Introducing Cal Junior

Cal arrived on August 3 at 4:19 in the afternoon weighing 8 pounds 6 ounces. He came into the world screaming and fast. Dr. Craig induced me on that Friday after my blood pressure started to get high.  We had to wait until about noon to go in (the longest morning of my life!) but things went quickly and smoothly. We sat and watched the Olympics and discussed names. It was a very easy labor and delivery.

His little face was really bruised and he didn’t really open his eyes in the hospital. Finally after three weeks he is starting to be more alert but his eyes are still bloodshot. The hospital stay was boring but I was glad to have the Olympics to watch and some peace and quiet.

Max is so excited to have a little brother. Klein is very helpful. Preslee is just not really sure but she tries to help too. It has definitely been an adjustment. Four kids is our limit. It has been hard to go back to school but it will be nice to be on a schedule. I just wish I could get more than four hours of sleep a night.

We had a really hard time picking a name. Nothing seemed right and we just couldn’t find a name that we loved. We had a whole bunch that we liked: Bo, Cash, Ty, Alex but we just couldn’t settle on one. We really liked Cal but thought that we should have a longer name like Calvin, however, a Calvin and Klein in the same family just seemed too weird. The night before we left the hospital we were down to two names: Cal and Nash. I told Jason we could use Cal but it would just be Cal, nothing longer. We decided on Junior because Jason’s grandpa’s middle name was “junior” even though he was not a junior to anyone. We had everything packed and ready to leave and I told Jason to pick a name so we could fill out the birth certificate information and that is what we went with.  I think it is a great name. It is kind of for Cal Ripkin- Jason went to Baltimore on his mission and loves baseball so it works.

I feel so blessed to be a mother. I love holding a little newborn and knowing that he came directly from our Heavenly Father into our home. I just watch him and wonder what he can see and what he is thinking about. I love the little noises he makes and I love when he snuggles on my shoulder. No matter how much work it is to have kids, it is such a blessing to be able to bring these little spirits into the world. He has an easy going nature and likes to be where the action is. He has already been to three baseball games and can stand being prodded by his sisters.

I went back to work pretty much full time last Monday. I am going to try to take some days off but I am so lucky to have Melanie watch my kids. They are probably in better hands with her anyway.

I had some newborn pictures taken of him when he was just 6 days old. They can be seen on this blog http://jadachadwickphotography.blogspot.com/ and I will post them when I get the disk.

I guess the adventure of raising four kids has just begun!