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Birth (11/20/2006):

A little play surgery before the real thing.  Dawn managed to nap only 20 minutes before surgery.	Family shot ... back when there were only three of us visible.	"Bye Mommy"	The support crew.  Having so much help has been golden!	Don's shoe covers came up a wee bit short.
Dr. Balk (aka Kim).  She lives three doors down from us, and she has been great.  Kim came in on her day off, after working a night shift and taking a short nap, to perform the C-section on Dawn.	Getting ready to get started.	There she is!!  5 pounds, 5.7 ounces, and 18 inches long.  They watched her for a bit in the operating room because is was retracting a bit with her breathing.  They let her "self-correct".	Sharing the news with everyone.	Dawn was in the recovery room for about 3 hours.  She was fine, until the spinal started to wear off.  Then she was not feeling quite so chipper.
Meanwhile, Madeline was in the "Transition Room" where they watch babies who might have some troubles but do not require the full NICU that Ethan needed.	Her blood sugar was low, so they gave her a bottle to help her out.  The nurse reported to Kim that Madeline was a pig because she ate so much.  That might come from Dad!	A quick peak for the grandparents while the nurses measured and evaluated her.	Need some ink for footprints.	There they are!!
Ethan and Dad scrubbing in to pay Ethan's first visit.	At this point, the situation really seemed to become clear for Ethan.  He just loves watching her.	Ethan initially said that she must be a boy since she looks like him.	Dad's first hold.	Grandma D gets her first visit.  The D is for Diana.  Wonder where we got Madeline's middle name from???
Madeline met Dawn in her room once Dawn was out of the recovery room.  It was a unique experience for us since we did not room with Ethan until 6+ weeks after he was born.	Grandma and big brother paying a visit.	Grandma D's first hold.	Ethan likes her little pink bow.	Ethan has just about had enough excitement.  This is Dad's bed for nights ahead.  Seems bad, but it looks like a feather bed after being as tired as you get with all the nurses coming and going.
All bundled up and nowhere to go.	There's our little angel :)	Daddy talking to her about all sorts of stuff.	And here is the new family photo.  The prior one was very good.  This one is even better!!	We hope to get home on Thanksgiving or the day after.  Updates to come as time allows.