sit on the steps by the door, then he grabbed the hospital bag like a gazelle, told Nicki and Barb what was going on, and before I knew it we were en route...with the rest of the clan in tow a little ways back. Bill was kinda chatty in the car, but I really wasn't up for talking much. Don?t know why. I wasn?t in much pain (I wasn?t in much pain, ever, really), but I just wanted to...focus or something. He caught on pretty quickly, though, and just let me be in my head. He drove fast, but not crazy. He only honked once...a new Bill birthday record. (When Barb was having Ben, Bill was driving so all over the place and honky with everyone, he got pulled over by a cop who ended up escorting them to the hospital.) A string band was playing on the radio, which I remember liking a lot. So old time-y. Made me think how many women over the years have felt the feeling I was having at that particular moment. I mean, the song wasn?t about birthin' babies or anything - life isn't that perfect - but just that kind of music...it felt right. Violins and a harmonica...a guy singing about trying to get back to North Carolina to see his "baby"...picking a "bouquet of dogwood flowers"...it was great. It kinda got me zoned in, randomly. I closed my eyes and just let it put me at ease. Soon we were at the hospital and I was all hooked up. There were about 45 minutes of waiting around...that nervous waiting, of course. All the doctors were happy with what was happening so there was actually a lot more of just me and Bill in the room for while. Much more than last time, totally. Some time around then, Barb and Nicki showed up with the boys and set up shop in the waiting room. When it was "time", it was time. I mean, she came out quick and easy. What were we so worked up for? Maybe that baby > vagina comparison wasn't as dramatic as I described last time. Whatever the reason, it was kind of a breeze, really. A little eight pound, seven ounce angel isn?t that big a deal, right?

10 hours after we left home, we were back home. It was fine by me, but they really do get you in and out quick these days. The house was quiet that night...but full of happy/teary smiles. Sarah and I cried a little together when she was holding Nell on the couch. Bill gave a great prayer and Nicki made a great casserole. Barb and I put her to sleep in the crib in my room. Bill stayed with us that night, of course. We slept well. So did she, for the most part. She's...great...make that, perfect.