day 5 - out and about

Dear Luciya,

You had your first outing today.


We celebrated your arrival and said Aloha to Tutu Lainey by going out for lunch at Mama's Fish House.

You rode in the car and got to see the ocean for the first time.



Welcome to the world, baby girl!!


Thank you for all the ways you have already made me smile.

Love,
Mama

world's most beautiful baby

Hello, world.

Some of my favorite photos...

Delicious.

Deep peace.

Tutu finally gets to meet her first grandchild!

Breakfast!

We call this her Popeye look.

I love the contrast in this picture.

Who's a mommy? I am!

Daddy's in Love.

We are blessed beyond measure. My heart overflows.

introducing.....

Here she is!!

Luciya Leona Davidson
Thursday, April 19, 2007
11:25 p.m.
8 pounds, 6 ounces
21 1/2 inches
Maui Memorial Hospital
Wailuku, Maui

After 28 hours of intensely painful labor at home, we decided to head to the hospital. Ton Ton called the hospital as we headed out the door to let them know we were coming and to get the dope ready.

After what felt like the bumpiest car ride in the world, we were whisked into Labor and Delivery. The sweet nurses ushered us in at about 6:30 pm. I was 5 cm dialated.

The doctor broke my bag of waters an hour later and soon I was 7 cm. The next thing I knew we were ready to go!! It was amazing. We got a mirror so I could see the progress as I pushed. Tutu held my left leg and Ton Ton held my right. Luciya was ready to head on into the world! She came out within 4 contractions worth of pushing so hard I thought my neck veins were popping. By that time the drugs had worn off enough that I could feel her coming out!



I will never forget the exit of her body from mine into the world. It was so amazing, so emptying, so freeing.

She was crying immediately and they placed her on my tummy.



I have been falling in love for the past 38 hours. All that crazy pain was most definitely worth it. Her soft, soft skin is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.



Thank you for all your warm thought and prayers. I know they worked!!

More to come......

With love
Shemmy and Luciya

Positive Energy about Home Birth

I need to add some good things about home birth: Emily is comfortable in her own home. There is less chance of infection. We can all comfort her. John is with her all the time. No bright lights, loud noises, strangers looking at her private parts, etc. The Doula and the midwife are very loving, gentle women who do this all the time. In fact, the only distraction is Tutu.

Tutu

This baby better be cute!

Over 24 hours and still waiting. Emily is tough as nails and wants to chew on a few of them. I'm trying to be supportive, but it's most difficult. I know they want to do this naturally, and I support that decision. The Doula has Emily and John walking outside. I'm looking for cookies. And wine. Hell, I'll take any drugs she doesn't want.

Tutu

Tutu Biting Tongue Off

Emily started the first heavy contractions almost 19 hours ago. Serious, painful contractions consistently for almost 14 hours. Midwife says she's only dialated to a 3 and is just getting into real labor. (Go figure.) It will be hours more. Tutu thinks hospital might be considered. Tutu must keep quiet. Hard for Tutu to do.

Emily and John are fabulous.

Morning has broken but not the water

It's 6:30 a.m. Cassaundra, the doula, slept beside Emily in the guest room, softly talking her through contractions. I slept there, too, hoping not to snore like a grizzly bear. John got some sleep in his bed. Midwife Tina slept on the couch. The four of us in and out of sleep as Baby progressed on mysterious, awesome journey.

I have lots of emails. Sorry the phones are turned off. We will email, call and holler when Baby peeks into the world. Emily is awesome. I am humbled.

Over 12 hours and counting. Hey Baby, come on down!

Tutu

Looks like 4/19 B-day

Doula arrived around 10:30....strong contractions, close together, creative language, passionate bonding and support, music, Emily walking, sitting, lying down, standing and swaying. Now it's 12:40 and she's in shower on exercise ball....hey, you can't do that in a hospital!

Midwife on the way.

Brave, strong, beautiful Emily....no pain killers, no cuts, just tough, strong woman. Yeah Emily. John has been incredibly loving, supportive, and attentive. Doula is amazing. Me, Tutu, just kind of stands around and fetches water. Now Emily is belching like a sailor. Baby is laughing.

