Night #1
It all officially started on Friday night just before midnight. Dan and I had gone on a fabulous "last hurrah" date night- filled with dinner at our favorite Franco restaurant (escargot and seafood bouillabaisse...mmmmhhh), a long walk around Lafayette park, and dessert at the Melting Pot. That night I started having more contractions- they weren't super painful but were coming 2-3 minutes apart. After 4 hours if these I decided to go into the hospital. I left Dan sleeping at home with Keaton because I wasn't sure if this was the real thing- and it turned out not to be. I spent a long night being monitored with perfect-looking contractions that just making any progress...and there was no room in Labor and Delivery... Bummer. Night one of no sleep.
Night #2
Saturday night was spent with irregular contractions and I couldn't sleep at all. Night two with no sleep. Not a good way to welcome a newborn. Sunday morning I went back in and was admitted to labor and delivery. At this time I found out the contractions had been doing something (thankfully) and I was at a 3/4. At noon I started on a small dose of pitocin to strengthen the contractions which definitely worked. My, those contractions were intense! I spent from noon to 6 just hoping for some progress and at 6 I was at 7 cm. Time for the epidural!
Night #3
The epidural was immediate relief and I was able to rest- but not for long. My blood pressure dropped to 70s/50s and I felt TERRIBLE. Baby wasn't liking that either, so they stopped the piton, pumped me full of IV fluids and I swelled up like a...9 month pregnant swollen lady. I hadn't had any swelling the entire pregnancy so I guess I deserved a little bit :) The fluids did the trick and baby was doing better and my contractions were still coming naturally (without pitocin.) Yay! Now it was time to wait and watch big ole contractions on the monitor. I kept the dose on the epidural low and still had quite a bit of pain- but after all labor isn't supposed to be tooooo easy :) Dan and I took some time to watch TV which included everything about the 10th anniversary of 9/11. I had told myself having a baby on 9/11 was no big deal but after all the television I started hoping labor would continue past midnight so our baby could have a happier birthday. Around 11:45 I could tell it was time to push and the nurse started prepping the room. My contractions were coupling for some odd reason so I only pushed for the first one of each double. At 12:08 am "Baby Will" made his grand appearance and all was right with the world. He screamed louder than I thought possible for a newborn. I cried my eyes out I was so full of joy. Dan tried to calm him and he grabbed on to his pointer finger with a super tight grip. We were so caught up in the moment we forgot to take pictures! We did grab this one, though:
The next morning the sunrise out our post partum room was amazing. It was a moment I will always remember- gazing at William's profile with the sun rising as a backdrop.
Keaton and Gabu and Papa Kryder came to visit the next morning. Keaton brought "Baby Will" a music box giraffe stuffed animal and baby got Keaton a Big Brother book and a Thomas the Tank engine ("Captain").
Keaton's reaction when he first met Will. "Get up, baby!!!"
