I'm A Dad!!!

At 12:30 p.m. on February 22, 2005, Ava came into our family at 7 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long. She was the first of several children (we haven't really determined a definite number yet). We arrived at the hospital 12 hours earlier excited about becoming parents and totally clueless at the same time. The staff hooked Lindsey up to several monitors and an IV and she tried to get some sleep between the contractions. I tried sleeping on the little couch thing, if it can be called a couch.

Around 5 a.m. they began giving her petocin to regulate the contractions. She always said she was a believer in the epidural, but the epidural turned out to be the most painful part of the process leading up to birth.

From midnight that night until about 11:30 a.m., I felt useless, although I knew that just being in the room with her helped Lindsey. About that time, the contractions were one minute apart, and all the breathing exercises we learned about in the birthing classes kicked in. Instead of sitting off to the side watching my wife cycle through the pain, I felt like I was taking part of the birthing process. In fact, once the doctor arrived, she didn't say much of anything at all except for encouraging Lindsey to keep going.

For several months prior to this time, I wondered how I would react in the birthing room. Lots of stories floated around about tough guys getting all queesy. Not me, though. I found the experience fascinating. Watching Ava come into this life immediately connected me to her and certainly brought me closer to Lindsey.

Once the nurse took Ava to the table to clear out the fluids and do all the initial checks, I could only stare at this little girl. I felt like a kid in a store with lots of cool stuff to look at but being told not to touch anything. Lindsey gently reminded me to talk to her so she could recognize my voice.

For the next two days, I thought a lot about who I am and what I have done in my life. When I had a chance to watch Ava in the nursery by myself, I offered up a prayer promising to be a better man for my wife and my child. And I hope I will be.