Last week, thursday 17th of September, our baby boy was born. It was 17 days before the expected due date of 4th of October but everything went well and both mother and boy are healthy.
We were off to a bit of a bad start though. When the water broke in the early morning 18 days before the expected due date Maki didn't manage to wake me up. I had hard to believe this later when I heard it but then realised that I am one of the few people that during sleep have fallen out from the top of a bunker bed without waking up so I take it it is close to impossible to wake me up some times. So Maki took off to the hospital together with her Mother.
When I got up 09.00 in the morning to go to work I found this note on the kitchen table, important part circled: "I'm in hospital. Kai is coming".
Just as an extra spice, when I slightly panicked reached for the mobile phone to call Maki, of course, the battery had run flat during the night...
At the hospital I found a happy "soon to be mother" and surprisingly enough not at all angry wife of mine. Still labour had not started so we were up for a long wait.
24 hours wait and some hours of non-pain-killed-labour later: A tired mom, a surprised new born baby and a happy father desperately trying to fit in to the photo.
The hospital has a policy not to give pain killing drugs during the labour or delivery work, this is quite normal in Japan ("natural birth" policy). Partly for this reason Maki wanted to give birth in a pool as the warm water is said by many people to reduce the pain. However due to the water broke so early before labour started the hospital wouldn't allow giving birth in a pool this time so it had to be the normal way. I'm very much impressed with Maki for giving birth to our baby without drugs and without as much as a sound.
A few hours old and sleeping like a baby.
Trying out the vocals. No problem found.
I was born on September 17 in the year 21 of Heisei period at 17:06.
We were happy that many friends came to visit Kai in the hospital. Here some of the "animals" friends who came by on Monday.
Getting ready to go home from the hospital in the nice dress hand made by Maki's mother.
On the way home from the hospital. First tour with the compact bugaboo bee stroller that was hand carried from Sweden by Erik (many thanks for that!). There didn't seem to be any complaints from Kai-kun about the comfort as he was sleeping all the way.
Mmm, after 5 days in hospital finally home in my own bed, feels nice. Here I can sleep for a long time.
Maki's mother brought ice cream and presents and arranged a welcome home party for Kai. As you can see in the background, the swedish flag is up for the celebration. The ice cream was really good, thank you Kimiko-san for the party!
And this is how we see him now most of the time - sleeping. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it!
We have now been home for a couple of days and are trying to get use to the new life as a small family. Just some new things to learn and right now all time is used for diaper changing, cooking, eating, sleeping. He is sleeping a lot - is he ok? He is so quiet - is he ok? He is crying - is he ok? It's fantastic!
If you want to see more pictures of Kai-kun, have a look at this web album or click the Picasa link to the right.
Ps. We haven't really decided name yet but always call the boy for Kai so this is the likely name he'll end up with. What does Kai mean?
In Japan: 海 Sea (same kanji character as "umi")
Latin: Earth (from Caius)
China: Victory, triumph, eternal
Burma: Strong, indestructible
Navajo: Willow
Yoruba: Love
In several languages the name Kai can also mean safe harbour or pier. It can also have the meaning the key bearer or great man. Lastly, Kai is s short form of the germanic name Gerrit which means strong spear.
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