Hannah's Story--by Dad

When Rachel woke up yesterday, she started feeling contractions and began tracking them. By about 7 pm they had progressed and intensified enough that we called the hospital and let them know what was going on. By 9 pm, contractions were intense and every 2-3 minutes. We hurried in.

Here we are just before we left for the hospital.

When we got there, Rachel needed to wait a little longer, so they had us do so. Rachel wasn't the most comfortable, but she bore it well. What she really wanted was an epidural. A few hours and another room later, she was ready for it.

Here she was when she got the news.

At about this same time, Rachel was dilating quickly and the new room we were in transformed like an Autobot confronting a Decepticon. Some of the gadgets that came to the fore were pretty cool.

Here are some of the cooler gadgets and funnier items of notice:

Left to Right: Welcome board, the contraction/baby pulse/mommy pulse tracker, and the (small) fry warmer.

Upon entering the world, Hannah immediately began to express her discontent with her arrival in such an unwelcoming place.

She expressed outrage,

boredom,

and contempt,

(Yes that is poop--her first poop as a matter of fact, but what else can you really do to express contempt when you're less than two hours old?)

While the service in this newer establishment was not up to her discerning tastes, she was persuaded to stay once she had the opportunity to eat and warm up in peace. Once this occurred, she calmed right down and rested. She has been a good child so far and has had quite a day. So far, she has:

• Charmed her parents without even trying
• Had several meals (She wasted no time on this one. It was like a barnacle to a whale--she knew what she wanted and how to get it.)
• Pooped a lot (dad being the primary target)
• Had her first diaper changes
• Had her first bath
• Slept a lot
• Learned that she likes to be swaddled and warm
• Been a real sweetheart and a very good baby
• Told us when she was hungry or cold
• Sucked her pacifier, thumb, finger, side of her hand, and the nurses finger
• Entertained multiple guests

Here are some more shots we took today for your perusal and for the sake of embarrassing her when she brings home that first date in approximately 16 years.

Rachel, Hannah and Hannah's first nurse, Laura (who

was wonderful, by the way) holding her first footprint.

Hannah with her first pediatrician:

Hannah resting in Mom's arms while the two of them

enjoy a little quiet time together (Rachel was a real trooper, by the way):

Hannah and Dad exploring the new, although temporary digs.

Rachel reading while Hannah had one of her meals, or as we like to call it: The Feed n' Read

Dinner.

The happy family.

The happy family 70's style.

Funny story. Because the hospital will provide food for mothers, but not fathers, I called a good friend of mine who knew my favorite Chinese restaurant in the area and he was kind enough to bring me something so that I could have dinner as well (thanks Dan!). He also happened to bring a couple fortune cookies for us. When I opened and ate my fortune cookie (I kid you not), this is what it said:

All in all, it has been an exhausting, but wonderful day. In the quiet moments, I have reflected on the wonder and surreality of it all and felt a great love in my heart. I could not ask for a better fortune than the one given me at random from a Chinese restaurant. I look forward to the journey. Welcome to the world, Hannah. I love you.