Our family welcomed our latest miracle into the family on Friday, Sept. 5th at 1:29pm. He was 8 pounds, 10 ounces and was 21 inches long.
I arrived at the hospital at 4:30am and after all the paperwork and other essentials were out of the way, they began the induction process at 5:55am by starting me on some pitocin. At 9:55 I had progressed 4 cm and they broke my water. At 1:25pm, they checked and I was 10 cm... the nurse wanted me to push before the doctor got there but I declined. The nurse said the baby was still "high" but I repeated that I didn't feel comfortable pushing without the doctor.
I'm glad I waited because my doctor came in, and I gave a little push, and the baby was born at 1:29pm. Truly, I love birthing babies. ha.
I remember thinking the new baby looked really slimy and that he looked like all the others. "He Looks like a dugger," I said.
Jason and I really struggled to agree on a name for this baby. During the labor, we had a running list of about 8 names and we slowly began to cross them off. For several months, I prayed for this baby using the name "Hezekiah" and I would often refer to him as that in my mind. I really wanted to name him that, but Jason was never "at peace" with it but had nothing else to offer.
Finally, by 10pm on the day of his birth, we had it narrowed down to Hezekiah James or Dakota Lincoln. I was up all night with the baby... unsure what his name was, but I couldn't help but think he looks "more like a Dakota" -- I knew I would have to go through a grief process with the name Hezekiah simply because I had referred to the baby for so long under that name, but I prayed and ultimately, I wanted the name that the Lord picked out for the baby.
Dakota means "friend to all" and so I pray that our Dakota will grow up and be a friend to all so that he will be able to share Jesus with many. Giving him the name also gives him my initials, and I have my dad's initials and he has his dad's initials... so I would be able to carry on the DLD tradition. I have always loved the name Dakota since I used to babysit an incredibly cute boy by that name - he was the ring bearer in our wedding. Before we were married I always said I wanted to name my child Dakota, but over the years, I kind of moved away from that... so it was funny when Jason suggested Dakota. Lastly, and kind of silly, but Havana often asks me why her name is the only one of the Dugger children whose name is not found in the Bible. She has seen Selah, Asa, and Jonah... why not Havana? In that moment, I read to her the Great Commission and share with her that her name is "kind of" in the Bible... but it is a stretch. So, this gives us two children who have non-Biblical names rather than simply one in 5.
Lincoln comes from Abraham Lincoln... such a wonderful, God-fearing president who happens to be Jason's favorite president and a relative of mine.
Dakota is doing wonderfully... and the older children are too! I am very impressed with how well Asa has adjusted to being a big brother because I was pretty sure he was going to struggle. And Selah, well she has loved the baby since it has been in my belly. In fact, she refers to it as "my baby" and wants it to sleep with her. When she came to visit us in the hospital, she secretly packed a green ball that she thought the baby would want. I think her exact words were, "I think Baby Dakota likes balls" I was so impressed by her little heart. Havana has wanted to hold the baby often and Jonah... well, he is typical Jonah, who talks a lot about the baby, but keeps his distance as well.
I still can't get over being a mama! The Lord has truly blessed me beyond measure.
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