File this one under “The Hits Just Keep On Coming.”

Yesterday (Wednesday) was a pretty typical day. I was well enough to do some painting in the baby’s room, and I did some work on a web site project I’ve been working on. I was looking forward to later that night because Eric and Jen were going to come over for some pizza and conversation. I haven’t seen Eric in quite some time, and neither of them have seen my new house...nor have they seen how pregnant Jenn is.

Errr...was.

Jenn had been feeling “cramps” just about “all day long.” When she got home from work they were “pretty uncomfortable.” After nagging her for a bit, I got her to call her doctor’s office. She went upstairs to lay down for a bit. This left me to put my Martha Stewart skills to work in order to prepare for the guests...so, after much planning, thinking and strategizing I went to work...I cut up some cheese, put it on a serving tray, and put some crackers around it. Then I decided to watch Wheel of Fortune.

Eric was driving up from Connecticut or something, and Jen was coming in from Boston. They were almost all the way up here...but the doctor’s office called back. The woman spoke with Jenn and told her that she should get to the hospital to make sure she wasn’t going into premature labor.

Hahahaaa...labor...she’s not due until December 30th! And with my luck of late, that tax break will never come to me until I file for 2006.

I put my cheese and cracker thingy in the fridge. I call Eric. Voicemail. Shit. I call Jen. She answers. I give her the 5-second version of whats happening, and that I am sorry, but we’re leaving to go to the hospital...also, could you keep trying Eric’s cell phone for me. Of course, she’s both concerned and understanding. Jen would NEVER get pissed at me for wasting her gas...

We drive all the way down to Boston. Get Jenn into the hospital admitting office. Get her into an exam room where they hooked her up to a monitor. We’re hanging out, talking, chilling, feeling bad about the whole Eric and Jen thing. Doctor comes in, looks at the fax-machine type paper thats spitting out of the machine, does her examination...then drops da bomb.

We’re having this baby tonight.

Nothing like writing in a dramatic pause.

So, uh, we’re supposed to have our birthing class this Saturday. Uh, I’m not clear about how this stuff goes down. Er, the baby’s room isn’t quite ready yet. And, uh, I went through all that cheese cutting for nothing.

I got on the cell phone and called Jenn’s mother, who I had to track down using Jenn’s sister Lindsey. Mom quickly jumped in the car and headed to Boston all the way from West Springfield. I called my mother and kept her up to date, as well as my sister and father. It was going down...there was no stopping this...here come the doctors!

We met and spoke with all sorts of specialists about the dangers and precautions of premature births. Although I think I hid it pretty well, this info scared the living hell out of me. I was very concerned about my baby and what type of health issues he might have. We kept optimistic about everything...and even though I was pretty scared, I felt that there was something around us that wouldn’t allow anything bad to happen.

So, lets just cut to the chase...Jenn was phenomenal. I rocked (as usual). And we welcomed our first child into the world. A very healthy looking boy who weighed in at 5 pounds even, measured 18 3/4 inches, and came into our world at 2:10am. I can’t explain in writing or speech how it felt to see him...but, with all the shit I’ve been through with this cancer, I felt nothing but a sense of deep love for my son. I feel like I already know his whole personality. And it was such a rush of emotion to hold him and touch him. It was pretty overwhelming.

Now, the part everyone wants to know...and if you just scrolled around looking for his name - shame on you...go back up and read this whole entry! Now!....Go on!

Looks like I won the name war. Although I gave complete power to Jenn (after all she did do a little work with the whole delivery thing). Dante Owen Porzio. Dante is the name I’ve wanted all along, and Owen was Jenn’s father’s middle name. We decided that no matter what name was chosen, Owen would be the middle name. But check this out:

Dante Porzio.

I love it.

He’s currently in the newborn ICU, and we don’t know when he’ll be able to come home. They have told us that it will be at least a few weeks, but it could go up to his original due date of December 30th. Jenn will be released this Saturday. Its going to be a little tough to go home without Dante, but the doctors and nurses need to make sure that he continues his positive development. I just got home from the hospital and started writing this entry. I’ll be back there tomorrow.

We’ll have more pictures very soon...but I am SO tired right now, I’ve got to get up into bed. Click on each image for the full version. The bottom two pictures are after they put a feeding tube into him. Of course, I am wearing the mask because of the risk of infection due to me undergoing chemotherapy.