As of yesterday (Japan time) this precious babe is FIVE months old! I can't even believe it! Jack has brought more joy to our lives than we could've imagined. These are some things he's been up to lately...

-smiling and giggling (he loves it best when his daddy sings made up songs to him)

-nibbling on his hands and toes

-bending over backward trying to snag glimpses of the tv when we have it on 

-making super high pitched screams and squeals (some are happy... some aren't)

-rolling over both ways

-playing with his toys (his favorite seems to be "Socks" from Grandma) and sticking them in his mouth

-smiling at himself in the mirror

-sleeping in his crib!

-giggling when daddy throws him in the air

As of yesterday he weighed 13.2 lbs. He's been at the bottom of the charts (4% for weight at 4 mos) but is slowly making his way up! He's working hard on his rolls and chins. 

We explored Hong Kong on our very first family vacation over the holiday weekend! Jack was a real trooper and spent many hours cuddled up with us in his Boba Air (which worked incredibly well by the way). We didn't have a whole lot on our itinerary so it felt like a pretty relaxed trip. Some of the highlights... Taking the gondola to the "Big Buddha" on Lantau, eating at Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen (which was SO delicious!), dim sum at Din Tai Fung (because it was so yummy in Taiwan), exploring Victoria's Peak (even though we were in the middle of a cloud and couldn't see the city), and being in such an international city full of so many diverse cultures. Hong Kong really is such a cool place. We were bummed that the weather was so crummy but had a great time just the same. 

 

   

Kung fu in Kowloon Park

View from our hotel room

In other news, we recently found out that J is career designated! We're super excited about it and look forward to finding out where the Marine Corps will send us next! I've probably said it a million times but I never imagined I'd love this little island so much. The friendships we've made here are priceless and the adventures have been awesome. We've said "matane" (see you later) to friends who became like family and will continue to over and over again. I knew from the beginning that it's part of this lifestyle but now that it's time to part ways with yet another sweet couple, I'm finding that it's hitting me pretty hard. When it comes down to it, I'm thankful to have such friendships. It's a blessing to care for people so much that your heart aches when you're apart.

Jack is 11 weeks old today! It's about time for that birth story, huh?

In the days leading up to Jack's arrival we had countless one sided conversations. I can't tell you how many times I told him that he'd better wait until Grandma got here to make his appearance! You'd better believe she chimed in over Skype every chance she got! During our 20 week anatomy scan the little stinker flipped us off so we've known for awhile now that we've got our hands full. When the time came, he actually listened and it couldn't have worked out better. I picked Mom up from the airport around 9:30 am on December 31st. We met J at our favorite little cafe on base for some brunch, ran around getting her a visitor pass, then headed to the commissary around 1:00 to stock up on some groceries. Toward the end of pregnancy I had been feeling pretty miserable. Over and over again people would tell me that I didn't look big but let me tell you... I felt enormous. In those last days I could feel a shift and knew we'd be meeting our boy soon. You know how in the movies the woman's water always breaks in the grocery store? Turns out it happens in real life too. It wasn't the dramatic gush but things had definitely begun. I was having some cramping at this point but nothing serious enough that we couldn't keep filling that grocery cart. Since we live about 45 minutes away from the hospital, I called to see if they wanted to check me before I left base. They did. I bet you can imagine the emotions my sweet husband felt when I called to say, "Don't panic... and you don't need to come to the hospital just yet... but I might be in labor..." At around 2:00 they confirmed that it was, in fact, amniotic fluid and admitted me. I was dilated to a 1 or 2 and 75% thinned. Now let me tell you... this was not how things were supposed to go. I was supposed to labor in the comfort of my own home until I was at least a 6. I'd enjoy my shower with its fantastic water pressure and my lovely view of farmland and the East China Sea. We would hardly have to be in the hospital at all. Since things don't always go as planned, I went with it and requested the birthing ball and a room with a view. The hospital staff was awesome and accommodating. I even borrowed my nurse's phone charger so I could call my dear husband back and ask him to please bring my "go bag" and make his way to the hospital because we're not going home without a baby!

Jacob arrived and we settled into our room. It didn't take a whole lot of bouncing on the ball and pacing the room before my water really broke. Contractions got much more intense with each gush. We took the time to read some notes of prayers and words of encouragement that friends gave me during Jack's baby shower. They helped to focus me and made me extra excited for things to get going! I wasn't progressing as quickly as the doctor thought I should be so I was given a deadline and told that pitocin was going to be necessary. Mobility was something that was very important to me throughout labor. The doctor wasn't too happy about it but she agreed to monitor me intermittently. I was able to alternate 30 minutes of walking, swaying, bouncing, showering, etc. with 30 minutes of in the bed monitoring. When the 7 pm shift change rolled around everything changed. My new nurse asked me what I was hoping for during my labor and what I'd done to prepare for it. When I told her Ina May's "Guide to Childbirth" was extremely influential for me, her face lit up. She told me that's the best preparation I could've done and that I was going to be amazing. It seriously made all the difference in the world to feel supported in my choice to have a natural childbirth. Never once did they mention an epidural or pressure me to do anything outside of my birth plan. For the rest of labor I was able to walk, sway, bounce, shower, etc. without being hooked up to anything. Katie, my amazing nurse, monitored me intermittently in whatever position I happened to be in. As the day went on there was lots of talk about who would be the first baby of the New Year. We were the only ones there all afternoon and evening until another couple arrived around 9 pm (and the race was on)! Our respective nurses made bets on which babe would make his appearance first. Midnight came and went and those fireworks (that I'm sure were super cool from our room with a view) and that friendly competition with the couple down the hall were the furthest things from my mind. I was completely in the zone. One contraction hardly gave me time to take a breath before the next one would begin. It was all consuming and incredibly intense. Jacob was my rock. He was exactly the support I needed to get through each contraction and keep going. He never wavered... even when I broke his fingers by squeezing them so hard. 

