How Wonderful Life Is, Now You're In The World

Its already been one week since God performed the most amazing miracle I have ever witnessed. Sunday, May 18th at 05:40 Sofia Adelaide breathed her very first breath and completely took mine away. From the moment I announced to the world, "Its A Girl" I knew I would forever be a changed man....
It started on the Wednesday before, May 14th. Jo and I decided to go have dinner at Nantucket and she started contracting pretty hard around 7pm with her contractions being anywhere from 7-10 mins apart. We came on home and decided to just keep timing the contractions. Sure enough they increased to 5-7 mins apart and were hard enough to prevent us from getting any sleep whatsoever. I think the most sleep we got in a row the entire night was 20 mins. So early the next morning, May 15th (her projected due date) her contractions were 3 mins apart so we went on in to the hospital. The nurse checked Jo's cervix and found she was only 1 cm. dilated and 90% effaced. We were completely in shock thinking certainly she must be more dilated than that after having labored all through the night. We got up and walked around the hospital for about an hour and then she was rechecked. No change. What a stubborn cervix. So we went home on our baby's due date (Thursday) without a baby and without any sleep. The contractions continued to be anywhere from 7-10 mins apart and still were so strong Jo couldn't sleep through them (therefore I couldn't sleep either) so again, a second night in a row with no sleep. Friday we went into the doctors office to be checked. The doctor said she was maybe 1.5cm dilated but really not much different. I thought my wife was going to strangle that doctor. I have learned that the wrath of a pregnant woman is far worse than anything you could ever imagine. Completely helpless and frustrated, we took the prescribed sleeping pill for Jo and went home to try to get some rest. And still, contractions so strong Jo couldn't sleep at all Friday night...only now when she was trying to get up with each contraction, she had Ambien on board and was completely woozy! Bad combination. Jo labored again all night long around the clock with her contractions anywhere from 5-10 mins apart. Saturday rolls around and we are complete zombies. Our living room is decked out with warm compresses, a birthing ball, massage lotions, tennis balls for back massage...the whole works. It was like we were running a Birthing Center or something. Jo's parents came by for some much needed support and encouragement. As the sun went down our heads hit the pillows knowing we would be up in the next 5 mins focusing on breathing and acupressure...but we were hopeful. Around 10pm or so Jo's contractions "changed". They were now 3-5 mins apart and as she stood up to walk around I noticed her boobs were no longer resting on top of her stomach :-) but that her belly seemed to be much lower. She called the doctor who told us to come on in to the hospital. ***The events that would happen next are sure to be in some theatrical comedic production*** Jo screams through her contraction for me to run upstairs to grab her a tshirt and sweatpants. Of course I am now speedy gonzales and can make it to the top of my 14 steps in 1.756 seconds.... what I didn't know was exactly how fast I could get down the stairs. While in our room, Jo lets our a huge yell from downstairs while having a contraction. Fearing my baby was about to be born next to my television set freaked me out a bit. I take the first step down the stairs and, apparently not moving fast enough, Gravity intervenes. I slip and tumble down the rest of my stairs and when I make it to the bottom I was sure I had broken my arm. I'm lying in pain clutching my shoulder and trying to coach my wife through her contractions. hahaha I could only imagine what that 911 phone call would have sounded like. I realized my arm was okay and grabbed our things and jumped in the car. Not even 100 yards from my driveway the gas light comes on. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I think that was the quickest pit stop I ever made and I hope nobody got my license plate number as I'm sure there are skid marks leaving the gas station by my house. Finally we get to the hospital and the charge nurse says she is 4 cm. dilated. I'm not sure if I have ever told a complete stranger I loved them so much. Going on our fourth night without sleep Jo is completely wiped out and we were both concerned about her stamina for the next phases of labor. Next scene: Enter Hero. Anesthesiologist are wonderful people. For a moment, they can take away all the pain in the world. Thank you Mr. Epidural. We slept soundly for about 3 hours. At 5am the nurse told Jo we were ready to meet our baby. Something happened to me right in that instance. I am a nurse. I see people in their weakest moments. I have wiped the butts of the sick, stopped the bleeding of the injured, shocked hearts back to life, and held the hands of the dying....but this seemed to be too much too fast. One minute I was sleeping soundly and the next I am seeing my wife struggling and my baby's head and its pretty overwhelming. I must confess, I had to sit in "The Chair". You know, the chair they set aside for those weak dads who can't take it. The chair I laughed at and claimed would never need. Yes, that's where my butt was parked for a moment. When I stood up and saw a little tiny head peering into the world..... folks, I don't think I can explain the whirlwind of emotion that comes over you. The doctor held her up and let me announce to the world "Awwwww ITS A GIRL" My heart must still be in a puddle on that delivery room floor because it melted completely. I cut her umbilical cord "delivering" my own baby and stared at her lying on my wife's chest in complete awe. We are a family.
When we got back in our room Jo and I held our baby girl and gave thanks to our Wonderful Creator who has truly given us our heart's desire time and time again. In that moment we realized that her little tiny life really doesn't belong to us but to Him and dedicated her life back to God so he may use her and shape her to fulfill the dreams and plans He has in store for her.
Today my little Sofie-bear is already a week old. My biggest fear now is T I M E. Its already passing so quickly and I am watching her grow and change right before my very eyes. I just sit and stare at her trying to take it all in but I still feel like there is no way in the world to wrap my brain around the greatness that is Sofia. She is such a miracle and a beauty. When I see my beautiful wife holding her I have to pinch myself. Right now, with this very breath and with this very heartbeat... life is perfect!