LABOR DAY!!                                  8/21/98

Here are photos of us waiting for the baby's long awaited arrival. Ricky was 1 week late when I finally went into labor.  We studied the Bradley method of natural childbirth.  These were taken at 6:30 pm. We got to the hospital at 6pm. The contractions were 3 minutes apart. I was at 5 cm.  The labor and delivery room was the best one at the hospital.  (in a few hours I wouldn't even notice or care where I was!!).  My mom was giving some words of wisdom in the first photo. I was holding on to Rick in the second ( a contraction was about to start)

These are the first photos taken of Richard Michael Henderson II.  Taken at 5 am 8/22/98.  He was born at 11:37 pm, weighing 8lbs 1oz, 20 inches.  Luckily I was able to complete labor without any drugs!!  The baby was in distress and it did get very scary at times.  We got to hold him after delivery but then he was wisked off since his color was so pale (cord had been around his neck)  His apgars were 8,9 which were great considering how pale he was.  The nurses were concerned about his breathing so they kept him a long time. We weren't able to take pictures until 4 am. Those 5 hours waiting to see him again were AWFUL!!  but it was well worth it. In the second photo, Ricky had just completed his first of MANY sessions nursing.

Barbara holding her new precious baby boy. He was very alert. He was 12 hours old in this photo.  Mom's cheeks were still red from the oxygen received during labor. (amazing no makeup on !!)

Rick holding his new son. Ricky jr. was not to pleased when he learned that his daddy wasn't equipped with MILK like mommy was.

First photo with the Fernandez grandparents- Humberto and Mercedes (papi and nana). This photo was taken on 8/23 the day of discharge from the hospital.