I will say right now, one week from the day I was in labor, that having a baby is the greatest experience of my life.

I am so so happy that Corinne is here.

We have had quite a week of adjustments! I just read through my blog, though, and realized I never finished my thought from last time I wrote, which was for two minutes yesterday.

I've got another handful of minutes (I think) and so I'll try to finish my thought.

So, later, I think it was 7 hours into the whole labor thing, they told me I was only about halfway there. Halfway. 7 hours is a long time. I go stir-crazy in a car trip at 7 hours, so you can imagine sitting in a hospital room with a window that faces a brick wall while experiencing constant pain - I was not happy to hear this news.

So, I took the nurse's advice, when she said sometimes an epidural will speed up the whole "process".

The anesthesiologist once again popped into the room.

I told him of my worries, and why I waited so long to call him in.

Me: "I really am still not 100% about getting this epidural...to be honest I'm a little afraid of being paralyzed. It's a needle in my spine. Seems risky."

Him: "Ohhhhhh no. Me no make mistake. I not make mistake and I work for years."

Me: (While wincing in pain) - (thought to myself, 'that sounds convincing! I'm in.')"OK. Great. Let's do this then."

Him: "OK- work first, paperwork later."

Me: "Great! Let's get started."

Him: (Within a minute or two of his set up) "OK- you will just feel a local anesthetic...." (I feel a small sharp pain in my back).

After a second passes....

"Oops."


Me: "What do you mean, Oops? What happened?"

Him: "Um...you have small spine. Small spine, that's all. We try again."

Me: (Thinking - Try again? What is happening? Am I paralyzed? - I move my legs - OK- not paralyzed yet - OH my God this hurts -) "Yep good idea let's try again."

Him: Um....I try again now.

This took three or four different pokes and finally we were in business. This was one of the scariest moments of my life. It really says something about being in labor when you place a risk of being paralyzed for life just to have it all be over soon! My goodness.

I'm really very happy to say I can still walk today. But, I will honestly say, that felt like a close one.

I was so happy when she was born, though, I thanked him a million times over. I thanked everyone. And I cried. And other things happened during the labor but I'm not going to gross anyone out. I just wanted to give one little anecdote, and the rest, well, just happened. And it worked out. And I'm glad.

After all that, though, there was a curious incident of the Dalbos giving birth at the same time as the Galbos.

This was a slight mess.

They ate our breakfast. I was starving and exhausted and I ordered french toast and I was looking forward to it so much and then after 45 minutes of waiting a nurse popped in and said, "I'm sorry. Unfortunately the Dalbos gave birth the same time as you Galbos and they ate your breakfast."

I shall now revert to our dialogue -
Steve - "WHAT? What kind of people eat random breakfasts that pop into their room? We ordered so specifically! They didn't order at all! This is ridiculous."

Me - "You mean this means we are not getting our food yet?"

This sort of mayhem went on for a few minutes until we realized that we would be getting our food very soon - but we would just have to re-order.

Ridiculous.

30 minutes later we ate, and we slept. For a little while, anyway.

That's about all I'm going to say about the hospital. Just a few little clips of memories.

And now we are home. And now we have Corinne. She's sleeping right now, and that's why I have a minute to write this down.

She makes me the happiest person in the world. I'm pretty sure I could say the same about Steve.

So take that, crazy anesthesiologist and the Dalbos and anyone else who tried to throw us off: we're doing just pretty all right, I think ;)