[Hello world]

Meet Ava. It was a Wednesday. I had just finished up working a few night shifts and was in the middle of my days off. Steve was working graves so I was up late and slept in until about 11:30am when I woke up with some abdominal pain, cramp like. I didn't think much about it and got up to start my day. Well the cramps kept coming every 10-15 minutes, but they felt different from the contractions I had been feeling here and there for the weeks previous. I figured they were not regular, and they didn't feel anything like what I expected labor to feel like. I called my doctors just to let them know what was going on. The doctors office said I should go check in to the hospital to get checked. Thinking they were being ridiculous, I took my sweet time showering and getting ready. All the while, Steve kept sleeping as he had to work again that night. I wasn't due for another 5 days and was convinced she wouldn't come early. I woke Steve up to tell him I was going to the hospital but that I was us it was nothing and that I would be back soon. As a first time mom, I was expecting a long drawn out labor so I knew this was no big deal.
2:00pm-At my last OB appointment 6 days earlier, I was dilated to a whopping 1cm and was 50% effaced. When I checked into the hospital, I was 3cm and 80% effaced. The cramps were getting a bit stronger and closer together but I still wasn't to the point that they needed to keep me. They gave me the option to walk around for awhile and see if I dilated anymore as they would admit me at 4cm. I opted to go home and wait things out there.
3:15-As I drove home, the contractions as I now knew they were, were getting stronger, closer, more painful. Holy crap I was in labor! But I still expected it to be hours before anything really happened. For kicks I started timing these contractions on my handy iPhone app. By the time I got home, they were consistently every 2-4 minutes apart Steve was awake and getting ready for an overtime shift he couldn't get out of. He asked if I wanted him to try and find coverage, but I assured him I would be home for hours before it was time for anything to happen. He continued to get ready and by the time he left for work, I followed behind to go back to the hospital. These things were getting stronger and closer together FAST! I have always thought I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but ouch!
5:30pm-I checked back into the hospital to get rechecked and I was 5cm, fully effaced. They asked me if I wanted an epidural and it then sank in...I wasn't leaving this hospital pregnant. It was go time.
6:00pm-I was officially admitted and taken across the hall to l&d. I never thought I would go au natural during labor but thought I would go as long as I could without an epidural. That point was at about 6cm. I had a fantastic epidural which was so not as bad as I thought it would be. I had been on the other end of watching residents do spinal taps and it ain't pretty. I thought for sure it would be botched, but I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The worst part was trying to hold still with an 5 inch needle in my spine while contracting like a #%*^!
6:30pm-Around this time the staff at the hospital were trying to ask me in as nice a way as possible if I had a baby daddy coming or if i was in this all by my lonesome. I assured them I had a husband who was trying to get here from work. As the epidural was kicking in, Steve walked in as the anesthesiologist was walking out.
For the next few hours, life was good. We watched NBA playoffs while I contracted away, feeling very little of anything. Around 7cm I got nauseous which I learned is pretty normal.
9:00pm-My water still had not broken so the docs asked if we wanted them to do it. We decided to go ahead since the doctor said I could be pushing for awhile. Steve promptly left with his mom to get some food while I chatted with my sister-in-law.
10:00pm-I get checked and I'm at 10cm. It's time to push. At that moment, my mind is saying what the...how did I get here??? I'm 9 months pregnant and fully dilated, and ready to push. I am going to be a freaking mom! Whoa.
10:30pm-the doctors are in getting all gowned up. Steve hurries back from food with his mom. We are doing some practice pushes and getting a pep talk on the instruments that may need to be used to get the baby out. For weeks they had been estimating her to be around 9 lbs.
10:45pm-start pushing. It's not as hard as I expected it to be. I'm told I'm doing great.
11:04pm-after a total of 9 pushes over about 10 minutes, we have a baby girl ! Not a 9lb girl, but a 5.7lb girl. Guess those estimations really are just that. An estimation. And this time they were way off. I am frantically asking if she has all her fingers, toes, limbs, etc. I'm asking if she is healthy and if she should be crying more. I am assured she is perfectly fine. Steve cuts the umbilical cord, they suction out her mouth, and she is laid on my chest. Finally, after waiting for and anticipating this moment for what seems like forever, I am skin to skin with my daughter. Talk about surreal. There really is no other word I can think of other than surreal. I am just staring at her, loving her so much, when she poops all over me. And so it starts...
Parenthood has been a trip. Amazing, bewildering, surreal, but mostly just amazingly fantastic. My life has a whole new level to it and I couldn't be happier. I feel like I have been walking around with a sleep deprived perma grin on my face since that moment. And I don't think it will ever leave.

[first family photo]

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