French Oak

Baby #3: the wine barrel. Quintessa had one-year old used French oak barrels for sale during my paternity leave, so spent one afternoon driving to Napa to pick up one for myself and one for my friend. A week later, I built a stand using a redwood 4x4 and some scrap 2x4. The wine is now racked, and taking on oak in the basement...only 16 more months to go.

Santa Cruz

Our first trip to Santa Cruz together, done on a whim. We stumbled on a mostly deserted stretch of sand and brought Nate's shovel and pail. On the ride home I stopped at one of the only winery shops in Santa Cruz to buy a pump, and ended up in a shop that mostly sold vacuum cleaners but had one a couple of shelves of wine supplies. Did they have a pump? The older lady looked up from her romance novel to reply that had one once, but they sold it.
Photo Album

At the Jenner Inn

We loaded up the car and drove out to Jenner Inn one day during my paternity leave. The house wasn't fancy, but had great views out to the river and ocean, and a nice hot tub overlooking the water. Nate is shown here enjoying a few raisins as the sun went down.

Hello!

Julia with open eyes. She kept them closed the first week, but lately has been tracking to our movements. Nate's fingers are shown right before they ended up in Julia's mouth.

Rodin & Running

A trip to the Stanford Art Museum with Nate and Julia. Nate ran around the statues and across the lawn while Julia did what she does best: she slept.

Julia: Day 1 and 2

Julia's first day recuperating at the hospital with Mom. Uncle David and the Martin grandparents came to visit, and on the second day everyone went home to rest in the comfort of our own beds.
Photo album here

Going into labor

3:15AM on Saturday, November 20. Gina's water broke while in bed, and per our plan brother David drove over in record time while we frantically (but quietly) packed.
Photo album here

Kelly and Gina

July, 2004. Gina and friend Kelly (pregnant with twins) had dinner in Saratoga and compared growing bellies.

Pregnant

On our 2nd anniversary celebrated in the kitchen of our fairly new Redwood City home, I surprised Gina with a bottle of POP champagne. She had a better surprise for me: a positive pregnancy test wrapped in tissue paper.