Splash!

10:41: Progress! V's water was broken and the doc put her at 3 to 4cm dilated. The water breakage didn't go so well... For a week V has been asking me if I thought the water breaking process would be painful... we now have a very definitive answer to that question. And so does anyone else within screaming distance of our room. But hearing right afterward that the cervix had gone from 1cm to 3 or 4cm made all the difference in the world. Pain is one thing, but pain with a purpose is a whole lot easier to bear.

10:42: V forgave the doctor for what she just did.

11:04: The request for an epidural. Once the water was broken, the contractions went bananas. Our guess is about a minute apart with the intensity almost up 50 to 100%. Whatever they were, they were intense, and I think we all got our first collective sense that it wouldn't be long from here. Yipee Skipee!

11:12: Enter stage left the anesthesiologist.

11:33: The epidural procedure begins. "Hold still..."
11:51: Epidural is a done deal.


12:45: 5 centimeters and counting.
13:26 : 8 - 9 centimeters.
14:11: Dilation complete.
14:16: 1... 2... 3... and PUSH!