Along Came Daddyhood

(Originally Published 11/11/08)

We apologize for the delay in updating. Some nonsense about a baby being born.

So he's here and he's as beautiful and perfect as we thought he would be. I'll supply the cliff-notes version of the night: After a drug-addled sleep on Tuesday night, Ashley's water was broken around mid-morning and she experienced the fabled birth pains. As any curious person would, Ashley wanted to briefly experience the labor pain and then begin the epidural. Her wish was granted as she had to endure a significant amount of pain until she could receive her epidural.

From there, her body quickly began preparing itself for labor in the next few hours until hitting 9 1/2 cms. We stayed there from 3:30 until 7:00ish and the possibility of a C-section became more and more realistic. Fortunately, after increasing her pitocin, Ashley was ready to began pushing some time after 7pm and Rowe finally arrived at 8:48pm weighing 8 lbs and 3 oz and 21 1/2 inches long.

To explain the emotions we felt afterwards is impossible. It's like trying to find your way in a profound darkness. There is no concept I can communicate that can quantify the feeling of hearing Rowe cry for the first time. Hearing his first pitiful cry set off a flood of emotion within both of us that I can only describe as an emotion bomb in the delivery room. I hugged each and every nurse in that room and though I know they deal with births every day, Ashley and I were so thankful for each nurse and doctor in that room (though not as thankful as Ashley was for the epidural doc. She offered him a kiss and/or cookies after he worked his magic. He politely declined both) because we felt so indebted to them for the miracle they helped provide us with. While this was just another day at work for them, what they did changed our lives forever.

We returned home Friday and both of our families helped make our transition home so easy. We're so thankful for everyone that has visited and helped us catch some sleep as well as everyone who uttered a prayer for us throughout the entire pregnancy and labor process. It has been a surreal journey that has provoked so many things: maturity, priorities, family, and most of all the development of Ashley and my relationship. Rowe is quite an accomplished little fellow already isn't he?