Baby J

10 Months

2008-12-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! I am ten months today. Goodness life is moving fast and I am growing more beautiful each day. I had my first Thanksgiving and I feel so blessed to be living this life. I love to laugh and play with all my great friends. I am staring to walk around while holding on to the table or someone's fingers. I imagine soon I will be walking. For now, I crawl faster than the wind and keep my parents very busy. We are all so happy to have each other.

9 Months

2008-11-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

Coral had a healthy and fun filled month of traveling and getting into the Halloween Spirit. Someone suggested that Coral looks so much like Mama that we should put a wig on her and dress up the same for Halloween. Instead, Mama thought it would be funny to dress up like Coral, hence the bald cap and Mini Me. Coral went on two Yoga retreats this month. One in Santa Cruz for Mama's Yoga retreat, and one in Ft. Lauderdale for Papa's Yoga Journal Conference. She had so much fun hanging with her friend Ella and playing with her cousins in Florida. We love family and feel so fortunate that we got to spend some good quality time with everyone.

8 Months

2008-10-19T18:17:00.001-07:00

Lots of new adventures in Coral's life. Sharing time with cousins, first swings, and pumpkin patch with friends. We dressed all the kids up in costumes and went to the pumpkin patch. It was a beautiful day in the orange sun. Life with Coral is so much fun!

7 Months

2008-09-12T23:59:00.000-07:00

Coral has had a fun month with family, friends and lots of music. We had a blessing celebration for Coral that joined our families and was so beautiful. She has started to crawl and has sprouted her first two teeth. Oh my goodness, she is getting to be such a big girl.

6 Months

2008-08-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

Coral has been a busy little girl this last month. She is rolling all over the house, beginning to crawl, teething and starting to exercise her voice. She is heaven and we feel close to God being in her presence. On August 12th she turned 6 months and we were reminded on how fast time flies. Breathing in the moments as much as we can and enjoying the ride.

3 to 5 months

2008-07-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

Coral Lily is growing up so beautiful and happy. Her new favorite thing is to roll over and balance sitting up. She loves hanging out with her cousin Elijah. We pretty much live in a musical around here, as we are singing to each other all the time. She loves the guitar and actually strums the strings. Yep, she is amazing!

Back Home

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Florida Vacation

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Tulum, Mexico Vacation

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Weeks 9 & 10

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We had a fun week of passover. Zeta & Bubbe, Coral's grandparents, came to visit and we all had a great time. She loves them so much. Zeta makes her laugh and Bubbe is so cozy. Coral is smiling and enjoying life these days. Having Josh's family around was so amazing. Thank Goodness for grandparents!

Week 8

2008-04-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

This week Coral really came into her sweet shining essence. Radiating her smile and enjoying more of the Bay Area's nature. We also swam in the pool for the first time. Coral love the water already and is mesmerized by the sparkling blue.

Weeks 6 & 7

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Week 5

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Week 5 was a great week of nature, friends, and smiles.

Week 4

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So many changes happening in our beautiful girl's life. We are beginning to communicate with each other and understand each other's cues. This week we received many smiles from Coral, deep eye contact, and playful moments. We also had a foot fetish this week, as you can tell in the photos...this is mainly due to how cute Coral's feet are.

Week 3 (3/4 - 3/11)

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Click on the picture to make it bigger

Week 2 (2/26-3/3)

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2 Weeks Young - 2/26

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Day 13

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Day 12

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Day 11

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Day 9 & 10

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Day 8

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Click below to see more pictures from Day 8

Day 6 & 7

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Click below to see more pictures from Day 6 & 7

Day 4 & 5

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Click on the link below to see more pictures from Day 4 & 5

Day 3

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Click below for more pictures from Day 3.

Day 2

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Click below for more pictures from Day 2.

Day 1

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Click below to see more pictures from Day 1.

Coral Lily's Birth Day

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Click box below for more pictures from the day of her birth.

