Allen Yuuto Smith was born the 24th of March! It was a long pregnancy for Taeko, even though he was born three weeks early. We are all glad that both Mother and Baby are doing well. Aside from Allen's sleeping schedule he's a perfect little boy.
Allen was 2800 grams and about 47 cm long (6 pounds 3 ounces and 18.5 inches). He was about 3 weeks early, and so was smaller than his older siblings, but he seems just as strong and healthy as they were.
Taeko was worried about having Allen come before her mother could arrive from Japan to help. The day her mother was to arrive she had a routine doctor's appointment, at which the doctor discovered that she had dilated to three centimeters. The doctor told her to go to the hospital to have herself and the baby monitored. He wasn't sure that the dilation meant the baby was ready to come, and wanted to see whether Taeko was progressing.
Taeko's mother was due to arrive at the airport at around 1:45 or so, and we weren't sure what we should do if Taeko needed to be in the hospital. The doctor at the hospital monitored Taeko and the baby for maybe an hour and a half, and afterwards said, "Well, you don't seem to be progressing, but I want to watch you for another hour." An hour and a half or so later he said the same thing. And again a third time.
Thankfully, a very nice friend in our church group, also Japanese, offered to pick Taeko's mother up from the airport. Taeko's mother's plane arrived early, so they arrived at 2:00. The family then left straight for the hospital.
Allen was born at 5:39, so we had just enough time for our kids and Taeko's mother to visit with Mommy before he was born. Daddy had to run them back home and get back before the nurses and doctors and Mommy were all ready for Allen to come.
Since Taeko had driven herself to her doctor's appointment that morning, and then to the hospital, and Bryant had driven the other car to the hospital later that day, we had two cars at the hospital, and only one driver to drive them home. So Bryant drove the smaller car home that night, and at 10:30 p.m. rode his bicycle back to the hospital, put it in the minivan, and drove it back home. Bryant has nice long bicycling pants, but only open-fingered cycling gloves, and his fingers got pretty cold.
We are all grateful that Allen came to us safe and healthy.
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