It's Show Time!

Strong contractions for several hours, a bit of vomit to make Mela and Tutu Lainey go nuts....John is cradeling Emily and we are all so blessed to experience this miracle. Don't ask Emily right now how blessed she is.....she may invoke the name of the Diety.

Tutu Lainey

It's official

Well, it's official, we are in LABOR! Contractions are 20-30 seconds long and about 5 minutes apart. By-the-way, our doctors appoitnent went horrible and our doctors was a dip dong so at the last minute we decided to have the baby in the comforts of our own home. John, if everything goes good, will be able to deliver the baby. Wish us luck and keep us in your prayers.

ode to mila

To the tune of "O Christmas Tree." Kind of.

Ton Ton: "Oh Sleepy Eye, Oh Sleepy Eye
Why do you have a sleepy eye?

Oh Sleepy Eye, Oh Sleepy Eye
My chin is gray

Oh Sleepy Eye, Oh Sleepy Eye
I like to stick my paws out straight

Oh Sleepy Eye, Oh Sleepy Eye
My tail wags."



[In conclusion:]
"The cool thing about Old Sleepy Eye is that she lived forever. They've been singing about Old Sleepy Eye for years."

wait, is that....?? no, no it's not. or is it?

I have been having slight contractions since 1:30 am.
But I think they're gone now.

*Sigh*

Throughout the pregnancy I have been getting weekly email updates from babycenter.com: "Week 34!" "Week 38!" "Week 40!"

Sunday, the subject was "Your baby's first week."

Ha!

Due dates are cruel.

I have been going absolutely nutball crazy. Last night I had a sob fest for about a half hour. I had taken my third dose of castor oil in 5 days to no avail. I felt so down; I have been talking with this baby for the past 9 months and felt we had a connection. Now I have been wondering, gently asking, begging, pleading and downright demanding this child show herself, and I feel like (s)he is light years away.

I can't describe the frustration. I know (s)he is fine and happy and healthy and all the rest, but as of 4 days from now the doctors won't see it that way and I will face artificial induction.

That, and the possibility of birthing the Incredible 85 Pound Monster Baby terrify me.

I thought going on a walk today might help out these twinges I've been feeling for the last 16 hours (8 minutes apart! Kinda painful!), but, alas, once I came back from the walk I've only felt one or two.

Help me.

notes from a 29-year-old first time mother who has been avoiding caffeine

A few things I learned this morning from an article in Mothering Magazine:

- "First-time mothers can almost be counted on to deliver ten days or more after their due date."

- "The length of gestation seems to peak for babies of mothers who are around 29 years of age."

- "Caffeine consumption makes pregnancies shorter."

nobaby nobaby still nobaby

Each night as I put on my pajamas I wonder
Will this be what I'm wearing when my water breaks?
when I feel my first contraction?

In the shower each day I think about
Shaving my legs
Because soon they should be in front of
a room filled with doctors and nurses.

When I read my novel before bed I wonder
Is this the last chapter I'll read before baby's here next to me?
Is this the last book I'll have time to enjoy
for a while?

I eat a cookie and think
This is going straight to her cheeks
And all I want to do is kiss those cheeks
Even though they may hang down to her shoulders
and we'll have to part them like the Red Sea
to find her eyes and nose.

Castor oil, tea, Mexican food, sex
I walk until the pumping of my heart should push her out.
Ton Ton asks in the night Do you feel anything?
Nothing
Except frustration.
And anticipation.
A little worry.
A lot of impatience.

A week late and counting...

how low can you go

No, still nothing. But it's got to be getting closer, it's just GOT to be.

We went swimming at the community pool this morning and as I was doing some funny little underwater jogging I swear I felt a lowbaby shift.

Is this what they mean by "dropping"?


Look at that thing! It's like an overfilled water balloon! Is the baby just going to burst out my belly button after the next big meal?


