Connor D-Daniel D-Dettori

As I'm writing this, let me just clear up right now that it is 1:38 p.m. Monday afternoon & I'm teetering between buzzed and drunk. I'm doing beer can chicken for dinner, ok? You can't use a full can, or 2....or 3. ANYWAY.
I was due with Connor on 7/22/02. That day came and went. With me being totally miserable, fat and only eating Flavor-Ice's as my appetite was nil.
The days keep coming and going. No baby. Damn.
My in-law's have a rather large yard and every night, after dinner, I'd walk this 'loop' around their yard. Trying to encourage dilation - anything.
One evening, after dinner, I'm having Braxton-Hicks contractions and true to form, begin my nightly walk. Bryan was at work. On the 3-11 shift. Actually, he may have worked a double that day. He gets home around 11:30 and asks how I'm feeling. I tell him, "You know, I've been having the normal fake-me out contractions. I feel weird, but it's probably nothing." He looks at me weary-eyed and says, "You can't go into labor tonight. I'm exhausted." We head up to bed.
I awake at about 2:00 a.m. after being startled awake & feeling like I have to pee - badly. I go into the bathroom and with basically no effort, there is a big "GUSH". I look in the toilet and call out to Ravioli, "Um, this doesn't look like pee. You better get in here." We call the doc, she tells us to go in, and we do. I'm feeling no pain. Nothing, other than the constant leaking.
I go into my holding cell, they confirm that my water broke, but I'm barely dialated. After awhile, they send me to an actual room. The nurse says, "I see here honey, that you want to deliver naturally. With no drugs. I say, there's nobody here. The anestesiologist is right out in the hall. Let's get you that epidural now." Sheepishly, shamefully, I consent to the epidural. Bryan is asleep. Damn epidural hurt like hell. Sweet dreams, Bry.
I sit, the rest of the 'morning' and into daylight, awake. Nothing is happening. They keep checking me and I'm not progressing. I'm stuck at 3....barely to 4....by 5:45 p.m. the next day I'm stalled at 5. They give me some time and the same. The nurses and docs descend on me to tell me I'm being wheeled in for a C-section, but before that, check me & I'm up to 8 or 9 centimeters. FINALLY.
The nurse announces that I can begin to push. And I did. And began having a 'movement' so-to-speak. Totally emabarrassing. I pushed for 40 minutes and at 7:27 p.m. on 7/27/02, Connor Daniel was welcomed to the world.