He's here!

started Saturday:

So, we think we have a name, but it might be a litle too popular for me, so I've been having a hard time committing. Right now we're thinking Cooper Benjamin, but I feel like every time I tell someone the name they say they know a kid named Cooper. One friend knows two kids named Cooper Benjamin. At least I'm sure none of them have the last name Justiniano. I like that Guy's name is uncommon but not unheard of.

This morning I was trying to sleep, but had a horrible headache. I finally went out to the couch and took a headache medicine pill my OB/GYN prescribed early on in the pregnancy because I've gotten such bad headaches this time around. I fell asleep after 1 am, but then woke up in less than 20 minutes when my water broke.

Guy's and the baby's deliveries were eerily similar in a few ways. It was 2 years ago on a Friday night/Saturday morning that my water broke with guy. After getting to the hospital, though, things were realy different. This time, after I woke Rob up, we called Eden and she rushed over to be with Guy (can't thank you enough!). I didn't think I was in as much of a hurry as I ended up being in. Guy was born about 11 hours after my water broke. This time barely over four hours later the baby made his appearance.

Two days ago I packed a bag and wrote out a list of last minute things to collect (since we use them too often to stow them in a bag). After Rob collected everything and got us ready, we were off.

The hospital isn't too far away (about 35 blocks), and on the way there contractions began. By the time I got to the hospital I was at a 5, but less than 20 min. later I was a 6. They didn't get the epidural in for a while, and holy pain. I was getting contractions every minute or one and one half minutes. I'm so grateful for modern medicine--especially the epidural. I had to hold off pushing for a while, to get the epidural in, and everything was super painful. even with the epidural, I felt lots of pressure and a little pain.

It took longer than I expected for the baby to make his appearance, but when he did, I quickly recognized why. 9 lbs. 11 oz. later--almost 2 lbs. heavier than Guy's birth weight. No episiotomy and just a little tearing, things were much more rough last time. This time, the birth process was more painful, but the recovery has been much faster. Guy turned in the birth canal, so what he did to my body was the equivalent of delivering a 15 lb. baby. This time, though, for the actual labor I was exhausted, and contractions were every minute or minute and a half--it was tremendously exhausing. After about 45 minutes, I couldn't do it alone anymore. I said a prayer, asking for help to be done, and on the next contraction, I got enough help and energy to push long enough and hard enough for the baby to make his appearance. Whew!

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finished Sunday:

From the birthing room the nurses felt that the baby was having a hard time breathing because he kept making grunting noises. Eden might be on to something thinking the kid just wanted food. Unfortunately, he went straight to the NICU, and has been there ever since. He was on oxygen for a little while, but got off that at 1:45 this morning. For a little while, we were told he'd be able to get out this afternoon, but now we don't get him until tomorrow at discharge. He's doing just great, and I'm grateful for that, but it's not the idal set-up in terms of convenience. Thankfully, he's an all-star eater, but for every nursing session I have to go down to the NICU. However, I recognize that things could be much worse/more difficult. I'm healing really well. A lot faster than I expected. I've only taken Percocet since I've been here, and the walk from the maternity ward to the NICU has gotten much faster and much less painful.

Guy came to visit tonight with my folks and Eden. We've missed him these two days, but he's doing great. I was a little sad that we could only show him Cooper through the window. He wanted to see more of him, but was quickly distracted with the prospect of a cookie waiting for him in the room upstairs (thanks again, Adriana!).

Hopefully all goes as expected tonight and we get to head home early tomorrow morning. It'll be the best Valentine's Day ever.

Life is good, I know we've been blessed, and I'm tremendously grateful.