What Daddy Saw

A week or two before baby Jack was born Tonia explained to me that when a mothers water breaks it is not like the movies. Usually it is a trickle or a small stream or the water does not break until the mom is already at the hospital. When Tonia's water broke it was like in the movies. Tonia, Dana and I were all sitting on the couch. I was on sip number two of my beer when out of the corner of my eye I could tell something was happening with Tonia. She said "my water just broke", she stood up took off her drawers and out it came, lots of it. Our first instinct was to get everything ready to go to the hospital. I did as much as I could on my but Tonia was quite active for a few minutes. I continued getting ready while she and Dana relaxed and assesed the situation. We were definatley in the pre-labor stage.

We had already decided to stay at home as long as possible before traveling to the hospital. Things went very smoothly. Dana and I poured through our numerous baby books so we new what to do and when to leave. The timing and the intensity of the contractions were very steady so we decided to lay down and maybe go to sleep. Around 10:30 Tonia had another rush of fluid escape her. I decided it was time to go.

It was a good decision to leave because on the way to the hospital the contraction became more intense. We checked in and met Valerie, the woman who did wonders to get us trough the night. We settled in very quickly. We asked a few questions and gave Valerie our birth plan. The next few hours were all about the contractions. It is hard to see your wife go through so much pain. I did what I could by holding Tonia's hand and giving her words of incouragement. Valerie was champion when it came to soothing Tonia during the hard contractions. She was very relaxed and had a very soft and assuring voice. Tonia called out to her many times during labor. I thank her very much for being there, we got very lucky with a great nurse. I don't recall exactly when the midwife arrived but she was a welcome sight. I knew we were getting closer to meeting baby Jack. Tonia wanted to push very badly and asked a few times if she could. Finally it was time. During this stage Dana held one of Tonia's feet while I held the other. While we did this Tonia grabbed her thigh are so help the process. I remember when I first saw that little bit of hair on Jack's head emerge. Another thing I remember was the absolute amazement of how much energy Tonia was putting into the pushing process. She would put any man to shame with what she gave. I knew she was giving everything she had. After seeing the crown of Jack's head a few minutes earlier I was shocked when his entire head came out. It was so big. Tonia followed the last few instructions including and big push followed by rapid small pushes. When Jack came out I was overwhelmed with emotions. I cried big time. They immediately placed Jack on Tonia's chest. Tonia giggled because the umbilical chord was tickling her. This made me cry even harder because I was laughing and crying at the same time. I took a picture of the placenta and then held Jack for the first time while Tonia was getting cleaned up. It was an unbelieveable feeling. As much as a loved holding newborn baby Jack I loved giving him back to Tonia. I was beyond proud seeing Tonia hold Jack. She went though nine months carrying the little fella and experience such and tough but rewarding experience during labor, without and epidural by the way. Tonia was champion of the world during labor. The nurse and the midwife said it was the best labor they had seen in years. They even said she should teach a birth class. For the past nine months and six days Tonia has been the greatest mother and wife imaginable. I love you Tonia and I love you Jack.

