So the emotional roller coaster of the last few days has been prett intense, way different that I had hoped or prepared for, but at the end it is way better than I thought it would be. I think I saw the most beautiful moment in my life when my two favorite things in the whole world were first experiencing each other... this morning Thor was licking Peanut's head! Just kidding yall, but it is pretty insane to watch your wife hold your baby, and to hold your own baby, and it looks up at your with this weird familiarity, and has the same ugly forehead wrinkles that your wifes swears are adorable. I do feel bad for her in one regard... She has gotten the worst of Sarah and I when it comes to sneezing! I am renouned for loud intense sneezes that I can't control, and Sarah is infamous for sneezing at least 4 times back to back to back to back and just interrupting a whole situation... well, I am very sad to say that Kemper has received both awful traits... she sneezes like an elephant over and over and over!!! I have to say it may be the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life!

On the technical front, peanut is in perfect health so far... at 1 minute she was a nine (and I told her that wasn't acceptable), so she kicked it up a noth trying to make up for making us having to wait so long and go through so much, and at 5 minutes was a ten... it was an awesome turnaround. To repap, she is 7 pounds 14 ounces and 21 inches long. I am very surprised how much she is moving, and how strong she is... She is holding her head up and moving it around, and can support her own weight as long as I'm doing the balancing for her.

And maybe the best news is that we had the baby at 1AM, and were released from the hospital at 4 in the afternoon. We stayed in San Jose today, and are going to head back to Nosara tomorrow! My good friend Nick is a big believer that anything good or bad that you visualize you are bringing closer to reality, well, 9 months ago, Sarah and I were in Nosara, and hanging out on the beach talking about how wonderful it would be to have little babies on the beach in Costa Rica, well the next day we decided to move here, and 6 weeks later we found out we were pregnant, we moved in July, and had peanut yesterday, and tomorrow we will have a naked peanut on the beach in Costa! Life don't get better than this! It's been a fun strange road, but we've done this one the right way! Thanks for all of your support and help along the way!!!!

Erik, Sarah and Kemper.

We have a baby!!!!!!!

Kemper Lily, born 12:48AM 12/29/06. Perfect so far...

Come on already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, we have been in the hospital for 24 hours, and nothing doing... We are now hoping to have her tomorrow.

I hope this doesn't sound too bad, but I hate the process of having a baby. Well, everything from the conception on. And now, I am chilling in a hospital watching my wife go though something intense and beautiful and scary, and I can't do anything about it. I can massage, and get stuff and hold her hand, but I can't really do anything important to the process. It is killing me.

I know I am going to absolutely love having kids, I am soooo pumped about it. But this process man. Talk about stressful...

I will probably delete this post tomorrow when I am the happiest man on the planet, but right now... it is the truth.

Sarah's folks arrived today, so that was good. They are excited to be in Costa, and get to hold the baby. We just need to have the baby first.

Baby Watch has turned to Baby Countdown!!!!

We are in CIMA, and we ain't leaving without a baby! There is wireless internet, and I thought I would post a few pics. We had a Doctor visit today, and here are the current stats...

Peanut is over 8lbs... they are putting her close to 8lbs 8ounces, but we'll see. I am thinking she will come out around 8 give or take a bit. She is ready.

I am freaking out... in a good way. Just real pumped. Never before have I talked about something so much, and had nothing to do with it. Tomorrow the fun starts!

Sarah is in great spirits, what other way would she be. She is beautiful right now also. I love her outlook and spirit. I am not sure how many babies have a mother like her, but I hope there are a lot of them.

Pura Vida!!!!!!!

12.24.2006 Merry Christmas from Nosara – and from a guest writer, Erik’s mom.


Costa Rica is wonderful. The air is balmy and fragrant even in San Jose. Mountains rise on each side of the city, framing the urban sprawl with bold, purple strokes. Our first night, in San Jose, we stayed at Hotel Casa Roland, filled with original art from Central America. Our room alone had six oil paintings. After our visit with the obstetrician, who told us to enjoy our baby-wait in Nosara, we left the traffic and hotel beds behind and drove to Nosara to enjoy the holiday season.

