The rest of the story...

So, here is the rest of the story from the "birth night." As you know we have been working on our house. We were desperately trying to get heat into the house before the baby came. In order to do this, we determined to replace all the heating ducts below and above our house (notice all the stuff torn out in the picture). The attic was done, and the downstairs was in process. So Stef tell me on Tuesday afternoon, "It will be today." Now I know I don't always display the greatest degree of common sense, but I have figured out which stuff not to question my wife on. I knew she was sure, but being practical, I asked. "Stef, do I need to get ready now, or should I get under the house and keep working on the ducts?"

"You can keep working, I'll let you know." So I am working until 9:30 when she says, "Jason, it's time to get going."

I haul myself out, dust off, and call some friends to watch the kids. Take a quick shower before the friends arrive, and get in the car to leave. The hospital is 30 minutes away, so I start my silent prayers. "Please God, don't let her have the baby in the car. Please don't have the baby in the car." They are silent prayers because I figure if I say them out loud, they might happen... Murphy's law and all. So I finish my prayer and am driving as fast as I can up the 2 lane highway planning in my head the steps I will take if she has the baby in the car.

Halfway there she says, "I think I might have waited too long." Crap, more gas. Faster. Then the contractions start. Now I am driving 65 in a 35 until she has a contraction. Then I am driving 15 in a 35 for 45-60 seconds and back to 65.

We get to the hospital at 10:40. I walk her in and announce, "Hi, my wife is having a baby. This is her 4th, and she says it is coming soon." They hustle her into a room, wire her, I/V her, etc. She asks about an epidural. She hadn't ever had one and thought it was worth a try. They draw blood and say they will get it going. 5 minutes later we realize that they won't get the epidural to her in time. So we ask for something else that they can give right away. They give her something that Stefanie liked.

Then she has a couple contractions, goes into transition, pushes the baby out. It is 11:25. We have a beautiful baby girl. Unfortunately, we still don't have a name.