Christmas Trees Around the World

This was sent to me by the CHL Supervisor of Officials. I don't think he realizes my connection with the great state of Maine. Nor did he know that one of my mother's friends participated with the volunteer program by getting on a bus and heading south to help out.

Before the ball drops in Times Square, the Big Apple turns on its holiday charm with the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.


The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling
evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace' represent the 50 U.S. states.

The world's largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes
of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy's Umbria region.
Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an ancient city


A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo's nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague's Old Town Square,
and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous
Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

Venice 's Murano Island renowned throughout the world
for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost's arrival on his magical
troika with the Snow Maiden.

He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall)
can be found in the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal.
Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special
enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree': Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany's Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it's no surprise this show-stopping department store draws
more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower

In addition to the Vatican's heavenly evergreen, St. Peter's Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol
is dressed for a party. Madrid's two-week celebration makes
millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world's biggest lottery.


A token of gratitude for Britain's aid during World War II,
the Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square has been
the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt's city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.

Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of
Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

CHRISTMAS AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY
I wonder why the press hasn't enlightened the public about it??

Arlington National Cemetery

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell...

Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington,Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

NPR moment

Ahh...food for thought. All the years of arguing with parents about sleeping arrangements. Or being scared that Skip was going to come tearing into the room with a shotgun....

Those uncomfortable tendencies are left behind us now we both wear a ring on our left hand. Though the fear still exists. Take, for instance, our holiday at home last year:

Hope, to Seth as she climbs into bed with him at her family farm in Norridgewock, "Seth, why are you still fully dressed?"

Seth, to Hope...deadpan, "If your Dad comes into this room and finds me sleeping with you, it makes for a faster and warmer escape through the snowy fields."

Hope, surprised, "But we are married now!"

-------------------------------------------------

Today on NPR, they had a call in show about sleeping arrangements for the holidays. Nephews getting kicked out of the room, dating couples not being allowed to share a room...you know the story.

I remember those days!

And it dawns on me that the fuss and frustration I created at my family's house will "soon" be transferred to me when Emi comes home with her significant other.

I want to be the parent that is ok with his daughter becoming sexually active when she is older (I say this as I reach for the shotgun...) but I'm afraid of becoming the parent who will never be able to handle his baby having anything to do with...shh...s...e...x....

It's funny how the Advent of parenthood changes your perspective across such a broad spectrum of topics. The prospect of travelling changes massively. Be it a simple trip into the mountains to see friends (it's snowing, it's not worth the risk of getting hit with Emi on board) to travelling home and trying to figure out what to pack. Or even how to diaper her for the days we are home (we use cloth but Hope thinks we will be better off using disposables while we are back in Maine).

Parental decisions. And then, someday down the road, we are going to get saddled with, "Dad, I'm bringing XXX home from school for Thanksgiving. Can XXX and I share my room?"

And my answer? "Sure Emi. As long as XXX understands that the trundle bed is comfortable and that I will be camped out on the floor with my shotgun between the two of you."

Deep breaths.

I'm a Dad now....

Travel

Our plans are finally solidified for our trip home.

We head off to Maine on Sunday. Amidst what appears to be a snowstorm rolling into the east coast seaboard.

Lovely.

Gibson is off to Camp Stacy (our breeder) where I am sure he will certainly lose his appetite for food and focus only on his lust for his girlfriends who reside at said camp.

We are looking forward to boarding up our house for a couple of weeks and heading off to see family and friends. We have 2 Christmas' planned (one at each house) along with my family's New Year's Day party.

If anyone wants to come up, let me know. Shrimp is served at 1.

I'm looking forward to seeing Mister Balllldwin and eating one of his scrumptious meals. Not to mention meeting his friend of the feminine persuasion (I was convinced it was more likely that we would elect an African American to the presidential post than for him to find a girlfriend...we got both!). And to seeing our Reverend Fibby. We've missed a great deal this year and we think we finally have something that may lure her out to visit us in Colorado. Emiko is fantastic bait for things like that!

And to all my friend's who have graciously spent time reading the blog, happy holidays to all!

Automotive ruin

Chrysler claims it is shutting down production for four weeks due to the current economic crisis.

No.

a. Nobody wants to buy their shitty cars. Honda and Toyota continue to be successful.
b. People are still buying cars, they just are choosing to spend their money on more economical and reliable cars (see a.).
c. Chrysler shuts down for 2 weeks every year. Don't use the additional 2 week shutdown as loosely veiled propaganda as to why the US government needs to bail you out. The public is far smarter than that these days. I hope.

That's all. Sorry for the profanity Mom.

Preparation Part Deux

Preparation...

The evening I wrote the last "Preparation" post, I was getting ready for a big game. And I found myself chuckling quietly as I was getting ready.

You see, I decided to relace my skates. CC was playing Air Force and I wanted to make sure I was looking my best for the game. So I was putting in new laces. And as I relaced my skates, I realized I had found my idiosyncrasy.

Each skate is reverse laced perfectly. For those of you not in the know, rather than threading the lace through the bottom of the hole, I prefer my skates to be laced from the outside in. This locks the lace in place against the tongue as you tighten your boot and ensures that the skate does not become loose as you skate.

Additionally, I dress each lace so it is perfectly flat against the tongue of my skate. If it twists, I find you are more likely to end up with hot spots or, worse, lace bite. I once had lace bite so bad that just my pants resting against the bridge of my ankles was pure torture. Putting my skates on became pure hell.

And finally, when relacing my skates, I always lace them so the lace coming from the outside crosses over the top of the lace coming from the inside.

It's the little things!

Mike Monsoor

Mike's name was passed on to me in an email from the head of the officials in the CHL. There is a fraternity among all officials and we all remain keenly aware of the sacrifice our brothers and sisters give to our country. Color guards frequent the rinks we work in, the National Anthem conjures images for all of us and there are often videos from local men and women serving abroad asking that everyone in the building rise for the Star Spangled Banner. Stories of our military circulate amongst us via email, phone calls or tales in the locker room.

Many things go through my mind during our National Anthem. In among those thoughts are my gratitude to Sam and Stephen who have and still serve our nation in times of peace and unrest.

And stories, like the one of Mike Monsoor, bring tears to my eyes each time I think of their bravery during war in the face adversity.

Thanks

It almost feels like it would be far to easy to write about what we have to give thanks for this year. Many of the things are obvious and nearly all revolve around our daughter, Emiko. The remainder would be for friends and family.

