the education of henry

Hello World

2011-02-02

This is me, shortly after I was born.

My name is Henry. I was born Saturday, 22 January 2011. I weighed 8 lbs. 8.5 oz. and I was 20 inches long. Mom and I worked for over eighteen hours to get me into the world. Dad helped too, although Mom didn't think much of Dad's "helping." In Dad's defense, he did watch the whole thing, and even cut my umbilical cord.

Dad holding me - doesn't he look tired?

I had some visitors when I was just a few hours old: Grandma Gail, Great-grandma Muriel, Aunt Kara, and Uncle Josh all came over to see me.

Grandma Gail, Mom, Me, and Great-grandma Muriel.

Aunt Kara and me.

The next day I had more visitors. Grandma Wynne and Grandpa Al, Great-grandma Dorothy, Great-auntie Diane and Great-uncle Milton, Grandma Bev and Aunt Tasha - and everybody else from the night before.

Dad, me, and Grandpa Al.

Great-grandma Dorothy and me.

Great-auntie Diane and me.

Grandma Gail and me.

Great-grandma Muriel and me.

Uncle Josh, Aunt Kara, Mom, and me.

Grandma Bev and Aunt Tasha came when Mom and Dad were just about to crash after not sleeping for over 40 hours.

On Monday, the hospital room was less busy. Mom and Dad took turns holding me and taking pictures.

Mom mimicking my pose.

Dad trying to get me to grab his finger.

Late in the afternoon on Monday we packed up to go home. Mom and Dad insisted on putting me in this panda outfit that was a little too big....

Presumably I will be the right size for this one day.

And then they strapped me into my car seat so we could go home.

"Houston - all systems go: we are ready for launch."

Grandma Wynne and Uncle Neil came over on Tuesday morning to bring our puppy home. Duke wasn't sure what to make of me and all of my new smells, but he seems to be adjusting.

Grandma Wynne and me - I was getting cranky, but no one knew why just yet.

Uncle Neil, Dad, and me.

Duke

We didn't get to stay home very long. By Tuesday night I was getting very yellow from jaundice and I wouldn't eat anything. I screamed for seven hours and Mom and Dad took me to the emergency room to find out what was wrong.

I wore my robot outfit to the ER.

The nice ER doctor said my bilirubin count had jumped up, so I was admitted to the hospital for some UV-light therapy.

Here I am modeling my new bracelet, courtesy of my second hospital stay.

This is me on the tanning bed. Just like being at the beach.

After a little more than twenty-fours hours of this, I was feeling better. The doctors said Mom and Dad could take me home again. This time there was no special outfit.
Back home, I relaxed with Mom and Dad and tried to get settled into a routine of waking them up every two to three hours demanding to be fed or changed or both.

Me and Mom relaxing on the couch.

The other major event of the first week was getting my first bath at home. Since this is a family blog, I'll spare you all the embarrassing pictures Mom and Dad took and skip to the end.

Aunt Kara came down for my first weekend home. She made Mom and Dad a lot of food and helped take care of me so they could get some rest. I had some other visitors, but Mom and Dad didn't take pictures, so I don't have any to show you.