Baby Wood Arrives!!

Syrah Jolene Wood November 13, 2008 11:22 AM 8 lbs 2.2 oz 19.3 inches

Her name: Throughout the pregnancy, Tony and I kept a list of the Top 10 names that we wanted to consider for our daughter; Syrah was added to that list 3 weeks before she arrived. From that point on, we both knew that her name is Syrah. We didn't make it official until we met her, but as we looked at her beautiful face, she confirmed our choice. Her middle name is very special. We wanted to have a name that tied to a "family name" but we didn't want to use an actual given name. It was while I was talking to my sister-in-love, that it dawned on me that both grandmothers had Jo in their name (Jo-Anne & Vicki-Jo). We knew that our daughter's middle name would be created in respect to these two special women.

Timeline of Delivery

11/7/08 - Contractions started. I was 80% thinned out but only a fingertip dilated. Syrah's heart rate was monitored as a follow-up from Thursday’s finder-binder. Her rate was high, but still within the 'OK' range.

11/10/08 - No change in dilation or baby's heart rate. Dr. Lanza would like me to go into labor naturally, but due to Syrah's heart rate, he will only allow me to wait 1 week past due date. An induction was scheduled for 9:00 PM on 11/13. He will then break my water the following morning. A follow up appointment was schedule for 9:30 AM on 11/12.

11/12/08 (all approximate times): 6:00 AM - Contractions got stronger and I thought my water broke. We went to the Birthing Center to be monitored (same thing that would have happened at the doctor's office later that day anyway). An ultrasound was performed to measure the amniotic fluid and it was determined that my water didn't break. It was also revealed that Syrah was about 8 lbs 7 oz. This came to a shock to all of us. 1:00 PM - We were released to go home. Dr. Lanza decided that since I was STILL a fingertip dilated (and still 80% thinned) that I didn't need to be induced over night. We were then scheduled to have my water broken on 11/14. Tony and I walked around the mall (as much as I could with the contractions) and then returned home. For the rest of the night, my contractions pretty much disappeared and/or came very infrequent. 10:00 PM - I lost my mucus plug and the contractions started within the hour. They were more intense, in my back and only 5 - 7 minutes apart. 11/13/08 (all approximate times): 1:00 AM - Contractions were to the point of debilitating my walking, breathing and talking. They were now constantly 2 minutes apart. 2:30 to 3:00 AM - I was admitted into the Birthing Center. They gave me one of the nicest and biggest birthing suites ... complete with jet tub (which I never got to use). 5:00 AM - The last 2 hours were extremely painful. Contractions were full on back labor! To help with the pain, I sat on a birthing ball while Tony massaged my lower back as the contraction intensified. I was able to continue to hold out until I was 3 inches dilated, but I couldn't go any further. I received an epidural that worked immediately. From this point on, it was blissfull. Not only was I working through back labor, I needed a continuous IV. My body wasn't staying hydrated and by now, I was absorbing my 2nd or 3rd bag of fluids. 6:15 AM - Syrah's heart rate dropped to alarming levels. 3 extra nurses and 2 doctors rushed into our room. I was quickly propped up onto my knees and elbows (which is ridiculously hard to do when I couldn't move anything from the chest on down). The problem was the age of my placenta; it was too old at this point. Syrah needed to be supported from the blood and oxygen stored in the placenta as my contractions intensified, but this wasn't happening. As a result, she was in distress during contractions. The doctors now had me breathing through an oxygen mask to help. 8:00 AM - Dr. Lanza arrives! It was a comfort to see him because I knew him and trusted any decisions that he would make. He explained that he was slightly concerned about Syrah, but her condition was better since I started to have the extra oxygen. He said that he wanted me to continue to dilated (with the help of patocin) and work towards a vaginal birth, but if Syrah's heart rate drops again, he would call for an emergency C-section. By now, I was on my 5th or 6th bag of fluids. 10:00 AM - I was now on my 8th bag of fluid. The nurse said that she has never seen someone need so much fluid and that the most that they normally need to give is 3-4 bags. Yeah me! 10:35 AM - Dr. Lanza said "lets have a birthday party!" Over the past 2 hours, Syrah wasn't dropping enough through the birthing canal and I wasn't dilating quick enough to support her. He said that he would let me go all day if needed to progress, but with her heart rate not staying stable, he felt that things could get worse for her if we waited longer. Tony prepared himself while the nurses got me ready for my C-section. 11:00 AM - While laying with my arms stretched out in the OR, I could hear the nursers and the anesthesiologist preparing things all around me. I couldn't see a thing since they had a blue sterile guard up between me and my belly, but I could hear them asking for my charts, looking for tools and calling out numbers.

Of all the previous times I have been in the OR, I was more nervous this time. This surgery didn't affect just for me; it was affected our daughter's life. I remember laying there, getting nervous because I couldn't feel myself breath. The anesthetics numbs me from my collar bone on down and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't feel myself take a breath. I had to rely on the fact that I was still alive and breathing through an oxygen mask. Tony sat right next to me. I remember looking at him with tears in my eyes and telling him that I was scared. As he brushed his hand on the inside of my palm and arm, I just looked at him. I started to wonder when Dr. Lanza was going to start the C-sections. The next thing I new, the nurse said that I would start to feel pressure and then ... 11:22 AM - The time of birth was called out and we saw our daughter's face for the first time as they held her over the blue barrier. As soon as I saw her, I started to cry. Words couldn't express that moment in time. I turned to Tony and said that we were now a family.

