Update 4: Banished

Carrie is getting her epidural right now. I have been banished to the other side of the room. Carrie does not want me to watch because she *claims* that I look very concerned while it happens. I have to plead my own case. When Will was being born the anesthesiologist stuck Carrie with a large needle three times, and it bothered me. I did not pass out or anything. But it made me upset, especially when the medicine was not working and they had to do it again. So, because of that trauma I have been banned to the other side of the room, not allowed to watch. I just get upset when I feel Carrie is in unneeded pain. Sue me.

Before the epidural she had progressed to a 3-4. The contractions were getting more painful. Carrie was resisting getting the epidural because the pain was not really bad, but the nurse wisely insisted that with your fourth child the baby will come quicker than you expect. The doctors get tied up, and it can take an hour from the time you request the epidural. So she relented.

Also, there is a state-wide tornado drill today. It reminds me of Parks and Rec episode where they do a town-wide natural disaster drill. Makes me grateful that there isn't an actual tornado. I do not know how a hospital would ever feel fully prepared for a natural disaster. There are so many moving parts, people in various states of personal emergency.

Carrie continues to take things in stride. She will never complain, my role is to communicate clearly with the nurses and doctors how stoic she is and advocate for her when she is feeling nervous to ask for help.

We cannot help but make mini-predictions of when the baby will arrive. It feels like things are progressing really well. Elliott arrived in the late morning, and we are bracing ourselves for a lunchtime baby.