Baby Rhy

This morning at 3:40am, the phone rang. It was my sister, fighting off a contraction, tell me the time had come a little sooner than we all thought it would. We had decided that if she went into labor in the middle of the night, I would be the one to go and be with the boys so that Brian could be with Brenna during labor and birth. If she went into labor during the day, my mom would go. The only problem was I was scheduled to preach in just six short hours, and couldn't exactly call up my co-pastor at 3:40am and ask her to preach for me. So we decided that Seth should be the one to go and, hey, why not throw Myles in for good measure? By 4am, Seth and Myles were out the door on their way to the hospital in Bristol. (By the way, it was suggested to me at church that I should have just asked Seth to preach in my absence...he he).

As I called every ten minutes to check in with Brian (then called my mom, then Seth, then Brian again), I got more of the story. I think Brenna woke up in labor at 2am. At 3am, she woke up Brian. At 3:30 she called my mom, and at 3:40 she called us. The concern was that she was 35 weeks pregnant, and really wanted baby Rhy to stay put for two more weeks. (Finn was born at 36 weeks at 5lbs 13oz). So she didn't know if she'd go to the hospital and they would try to stop her labor or if they would just let the baby come. By the time she arrived at the hospital, it was clear that the baby was coming. She was fully dialated and crowning. Brian waited in the waiting room with the boys as Seth sped full speed ahead to the hospital. Brian mentioned that the dogs got loose when they opened the garage door and so were out on the run. (After an hour long search later in the day, they were found two doors down at the neighbors). I was on the phone with him when he casually said, "The baby's in the nursery. Hold on. Seth's on the other line, I have to let you go." Hmm. The baby's in the nursery, what did that mean. I called Seth a few minutes later, and Seth said that Brian had said the same thing to him, but he thought Brian was joking. I called Brian back. Nope, the baby had arrived, before Seth could even get there, sometime after 5am. He was now in the nursery being cleaned up and weighed. No epidural for Brenna, Rhy came too quick.

So here's the bit that I know. Rhylan Voss Schaffer was born at 5:08am, weighing in at 5lbs 6oz, measuring 19 1/4 inches (a full inch taller than Finn when he was born). His lungs seem to be in good shape. He was born posterior (which means his head was facing down rather than up, which was hard on his little head), so it was painful for Brenna. She's on some pain meds now, and may take a "jacuzzi bath" later. Rhy was also starting to nurse a little bit. Brenna will be in the hospital until Tuesday at least, and they are not sure yet how long Rhy will be there, but it looks like the maximum would be ten days in the NICU. Premies struggle with maintaining body weight, so they are keeping him wrapped up and Brenna's holding him a lot.

As it turns out, Rhy shares a birthday with Lucy, my sister's best-friend's littlest who turns one today. Happy Birthday Rhy and Lucy!

Please keep Brenna, Brian, and Rhylan in your thoughts and prayers this week. We are so joyful that he seems to be doing well and hope he will gain some weight with breastmilk and be released from the hospital when the time is right. What a miracle...

My mom is now at the house with the boys, who are zonked out after getting up so early. Brian is at the hospital with Brenna and Rhy. Seth and Myles are on the way home. What a day!!