It's time to get out now, Baby. People are calling, waiting, checking in, and worrying, not the least of whom is your Mommy.


You're offically a week late, and Mommy is officially not sleeping well because NOTHING is happening in your cozy little neck of the woods.



Come greet the world, child!!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

go ask alice

For some reason, I'm inspired by the Disney movie Alice in Wonderland...

I'M LATE!!

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date.
No time to say hello, good-bye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late I'm late
and when I wave, I lose the time I save.
My fuzzy ears and whiskers took me too much time to shave.
I run and then I hop, hop, hop, I wish that I could fly.
There's danger if I dare to stop and here's a reason why:
I'm over-due, I'm in a rabbit stew.
Can't even say good-bye, hello, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late.

A VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

Statistics prove, prove that you've one birthday,
one birthday ev'ry year.
But there are three hundred and sixty four
unbirthdays.
That is why we're gathered here to cheer.
A very merry unbirthday to you, to you.
A very merry unbirthday to you,
It's great to drink to someone and I guess that you will do.
A very merry unbirthday to you


Maybe we'll name her Alice

Soooooooooo..... a very merry unbirthday to you, late baby!!!!

tell me something i don't know

Week 41: Ways to Bring on Labor

"Is there any way I can jump-start labor naturally so I don't get induced?"

"The problem with letting nature take its course is that nature can take its time. But if you're tired of playing the waiting game (and who isn't by the week 41?), there are plenty of natural methods you can use to try to bring on labor. Will any of them do the trick? That's hard to say and even harder to prove. While some women swear by them, none of the methods has been documented as consistently effective. (That's because when they do appear to work, it's difficult to establish whether they actually worked — or whether labor, coincidentally, started on its own at the same time.) Still, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try these at home (keeping in mind that none of these will work if your body and your baby just aren't ready yet):

Walking. Whether it's the force of gravity or the swaying (or waddling) of your hips that does it, it has been suggested that walking can help ease the baby into the pelvis. And pressure in the pelvis and cervix can, in turn, get labor going. If it turns out that your stroll doesn't jump-start labor, you'll be no worse for the wear. In fact, you might be in better shape for labor — whenever it actually does begin.

Sex. Gotta love this one! Semen contains prostaglandins, which can stimulate contractions — so hopping (make that very carefully climbing) into bed with your partner and doing the deed may be an effective way to mix business with pleasure. That said, it may not be all that pleasurable when you're a week overdue and the size of a small hippo, but at least you'll have a good laugh. Plus, it may be the last time in a long time that you'll actually be able to have sex — especially if it ends up working.

Even if these methods fail, remind yourself that you will go into labor — either on your own, or with a little help from your practitioner in a week or two. (Until you do, just be thankful you're not an elephant. Then you'd only be halfway through your pregnancy!)"

frustration nation

Sung to the tune of "She'll be Comin' 'Round the Mountain":

She'll be comin' down the birth canal when she comes
She'll be comin' down the birth canal when she comes
She'll be comin' down the birth canal, she'll be comin' down the birth canal
She'll be comin' down the birth canal when she comes.....

But when will that be? We'll surely all go out to meet her when she comes... that is, if we're all still around when she comes. My mother, mother-in-law, and step daughter are all here this week for the momentous event that was to have happened about 4 days ago. Though we've kind of agreed to only talk about "it" if "something" happens, the nobaby is hovering over everyone's head. It's so thick you can almost feel it when you walk in. Where is this child?? Luciya, or the lack thereof, has become the elephant in the room.