On the drive home last night, my friend and officiating colleague and I had a conversation about this. And we touched upon many of the things that strike us as unfair in life. We are lucky and thankful for our children but we spoke of good friends who would be fantastic parents and are unable to conceive. Not to mention the hoops they have to jump through in order to be adoptive parents.

My suggesting for this Turkey Day (or National Gluttony Day) is to slow down. Don't rush a thing today but take stock in the family and the friends we are all so lucky to have. We have struggles and stresses on a daily basis and we often rush through every day and lose sight of the fantastic miracles that surround us.

Happy Thanksgiving.

All of our love,

Seth, Hope, Emi and Gibson

Preparation

We all go through things differently. We all have our little pre-game tics, routines, habits and superstitions.

Some guys like to always sit in the same seat in the locker room. It's up to guys like me to remember who I am working with and what bench my partners like to have. I'm not one who holds out for the same seat each time...I sit wherever there is an opening.

Some guys gear up the same way every time. They may always put the right skate on first. I remember one guy I played with always had to insert his hand through his elbow pad three times before he finally strapped up. I think I generally go left to right though it is only out of sheer habit that I do so. When I am thinking and catch myself doing so, I often switch up and gear up right to left.

Some guys like a pre-game nap. I'm a big fan though I am not always able to sneak those in as I am often at work. Hope is willing to let me nap at home when I have weekend game days but there are times when I simply can't even fall asleep.

Some guys like the pre-game meal. Me? As long as there is no marinara, I'm ok. But that is only because the red sauce tends to reflux on me when I am skating. I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit there.

My preparation? Usually I'm at work. And so, reverting back to my playing days, I like to wear the suit pants and shirt all day long. The tie goes on before I leave the building. It reminds me that I have something I need to do that coming evening. Something to focus on. Other than that, it's just another normal day with some additional fun and excitement at the end. And at home, I just like to spend as much time relaxing with my family as possible. It puts me in the right frame of mind and it reminds me why I am so involved in this game: I have something I need to be prepared pass along to my daughter.

Passion.

1/2" Hollow

Ah, the 1/2" hollow. I've been using this grind for the past eight years and it has treated me well.

But I am off and into a new experiment. Last night, I had Hoog do my skates with a 3/8" grind. Even flatter! I'm looking to get less bite and more glide out of my skates.

Tonight is the test. I'm off to a CHL game and this will be the first time I have skated on skates this flat. We'll see what happens....

If it works out well, does this mean I have to change the title of this blog?

All's well

The previous post mentioned a bit of stress and high drama. After a quiet day yesterday, we received an email that stated that the conflicts had been resolved. We will likely still have some issues to iron out in the coming weeks and months but the divisiveness that came to a head two days ago is no more.

That ends well.

A long day

Far more has gone on today then I care to blog about. What ended as a long day on the phone when I came home resulted only in more phone calls, emails and text messages. All accompanied by a very unhappy Emiko (we're convinced she was gassy and wanted to let the world know about it).

Hope took me for a nice walk where I got a chance to vent (and deal with more phone calls). Bless her for knowing how to settle me down...I'm a lucky, lucky man.

I go to bed tonight knowing that I spoke my convictions and stood before them to be judged by my peers. Right or wrong, I said my piece and will now wait to see the outcome.

Wish me luck....

Hypermiling Update

I finally got tired of the measly increases I have seen in my little Saturn. I had mentioned before that I wasn't going try too many crazy things to the car.

However, midway through the last tank, I decided to inflate my tires to the maximum allowable pressure to try and reduce rolling resistance. Let's see how it changes my next tank of gas. Except that Hopey will be taking it to school tomorrow....

Last tank: 33.56 mpg

I'm thinking I have slacked a little bit with the hypermiling. Not to mention trips to lunch with multiple people in the car (highway driving so I end up having to push the engine a little harder).

Time to try again....

A question of love

I don't have much to say about this...I think Keith Olbermann says it all. But I will say thanks to Fibby for pointing me to this video (and I apologize if I am plagiarizing Nostomania in any way).

The next post

I have had multiple topics run through my head. Some I have started writing about, some I have just turned over in my mind. And I hope they all come to fruition. There is so much to talk about. Emi is becoming more and more responsive to various stimuli around her. An African American has been elected President. DHL has closed domestic operations and laid off how many thousands of people.

This morning I came across this article. Why would it be so interesting to me? Well, being half Japanese may have something to do with it. Having a family who was interned in Canada during World War II may have something to do with it. Ultimately, it is the fact that I know so little about Japan following the war. The fact that I know next to nothing about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These are things my grandparents never spoke about. Unfortunately, I never asked them about the bombs and our family in Japan at the time. My grandfather always spoke openly about the internment camps and I wish I had the blind curiosity to ask more.

This leaves me piecing together patches of stories to understand my past: American, Japanese and Canadian. Someday I hope I'll know enough to leave Emi with more than I know now.

Put up or shut up

Alright everyone. Do your civic duty. Vote.

And cross your fingers.

Keep an eye on it all here.

Madelyn Dunham

I'm not one who deals well with death...I never know what to say and words always seem to become flustered and choked.

But to you, I'd like to say a simple thanks. Thank you for sharing your incredible grandson with us, for raising him to become the man who stands on the verge of history in the making. I can only hope that tomorrow's election will conclude with him as the decisive victor. It is clear that the contributions you have made to his life and education created the star he has become and that your memory will live on. We should all aspire to raise our children as you raised yours.

Pax vobiscum.

Stupidity

Well, this may go down as my first post on my own stupidity. Yup, it has finally happened after 32 years of life...

Yesterday, I waited for as long as possible for my cell phone to update the time automagically. Which it never did. I finally gave in and reset the time before heading off to the Av's game (which was atrocious). Thanks to Sally for the tickets but I have to say that last night's game wasn't something that needed me to bear witness to.

But that's neither here nor there.

This morning, my cell phone alarm woke me, as usual. I climbed out of bed and did my standard morning walk through of the house. I started Emi's diaper was as I do every morning. I fed Gibson as I usually do. I climbed into the shower, toweled off when finished, made myself a cup of hot chocolate and finally climbed into my little car for the drive to work.

The roads during the drive were surprisingly empty. I pondered this as I was driving but I figured I had left the house about eight minutes earlier than normal. This is what the roads look like if I get out of the house just a little bit earlier.

I rolled into the office parking lot just a tad earlier than I usually do. And it was empty. I checked my cell phone clock. 7:55. Hmm. Where in the world is everyone?

