Luca Dean Flake

Luca Dean Flake 

7 lbs 4 oz & 20.5 inches long 

Born 11/24/2013 at 3:52 pm in Los Angeles, CA

When I woke up on Sunday morning I knew it was the day he would be born, even though I had been saying that the whole week leading up to his birth, I knew for sure this time that it was the day. Milo was born exactly two weeks early so I had been expecting the same with Luca. When he didn't come at 38 weeks I was kind of surprised and getting more and more antsy by the day, but it was for the best. My parents came into town on Saturday and Luca was born the next afternoon, I think he was just waiting for them.

Jordan has a 6:30 meeting every Sunday morning, I woke up when he did and I started having some labor pains, but I got up and showered and began to get ready for church even though I suspected that I was going to have a baby. The contractions kept coming and I decided that I was going to stay home from church. My parents took Milo to church while Jordan and I stayed home, shortly after they left I decided it was time to go to the hospital, Jordan collected our bags and installed the car seat base and we headed to the hospital.

As soon as we got to the hospital, my contractions started to slow down but they were still definitely painful, I was still convinced that this was it. The doctor finally came in and checked me and said that I was only dilated to 2 cm, which was very disappointing because they had said I was at 3 cm at my doctors appointment on Tuesday. She suggested that I go home take a bath and labor at home because I was in early labor (and they didn't have any open beds). I felt so frustrated and of course as soon as we got back out to the car and started driving home, the contractions began to get stronger and more regular. When we got home my parents and Milo were still at church. I got in the bath, drowned myself in a pint of Haggen-Daz, laid in bed, then took a shower, and the contractions kept coming. We were home for about 2 hours when we decided that it was time to go back into the hospital. We put Milo down for his nap and drove back down to the hospital. I was glad that I was able to snuggle Milo one more time before having Luca.

I felt silly checking in again just 2 hours after leaving, but I knew that I was having a baby. They got me hooked up to the monitors and we waited in triage for what seemed like forever and the contractions were far more painful than what I experienced with Milo. When I finally got admitted and moved into a room I was dilated to 6 cm. Luckily the anesthesiologist made it to my room shortly after we did and I got my epidural. After getting the epidural, I still felt quite a bit of pain/pressure. I told the nurse this and she checked my cervix again. I was dilated to 9 cm and she could fill Luca's head, and then my water broke. The pain/pressure that I was filing continued and they asked if I felt like pushing. I pushed through about 3 contractions and then they said he should be here on the next contraction. I couldn't believe it because I had to push for over 2 hours when I was delivering Milo. They called the doctor in quickly, she got set up and sure enough he was coming quick. They had me push once, and the cord was wrapped around his neck, they had me stop pushing and doctor quickly clamped and cut it, then I pushed once more and he was here and perfect! I couldn't believe it had happened so quickly, he was born less than 2 hours after we got to the hospital the second time.

Luca has such a sweet little spirit, he is simply perfect. I couldn't take my eyes off of him and I instantly felt so lucky to be his mom. I felt like I knew him and he was meant to be mine. I also couldn't wait to share the news and get Milo down to the hospital to see his brother. When Jordan told my parents that Luca was here they couldn't believe it either, it happened so quick that Milo was still taking the nap that we had laid him down for. I got to hold Luca for a good long time, then I let Jordan have a turn. Then the nurse checked him out, gave him his first little sponge bath, weighed and measured him, and the pediatrician came into take a look at his face. Since he descended so quickly and had the cord wrapped around his neck his little face was pretty blue for the first few hours of his life.

My parents brought Milo down to the hospital in his "Best Big Bro" shirt. He was so cute those first little moments of meeting Luca. He had a big grin on his face & said, "He came out?" he also said, "where is this kid going to sleep?" He sat up on the hospital bed with me and took a little look at Luca, he wasn't interested in holding him. Shortly after my parents arrived they moved us into my postpartum room and we sent the boys out to get some dinner for us all. It was great to have my parents be here to take care of Milo. It took a lot of stress away from me and I was able to enjoy my new baby without having to worry about my Milo.

On Monday my parents took Milo to Disneyland while Jordan and I hung out at the hospital, getting tests, waiting to get discharged, and enjoying our new babe. He is a little piece of heaven. He is an excellent nurser and a pretty good sleeper too. We feel so lucky to have him in our home, he is perfect! I am sure that hard days are coming, but Luca has been such a good baby and my recovery has been a piece of cake, I have been able to just relax and really enjoy him. Milo is still warming up to the idea of being a big brother. He will ask questions about Luca and talk to him, but he doesn't have much interest in touching him or holding him. If he wants me to play with him he will say, "Dad do you want to hold Luca?" or if we ask him to hold Luca he will say, "No thanks I am a little busy" but he is warming up more and more each day, I have no doubt that soon they will be the best of friends. I really love my family and I feel blessed to have my little house full of such sweet little boys.