The two days that involved my son being born were not like you would expect. When you think about what it is going to be like to have your first child, you think about how your wife's water is going to break, you are going to freak out, forget half the things you need and run 23 people off the road as you are speeding to the birthing center.
Instead, because of my wife's minor issue with having high blood pressure throughout her pregnancy, we got to plan when we were going to have our little human arrive. Well, kind of. We went in for our 39 week doctors appointment on March 25th at 7:45 in the morning. Larissa's blood pressure was once again a little elevated, so our OB simply said, "Well, I think we could just start to induce tonight." This was not a shocker for us because we knew that it was a possibility, but the moment that she said it, everything became unbelievably real.
So instead of a panicked race to the hospital, Larissa and I headed home, hung out, made sure our bags were properly packed and had a nice dinner together. We then loaded the car and headed over to the hospital at 8pm. We got checked in and settled into our room. Then, our nurse briefed us on how things were going to go. Larissa got started on the pills that would help her body to start having contractions and we went to bed.
Best part of being an expecting father is easily when you get to sleep on a couch or recliner. What is better than sleeping on something that is only really meant to be sat on when you are 6'3"? The answer to that question is as follows: EVERYTHING.
So, as we were "sleeping", the nurses would come in and check on Larissa every 3 hours and give her another dose of medicine. Fun times.
The medicine was not helping her make that much progress and every time they came in there was really nothing new for them to tell us. Until the last dose that is. In three hours she went from 1cm dilated to 4cm.
So with that, they started her on Pitocin which starts to cause intense contractions almost immediately. My calm and collected wife started to tell me that she could not hold my hand because the contractions hurt too much. (I didn't believe her because my perception of contractions was a woman screaming obscenities at their husbands and sweating profusely.)
She then started to insist that she needed an epidural and the nurse went to get the anesthesiologist. She returned about 15 minutes later and said that he would be here soon, only like 10 more minutes. 10 more minutes apparently meant 30 and Larissa was in more pain by the minute. However, I have to say that she handled it like a champ. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be in labor and she did not cry, she did not yell and she did not cause me any physical harm. Thumbs up for awesome wives.
Eventually he showed up with his rolling pharmacy of drugs. He was awesome and explained everything very quickly to both of us. Larissa sat up and he pulled out his needle. Larissa had her back turned on him which was probably a good thing because this needle was the size of my forearm. It was thin but I am sure my eyes got fairly wide. Luckily, Larissa was not paying any attention to my eyes, she was too busy using my feet to brace her full weight. (I had decided to put shoes on about an hour before this so...go me.)
Anyway, the anesthesiologist did his thing and Larissa immediately relaxed. He took all her pain away and she wanted to be his best friend. My feet wanted to be his best friend too.
The Pitocin was really doing it's thing and in no time, we were ready to push. The next three hours can be summed up in a pretty simple way. "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 GOOD JOB LARISSA!" That was the nurse's encouragement. Mine was a little different. "Oh come on it is not that bad, get it together!" Completely in jest, but I do not think my sarcasm was what my laboring wife wanted to hear. She then told me that I was allowed to talk to her but I could not try to make her laugh. So I jumped on the counting band wagon and just stared at my wife while she was trying to give me my first child. My counting rhythm was flawless and I know deep down Larissa was very thankful for how well it was executed.
After three hours our OB started to become a little concerned that the baby was not dropping. Larissa was doing everything just like she should but the baby did not want to get under the pelvic bone and she told Larissa to stop pushing for 5 minutes and we would see what happens. She came in what seemed like 60 seconds later and said, I am going to suggest a c-section, I do not want to put the baby in any more risk of losing oxygen.
So with that, nurses were flying all over the place. Getting things ready and giving me a gown to get in. Which I put on completely wrong and had a moment with a couple nurses rolling their eyes and telling me that I had it on backwards. One even said, "Evan, how do you expect to zip that up if it is in the back?" Which I responded, "I thought we were close enough that you would do it for me?"
I get super sarcastic when I am nervous and after a "HA" from the nurse, I put the gown on correctly.
They took us down to the OR and they started to prep Larissa. They then told me that I had to wait outside while they did so. This was the worst part of the entire day. They reminded me to go get my camera and I did so, but I also had to sit on a tiny bench outside of the operating room for what seemed to be an hour. I just kept praying, "God, please protect my wife. Please protect my baby."
Finally, a nurse came and got me and I walked into a room with 15 people. One being my wife laying on a table with a drape covering the bottom 80% of her body. I sat down next to her head and simply started talking to her. (It was a one way conversation because lady was HIGH.)
The operation really did not seem to take that long, it just consisted of 6 woman yanking my wife's body around and me trying to start conversations with her. Everything was so surreal and then I heard, "Alright it's out.....IT'S A BOY!!!!" Which was followed by the most beautiful infant scream that this world has ever heard.
I did not mention before that we did not know what we were having. I would have been happy with either as long as the baby was healthy, but it was not lost on anyone that I wanted a boy. I just imagined our family life starting with a boy that would grow up to protect his younger siblings. So, when they said those three words, I gave a little fist pump.
I then turned to my wife and just kept repeating, "It's a boy! It's a boy!"
She responded in a completely drugged out voice, "It's a boyyyyyyy............."
After kissing my wife, I ran over and watched as the nurses cleaned off my beautiful baby boy. I took picture after picture of them examining my son and tried to stay out of the way. They then weighed and measured him and finally after all the necessary measures, they handed him to me.
There is absolutely nothing like getting to hold your own child for the first time. I had felt him kick in his mom's stomach, I had seen him literally move her skin but those things could not hold a candle to holding him in my arms. He was perfect. Every dream I had every had about what he would be like was surpassed in an instant. I had a son. I had a perfectly amazing little boy.
I got to carry him over to my beautiful wife and we just got to stare at him together. Another moment that I will never forget.
Finally, the nurse handed him to Larissa as she was being wheeled back to our room and I got to watch my wife and her son stare at each other. I was overwhelmed with how blessed I was in that moment and I wanted to scream. I wanted to jump up and down and fall to my knees all at the same time. God had entrusted me with a perfect little boy and I wanted to thank Him for doing so.
We are now almost 2 weeks out from our baby boy's birth and life is simply wonderful. Sleep is hard to come by, diapers are used frequently, parents are getting peed on and everything is perfect. I would not have it any other way.
I love you Maddox Oliver Cook.