I began going through the glove box and cleaning out the mung that exists in Hope's old car. At 8:05, I began getting frustrated. I wondered at the same time if I had somehow screwed up the time change. Who can I call who won't be judgemental and use this as fodder for later ribbing?

Mom. I could trust my Mom to not be judgemental, to not poke fun. She can keep a secret. She won't think her eldest son to be an idiot.

I called my Mom.

She laughed at me.

I blamed my cell phone.

She laughed at me again.

I took my newly found hour and got some breakfast.

First Halloween

Oh yeah...check it out!

Trade Mags

Ah, the wonderful world of free publications. Every now and then, we get calls confirming our information for free publications. Things we never read...wastes of energy, postage, paper, ink and space.

This is the most recent call. Please keep in mind that I have very little patience for these phone calls. They are a waste of my time.


"Hi, may I speak to (name ridiculously pronounced...first and last and, mind you, the first name is not hard to pronounce)".

"I'm sorry, she's not here."

"Oh (dead silence)."

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"Well, I'm calling to confirm your address for free publication on automotive design and fabrication."

"I think we are all set. We don't have anything to do with automotive design."

"Let me remind you that is perfectly free!"

"It doesn't pertain to us."

"But it covers all aspects of automotive design, the build process, tooling and other things within the industry."

"We don't manufacture automobiles."

"What do you do?"

"We make bicycles."

"Oh. (dial tone)"

Ray Lamontagne

A huge thanks to Molly and Cheryl for last night. Cheryl for getting us tickets to see Ray Lamontagne over at Macky Auditorium. And Molly for looking after Emi while we were off galavanting around.

Ray played well last night...it seems like every show ends up just a little bit better than the one before. Most of the time, he was playing with his band but he did do a few songs solo. He even addressed the audience for a somewhat extended period of time...he had us all in stitches.

Some day we will bring Emiko to one of his shows and hope that she appreciates his music as much as we do.

Dirty Politics

This is what it comes to. Call center workers walking out of their paid jobs because their script is too slimy.

Attacks on Obama trying to strike fear into our hearts because he opposed protecting kids from danger.

Giuliani himself claiming that Obama "opposes mandatory prison sentences." You have to note that he has struck the fact that Obama opposes MINIMUM mandatory prison sentences.

Karl Rove politics are alive, well and just as dirty as they have been in the past. I can't wait to see what turns up during the polling day. And finally, I am truly disappointed in the man McCain has shown himself to be. A politician I had admired in the past as a Republican I would have voted for is now showing where his values lie.

Despicable comes to mind....

Wassup?

So much for a blog that was supposed to be about parenthood and hockey.

It turned political...watch this all the way through.

Pride

I have several friends who have taken on a great deal of societal responsibility. From social work to teaching to simply helping others in need, I am proud of you all.

Mr. Baldwin and I share the typical male friendship. We pick on each other, give one another a great deal of grief and, when we were younger, we used to tear around our family homes wrestling and breaking various things.

All of that aside, I'm not sure words can quite express how proud I am of what Brandon is doing back home in Maine. He has taken on a great deal of responsibility in doing his part in helping educate children and promote their acceptance of diversity. I envy him for what he does and proud that he is one of my greatest friends.

All because of this.

Keep it up Mr. Baldwin. You are broadening horizons and making a difference!

A Weekend at Home with Emi

Last weekend was my first weekend at home alone with Emi and we had a blast. We hung out all morning long on Saturday and did a quick trip to visit with Mom during her lunch so Emi could eat too.

Sunday was another full day alone and we spent the afternoon running errands together. She even sat with me while I ate lunch at a nice little Asian cafe. Good times!

And how did it all go, you may wonder?

Everything still works!

A New Stone - Part Deux

So...the first test is complete. I managed 36.2 mpg in the Saturn. I filled up at 361.5 miles and had a little less than a quarter tank remaining. Less than what I was anticipating. However, I must note that we had to use the little car on the highway quite a bit over the weekend.

A trip to the Pepsi Center on Thursday.

One run to Hope's Master's Class on Saturday and one run to the car pool pickup for the same on Sunday.

Highway miles seem to kill this experiment. I refuse to drive slowly on the highway or to limit my acceleration and risk getting rearended.

Thus we have agreed to try and limit the highway miles in the Saturn to help us complete the quest to 500 miles on one tank.

A new stone

I am prevailing upon myself to turn over a new stone while driving. As many know, I have traded cars with Hope (quite willingly) so that Emi always rides in the Volvo. Somehow, having the baby riding in the plastic car doesn't leave me with incredibly safe feelings.

That said, as happy as I am in being able to give my daughter one of the safest cars in the world to travel in, the Saturn leaves me quite grumpy as I drive the little beater around town. Compound this with my predilection for speed (yup...another speeding ticket in the Volvo last weekend) and I have realized the need to change something.

So...I have decided to see just how far I can drive the little Saturn on one tank of gas. Hope has said that the furthest she ever made it was 400 miles. I'm aiming for 500.

I have not yet taken off the roof rack. I have not yet aired the tires to maximum capacity. I have not yet done a tune up on the engine or replaced the engine oil with a lower viscosity. I have not yet replaced the air filter.

I have taken to shifting between 2 and 2.5 grand. I have taken to driving right at the speed limit. I have taken to coasting down inclines in neutral...sometimes with the engine off (depends on the traffic and other road conditions).

I will not draft. I will not run red lights or stop signs. I will not run below the speed limit. I will not try some of the nerdy stuff I have read that hypermilers do.

We'll have to see what is under this new stone....

Balance

Throughout life I have sought balance.

The balance between responsibilities and leisure. Obligations and desires. Education and sports. Friends, family and work.

Balance was found on two thin tires when riding my bike. Alone through the woods. In a two wheel drift on a loose corner. Along quiet highway shoulders. With Hope riding stoker on the tandem.

Balance was found on an 1/8 inch of steel. Carrying a stick. Blowing a whistle. Balance in making the call...or not making the call. All whilst balanced on an incredibly slippery surface.

But now I find myself searching for a new balance point. All the obligations, sports and leisure are getting shifted to the far side of the fulcrum as I grow into this new position as a parent.

The desire to stay at home to hold Emi and relax with Hope has an overwhelming draw. It seems as if it would be far too easy to fall into that parental trap and forget about some of the other passions of life. They all seem to pale in comparison.

The question is how to balance it all out. I'm still searching....