Doesn’t truly feel like Christmas, here: Nosarans don’t put up many decorations; they don’t play Christmas carols in the stores; even the tourists are more intent on the waves and the weather than on the season. We, however, have our 12” collapsible tree, trimmed in dollar store garland and Sarah’s finger puppets, on the dining room table surrounded by Christmas cards and a tiny stuffed snowman. Perfect. We’d rather have a baby, but she will come soon.

Undaunted by our disappointment at no daughter, we’ve been busy enjoying the area. Here are the highlights:

• Watched two fishermen clean a 200-pound, five foot tuna on the beach. They hacked out foot-square shoulders and great slabs of red meat. Afterwards thirty buzzards filled the trees and danced around the carcass with two neighborhood dogs. It was a scene from National Geographic – and I didn’t have my camera!
• Enjoyed a troupe of monkeys climb down the mountain in the tops of trees. The troupe consisted of several families and many youngsters, and their trail was easily five stories above the ground. One little guy got to the edge of a tree and couldn’t make the leap to the next tree. He swung back to his mother who hoisted him on her back and leaped across the gap. Last in line, a huge male hooted to the stragglers and shooed them along. The troupe was so large, they took half an hour to pass Andrew’s porch. Meanwhile, we watched the sun flame out behind the silhouettes of Guancaste and palm trees.
• Shopped in a typical open-air grocery store that stocked one of everything. The second story walls of the store were totally open, protected from rain by a wide overhang, but through which the road dust wafts unabated. When we got home, Sarah and I rubbed the dust off the groceries and put them away.
• Journeyed to a bat cave where the ceiling quivered with suspended creatures who jostled and bumped for space in the slim light reflected from the watery floor.
• Talked with Erik’s neighbor who charters fishing trips. He had just returned from a day trip which boated four forty pound dolphin, a 400 pound blue marlin, and a 600 pound black marlin. Later, talked to a second captain who knocked the poundage down to half. Even at half – a pretty good day for a sport fisherman on vacation!
• Spent a leisurely afternoon rummaging the gift shops in Nosara, which have beautiful Costa Rican and Central American crafts at affordable prices.
• Spent an intense and interesting morning at dog school with Erik and Thor. Most impressive and obedient dogs. Thor is as amazing as Erik says – and lovable in the bargain.
• Relaxed deeply with my first-ever body massage performed by an exquisite local woman with the hands of a goddess.
• Enjoyed amazing food at Rosie’s (breakfast and lunch), Robin’s (mid day and ice cream), and (my favorite) La Dolce Vita (fabulous dinner). The most delicious food was served at Sarah’s table.
• Walked on the beach and played in the ocean every day. The waves have been overhead (for the surfers) with very little rip (for us casual bathers).

All of this in only four days. Today is Christmas Eve. Nothing planned so far except a quiet dinner with Andrew. We’re planning on a picnic for Christmas. We’re taking the grill, and Erik and Andrew are going to try to spear our dinner. We return to San Jose on the 26th. Sarah has just informed us that she will not return to Nosara sans baby. The return trip, with baby, will be on the second mother’s shift.

Even with no baby on my watch – we’ve had a magnificent week. We’re going to have a very merry and blessed Christmas. Y’all do the same.

Momma

Momma in town, Drama back in the states, and no baby yet...

So, I must apologize for the lack of entries this week... I guess that I have been a bit bummed, as we thought that peanut would arrive this week, and we are still just waiting with no signs yet. On a good note, my good friend Pate just had a healthy little girl, Audrey who was 8.5 pounds. I hope they are doing great. But those who know me, know I hate waiting for stuff and this has been really hard for me. Sarah is ready, and trying every trick in the book... I don't think any are working. So, with me being bummed and mom being here I haven't really been thinking about writing.

Anyways, last week when I was thinking about mom coming and the baby, and all that, I decided that there was only one thing that would have been really horrible... that was the doc thinking peanut was ready and us staying in San Jose for a week, bored, cooped up in a hotel. So, we were somewhat relieved when he said that we were pretty far off, which allowed us to go back home.

I was excited to show my momma home, and she has gotten some good luck while here... We have had a monkey sunset on the patio, one of the better ones actually, with probably 25 monkeys walking tree to tree, and some babies making their first jumps, and some chickening out, and going back on momma's back. We had a sweet dinner at Dolce Vida, and Roberto hooked us up with some free Tuna Carpaccio (sp???), and as I speak our friend Jessie, who gives massages, is working on mom right now. Anyways, I won't write too much more, as mom, who is a playwrite and english lit teacher will be writing her own entry in the next while... stay tuned... the grammar on this site is about to improve.