Bruna's New Kid

i write this blog on a pillow on my lap with my four day old son asleep on my left arm. it's the day after christmas and i can't help but be amazed that this is where i'm at- a beautiful baby boy and me at night on the couch at home.
just 4 days ago, jason, dana, and i sat on this couch watching tv and it was at 4:30 i heard and felt a pop in me and i got up in a hurry. "my water broke," i said and there was a flood of water suddenly pouring down my legs and pooling on the floor. dana and jason rushed for towels and i stood there shaking as they cleaned me up. all of us were in a little shock.
i had lost my mucus plug earlier that day after lunch at the wolf run, but i didn't think it meant much. now though, my heart raced and i thought, i got to pack my bag, i got to get it together! and i had to get out of my skirt and drawers. everyone busied themselves. i was shaking while packing baby clothes in the nursery- the room became really real.
then i calmed down and felt really good and clear headed. i felt ready. dana and jason passed this birth partner book back and forth and got a notebook out to record my first real contractions.
well, hours passed. my contractions were great, all 7 to ten minutes apart, i laughed and talked my way through dinner and some yahtzee and felt very positive. my water had broke at 4:30 just when jeopardy comes on. jason and i like to watch jeopardy when he comes home from the park. so it was around 10 when i decided we all might as well go to bed because nothing was really changing. the hours had zoomed by though. i figured that maybe tonight was the night, but most likely the next day.
at 10:30 in bed, i felt another pop and again jumped up. bloody water gushed out. jason got up, turned the light on, and we sort of stood there not knowing what to do. then jason decided we ought to call the hospital and so i did. the nurse said, yup, you better come in. i said, right now? and she said, come on in right now. i told jason and he jumped to action, put on his clothes to start the car and dana had got back up downstairs. but i didn't want to go. i felt like i hadn't really labored at home for as long as i could. that was my original plan.
i got into my freshly washed skirt, my only maternity outfit, and we all bundled up and carried our stuff out the door. i said goodbye to bruna.
on the porch, i got a contraction and had to stop and bend over until it was over. we all piled into the taurus and drove off into the snowy night.
i been down sheeps creek road hundreds of times, but i saw everything different suddenly. it was all clear and dark and intense, every bend in the road, ann's greenhouse, the turnoff for the parks highway and the lights of other cars.
i had a couple more contractions and these were getting a little serious. i remember pressing my palms on the window and kind of humming.
we got to town and all of us were quiet. i saw the hospital looming big and silent and suddenly jason had pulled to the emergency room entrance with its red lit up letters. dana and i got out and went inside. i noticed some real tired people setting in there the way emergency room waiting rooms are. the reception area had a star of david banner. i felt good still, and like there was a good chance we'd get sent home. jason came in with all our stuff and i felt a little silly.
then i got another contraction and i had to set down. i saw a blonde older woman coming down a hall for us and i made myself get back up.
we rode the elevator, us three and the nurse. she said her name, valerie, and she was very quiet and had little expression on her face.
but when we got to my room, 217, she said, "i saved my favorite room for you." i remembered it from the hospital tour. she told me i had to be examined and put on a fetal monitor and so i took my thermal pants and drawers off, but left my trusty skirt on. my skirt stayed on the whole time.
i got on the bed and from here on out, did not leave the bed very much except to use the bathroom. all my good plans to listen to the boss and roll around on the birthing ball never happened. i got hooked up to the monitor, was told i had elevated blood pressure, and that i might should get on an iv for dehydration. i realized that i was rolling towards being out of control and my contractions centered themselves in me like a radiator in my guts. i know i stopped talking much and began gripping the bed rail. still, i spoke up for myself and said i didn't want an iv, that i'd instead try to hydrate myself.
the room stayed semi dark and i was aware of jason and dana hovering. but mostly i felt really alone like i was retreating from the situation. i remember making myself go to the bathroom and having contractions on the cold hard floor and thinking, "i ought to lock the door and labor in here."
i began to shake and sweat by this point. i can't explain what was happening, just that i had entered a world far away- like some kind of nightmare. i remember yanking on my hair and biting the bed rail and then thinking, this can't be happening. jason and dana talked at me, soothed me, but they became one shadow that sort of hovered between this crazy world i was in and reality.
the only real person became valerie. i kept my eyes closed most of the time, but would peek and see valerie and she was like my long lost mother, this older, quiet blonde haired woman. i called out for her over and over and she would come and hold my hand, strength for strength, and we'd go through a contraction together, she said, "you're about to peak, you reach the peak, it's done, it's past..." i don't know what i would've done without valerie. she was like a lifeline.
you'd have to ask jason and dana what all was going on for most of those hours. i remember valerie saying i was 7 cm dialated at one point and therefore i was in the homestretch. i wanted an epidural and she said, you can make it without one, you're so close now. so i believed in her and myself i reckon. i felt like a savage!
the contractions got so close together i was pretty sure i was gonna die. i realized another woman was in the room, a very authoritative voice. it was lisa, the midwife. i think i remember tables being drawn from the walls, lights turned on, more action.
then dana had my leg up in the air and bent it at some yoga angle and i was mad and didn't like it at all. but she insisted and someone kept saying, this is going to help open you up. by this time, i was ready to push. valerie gripped my hand and she breathed through with me, made me not push. not pushing was horrible i have to say.
but then, like a light in the dark, i heard lisa say i was good to push! i left that nightmare world i was in and suddenly decided, i got to get down to business for real.
they said i pushed for 25 minutes, but it seemed even shorter than that. i attacked pushing. i summoned up every past, present, and future power in me and pushed. i felt the ring of fire and this just fired me up more! i thought of this son i was about to meet.
they said they could see his head and all his hair and i knew that i was really almost there. lisa was great. she told me exactly when to push and counted them down. jason and dana each had a hold of one of my legs and were counting down and telling me i was so strong.
i felt my baby's arms and legs like some wild octopus in me, about to spread out. and then after a mighty push, i saw him. it was the most wonderful moment of my life. lisa put him right on top of me and i was laughing and just so, so happy. i laughed because his umbilical cord tickled inside me. i saw jason crying and i wanted to cry too, but i was too overjoyed!
giving birth was the best experience of my life. i am so grateful to the hospital staff, especially my nurse mama valerie. and dana, who cried at the birth of my son while holding onto my right leg. and most of all jason, my husband whose constant support and quiet strength willed me to keep on keepin on.
lisa stitched me up as i had tore during pushing. i never thought i'd be the happiest woman in the world with my legs open getting my lady bits stitched, but that's what being a brand new mama to a beautiful boy is all about.
Baby Jack Nolan Jones was born at 3:20 AM on December 23rd, 5 days early. He weighed in at 7 lbs 5 oz and measured 21" long. He is absolutely beautiful with dark gray blue eyes, dark brown hair, and i call him my sweet muskrat.

