The Labor Story (warning- only for those who like details!)

Wednesday morning I woke up to some cramping in my stomach. Convinced I was going into labor I did a victory dance and made Jason promise 7 times to keep his phone on as he went to work that day. I began to time the mild contractions and pack my bag for the hospital. I went for a walk eager to move things along. At 10:30 am I took a nap, and upon awaking the contractions had stopped. Disappointed I headed off for another walk. I went 5 miles along the river, but to no avail. Confused and discouraged I called it a day.
2 am the next morning I awoke to some stronger contractions. Hopeful that this "was it", Jason and I jumped out of bed and started timing them about 8 minutes apart. We made a big breakfast, took a shower and became convinced that our baby would likely we born this day, May 1st- which in Hong Kong was the Chinese holiday of labor day! May 1st is also the day my niece and nephew (brother and sister) we both born! As day broke we took a walk through the jungle behind our house and then through Tai Wai. By now the contractions were coming 5 minutes apart and I was having a hard time walking nonchalantly through them. I tried by best not not draw attention to myself as people swarmed around the streets. We walked home, made some phone calls and headed to the hospital.
The taxi driver looked a little nervous with me panting in the back (every 4 minutes now), and responded by driving extra carefully and slowly. He watched me continuously in his review mirror until I couldn't resist urging him "fi de la, mm goi!" (please hurry!) At 12:30 pm when we arrived at Prince of Whales Hospital the nursing staff examined me and announced that I was 4 cm dilated. Laying me on a stretcher they transported me down to the delivery ward. Meanwhile Jason had to run all over the hospital completing the registration and paying the deposit.
Together again in the labor room, clad in our matching purple scrubs, we worked together through the strong contractions. Jason watched on the monitor as my contractions would climb and spike in sync with my grimaced face. I drew strength from the worship music in my ipod and squeezed Jason's hand with all my strength.
Around 2:30 I had progressed to 6 cm, but my water had still not broken. Declining the midwife's urging to artificially rupture the water, I waited until it broke on it's own. That was a moment I will never forget. Like a huge, warm water balloon, the sack exploded with a pop all over the table during the peak of a contraction. After the rupture the midwife announced the baby's head had descended through the cervix, I was 10 cm and it was time to start pushing!
This is where the going really got tough. For two hours I pushed with all my strength, over and over again without feeling we were getting anywhere. The head would come into view and then retreat again. Exhaustion and swelling were setting in and baby's heart rate was dropping when we decided to make an episitomy. A few very strong pushes later at 5:27 pm (accompanied by lots of blood and screaming) Josiah Michael was laying on the table in front of us!
That moment was so beautiful and surreal and the events following became a blur, except the realization that we at last had a son!