Claire Has Arrived!

This is Andrew posting for the first time. I know many of you may be wondering what has occurred over the last couple days. Let me assure you Mary Robert and Claire are doing well and are still in the hospital as of this posting. Here is a play-by-play of what went down on March 24th:
-12:30 p.m. Contractions began. Mary Robert was accurate in her post that morning and things started to progress fast.
-2:10 We left work (Mary Robert left after teaching the beginning of lab) to go home because we didn't know if this was the real deal yet.
-3:00 After waiting for awhile the contractions did not lessen and we left for the hospital.
-3:30 It only took 10 minutes to get to our hospital and check in. We got to the labor and delivery floor and at her first examination she was 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated. Contractions still were not that bad.
-5:00 At the second exam she was 100%, 2 cm dilated and officially in labor! At this point we were very exited that we didn't have to go home. Contractions were getting worse and things started to progress fast from there.
-6:40 The third exam (this time by her OB) resulted in her being 7 cm dilated! Her water was broken and she was having a lot of very intense contractions.
-7:40 Mary Robert decided she wanted an epidural because she wanted to be excited about the arrival of Claire and not be in such a bad mood. After that we were able to talk excitedly and watch tv like we usually do. She was much more calm and felt nothing during contractions.
-8:30 She was 8 cm after the next exam.
-8:40 She was started on petocin because the contractions were starting to slow.
-9:30 At the next exam she was 9 cm dilated and zero station.
-10:00 She was at 10 cm and she started pushing with the help of the nurse.
-10:50 After some really good pushing the doctor came in and decided that since Claire wasn't moving at all with the pushing that Mary Robert should get a C-section. Mary Robert agreed to it and she was prepped.
-11:21 Claire is born. I was lucky enough to be able to be in the operating room (and take pictures during the birth). She gave a cry after she came out but we were worried when after at least 5 minutes they couldn't get her stimulated enough to cry. Eventually she did (lots of fluids in her lungs) and was weighed at 8 lbs 12 oz (healthy girl!) 20 and 3/4 inches long.
We spent the next hour and a half in the recovery area while Claire was place in a warmer. After 3 hours in the warmer we got to see her again. She looks so cute. There is much more to write about but for now I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Mary Robert calling people during labor.

Andrew relaxing after the epidural was administered.

Claire almost out.

She has quite a bit of dark hair.

A very healthy size!

Mary Robert and Claire meet face to face for the first time.





Our pediatrician says Claire looks like she has nice full lips...watch out Angelina Jolie!

Claire snuggles on Momma Mia.


Thanks everybody for all of your support!