12/3/2013

Brandyce went into labor on Friday.  We went to the doctor’s office on Saturday and they told us that it was false labor due to dehydration.  But then Sunday night she started having more contractions.  That lasted all night Sunday and Monday.  On Monday we went to the doctor’s again and they told us that she has started to dilate.  So we came into the hospital at around 8pm and Brandyce decided almost immediately to get an epidural.  Now it’s a waiting game.  It is presently 3:00am on Tuesday and there is no sign yet of Oliviana.  I am awake watching the monitor and I can see that Brandyce’s contractions are about 7 minutes apart still.  It’s a mixed bag of emotions that I am feeling right now.  I am excited, anxious, apprehensive, impatient, and cautious.  Some of those are mutually exclusive to each other, further adding to the tension.

Updates to follow.

Update – 12/17/2013

Just a few hours after I posted this original message, Brandyce was ready for the final phase.   It took another 3 hours after that before Oliviana Maria Lombardo was born.  1:43 PM, the doctor handed our daughter over to us.   It has been quite a ride since then.  The first few nights were nearly sleepless.   Emotions ran high for the first week as we paved the foundation of experience that has already started to help all three of us to relax a bit now.   All three of us are doing great!