Samuel Gregory Smucker

We have a new baby boy!!! Samuel Gregory Smucker was born on Sunday, January 17 at 2:20pm. He weighed 9lbs 11oz, and was 22in long. (Over a pound bigger than any of the other kids!) His eyes were a bluish-green at birth, but they're already starting to have a bit of brown show up in them. So who knows what color they'll land on?? (Our other kids' eye colors are green, blue, and brown!)

See below for more details about his birth, but here are some pictures of his first few days of life:

If you're not interested in details, don't read any farther! :)

The name Samuel means "God heard", and Gregory means "watchman". There are two reasons why the meaning of his first name is fitting. The first is that towards the end of my 10-hour labor, I started to get kind of scared. I had been forced to lay on my right side for a long time, because any other position caused Samuel's heart rate to drop dangerously low. But laying on my right side, I wasn't able to have effective contractions. (They still hurt like everything, but weren't working to open my cervix... I was stuck at 7-8cm.) Brad and I both cried out to God to come and help us. God heard! And he answered! My doctor, who wasn't on call, called up to the hospital to say he was going to come deliver my baby. He got there a few minutes later, and after breaking my water still didn't speed things up, he decided it was time for that baby to come on out. So he forced my cervix open the rest of the way (which hurt so much more than anything I've ever felt before!). Along with Brad and the nurse, my doctor guided me in getting Samuel out into this big bright world... which brings us to the second reason why his name is fitting. Before he was even all the way out of me, he was screaming! And of course, God heard that, too! (We all did!)

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Thankfully, all has been well since his birth. He's a typical newborn, who doesn't know that you're supposed to sleep at night and be awake during the day. And something is really disturbing his digestive system right now, so he's been crying alot for the past hour.

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But he is so precious! And we all adore him beyond words! Evelyn is an ever-present helper, wanting to do everything she can to take care of him, hold him, and bring him things he might need. John is full of love and kisses for him, and is faithful about telling me that Samuel is "so thirsty, he needs Mommy Milk." Truman smiles so big, and says "Baby! Baby!" He's also picked up on Samuel's name, and his version of it is "Muel".

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I'm so thankful that Mom is still here with us. She is a huge help, and we couldn't make it without her! Things are calm and run smoothly when she's here. I remember as a young girl, my Dad telling me that if I could someday be half the woman my Mom is, I would do well in life. She is a remarkable woman!

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Above all, we are so grateful to our dear Lord for His faithfulness. During my labor, He reminded me over and over, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save." He was and is with me. He was and is mighty to save. He was and is worthy of all praise and honor and glory... forever and ever!