February 11, 2008 - Last Pregnant Belly Pose

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While taking a nap, I awoke to a stream of water coming out of me. My water broke at 3:30pm, (33 of course). Baby J has begun the journey upon entering the world. I enter this passage with ease, confidence and faith. And yes, mostly excitement that soon I will hold my angel in my arms. This picture was taken minutes after my water breaks. Feeling graceful, knowing this would be the last photograph of Baby J on the inside. The last photo of the amazing process of pregnancy. Joy fills my heart. Thank you God for the gift of carrying Life.

February 10, 2008 - 39 Weeks

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Spending a beautiful Sunday afternoon with some of my favorite ladies. Surrounded by love and feeling really close to meeting my Baby J.

February 4, 2008 - 38 Weeks

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I am so thankful that my brother and I have gotten the chance to share this blessed experience together. Our children and going to be super close cousins and the greatest of friends. We have had the good fortune of getting to spend time with Adam, Ashly, & Elijah. In this picture Josephine is holding Elijah over the belly and womb of Baby J. It was a moment I could have taken a thousand pictures of. I am excited for the day when our children can look back at this picture and feel the love we all share.

I love being pregnant, or should I say, I love Josephine being pregnant, but I guess in a way we both are. Anyway you look at it, this process has been fun, educational, grounding, and has brought me and Josephine even closer together.

February 1, 2008 - The Birthing Tub

2008-02-07T16:23:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a great welcome into our birthing month. Joshua set up our birthing tub and I have been truly enjoying it. I am in it several times a day and it really helps me relax and unwind before going to bed. It feels like heaven on my sometimes aching body. Especially for my hips. I get to move around easily in different positions and just let my belly hang. It feels therapeutic on my entire system. It is set up in our living room, near the projector screen Josh bought for us over the holidays. I got to watch a good part of a movie while floating around. So delicious.

January 29, 2008- Feeling Baby J

2008-02-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

Today I got an amazing reality check. I had an appointment with my midwife, Amrit, and was telling her about how I was still running around town, running all these errands and feeling a little hectic about all there was to do. She advised me that I should be careful with my energy, that I should be nesting and get as much rest as possible because I was going to need it if I went into labor, which she mentioned could happen at any time now. Though I knew she was right, my stubborn mind felt I couldn't settle or be at ease until I got some major things off my to-do list. So although I was outwardly agreeing, inside I was telling myself it's okay to keep pushing on. I think Amrit picked up on this because she suggested that we do a pelvic exam to check on the baby, which usually is not her procedure of how she takes the baby stats. As she was feeling around inside she said, " I can feel the baby's head. Baby J has dropped into the pelvic cavity." She had me put on gloves to feel and I can't express the feeling in my heart when I felt Baby J's head. I was touching my baby. The feeling overwhelmed me with joy and excitement. It meant the baby really could be with us any day now. That the baby was positioning itself for the birth journey. I know this could also mean that the baby still could have a couple of weeks, yet my entire perspective changed. All that I felt was important to do, that I could not let go of before, just seemed to float away. It finally hit me that I really could go into labor at any moment and that being calm and settled was so necessary for the adventure I am about to embark on. My spirit felt uplifted and my priorities redirected. I am grateful that Amrit knows me so well and that she suggested the exam. It changed everything. I really feel blessed that she will be at my side during labor.
Also another reason to celebrate is that today my little niece, Ava Elisabeth, was born. She is healthy and beautiful and she and my sister,Rosa, are doing great. Thank you God for the amazing blessing of bringing Baby Ava into our lives. May she be a light for all of us.

January 25, 2008- 37 Weeks

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Feeling great and celebrating these last few weeks of pregnancy. I am at the stage of pregnancy where I am starting to get ready/anxious about the birth. Lots to do before the baby comes. It is funny because I have come down to about three outfits I can comfortably wear now. So I guess you can say I am also starting to feel excited about having my body back. Oh the luxury it will be to be able to sleep on my belly again. Though I know I will miss being pregnant. The belly globe is an amazing rest for my arms when standing or sitting. Plus I love all the belly rubs.

