Tatay Na Talaga Ako!

Olivia Soleil F. Sorongon (Born: Dec 5, 2011 at 7:10PM)

 

So the night before, everything was fine. We did our "walking" for Bernice and she even slept really late at 3am while I did a little after 5. 

She then woke me up around 6:30 to tell me that she was having contractions. Thinking that her due date's still on the 15th, we both thought it was just the beginning of the whole contractions cycle that can last for days. I can actually still see it in my head. It was like a movie. She told me to close my eyes first coz she wanted to make sure and count the intervals. But the moment I closed my eyes, she shouted "something came out!" So I suddenly stood up and she walked to the comfort room to check and true enough, there was (this is gonna be a little graphic) some bloody discharge. 

It was time. 

She then prepared herself with a bath, and I hurried to pack everything inside the car. By the time we got to the hospital it was around 8:20am. She was checked up in the ER and she was off to the labor room at I think 9am. She already had a 3 cm opening.

So there I was, sitting outside coz they don't allow dads in the labor room. I didn't know I was in for the long haul. By that time, both the "lolas" were on their way. Berns' mom arrived around 10 and my mom around lunch time. 

Long story short: I was outside waiting for 11 hours before I was called in. 

I shot inside those doors, dressed up for the OR, and headed to the delivery room with 2 cameras in hand. I got to shoot the whole delivery even the quick cleaning of the baby until the very end. Except of course the last part where they sew Berns back up :)

I could've just waited in the room to be honest, until someone called us up that it was time but the excitement to know the gender gripped me. I couldn't eat and I couldn't sleep despite having only a little over an hour's worth of sleep the night before. I wanted to be there when they called me in for delivery and I was glad I got to witness and document the whole thing. 

Of course, the most memorable moment was when I was filming the whole thing (or as movie houses call it "camcording" hehe)  and they shouted it's out and they raised the baby up for us to see... it was priceless. My eyes AUTOMATICALLY focused on the crotch area to find out the gender... it was a beautiful baby girl :) 6.7lbs at 7:10PM

Bernice gave birth at the perfect moment. The baby was ready for viewing a few minutes later and since the hospital's viewing sched was at 8pm, we had almost 2 full hours of viewing time for Olivia :)

The rest of the night was just waiting for Bernice in her room while she was in the recovery room.

I have attached one of her very first pictures. I took it using my phone cam coz our digicam wasn't charged! Oh well :)

OLIVIA NOTES: I actually got to record on video her first beautiful eyes seconds after she was delivered :)

REALIZATION: This is it. I'm finally a dad. I remember that night and even up to the next day, it still wasn't sinking in. But I am now part of the elite club of men who know how it is to be a dad. I actually feel bad for some of the bachelors because it really is a feeling men won't have or experience until you see your kid the very first time. As much as some men think it's cool or manly to be a bachelor/stud and have any girl they want. Now I know, that it takes a real man to take on the responsibilty of commitment to a wife and having a baby. I applaud all the men before me who take on the role of being husband and most especially father :)

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notes: first guests were Mara, Bernice's bridesmaid and her husband, Pastor Etienne :)

For those looking for the video. I'll just catch up on the blog updates first. Phew! I'll then find time to edit the video and upload it!