NOLAN OLIVER is Born!!

Last Friday morning, December 5, 2008, Shelley went to Beaumont in Grosse Pointe to be induced. She was now four or five days late because she was due to have the baby on Dec. 1. I was at their house at 6:00 in the morning to stay with Matthew. I was so excited!  - both to spend time with Matthew and for the new baby to be born. 

Matthew got up that morning early and we played together the whole morning. We learned to play a game on the computer with two cars that race. He loved it and wanted to "practice" by himself for a long time before we actually "raced." He would have played that game all day if I had let him!

We also went downstairs where Matthew has quite an extensive wooden train layout. Some of it is on a train table, and some of it is on the floor. He loves to lay out track by himself and is very creative. One thing that he always loves to do is play "air show" with me. He actually has an older cousin who was part of the Thunderbirds for many years. He got to see a couple of air shows then and still remembers them. 

So we lined up his many airplanes and put wooden people in the audience and carried on an airshow for almost an hour! He loves to pretend and really gets into flying all of the planes and helicopters. I had a great time with him this weekend while the baby was being born.

Later Friday afternoon Shelley called with the news that the baby had been born and that it was a boy! I didn't tell Matthew anything. He was taking a nap for almost three hours that day and Shelley and Bob wanted to surprise him when we took him to the hospital. So we told him that we had a surprise for him and when Terry got done with work, we headed for the hospital.

On the way there, Matthew asked where we were going. We told him it was a surprise, but he asked if we were going to the hospital. Terry and I just looked at each other and laughed. He is so smart! Then he asked if Mommy had the baby. We said to just wait and see. He got to walk into Shelley's room first and see his new brother, Nolan Oliver. Nolan weighed 6 lbs. and 12 oz. and was 21 " long. He has lots of dark hair, long fingers and feet and a very clear complexion. I think he looks a lot like Matthew, but different, too.

This is me holding Nolan. It is not the best picture of me - but I had been playing with Matthew all day and I guess I have an excuse! Shelley actually looks better and she was the one who had just gone through labor and delivery! Isn't the baby sweet? We are so thankful that Shelley had a relatively quick delivery and that the baby is healthy and so perfect.

Here is the four of them. Don't they look happy?

Shelley and Bob got to bring Nolan home on Sunday morning. They picked up Matthew at Cornerstone because he was still with us until then. We can't wait to actually spend some time with the new little one! More pictures will be coming this week.