January 19, 2008 - 36 Weeks

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We were fortunate to take a mini vacation within our own city. Yoga Journal hosted a conference in downtown San Francisco and hired me to work there. We had a room at the Hyatt hotel and shared a wonderful weekend together. We did lots of Yoga and got to be in the presence of many great teachers. It was so amazing to see Josephine, at 36 weeks, fully engaged in her Yoga practice. Michael Franti played music and assisted in some Yoga classes. He also performed on Friday night and gave a peaceful speech that touched the heart of the entire conference. After speaking, he came off stage and placed his hands on Josephine's belly and said "Mama you are Shining!" Josephine placed her hands over his and replied "It is you who shines, I am just radiating that love." Josephine was in true Goddess spirit. So many people came up to her and shared how beautiful she looked and how she inspired them. It made me so happy to have my love with me in a community of people I respect and honor. We feel grateful for the experience.

January 15, 2008 - 35 Weeks

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.....And the belly grows and grows...

January 13, 2008 - Blessing Way

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What a sacred and special day. Julie hosted an amazing Blessing Way at our house with many of my closest girlfriends. Blessing ways are a tradition of North American Indians who mark the transition a woman makes when she moves from maiden to mother. It is a time of receiving for the mother to be, and a time when she is nurtured and honored by her community of women. I was filled with an abundance of love, encouragement, and support. The women sang and praised me and the circle was opened further by a few friends who sent beautiful words to be shared. I feel so wrapped in the comfort that my sisters will be there energetically as I birth Baby J into the world. Thank you God for the gift of friends.

January 1, 2008 - 34 Weeks

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Happy New Year! So much to Celebrate in 2008. This is the year Baby J will make his/her entrance into the World. So much to enjoy in the present moment of carrying Life. So much to look forward to. Most of all, just meeting and seeing our baby's face for the first time.
My sweet and artistic friend, Paola, delighted in the moving canvas of my belly and painted Mendi (Henna) on it. It came out beautiful and it lasted for several days. Painting the belly as art, such an wonderful way to enjoy this process.

December 30, 2007 - Sister Love

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It was our last day in Florida and I wanted to soak up a little more sun before returning to San Francisco's cold winter. Cristina is my best friend. She is the soul I reach out to whenever I need love and support. She is the first person I think of to call to share moments and new experiences of pregnancy with. Baby J already knows his/her Aunt Cristina by all the sweet belly rubbing and kisses she gives. J also knows Cristina by the vibration of love that fills my body when I think of her. She wraps me up in her love and I shine with happiness. I love you, my sister, my friend.

December 27, 2007 - 33 Weeks

2008-01-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

33! What a special week. 33 is not only Josephine's favorite number but it is also her age this year. I love Josephine's belly. It amazes me every day, and it keeps getting bigger. It is a universe of life and bliss. Baby J moves almost every time I touch Josephine's belly. The connection between us is already forming into a flowing circle.

Being by the ocean made all three of us come alive. We got to enjoy the day and a beautiful sunset. We had fun taking pictures and love the one that came out with just my head under her round belly. So Cool!

December 26, 2007-Mandala Belly Painting

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My dearest and oldest friend, Stefanie, is pregnant and having a baby in April, two months after Baby J. We are so blessed to be sharing this journey together. When we were younger, we used to talk about having babies around the same time and now God has gifted us a wish we manifested so long ago. It was nice to be back home, spending time, sharing pregnancy stories and having our little ones meet, via belly rubbing.
Her sister, Jessica, is the amazing artist who painted mandalas on our bellies and then took us on a
photo shoot around South Florida. Baby J loved the sensation of having Mama's belly painted and showed his/her excitement by dancing around in the belly. We had such a fun time together and the pictures reflect the radiance of the day. Joshua came along and was Jessica's photo assistant. Thank you, Jessica, for creating such a beautiful day for all of us to share.

December 24, 2007- 32 Weeks

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It is Christmas Eve and I am enjoying a sunny day at the beach. I love Florida. The ocean is such an important part of my life. I know I will visualize the ocean's beauty and strength, her waves crashing on the shore, and her ebb and flow of tides as I birth Baby J into the world. Jaden gives love to Baby J all the time. He shares with me how much he loves and can't wait to meet his new little friend.

December 21, 2007- Leyla Plays with the Ball

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Leyla, my cute little niece, loves to lift my shirt and rub my belly. It is very fun and exciting for her. She looks up at me, smiles and says "Ball". I say back to her, "Yes, a great big ball of Life".