Hawaiian punch

We went to Kauai, Hawaii for our last big trip before our baby is born in December. It was a glorious week of paradise in the land of tropical plants, red dirt, and roosters. We drove up and down the island and saw many, many beautiful places and listened to many new Hawaiian reggae songs.



Everyday we went to a different beach. The beaches on the south shore are safer for swimming and the north shore beaches are beautiful, but dangerous for swimming. I saw a sea turtle at Anini Beach. Jason saw many large fishes at the beach in front of our hotel. It is a wonderful thing to go to the beach everyday and lay on the sand.



We also drove up to Waimea Canyon. The canyon is amazing. It looks like the land before time. On the way back down, we stopped to explore by the side of the road where the dirt was really red. The reason why the dirt is red is because Kauai is so old.





Jason and I ate shave ices and they tasted like a sno cone on top of ice cream. The next shave ice Jason ate was much different. The trick is to keep the blade sharp! Maybe we will open a shave ice shack in Fairbanks one day.



We went to a beautiful waterfall. There were beautiful white birds with long, sharp tails swooping back and forth across each other over the waterfall.

There was one day that we did not go to the beach, the day we were supposed to leave was rainy. We went to the Fun Factory in Hapaa and Jason played Pop Pop Pop a shot. We won a million tickets, but Jason told the lady to give them to a little kid.



We did not make out flight home! So we got to stay another two days in Hawaii. Leaving Hawaii is very hard. The next time we go back we will have our baby with us! A keiki.

My baby update is that I am heading into the 34th week this Sunday, almost at the homestretch.

Californication

We went all over the Bay Area in California in three days. The first day was Oakland, the next day was San Francisco, then we went to Berkeley the last day. California is a land of plenty.

Oakland is pretty industrial and blue collar. They got the Raiders. We saw the stadium from the train platform when we got to Oakland and Jason booed. It was football opening day so there were groups of Raiders fans all over the place. We stayed in Old Oakland, the old part of downtown Oakland. We saw a pimp try to stomp on a pigeon, but the pigeon got away. We ate at the Pacific Coast Brewery pub. We'd ate there before and our hotel was right next door.



The next day we took the train to San Francisco. It was a beautiful day and we were very happy because the weather report had said it would be raining and we had the Giants game that night. We went to the Pinecrest, my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. I had chocolate chip pancakes. The Zodiac killer ate at the Pinecrest and you can't order your eggs poached because a long time ago the cook there shot a waitress for telling him to poach some eggs. The same old owner man was there with his calculator counting all his money at the counter. Sometimes you got to make sure that things stay the same and the Pinecrest never disappoints.



