Homecoming...

So after a long weekend of ups and downs filled with fevers, infections, sugery, IV's, thermometers in every place and all sorts of drugs, visitors and phone calls from family back in the States - my girls are finally home. This is undoubtedly the next step towards the daily trials and tribulations of a new set of parents, chronicled ever so eloquently by a beautiful English teacher via the blogosphere. But first, I wanted to thank all of the U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka staff who worked a long weekend in the maternity ward, all for just one baby (we were the only ones there).

Here is LCDR O'Connor, he was the Family Practitioner who was on duty in the Maternity ward on the day Cicely went into labor.




Here's LTjg Kristal Smith - she was the duty Nurse the night of Labor.




This is CDR Stoker - she's the OB that LCDR O'Connor decided to call in when things looked like they were getting a bit more serious - she eventually made the call for a C-Section, and also performed the surgery.


Last, but certainly not least, is LT James Estoesta. He was the nurse who had just taken the shift when Cicely just took her epidural. Of all the people on this list, James by far, had the most positive impact on Cicely, me, Lola, and most importantly, Grace. As it turned out, he was actually the husband of Cicely's aerobics instructor, and more importantly, he's one of the breast feeding consultants at the hospital - and to top it off, he lives two floors above us in our tower - how convenient! Throughout the 3 days we were there, James showed the most competence, confidence, bedside manner, and leadership ability (he had some really bad junior Corpsmen working on his shift - which didn't do us any good). James, my hat's off to you, brother.

Cicely and I are forever grateful to all of these fine Medical Officers for bringing our beautiful daughter into this world - a world that as we knew it, no longer exists...but will only get better with each new day.