December 16, 2007 - Florida Baby Shower

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What an amazing day of being showered with love. My sister, Cristina, put together such a beautiful day of fun games, great food, sweet prizes and lots of special moments. There was a table full of Cannolies, my favorite dessert. Yummy! She made me a sweet memory book which everyone got to sign and write words of kindness. Even the invitations were rockin' and colorful. Everyone was given a onesie to decorate and there were some that were just simply outstanding and artistic. So many loved ones came from all over Florida to bless Baby J and fill our hearts with Joy. Mama Cooper came all the way from Tallahassee, via driving 3 hours to Jacksonville, flying down, going to the party and then flying and driving back all in the same day. Such heart filled devotion which we will always cherish. Josh surprised us all by making it there as well to share in the fun. My two nieces came dressed in ladybug outfits. They both looked so adorable and matched the theme of the party (Friendly Lovable Bugs) that Cristina created in honor of her Dragonfly Sister. We were showered with so many incredible baby gifts. Thank you to everyone who came and made the baby shower and day I will always hold dear to my heart.

December 15, 2007- 31 Weeks

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Natural and Beautiful

December 14, 2007 - Mama's 33rd Birthday

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Mama Josephine Celebrating her 33rd Birthday getting down with some friends. We celebrated at Chad's house, who hosted a potluck party for her. Sweet friends showered her with love and fun presents. Here Josephine and Ashly are getting down, rubbing bellies. Foxy mamas groovin'. This is a picture of Josephine wrapped in a funky fuzzy blanket that Paola and Jay made for her. It was an amazing gift that will keep our new family warm and cozy through the cold city nights. Look at that cute belly popping out. Looks like Baby J wanted to celebrate Mama's birthday too. We danced, we watched Your Mama's Mama's video(so cool) and ate the amazing raspberry chocolate cake that Cheryl baked for her. Happy Birthday!

December 6, 2007 - 30 Weeks

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We found it fascinating to be celebrating the 3rd night of Chanukkah as we turned 30 weeks. A light within glowing to match the light of miracles and hope. May light illuminate all the Earth and guide our hearts.

December 1, 2007 - 29 Weeks

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Going out on the town,
looking
like a
foxy mama,
literally.

November 29, 2007 - Tumbling Towards Ecstasy

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We had the great fortune of seeing Cirque Du Soleil with a few of our friends. We were blown away by the extraordinary performances and the incredible mastery of the body that was displayed. We left feeling inspired by the potential of the human body and the skill and grace that can be achieved. That the human body is a magical creation of life, exhibiting movements of beauty. While I watched in awe, Baby J was doing his/her own sacred performance inside my belly. I felt humbled knowing that in that moment I was creating life, a little human being with infinite possibilities. I imagined all of the cells coming together, swimming in fluidity, and tumbling towards ecstasy.

November 23, 2007 - 28 Weeks

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Yesterday was Thanksgiving and this year there are so many blessings in our lives to be thankful of. Mostly that our baby is growing strong and healthy in Mama's belly. That we have supportive and loving family and friends to share this journey with. That we live in a beautiful, colorful home that is warm and cozy. That we live in a safe and peaceful place with like-minded neighbors and community. That we have laughter, joy and love in our hearts that grows more abundant everyday. That we have each other. That we live on this amazing Earth and get to marvel in her beauty. We can't wait for our baby to see all the gorgeous landscapes, waterfalls, flowing rivers, golden sunsets, blue skies, magnificent lightning, magic rainbows, flowers and trees. Everyday alive is a miracle and a wonder to behold. Sometimes, naturally, the chaos of the world feels overwhelming and intimidating to us. We feel like it might be a challenging time to bring in a new life. Yet, when we just sit, breathe and take in all the goodness in the world, the worries subside and we are again filled with appreciation and excitement for wonderful times to come. This picture is taken a short walk from our house. We take this walk often and feel grateful for its healing expansiveness. Another thing to be thankful for. Namaste.