Though I know our baby will choose the day and the time of her birth, and that she knows better than anyone when and where and how it will all happen, I have been diligently observing some of the following suggestions for natural induction. I just really don't want to have to birth a 19 pound baby. These have been passed on from friends and family, found on the internet, and even backed up by my doctor and doula.

raspberry leaf tea..................CHECK. I literally drank an entire pot last night.
spicy food.................................CHECK.
long walks ...............................CHECK. Almost daily. I've been favoring the Olinda forest, where I've gone to talk with baby since I was about 2 months pregnant.
bumpy car rides....................CHECK. Easy to do in our neighborhood.
nipple stimulation..............CHECK. Yes, per doctor's recommendation, and my doula's, I spent one hour total yesterday with my nipples in my breast pump. More today. Yippee!
sex...............................................CHECK. Wasn't sure I'd include this one, but c'mon, we all know how I got in this situation in the first place.
castor oil.......................................NOT YET. Not sure how I feel about this one. This was one of the doctor's recommendations. My doula backs is up, but warns that the cervix has to be ripe for it to take effect properly. Otherwise you may just get a bad case of the runs. But how do I know if my cervix is ripe? Ton Ton suggested that we all play a round of "How Ripe is Shemmy's Cervix" at dinner last night. It got too late. I just went to bed.

The exciting results so far?

Nada.

At my doctor's appointment yesterday I had a "nonstress test" done to make sure nobaby was doing okay in there. Turns out she's not just okay, she's perfectly fine - strong heartbeat, good movements, etc., etc. It was pretty cool to see the little readouts from the external monitor. Did you know baby's heartbeat skyrockets every time she moves? I didn't know that either. What else don't I know about you, baby? Oh yeah, when I'll get to meet you.

I would love any comments and/or suggestions you may have regarding induction, other ways to occupy my mind, and probably a good dose of Just-Relax-And-Stop-Worrying-Soon-You'll-Have-This-Baby-In-Your-Arms- And-Wonder-What-All-The-Fuss-Was-About.

Until then (when?),
Shemmy

no news is... no news

Nope. Nothin.

another nobaby poem

Easter Sunday has come and gone

Without so much as a contraction

I told my baby to come on down

… Didn’t get the desired reaction.

April 8^th has been looming for months

Nine, to be exact

Thought our daughter would be here today

But my cervix is still intact.

I know it’s too early to complain

I must have a comfy womb

She seems quite content to stay on a while

Though she’s darn near out of room

So I sit here, patient as can be

(Not really; I said I’m ready!)

“Due date, schmue date” said Baby today

"Soon you’ll see my little heady."

So, Luciya, have fun in there

But know we can’t wait to meet you

I just hope you won’t be a teenager

When we finally get to greet you.

Love,

Mama

No Easter baby for us!

gunnar!

At least somebody got a new baby this weekend.

Meet Adam's new puppy, Gunnar.

hmmm...

Shemmy's horoscope for today:

"It's challenging to keep your feet on the ground now, for you are truly in your element. You are ready for whatever is coming next, but no matter how good your life seems, just remember that it's important to be sensitive to other people's feelings. Don't assume that someone else can keep up with you as you forge ahead with your plans."
Sunday, April 8, 2007

waiting for granddaughter

Luciya

We wait for the news of your arrival

Winging our way across the sea to welcome you

into our family

Anticipating, longing

What day will you chose to meet those whose hearts are

already filled with love

Eagerness, enthusiastic

Our souls receiving yours with awe and wonder

Contemplating, imagining

We wait for the news of your arrival

- Abuelita

luciya's dream

Awake - by Jim Morrison

Awake
Shake dreams from your hair
My pretty child, my sweet one.
Choose the day and choose the sign of your day
The day's divinity
First thing you see.

(thanks, Mom!)

friday

Today is Friday. Will this be my last Friday as a non-Mommy?

getting ready for baby boo

This is starting to look like a baby's house! I have been spending the past couple days getting things organized. I don't think I'm "nesting;" I haven't had the extreme urge to scour the walls with a toothbrush or anything. I am kind of waiting for those urges though; apparently that means labor is imminent!

But as long as baby is comfortable, I can continue to prepare the nest for her arrival.

At least, let's hope it's a "her."



This child has enough clothes to see her until her 3rd birthday. And if she turns out to be a he, well, he'll just be very in touch with his feminine side. And realllly like the color pink.

Here's her crib/changing table.

And, if she's small enough, her sweet lambskin-lined bassinet.


Diapers are stacked, bath products and toys are safely stored in baskets.

