An Amazing Journey: Ch. 21 -- Happy Birthday, Alexander! About This Page:

[Jennifer Marx]

Happy Birthday, Alexander!



At 6:50 pm on August 6, 2004, Alexander Jonathan James Marx made his grand debut into the world! The doctors held Alexander above me on the operating table for a brief moment so I could see him -- he was bluish and just a little messy, but I saw no vernix or unusual things. He was whisked over to the baby warmer to be checked and cleaned.



[Dave adds: I had been holding the camera in my lap, all ready for the moment when the doctor would reveal our baby above the surgical drape, and I still blew it - the digital camera had gone into "sleep mode" and by the time it was ready to click, Alexander was again out of sight.]



I tried to sneak looks around the people, and I saw that he became very pink very quickly! (I later found out his APGAR score at 5 minutes was a 9, which is everything I'd hoped for.) I heard him cry briefly -- a wonderful sound! So while the doctors stitched me up, I was completely distracted by the sight and sound of him, when I could get it. I know that Dave went over at one point to see him in the warmer -- we have a delightful photo of Alexander with his arms and legs spread out wide to the world.



[Dave adds: Yes, I did go over to see Alexander, but it was many minutes after the nurses had first invited me over -- Alexander wasn't going to miss me, and I didn't want Jennifer to feel abandoned in the excitement.]



After about five minutes, someone brought the baby over to me so I could see him upclose and nuzzle him. It was simply amazing. He was REAL. He was HEALTHY. He was BEAUTIFUL. And his head was covered with curly, dark HAIR!! It was just amazing. I marveled at how that beautiful creature could have been made by Dave and I, and grown inside me. I think I was expecting a less attractive baby or something. But I clearly had made an incredibly cute, healthy, perfect baby. He felt like every Christmas and birthday rolled into one.





Jennifer and Alexander together for the first time



Then we learned that he was 9 POUNDS 4 OUNCES! Wow! We'd been thinking 8 pounds, maybe a bit more. I was not expecting him to be even larger than I'd been (9 lbs. 1 oz.). And he was 22 inches long, which is pretty long for a baby. Let's not forget that I was still a week away from my due date. What if I'd gone to term, or overdue? I can't imagine birthing a 9 lb. baby, let alone a 10 or 11 lb. baby.



After I was stitched up and in the recovery room, we talked about how his size may have played a considerable role in my inability to progress. I've never felt I had a large pelvis to begin with, and his big head may have put too much pressure on the cervix to allow it to function correctly. And had I even been able to birth his head, his shoulders could easily have become stuck and resulted in an emergency c-section, which is a serious and dangerous things to do. It appeared that a c-section was in the cards all along, and my cervix's failure to progress was likely a good thing.



My family then came in to see me. I learned how my nieces Megan and Natalie were beside themselves because they were too small to come in, and they were desperate to kiss Alexander's tiny toes. I believe Dave went out to the waiting room and spent several minutes consoling Megan, who was in tears. He told her that her new cousin was almost big enough to beat her up already, or something like that.



[Dave adds: It was quite a hike from the recovery room in the main hospital wing back to the family waiting room in the new birthing center wing. Once it was OK to bring in visitors, I brought the family back in ones and twos. That's when I began to feel the effects of nearly two completely sleepless nights. Still, it felt so good to reunite Jennifer with her family after so many long hours of concerned waiting.]



Dave went to the NICU to see Alexander and returned with baby in tow.





Daddy gives Alexander a kiss in recovery



[Dave adds: When I arrived at NICU, the nurse told me that they just had to finish-up some paperwork and he'd be ready to join Jennifer. They took me over to his baby warmer where he was laying contentedly, having finished his course of antibiotics. There was a "hep block" (IV needle and tubing) attached to his scalp, a souvenir of his course of antibiotics (it would remain for several more days, as he'd need more treatments). Like mother, like son - they had trouble finding a vein on his hand, and at least for an infant, a vein on the scalp is a better target than most. While I was waiting I had a chance to take some additional photos and marvel at what we had wrought.]



Alexander was doing wonderfully and we were allowed to go to the Mother/Baby Unit. My sister stayed with us as we were pushed down the hall, me on my gurney and Alexander in his see-through bassinet. At one point I felt like I might throw-up (motion sickness), but it passed. We made it to our room and I was transferred to a much more comfortable bed, which would be my home for the next three days. I couldn't yet walk, and I wouldn't be able to for 24 hours. I should also note that I had now not eaten for 30 hours, and was told I would probably not get food for another 24 hours. And as you might imagine, I was VERY hungry after my marathon.