God Bless John Cleese

He doesn't make nearly enough appearances these days. Can you imagine the fun Monty Python would have with this election were they still together and willing to spoof American politics?

In Remembrance of Darrell

Not all of you have had the opportunity to have met Darrell. But all of you will have a chance to know him just a little bit through this blog.

Darrell was a wonderful Yellow Lab who lived with Pat and Ed. Hope and I have spent some wonderful time with him. He has traveled with Gibson in the back of the Land Rover. We have gone hiking, spent time playing at the Lewis' cabin and simply watched his antics as he played with a young puppy named Gibson. In fact, Darrell was the one who taught Gibson the lab crawl.

The lab crawl? When Darrell was in a down stay, he would often, while he thought no one was watching, inch closer to whatever was of interest. The family, the dining room table, the kitchen or the food which was recently dropped on the floor. To his credit, this was incredibly endearing. And Gibson picked up on it. Knowing our monster, he will continue to practice his lab crawl for years to come.

Darrell and Gibson made for fast friends. Their romps around the house and in the backyard terrorizing the cat and racing about kept us on the edge of our seats as we sat and watched. Darrell's antics with Gibson usually culminated in him trying to mount Gibson. They had a very unique relationship and both were far more patient with each other than the rest of us ever expected them to be.

Pat and Ed raised Darrell from a puppy for a specific purpose. When he was old enough, he was sent off to become a seeing eye dog. He did amazingly well. Pat and Ed both thought they would never get a chance to see him again. But on the last day of instruction...his final test...he failed out. He was too focused and too compassionate to become a full fledged guide dog. And much to Pat and Ed's surprise, he showed up back at their doorstep, ready for a life of leisure with them.

Not that he got it. As Pat is an instructor for vision and mobility impaired students, Darrell often served as a guide dog for her students. And he performed his job impeccably whenever he was called upon to serve in his guide harness. To the best of my knowledge, he even passed muster and boarded an airline with his passenger in tow.

Darrell, truly, was a phenomenal dog. It is with many fond memories and a great deal of tears in my eyes that I try to recount just a small part of his life with the Lewis' today.

Darrell, your kind eyes, your youthful energy and your wise, wise looks will live on with us forever. And to Pat and Ed, Emi, Hope, Gibson and I mourn with you. We will all miss him.

From A puppy named Gibson

Thanks Ma!

Last night was the season opener for the Avalanche. Hope and I were able to head to the game with Robbie and Kevin. While they didn't beat the Bruins last night, it was still one heck of a game. Good to see them skating again.

Emi?

She stayed home with my Mom and they had fun too.

We are very lucky.

The man

The man is out to get us all, right?

But every now and then, the man gets the next guy in front of you. And it was so deserved.

I drove home to have lunch with Hope, Emi, Mom and Gibson today. On my way out of Golden, several of us were stuck behind a large dump truck moving very slow up the hill on Hwy 93. The pickup directly behind the slow moving behemoth was swerving back and forth, trying to find a good spot to pass. Keep in mind, there really is no place to do so.

However, this pickup driver finally saw an opportunity to pass in an intersection on the right hand side...in the break down lane. From where I was seated three cars back, I was watching and waiting for this to unfold...you could see it coming from a mile away.

So too could the motorcycle cop one car behind me. I could see his eyes watching and waiting. The moment the pickup darted, the man had his siren and strobes on. It was fantastic. A little moment of satisfaction derived when I am usually watching my mirrors and the road ahead nervously trying to avoid being nailed for speeding.

Good stuff!

Funny!!!

Finally...a hockey related post. Unfortunately, this is less about my words and more about the image (and I'm realizing now that this may actually be fortunate in some of your eyes...).

Amendment 51

I had another NPR moment this morning listening to NPR's Colorado Matters. They were discussing Amendment 51 and whether or not Colorado should increase sales tax another percent to help pay for the developmentally disabled.

But I am not here to argue the merits of such a proposal. I'm still not sure where I stand on this matter...it seems that Colorado should be able to find some extra funding inside our current tax dollars to help handle this initiative. Then again, a couple extra cents on a sale would be a small price to pay to help families and individuals in this situation. Socialism anyone?

No, this is about Douglas Bruce who was interviewed and argues against this increase. Keep in mind that Mr. Bruce serves as a State Representative here in Colorado. A self proclaimed Ronald Reagan Republican.

Mr. Bruce had the gall to compare using tax dollars like this to George Orwell's 1984. WHAT? Mr. Bruce, have you ever read 1984? Do you have even the slightest notion as to the premise of 1984? Have you been waiting years to be able to throw "this is like 1984" into an argument?

This is a situation where the government is being upfront about a tax increase. They are telling us specifically where and why these dollars will be allocated. This is to help a group of our citizens cope with the additional stress of caring for children/adults who are unable to fully fend for themselves.

Wow. I'd say Douglas Bruce was the last person the anti-tax movement should have offered up to make an argument against Amendment 51.

That said, I'm still not sure how I will vote.

For Phoebe

A long time ago, you asked for a video of my little happy dance....

Why we need to vote

Everyone should read this article. All ten pages. Take the time to read it all the way through, it is worth it, I promise. I'm not going to summarize it. I'll warn you that it takes a bit of time to get through. If you are subscribers to Rolling Stone, you may have already seen it.

Enjoy.

Here's to you, Dad!

These days, it's the little things that begin to matter so much

Yesterday marked the first game I have officiated where the Canadian Anthem was played before the puck dropped. I was working the Air Force v. University of Alberta game yesterday evening and I was a little giddy when I stepped on the ice for the puck drop. As O Canada played, I thought of all the times the old man must have listened to the anthem as he took the ice and it made me happy to know that I have been able to follow in his footsteps, albeit in a slightly different roll. And I was a little bummed that he wasn't here in Colorado and able to come watch the game I was working.

I do know that he will be happy to hear I didn't screw up any calls. (His words of advice before games? "Seth, don't fuck it up.")

OK...for real?

This is the choice McCain made for veep? For real?



Does this remind you anything?

Like...

Fantastic news!!!

I just had the chance to catch up with an old friend and the photographer from our wedding. Jeremy and Scott were recently engaged (done on a bridge in Paris) and will be getting married next year!

I'm afraid words cannot express how happy this makes me but Hope, Emi and I are planning on being there in Brooklyn to help them celebrate.

