Happy Birthday Mr. Max

9:30 a.m.: Megan calls. She's at Kroger. She's been having some light, but regular contractions since about 8:09 a.m. this morning, and she has meticulously kept track of the time and duration of each one. She talks through a contraction while we're on the phone. She says she'll call me back as soon as she gets home from the store. I tell her that I'll be sitting by an exit in class, as opposed to my usual seat, so that I can make a quick exit when she calls.

10:30 a.m.: Megan still hasn't called me. I'm thinking of all of the worst case scenarios, and can't concentrate at all. I grab my stuff, duck out of class, and call Megan. Contractions have continued, but she thinks she's still got time, and suggests I stay on-grounds. I'm already 25% of the way home.

11:45 a.m.: Megan seems to be in early labor, but it doesn't seem to be getting bad yet. I'm not keen on Kaitlyn seeing Megan in any pain, so we decide that I should take Kaitlyn to the family housing playground--which is nearby--for a little while.

1:45 p.m.: We decide to make a trip in to visit Megan's doctor (not the hospital) to see how she's coming along. Megan doesn't want to go to the hospital unless she's going to stay. This was a lesson we learned from being sent home when Kaitlyn was born.

2:20 p.m.: Megan finally gets in to see the doctor (or nurse, or medically trained individual). She's at a 3. Contractions are about 60 seconds long, 5 minutes apart.

3:00 p.m.: After racing home, Kaitlyn and I pick up Ali at the bus stop. Megan is starting to hurt. I come home, quickly feed the girls and then load them up in the car.

3:14 p.m.: Megan is in pain. We're headed out the door.

3:15 p.m.: Megan asks me to take a "before" picture:


3:16 p.m.: Megan is in pain. We're in he car.

3:30 p.m.: Megan is in pain. We finish dropping the girls off and head to the hospital. Both Ali and Kaitlyn are being so sweet to their mom--giving her hugs and offering love and support.

4:07 p.m.: I look up at the digital clock in the triage room and notice that it says 4:07 p.m. Megan is at a 4.

5:10 p.m.: Megan's epidural is in.

5:15 p.m.: Megan is having a regular conversation through every contraction and trying not to fall asleep. She's at a 9.

6:30 p.m.: We finish watching an episode of the Simpsons while waiting for our baby to hurry up. Megan has been at a 10 for a while.

7:09 p.m.: After 3 rounds of pushing, Maxwell Nathan Call is born. He weighs 8 pounds, 4 ounces. (I still don't know how long he is; they still hadn't measured when I left).

And, here he is:


7:25 p.m. (or so): Max is already eating like a champ.

8:00 p.m.: Megan's epidural is still working and she's cracking jokes. She comments that this labor was the easiest of the three. (That's funny because Max has been the biggest of the three.)


9:30 p.m.: It's way past Alison and Kaitlyn's bedtime, but I go get them (thank you to Amy Sorensen for watching them all afternoon!), and bring them to meet their little brother. They are both a little apprehensive, and don't know quite what to expect. Both saw Megan in pain earlier and aren't sure what to think.

But, Megan and Max are doing fine. They both start to warm up to the idea of having a little brother.

9:50 p.m.: Kaitlyn is acting really funny--but it's late, she's had a long day, and Megan is hooked up to a bunch of machines still, and I'm sure that's contributing to her uneasiness about what is going on.

10:47 p.m.: I'm writing this blog and ready for some sleep, as I'm sure Megan and Max both are. Ali and Kaitlyn are in bed (asleep, I assume). I'm hoping that Megan and the boy are doing well in the hospital.