2007-12-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

November 21, 2007 - Papa's Thoughts

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Dear Baby J,
A few weeks ago we had an amazing connection that I am still vibrating on. I was so thrilled that I shared it with many friends and thought it would be a good thing to share it with you in writing. On this special night, your Mama was sleeping with her back resting on me. I was still awake and my hand was palm down on her belly. I was talking to you and asking if everything was okay in there. A few seconds later you kicked right where my hand was. It was so cool, as if you were saying "Yes Dad, I am O.K., Do you want to Play?" I said yes back to by you by pressing down into Mama's belly right where you kicked. I waited for your response and counted the seconds. 45 seconds later you kicked in that exact same spot. The 45 seconds you took to respond taught me patience. So this time instead of pressing down immediately, I counted 45 seconds and then pressed down 3 time in a row. Then I sat still. 45 seconds later, almost exactly, you kicked my hand 3 times!!! I was amazed. I got so happy that your Mama woke up and smiled. I love you sooooo much. You are already teaching me and playing with me....and we have a whole life time left to continue. See you soon, Feel you Now, Love, Dad

November 11, 2007 - 26 Weeks

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We went to the Greens Festival today in San Francisco. It is such an inspiring event that takes place where all kinds of green companies come together to vend and share information about environmental and sustainable living. My belly is out and about nowadays and I love it when people notice I'm pregnant and ask to rub the belly. It brings me joy and I feel like it puts a smile on their face. Creating life is always awe-inspiring and I love how present and in the moment it brings people. This is truly one of the happiest times in my life. Joshua and I wake up each day to greet Baby J with love and kisses. We go to sleep with Papa reading to the belly (advice from Uncle Dan). We recognize the blessing of each day and trust in the fact that we will be great and loving parents. Baby J's Bubby ( Josh's mom) would say, " There is no such thing as a perfect child because there are no perfect parents." Great advice from a great woman.

Mama's Gathering

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On November 7th, all of us pregnant mamas finally got together at Kathleen's house to circle and share in the joys of pregnancy. Together we made a nutritious meal and sat around and talked about how we were all doing. I feel so grateful to have a community of women who are going through a similar process and with whom I can bounce ideas, concerns and experiences off with. It is very special and rare that we get to share this time in our lives together. Even the sweet act of rubbing all our bellies together is such an incredible gift. I am soaking in every moment of it. I believe that all of our babies already have a close bond and delight in the fact that they all will grow up knowing each other. I am also glad that my due date is last because I will get to put the other babies on my pregnant belly to communicate with Baby J and welcome J to the world.

November 3, 2007 - 25 Weeks

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We flew to South Florida for Adam and Amy's Wedding. On the afternoon of the wedding, we went to the beach with a few friends to enjoy the amazing weather and play in the sun. We love the way the picture captures Josephine's pregnant shadow on the ocean's sand. 25 and counting...

November 1, 2007 - Meeting Baby Katz

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After a long awaited time of seeing my sister, Rosa, who is also pregnant yet lives in Florida, we got to press our bellies together and have the cousins finally meet. Our due dates are only 10 days apart. Two incredbile new beings coming into the family around the same time. Goodness Gracious, how awesome! Makes the grandparents proud. Nonna ( Josephine's mom) calls BabyJ her little caterpillar. She has always called me her beautiful butterfly so it makes sense that the baby in my womb would be a caterpillar blossoming one day to be a butterfly itself. Look at those beautiful bellies. It is so amazing to be able to share this experience with Rosa. Blessed Be.

October 28, 2007 - Your Mama's Video

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Stephen hired a crew to film us making a video of Your Mama's Mama's Mama's Band to the song, My Medecine. We had a fun long day of playing music, getting funky and creative. We invited some friends to meet us at Golden Gate Park to get down and funky and be in the video. Can't wait for you all to see it.

October 25, 2007 - 24 Weeks

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Glorious Moon and Goddess Mama.
I can't believe we are already 6 Months Pregnant!

