Jan 31st The Arrival

Jan 31st has now become a very significant day in my life. No not because it means I have been married to the same fantastic woman for 34 years and 5 days, although now that I think about it, dang I am one lucky SOB. No; the thing that makes that Friday so special is that I became a Grandpa, a Papou. At 2:36 Elliana Mackenzie Slaughter joined our family and in only 2 short weeks has already brought a lifetime of joy and excitement into our lives.  I couldn’t be happier. I think the best part is that now I am a grandparent I am automatically wise and all knowing. I am looking forward to the years ahead as she grows and I get the opportunity to make her parents lives a living hell by spoiling this first grandchild so much, she will expect a 40″ TV in her room as well.

The day of Elli’s birth was traumatic, thank god for medical science. Cathy had labor induced that morning and I arrived at the hospital about 3.5 hours later. I could tell that she was hurting, but I chalked it up to normal childbirth pains. Little did I know that the nurse and doctor were beginning to get very worried. As they were monitoring Cathy they noticed that her blood pressure was dropping extremely low and they were afraid that they might have to resuscitate her. Fortunately they were playing it pretty cool so I didn’t know. Which is a nice way of saying that I didn’t freak out. All I know is that as it went on she was in almost constant pain, and even thickheaded me was beginning to worry.  Fortunately the doctor came in and talked with Cathy and they agreed that the best course of action was a C-Section, which Cathy agreed to immediately. The funny part was when the anesthesiologist came in to describe what they would do he wrapped up by asking us if we had any questions. We all said no and then all of the sudden from the bed you hear this weak voice go “HOW LONG?”.  Turns out minutes later they wheeled her off to surgery and 40 minutes later Elli arrived.

When I first met Elli she had just gotten to the room and the nurses were doing all the normal things they do to aggravate newborns, and when they were done, they pronounced Elli to be perfect, which we all knew.  And to be honest that first sight of her brought tears of joy to my eyes and I knew right then that she already had me wrapped around her tiny finger and I  would be that way for the rest of my life.  Holding her that first time was incredible, she was so tiny I was afraid that if I so much as moved I would hurt her she seemed so fragile. So while I worried about hurting her she just slept on and acted like she hadn’t a care in the world. I must confess Elli and I took a selfie, which I then proceeded to share with everyone in the family with just one word in the message – FIRST-.

I owe Elli a big thank you as well, until she was born I was unsure about becoming a grandparent, but I can now say with complete conviction that I am ready and I look forward to many adventures with Elli, her future brothers or sisters and her cousins (Eileen/Adam I am looking at you). Now I think the only way to end is with an assortment of photos of the new Slaughter princess.