The Catalina Crew

Well, the much anticipated event has occurred and we are now a family of four!

Tristan William Ruplinger
7 lbs, 6 oz. 20.5 inches

Because there are only limited medical facilities in Avalon, the majority of children are born in Long Beach rather than on the island. After a single false alarm, many trips “overtown” for checkups, and several weeks of waiting, the doc said we had best prepare for an induction as the baby was getting to be somewhat overdue and the risks associated with going back to the island to wait were too high. We checked in to the hospital guest house on the afternoon of the 22nd, took a swim in the pool, and ate some dinner. Jared’s sister Danielle was fortunately able to come up from San Diego to watch Jacob while we were at the hospital. So they went to sleep around 9:30 while Jared & Sue began to get ready to go in and “have a baby.”

It appears that Tristan, like his big brother, is not about to be forced to do anything, so at around 10:15 he decided to get things moving on his own and Sue began to have mild contractions. By around 12:00 midnight when we were walking over to the hospital for our “appointment” to begin inducing, the contractions had gotten much more intense and it was obvious that no induction would be needed! In the 20 minutes it took us to walk the hundred yards from the guest house to the hospital doors, the contractions had increased to only 5 minutes apart and becoming more powerful. We hurried as best we could up to the maternity ward and by 1:00 or so were checked in to a very nice and cozy delivery room. Contractions increased rapidly and were beyond powerful. I was amazed when Jacob was born, and I was even more amazed this time at the strength and endurance that Suzanne possesses and the unbelievable pain that she had to go through to deliver these boys. Although Tristan’s labor was shorter than Jacob’s, I have little doubt that the combined intensity of all 30 hours of Jacob’s labor were packed into the two hours that Sue was laboring for Tristan. Whenever I think about it (many times each day right now!) I am in total and absolute awe. But then, before you could scream the word “epidural” twice, Sue was pushing, Tristan was crowning, and then there he was! (About 5 minutes later, our Doctor made it to the hospital!) We had an absolutely incredible nurse, Evelyn, who was there with us for the whole time and helped with the delivery along with two other nurses who rushed into the room just as Tristan was emerging. It all happened so quickly that even the attending physician did not have time to get to the room.  Suzanne and Tristan are both healthy and doing great, and we all made it back home to our island together.

Yes… It is I… This is my first entry on our blog. Yay, for me.

I can’t believe I am actually writing a blog post. It’s soooo crazy. I have the free time now, since I stopped working, but not quite the energy I would like to have. The simplest things take it out of me. But it is very nice to finish a few things before I have the baby and the real exhaustion starts.

I am surrounding myself with good energy and love these days, and focusing on a healthy and loving birth. My emotions have been up and down, feeling full of love one minute and then crying and upset the next. It’s a good time for me to focus on being thankful for everything. I am thankful for my husband who is a constant support to me and always shows me love. I don’t know how he does it. I am thankful for my son Jacob who makes me laugh every 5 minutes and asks me to read him stories every night. I am very thankful for the emotional support I have been getting from loved ones these last few weeks, it has been crucial to my well being. Thank you.

This post is about being thankful and paying it forward. There has been a “Pay it Forward” blog-chain going around the blogging world lately. In December, I made a promise to my cousin Val on her blog that I too would pay it forward. Well, I am finally making good on that commitment.

So this is my promise:

“I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, which is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.”

Since we hardly update our blog these days, it may take months to get 3 takers, but I will wait happily. I send lots of love your way. And…Thank you!

This photo taken by Jacob!

WOW!! We now have two Television Superstars in our family!

Last night was the Catalina Island Museum’s annual fundraising telethon. It was a thrilling evening of Small-Town Americana filled with great highlights on Catalina and its history.

As manager of the store at the muesum, Suzanne was on hand to tell people about the wonderful things going on in the store and the new products they have there. She has been an incredible addition to the museum and the directors are overjoyed with the work she does there.

The highlight of the telethon was the segment on the Children’s Halloween Parade. We were sitting at home watching the telethon hoping to be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Jacob in the parade, when suddenly he appeared, front and center for what seemed like a full minute! (Actually about 2-3 seconds, but in Mom & Dad time that is a full minute ) Jacob went bonkers and we were all shouting with excitement!

After dinner, Sue left to go down to the Museum for her segment and Jakey and I went upstairs to get ready for bed and played “Bad Guys,” shooting each other with Nerf guns and dramatically falling on the floor or across the pillows, while occasionally pausing to watch some of the telethon segments. Finally, near the end of the evening it was Suzanne’s turn to be on. Jacob shouted out “There she is!! Hi Mommy! Hi Mommy! Mommy is on TV!” Then he sat in my lap and giggled while Sue talked about the museum store.

After that it was off to bed, a little late but with a big smile.

If you want to see Jacob and Sue on TV, or watch any of the other neat specials that were on during the telethon, Click on this link. The Halloween Parade starts at minute mark 8:50 and Sue’s segment starts at 189:30.

You can also help support the Museum by visiting their website and clicking on the “Donate” button.