One more day

I have but one more day left to be at home with the family full time. It is hard to fathom leaving this little child, this wonderful wife and heading back to work. It has been such a pleasure, such a blast and such an experience learning what little I know about parenthood over the past two weeks.

We've had the pleasure of company. So many of our friends have stopped by to look in on us, to meet Emiko, to share in our joy. And we appreciate all of them. It has been quite the experience. Two friends have done more than their fair share of looking after us. Cheryl has stopped by to help out and look after us. Molly has been here since before day one, looking after the house and Gibson. I can only hope that they both realize our eternal gratitude for all their help. I hope they know that we love them both dearly. As I write this, I think of Molly kicking us out of our living room last night and sending Mom and Dad to bed as she looked after Emi. True friendship.

Which makes me think about family. We live many miles and hours from our parents and siblings. Our aunts and uncles, cousins, everyone, they are all so far away. We rely heavily on the help of our friends, who have in their own right, become our family. Surrogate aunties and uncles all. But it makes me sad to think that our family is so far away that they will only be afforded a few weeks of visits in the months and years to come.

This is something I'd love to change. I'd love to have both our parents living close by where they could feel free to stop in and visit any time they would like to. The only way that I see this happening is for us to move back to Maine. And as nice as that would be, I can see right now that it won't happen. We have come to love Colorado. We have come to see it as home. Everything about this state suits us and we hope now that we can pass this "joie de vivre" along to our distant family and hope that they come home to us.

And now I find I have strayed far from my original topic. One more day. I question how to fill it up and make it special as our last day together. I can cook dinner. I can do a little more work around the house. I can make sure mother and daughter are comfortable and prepared for my absence. We can visit with our friends, unencumbered by the need to focus on work.

But you know what I really want? Just to hold Emi while I sit next to Hope with Gibson at our feet and pretend that the day will not end. We can all take a nap together. We can all take a walk together. We can just be. And we can hope that we will all have one more day.

Hope's Perspective

After reading Seth's most recent entry on the events of Emi's birth I have to say that my perspective is a little different from his. My thoughts:

My contractions, while definitely painful, were unlike any pain I've ever felt. My body was completely at their mercy... but it wasn't like I was being ripped apart or anything. I just moaned my way through them. (See, I don't know what Seth's talking about peeling me off the ceiling - I wasn't screaming or anything - I just said things like, "Oh my goodness" or "Oh my god, you guys, this hurts!" a lot). What was rough was that I didn't get a break. They started off at 9:15pm being about 8 minutes apart. Then 5, then 3 within an hour and a half. Interestingly, it never registered for me that I was in active labor. I just knew I was in pain. Hence the driving to get Seth, etc. By the time we were at the hospital they were literally one minute apart (even the nurse couldn't believe it). This just meant no break, no time to try different positions, just time to survive until the next one.

I finally got an epidural when I was 9 1/2 cm dilated. It took the doctor 3 contractions to get it in and set up - by the time he was done I had dilated to 10cm. Thanks to our doula and Seth's support I had made it all the way to push time without pain medication! Go team! We were proud. After the intense total-body itching sensation subsided (I mention this side effect of the epidural because nobody ever mentioned it to me and it took me by surprise) we did 45 minutes of "passive descent" - letting the baby come down into the birth canal on it's own since I was finally able to relax my body. It worked - and I pushed for only an hour in the quiet peace of the darkened room before Emi's time to come had arrived. The whole experience felt so fast for me - I could hardly believe it when I saw Emiko's head begin to make it's way into the world - 3 more pushes and she was in my arms. My world had changed forever in that moment - the emotions I felt are indescribable. Amazing.

So regardless of what our birth plan had laid out or what our expectations were, I feel that Emi's birth was just perfect. I was strong, Seth was strong and we supported each other tremendously. I wouldn't have changed a thing. Except maybe I would have asked Seth to stay home from hockey that night... but that wouldn't have made for such a good story.

Wish List - Birth

We are putting together papers and whatnot for Emi's file and baby book. And I was looking at our birth plan.

Support Persons Present for Labor: Partner, Doula, friends

Let's see...our labor was through the wee hours of the morning. I was there. Our doula and a nurse were there. Friends? Yeah right...though I think a few of you were awake and thinking of us during some of those wee hours.

Support Present During Medication Administration: Partner, Doula

This was right on. Though I couldn't bear to look at the needle. On top of that, I was trying to help Hope hold still during the administration. But I totally appreciate the suggestion from our instructor to stay on the front side of Hope to make sure I didn't have to watch the needle....

Support Present During Cesarean: Partner, Doula

Thankfully, it didn't come to this. My fingers were crossed that Hope wouldn't have to get sliced. As it turns out, she was born to bear babies! At least this time around....

Positions for Labor: Walking, Birth Ball, Swaying, Squatting, Hands and Knees

Ha ha (in my best Cosby impersonation). Let's see...walking? Yeah, right. It was all Hope could do to stay upright during a contraction. This was when she wasn't being suspended in our arms from the bed. Though I will say she tried to walk on a few occasions but I always felt like she was going to collapse onto the floor when a contraction hit.

The birth ball. Yeah, right (again, with the Cosby). She tried this a few times at home. Every time she lowered (no, collapsed) onto the ball, I thought she was going to roll right off. As I was running around the house, trying to grab the last few things and time her contractions, I'd see Hope getting ready to settle onto the ball. I'd have to go diving back into the room to try and steady the ball just to make sure we didn't have a mama mess splayed across the bedroom floor.

Swaying. I'm not totally sure if it was me or Hope swaying the entire time. But I'm pretty sure the room was spinning the entire time too.

Squatting. This never even came close to happening. Not once. If Hope was in any position to move when a contraction started, I had to first pry her off the ceiling (once the contraction hit) and then try to fold her into a position that she found comfortable. Inevitably, those positions were never comfortable for me. But if they worked for her....

