Meet Pipsqueak

When we discovered a full nine months ago that we were unexpectedly expecting baby #4, we should have been known the surprises wouldn’t stop there!

This baby has amazed us at every turn, so different from big brother and sisters all along the way.

And now I am so delighted to move away from the incessant waiting for baby whining and introduce you to the newest tiny member of our Roy clan.

HE (surprise #1) joined us early this morning after a somewhat precipitous labor (full story another time).  Convinced his normal sized head on ultrasound meant another girl, we were all a little taken aback by his undeniable boyness!

And despite my sudden and unstoppable late pregnancy weight gain (5 lbs the last two weeks, putting me at my highest weight ever in life!) he did not feel as big as Doodle had and my hopes were set on another Sugarplum-esque peanut.

But, (Surprise #2) measuring in at Doodle’s same 22 inches long, this not-so-little guy tops the scales at 9 pounds, 7 ounces!  Over half a pound heavier than Doodle and TWO full pounds bigger than Honeybun was.

Yet, he looks nothing like any of them (surprise #3).  Whereas Doodle was an instant clone of Honeybun, this guy has us baffled on who takes after with his chubby little cheeks and tiny little features.  Only time will reveal who he will (or won’t) grow to resemble.

He also didn’t make it on Thursday, missing the cut off by only a few hours and making him the only non-Thursday Roy. But this is only a partial surpise (#4) as we knew he would be the only one of our four born in a different city, so why not a different day, too?

But what hasn’t surpised us is his gentle personality.  He came out screaming but immediately took to the breast and nursed happily until typical brand-new sleepiness set in 90 minutes later.  He didn’t squawk about getting poked, prodded and checked over and then as the post-birth buzz settled and the room cleared out, he nuzzled down with me for a well-earned nap.

And while he has a boisterous cry, he has mostly filled our home with contented squeaks and grunts (much the same as Sugarplum did) and has already brought proud tears to daddy’s eyes, captured his big sister’s hearts and delighted his big brother.  He’s also already filled my mommy soul to the brim with a huge smile at the stroke of my hand on his tiny little fist.

I’ve always believed this little one would be our golden child, the one to balance out and bring serenity to our family of drama queens and screamers and while it’s a big badge to carry, he’s already proving he is up for the task!