Tobias Orion
Born: 4/8/06 at 4:05pm
9lbs 0oz – 23 inches
Written by Rosie: Mother
Hi All,
I wanted to send 2 stories that my parents wrote about the birth of our son Tobias Orion on 4/8/06. They sum up the entire experience. We had a beautiful and rewarding natural birth and are adjusting to life with a newborn…eat, burp, sleep, change, stare, smile, sneeze, poop, pee, repeat… We have fallen deeply in love with our little man. Birth is a mindblowing experience and to see that we created a perfect little person will continue to stun us forever!
Much love from the new mommy, daddy, and baby,Rosie, Ben and Toby
Written by Robert and Viginia: Grandpa and Grandma
Dear Family and Friends,
The big news. Rose delivered a big healthy boy, Tobias Orion, at 4:05 PM on April 8, 2006. He’s 9 lbs which was a little rough for Rose in that she tore 3rd degree and had to go to the hospital (close by) for some deep stitches. 9 lbs on the first baby with the hand next to the head, a military presentation (front rather than back skull) and hand next to the head. Wow. She was beautifully patched up and is healing well. Other than that glitch, Rose did beautifully throughout. It was as close to a farm birth as is available out here in the real world. Tobias came out with healthy lungs, all his fingers and toes, peeing a strong stream first thing. Robert and I, Audrey, Buzz, Ben’s best man at his wedding, were there besides Rose and Ben. Buzz was the chief photographer and took more than 200 shots…amazingly cool and ran errands, keeping everyone fed and watered. He is a resident doctor as is Ben. Grandpa took shifts when Ben needed a break, holding Rose and rubbing her out which was so sweet. When do you ever get to have grandpa at a birthing. And grandma. Oh, was it the most awesome thing to look into my daughter’s eyes during a strong rush and talk her through it. Heart to heart, soul to soul. Deep intergenerational magic. The most fantastic, awesome thing that we created for our tribe. It felt like it has come full circle and it’s working like a charm, unto the next generation. We did it at home until 4-5 cms and then took her to the birthing center. That’s not the easiest thing in the world to do…I can’t imagine traveling during labor and she wasn’t thrilled with the bumps or turns in the road, but we got her there to a beautifully decorated homey room. She spent some time in a deep warm bath that brought on good rushes. Ben was totally there with her all the way through…such a wonderfully attentive, intuitive daddy. He loves changing the diapers especially the meconium ones…6 so far. He wears a t-shirt that says, “Dad’s who change diapers, RULE. The baby is amazing ….almost is sleeping through the nights with one or two feedings. The milk is pouring in and all systems go. He had his first physical today and all’s perfecto. It’s so fun to be grandparents and help them through the transition, answer any of their questions and fears and concerns and tell them how well they are doing. Ben was able to get three days off during a busy residency. Rob, Audrey and I sang to Toby and held him for 5 hours while mom and dad went to the hospital five minutes away for some stitches. What an amazing bonding we all had. (See Rob’s Story) We arrived home from the birthing center around midnight after all was mended and their good friends/neighbors had strewn the lawn with “It’s a boy” signs, balloons and a sign with his name, weight, date, time etc. So sweet. They became god- parents the next day when they brought a big clay pot of her special bean soup. Tobias looks alot like Ben’s father with Robert’s broad chest, shoulders, upper arms and thighs. What a little bruiser. Reminded me of Olivia at 9 lbs with her big shoulders. Ben’s mom was 9 lbs and so was I(first childs). The labor was 18 hours of which 9 were at the birthing center (the serious part). More stories to follow from grandparents….we can’t resist. Looks like a slew of boys coming on in this new generation. What fun. Love to all of you and thanks for all your good thoughts through this time. Virginia and Robert
Written by Robert and Viginia Gleser: Grandpa and Grandma
He was born nine pounds 0 oz.broad of shoulder with thick arms and thighs. Princess Sunshine, his mother, beautiful of nature, athletic and strong, willingly labored through her first born. But when the inevitable collision occurred of large baby and new mother, there was the not unexpected rupturing of skin. With a mighty heave Sunshine pushed out the, by now, blue heir. (Was he Krishna, the blue Indian God?) There was joyous exclamations of, “It’s a boy!” while he was put bloody and blue on top of his mother’s body. While everyone talked at once, he proceeded to piss a forceful fountain all over his mother, the Princess Sunshine, who was ecstatic with joy. Soon the baby began sucking like the old pro he is. All was well, everything handsome and in fine working order, except for the news that his highness, making the passage, caused some damage and Princess Sunshine needed to be whisked off to be repaired. An hour after she had delivered her son, the princess and prince were gone, leaving the lovely Miss Virginia, the old captain and Sunshine’s good sister, Audrey. These three began the watch over the new prince. Good sister Audrey began the vigil trying to calm him down. Intuitively, although one hour old, he knew that his mother and father had gone. When the baby started to really cry, it came out the classic syllable Whaaa, Whaaa, Whaaa 3 times and then he would be looking around for his mother’s breast. He latched onto Audrey’s shoulder which provided temporary amusement, but when he started crying again, the old captain tried his hand at it. He provided a distraction for a couple of minutes but, Alas, he proved better at trimming jib sheets and keeping diesel engines going than calming the prince and soon handed off to the soothing grandma, the lovely Miss Virginia. She calmed him down by casting her famous motherly spell and began to sing ancient Korean folk songs. She said how every child in Korea knows these songs whether from the North or South. The transformation was astounding. “He likes music,” giggles Virginia as the prince gurgles. Later Audrey sings a Bob Marley song about we may not have much food, but we have music. And thus the prince began his first fast. Being born on Buddha’s birthday does have its drawbacks. The time went slowly by and soon the baby was protesting. ‘ We must feed this child” said the old captain, as he nervously paced around the room. “That is so old school” he is told. “But here we are,” he replies, in this foreign country without his mother for sustenance. Who knows when she’ll ever return. Where’s the wet nurses when you need them?” Audrey educates him, how that is not done these days. And the vigil continued. Time which had been flying by while the princess was in labor suddenly stood still. Lucky for us the lovely Miss Virginia continued to cast her spell, sitting in the rocking chair by the fire with the old captain bringing an extra blanket for comfort. And the heir slept and slept until the trumpets announced the return of the prince escorting the princess back to her baby. And everyone is healthy happy and sleepy and Grandma sleeps and baby sleeps and peace reigns in the kingdom. R.
