Milestones: First days

Please join us in welcoming Miles Franz Joseph into our lives. Today (July 10) is the due date, but we’re delighted that he came a few days early.

Miles clearly has some propensity toward number sequencing already, deciding to arrive on 7/8/09 at 10 minutes to 11 p.m. While this doesn’t necessarily hold any real significance in itself, the numerological idea that the number 11 is symbolic of rejuvenation and renewal is meaningful to both Lissa and me.

Early labor started on Monday evening, subsiding enough during the night to allow both Lissa and me some sleep. Contractions began again Tuesday morning, intensifying all day and subsiding enough in the evening to fool us into thinking we’d get some sleep. We arrived at the midwifery at 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, where Lissa labored for nine hours like a champ. The midwives, Marijke, and I were all extremely impressed by Lissa’s endurance without any meds, and all of us were surprised and disappointed that, by 1 p.m., little had progressed. In an effort to get some rest, we decided to be admitted to the hospital, where Lissa labored in relative peace (thanks to the nice epidural lady).

Lissa and me dancing through labor pains

Marijke taking a well-earned nap

I’m so proud of Lissa for enduring through the whole labor, and then for pushing for three hours. It was clearly hard work, but we got the reward of a new son. The most proud moment I’ve had throughout fatherhood thus far (<50 hours) is announcing to Lissa that he was, in fact, a boy, and in introducing Miles to his Mum. Lissa’s first thought upon seeing him was, “Wow, he’s huge!” And yes, he seemed so. While holding him, looking at him for the first time, we thought it appropriate that he listen to “So What,” the first track on Kind of Blue. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any Haydn to plain in addition. But we’ll remedy that soon. He’s taken to both of us quite well, responding positively to our voices and our touch.

When we first started to seriously discuss having children, it was important that the names have familial significance. While we finally decided on a spelling for the girl’s name between pushes on Wednesday night, the boy’s name came quite quickly. With a name that means “peaceful soldier,” he’s named first after Miles Standish, the military adviser for the Mayflower Puritans and the first of Lissa’s ancestors to leave his home for a new continent. His middle names, Franz Joseph, come from his great-great grandfather, the first of the Grunert line born in North America. Franz Joseph Grunert’s father, who left Poland in search of something better, was named Michael, of which Miles is a related form. In naming him Miles Franz Joseph, we’re encouraging him to live like his namesakes. Miles Standish and Michael Grunert embody the boldness to seek out a better life for one’s self and, more importantly, for one’s family. Franz Joseph Grunert signified the hope of his parents that success was possible in newness, and he showed that his parents’ faith and boldness were not in vain. We’d like our son to embody these notions to the fullest, and we’ll do what we can to help him along that path.