[July 21, 2009]

3:45 pm: Todd and I are at the weekly prenatal appointment. I find out that I am 4 cm dilated, gained 4 lb in 1 week (after not gaining any for 2 weeks!) and that the blood pressure is high. Dr. F tells me not to wait forever to call to go to the hospital.

7:30 pm: Immi goes to her Grandmom’s for sleep-over because Todd and his intern are trying to make a video (they need QUIET for shooting film!) as a backup plan for the workshop Todd is scheduled to teach at a event happening on the 23rd.

[July 22, 2009]

8-ish am: I wake up feeling not too well (headache, dizziness) and having some minor and intermittent contractions. I decide to spend the rest of the morning relaxing while Todd finishes up the video.

2:00 pm: Todd and his intern finish filming. We order sushi take-out thinking that we would end up at the hospital at some point today.

2:20 pm: I take shower and finish packing up the hospital bag while Todd runs out to pick up our lunch.

2:45 pm: We call the doctors’ office to see what we should do. The nurse asks us to come to the office.

4:15 pm: At the office, I find that my blood pressure is really really high, not having contractions at the moment, and 5 cm dilated. Dr. A, who is the other doctor in the practice, tells us to go to the hospital because she is concerned about my blood pressure and the baby is ready to be born anyhow.

6:00-ish pm: We arrive at the hospital and settle in the Labor & Delivery room (There is no clock in this room!!). Dr. F, who is our usual doctor (he happen to be on call today!), comes in to check-up on us.

6:45-ish pm: Dr. F breaks the water which starts regular contractions.

7:15-ish pm: A chatty and quirky anesthesiologist comes in to give me epidural. My blood pressure is totally normal at this point and I feel completely fine and comfortable.

8:30-ish pm: Dr. F comes in and tells me that I’m 9.5 cm dilated and that the baby is doing well.

9:00-ish pm: Dr. F tells me that I’m ready to push. We go through a few rounds of pushing.

9:34 pm: Ashland is born!

Ashland is lanky (long and lean body with head size proportional to his body). He has dark hair and dark eyes. He looks a lot like his dad, except for his hair/eye color and his nose which looks more like mine. There was still some concern regarding his dilated bowel, but he pooped just fine by 3am, assuring us that everything is in working order. The funny thing is, he pooped every time a medical professional was poking him (1st time while given a vaccine, 2nd time when blood was being taken from him, 3rd time while his heart rate was being checked), maybe that’s just how he feels about medicine