Before the baby was born ...

Here's a photo of the last unpainful moments of labor.
Probably around midnight, Wednesday, May 17.

Here's how it went:
11 p.m., May 17: We literally turn off the lights to go to bed and Mari says, "I just felt something pop. That was weird."
11:15 p.m.: We call in and the docs say, head to the hospital.
11:30 p.m.: Get checked in. Confirmed, the water broke.
11:31 p.m.: The first contractions start.
Midnight-11 a.m.: Walking, sitting, lying, breathing, not sleeping!
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Intensity.
1 p.m. to 3:44 p.m.: Total intensity!
3:45 to 3:55 p.m.: Completely unfathomable mind-blowing intensity!!!!!!!!!!!
3:56 p.m.: Eli Charles Berlin comes out into the world. He didn't want to come so we pretty much had to yank him out of there with the help of about seven nurses and a vacuum tube attached to his head. He was faced the right way and really low, but he had his head tilted just enough to make pushing really hard.
3:56.30 p.m.: Eli poops all over the floor of the hospital.
8 a.m., May 19: He handles circumcision like a champ. Pees all over the nurse.
9:30 p.m., May 19: Leave hospital and head home!
5 a.m., May 20: Eli goes to sleep!

By the numbers
Born: 3:56 p.m., May 18, 2006
Weight: 7 pounds, 12 ounces
Length: 20 inches
Labor time: 16 hours