Hands and knees. Right. No really, right! This was the one thing Hope found comfortable during early labor. For the short amount of time that we spent at home, this was generally what she felt was the best. But only if I could put a knee right against her tail bone. While I was running around the house grabbing things. And timing the contractions. And prying her from the ceiling. And trying to keep her from falling off the balance ball. And drive too the hospital. Our doula was concerned that I was losing my cool. Nope, I was just trying to multi-task. (I should have tried responding to emails and blogging about my experience all while doing the aforementioned tasks)

Rupture of Membranes (Bag of Water):

Whatever necessary. In fact, the nurse tried to break the bag but it was too tough. My daughter, the tough girl! It was broken until it finally protruded enough for the nurse to really get after it. With her teeth! (no, not really)

Comfort Measures: Heat or Cold Therapy, Massage, Jacuzzi or Shower, Music, Aromatherapy, Visualization

Right! Did I mention before that there was no time? None! We tried the jacuzzi but that just intensified Hope's contractions. She ended up turning off the jets. We then dragged a bedraggled mummy out of the tub because the was not happy being in there. Think wet cat! Aromatherapy? It went too fast. Visualization, well...we had a mirror. And as far as the music is concerned...we had picked out some fantastic music for labor and birth. When I went to flash it onto my iPod (whilst multi-tasking), Hope pitched a conniption. There was no music to be had.

Monitoring: Intermittent External, Internal if necessary

This was pretty cool. Hearing the heartbeat. Knowing it was all going well. Watching Hope squirm for twenty minutes while they established a baseline was brutal.

Food and Hydration: Ice Chips, Water, Light Snacks, IV, Popsicles

Nothing out of the ordinary here. Though there were a few moments when I thought about trying to drop a few ice chips down the front of Hope's sports bra. Keep in mind, I love doing this on a regular basis. But something told me it wouldn't be appropriate during those hours.

Medications: Prefer to Ask for Medications

Yup. If there was ever a time I was going to start drugs, labor and birth was it. But they kept saying no, despite the number of times I asked.

Positions for Pushing or Delivery: Sitting, Squatting, Side-lying, Hands and Knees

Once the epidural was in, there was only one position...on her back. But this, at least, meant that I no longer had to peel her off the ceiling after the start of each contraction. In fact, I took a nap. On my back!

Birth Options: Prefer a Tear to an Episiotomy, Perineal Massage, Warm Compresses

Too fast. It all went too fast. Hope did get to tear instead of getting cut. As far as the massage is concerned. Maybe it happened. Maybe it didn't. I wasn't about to watch anything like that!

Welcoming Baby: Immediate Contact with Baby, Cord cut by: Seth

This may be the one thing on our list that went as planned. Perfection!

Additional Desires: Photograph the birth, Lights Dimmed at Birth, Music at Birth

The lights were dimmed. I tried taking pictures with my fifth hand but I'm just not that ambidextrous. Music...yeah, we talked about music!

Postpartum: Rooming-in of Baby, Circumcison

The baby stayed with us the entire time. Which made us quite happy as we became accustomed to being parents. We got used to the diaper changes (it really is black right off the bat). And we are not about to circumcise our daughter. Not going to do it....

Feeding: Breastfeeding, Pacifier

Here too, we have been successful. Hope's milk came in fairly quickly. And Emi doesn't seem to want to go for the pacifier all that often.

So...our birth plan. It was fun writing it. We didn't even come close to really following it. But good fun looking back at what we wanted and expected for our labor and delivery.

Words

I received some wonderful messages from incredible friends regarding Emiko. Thanks to all.

This one message touched many chords, from the same man who told me to "soak it all in" while I can.

I have to say, those pictures brought back some great memories when my wife and I brought home our first bundle of joy. There are no words that can describe the feeling.

You can expect to face many challenges over the years ahead. That is certain. Just make sure to keep these pictures handy when those challenges seem to get overwhelming, and remember that feeling of love that is written all over your faces. Remember, you and Hope have already started to shape precious Emiko Rose Mukai’s life and you too will be responsible for who she grows up to become, which I have no doubt will be a proud member of our community.

As a father who has come to the reality that our kids will soon be off to College, moving out of the house, and spending more time with friends, truly experience everything there is with a newborn and take nothing for granted. Every minute is a grain of sand slipping through our finger.

Congrats and I hope to see you and your family soon.

Atlantic Hockey Association

I received my schedule for the first half of the NCAA season. No complaints but I'm going to busy. This will certainly be a test for Hope and me as we adjust to life as working parents. But all good assignments and I am very pleased to see that I will be working the Air Force v CC game in December. What fun!

It's not the same, right?

A quick run to the supermarket this evening to pick up dinner stuff, snack stuff, yada yada yada.

When I arrived at the checkout line, I exchanged pleasantries with the checker and the bagger. Then the bagger sneezed, right as the food was traveling down the little belt to her. She covered her mouth and had a quick one. Then she started bagging.

I was shocked. I asked, as politely as I could, "did you just sneeze into your hand?"

She replied that she had and then said that she should probably go wash her hands.

She walked away and I began bagging. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her use a little hand sanitizer and then she walked back over and took over bagging.

Now, I kept my mouth shut. But it isn't the same, right? If you sneeze, you wash your hands. With soap and water. A little hand sanitizer does not do the same thing, right?

Tell me I'm wrong....

One week of life with Emiko

Emi has been with us...well, on this plane of existence, for one week. It's been a pretty incredible ride so far.

We've been learning new methods of sleep and naps. Hope has become a breast feeding pro. I have gone from never having changed a diaper to being able to do it in my sleep.

I've started cooking again (albeit, we've had a few guests so it makes cooking for the group easier than just for two of us). I've become the leftover king (just as in childhood). I've learned where the King Sooper's is and how to push a grocery cart.

Hope is quickly becoming the mother extraordinaire. I'm not sure where she finds the energy. I'm not sure how she rouses herself from bed in the middle of the night (this is the same woman who used to spit venom at me if I woke her when I came home from hockey). She looks gorgeous and is only a week out from dropping the kid into our hands. Her milk came in fairly early so Emi's weight was right back to birth weight 5 days after her birth.

What else?

Oh, apparently, I've been nesting. Cleaning the kitchen and making it mine again. Hope is blown away and Molly supposedly whispered to her this weekend, "Who is this guy who has moved into the house with you?"

All good stuff. I'm off to change another diaper, clean the house, do the laundry and make lunch. All in the next five minutes.....

Sleep

Oh sleep...sleep is so good.

Problem is, I'm so tired, I can't even seem to find it.

Me so sleepy.....

The first skate after Emi's birth

I left this evening for a quick skate. At Apex which is where I was last week when Hope came stumbling through the rink door.

I'm now realizing that I need to get back in shape for the upcoming season...I know I will have a lot of big games right off the bat so I need to get on the ice and move.

It was tough leaving Emi and Hope at home but Auntie Molly was here helping out Hope so I know there were plenty of capable hands in the house. The skate was perfect. I was not really reffing so no one was yelling or complaining, I could just focus on form and vision. I skated a modified 4-man system (I was the ref...skating from goal line to far blue line and back). A lot of backwards skating and every now and then I would skate goal line to goal line with each rush, just to get my heart rate up.