So, for baby stuff, she is big, she moves a bunch, and likes it where she is... Now we just hope she holds in until the morning of the 26th, so we can have her soon, and be back having fun with Sarah's folks next week.

This next topic is one has brought some attention my way... I have started a mailing list, and on this list I have compiled any and all addresses that I have in my mailbox... This includes family, friends, folks I have worked with and emails that I received while helping with the surf station site. www.surf-station.com, if you haven't checked it out... Anyways, some folks, 4 or 5 to be specific were really pissed that I emailed them, and have made a huge deal about it on the Surf Station Forums. Their point was to make sure that no one visited my site, and to run my name through the mud as a spammer, but what they have succeeded in doing was bring tons of traffic to my site, and along with it, lots of good positive feedback... so really, I can't be that upset. One guy actually said that he was forwarding my info to the FBI. Nice... anyways, i did nothing illegal. I signed no confidentiality agreement with the shop, and my email was nothing illegal or derogatory.

One really funny thing is that all the hype that those folks have caused, and the topic has been viewed over 800 times, my email address and phone number are displayed, and so far I have gotten seven emails, out of a ton, where folks wanted to be removed from the list. I have received over 35 with positive feedback.

One of the things that I really love about where we now live is that the folks that are that condesending and anal never make it here... I see them tuck tail and run as fast as they come.

Hurry up and wait... Well, five hours to San Jose, all the bags packed and ready to go, and the doc said wait another week... Not a good way to start things peanut. But the doc did say that everything is perfect, so it wasn't bad news, just disappointing for Sarah, who is ready to get that thing out of her.

Good news is that my moms arrived on Monday, and she won't be able to meet Peanut yet, but she will get to chill in Nosara for a week. Not too bad. She is walking on the beach now.

Some editorial commentary now... for as much as I love Nosara, I hate San Jose. Man, it is worlds away from Nosara. So much traffic, and dirt and clutter. I can't take it. I am really hoping that we go into Labor in Nosara, drive in to San Jose, have the baby and are back in Nosara a day later. It is a pipe dream, but I am going to hold on to it.

Check out this for rental car stats on the year... If you have been keeping up, you know that in April last year in Costa we were hit, not our fault. Then in the states in October we were t-boned. Well, yesterday, we were driving the awesome dirt roads 20 mintues outside of Nosara, right outside of Garza, they are absoluetly horrible right now! And our left rear shock broke loose! So we have rented 6 rental cars in the last year and done significant damage to 3... None of it is really our fault!

On that note... I am going to get some waves!

Nosara Rodeo Madness!!!!

It has taken me a few days to upload this video, but I hope that it is worth the wait! The festival in Esperanza lived up to the hype.





We are headed to the doc's today!!! Come on Peanut!!! I will post some baby stuff after the appointment.

Today was the day! I have been hearing how big North swells hit Guiones for the last six months, and this morning I finally got some. Let's start with the fact that all of the forecasters have been overcalling the South swells since I have been following it. This past weekend was supposed to be 4-7 feet, well overhead, and we got some overhead sets, but nothing great. Today they were calling for a 3-4 feet and we had some bombs coming in at 3 to 4 feet overhead. The rights were just reeling, with 3 turns per wave and good barrel sections. Man, I hope tonight and tomorrow repeat!

Sarah's feeling good. Kind of moody recently, but that is understandable. I am not sure how peanut still has room to grow, but she continues. My momma comes on Monday, and we should be having the baby on the 22nd, so big things are a happenin'.

The surf report has a new sponsor which I am stoked about!!! Captain Mike's Fishing Charters. I am trying to work out a way to get some time fishing, and he has been killing it lately. Brought us over some Dorado the other day.

Later on... E.T.

To those of you who have asked about Sarah's happiness here, I ask you just to look at this picture. Her whole pregnancy has been so easy, and we were talking about it the other night, and I think that it has a lot to do with the setting... the ease of life here. I can't imagine her if we were in St. Aug, and she was working... that may not have been too nice.

No time today.. the rodeo is real soon.. and I have a special surprise for you folks.

Stay tuned.

