He's Pregnant (April 5 - Final Edition)

There’s really no way to start the last edition of this column in a subtle or humorous way. On Thursday, March 30 we were graced with the early arrival of our amazing and beautiful daughter, Cate Rowan Guenther. To describe my feelings in writing would be inadequate, as I can’t think of any words that explain it. All I can say is she’s perfect.
If you’re thinking this happened well ahead of schedule, you’re right. The last due date we were given was April 22. On Tuesday we visited the OB and he told us everything was going along fine and there were no signs of early labour. That was good to hear, as we still had a few essential things to take care of, like buying diapers. But on Wednesday evening, I walked in the house and was immediately called into the bathroom frantically by my wife. There she stood with soaking wet pants at her feet and a stunned look on her face.
“I think my water just broke,” she said hesitantly.
This was the biggest shock I’d had since I saw the positive pregnancy test. I desperately considered what else may have caused this loss of bodily fluid, but as much as I hoped for an alternative I knew what it meant. My wife called the doctor so she could assess her situation while I ran hysterically around the house trying to pack a bag for the hospital.
We headed straight to emergency where they checked us in and sent us to the delivery ward. It sunk in rather quickly that we weren’t going home without a baby.
The nurse put us in a room and told us to sleep, but that was impossible. We just stayed up and talked about what this meant, and what our daughter might look like. Our fears seemed to disappear as her arrival neared.
Active labour started at 2:00 a.m. and by 11:30 a.m. it was time to push. There was a bit of a complication as the baby was coming out face up, which means she needed help to get out. The doctor used a vacuum, and at 12:37 p.m. Cate and her little cone-head entered the world at 6 pounds, 1 ounce. She was wonderful, and so was my wife for doing so well during labour.
It’s been an amazing and exhausting few days but I’ve enjoyed every second of it, as I have the last nine months. I couldn’t have found anyone better to share the experience with than my wife, who handled pregnancy with grace and beauty, and I know she’ll do the same with motherhood.
As we both graduate and look towards the future, we find ourselves in awe of our little girl and the part she’ll play in our lives. When this pregnancy began, I looked at it as a journey, but we’ve realized now that the adventure has just begun.