What a day!

Antoinette Slater Gangloff woke up this morning still nameless, thinking the day would be like any other: she would swish around in the amniotic fluid, sleep on and off, get nutrients and oxygen effortlessly through her umbilical cord, and maybe kick around a bit after dinner. This was not to be the case.

At 7:30am, mom and dad arrived at the hospital. After the paperwork and check-ins, the doctor came in to check things out at about 9am. Mom was dilated, things looked good, but the water had not yet "broken". Thinking it best in this situation to help out a bit, the doctor ruptured the membranes and left. Over the next couple hours, it was back-and-forth between in bed with the monitors and walking the halls of the Presbyterian/St. Luke's Hospital 3rd floor. The contractions gradually climaxed and around noon were getting quite intense. Antoinette's mommy was remarkably composed and brave throughout. At about 12:20pm, daddy thought to call the nurse and tell her that things seemed to be moving along. And was that ever true!

The nurse and doctor came in right away to check things out...it was time! Fully effaced and nearly fully dilated, it was about time to push. The various implements and accouterments were quickly assembled, and by pushing through just two contractions, Antoinette emerged at 12:52pm -- beautiful and slimy and quite purple. Weighing in at 7.5 lbs, she was healthy as could be and quickly figured out the fine art of nursing.

Later that evening her grandmother and big brother got to visit. Mommy had helped her pick out a present to give her big brother -- an awesome tow truck. Her brother was gentle and almost as interested in his new sister as his new toy, which is saying something given his recent obsession with tow trucks.

Now, mommy and baby are sleeping soundly, if only for short while.

Some photos from the adventures of this first day are here:

Antoinette's Birth