DNC Worldwide

BEFORE

AFTER

See…. I told you guys I’d get it right! Our baby boy, Nicholas Leonardo Calimbas, was born at 7:24am today, December 6th 2009 at TX Women’s Hospital. He was 7 pounds 5 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long at birth with feet and lips like his momma. He arrived after 40 weeks and 5 days …. on St. Nicholas Day!

BIRTH STORY

It was funny how it all started. After passing our due date, we never thought he’d get here! You know… Filipino time and all. We were already hearing whispers of how this one… Michael Angelo… Max Kristoffher, Romulus Maximus Decimus Meridius… whatever his name is… was JUST like his daddy. Always late, comfortably lazy, and not wanting to get up and give up the free food. But just like they said it would happen, he arrived when we least expected it.

At this point, mom-to-be and I had just about given up on the idea that he (baby name TBD) would arrive on his own. Dr. Ramos had set an induction date of Monday and we were just riding out the weekend after our expectations of him arriving Thursday and last Saturday came and passed.

I had come home after watching the Ultimate Fighter Finale at the newly-remodeled Casa De Filipino with the boys. Megan had already gone to bed and I was knee-deep in a COD4 XBOX Live session with Rico, Hai, Drew, and Vinnie when Megan texted me that she thought it was time. I quickly logged off and ran upstairs to find Meg in the middle of a contraction. Not harmless Braxton-Hicks ones like what was the norm… more like your-face-looks-like-somebody-just-stabbed-you real ones! So in my head, I’m like wow… it’s really happening!

At this point, its now 2:30am and the contractions had been going on for 10 minutes. Not really knowing what to do, I coached Megan to cope with the pain by controlling her breathing as I started timing. 5 minutes apart… I have no idea what the heck that means but you look like you’re in pain and that seems a little close together. Time to call the doctor… err… answering service.

Doctor calls back. Contractions now 3 minutes apart. She says wait until its been a full hour then come in. I thank my lucky stars that the to-go basket is packed as Megan and I get dressed in between contractions. Car seat… check. Bags and stuff we needed… check. Car has gas… check.

We arrive at the hospital at about 3:15am or so and at this point, Megan is in pain as she walks down the hallway to get admitted. But we make it and since we filled out the paperwork a few visits ago, admittance is fairly easy and she’s in the room getting an epidural in no time. For those of you that don’t know what that is… it completely takes the pain away. And they like to deliver babies in the morning, after 7am, so the nurses tell us to relax and try to get some rest/sleep.

Yeah right. I finally start dozing off around 6:30 when we find out the baby is ready to get here. I’ll spare the gory details but I assisted in the delivery. I held momma’s leg and cut the cord and everything. He got here in 4 pushes. And he wasn’t purple or yucky or any of the other stuff I expected to see. He was already a healthy pink color, with a full head of black hair and (currently) bluish, greenish eyes like his mama. They didn’t even have to suction his nose/mouth before he started crying. Easiest delivery in 5 months, the nurses said. And I held him immediately after they cleaned him off and put a diaper on him. It turns out he’s not as fragile as I thought he’d be. And loud too! But he stopped crying as soon as I picked him up and I held him while momma got ready.

So yeah. His name is not Michael Angelo or Max or Romulus or any of that. His name is Nicholas. A name we decided on within the last 24 hours. And as I was so aptly told by my loving mother-in-law, wouldn’t you know it… he was born on St. Nicholas Day! Kind of ironic since his is the only stocking over the fireplace without a name on it. But Dad will change that as soon as we get home.

I finally cried my eyes out a little ago while I was holding him in this quiet room. Just Megan, baby, and I. Totally the “you are my son and we’ll tackle this world together” moment. Looking over, I see Megan is finally sound asleep after a full day of feeding and family. Now this dad needs his sleep too. Welcome to the world son.