Too Cold & Wet to Enjoy Now

This summer, our goal was to have a patio installed, a retaining wall built, and grass laid down to cover the remaining Spanaway rocks. We are happy to say that we reached our goal. There were a few complications along the way, but for now, we get to joy of looking out the window at our backyard. Unfortunately, we can't physically enjoy it since the weather is now in full Fall mode.

Next year's goals include: plants, landscaping the side of the house, a sprinkler system, and maybe a BBQ & patio furniture.

Watch Sabrina grow!

Within the next week, our baby daughter will arrive. It has been a wonderful experience and I think I am one of the few women in the world that has loved being pregnant. I will miss this stage in life dearly. My pregnancy has been easy. I never experienced morning sickness, odd cravings, lasting body aches, or missed sleep. My co-workers (some mothers themselves) were amazed that I could even wear 3 in heals up until I was 35 weeks pregnant. As my pregnancy progressed, I did have a few minor issues to deal with. These included possibly having Gestational Diabetes (which my tests came back negative), our baby measuring small (which the ultrasound showed that she was perfectly healthy and on schedule), having a harder time breathing (due to my short torso), being anemic (even for a pregnant woman), and slight heartburn (nothing a glass of milk couldn’t solve). Now that I am in my 9th month (week 36 – 40), my body truly feels pregnant. As all mothers know, I am up every 2 hours to use the restroom, our baby is pushing hard to stretch out (she obviously doesn’t realize that there isn’t any room left for her), my muscles and pelvic ligaments are looser, the cramping has begun, my body feels very heavy and my favorite ... (*insert sarcasm*) ... is the problem I have with retaining too much water-weight because I am not ‘resting’ enough. Thankfully, I have learned the importance of resting even though it might be too late. I have started my maternity leave before the baby arrives so that I don’t have to continue with my work schedule (leave home at 5:50 am – come back at 6:30 pm). In just the past two days, I have noticed a significant change in the swelling in my body (which means that I probably don’t have Preeclampsia). As I was on the phone today with my sister-in-love looking at photos from her wedding, I noticed a picture of me. I wasn't in my dress, but in a white tanktop that showed my 20 week belly. I was surprised at how little I was compaired to today. So I decided to line up all the pregnancy photos I have that were taken each month to see how much I have grown. ENJOY!

(R) 4 weeks - March 2008 I know this isn't the typically 'pregnancy growth' picture, but this is a good starting point to see what my tummy looked like before I started to actually show. April 2008 - This picture is MIA. I think I have it saved at work (which I won't be going back until Feb). But just imagine ... no change from the picture to the left.