Scloooop

Baby Shower

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Our wonderful friend Stephanie hosted a baby shower in our honor. She spent alot of time organizing it to create a very special day for us. Aunt Ashly and Uncle Adam came over early to help decorate and prepare the food. They suggested we take a bath, get comfortable and definitely not come out of our bedroom until the all decorations were complete. When we came out, we saw clotheslines filled with onesies all over our house. It was so adorable. The idea was that everyone at the party would take on down, go to the art table and design it, and then hang it back up. Everyone certainly got super creative and they came out wonderful as you can see. Paola and Jay made me a crown wreath with orchid flowers and colorful ribbons. It made me feel like such a goddess. During the party, we had a circle where we chanted a Hebrew song of peace (Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu). We spoke to the group of how we wish to create a world of peace for our baby and all babies of the world. We believe our baby will help bring about that peace. Joshua had everyone close their eyes and imagine they were in the womb. He then shared a story he had created for Baby J called Big Bright Star. Josephine sang a song that she wrote for Baby J. Then we passed around a chalice filled with water and asked everyone to infuse in it a blessing or prayer they had for us and/or Baby J. Once the chalice was infused with the elixir of blessings, we drank the water to fill our bodies with love. It was a dream day and one that got us so happily charged that we could hardly sleep that night. Thank you to all the friends that made this day so special for us. We will always cherish it.

October 21, 2007 - 23 Weeks

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Cousins getting closer every day!

October 17, 2007 - Midwife's Blessing

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We met with our midwife, Amrit, today for the fifth time. She is amazing and Joshua and I love her presence and strength. She comes to our house for several hours to discuss birthing procedures, nutrition, any questions I have, and to see how the baby is progressing. She is very wise and thorough. Joshua and I feel like we are in good hands and that she is the perfect person to help deliver our baby. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat today and it was like listening to the sweetest music. Joshua even got up and danced to the beat. Baby J seems healthy and strong. I feel vibrant and Happy. I am so in love with being pregnant.

October 13, 2007 - Ashly's Baby Shower

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The five mamas strike a pose while honoring Ashly at her baby shower. Goodness how our bellies have grown since the first picture of us at the pool party. Bountiful Bellies.

October 10, 2007 - 21 Weeks

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We enjoyed swimming several times a day while in Hawaii. In our 2nd week of vacation, while staying in Kauai, we discovered our favorite spot, Queen's Bath. How appropriate. We imagined queens of the past finding these amazing swim pools which are carved by nature into a lava shelf with an inlet from the ocean and cleansing their babies in the flowing water. Occasionally the waves would come and crash against the rocks. In this gorgeous picture of Josephine, she is being showered by the ocean's power and beauty. Mama Jo Jo, Mama Ocean, Mama Earth.

October 5, 2007 - Papa feels Baby J Move

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Today I felt Baby J move in Josephine's belly. We were laying out underneath a blanket of Kauai stars. My hands were around Josephine's belly and her hands were on top of mine. I relaxed and sent love and happiness with my breath, through my hands. Then I felt a little kick right where my hands were. I was so happy to finally have felt the baby move. Pregnancy is such an amazing process and it never ceases to amaze me what a miracle every day is to witness.

September 29, 2007 - 20 Weeks

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We decided that it would be nice to have one more romantic trip before the baby is born. We went to Maui & Kauai and enjoyed swimming in the ocean and playing in the sun. It was a great time to unwind, have time for ourselves, and set intentions for our new family. Baby J loves the ocean and had a great connection to a sea turtle we met while snorkling. As we watched the sea turtle swim with grace and ease, we imagined Baby J in the womb and thought the sea turtle might be it's animal totem. This is a picture of Josephine in front of the house we rented in Maui.

