I went though 8 1/2 months of this pregnancy to get me to go into labor nothing had helped me to go into labor Leo and I were giving up.
Everyday I would sit on his lap and kiss him I went a month overdue to have our baby girl. I was due March 6th and I went into labor on April 10th. I said to Leo "Titanic set sail today." He said "I know that is where we met and where we got engaged."
I kept feeling cramps from the baby I said to Leo "I keep feeling cramps and I am a month overdue is there any way that I could be in labor?" Leo wheeled his chair over to me and I sat on his lap and he felt my belly. He said "honey I don't know let's go to the hospital and find out."
Next thing I knew we were getting in the car I said "honey I forgot my overnight bag I am going to run in very quick and grab it, it is right by the front door." First I helped Leo in the passenger seat he couldn't drive which sucked.
I ran in the house very quickly without having a contraction and I ran back to the car and I started the car and was driving to the hospital since I didn't know that I was in labor I had one hand on the stirring wheel and I had the other in my belly the contractions where coming.
Leo saw me in pain he said "babe do we need to pull over?" I just had started sweating I was in deed in labor I was trying to make it to the hospital before I started pushing.
I pulled into the hospital's parking lot Leo very carefully got out of the car and he wheeled his chair inside. He went up to the information desk he tried to stand up and he successfully stood up while holding the desk the lady said "how may I help you?" Leo said "my wife is in labor she started having contractions on the way here we are parked right out front."
Leo sat back down in his wheelchair and Leo and the nurse went out to our car where I was sitting in the drivers seat. The nurse said "we are going to get that baby out of you." I couldn't really speak so the nurse helped me out of the car and I ended up sitting in Leo's lap going into the hospital.
We got into the hospital and we went up to the 3rd floor that was Labor and Delivery the gentlemen behind the desk said "what is wrong with her?" The lady from the lobby said "she's in labor and we need to get her a room."
We went down to L&D #1 and I got off of Leo and once I did I had a long contraction the nurse said "okay Mrs. lets get you on the bed." She called another nurse and she rushed into the room to help me onto the bed.
I changed clothes so fast that I was in bed fast. The one nurse attended to me while the other nurse put a monitor over my baby.
The one nurse said "okay I am going to ask you some questions first what is your name?" I said "my name is Elizabeth C. DiCaprio my husband is sitting right beside me."
The nurse said "okay Mrs. DiCaprio you are 6 centimeters so I am going to break your water." The nurse was being careful but the water was very cold. After the nurse had broken my water I had another long contraction.
The nurse said "let me check you again." The nurse had checked me again this time I was 8 centimeters I had said to the nurse "is there any way I could get a epidural?" The nurse said "sure let me everything together."
The nurse ran out of the room and I reached down and grabbed Leo's hand. When the nurse came back I let go of my husband's hand so the nurse could help me up. The 2 nurses that was in here helped me with the epidural.
Once the epidural was compete the 2 nurses helped me lay back down and now I won't feel any more contractions it was smooth sailing. I said to Leo "hold the railing with one hand and stand up how can I hold your hand if you are sitting down?"
Leo held the railing with one hand and stood up I took his left hand and held it.
By this point the doctor came in and he said "hello Mr. & Mrs. DiCaprio." The doctor went over to the bed and he felt where the baby's head was at he said "you are at 9 centimeters you have one to go."
The doctor and the nurse got ready to deliver our baby. I had my last contraction and I said "I'm ready to push now."
The doctor came over and he said "you sure are now what I want you to do on your next contraction is push for me can you do that?"
I had my next contraction and the doctor said "okay Mrs. DiCaprio I want you to push for me." I pushed so awesome Leo was praising me. Then the next thing we heard the doctor say was "it's a girl!" I looked over at Leo and said "let's name her Lizzie." Leo said "I think I like that name honey Lizzie Calvert DiCaprio."
We told the doctor the name we named her and he put her name on her birth certificate and then he said "she weighed 7'9" and was 12' long." Leo at this point had sat back down in his wheelchair. I had asked the doctor "when can we take her home?" The doctor said "well since you were overdue you can take her home in 2 days."
Leo said to the doctor "what is the percentage that Elizabeth will have another baby not like we want another one I was just asking?" the doctor said "well maybe 35% chance she will have another child."
