Wednesday, April 15, 2015

"Introducing" Silas Eugene...

Ok...Sooooooooooo very cliche, but TRUE, my fourth child is finally getting a shout out 5 months later.  Wow.  By this time I think Eli had a blog post a day documenting his every breath : )  Anywho, didn't want you to go to counseling later over that fact that I never documented your birth story like I did the others : )



About 3 week before your arrival, I just couldn't wait to find out who was growing inside of me!  So I peaked into the most exciting present I've ever opened...an envelope telling me that I was having a BOY!
From that point on I was able to envision our caboose and all of the fun that you would bring our family.   Daddy planned a fun surprise to show you brothers and sister who you were.  He took the labels off of bottles of silly string and on the count of three they sprayed the cans and when they saw blue they (including your Daddy) were able to see that another boy was on the way.  Now the hard part.  What to name you?  We had so many fun names to choose from that we just couldn't decide.




Your older brother Sam came so quickly that as we approached your due date, I became pretty anxious about getting to the hospital in time.   I had a condition where it was important to get medicine three hours before you arrived so I wanted to time it just right!!  So I went in 1 time prematurely thinking you were ready to arrive.  When my due date was only days away we and the doctors decided your time had come because we wanted to make sure you came safely with plenty of time for the medicine you needed.  You were my only baby that did not come on your own time...we had to speed it up for you.  We shall see if this plays out in other areas of your life : )
So the morning before your due date (October 29th), with Nana in town for a sleepover, we set our alarms and set out for the hospital.  It was amazing to not leave in a rush!!  After that everything was pretty uneventful (except for your entrance into the world of course).   They started giving me my medicine at 7 am and then at 10 am they started my second dose.  They asked me what I wanted my pain level to be on a scale from 0-10.  I said "0" of course (what a silly question).   So before they started contractions they gave me a special medicine called an epidural so that I didn't feel any pain (praise God!) .  Then at 11 am they broke my water and you started your entrance  into the world.  About 12 I started feeling some pain (Mommy's back is silly and curves a bit so it's hard for them to get it right) but after they fixed it I was no longer in pain (I truly wanted a "0").  While you were making your way out, we decided to get serious about names and we just really couldn't find the right one.  So we did something we hadn't done yet, we waited until we saw you to decide... and 3 hours later (3:15 pm) you were here!!


My easiest labor yet...thank you!   Much to our surprise you weighed 9 lb 11oz and were 20 1/2 inches.   Not only were you the EXACT same weight as your brother, Sam, but you looked just like him (possibly your size because you don't look like him now) that I started to say "SSSSSS(am)" and had to stop myself.

(Sam) 

(Silas) 

So it was then and there that we decided on Silas, so we had the safety of the "S" and we thought how great Sam and Silas go together in hopes that you would be 2 peas in a pod, thick as thieves : )  Speaking of, we named you after Silas from the Bible.  It has 2 meanings...three (or third) which you are our third boy! It also means "of the woods" and we hope you are mighty and strong just like the glorious forests that God created.  Silas was such an amazing person in the Bible.  In Acts 16 we learn that Paul and Silas were in jail for their faith in Jesus.  Despite their surroundings they prayed and sang hymns of joy.  Because of this joy in the midst of suffering the jailer put his faith in Jesus!  We hope that your faith in Jesus is just as real and contagious to those you come in contact with.  That isn't they only part of your name that is really important to us, but we chose Eugene as your middle name after your Great Grandpa, Eugene.  Eugene has been such a great leader for his family with a heart to give and a heart for Jesus.  We are so glad you were able to meet him so soon after your birth!

  

Immediately you were the caboose of the family, the final piece to the puzzle that makes us complete. (as far as we know ; )  )  We love you so much and can't wait to see God do great things through you!!