As I'm sure many of you have heard by now, Baby Lump is no longer a man of mystery.� First of all, yes, he's a (little) man (or "eo" man, as my dad would say).� Although I definitely plan on posting a more detailed story about his birth once we all get a little more settled in, I figured I'd write up a quick little summary of the highlights of the past two days, mainly using pictures:

First, the cold, hard facts:

Full Name: Emmett James Vaughan

Birth date/time: Friday, January 16, 2009 - 11:47 a.m.

Weight: 7 lbs. 15 oz.

Length: 22 inches (long and lanky)

Length of Labor: 12 hours (7 at home, 5 at the hospital)

Apgar Scores: 8 and (then) 9

Now, some highlights:

• I survived without succumbing to the mercy of meds/epidural!� (Although I will admit there were a couple of times when I almost caved.)


• James was an amazing coach and the main reason I was able to pull off childbirth naturally.


• I popped out the muffin in the best room on the labor/delivery floor (jacuzzi tub, view of the Charles River, LARGE).


• Emmett pooped all over me right after we met, much to my delight (I'm guessing he was determined not to hit that 8 lb. mark).


• Emmett was born on the coldest day of the year (thus far), and experienced his first snowstorm during his third day of life.


• The nurses and doctors who took care of Emmett and me at MGH were fantastic.


• Emmett handled the circumcision like a total champion.


• Overall it was a very smooth and quick delivery/recovery!

And now, the pictures you all probably scrolled down to the bottom first to see:

[caption id="attachment_558" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Emmett's Apgar Test Moments after Birth"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_563" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Mom, Dad & Baby Lump Emmett"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_564" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Grandma Lucy"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_565" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Grandpa Mac"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_566" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Father and Son"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_568" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Old Man Emmett / Emmett the Worm"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_569" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Mom & Her Little Man"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_570" align="aligncenter" width="703" caption="A Perfectly Wrapped Baby Burrito"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_571" align="aligncenter" width="609" caption="Mom, Dad & Baby"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_572" align="aligncenter" width="705" caption="Emmett on the Go"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_573" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Nana"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_574" align="aligncenter" width="677" caption="Aaaaaah ... Home Sweet Home"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_575" align="aligncenter" width="713" caption="Grandio & Nana "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_576" align="aligncenter" width="690" caption="Oliver Investigating the New Hooman"][/caption]

Oven Timer: Off

Maximum Days Until We Meet Baby Lump: -2

So my family does this cute little thing where we call one's birthday his or her "birds date."� Today I received this lovely little poem in my inbox from my father dearest:

[caption id="attachment_548" align="alignright" width="255" caption="awesome cupcake baby"][/caption]

Happy Birthday to my youngest daughter,

Who waits in Boston for the breaking of her water.

Will Lil Lump choose this day to make her a mama?

Or is he/she waiting for the inaugural of Obama?

Regardless, today you're three and twenty.

So I hope you enjoy your day aplenty.

You've officially made it to U-24!

Is it cold up in Boston?� I blame Al Gore.

Thanks, Dad!

I've been overwhelmed will all of the birthday wishes today.� Thank you to everyone who has wished me a happy birds date on facebook, twitter and via text message or phone call (I can't believe how many of you there have been, and the day is only half over!), and thanks in advance to those who will do so later today.� I feel so special because of you!

As for sharing a birthday with Baby Lump, it doesn't look like that's going to be the case at this point.� Even if I went into labor right now ... Wait a minute ... No ... That was just a swift baby kick to the rib ... Anyway, even if I went into labor right now, I doubt my labor would be speedy enough to enable me to pop out a baby by midnight.� And though, yes Lauren, it would've been "totally cosmic" to share a birthday with my baby, I agree with my mother that Baby Lump should have his/her own day to celebrate.� Besides, that will totally mean I get to chow down on two separate birthday cakes within the span of one week for the rest of my life!� Not too shabby ...

Oven Timer: 40 weeks, 2 days (OVERDUE!)

