Didn't I forget something?

I finally have a few minutes to write about a major part of this whole process... the labor & delivery. I think I must have had one of the most ideal experiences possible. I was already at 5 or 6 centimeters when I went in to get induced, so I skipped what for most women is a long and painful ordeal. Yay me! So here's the play-by-play breakdown (I'm not sure if I used that durn sports vernacular correctly...) Big props to Kyle for taking such accurate notes.

7:00 AM Check in to the hospital
7:30 AM IV is put in and pitocin is started. Pitocin is an artificial hormone used to start labor.
7:45 AM Contractions have started, but Yay me! again, I don't feel any pain! I can feel the muscles contracting and loosening, but it doesn't hurt at all. At this point, I was really glad they induced me because I wouldn't have known I'd gone into labor since I was in no pain.
9:10 AM Kyle and I start a game of dots to pass the time. Painless labor rules! I am a superwoman! Epidurals are for wusses!
9:20 AM Dr. Paul breaks my water using an amniohook. Immediately I start being able to feel pain with each contraction. Ouch! I am a wimp! Epidurals are a miracle!
10:20 AM Epidural is put in. I went through an hour of real labor. Been there, done that. Now take my pain away!
10:43 AM A little scare. The baby's heartbeat dropped, and suddenly there were two doctors and two nurses in the room. They had me get on all fours and put an oxygen mask on me. They also put in an internal monitor to better track the baby's hearbeat. After a few minutes of this, her heartbeat was back to normal.
12:44 PM Dr. Paul examines me and says I am completely dilated.
1:05 PM Time to start pushing! This goes on for some time. There's no pain thanks to the epidural, but pushing is hard work. Kyle helps out by holding my back up (he complained of tired arms!). The nurse also had him pull one end of a sheet while I pulled the other - this was to help me focus my pushing.
2:00 PM We all decide to turn off the epidural so I can better feel what I'm doing. The pushing hasn't been that effective so far.
2:30 PM Dr. Paul comes in to deliver the baby.
2:34 PM Hello Isabel!!!!!

I know how cliche this is, but when they handed her to me I burst into laughter and tears. I couldn't believe I'd really been carrying this beautiful little girl inside me. It still makes my eyes water to think of it. We're so glad she's here!