At 12:30 am I was dilated to a 4. That's not what I wanted to hear. It took everything in me to keep going. With each rush I became more inwardly focused and oblivious to my surroundings. All I could do was listen to Jacob as he reminded me to breathe and relax. I meditated on God's promise that "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength (Isaiah 40:29)." I'm confident that He increased my strength in those moments that felt like an eternity. By 2:40 am I was dilated to a 6 or 7 and was 90% effaced. Things were definitely more intense than I could've imagined. An hour later, at 3:40 am, I was fully dilated and it was finally finally finally time to start pushing. My nurses, doctor, and a handful of Corpsmen were all in the room. Jacob and my mama stood together and encouraged me until the end. It felt so very real when they rolled that bassinet near my bed. My baby boy was about to be here. I pushed holding the birthing bar for awhile before moving onto my side. Just when I thought he would never come, my nurse asked if I wanted to touch his sweet little head. Doing that kept me motivated through the exhaustion until Jack Thomas Jones was born on January 1st, 2015 at 4:45 am. He was absolute perfection. 6 lbs 14 oz and almost 19 inches long. Jacob surprised us both by stepping in to cut the cord. Jack stared at us with wide eyes and we were head over heels in love with our boy.

Being his mama is beyond amazing. I can't explain how it feels to wake up to his sweet smiles and cuddles. What an enormous blessing! I'm forever thankful for a smooth labor and delivery and the team that encouraged me the whole way through. Oh, and I almost forgot! We're the proud parents of the first baby born in 2015 at Naval Hospital Okinawa!

Another couple of months have gone by since my last post. They've been some of the most exhausting and beautiful days of my life. Our sweet Jack is finally here! Yesterday he turned an unbelievable 7 weeks old! He's napping on the bed beside me right now and I can't even begin to tell you how that makes me feel. I just finished flipping through some pictures of the past several months and couldn't help but tear up. Seeing my belly grow and watching it move as he kicked around in there... Incredible. We imagined for such a long time what he might look like and be like. Now we get to see his precious little face all the time and watch as he grows. I want to do my birth story justice so I won't type it today. In a nutshell, it was the hardest and most rewarding thing I've ever done.

We've had family here since the end of December. Mom made it just in time for Jack's birth and was able to stay with us for a month. Such a blessing to have her support, guidance, and help! Courtney and the kids just left a couple of days ago. Their trip was a whirlwind of Okinawa sites and experiences. Soon Dad, Mom, S-K, and L will all be here to do some baby cuddling and island exploring.

J and I are slowly but surely getting the hang of this baby business. We're up all night and drinking coffee like it's our job. Jack has started smiling at us. They're the kind of smiles that take over his whole face and light up his eyes. It's funny how things like that can make you forget just how exhausted you are.

Oh heavens to Betsy, it's almost Christmas! Where do I even begin with the updating? First of all, I've hit the 38 week mark in this pregnancy! Absolutely unreal. After lots and lots of deliberation, we've decided to name our sweet babe Jack Thomas. He could be here any day now and let me tell you... I'm very ready. Pregnancy is such an incredibly beautiful blessing but it's lasted the majority of the year and it's about time to stop waddling around and see this kid's face already! Daddy wants him to wait until after the holidays but we'll see!

Since my last post I had the opportunity to share some of my handmade items at a craft fair. It was a bit intimidating initially but so much fun. I'm lucky to have a man who encourages me to be creative. He would want me to add a link now...  https://www.etsy.com/shop/withlovefromokinawa?ref=hdr_shop_menu        I'm not so good at the marketing part of it all but I'm learning! Speaking of creative, my man has tried to spend every spare second in the wood shop lately. An awesome shelf is just about ready to go in the nursery. He's experimented with different joinery and it's been a great success. Finished product picture coming to you soon!

Several weeks ago a group of sweet friends threw us a baby shower. It took place at this seriously precious treehouse-ish cafe called Ukishima Garden. It's been humbling to experience so much grace from our friends and family as they go above and beyond providing the necessities as well as the fun stuff. Our Jack is so very loved already.

Another highlight of late was Thanksgiving. Our friends hosted a beautiful family dinner. I'm constantly amazed by the community we've been surrounded by here in Okinawa. It's such a unique place to live, to explore, to be pregnant and have a little one... I'm thankful.

Last but not least, I'd like to share a few of the maternity photos taken by our sweet friend. Kristine did an amazing job! She's so talented. She had the idea to shoot some of them at our favorite Bakery Suien. So neat to be in a setting that's special to us. 

Thanks for reading! If you think of it, say a quick prayer for us. Things are about to get crazy and beautiful in a way J and I have never experienced before.