How We Met Luke

BEFORE

Since January I had been looking forward to meeting my little boy on October 19th, 2009.  Well October 19th came and went and I was still pregnant with my little guy.  I'll be honest I was very discouraged about this.  Darren and I did a lot of stuff to try and get him here... jumped on the bed, ate spicy food, walked, etc. NOTHING.  Dr. Watabe scheduled me for inducement on Wednesday.  I was so nervous.  I stopped answering phone calls (sorry if you called and I didn't answer) I was just getting so worked up.  The hospital called Tuesday afternoon and told me I was 3rd in line for induction... ahhh!!  I called Darren and my mom and immediately broke down.  It was here!  Tuesday night there was very little sleep.  I was going to meet my little boy in less than 24 hours.

Wednesday morning rolled around and about 5 AM, I started feeling contractions about every 10 minutes.  Finally at 8:30ish my phone rang... "Keisha, we would like you here by 9:30 to start induction"

This picture is right before we left our house for the last time without a baby in arms.

As we drove to the hospital (2 blocks), Darren and I were both nervous about what was in store.  We got all checked in and the nurse got me hooked up to my IV (more about this later) and epidural and I HADN'T FELT THAT GOOD IN 9 MONTHS. I just laid in my hospital bed dozing in and out of sleep.  The nurse checked me and I was at dilated to a 3 before we had even got there.  So labor had started on its own.

DURING

I progressed about 1 cm an hour and before I knew it Melissa, my labor and delivery nurse, told me it was almost time to push... I was ready!  I didn't really want to cause I just felt so great with the epidural and all... but enough waiting... IT WAS TIME.

My mom and Darren got in their positions to hold my legs.  And honestly the worst part of labor was my stupid IV... hate them!  I started pushing.  It took me awhile to get it down, but Melissa was INCREDIBLE. She coached me through everything.  After about an hour or so...they could see the head and it was time for Dr. Watabe to come in.  I knew he was out when my mom looked down and then looked back at me with tears in her eyes... I began crying.  This is what I saw about 10 seconds later...

AFTER

I was instantly smitten by Luke.  He was so beautiful.  The nurses and Darren took him away and weighed him... 8 lbs 9 oz-- Holy cow!! How did he fit?  Obviously it was tight... look at the picture above.  But everything went as scheduled... First Bath etc.  Darren wheeled him in my recovery room a little while later.

There were lots of visitors and guests.  It was amazing to see all the love and support for us.  We just feel so blessed.  I must say it was so fun to see my parents be so proud to become grandparents. I don't think my dad has stopped smiling since last Wednesday.

We couldn't be more in love with him.