Appreciation

Our new baby Jay is very lucky to have been born into a supportive community of generous, compassionate people, and we feel exceptional gratitude for that. One person in particular that we'd like to honor on this little blog is our friend Jessica, who volunteered (volunteered!) to be our doula for Jay's birth.

Jessica and Jay, Reunited

Leading up to our due date, Jessica walked us through birthing techniques and helped us formulate a birth plan, while giving Natasha spirited encouragement and useful resources for the journey ahead. She then joined us in the hospital, twice -- first for a false alarm, and then for the real deal. She coached Natasha through nearly 17 hours of intense labor, all the while making sure that the nurses and doctors at Kaiser Oakland (a talented and caring bunch who deserve all the praise in the world) were fully on board with our hopes to give Jay a medication-free birth.

With her help, those hopes were realized. Her grace and poise that night were truly amazing, and we can't thank her enough -- or for that matter, her husband Erik and daughter Sophia, for letting her dash off to our side at a moment's notice.

So, thanks again, Jessica! You are an inspiration, and you have our heartfelt appreciation.