September 15, 2007 - The First Kick

2007-11-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

I went to Marin Maternity Services to meet with one of the many nurses to have a checkup. Marin General Hospital requires us to use their services just in case I need to deliver in the hospital. When the nurse came in to examine me, she started to feel around my uterus. She was checking to see how much the baby had grown. Then she looked at me and said, "I can't feel the baby. Have you been feeling the baby move?" I answered, "No, but I am still only at the beginning of my 18th week, and sometimes mothers do not feel movement until 20-22 weeks." Then she said, "Well, have you been sleeping on your back? Because you know that this can harm your baby by pressing up against the Vena Cava which supplies oxygen to the fetus." I thought about it and replied: "Yes, I still have not found a comfortable way to sleep and have found myself sometimes for long periods on my back." She said quite seriously "Well I need to make sure the baby is still okay and breathing in there, so I want to do an ultrasound." At this point I began to freak out and thought "Oh no, could I have hurt my little baby?" The nurse left the room to find the machine and as I laid there I felt nervous and worried. The baby must have felt the change in my energy field because all of a sudden I felt a thump in my lower belly. At first I wasn't really sure if I had felt something because I had never felt movement before and wasn't quite sure what to expect. Yet, it lifted my spirits immediately, the way hope does, and when the nurse came back in I told her what happened and that I thought the baby was okay. She asked with doubt "Are you sure?"
I told her I can't be sure but I think so with a smile on my face. Then, just at that moment, I felt another two thumps. It was as if the baby wanted to reassure me, remove any worries or doubts, and let me know everything was okay. I felt so connected to the baby in that moment and thought how amazing it was that the baby could communicate to me, just when I needed it to. Thank you Baby J for letting Mama know you are doing just fine and that you are a little powerful being.

September 13, 2007 - 18 Weeks

2007-11-11T12:16:00.001-08:00

Getting a picture of Mama's belly early on Rosh Hashanah morning. Such a great way to start the new year. L' shana Tova!

Pre-Papa Men's Circle

2007-11-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

On September 9th we held the first Pre-Papa Men's circle at our house. The men of the pregnant women decided it was a good idea to get together to share ideas, fears, & feelings about becoming fathers. We began by having a drum circle and smudging each other with sage. We had a ritual of grounded ourselves to become present and aware in the moment. We went around and each person talked about what it felt like to be a soon to be papa, the joys, excitement, & questions. It was a time of honesty, acceptance, and release of judgement. Especially because we were all sharing with each other what choices we were planning on making in regards to birthing styles, midwives, vaccines, circumcission, and the roles we felt we had as fathers to our children. We were all very happy to have other men to talk about this with. We honored each other's choices and encouraged each other with confidence and faith. Then we watched videos of births on YouTube to educate and prepare us on the process of laboring and delivering a baby. I was very grateful for this experience and we all wanted to gather again soon.

September 11, 2007- Power to the Peaceful

2007-11-11T11:49:00.000-08:00

Another amazing experience and conert for Baby J. We went to the Power to the Peaceful Festival in Golden Gate Park. We saw the Indigo Girls and Michael Franti tear it up. There were thousands of thousands of people there jumping around in the name of peace. Even Baby J was showing support with kicking and moving around. May our baby be peacful and be born into a world of peace.

September 6, 2007 - 17 Weeks

2007-11-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

We went to the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park while Rusty and Nicole were visiting. At 17 weeks, still looking like I had just a little too much beer over the summer. Beer Belly.

September 4, 2007- Stevie Wonder Concert

2007-11-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

Our baby had the great honor of being able to go to a Stevie Wonder Concert at The Mountain Winery while in mama's belly. Stevie rocked the less than 200 person crowd. He played so many songs and was simply a delight to witness. Baby J was nestled in bliss to the amazing sounds of soulful music. We met up with Adam & Ashly and Kathleen & Andy who were all pregnant too. Kathllen and Ashly are due in December and their babies are alot bigger than mine. Look how their bellies surround mine.

September 1, 2007 - 16 Weeks

2007-11-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

We travelled to New York City for our friends Chrissy & Andy's wedding. On a beautiful Saturday morning we took a ferry ride over the Hudson River to meet up with Joshua's Grandma Ruth and Aunt Liz. Grandma Ruth was so excited to meet Baby J and got to rub my belly.

August 12, 2007 - 13 Weeks

2007-11-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for Jaden's 5th birthday party. My belly is starting to Baloon out! Still feeling great. I have been blessed with not having any morning sickness and feeling beautiful. I am starting to regain some energy and not feel exhausted or like I need to take a nap all the time. Let's get this party started!

August 10, 2007 - 12 Weeks

2007-11-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

Your Mama's Mama's Mama's Band performed at the Bizaar Cafe. It was the first time the band was performing with a real actual Mama in it. It was a great time and a wonderful performance. Some of both Joshua and Josephine's relatives were there. Josephine's newphew Jaden was a big hit and even came up and sang with us.

