Boy oh boy

Benjamin David arrived July 4, just as Mama and Nurse T expected.  Fortunately for Teresa, he did not interrupt her fireworks or her sleep.  And his arrival was enough of a show for Mama that she settled watching the fireworks on TV.

Contractions began at 4am and were just irregular enough that Mama wasn't able to fall back asleep, wondering if labor was actually starting.  They stayed at 10 minutes apart until noon or so, at which point Nurse T intervened and told me to go to the hospital.  So we left the pool party at Nana's and headed home, to wait for Gramma to arrive to watch the big kids.  By the time we got to the hospital, Mama couldn't stand or talk the contractions were so strong and so quick.

And to my credit, as they wheeled me past the nurses station where Dr. Greenhaw was doing some important work between patients (Facebook, I'm sure), he was certain that I wasn't really in labor yet.  HA!

After I donned that cute little gown, it was determined that not only was Mama in labor, but the show was about to get on the road.  Eight centimeters and fully effaced.  Yowzers.  The nurse rushed out of the room, talking very quickly.  That was my first indication that things might not go as I planned.  When she rushed back in, bringing with her a flurry of activity and other nurses - another sign - she let me know that I might not get the epidural.  She included a lot of other details but like you, all I could really hear and focus on was that I might not get the epidural.  And if I did, that it might not work.

At this point, I was remarkably calm.  And I pretty much just refused to think about the fact that I might not get the epidural and holy cow - a natural childbirth!  I was relieved when the anesthesiologist walked in, droning on and on about how the epidural works.  Yada yada, this is my third baby.  Just do it already.  When he didn't get in the right place the first time and I could feel the giant needle moving around in my back, I wanted to punch him in the face. But since he had the drugs, I dutifully hunched over like a mad cat or boiled shrimp as instructed. 

I get the drugs and realize Bill's forgotten the camera in the car.  He runs out of the room and at that point, my water breaks and I am about to have a baby.  But not with the father out in the parking lot.  This would make a good movie.  I'm laying on there, squeezing my legs together, willing Bill to walk through the door.  Teresa needs to check on things but I won't let her because I know if I do, I'm going to have this baby.  And Bill still isn't back!

Dr. Greenhaw comes in to get things set up.  And Bill still isn't back!  Again, a good scene in the movie of my life. So I go from worrying about a natural childbirth to worrying about Bill missing the birth. 

Bill rushes in and the real fun begins.  And the epidural that I was so afraid I wouldn't get isn't so much working.  I couldn't feel the contractions any more but I could feel everything else.  And holy cow.  Dr. Greenhaw says something stupid like "push through the pain" and I looked at him and told him, "That's easy for you to say."  Teresa and Nana appreciated it - the doctor, not so much.  But I wanted to show that despite the other ridiculous things the pain was making me say, I was still mostly with it.

Although it felt like an eternity, 10 minutes later, he was here.  8 lbs 2 oz and 19 inches. Mad as he could be - holding his breath - but perfect. 

So here we go.  Life with three kids begins.