Emerson is a month old!!

Emerson is a month old and we are starting to learn what he likes and really dislikes:

Likes:

I'm 1 Month, watch me grow!

• Being held/cuddled
• Bouncing
• Shaking
• Swinging
• Vibrating
• Being talked to
• Bright colors
• Car rides
• Grandmas 
• Eating
• Pacifiers
• Burping
• Not having a diaper on
• Strollin'

Dislikes:

• Poopie/wet diapers

First month photos:

1st Father's day

1st bath 

Funny Birth Stories

There were a few funny stories during Emerson's birth.

We didn't really remember them until Kelly Gray, our doula, came for a postpartem visit. She asked us what we remembered, and we slowly started going over all the events of the one-day labor.

The one that made us laugh hardest was when Kataneh yelled at me with pure rage during a contraction: 'Stop making that face!' I was unaware I was making any face, other than looking at her and encouragingly to breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. The funny part is that Kelly said she looked at me after Kataneh's outburst, and she said I had the same face I had during the whole labor! I simply stopped looking at Kataneh and made faces at other, inanimate, objects in the room.

Another good story was during another one of Kataneh's contractions. For most of the labor, Kataneh was up, walking around. Kelly and I had set up this system where Kataneh would wrap her arms around whoever was in front of her, and then kind of squat down a little bit pushing her back and butt backwards - elongating her back (kind of like this). The other person would then push on Kataneh's lower back with their fists with full body weight as a 'counter pressure' technique which Kataneh really liked. It just so happened that during one of these contractions and counter pressure sessions, Kelly and I both looked at each other (as we were face-to-face) at the exact same time with a grin as Bill Withers' 'Lean on Me' played in the background.

Welcome to the world Emerson Friberg!!!!

Emerson Friberg was born on Saturday, 28 May 2011 at 3:04am weighing in at 6lbs 12.5oz. 19 3/4 inches!!!!

My due date was June 2nd and I was confident that I would not be early... but I was 5 days early just like my mom was with me.

Friday, May 27th, at about 4am, I started feeling awful back aches. I woke Morgan up because they hurt so bad. He gave me a back rub and went back to bed. Another hour went by until I started feeling contractions. I woke Morgan up again and we went to the living room to start timing the contractions. We called my doctor at about 11:30am and were told to go to the birth center at Mills Peninsula Hospital. Once we arrived at the hospital, they said it was up to us if we wanted to stay or leave. However, when they monitored my contractions, they noticed that the baby's heart rate was decelerating. Therefore, they advised that we stay at the hospital.  Let the fun begin!

Morgan's parents had planned to fly into town on Friday and go to a party on Saturday night and stay here until the birth. Morgan called his folks and they arrived at the hospital straight from the airport at around 2pm. By 4pm I was 4cm dilated. 

Since I planned on a natural, non-medicated birth, I hired a fantastic doula, Kelly Gray. Kelly arrived around 5pm. She came equipped with all of her labor tools. Morgan and Kelly were amazing. I was all over the place and trying multiple positions to deal with the contractions (tub, birth ball, squats, partner slow dance, counter pressure techniques, massages, breathing techniques etc). I was pretty much everywhere but the bed! We dimmed the lights in the room, had awesome music (Manu Chaou, the Avalanches, Zepplin, the Beta Band) and fake candles to keep it mellow. My parents came up around 7:30ish.

At about 10pm they checked me again and I was at 7cm. This was very disappointing since I thought I was already at 10cm because of the pain level. The doctor asked if I wanted my water broke since that would help speed things along. Once she broke my water, my labor pains kept getting worse and worse. My body started telling me to push just before 2am. Emerson was born at 3:04am. When they put him on my chest I was in absolute awe. I still am. I can't even attempt to describe the feeling... its magic. It was so amazing to have both Morgan's parents and my parents at the hospital to meet Emerson right after birth.

Kelly and Morgan got me through the most intense labor pains and helped me accomplish my goal on having a natural birth.  I couldn't have gone through natural labor without their support and encouragement. I feel like a stronger person because of it.