Maximum Days Until We Meet Baby Lump: 8

It's been quite a busy week on the baby front ...

[caption id="attachment_443" align="alignright" width="383" caption="later rearranged to spell "CAN RATS GO APE!""][/caption]

Sunday - My Boston gal pals threw me a lovely baby shower.� It was so awesome to have (most of) my best girlfriends in the same room at the same time, especially since many of them never cross paths.� We had a lot of fun eating yummy food (and rearranging some of it to spell funny things - "CAN RATS GO APE!"), "ooo"ing and "awww"ing at cute monkey outfits and stuffed polar bears (AKA "Buddy Bear"), and chatting about Baby Lump.� Thanks to everyone who came, and a special thanks to Kara who hosted the party and made tons of delicious, homemade food!� Mmm - spinach and artichoke dip ...

Monday - I had my 35th week doctor appointment, where I withstood a pleasant little group B strep screening, found out that according to the ultrasound Baby Lump is in the 40th percentile size-wise and also learned I've been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions unbeknownst to me.� For some reason - I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to this part during our natural childbirth class - I was under the impression that Braxton Hicks contractions were supposed to be discomforting or painful, when in reality, they don't have to be.� Apparently all those times I've called James over to "Feel how incredibly hard/tight my belly is!" I've actually been having Braxton Hicks contractions ... who knew?

Tuesday - James and I took a tour of the labor/delivery and postpartum floors at the hospital.� It was really comforting to familiarize ourselves with the hospital, and it was especially fun imagining how we would be back there again soon to meet Baby Lump! We keep joking that Baby Lump's ETA sounds sort of like a shipping date ("expected time of delivery - two to six weeks").� The coolest part about the tour, however, was when were strolling past the NICU and one of the nurses brought out a one month old, 4 lb. premature baby girl (of a set of triplets) who was getting ready to go home in the next couple of days.� Definitely the smallest being we've ever seen, and completely adorable.� But man - imagine having to spend one whole month without your newborn!� It made me very thankful that Baby Lump should be coming on time.

Oven Timer: 35 weeks, 4 days

[caption id="attachment_322" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Definitely not a "Cake Wrecks" cake."][/caption]

First of all, let's all be thankful my baby shower cake wasn't shaped like a baby butt or a preggo lady and didn't picture a naked woman giving birth.� Okay, moving on ...

[caption id="attachment_326" align="alignright" width="242" caption="Nina won the candy-diaper-poop game."][/caption]

If you ever need to plan an event in the Detroit area, you should employ the event planning expertise of my sister, Adrienne.� Now, I realize I've never been to one of these before, but she, my other sister Lauren and my mother threw me an absolutely awesome baby shower this past weekend in Pennsylvania with my family and some close family friends.

Although I did have to suck it up for the "Make-Pamela-Guess-the-Baby-Food-Flavor" game, everyone had a really fun time.� (Expectant mothers please note - steer clear of "macaroni and cheese" and "lamb" flavored baby foods.� I nearly vomited.)

[caption id="attachment_319" align="alignleft" width="226" caption="Butt Paste endorsement"][/caption]

Other, less torturous games were a hoot.� I must say, it was monumentally entertaining to peer across the room and see my grandmother sniffing and tasting the contents of a baby's diaper during the "Which candy bar is in that diaper?" game.� And my sister, Lauren had guests winning oddly appropriate prizes such as baby corn and baby dills by guessing the correct prices of items like breast milk storage bags and butt paste.

[caption id="attachment_321" align="alignright" width="242" caption="practicing my strolling"][/caption]

I must say, James and I are definitely a lot more prepared for Baby Lump's arrival after being showered with so many baby gifts.� Guests will be delighted to know I will be tossing all the gift receipts and making no returns or exchanges at Babies "R" Us - such tasteful gift-givers they were!

To sum it up, I couldn't have imagined having a better shower, and I'll never subject Baby Lump to meat-flavored baby foods.

For more baby shower pictures, check out the Little Baby Lump Flickr page in the Family set.

Oven Timer: 28 weeks