Surprise!!

Jacob is one special baby, his Aunty Annetta and Uncle Pate flew over 2,000 miles to meet him!!

Thursday night was a long night without much sleep thanks to our baby boy. I've quickly learned to take advantage of any time he sleeps to sleep myself, so since he finally decided to fall asleep for a good few hours around 8 am, I didn't get up until around 11:00 yesterday morning. Soon after, Vaka's cousin Tae called to say she was coming over. Tae showed up at the door, and then Annetta appeared behind her. I really thought I was seeing things, and with lack of sleep, anything is possible. :) But it was true, Annetta and Pate had made a last minute trip out here for General Conference, and of course, to meet the newest member of the Tu'ifua fam. We're waiting on the rest of you now!!

More Jacob

Sorry for the delayed updates... life with a newborn is definitely an adjustment!! Recovering from a c-section and coming down with the stomach flu at the same time didn't help... but luckily I think we're finally recovering and getting the hang of things around here!!

So here's what you've all been waiting for... more pictures of our adorable little guy. He definitely has his daddy's Tongan nose, and we're hoping he keeps my blue eyes!!

How we got him here...

For those of you who've been wanting the details...

We went to the hospital around 9:00 a.m. Monday morning (the 22nd) and I slowly but surely dilated about a centimeter every two hours. Around 1:00 the doctor broke my water, at which point the contractions definitely started coming on stronger. By 3:00 I was ready for the epidural, thank goodness for modern medicine. :) Unfortunately, the side effect of the epidural was nausea... not fun, but luckily I was only on liquids!! At 11:30, after over 14 hours of labor, I was finally completely dilated and fully effaced and we were ready to bring this baby here!! Unfortunately, Jacob was posterior and the doctor was unable to get him turned. He could have been delivered this way, but then as I continued pushing, his heart rate started dropping with each contraction. After 2 hours of pushing and not much progress, the doctor advised our little boy was under too much stress and that a c-section was probably the best option. We decided to try pushing for another half hour, and he only seemed to get worse, so after lots of tears, we decided we needed to do the c-section.

My amazing support, all suited up for the c-section

The c-section was definitely an interesting experience... something I would never wish on anyone!! The hardest part was being unable to have that first experience I always pictured having with my brand new baby. Vaka was able to be with him immediately while they cleaned him up, weighed him, etc. but it was 15 minutes before I was even able to get a glimpse of my little boy. Even then, my arms were strapped down and I had an oxygen mask on, so when they brought him over for me to see him, I wasn't able to have any physical contact. Emotionally, that wasn't easy!!

First few moments of life

Vaka went with Jacob when they took him down to the nursery, but I was in the operating room another 30 minutes by myself. My family had come to the hospital about the time I started pushing, so luckily my mom was able to be with me once they took me to recovery for another hour while Vaka was with Jacob. I don't think I would have made it without her there!! For some reason, due to either a lapse in communication or preparation, after the c-section the anesthesiologist stopped the epidural before the morphine had been prepared. So basically, I had just had my abdomen cut open and was left without pain medication for an hour until it was ready. AWESOME. After that kind of pain, I think a normal, vaginal delivery without an epidural would have been a piece of cake.

They wouldn't move me down to my room until my pain was under control, and I couldn't see my baby until I was out of labor and delivery and down in my room. 2 hours after my baby boy was born, I was finally able to be moved to where I could hold him and love him... and then he wasn't there. I immediately demanded that Vaka go and get him because they had had more than enough time to take care of him in the nursery. Vaka thinks I was drugged and loopy, I think I would have been just as demanding if I hadn't been, and I'm sure any other mom can relate!!

Our little family finally together

It was so amazing to finally be able to hold my little baby after it was such a long, hard day to get him here!! Obviously, there just aren't words to explain it. It took us the whole 41 weeks to decide on a name, but once he finally arrived, we knew Jacob Cory Tauelangi was the perfect fit. Jacob means "to hold", Cory (after my dad) means "God's peace" and Tauelangi (after Vaka's great grandpa) means "reach the heavens". We sure do love him and are so blessed to have him in our family!!

Introducing....

JACOB CORY TAUELANGI TU'IFUA
September 23, 2008 @ 2:20 a.m.
8 lbs 8 ounces, 19 1/2 inches


14 hours of labor + 2 1/2 hours of pushing - success + baby boy's struggling heart rate + emergency c-section - effective pain killers = our adorable miracle of a boy

Stay tuned, more pictures/info to follow at some point....

Remembering Jake

One positive thing about being overdue?? I can still make the trip today to pay tribute to an old friend.

Meet Jake Whetten, a giant both inside and out. He was 6' 7" and his heart and soul were just as big. Jakey was one of my best friends in high school, and was taken from us way too soon. (read about it here) It was a Saturday morning, just a few weeks into my last Fall semester at BYU. Its hard to believe its already been 4 years since that day.

When we as Jake's friends asked what we could do for his family, his parents simply told us to help Jake be remembered. So remember we did. Along with some other friends I gathered memories and pictures of Jake and compiled a book for his family. His brother set up a website, for others to share their memories. And I hope his family knows that still, even 4 years later, I do remember.

The first year it was hard to remember. I missed him and the memories brought sadness. My first visit to his grave, I had a good cry. But time heals, and now anytime I think of Jake, I can't help but be happy. Yes I still miss him, but I am confident he was needed much more somewhere else. I imagine he is the same fun and crazy Jakey, blessing just as many lives elsewhere as he did here. I am grateful for the tender mercy that despite our busy school schedules, it somehow happened that Jakey and I were able to spend a lot of time together the week before his death. That he just happened to drop in and visit me at work the evening before.


Jakey was crazy and adventurous. He was spiritually sound. He was a people lover and people loved him. More than anything else, Jakey contagiously loved life. And I love September 18th for reminding me to love mine a bit more, just as Jakey did.

What's wrong with this picture??

No, we didn't just forget to inform you all that the newest member of our family had arrived. I am OVERDUE and hating it. Our baby boy however, must be completely comfortable right where he is, as he's showing no signs of making an appearance anytime soon. Keep your fingers crossed!!

SINGLE DIGITS

See that little ticker to the right?? It finally hit the SINGLE DIGITS. Lets hope this little boy decides to come within those few DAYS left!! (Nope, I'm not sick of being pregnant. Not one bit.) :)