Memoir Notes

14 October 2006

Walter Gunter and Family and a Day with the Kids

Jason and Melinda are back at home and settling in. Jason is finally opening his eyes a little to look around. I'm trying to keep the kids away from Melinda in the morning.

Walter Gunter and his family - Amber, Winifred, and Walter III (Trey) - came to visit yesterday. It was so nice to see them again and catch up. He's one of those friends that you lose track of but always consider a good friend anyway. He's in the Air Force now but is going to get out in June and plans to go back to school for Mechanical Engineering.

We talked about doing business together and I'm looking forward to working that out. I should get with Daniel Powell to discuss.

Yesterday afternoon and evening I went out with Emily, Bradley, and Sarah. We went to the Charleston County Friends of the Library Bookfest and got a few kids books. I wish I'd gotten more, but it's hard to really check out the books and keep a good eye on the kids.

Then we went to the main library, hung out in the children's section then checked out the South Carolina History room.

Then we got ice cream at Carvel. While putting a bib on Emily (she requested it because I told them we weren't going to go to Barnes and Noble next if they get ice cream on their shirts), I knocked her cone over onto her shirt and onto the floor. We rushed to the bathroom to rinse it off, though, so her shirt was clean. And they gave us another cone, so all was well.

Then we went to Barnes and Noble, listened to music, played with the train, and read a few books. I got a couple workbooks for learning time, as well. Normally we try to stay away from workbooks, but since Melinda's focus will be on Jason for the next little while, we'll be using them.

Sister Goltra brought by dinner last night. Jayne Thomas brought it by the night before.

10/14/2006

12 October 2006

Jason Matthew Cole

Ok, our new son's name is now to be Jason Matthew Cole. There's a formula to why we chose that name, but I'll go into that later.

10/12/2006

10 October 2006

Barely Making It to the Hospital - Evan Is Here!

Evan Scott Cole (probably going to be the name) was born at about 12:45 PM today... IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM HALLWAY! Less than an hour and a half of labor.

Melinda called me at work around 11:20 saying maybe I should get done what I have to at work and then head on home, so I was planning on doing so, to leave around 12:30 or 1. Then she called again around 12 and only said, "Come home now." I immediately closed my computer, packed up, and rushed past Eric on my way out. "Where are you going?" "To have a baby."

I rushed like crazy home. It's about a half and hour to get home and another 15 minutes to get to the hospital. Melinda was waiting in the van, and we rushed like crazy (but still being safe) to the hospital. On the way, I called the doctor and told them to meet us in the emergency room. They said to come by the office first. I said, "No way."

Melinda was fervently praying in the car, "Please, please let the contractions go away until we get to the hospital... Oh, thank you, thank you... Oh, no! Please, let them go away... ok, ok, thank you, thank you... Oh, no! Not again! Please, please... etc."

When we finally got to the emergency room, I ran inside yelling, "My wife is having a baby in the car. This is our fifth kid [to emphasize that I wasn't just a first time dad freaking out], and they come fast!" Then I ran back outside. Melinda was screaming. Her water just broke, and the baby was on his way out.

The nurses were, in my opinion, not coming out to the car fast enough. I was yelling at them to hurry up. They told Melinda to get on the stretcher, but she was afraid she'd sit on the baby's head, as it was starting to come out. That was 12:43.

Before we got inside the emergency room, his head was out. I tore off her pants, and the staff was shocked to see that what she was screaming about was true. She was only partially in a room when the nurse, Jeff Hunter, pulled the rest of the baby out.

This was obviously not a common occurrence, as the staff didn't seem to really know what to do. Thank goodness they were there to help, though, as I certainly did not want to deliver him myself.

But we made it, and all are well. 7lbs. 6oz. 20". And lots of excited siblings.

10/10/2006

06 October 2006

Longhorn and Barnes and Noble

Went to Longhorn tonight. Mm, mm, mm. Then we went to Barnes and Noble. Emily, Bradley and I listened to music there. There's this album I heard on NPR. Letters from Argentina by Lalo Schifrin. They didn't have it in stock, though, so I'll have to get it online.

Still no baby.

10/06/2006

05 October 2006

Uno Attack, Still Waiting on Evan

Yes, we're still waiting on Evan. We were hoping he would be born today as it is Melinda's grandfather's birthday (he went by Arshie). She had a touching vision of him last year on this date, so she feels especially close to him. But alas, Evan isn't cooperating.

Played Uno Attack with the kids and Melinda and her mom. I didn't expect it to be much fun, but it was. The kids had a blast when the cards would shoot out. And they didn't shoot out crazily like the box implies, thank goodness.

Lost was great last night. The Others are so brutal. They seem to be some sort of left over scientific cult that have no regard for individual rights.

This morning I was reading in Alma 5. It's one of my favorite chapters in that it really promotes introspection. "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

10/05/2006

04 October 2006

Evan, Lost, and Work, Work, Work

Waiting for Evan to be born. Any day now. Season three of Lost starts tonight. Ian may be coming over. Played baseball with the kids and Uno Attack and High-Ho Cherry-O with Emily and Bradley. Disappointed www.davidcole.net is now PageRank 4 (down from 5). Working on marketing firm's sites again. Waiting for Evan so I can take a break. Meeting with Badi tomorrow about Low Stays - hosting and LLC formation top priorities. Don't know what's going on with Chris Thomas concerning Professional Agent. PYK is underway. ~$40 so far. Also tonight are Jericho and The Nine.

10/04/2006