Drum-roll Please

Owen George Okuda

born 2/19/10 at 11:52pm

6lb 12oz 17 1/4in

Just got home from the hospital


Daddy is making my scowling face with me.

Me and mom right after I was born. This is the first time she held me. She cried.

This is the last picture we have of my pregnant tummy. When I went into the hospital for my contraction test I was actually contracting on my own and had dilated to 2 1/2 to 3cm so they had me walk around the hospital for an hour. I looked like Friar Tuck (not sure if that is how to spell it) from Robin Hood. It was funny walking around pushing my IV and getting weird looks. When I got back to my room and they checked my again I was dilated to 3 1/2 to 4cm so they called my doctor who advised to keep me there and break my water. My contractions didn't hurt though they were strong on the monitor until after my water was broken. Then they started hurting and I decided it had hurt enough and I was ready for my epidural. Those are pretty weird. It stopped working on my right side which was not fun. The anesthesiologist gave me some more which worked until I started pushing and then it started wearing off on the top of my stomach so I could feel at least partly the last contractions. Those suckers hurt! I quickly became a pretty ineffective pusher the stronger those contractions could be felt. I can't imagine giving birth naturally. I could barely push with only a fraction of the pain. The dr had to help me and vacuum Owen out. I did it though. I gave birth. That sounds very grown up. :) We are loving having our son with us even though that means very little sleep. He is doing really well and gaining weight well. We took him to the pediatrician for the first time 2/25 and he weighed 6lb and 14oz and was 20in. I am guessing the hospital measured incorrectly because I doubt he grew 3in in 5days. I was surprised he gained so much weight. He was only 6lb 6oz when the hospital weighed him at 24h old. He is a healthy boy and we could not be more pleased about that. Now we just have to get the hang of this breast feeding thing. :)

White Coat

The last Friday in January Brady had a White Coat Ceremony for Dental school. It was a neat ceremony and for the first time I felt a part of the dental school experience besides being bored while Brady studies all the live-long day. There were a few speakers then they walked across the stage and were "coated" and "pined." Then they read/recited the Dentist's Oath or whatever they call it. I had a great time and was not the least of all bored, which is odd. It was fun!

On a side note: no baby :( Brady was hoping for a Valentine's Day birth so that the kid would not have to celebrate it when he is older. "She would have to take him out because it's his birthday" Alas, it was not to be. He will have to celebrate Valentine's Day unless he can find a girl (like his mom) who thinks it is a stupid holiday. It seems like our bundle of joy will never come. My last dr appointment I was dilated 1 1/2 to 2cm which is not much of a difference from the previous 3weeks. I'm tired, can't sleep, uncomfortable, fat, sore, no true painful contractions, and just done with being pregnant. I miss my body. I have stopped hoping for him to come and have resigned myself to the likelihood of having to be induced. We have tried all the "tricks" to start labor (except the oil thing, I have to draw the line somewhere) and nothing works. Often I will feel a foot push out my side and a subsequent headbutt to the cervix (which hurts). It seems that he is ready, I am for sure ready, but my body just isn't cooperating. Frustrating! Actually, it really isn't THAT bad; I shouldn't complain. I'm not that big and uncomfortable, just over it. I am ready to meet my son and hold and hug him. Both Brady and I are! Let's be honest, it will be sooner than later. He can't stay in there forever. Can he?! :)