I’m pleased to announce the most recent (and probably final) addition to the Ivorybill flock: William Colbert Moffat, 7 pounds, 11 ounces (among other things) joined me, Mrs. Ivorybill, and our three older fledgelings at 4:23 this morning. Both William and Mrs. Ivorybill are doing fine.
I, however, am a bit tired, and as I will be tending the rest of the flock with minimal help over the next few days, please feel free to hoist an appropriate adult beverage in my absence.
congratulations! so, everything came out well, then?
Woo Hoo!!!
I am purposefully forgoing my vow to never drink again (in light of my recent hangover) to crack a beer in your family’s honor!!
Congrats!!!
Any excuse to have a cigar. 
Congratulations! Remember, monday’s child is fair of face. So, ya got that goin’ for ya already. 
Always willing to partake in another Doper’s joy over the birth of a future Doper.
Congratulations!
Huzzah and congratulations
Fran
Congratulations and thank you kindly for the Opus X it’s by far the best “it’s a boy” cigar I have ever received.
Congratulazioni!
Little babies are sooo cute with all their flailing around and cooing sounds. Then, of course, they grow up and talk back.
Enjoy it!
Congrats to both of you on the hatchling!!
Huzzah and congratulations! Glad that Mama, Baby, and Daddy are doing fine.
Yer pal,
Zappo
I thought this was going to be one of those song threads where we taked turns putting the lyrics to some tune.
Oh well congrats and good luck.
btw How much will college cost in 18 years?
Conga-rats!!
Glad to hear all are well…It’s not too early to sneak one of Unca Cecil’s books into the crib
We’re expecting our first literally any day now. Please reassure me that all this talk about lack of sleep is a mean urban myth
Congrats, Ivorybill! I’m sending warm, fuzzy thoughts to you, Mom, the three older fledgelings, and (especially) little William. (That’s a smashing name, by the way. :))
Oh, and, beagledave – congrats to you, too! Along with the warm, fuzzy ones, your wife is getting anesthetic thoughts as well for a happy and pain-free delivery.
Thanks, all, for your warm words and good wishes.
Here’s the lowdown: the first contraction hit around 2:00 am. Mrs. Ivorybill woke me at 3:00. By 3:15, our neighbor had arrived to stay with the sleeping littles. At 3:30 we got to the hospital. At 3:45 I went beyond suggesting that they get the OB into the hospital, and practically made the call myself. He arrived in time to scrub-down and suit-up; baby arrived at 4:23. Anesthetic? Bah. Mrs. Ivorybill didn’t even have time to really break a sweat. She’s amazing.
The down-side: our little fellow is missing the bone that links his right thumb to his right wrist. Through a family connection, we’ve found a doctor who specializes in pediatric hand surgery. We’ve overnighted the x-rays to his office, so we’ll know more on Thursday, but for now, it looks like he’ll lose his right thumb. In a few years he’ll have an operation to make his right index finger function like a thumb. The biggest challenge so far: teaching ourselves to recognize that genuine concern can be cloaked in some tragically poorly-phrased (almost to the point of tactlessness) commentary. People mean well. They really do.
However, don’t even ask me to go into what the local quack (who by day appears to be a mild-mannered hand surgeon) had to say. Bottom line: if you’re at all uncomfortable with the amount of information you’re getting (or not getting) and your B.S. meter is pushing red-line, raise a stink if you have to, but get ahold of someone competent. Sheesh! The guy didn’t even look at the friggin’ x-ray!
Further bulletins as conditions warrant.
p.s. beagledave, although I’m sure you don’t need it, best of luck. They’re all special, but the first one, va-voom - - it’s like getting shot out of a cannon. What a rush…
p.p.s. have yet to have my first post-baby beer. Tomorrow’s picnic should remedy that, however. Cheers.
Congratulations Ivorybill, Mrs. Ivorybill, and the entire Ivorybill household.
So, when do we get to see baby pictures? My sister had a baby not too long ago and the hospital posted the pictures on the web within 48 hours. Do you y’all have anything like that?
So I put “missing thumb birth” into Google, and up came this rant. I’d be pleased if someone could tell me what it’s all about. 
http://www.macopinion.com/columns/utopia/aug98/up-26.html
And it’s all kinda downhill from there. I–think–it’s got something to do with “our children are growing up with Windows, how will they ever learn what a Mac is?” but I’m not–real–sure.
Anyway, has Ivorybill Version 1.4 got a name for his condition, so’s we can all look it up on Google?
I would love to see a pic. He is probably cute as a mutton…I mean button, yeah, button.
I can’t have anything alcoholic, but how 'bout I raise a glass of nice refreshing water to you all? It has lemon in it.
Congrats! I too like the name. All three go together so well.
Best wishes to little William, and all the Moffats!
Today the pediatrician referred to it as a “floating thumb.” Obviously, we’ll know more when we get the specialist’s report tomorrow afternoon, but the learned opinion of our highly competent pediatrician, along with other medical contacts with well-placed friends and family, is that William’s “thumb” cannot be saved or repaired. He’ll likely have it taken off in the next few days or so, then we can decide if he’ll get pollicization surgery to give him a thumb. You can learn more about the procedure here: http://www.eatonhand.com/img/IMG00030.htm - - warning! there are post-surgical pictures included.
This is different from a “radial abnormality” or “VACTERAL,” where in addition to thumb defects, there are digestive, esophogeal, heart, vertebral, and other problems. Thankfully, William appears to have none of those. I haven’t searched on either of these terms.
We’re just back from a hospital visit: everybody’s fine and happy and looking forward to having William and Mrs. Ivorybill back at home with us.