I was sitting in the office this morning, daydreaming, when I was startled by a WHACK!!! at the window... I walked outside to see a cute little bird laying on his side, and it appeared to be dead. I was kind of bummed, and didn't really want to touch him, so I left him alone. About 10 minutes later I thought about the bird again and walked over to check on him. This time he was standing to my surprise, but looked really bad. With the amount of dogs that walk in front of our office on a daily basis, I thought I should get him in a box or something, so I scooped him up and took him home. His name is Ojos, and I snapped a few picks. I think that he has a concussion.. and I am not sure what you do for an avian concussion, but I thought beer would help.




On the baby side of things, we are still just waiting around.. the dramatic kicking is still going on, but no baby yet. I thought for sure that after how hard I was hitting the potholes yesterday that something was bound to happen.. but no. I am not sure how much bigger Sarah can get..

So, I am off to get some sick waves... should be overhead and perfect tonight!!! Doesn't get any better than this.

Late,
E.

Wow!!! Sarah breed one strong baby!!!

Yo... folks. No baby yet... but the winds are back.

Sarah and I have gotten quite friendly with our pack of monkeys. It seems that they walk the trees back and forth from near where Andrew lives to the beach about every other day. They pretty much all look alike, so it is tough to identify with one, follow one around. There are about 5 mom/daughter pairs, so we can spot them, but the one guy that sticks out is Old One Arm. (I am not being mean with this name, I have lots names for my pups... Old Bones, Old Grumpy Bones, Mack Attack, Ol' One Ear...). Old One Arm, is missing the lower portion of his left arm, but it doesn't seem to slow him down any. He has the elbow, so he actually hooks that around branches. Well, the wind started blowing yesterday, last night it was howling. This morning I went to work Thor and Sarah had a cool encounter. She was sitting on the hammock (a big ol' family hammock she got for her birthday) and Old One Arm comes running by! We are guessing he got blown out of a tree, and was trying to get back to his pack. Well, Old Bones, our pup Sandy saw him, and started giving chase. Old One Arm got away and Old Bones barked at the tree for a while, and Sarah snapped some photos... Just a normal morning in Costa.


Ok, so baby stuff... The baby has been in perfect position for the last two weeks, but we had a scare last night. We could feel her hiccups up high on Sarah's belly, so we thought she rotated. But, it turns out, that she hiccups with her butt too.

Waves are flat right now... but we have a big swell on the way for the weekend.

And here is a word of advice to leave you with... If you can't swim, DON'T. Thank goodness for my bud Kimbo the other night, as some folks were playing soccer and decided to go for a swim. Four of them didn't swim, and I guess they didn't float either, and got stuck in the rip and yanked way, way out. Kimbo is/was a lifegaurd in the states, and got out there and helped the one about to die, and some fishermen grabbed their panga and rescued the rest. Everyone survived.

Late. E.

Hello friends. Nosara is settling in to the season. The restaurants and hotels are filling up, the morning sessions are to. I am just stoked that there are enough waves to go around, and enough peaks at Guiones to get away from the pack.

We ate at Dolce Vita again last night... That place is killer. When we started asking around about restaurants in Nosara, there are a few real nice places that everyone talks about. Lagarta Lodge, La Luna, Dolce Vita... maybe a few other ones. Well, La Luna is horrible. The view is awesome, and if you are going to get some drinks for sunset that's great, just bring a few to keep you hydrated until they get around to serving you. Last time we ate there, Adu and Dixon got the fish dinner for 2, and it is like 40 bucks. Nothing in Nosara is 40 bucks, so this thing better be pretty good. They asked about it, and it comes with 2 large lobsters... so maybe it is worth it... well, when it came out, it was just some shrimp, dorado, and mussels... no lobster... they ran out of lobster, and didn't come tell him... just thought he wouldn't notice or something. I have a few friends that love the place, but I won't be going back soon. On the other hand Dolce Vita's service and food is awesome. Roberto hooks it up. He in no way is bribing me to say this, I really don't even know him. I just want to give a plug to getting treated right and complain a bit about bad service.

Anyways... on to the baby stuff. Sarah is feeling pretty good. She is getting moodier, but I understand it as the baby is no consuming her from the inside. I am hoping she pops out soon, and keep telling her... 18th...



So, all is well in paradise... late, e.