July 14, 2007 - 9 weeks

2007-11-11T10:33:00.000-08:00

This picture is from Rusty & Nicole's wedding in Asheville. Josephine is only 9 weeks pregnant, yet it looks like there is a little bump in her belly. Not sure if it was just the angle of the dress yet we like to think that the baby just wanted to show itself to greet and meet all of our friends.

June 24, 2007 - Solstice Pool Party

2007-11-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

We were hosting a pool party at our house and we decided it would be a perfect time to announce to our friends we were pregnant. So we gathered all our friends around the pool and everyone sat on the edge with their feet dangling in the water. We held hands, talked about the solstice and how grateful we are to have our community of friends. We took a moment of silence and looked around the circle into the eyes of each member of our phamily. Josephine said she had an announcement. With eveyone's undivided attention she made a joke about having our wedding, in August, in Hawaii! Everyone's eyes widened and we said we were just kidding. Hee Hee. We then let them know that we did have exciting news. That we were postponing our wedding for right now yet would still like to have one in the future. Josephine said," For now we would like to ground down, settle into our new home, and....(placing her hands on her belly) nurture the baby in my belly." Everyone cheered and began kicking their feet in the water, splashing around in celebration. It was incredible and joyous.
That day took a picture of all the pregnant mamas. Look how we shine.

June 15, 2007

2007-11-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

The first sonogram of our baby already shows the magic present in this life form. The center dark spot is our actual baby...what a cute little spot. Notice the dolphin figure in white jumping over the spot on the upper left side. Also see if you can make out a figure on the right side of the photo. We like to call this our baby's guardian angel. Notice how there is an arm and hand outstretched under the baby's spot, almost like cradling it.

June 9, 2007

2007-11-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

We were trying to figure out the perfect way to tell The Coopers that we were pregnant. Months before, we had planned a special weekend of flying Joshua’s parents to the Bay to celebrate Art’s 60th birthday. We were debating whether to keep the news to ourselves for the first two months (which most books and some people recommend due to the complications that can happen in the first trimester) or to share our great news and excitement. At this point we were only two weeks pregnant so we did recognize that it was a bit early to tell everyone. Yet in the end, we decided that the joy and happiness of having them present and being able to see their faces when we told them was a present in it self. Still, we wanted to share the news in a creative way. Here is what we came up with.

When we all get together for family gatherings, we love to play games. All kind of games like boardgames, card games, charades. That was it! We would have them figure it out in a charades game. Before we began, Josh and I mentioned to the group that we’d like to add a new category to accompany the normal guess a book, movie, or song title. That new category was an event. Everyone agreed and like the new twist on the game. We were playing for about an hour with all of us taking turns. Josh and I even played out some events like Springtime Tallahasse Festival and Jazz Fest. Eventually it was time to share the news. I was a little nervous to get up and act out “I am pregnant”. I stalled for awhile, pretending I was thinking about how to act out my topic. When I began, I made the hand signal we had come up with to signify I was acting out an event. Then I held up one finger and showed them I was doing the first word. I pointed to myself and they all guessed words like you, me and then said “I”. I nodded to let them know that was right. Then I held up two fingers and let them guess that it was a small word. Again they began to guess words like so, an, be and then said “am” in which I indicated was the right word. Next was the big one. I placed my hands on my diaphragm and then made a big round shape over my belly. They immediately said “pregnant” in which I put a smile on my face an nodded. Josh and I were watching their faces, yet they all still seemed a bit confused. They kept saying, “Okay, I am pregnant”. And then repeating outloud to themselves, “I am pregnant”, as if there was something they were missing or that I was not saying. They looked over to Josh and then back at me and I just gave them another big smile and nod. Ashly, in her cute pregnant self was like yeah, I am pregnant. Then Adam asked me,” Are you pregnant?” Joshua and I said yes at the same time and then everyone started screaming and coming towards me with big open arms. Such a glorious moment. One we will always cherish and hold in our hearts. It really was such a fun way to share that we are having a baby.

May 23, 2007

2007-11-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

We were celebrating the two year anniversary of the day we had our ceremony in the woods. Feeling romantic, we decided to open the doors to the universe and see if a baby would like to come be with us. On that night we were gratefully gifted life.