We left the house at around 6:15am to go to South Coast Medical Center in Laguna Beach where Bea was going to be induced. First of all, it’s weird having an induction because you know that you are going to go and have a baby. It’s a crazy sense of anticipation – very nerve wracking. Here is a picture of Bea’s belly on the morning we left the house. Yes, there is a seven pound baby, two liters of extra water and a few pound placenta inside that belly. I have a picture of the placenta but Bea won’t let me show it.

Then we checked in at the hospital and filled out paperwork and got checked into our room and they started the Petocin drip (that’s the drug that starts inducing labor) at about 8:15am. My parents took Grace to breakfast at Ruby’s. Then Bea’s mom came and hung out with us. We were in a smaller room to start but then they checked us into our main room at around 11:00am. This room was beautiful and big and had an amazing ocean view. That’s kind of their schtick at South Coast – “Have your baby with an ocean view!” They even give shirts to the baby that say that. Here is a picture of the view.

The rooms are LDRP rooms which means you do everything in them. L – Labor. D – Delivery. R – Recovery. P – Postpartum. Here is a picture of Bea waiting in the Labor phase. She got the epidural at around 1:00pm. It was pretty scary for her, but those things are amazing. She is such an amazing woman. So brave and so strong. At this point Bea was only at 3 centimeters and we thought we were in for a long road.

Then at 4:30pm the nurse examined Bea and she was at 5cm. Then I enjoyed a delicious Ruby’s Beach Burger with bacon and Bea was very jealous because she couldn’t eat. Then at about 6:25pm, Dr. Tran (our OB), came in to examine Bea. We thought this would just be another check and we would have to wait a few more hours. We sent the family out to let Bea get examined in private. So then Dr. Tran says that she is at 7cm, but that her cervix is very flexible and soft. The next words out of Dr. Tran’s mouth are, “Let’s try giving a push on the next contraction.” WHAT???? SERIOUSLY??? Then Baby Ella was born at 6:48pm so you know that this process was very very very fast. Here’s the first picture I took of Ella all covered in the gross white stuff.

Here is our new family with Dr. Tran.

Then Bea has to get stitched up and cleaned up before we can let the family come in. They were shocked when I said that they baby was born. They thought it was just another routine examination as well. Crazy. Then we spent the crazy two nights in the hospital with some great friends and family bringing tasty meals to us from Ruby’s, Coyote Grill, and a yummy New York pizza place. We were so happy to come home. With Grace we were scared to come home. This time I couldn’t wait.

Here is a darn cute baby at our home.

We’re having a baby!!!

We had our Elevation Service Brainstorm Meeting yesterday and we planned a lot of things. Our fall series will be called DAVID: Pursuing the Heart of God. Not real edgy, but it communicates clearly. Our summer series is on the Holy Spirit and is a mini-series that we are calling Lost in Translation. We will have mini Lost in Translation series’ between our longer series’ and these will all be teachings on theological concepts that we tend to have misconceptions about for all sorts of reasons.

So after the meeting I was getting super tired and sick feeling again. I was supposed to teach in College Group, but they let me out of it. So I prepared a couple readings and worship responses for them based on the passage of Scripture I was supposed to teach. I hope it was OK.

Today, we go to the OB/GYN for Bea and they are supposed to do something to speed along the chances of her going into labor. Last Friday she was 2 centimeters dilated (sp?) and 70% effaced. We will see if there is any progress today at 10:45am. Bea and Grace have been sick too. So please pray for a healthy house for this new baby to come into.

Grace is extremely excited about having a baby sister. Bea is loving having another girl because I think that boys are gross to her. Eric has loved having a daughter with Gracie and looks forward to another, plus we have a garage full of girl stuff that we don’t have to buy. Eric is also a bit apprehensive of having a family of all girls – forever.

Here is the actual ultrasound taking place. Look closely and maybe you can tell if it’s a boy or a girl!! No, you won’t be able to.

We tell our family at lunch from about 11am-1pm today. I will post the results after that.

Bea wants a girl, but she thinks it is going to be a boy.
I’m good either way. Honestly. I have loved having a daughter and we have a garage full of girl stuff so I would be happy with a girl. Then I think every guy thinks about throwing the ball around with his son. So a boy would be cool too. If I had to guess though, I would say it’s a boy.

Kim guessed boy in an earlier post.

We need lots of guesses so please comment!!!