We walked all around and I bought some moccassins from a boy who loved the Smiths. He told us all about hanging out with his friend Megan and being melancholy. You can't walk around for too long in heels at 25 weeks pregnant I found out. I felt like a little squaw in moccasins. We decided to walk to the ballpark. We stopped at an Irish bar. We've been to the Giants ballpark maybe four times now. You see the big green AT & T letters and the big mitt and Coca Cola bottle and you are very happy to be there. Jason bought a hoodie and a Giants outfit for our baby. The man at the store was very interested in living in Alaska.



We still had a long time before the game so we set around in the sunshine and watched a pelican dive for fish. We went to the Hi Dive bar. We walked back to the ballpark and went in as soon as they opened the gate. It is so much fun to go inside the stadium. I love to see the big green field. Jason drank some beers and we collected all the cups, but could only get two different kinds.



Tim Lincecum had 11 strikeouts! Bengie Molina hit a homerun and Eugenio Velez hit a triple. The Giants won 9-1 against the Rockies. It was a great game. In fact it was game of the day in the paper the next day. Jason got a new work hat. His old hat is the most sweat stained hat anyone has ever seen. We walked all the way back to the train station and had a tired and happy ride back to Oakland.



The next day we spent a couple hours in Berkeley before we had to go back to the airport. We wanted to stay another day, but we did that in Seattle, and you got to go back home sometime. It was hot outside! We ate some breakfast at this nice old place and walked around until we got to the university where there were a million kids and we sat at the fountain and watched them. Then it was time to go home.



What a good time we had in California. The next time we see the Giants, we will have our little baby with us!

Warshington

We went down to the big city to get a crib and a dresser. First we drove 30 miles east to North Bend and ate at the Double R Diner. The drive was beautiful, just great green hills piling one on top of the other. The diner is famous because it's in the show Twin Peaks. They say they also "make a damn fine cup of coffee." I'm still not used to not drinking coffee at a diner, seems sacreligious almost! I'll get back to the coffee habit in four months. The place was packed with Sunday breakfast folks, but we did get to see one man who looked just like Dr. Jacoby! He was the psychiatrist in Twin Peaks. Dana, my best friend, got us into Twin Peaks. If you haven't seen it, it is really good. We ate cherry pie, it was delicious. Jason said he had never ate cherry pie up until that point. I found that very strange.



Then we drove to Snoqualmie. They got a giant waterfall. The place was jammed with people all trying to look at the waterfall. It was a beautiful waterfall, the biggest waterfall I've ever seen.



The next day we went to IKEA. We'd never been to this giant store before. It's like a country of furniture. It's kinda weird walking through a massive building filled with living situation setups and all these people walking from one situation to another. We got our crib and dresser. I was glad to have these things bought for our son- felt pretty grown.

We went into downtown Seattle and got to thinking that we didn't want to go home that day. It was such a beautiful day there. We went to Pike's Market and ate at the brewery. Jason drank different beers and we ate a pizza Jason said was the tastiest pizza he ever ate. It was a really good pizza. Every time I gone to Pike's Market, it is so full of people. I can't tell if the people are there to for real shop for groceries or because they're tourists who want to see the men throw fish around.

We hung around Seattle for a long time, went to a couple bike shops Jason wanted to check out, and to a bar. We didn't want to leave Seattle at rush hour. We decided we would stay an extra day. Jason wanted to drink another drink at the bar, but I felt like sitting by the water and eating my leftover pizza. So we got out of there and walked to the water. There was a crowd of people all traveling in one direction, wearing Mariners stuff. Jason asked some guy if there was a game and there was! So we followed everyone else down to Safeco Field.

We were so happy to have been at the right place at the right time. We got seats three rows from the field.

There's The Kid in the dugout!



Ken Griffey Jr. up at bat! It was a thrill to see a legend so close. Another famous person we saw up close was David Cook from American Idol. This wasn't so exciting though. I was maybe excited for 2 seconds, mostly because I realized we really did have great seats. David Cook had thrown out the first pitch. He had his band with him and they were pretty obnoxious. He wanted his 50 cent change back from his pretzel. Man, talk about showing some class!



