Labor 3.23.2011

Research states that only 4% of babies are born on their due date and so we figured that it would  not happen on 3/23/2011.  The night of 3/22 until early morning of 3/23, I started having some mild contractions that kept me awake, but I didn't think it would progress to active labor by that end of the day. Mohamed initially left for work that day but after much debating on whether he should go or not he wisely returned home to be with me in case labor progressed...and we were right! That whole day we timed the contractions following the famous 511 rule and sure enough the contractions became longer, stronger and not far apart from each other. I was working that day; writing emails and making phone calls and taking breaks to deal with the pain of contractions every six minutes. At about 4:15PM we decided to go to the hospital and active labor began at about 6:00PM. Thankfully we filled out all the administrative paperwork beforehand so that I can concentrate on labor and getting the baby out. I have to thank Mohamed for being next to me all the way through because I don't know what I could have done without him. At 9:07PM, and after pushing through all the pain, baby Laila was born!