My foot speed is there. My heart rate never really exploded. I barely broke a sweat for the first fifteen minutes. But it felt good. There was one thing that felt better, though.

Coming home and seeing Emi asleep in Molly's arms. That was the best!

Nesting

This is Hope writing - my first time entering in Seth's blog - but I thought it appropriate to comment on his amazing transformation into Daddy since he's done such a wonderful job keeping everyone posted on our growing family.

When we talked throughout the pregnancy about this child entering into our lives, we discussed beliefs, morals and values. We talked about our dreams for the child and how we wanted to be as parents. And we talked about how we would love this child more than we loved each other - that it was going to happen and we had to adjust to this new and all-consuming love in our lives.

Well I have to say that while indeed, my love for Emiko is boundless, my love for Seth has reached a height that I never thought possible. I clung to him for support while I labored to bring Emiko into the world, and he never wavered, not even when I bit him! I looked into my daughter's eyes for the first time and saw his looking back at me with a depth that I cannot describe. He helped me during our first night together as I struggled to remember how to latch our baby to my breast. He held me during our second night together when I felt for sure that I could never do this enormous job that I had signed on for... being a mother. He woke with Emi and I for every night feeding to change her diaper and hold her as she settled back into sleep. He went grocery shopping (if you know Seth you know it's been years since he's set foot in a King Soopers) and fixed lovely dinners for us each night that we've been home. He cleaned out our freezer and every cupboard in our kitchen to organize and prepare for times when he will not be home each day with me. He reads to Emi daily, and she just loves it. He sings to her and plays his guitar - it's enough to rouse her and she just stares at him with so much love...

I have been so amazed and elated to watch my husband become so much more... he is my support and my best friend... he is Emi's Daddy. And still absolutely and unconditionally the love of my life.

Thank you Seth.

A quick thought on hockey...

It's starting soon. Youth hockey is already up and running. I've been assigned a training camp scrimmage for the Avalanche in a couple of weeks. I've been assigned a handful of CHL games.

Hockey starts. It makes me excited to really be lacing the skates up again. But it saddens me that I will have to leave Emiko at home. We'll just have to work it out so she can come to the games some time soon.

She makes me so proud

She handled a sudden and quick labor with aplomb...she drove to get me at the rink when her efforts to dry her cell phone were unsuccessful. She labored with no complaint, she never said that she couldn't do it, she just did what she needed to do and got herself through it. She has picked up nursing Emiko like she has been doing it every day of her life, like it just comes to her naturally. She handles dinner tonight with our friend Molly like it was just another evening in, forget about having given birth only 3 days prior. She walks about our home in an unfamiliar body with a grace, beauty and poise becoming of someone whose pregnancy was assisted by personal trainers, personal chefs and personal assistants, not of someone who recently gave birth, nursed, helped clean up the kitchen and changed a diaper.

I am so proud of her, the love of my life. I am constantly amazed, the love of my life. I am so in love with the love of my life.

September 13th

I just noticed the date. This was to be Emi's due date! Funny to think that we were expecting this child to be late and here we are at home cuddled up as a family!

Happiness all around!

Arriving home with Emi

We were able to bring Emiko home from the hospital on Friday in the early afternoon.

Driving takes on a whole new meaning when you have a little one secured in the backseat. I'm so much more nervous, scared of other drivers but feel that our little family is comfortably ensconced in the safety of our Volvo (thanks so much to Robbie!).

As we rolled up to our house, we noticed pink balloons tied to our mailbox and more balloons as well as streamers as we pulled into the garage. Molly had decorated our house as our welcome home (thanks to YOU Molly, for decorations and taking care of Gibs while we were out and about).



Gibson was excited to see me as I walked through the door but he was looking expectantly at Hope as she climbed out of the car. A quick hi to her and then he completely melted when I carried Emiko into the house. It is almost like he looked at us and said, "Finally. I've been wondering when you would figure it out and bring home a kid to complete this family!"

Gibson won't leave her side. Where he once slept by himself in the kitchen or living room at night, he now sleeps by the bassinet. When Hope gets up in the middle of the night to feed Emi, Gibs will go with them and sit by them as Hope nurses. If I am changing a diaper, he stands by my side as I clean Emi and get her dressed again.

We continue to be so impressed by this dog.



And now it is time for another nap. We hope to see you all soon here in Colorado.

Let's not forget our country is still at war...Part Trois

I've been a bit remiss in keeping up to date with this story. The happy dance is on. Steve is at home in Alaska with his wife and two daughters. He is now trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life since he knows it is highly unlikely the Army will come knocking.

We are so happy for Steve and his family. We hope to see them here in Colorado some day soon.

Taking Emiko home

Just a quick hello from Denver this morning!

We are preparing to leave Rose Medical and head home to Golden. Taking the baby home.

And first introduction to Gibson...we'll let you know how it goes.

As an aside to taking Emi home for the first time. I drove home quickly on Wednesday night with a swaddling blanket. As I walked into the kitchen, Gibs was very excited to see me. But he was also super intrigued by the smell of the blanket in my hand. He turned circles in front of me, letting me know how happy he was to have me home. But he kept trying to smell the blanket that I had set on the kitchen table.

We played outside for a while and when we came back in, I took him upstairs into the nursery. He again sniffed at the blanket in my hand and he watched as I put the blanket into the crib. He seemed satisfied with that as an explanation. He spent the rest of our time together that night just watching me.

He will be a fantastic bigger brother for Emi, we are so happy he is so laid back and accepting.

Hello for the first time...

Anniversary night, 9/9/2008, 6:00 - 9:30 PM

What we wanted: a nice evening to ourselves, good food, good fun

Hope and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner on the night on 9/9. We went out and ate dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant, enjoyed a quick dinner and headed home. We lay around the house, cuddling and talking about the future and, around 9:30, I stood up to head out to put on my hockey instructor hat. Right as I stood up, Hope got up and leaned against the wall as her first "real" contraction hit her. And then promptly ran to the bathroom saying she had just peed her pants.
Hockey night: 9/9/2008, 9:30-10:30 (11:30) PM

What I wanted: a quick trip to the rink to instruct some adult hockey players...money!

I was flummoxed. Hope kept saying how it was ok, I should head out to the rink. She was convinced that it could be another two weeks before the baby popped out. I finally headed out to the rink and called her before I stepped on the ice. She said everything was still ok...a few more contractions but nothing big.