The best part of the game was seeing The Kid hit a homerun!! I don't go into games expecting such great things. The first time we saw a Giants game, we saw Barry Bonds hit a homerun and now we got to see Ken Griffey hit one. Jason spilled some beer on a man by accident, it was kind of funny. The Mariners won. We took the long walk back to the car under the bridge. So our baby's first baseball game ended up being Mariners v. A's.

We had a really great time in WA.

21 weeks and counting

Our ultrasound revealed that our baby is a boy! He is very active and likes sweets just like his mama. Baby boy is 21 weeks old. We will tell everyone his name once he is born in December.



Next month, he will go to his first San Francisco Giants game, one of many. Although he won't be able to see, we hope he will hear many Giants homeruns. Will our son be a Panthers or Broncos fan? Only time will tell. In November, we hope to go see the Boss in Washington DC. We have to buy our tickets first.

Seeing our boy in the womb was a magnificent experience. His button nose looks like his daddy's. We get to hear his heartbeat at the monthly appointments. Mama feels him every day, especially at night and early in the morning. We can't wait to meet our baby.

Maui, Hawaii

The plan came together several months ago when I read that Eddie Vedder would be playing a show in Maui.  After deciding several times to go and not to go we finally said "lets just do it." What a way to celebrate our first year of marriage.  We stayed the first two days on the west coast.  It was about a 30 mile drive from the airport.  By the way if you plan on paying for your rental car with a debit card, bring a return itenerary.  It was night time when we arrived in Kaanapali so we checked in and got some rest.  We quickly went from getting some rest to getting some sun.
I didn't choose to post that picture because is it sexy, I posted it as a warning. If your skin is this pale wear sunscreen, I am still paying the price. We had an awesome lunch at the Maui Brewing Company Brewpub. Tried some unique beers including a habnero ale which was real tasty (and spicy) and the coconut porter which was absolutely amazing. We bought some fresh fish at a fish market we found. It was called Wanu or Butterfish. Our room had a full kitchen so Tonia cooked up the butterfish with some mashed potatos.
The meal was amazing. We woke up early the next day to tackle the Road to Hana. Driving the road to Hana was the most fun I have ever had driving a car. The scenery was amazing and the road was filled with twists and turns, and ups and downs, and one lane bridges. On the way to Hana there was little traffic. The way back there was plenty of traffic but it still did not take away from enjoying the ride. A little ways past Hana we found this awesome little beach.
We were the only ones there. We didn't swim. We just enjoyed our beautiful surroundings.


Back in Hana we grabbed some breakfast at Tutu's and took it down to the beach to eat. Tonia had a breakfast burrito and I had a Hawaiian favorite the Loco Moco, which we later read is "definately not considered health food."

It consisted of an egg, portugese sausage, gravy and rice. It was delicious. We left Hana for Kahului, where our next two nights were spent. Kahului is in the center of Maui and is basically the "big city" of the island. The day of the show we visited the town of Haiku. Haiku is a cool little town. I wanted to visit the Maui Cylery, which was a sweet little bike shop there. We made fast friends with the bike mechanic there and he told us about a trip he planed for next year starting in Prudhoe Bay and cutting through Fairbanks. I asked him where his tip ended. He told us Singapore. Then he opened up and told us he planed to bike around the world. Check out his website. It is an amazing journey. After Haiku we ventured back to the hotel for a bit of rest before the big show. I ran down to the venue to grab our Ten Club tickets at the venue. After a quick bite to eat we made our way back to the Castle Theater. We waited a while in the merchandise line so I could grab my poster (I grabbed a t-shirt as well). The venue was awesome, a very small theater. Liam Finn was the opening act. Pretty cool performance as he quickly changed intstruments throughout each song looping guitar and drums. The Eddie Vedder performance was incredible. He had a little setup that looked like he was just chilling in his room and home. I don't know where to begin with personal highlights. Guaranteed, Porch, Wishlist, and of course the stage banter including many Hawaii stories and tale about a naked man at his hotel. Tonia enjoyed the Springsteen cover "Drive All Night." The crowd was great, the show was great, it was an unbelieveable evening, and a great cap on our trip to Maui.