Wake's arrival..

From his very beginning, Wake has done things his way. His older brother Jonas was a very big surprise for Clay and I. We were not planning to have kids for a long time (if ever) and despite birth control and a lifestyle not at all conducive to parenting, Jonas arrived on the scene. About 18 months later we decided we might as well get this over with and started trying to produce a sibling for Jonas. We thought that since we got pregnant with Jonas despite trying to prevent pregnancy, this time ought to be a breeze.... Over a year later, we finally realized we were pregnant again. We were so excited! Wake's pregnancy was a little easier than Jonas'. My morning sickness was bad, but not quite as bad as the first time. I was older and a little wiser so I ate healthier and exercised more. I only gained 18 lbs (in comparison to the 65 lbs I gained with Jonas) and felt really good throughout the pregnancy. In utero, Wake loved music. Where Jonas kicked and pushed, Wake danced. He moved softly in my belly. He didn't have the hiccups Jonas had. He was a mellow fetus. At 35 weeks pregnant, Clay took me to hear Jurassic 5 play outside at Stub's. Wake gently moved around and "danced" to the rhythms. We were using the same midwives for Wake's birth that we used with Jonas. Jonas' birth was long but gentle. I'd gained less weight and this was my second baby so I wasn't nervous about the birth. I was expecting a shorter labor, shorter pushing, less pain. Jonas was also two weeks late so as Wake's "due date" approached, I tried not to expect anything. He was due October 20th. At the time I worked for The League of Women Voters. I ran the Texas "Democracy Net" project, which was the League's first online attempt at an interactive voters guide. I was so busy at work, trying to get everything completed before election day. I had an appointment with my midwife on the morning of October 17th. At the appointment the midwife asked me if I thought I might be in labor. I'd been having what I thought were braxton hicks contractions for a couple of days. I told her I didn't think so. She kind-of smiled and said, "well, we'll see." I went on about my day, trying to finish up things at work, etc. I picked up Jonas about 5pm from The Open Door. We went to Central Market for a smoothie and a few groceries. While I was walking around at Central Market I started having much harder contractions. I was in labor and I wasn't ready! I headed next door to the drug store for some supplies. I hadn't packed a bag or anything!!! I called my sister first, then Clay and my friend Kim because she was going to keep Jonas during the birth. I took Jonas home and gave him a bath. I was getting him out of the tub when I felt a little pop and then a gush! My water hadn't broken with Jonas until I was pushing so I had no idea that contractions after your water breaks are OH MY GOD TERRIBLE!!! It felt like Freddie Kruger was trying to get out of my uterus!!! I tried to stay calm and wait as long as possible to recognize the pain. We sent Jonas to Kim's ate some Chinese take out (twice cooked pork that Clay always reminds me was also "twice seen" pork for him that night! yuck!) and watched ER. After ER we headed to Seton to meet the midwife and my sister. It was a shorter labor but much more painful. After only 2 pushes, his head was out. His shoulders got stuck and the midwife had to struggle to get him out. His collar bone broke and he wasn't breathing a first. The poor little thing was all kinds of beaten and bruised! Even through all of that, he nursed like a champ just a few minutes after his birth. Wake was the smallest of my boys at 8lbs 8 oz and 21 1/2" long. Emili said he looked like a little turtle! He didn't open his right eye for over two weeks. The right side of his face was very squished and bruised during the birth. He still has problems with that eye. Even as a tiny guy, he looked old and wise. We named him Wake Edwin Thrasher-Evers. Wake is short for Wakefield from the Weezer song, My Name is Jonas. Edwin was after Clay's grandfather. He made quite an entrance.