Tuesday morning, bright and early, they started the Pitocin again.  I managed to dilate to 5 cm by that afternoon and was in some measure of pain, so they gave me an epidural.  I don't remember much besides dozing in and out the rest of Tuesday.

Wednesday morning, they awakened me to tell me the baby's heartbeat was deteriorating with each contraction and it would be best to get him out... now.  Within seconds of my panicked consent, Joe was gathering up our stuff onto a cart and the room was crowded with a dozen nurses and other professionals readying me for a C-section.  This part is a total blur in my mind.  The part I mainly remember is being urged to pull myself from the bed to the operating table... NOT an easy task at 300+ lbs and pregnant!

The next vivid memory I have is looking for Joe.  Turns out they were looking for a scrub outfit to fit him!  I remember telling them I wasn't having this baby until Joe got there!  Then I was slowly losing feeling in all of my extremities... totally disconcerting!  I continued to panic, for both me and the baby, during the next half-hour.  Finally, Joe leaned over and told me Brendan was here.  After a few microseconds of panic at the checkout table, they gave him to Joe to show me.  He had an apgar of 7 at birth due to some breathing complications and 9 a minute later.

Brendan was born at 7:28 a.m. by Cesarean section, weighing in at 7 lb., 11 oz.  So much for that 9 lb.+ ultrasound!!  This is the proudest moment of my entire life! 

While Joe introduced me to my son right there, moments after he was born, I really don't remember seeing him... really seeing him... until they brought him in when I awoke a half hour later in the recovery room.  And I thought he was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my life. 

I love you, Brendan!