We stayed in the hospital for the 2 days and was able to hold Lizzie for hours and hours and hours. Leo even held her and was being very gentle. 2 days flew by and while we were sleeping the nurse came in with the discharge papers for me and for the baby. I woke up and noticed them both discharge papers Leo and I had to sign so with the papers laid a pen and I grabbed it and signed everywhere that said my name I had a wonderful signature Leo's on the other hand was sloppy.
After I signed everywhere I grabbed my daughter and I just held her until Leo got up.
When Leo got up he very carefully got into his wheelchair and wheeled over to the bed where I was laying and he was able to reach the 2 discharge papers and he signed his name just as a man would.
I handed Lizzie to Leo while I got up and got dressed thank goodness I had my overnight bag I packed 3 sets of clothes and I used my 2nd set.
After I got dressed I just left my gown in the bathroom. Leo handed me Lizzie and I sat down on his lap all the way to the car.
I had to drive because Leo couldn't drive. On Leo's wheelchair had my overnight bag I couldn't wait to lose my baby weight and try to keep it off. I was done having kids because of Leo and since he is in a wheelchair I really do not want to risk anything.
When we got home I got everything out of the car and into the house we had added a ramp for Leo and I have called a guy that knows to install a elevator in your home just in case someone is disabled.
The guy that knows to install a elevator came by and said "I can make this work you only have 2 floors right?" I said "yes we do."
The guy with the elevator walked upstairs and put a red X where the elevator was going to come up. He said "I could start tomorrow is that to soon?" I said "not at all how much is this going to cost?" He said "I will just give to you free since your husband is disabled and he is paralyzed am I right?" I said "yes he is paralyzed from the waist down in both legs so this elevator would come in handy."
The elevator dude left so Leo and I had a chance to talk after we put Lizzie down for her nap. Leo said "it is nice that I am getting a elevator this way I don't have to worry trying to go up and down the stairs in the wheelchair."
We went to sleep that night and at 3:00 in the morning Lizzie had woken us up I got out of bed and I went to settle her down. I loved being a new mother but the waking me up was a struggle Leo got to sleep in.
After I got Lizzie quiet I went back to sleep I was walking back to the master bedroom to crawl back into bed with my husband when My face was white I honestly thought I was going to collapse on the floor but I was able to make back to the master.
Around 8:00 in the morning someone had knocked on our door and I got up and answered it. It was the elevator guy here to start putting the frame in for the elevator. He took a loud machine that was able to cut though the ceiling the loud noise woke up Lizzie because I could hear her cry.
I rushed upstairs to grab my baby girl and went back downstairs to join the elevator guy. I was holding Lizzie in my arms while the guy was putting the frame in. I was telling the elevator guy "I am going to go feed my baby my husband is trying to sleep."
I went into the kitchen while the elevator guy was working on the elevator while I was in the kitchen feeding Lizzie all of a sudden I walked into the living room and foyer to the elevator guy talking to Leo.
I said to Leo "when did you come down?" He said "just 10 minutes ago why?" I said "just wondering." The elevator guy said "Leo come here for a second." Leo wheeled his wheelchair over and said "yes." The elevator guy said "I almost done with the downstairs part of the elevator can we see if it is big enough?"
Leo wheeled his chair into the frame of the elevator and he said "it is big enough." So Leo got out of the frame of the elevator and the guy installing the elevator ran upstairs and went to do the upper part so it would be easier for my husband.
When he got upstairs he started putting the frame in for Leo. He invited me and Leo to come upstairs I helped Leo while holding the baby. I said to Leo "what happens if I get pregnant again?" Leo said "you better not we agreed on one."
The elevator guy said "okay Leo I have finished the frame lets see if you are going to fit?" Leo wheeled his chair over and got in he said "I fit."
After he found out that Leo had fit the elevator guy was able to finish it.
When he got done he said "well Mr. & Mrs. DiCaprio I had finished the upstairs part of your elevator I am going to go back down and put in the inside of the elevator so I will be right back up." With that the elevator guy went back downstairs and worked hard on this elevator for my husband.
He got done putting in the inside of the elevator for downstairs and he was putting in the buttons inside so he could push two and it would bring it upstairs and back down.
He got back upstairs and started working on the upstairs part of the elevator. The elevator guy worked very hard for us and when he was completely finished with up and down buttons he said "well, Mr. & Mrs. DiCaprio I am finished the elevator thank you so much for letting me coming into your home and working in this."
When the elevator guy left Leo decided to try it out because he realized that he needed to go get dressed.
He got into the elevator and he pushed the number 2. It brought him right up to the second floor. Then he wheeled into the bedroom and got dressed.