Ah, so as the day settles down I think to myself. I am now a daddy. It was an amazing experience and it started with me all excited. So all day Monday this is on our minds. We go to Chili's for a last meal and then go home for me to finish packing my stuff since she is already packed. Given that we are supposed to go to the hospital at 9:30PM I had alot of energy. So when the hospital called and said to come in at 11PM we just waited a little bit more and watched Tommy Boy.

So off we go to the hospital. It was an easy drive and somehow didn't seem much like those emergency rides you see on TV. So we walk into the waiting room and there is Holly's mom. It was too bad she had to wait for so long since we didn't know she would be there, but it was a welcome surprise. Then we go to the birthing room and get Holly situated. She got her gown on and then it was a matter of waiting.

The nurse came in an was supposed to start the cytotec or some other kind of labor inducing drug. But when she examined her Holly was already at 3cm dilated and was already soft. The nurse paged the doctor and he said to forego the cytotec and wait until 5AM to start to pitocin. So they unplugged Holly and we both tried to get some sleep. They had a chair that folds into a bed that I stayed on. I had also brought my CPAP machine because I thought that labor was going to take like 24 hours. Holly meanwhile was having contractions even before they induced labor.

After getting about 2 hours sleep at 5AM they started Holly on an IV and at 5:30AM they started the pitocin. At 6AM the doctor came in an broke her water. Holly was still at 3cm. I talked to the nurse about when labor technically begins. She said it was when there is a recorded change in the dilation. At 9:15 the doctor checked her and Holly was at 4cm. The labor had officially begun. Holly was having some pains and it was a 7 out of 10 so they gave her the epidural.

After that things calmed down. I went to car and got some DVDs thinking this is going to take a while. So I pop in a MST3K Movie "Swamp Diamonds" and I dose off for an hour and even Holly falls asleep. The doctor came in at 11 and said Holly was a 7cm. I was like, awesome, that means that it'll happen this afternoon. So Holly and her mom told me to go get some lunch and bring it back. So I went down and got some sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies. As I go back Holly doesn't want me eating in the room so me and her mom go to waiting room to eat. At 12:30pm as I was almost finished with my ham and turkey sandwich the doors barge open. "Is Brian Bass here?" "That's me" "It's time!" "What's time?" "Time to have the baby." "Awesome!"

So I jump up from my meal and follow the nurse into the birthing room. They hand me a smock and have me stand next to Holly. They asked if I wanted to watch and I said yes, because I am much braver now. So the nurse is checking on Holly's progress alot. The doctor it seems was called in on his lunch break. Now if you ask me the reason why he would step out of the room was to get a bite out of his sandwich. So like every 5 minutes he would come in to see the progress.

Now during this time they are holding Holly's legs to a squatting position. I even help them hold Holly's legs. The nurse counts to 10 three times for each contraction. All the while I am saying it with her and moving my hand rather energetically. "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10" Woohoo, Your doing good! I grab a towel and wipe down Holly's forehead as her adrenaline is giving her a rush. I mean, Holly was most excellent. To me it seemed like she was a pro at giving birth.

During this the doctor takes a scalpel and has to free up some room for the baby's head to get out. I see the blood and think, ouch. So finally the doctor is like "Are you ready daddy? Grab your camera. Do you want to cut the cord?" Now the old me would have been like,"no way" but the new me is practically fearless "sure thing". I see the doctor say "He almost there. He's almost there. This is it." and he grabs a little yellow suction cup with a string attached to it and puts the cup on the baby's head. And out pops baby.
"Congratulations!"
"Woo hoo! You did it Holly!"
They grab a suction thing and start removing fluid out of the baby's mouth. They get the cord in place and hand me scissors. I cut the cord in two snips and am getting "congrats." I am on cloud 9. There he is, my son.

So they bring him over to the table and start cleaning him off. Meanwhile I am snapping picture after picture. I am getting everything. It was amazing. This was not a gross thing. This a beautiful thing. After they dry him off and weigh him they give him to Holly and they look at each other. I am smiling ear to ear. I am still intoxicated with happiness some 6 hours later.

The birth of Brennon Graham Bass will be a moment I will never forget. And now he is here. He looks and even acts so much like me I am beaming. It is hard to describe. It is like a part of me is now living in this world that is innocent and pure. Like I have a very instant connection with him, like all of a sudden, a new person to love is here. I just can't help it. Love at first sight is rare in the world, but in birth, it must be common cause I've got it. Woohoo!