Special Delivery!

Tony was born in:  Rochester Methodist Hospital

If I were to do it all over again, my approach would be:Honestly, I'd do everything the same way. All of the fear and anxiety I had over the Cesarean Section was really uncalled for - it was a great team that put me at east in the OR, and our little man was born healthy and happy. He stole my heart the minute they put him in my arms.

Who delivered you?The surgical team including several nurses... doctors... and an anesthesia team.

Who cut the umbilical cord?
Daddy cut it. I wasn't really expecting him to cut the cord, but I think they caught him off guard and he went ahead and cut it. Yay daddy!

Who was present during the birth:The only person they would allow to be in the OR with the surgical team was daddy.

Nurses and helpers I don't want to forget:Amy (there were two of them), Tracy, Jen, Kymnberly - all nurses who cared for me during the hospital stay... and also cared about my anxiety over not being able to feed you. Specifically Amy, Jen and Kymnberly saw to it that we had an alternative feeding plan so you'd get something to eat since you weren't able to nurse right away.

How my husband coped in the delivery room:Rob sat at my side until baby Tony was born - then he took pictures and helped with cutting the umbilical cord. I was surprised he was such a trooper.

Who came to visit us?Katie, Tony and Elliott Sikkink, Julia Briese, Uncle Jeff, Grandma and Grandpa Lichner, Uncle John, Via and Corky.

Other good stories and interesting details about the baby's entry into the world:The first thing that I heard was laughter from the surgical team. It seems that the minute the little guy was out of the womb, he started to pee... giving the team delivering him a shower. I cried tears of joy the minute I heard him crying.

When they finally brought the baby around the curtain, he opened his little eyes and I fell in love. He was so cute in his little swaddle and hat... and his big eyes were wide open and ready to take in the world around him.

How I felt when I first saw him:I was absolutely overcome with happiness. He was so perfect, so sweet and so cuddly. I just couldn't stop tears of joy from spilling over my cheeks as they finally put him in my arms.

How it felt to hold him for the first time:I can't even begin to describe the feeling. They put the baby into my arms, he blinked his little eyes and yawned, and I fell in love in an instant.

He is absolutely the most beautiful and perfect little angel I have ever seen. He's so content... it's a true blessing to finally have him home and be able to hold him and give him all the love he deserves.