And sitting in the living room for the past couple months, the "ghost baby" swing.


We can't wait to meet you, Baby!

man, i must be a dummy

Ton Ton: "If I only had a video for every foolish thing you've done, I'd have a million bucks."

Shemmy: "Why, would you sell the videos?"

Ton Ton: "Yeah."

Shemmy: "For a million bucks each?"

Ton Ton: "No, for a penny each. That's how many videos I'd have."

d-day approaches

Our EDDs, as predicted by various groups:

April 2, 2007 - Ultrasound #1

April 5, 2007 - Ultrasound #2, Ton Ton

April 6, 2007 - babycenter.com

April 7, 2007 - babyzone.com

April 8, 2007 - Shemmy, Doctor

Then there's our doula, Cassaundra, who assuredly let us know that "most first pregnancies last 41 weeks and one day." So,

April 16, 2007 - Doula

Heh. Heh-heh.

I was in Wal-Mart yesterday getting some "last minute" (?) things, like a diaper pail, when a gangly, mustachioed bucko sauntered by and pointedly observed, "Somebody's havin' a baaaaby."

I politely nodded and said, "Uh, uh."

As he continued on he guffawed, "Ya sure it's not twins?!"

OK, men, here are a couple cardinal rules:

1.) Unless you are 150% sure that a woman is pregnant, do NOT ask her when she's due.

2.) If you are 150% sure she is pregnant, do NOT ask her if she is carrying multiples.

Let's get with the program, guys.

29

Happy birthday to me
Woke up 12 times to pee
My sciatica runs from
My back to my knee

the most beauiful i've ever felt

Belly Portraits
38th Week of Pregnancy
March 20, 2007

preggo pop

the pregnancy journey.

baby is due in 2 weeks!

i wish we had been keeping better track of the changes in my body, but we have been taking some pictures along the way. last week (week 37!) i had some portraits taken in my back yard. they turned out beautiful; i'll be posting them later.

this has been the most amazing adventure.


Week 13
mila is excited to meet her new sister!


Week 23
busting out the maternity wear.


Week 28
enjoying a beautiful weekend in san fransisco.


Week 30


Week 31
rough life on maui.


Week 32


Week 34


Week 35
with mom and bro adam.

what?

We are Ton Ton and Shemmy.

We live on Maui, Hawaii.

Ton Ton and I thought it would be fun to start a blog. Help me, this is not so fun. I try, but I am not a computer commando.

from the mouth of my babe

Ton Ton says funny things.

I've been keeping a log of them for some time now.

Check them out at Ton Ton Quotes.

Love ya, monkey.
- Shemmy

why not a basset hound?

Ton Ton: "I wonder if we could get an Alaskan Husky to go down the slopes with us when we go skiing."

wonder who would win

Ton Ton: "I can't wait to get into a boxing ring with you again."
(During a conversation we had in my eighth month of pregnancy, in which it was debated whether I had gotten too fat.)

as long as i can still listen to social distortion

Ton Ton: "I'm totally down with country living and Amish lifestyle."

whew, that was close

Ton Ton: "Man, I'm glad I didn't have to go under the house with my sudoku."

dang!

Ton Ton: "What's up with your grandma, man? Why hasn't she sent us any more Country magazines? That's bullshit."

a typical conversation

Ton Ton: "Did you do anything stupid today, or embarassing?"

Shemmy: "What? Why?"

Ton Ton: "Just asking."

i love a good horse trough

Fifth month of pregnancy.All I want is to take a nice warm bath, but we don't have a bathtub. The solution, it seems, is really simple. After some quick trips to Del's Farm Supply and Home Depot, an hour of tinkering, and $150, I now have a custom-built, 100-gallon, outdoor bathtub.

Ton Ton is a genius. He split the hot hot water hose from the washing machine a threaded a garden hose through a crack in the concrete wall. He laid cement tiles in a dirt patch next to the porch and set up a Rubbermaid horse trough, which actually keeps the water well heated.

I'm in Heaven! Love ya, Ton Ton.