(L) 13 weeks - May 2008

(R) 19 weeks - June 2008

(L) 24 weeks - July 2008

(R) 29 weeks - August 2008

(L) 34 weeks - September 2008

(R) 37 weeks - October 2008

(Last two) 38 week - November 2008

Only one more week to go until her due date of November 8, 2008

ATTACK OF THE KILLER BEES

When Tony & Sabrina moved into their new home, everything seemed to be at peace, but little did they know that they would soon be living in an Alfred Hitchcock movie! As September came to a close, Sabrina and her mother spent the day in Seattle with Carolyn, Steve & Al to see the Phantom of the Opera at the Paramount Theater. It was the perfect mother – daughter (and baby) afternoon. Shortly after dinner, the cell phone rings, "Hi Tony! The play was great and now we are at dinner. How has your day been?" The response, "It's been OK. I just spent the last 4 hours knocking down hornet nets from the roof easement. Some were really hard to get down! I kept blasting them with water and that did the trick. I got all the ones on the outside, but the nest underneath the house in the crawlspace will need immediate attention." He continued, “Someone that was building a fence at the neighbors went in the crawlspace. He said that there is a net that is about a foot wide that is slightly hidden in the insulation.” In amazement and disgust, Sabrina suggested that she stop by Home Depot and get a killer spray. “We can go down there and drench the nest and wait for all the hornets to die. Then we can destroy everything.” After what seemed like hours counting pennies with her mom to pay for the $3.17 Hornet Killer, Sabrina returned home. Tony took her on the grand tour of the destroyed nests outside before preparing to enter the crawlspace. Dressed in jeans, a sweater, working gloves, steal-toe boots, and a scarf around his face, Tony entered the hornet’s lair. Moments later, Tony emerges. “I couldn’t get close to the nest (let alone see it). There is defiantly more than a couple hundred down there!” The decision was made: Tony would spray the unwanted guests as close to where he thought the nest was. He would repeat this action until most of the workers were dead and then he would go in for the kill and get the nest. Once again, Tony enters the lair. The illumination from his flashlight slowly weakens as he moves deeper under the house. Sabrina sat on the stairs with anticipation. Suddenly, Tony quickly jumped out and slammed the trapdoor shut while exclaiming “they’re EVERYWHERE!” “I got as close as I could, but as soon as I sprayed, they started to swarm! Those who were hit fell to the floor and started to twitch while the other avenged their comrade’s death.” While discussing tomorrow’s battle plan in the kitchen, the Hornets launched their invasion. From behind the stove the hornets started to appear. At first it was one here and there, but soon … the kitchen was filled! Tony instructed Sabrina to go get the cats and lock them in the room with her. As quickly as an 8 month pregnant woman could go, she got upstairs and did what she was told to. She wasn’t stupid. She knew that if Tony failed as the 1st line of defense against the swarm, they would soon go for her since she was caring the unborn child of the hive destroyer. After waiting to hear any signs of hope from downstairs, she slowing creped down the stairs. As she came into view of the kitchen, she saw Tony drop to the floor as a hornet kamikazed into his head. Both fighters now were on the floor. Her heart pounded as she waited to see which one survived. “CRAP!” exclaimed Tony, “I don’t know where they are all coming from.” The feeling in the house was something that neither Tony nor Sabrina had felt before. Who could have imagined that their house would be invaded by killer hornets at 2300 hours (11:00 PM). Tony swept up the 1st round of invaders and buried them in the trash, “We really pissed them off didn’t we?” Now at the point of no return, Tony knew what he had to do, but he couldn't do it on his own … he would have to resort to military force! He sent Sabrina upstairs again as he raced outside to get Joe’s help (a US Air Marshal). The next 30 minutes were a blur. The two men went on the defense and pulled out all the kitchen appliances looking for the hornet's launching pad; all the while the 2nd round of invaders approached. With a little bit of luck, the hornet's access route was spotted. It looks like the humans were now in control of the war. As the men scrambled to find something to block the hole next to the gas piping for the cooking stove, more hornets arrived. Tony, filled with adrenaline, went after the invaders in a spectacular dog-fight. The time was now 0100 hours (1:00 AM) and a retreat was called. The sound of their evacuation could be heard throughout the battleground as Sabrina quickly gathered necessary living items, Tony taped up the hole in the floor, and the cats were loaded into their carriers. The safe was the last item that was grabbed; for fear that the Hornets would break into it and gather enemy intelligence. By 0200 hours, the now refugees were staying in a room located in Covington. Tony, Sabrina, and their 3 cats returned home after breakfast. There was a sense of confidence in them, knowing that everything would be safe when they returned home; it was a false sense of security. Upon their arrival, one of the Hornet’s scouts spotted them in their car and then buzzed off to inform the hive. Tony was the first to enter the home. Time passed and there was no word from him. Fearing the worse, Sabrina cracked the door open and called out to him; still no answer. Gathering all her courage, she cautiously went towards the kitchen. “Hun, Get out! There’s too many here!” Tony said as he emerged out of the kitchen. After a short time, Tony gave her the OK to enter the house. One sight of the battleground made her stomach queasy. There, on the kitchen floor was a pile of dead hornets. “These guys are really mad! They sent their hive protector” Tony explained as he pointed to one hornet that was 3 times larger than the rest. Upon further inspection of the largest body, it was determined that it was the Queen (not a protector). “She must have evacuated the hive over night to protect her bloodline.”

Sitting at the dinning table, they decided that it was time to call upon their allies, Reid National Exterminators. Getting their help wasn’t going to be cheap, but Tony & Sabrina felt that they could no longer handle the situation. The appointment was made and by 1700 hours (5:00 PM) the humans attacked the enemy on their homeland.

After a recon to the mother-hive, intelligence portrayed the harsh reality of war. Hundreds of hornets laid dead, killed while protecting their nest. What was worse … the war wasn’t over. The hive survived the chemical warfare because of its surroundings. Hidden in the insulation, the basketball size nest continued to thrive. With their numbers drastically low, they tried to protect their nest from the allied inspector who drenched the hive with Hornet Killer. Casualty Count: - Hornets: A couple of hundred - Hive: 1 - Queen Bee: 1 - Cats: 0 - Humans: 0 To this day, Tony continues the argument to get their ally to complete their end of the contract of guaranteeing the destruction of the Hornet colony.

(Sound of the Hornets around their nest)

Playing in the dirt

For the past 3 months, we have been working hard to get our backyard completed before the HOA sends us a nasty-gram. With our patio nearly completed, the next step was to build a retaining wall that follows the back and side property lines. Since Sabrina is 8 months prego, Tony was left to play in the dirt.

From start to finish, the total project time was almost 50 hours (over 4 days). This consisted of digging a 100 ft long trench into nearly solid rock (gotta love Spanaway land), leveling a gravel foundation, placing & leveling the first row of blocks and then stacking the wall. Thankfully, Tony had help from Papi, two neighbors, and Sabrina (who was mostly there to keep company and shovel a little bit of gravel.

All in all, the wall is beautiful! Throughout the project, Tony was surrounded by many of our cul de sac neighbors who were very impressed that Tony was building the wall (vs. having a contractor do it). Even people from other parts of the neighborhood walked past and gave Tony compliments. And after a long day working in the dirt and sun, Bongo helped Tony relax!