June 13th

June 13th my life changed. Adriana finally decided to join us.

Saturday night we knew that Adri would most likely be coming out Sunday. Natalie was not feeling so great and I could tell by her breathing. Natalie's due date was actually the next Sunday, June 20th, but we knew she wouldn't make it that long a long long time ago. Well Sunday morning around 0400 I could no longer sleep. Natalie was breathing even louder than she already does being pregnant and she was moving a lot and moaning. She didn't want to get out of bed though. I had been telling her for weeks that the day it rains here is the day the baby comes. Normally it rains everyday here in June but this year has been very odd and it's been sunny all day every day. So anyways, I already knew the baby was coming that day but then at 0615 I had my confirmation. I jumped out of bed when I heard what sounded like an explosion in my back yard. I could see the sun coming in the window so I went outside. No clouds overhead but there was a nasty storm to the north and each lightning strike created thunder that sounded like artillery. So I went back inside and told Natalie today is the day.

Well, I couldn't go back to bed so I started working around the house. Natalie got up and started cleaning. At 0855, the time we are normally headed to church, we instead were going to the hospital. When we got there Natalie's mom, Suegrita, was full of questions wanting to know if the baby was "coming today". I, of course, already knew the answer to that. So it was no surprise to me when they said she's already 5cm. I was however surprised when she opted out of the epidural. I knew it was going to be a long day so I took cuñada and went to get some brunch. By the time I got back Natalie was already screaming. It just kept getting worse too.

By the time the hard pushing came, around noon, I thought the baby would be born any minute. But Natalie was having her second thoughts about the epidural and was going crazy. She was flapping her arms, yelling and screaming, and they thought she was going to jump out of the bed. She was begging for other options and an epidural even though she knew it was too late. Finally after an hour or so of this the nurse had to get her a mild painkiller because the labor wasn't progressing and Natalie needed a break. She also gave her some pitocin to make the contractions come closer together. The meds knocked Natalie out. She came back to it an hour later and that is when the doctor came in.

Now the nurse was a nice Jamaican lady. The doctor was a big black woman who could definitely pass as a former military drill sergeant. The nurse was nice but I don't think she could have got this baby out. The doctor however was all business. Natalie nearly blew out my eardrum and the doctor started yelling back telling her to stop the screaming and push. She wasn't mean about it but she was in charge. Natalie of course kept begging for a c-section even though before she said there is no way she would do that unless it was to save the baby. She was begging for any other options and kept saying she couldn't do it. Well the doctor instead of sympathizing and being soft told Natalie to get it together and finally got her to push the kid out. I think that is what Natalie needed, a strong kick in the butt from someone other than me!

Finally at 1517 our Adri came out. I of course was trying to move to a position where I could see her better. I was trying to figure out who she looks like and I was confused. Adri was all swollen and I couldn't see either one of us in her. Her head was cone shaped and her hair was a mess. Her eyes and cheeks were swollen and that is when I decided the only person I could see in this kid was Natalie's dad. The nurses said she looks like me though but I couldn't see that.

Well I left Natalie on the table with the nurses and I was standing over Adri while they did all her test and her first bath. I was afraid to touch her for the first 15 minutes or so. She was quiet and they had probes on her and I didn't know if they would say something if I touched her. She was really quiet too. No cries except for when they would move her. Finally I put my hand over her chest and stomach, yeah my hand looked huge, and I gave her the thumb from my other hand and she grabbed on and wouldn't let go. I had a feeling she knew who I am and she proved it later in the day. She was in her bed and everyone was around and she heard my voice and looked my direction with her squinty eyes and gave me the stare down. I know I was just a blur to her but she was glued in looking the direction of my voice and no where else. She's definitely a daddy's girl, Natalie was afraid that would happen.

I had to go home at night to sleep. I stayed late and went home just long enough to post pictures, eat, sleep, and then come back. Natalie said the baby was different and calmer when I am there.

We took Adri home Tuesday. The very first diaper change she got at home she peed all over her brand new changing pad. Tuesday night was crazy. It gave me a whole new appreciation for my parents. And to top it off, they had to deal with it with twins! I did not sleep Tuesday night. Adriana wanted to be held all night. She's not a whiny baby at all. If I hold her she is quite and just looks at me. We put her on the bed and she was happy laying next to us. But I couldn't sleep with her on my bed, I'm ugly, not stupid. So I tried to trick her and have her fall asleep laying on me. Then I tried to move her to her crib. This worked for about ten minutes until she realized I was gone and started screaming. Combined sleep the entire night, maybe a little over an hour.

Wednesday morning Adri had her first doctor appointment. Everything turned out good. I went back to work after her appointment and was dragging the rest of the day. Natalie was telling me that Adri was sleeping all alone in her crib though but I was still afraid that Wednesday night would be a repeat of the previous night. Well hopefully I won't jinx anything here, but last night Adri slept alone all night without crying. I was tired and went to bed before Natalie. I only woke up once went my little piggy was grunting next to me getting her midnight snack. It took me a while to get back to sleep but no more interruptions after that. If that's all it's gonna be then this is one easy going baby. I could only hope......


Adriana looks like Natalie's dad her with her face all swollen. It only lasted a couple hours though.

Adriana hanging onto my thumb

Sleeping with Natalie

Cuñada (Kim). The kid who once said she doesn't like babies because they are self centered. Well she loves Adriana and won't stop looking at her.

Tio Angel very excited to see his great niece

After Natalie took this picture of me uncomfortably trying to lay down with Adriana I got smart and put her on a pillow to bring her higher up.

Ready for a roadtrip!

@ home & very sleepy

My favorite picture taken from my iPhone. I wish I would have taken it with higher resolution on my canon so I can blow it up and frame it.