At 10:00, the adult hockey clinic began. I was helping run the skating drills and around 10:30, I glanced over my shoulder (good ice awareness) and noticed Hope walking through the door to the rink. She was grimacing but smiling and laughing...all at the same time. I skated off the ice immediately and she was laughing and apologizing at the same time.

"I'm so sorry, I dropped my phone in the toilet!"

Her contractions had progressed and become more painful. During an especially hard contraction, she managed to sweep the phone off the sink counter top into the toilet. She fished it out immediately, and like any woman who comes from a long line of frontiersmen, natives, farmers and all around tough-guys, she began drying out the phone between contractions! To no avail. So she climbed into her car and drove to the rink to notify me that things had changed.

Is this how it worked before the cell phone age?

Labor at home: 9/9/2008 - 9/10/2008, 10:30 PM - 12:00 AM

What we wanted: our Doula, our home (until it was time), the presence of a few of our friends if they were so inclined, snacks and water, a hot bath at the hospital, multiple positions for comfort, music from our "Birth" playlist

I suggested that she could labor right there in the rink. She gave me a laugh and pointed me to the locker room. I followed her back to the house. For the first time in my life, the red lights were perfect. Every red light we hit, she had a contraction. By the time it turned green, she was ready to drive again!

At home, we called our doula and doc and were eventually instructed to head into the hospital. I was trying to time contractions, grab the last remaining things on our birth day list, pack the car and support Hope each time a new contraction hit her. Needless to say, I wasn't doing well. I felt like I was spinning my wheels.

Gibson, on the other hand, was lying there watching our antics with a look on his face as if to say, "I've seen this all before. It is nothing new, it will all be fine." No concern, no excited anticipation, just the calm dog we have come to know and love. Come to find out later the next morning, he had laid by her upstairs the entire time I was gone as she went through her early contractions. He never got excited, he was just there for her. What an incredible dog!

I went to grab and reload the Ipod. Hope took one look at what I was doing and announced that it was time to go. She clambered into the back seat, got as comfortable as she could be and we were off. I called Molly as we left the house and she said she would head over to look after Gibson.

Labor in the car: 9/10/2008, 12:00 AM - 12:30 AM

What we wanted: non-rush hour drive to our hospital, no road side delivery, green lights, no puking in the car

Well, it wasn't rush hour! I drove as quickly as I could without being stupid or putting Hope into the side doors of the car in corners. When we got off I-70 and onto Colorado Boulevard, we hit every red light on the road (all I could think about was this clip). All I wanted was a police escort to get me there before Hope blew up the back of the car.

We met our doula in the parking lot and went in through the E.R. Hope was progressing so fast that she was skipped past the other two laboring mothers who were there waiting to be admitted.

Labor...for real: 9/10/2008, 12:30 - 5:00 AM

What we wanted: natural as can be

Hope was taken straight past the Triage area of Labor and Delivery. There was no doubt that she was out of pre-labor. Straight to room 3. She was set in a bed and the baby was monitored externally for twenty minutes. She then labored in bed in various comfortable positions. We drew a bath so she could spend some time laboring in a jetted tub.

At this point, I went outside to move the car from the E.R. parking lot and to grab our bags of snacks, clothing, books and other goofy things. When I came back, her labor had intesified and she was struggling to recover between contractions. We moved Hope out of the tub and back to the bed. By this time, the contractions were so intense that it was all we (our doula, our nurse and myself) could do to hold her in a slightly suspended position. Contractions were every two minutes and Hope was gasping trying to rest for the minute in between.

Incredibly, all the time she was undergoing this incredible test and during her contractions, she was cognizant enough to exscuse herself when she burped. And to "God Bless" our doula when she sneezed. To apologize for making too much noise. Each time, it made the rest of us laugh and it allowed me a reminder to know that Hope was doing ok...she was still the same woman under the sheet of pain that was wrapping her up.

At 7.5 cm dilated, she finally said she couldn't take it anymore, she wanted an epidural. To my relief! She was exhausted and in a great deal of pain each time. However, the anesthesiologist was backed up by three other pregnancies and was not able to come in for about forty minutes. By the time he had arrived and applied the epidural, Hope was at 9.5 cm. She had gotten through the hardest part all on her own.

I was so proud.

This afforded us a moment for every one to rest. Hope could still feel the pressure from the contractions but even she was able to nap for about 45 minutes until it was time to push. I passed out on a sofa. Our doula watched the contractions on the little machine (that went boing!). Our nurse disappeared for the first time, likely to rest and check on her other patients.

Delivery: 9/10/2008 5:00 - 6:40 AM

What we wanted: a healthy baby, no C-section, no episiotomy

Hope woke at about 5 and announced that it was time...something had changed. The nurse arrived and pulled back Hope's blankets. The amniotic sack, which had yet to break, had appeared. It was pushing out just enough for us to see...almost like a little water balloon. The nurse popped the sack and Hope could immediately feel a relief in pressure.

The nurse began having Hope push with each contraction. Hope could tell each time a contraction started, even through the epidural, and eventually the nurse pulled the little stress sensor off and let Hope tell us when it was time to push. Things progressed quickly and we could soon see a little head and hair appear just inside. The nurse went and got Hope a mirror so she could see what was going on. At first, Hope seemed a little scared to look but her eyes went wide as she watched the baby's head get closer and closer with each push.

As an aside, I wasn't sure if I would be able to look at Hope's vagina during birth. It seemed strange to me that I would be able to watch our baby pop out. I glanced at the amniotic sack but once we could see the baby's hair, it was like I couldn't look away. I was so ready with anticipation that I couldn't look anywhere but at this new child we were bringing into the world together.

The nurse asked Hope to stop pushing around 6:15 as the baby was so close, it could pop out at any moment. We waited for another (seemingly interminable) 20 or so minutes until the doc arrived (our doc was not on that day). When she arrived, Hope pushed maybe three or four contractions worth and a new child was brought into our world. The doc immediately moved Baby Mukai onto Hope's belly and invited me to check the sex. I had to look twice just to verify that she was a girl. Between tears and laughter, I told Hope. The doc then invited me to come cut the baby's umbilical cord. The baby was swaddled and moved closer to Hope.

Hello for the first time, our precious little child.The baby looked around, waved her fingers and outstretched hands about, cried momentarily and made us fall in love.
8 pounds. 20.5". A lovely little girl!