By this point, the adrenaline had worn off and the last 52 hours had caught up with me. I couldn't keep my eyes open. I wasn't asleep and was vaguely aware of my family coming in to see me and Alexander, but I just couldn't open my eyes to see them.



[Dave adds: After their visit to recovery, the rest of the family moved across the hospital complex, from one waiting room to another. By then it was after 10:00 pm, and but for a few minutes in the delivery room and a couple more in recovery, nobody had seen Jennifer for the past two days, and most hadn't even seen Alexander. Jennifer was totally zonked-out, but I ushered everyone into her room for a quick peek and a chance to hold our long-awaited bundle of joy. In what I'd consider a supreme show of love and respect, nobody lingered long, or tried to get Jennifer's attention - they each saw their new grandson/nephew/brother, and were soon on their way home. At this point I also went to an outer hallway where cell phone calls were allowed, and I made a bunch of happy calls to farther-flung family members.]



[Dave continues: Let me also take a moment to mention big sister Allie, who really happily surprised me during these long days and nights. While she couldn't be with us most of the time, she chose to stay in the hospital waiting room rather than spend most of her time home with her TV, computer and video games (which she had been free to do). Jennifer's nineteen-year-old sister-in-law Nikki had agreed to be Allie's companion throughout labor and delivery, and the two became girlfriends during the long wait. When Allie finally had her chance to meet Alexander it was easy to see that it was love at first sight!]



The nurses fussed over me and took my vitals, Dave settled down on the fold-out sleeper-chair, and Alexander slept soundly in his bassinet. I seem to recall that we asked the nurse to take Alexander to the nursery during the night but bring him back when he woke to nurse. And we drifted off to sleep for about two hour, when Alexander decided he was ready to get to know his parents.



Next: A Bouncing Bundle of Joy

[chezp]

What a wonderful installment Jennifer - and at last the previous 48 hours were all worth it! You can just hear the pride and love as you write about Alexander and seeing him for the first time. I have happy tears in my eyes reading this.

[Colexis Mom]

What a great time Jennifer And such great pictures of you and Dave with Alexander

[MegglesMom]

What a beautiful baby the two of you have! Many congratulations to you, Dave, and Allie!

[MichiMouse]

Congradulations on your new bundle of joy!

Welcome to the world Alexander!

[Nick and Ryans Mom]

I LOVE his hair!! Allie sounds like she is going to be a great big sister!

[Shell_of_the_South]

One word comes to mind after seeing those first two pictures of you and Dave with Alexander: PRECIOUS! He is truly such a precious, precious child. Those cute fat little cheeks and black hair, I could just squeeze him! I know you are both so thankful and blessed to have him!

Jennifer, you're a real trooper (you too Dad, but hey, she did do most of the work!)! And Jennifer looks amazingly good in those first pictures after all she had been through!

[BritDisFan]

He is a really beautiful baby, I feel quite choked reading about your experience. It sounds like you are going to be a wonderful little family you, Dave, Allie and Alexander. Congratulations .

Karen

[luvnwdwgal]

Beautiful pictures! I guess Alexander had to be a big boy to pull off his big name!

[HiddenMickey]

I've got tears in my eyes after all this. Your story is so beautiful and tender and loving. Oh, how I wish I were there to see you all and deliver hugs and well wishes!!
I'm just SO happy for you all! Love- Suzi

[vsonnier]

I've just now had time to sit down and catch up on all of this. I am so glad to hear that you made it through such a tough labor and Alexander came out perfectly healthy! He is a beautiful baby!

[Chrissi]

Well, it's no wonder you needed that Caesarian birth - what a big first baby! Alexander is huge! And gorgeous! Congratulations again, guys. He's just beautiful.

[poohmaine]

Congratulations! What a wonderful photo of you and the baby!



I also had a c-section after two days of labor . . . I remember it was a long time before I felt really rested again! The most important thing is that you and Alexander are healthy. Take advantage of the nurses and catch some rest while you can.

[DrDolphin]

As someone who has run 4 full marathons - you have me beat - hands down!!! Wow - what a big boy!!!

[SarahJ]

When DD was delivered by C-section everyone in the room started guessing her weight and I was shocked when the anesthesiologist got it right at 9 lbs 6 oz! No wonder I needed the c-section to deliver her.

Alexander is a beautiful baby and the pictures are precious. Kudos to Allie for hanging around the waiting room all that time. It must have been tough.