Date Night

La Beana had her first theater experience last night. Ryan and I got to go see The Lion King. It was amazing as ever! I'd seen it a couple times before (anyone that knows me, knows I LOVE LOVE LOVE theater), but Ryan hadn't. We both had a great time and it was truly a wonderful evening!

The tickets to the show were a Christmas gift from mom and dad. Ryan and I talked about the day we opened the tickets as we drove to dinner. It was Christmas Eve morning. The night before, we'd made our first trip to the hospital with Riley William only to find out he wasn't quite ready to come out yet. After they made me walk around for an hour and a half in my nightgown having to stop every five or six minutes doubled over in pain from the very real but very unproductive contractions, they sent me home. I cried.

We went back to Mom and Dad's. Ryan and I stayed in their room and at 2:22 a.m. on Christmas Eve, I woke up with more contractions. I tried to "accidentally" wake Ryan up, but he was out so I got up and started to play solitaire at the kitchen bar. He'd had such a tough week and was up with me at 4 am the morning before. About 10 minutes later, both Mom and Dad were in the kitchen. Mom and I played gin and Dad worked on a couple things on the computer. At about 5 a.m., we tried to watch TV for a while. The pains definitely changed and at about 6 I took a shower and woke Ryan up. We didn't want them to send us back home, so he got me to lay back down for a little while. At about 10, I got back up and we opened some presents. Lion King tickets included. It seems so long ago - but just like yesterday too.

We finally went back to the hospital around 11 or so. We had made jokes about going to the mall to walk around some more just to make sure that I was dilated enough so I could stay. When we checked in again (to tunes of "Weren't you here last night?"), I begged them not to send me home this time. I didn't care if it was a week away, just please let me stay! But they said I was 4 cm and they told me I would be getting my epidural shortly!

I remember thinking as I was wheeled in the delivery, oh my gosh... there's no way I can do this. The pain was unlike any I'd ever experienced. I didn't know how I was going to get something the size of a watermelon out of something that would only get to the size of a grapefruit. My brother had told me before I left not to worry about anything... that this is what women were made for (oh if only men could experience just a taste of labor pains...) but I still wasn't convinced. I almost started crying again, but with Ryan by my side, I felt much better. He had been so strong for me throughout this whole process and I wanted to be just as strong for him.

After I had the epidural, life was wonderful! I was even able to take a nap and was comfortable enough to let Ryan go get something to eat ... I don't think he'd eaten since lunch the day before... At about 5 pm, they checked me again, said that I was 10 cm and they were going to prep me so everyone had to leave. Ryan had told me repeatedly the last couple months to just get Riley out on the first push. It would just be easier that way.

So, the nurses told me to push 3 times then breathe. Then push 3 times again and breathe. All the while they were telling Ryan to try to bend me in half. I swear, I don't think there's anything my wonder husband wouldn't go through with me.... The last time they told to push again then they told me stop. Riley was coming and the doctor needed to put his gloves on. So Dr. Farmer (who is wonderful and I highly recommend him) told me to push gently and then at 5:18 pm, Riley William Diehlman came kicking and screaming into the world! Ryan cut the cord and then took his first picture. We both cried as Ryan held our son for the first time.

Ryan is such an incredible dad. In the hospital when Riley was with us, it was Ryan who changed him the first couple of times and it was Ryan who changed his clothes first. I was too terrified. Riley lights up whenever his dad walks into the room and Ryan does the same.

It was such an amazing day. I know la beana will be here before we know it, but this time I think I'll be a little more confident. Well, that's was a long walk down memory lane and now I've got to get ready for Riley to come back home. He camped out at mom and dad's last night while Ryan and I were at the theater. I sure do miss him when he's not with me.