We are proud (and tardy) to announce the birth of our son, John Mark Stefanic. (John Mark is his first name; he doesn't have a middle name)
He was born on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 7:44 am. He was seven pounds and five ounces and twenty and a half inches long.
Details: my water broke at 2:15 in the morning that Sunday. By an hour later, my contractions were already three minutes apart! So we hopped in the car, and JJ sped the 50 miles to Sioux Falls. What a trip it was! JJ says I was a pain the whole ride--boy was I! I do not recommend long car rides during labor! By the time we got to the hospital, I felt like a watermelon was trying to come out my butt (excuse my graphic descriptions). When we got to the L & D unit and I was examined, I was already at 7 cm! My nurses were great, and JJ's support was huge. I had about two hours of contractions before I was fully dilated, and I started pushing at around six in the morning. Pushing a baby out is like the worst case of hemorrhoids you can possibly imagine...and then some. I now have a different view of Johnny Cash's song "Ring of Fire." Labor hurts!
But, oh! the relief when the baby finally comes out! The last few pushes were so intense, and everyone was cheering me on saying how close I was and to keep going! keep going! And then all of the sudden, you see this little one sliding out. I could see his head when he was born, full of hair and a red, wrinkly face. I was so out of breath and anxious. It seemed so surreal, so unbelievable. All the pain just disappears, and there's this unbelievably precious, real, totally perfect little boy! I got to hold him right away, and our nurse took pictures. It was such an amazing moment. JJ was huddled close to us, tears in our eyes as we spoke our son's name and comforted him as he cried. Thanks be to God!We are so thankful that everything went so smoothly. We had no complications with the gestational diabetes. Both John Mark and I were cleared before discharge. We had a wonderful hospital stay with great nurses and care. We loved the staff, and everyone was super helpful. It couldn't have been a better experience--unless of course you could skip the whole labor part.
We went home on Tuesday and had a few days to ourselves before family descended and ascended (from Wisconsin and Florida respectively) the following weekend for John Mark's baptism. We were very thankful that so much of our family was able to come: both sets of grandparents, a great-grandparent, uncles, and god-parents. It was very special, and we were so thankful they all got to see John Mark's baptism. What an amazing moment it was to bring our son to God, to watch him receive God's favor and grace. What an amazing picture of our helplessness and God's graciousness. We brought a sleeping child to the fount; he didn't speak a word or do a thing. Yet Christ deigned to unite with him and give him new life. Oh what joy! Daily we pray that God will preserve this little child in his baptismal faith.and may He preserve us all, as we know and trust He will, according to His good promises in Christ Jesus our lord.
