Welcome Mary Alice Kunz

So... here's the low-down on my little Ally-mak:

PRIOR TO TUESDAY: Kate has "impressive swelling" so the doc wants to see her twice a week to watch for high blood pressure.

TUESDAY: Kate calls me noon-ish from school to tell me she has a headache... so she checks her blood pressure in the nurse's office and it's 146/95! So, I drive her to her appointment at 3, at which the doctor says that the baby is full-term tomorrow--so no risk to the baby--and Kate is now showing the beginnings of early risk-factors for preclampsia... "nothing good comes out of sending you home." So he and Kate picked me up off the floor and we went to the hospital.
I told the lady at the desk that we need to be admitted STAT! She told me "you're more STAT than she is... sit there (pointing to the corner) and relax." I had to run home and get all the stuff together (missed 3 roads... and had no idea what I was doing!) Kate was induced at 7:15 pm and her parents arrived from Michigan a few hours later. The doctor broke her water a bit before midnight. At this point, Kate was concerned about the fact that she had not eaten since lunch... and now could only have ice chips. She was focused on pancakes for breakfast... hoping all would be over by then... little did she know.

LONG, HARD story short... after 19 hours of labor... the last 3 pushing... yes 3, my champ of a wife delivered our sweet little bundle with the aid of a KIWI... a little vacuum pump with a handle they use to pull 'em out... but I was confused why the doc was ordering a small green fruit or a large bird into the room. It left her with an abrasion on her head, and a beehive, but the behive has since reshaped.

The doctor said "you've got a hot baby girl"... "Baby Kunz" was born at 2:20 pm, healthy (APGAR = 9) and weighing 7 Lbs 7 oz, at 19 inches long. They put her on Kate's chest and she looked at her mommy with 2 beautiful eyes. She may have gulped some fluid during her time in the canal... but she was healthy and everything checked out okay after a few hours in the nursery.

Dad had a fantastic time... oh the joys of an April Fool's baby.

Some Facebook status for the day:

12:31 am: "Ben is pretty sure he wasn't supposed to be a dad for 3 more weeks... but I guess that just changed..."

7:34 am: "Ben keeps hearing about things that happened 'while I was sleeping.'"

9:04 am: "It's a boy... William Reuben Kunz, 11 lbs, 26 inches..." get it... Billy Reuben! HA!

10:27 am: (posted between contractions... I really was helping! I promise!) "Ok... April Fools on "Billy Reuben"... we're due 4/22... but we really are about to have this thing... induced last night... they're saying before noon. AHHH! This is crazy!" (many did not believe... why, o why?)

3:00 pm: "Ben is proud to announce the birth of Baby Girl Kunz at 2:20 pm, 7 Lbs. 7 oz., 19 in., APGAR: 9"

3:02 pm: "No name yet... sorry, she was early."

4:11 pm: "Ben is for real a daddy. For real she was born at 2:20. For real mom and baby are well. For real we don't have a name yet."

7:54 pm: "Ben wants you to play GUESS OUR BABY'S NAME... initials are MAK... any guesses???"

This part was HILARIOUS... personal favorites were: Miss America... Macdaddy Allah... Madeline Albright... Marykate Ashley... Marigold Agnes... Melody Alto... Mergatroyd Anne... Monisha Aniqua... Meliffany Atiffany... and Magdalene Abigail

8:57 pm: "Ben is not quite ready to reveal the name... keep guessing... no correct answers for first or middle yet... MAK!"

9:08 pm: "CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY BAVERY... you win the grand prize of 1 free year providing daycare to Mary Alice Kunz!!!"

10:38 pm: "Ben thinks this has been the best April Fools day of my life... such fun... such excitement... such awesome-ness... such...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Many are still not sure if we have actually had a baby or not. Truth is... you'll never know... well until you meet her.