Prelude to the baby........

6:45 PM

Leaving home heading to the hospital.

7:30 PM

Arrived at hospital and got checked in. Contractions about 4-5 minutes apart.

8:40 PM

My wife's hero arrives in the form of a doctor to administer her epidural.

8:50 PM

I learn that a baby's heartbeat is supposed to jump around while in the womb before birth. Our baby's heartbeat is jumping between 120 and 140 beats per minute. The baby keeps a high heart rate for most of its first year before it levels out.

9:10 PM

Dilated to 5 cm. Nurse said it's usually about 1 cm per hour, so we've probably got around 5 hours to go. She said that 'the hard work is pretty much done at this point'.

10:00 PM

6 cm dilation. Says we might have a baby in 2-3 hours. Doctor said that everything looks great. Always good to hear you doctor say that.

10:50 PM

No increase in dilation. Baby's heartbeat is plenty strong and fast, so no issues there.

11:30 PM

Up to a 9. Baby coming in 1 to 1 1/2 hours according to the doctor.

11:45 PM

Mrs. Lime was just introduced to the button that allows her to give herself extra pain medicine. She can only hit it once every 10 minutes. I think she's pushed it twice in 12 minutes already.

12:00 AM

Grandparents are intently staring at the monitoring equipment. We're getting play-by-play of the heartbeat and contractions.

"Oh, that was a good contraction!"
"142......145......144.....140......quick heartbeat!"
"Lots of contractions now!"

12:15 AM

Watching 'American Pie' on TV. Funny show.

12:30 AM

More pain pump button pushes for Mrs. Lime. Mrs. Lime's mother is telling silly stories about her childhood. Grandparents are suggesting that all birthday parties will have Valentine's themed or red-colored birthday parties.

12:35 AM

Grandparents are now looking around the room for a plunger. They're wondering if they can just pull out the baby all on their own.

12:40 AM

Mrs. Lime is asked for the 47th time if she's comfortable. Other than the fact that she's in labor, she reports that she is comfortable.

12:45 AM

Both grandmas report that they puked their guts out for 9 straight months when pregnant. Mrs. Lime reports quite the opposite.

1:20 AM

Kalika Isabelle is born. 7 lbs., 4.9 oz. 19 inches long.

1:21 AM

Lime manages to cut the cord without fainting.

1:45 AM

Grandparents come in to see the new baby. Mrs. Lime's father, who is least likely to show emotion, is the one that ends up showing the most emotion. That's usually the way those things work.

2:30 AM

Dinner time! Mrs. Lime's a pro right off the bat. Baby jumped right on and started her first feeding.

3:10 AM

Lime heads home to post the good news and catch a few hours of sleep.


Tomorrow begins the rest of my life........