“Let’s start at the very beginning..."

While her Aunt Kara has already lovingly introduced Eila Kay to the blogosphere, I believe that Mom's perspective is still interesting when it comes to producing additional family members.

It all started at 1:30 am on November 13th, 2014.  Four days past her due date, I really couldn’t complain, though I certainly did.  The truth was that our little Bump cooperated with my heart’s deepest wishes; to responsibly finish up at school by conducting our Veterans Day assembly choir music and collecting all of the students’ hard earned fundraising money.  I know, I know - priorities, right?

As a first time mom, I had no idea what labor actually felt like, and as far as I was concerned, Baby Bump had been trying to make her escape since Halloween.  Still, I felt different that night to finally awaken Adam and tell him it was time to pack his “go” bag once and for all (a task that had remained naggingly undone for several weeks).  I’m pretty sure I nearly drove the poor dad-to-be batty by insisting that we finish some chores and pick up the house before we left for the hospital.  For reasons only a severely over-preganant woman can explain, I was horrified by the thought of bringing Bump home to a sink full of dirty dishes and an unmade bed.  After all, how am I supposed to make her pick up her own toys if I first brought her home to a messy house?

One last portrait before we became a family of four!

Adam did a terrific pack mule impersonation carting the baby bag, mom bag, dad bag, computer bag, camera, and mandatory Shnoodle pillow out to the car.

This was his second trip out to the car, by the way.

We sang all the way to the hospital since belting Broadway is apparently my anti-screaming coping mechanism.  Song of the day? Guys and Dolls’ “I love you, a bushel and a peck!”

We arrived at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tacoma about 3:30 am and found a circuitous way in to the ER thanks to some necessary recovery from a bad windstorm the day before.  The hospital staff took us right in and were impressed by how far along we already were.  The nurses were so optimistic I thought I might be a mom before school even started for the day.

HA!

I’ll save everyone the gory details - but we saw MANY a nursing rotation that day.  Neither time, position, or Pitocin could seem to coerce our Bump from the womb.  I watched the clock obstinately, deciding with each passing hour whether or not I would rather be teaching __ period than hanging out in a hospital gown.  As the sun set, I couldn’t help but gaze out the window and wonder why our little Bump didn’t want to come and meet such a gorgeous day.

Our penthouse hospital room view.

Adam was truly the hero of the day; holding my hand, interpreting medical jargon when I was too tired to listen, and keeping loved ones in the loop.  Adam’s parents, Grandma and Grandpa Steve and Linda made the trek down from Anacortes, so Adam moved frequently between our room and the waiting area to relay messages of progress (or lack thereof).  They were even nice enough to bring the world’s best donuts to celebrate!

Waiting for Bump.
Unfortunately, our babe’s late arrival delayed these expectant grandparents’ first sight of their granddaughter a few days - but their presence and love at the hospital was enormously appreciated.

Forever and always an educator, at one point during our wait I knew there was nothing else he could do, so I insisted Adam sit down and pull out his homework for class.  Given the amount of sleep he’d had, I’m not sure much was accomplished - but I figure it was a good example to set for Bump.

No use in wasting time!

Finally, about 11:30 pm, the on-call OB came in and called it quits for us trying things the old-fashioned way.  It was time for Baby Bump to meet the world on the outside once and for all.  If she wasn’t able to make her own way - they were coming in to get her.  Adam  put on a cool white space suit while I enjoyed a new cocktail of drugs.  At this juncture, Adam and my stories differ quite a bit about what happened.  Adam insists I was awake and lucid the whole time - but I’m pretty sure if I was talking it was only the meds having the conversation.

As every new mom says, “She was worth it!”

Eila Kay Wilhoit
Born November 14th, 2014 @ 12:19 am
6 lbs 14 ounces and 20 inches long

Check out that cone head!  I guess she really was stuck.

Eila managed to shrink an entire inch and exponentially increase the circumference of her skull by the time she left the hospital as her head returned to a more natural shape.

Our first family portrait.  

Adam was put in charge of skin-to-skin time while the doctor put my insides back, well, inside.

Dad and his little girl

We were told that the doctor came to check on us after we had been moved down to recovery but by that point we were so exhausted that not one of us woke up.  We were already busy working on sweet dreams for our little baby burrito.