Making an Entrance

Well the newest arrival at Various Cushions Towers is settling in happily. This day last week I spent getting to know the hospital staircase exceedingly well, climbing up and down them during "early" labour - apparently it speeds things up - so the midwives kept telling me, and if I hadn't done that I might be there yet, because he took his sweet time (a full 24 hours) getting to the stage where they'd let me in to the labour suite for the "2nd Stage" of labour. (On second thoughts now I'm beginning to think they just told me to walk around alot in order to get me out of their ward, pestering them for my next hit of paracetomol - yes early labour is blessed with very little in the line of pain killer options)
Anyway - the next bit passed a good bit quicker, with the help of gas, air and the magical epidural, but ended with some high drama getting rushed to Theatre, (and not to see a play) for a hurried help out - luckily not a section (after 31 hours total - that would have sucked). There were some funny moments - with the midwife saying "Are you sure now you want an epidural or do you want to have a nice cup of tea and think about it?" - such a Father Ted moment, when I replied "Ah no thanks, I'll just have the epidural" and later at the very end when he finally arrived safe and sound and I was squeezing Mr VC's hand lovingly on the operating table, only to turn and find a very nice late middle aged anaesthologist trying to tactfully get rid of my attentions and get on with his job.
The baby is fantastic, and contrary to my not wanting to be a stereotypical gushing mother, I have to tell you - he is without doubt the cutest, most perfect, smartest, best sleeper, all round most fantastic and magical creature that ever breathed.
I'll get a pic up some time in the next month - am ridiculously tired and helpless here.
Oh - and his name is Micheál.
xxx