He's Finally Here!

  What a cutie!  Joseph Duhn Christensen joined our family on October 23, 2010 at 11:05 p.m. via a traumatic c-section.  Traumatic in that all of the necessary medication made me feel so out of control that I was unable to feel my own natural feelings during the birth of our fifth baby.  It was the best and one of the worst experiences of my life.  Lest you only remember the one dark spot in the whole experience, he is such a joy and it feels like he's always been a part of us.
  Let that be a lesson to you all--never believe me when I argue to much against possibilities in the future.  What a tragedy for our family had we not listened to the Spirit and knew that another little one belonged with us.  He is a good sleeper, a good eater, definitely a good pooper, happy, strong (so strong, in fact, that he pulled his legs out of the restraints during his circ and caused himself a little injury.  Don't worry nothing serious and he is healing nicely.), and an all around joy.  He was scheduled to be born on the 26th because he was tangled in the cord and breech.  We he decided that was not soon enough and I went into labor by myself Saturday afternoon.  I wasn't sure it was labor until after dinner and we rushed to the hospital as soon as we got the other kids in bed and a sweet sister of a babysitter arrived, who was called upon at the last minute.  She was replaced a short time later by the pre-arranged sweet sister of a baby sitter.  I never go into labor early and only once have I done it without medical intervention.  When he arrived he was within 2 ounces both ways of his brothers who were late and on time, respectively.  I guess I counted wrong, or something else occurred, because he couldn't have been a week early.  He weighed over a pound more than Ava who was also born 8 days early because she was breech.
  Trent took the week off and it has been so wonderful having him around.  He goes back to work tomorrow.  What am I going to do?  I guess we'll just have to adjust and cope like any other family.  

  Bennett is the most excited about his arrival and is the first to want to hold him, play with him, and ask how he is doing.  He comes home from school and wants to be with him.  What a great big brother. 
  On Friday, we went to the doctor for a quick check up and he has lost a little too much weight.  I don't know how, he ate almost constantly.  We need to get him to gain almost a pound in a week by feeding him for twenty minutes every 2-3 hours.  I surely hope my milk is nutritious and not just water like it was with Ava.  I don't want to have to bottle feed or discover my baby is loosing weight because I am not feeding him properly.  That is a horrible feeling that I never want to feel again.
  Anyway, more stats:
     7 pounds 13 ounces
     19 inches long
     Lots of dark, soft, and short black hair
     Stubby feet
     Long finger nails
     One of the lowest bilirubin scores they've ever seen (what a relief)
  He is healthy and that is such a burden lifted from my soul.  I worried constantly that the medicines I had to take injured him in some way.  Apparently not and we are in for a whirlwind of a ride.  Thank you for all the support and prayers we have received.  We have never felt so blessed.