New Bern: Paul is born
July 6 starts with Angie suggesting that Adrian not start any big projects. Oh boy! In the afternoon, we head towards the hospital, but detour slightly to visit the Cow Cafe at the Maola plant. We figure no one will know. (Angie is not supposed to eat anything prior to delivery.) While there, Angie notices that one of the other patrons looks vaguely familiar. As it turns out, the patron was one of the obstetricians. (Angie had only met her once.) We end up meeting her again. . .
New Bern is not really a baby boom kind of town, but the maternity ward is busy - we have to wait for a room. Nurses tell us that there is a mini baby-boom. Some say it's post 9/11, but, personally, we think it's just that lots of people have picked up sailing as a hobby.
Kristina and Luke have gone over to friends, Sandy and Merrit on Boundless, for a pasta dinner and a movie, but go back to Canto to sleep. Paul is born around 10:30pm, and Adrian is home around midnight. For Kristina and Luke, this has been one big adventure, and they are thrilled to visit their little brother at the hospital the next day. They like to hold him, and soon all the kids are in the hospital bed together.
Angie is chafing to go home, or at least wander about the hospital, but, as we find out, there are strict rules about "leaving the floor." Having discovered the cafeteria Sunday night, Angie again tries to leave "the floor" Monday night to accompany the family to the cafeteria, but doesn't get very far before a nurse of large stature bars the way. "Where do you think you're going?" she demands.
"Down to the cafeteria." replies Angie. "Do you have doctor's orders to leave?" Angie confesses, "No" and the nurse says, "Then you can't leave." Just at that moment, the obstetrician seen in the Cow Cafe peeks her head out to see what is going on. She looks Angie over and says, "Where have I seen you recently? Didn't I see you at the Cow Cafe just a day or two ago?" Angie laughs and says "I'm busted!" The ob laughs, too, and says, "No problem, you may go to the cafeteria!"
Paul settles into life aboard a boat, but, of course, he doesn't know any difference! He sleeps in the forward berth for now, and he does a lot of sleeping, but, as all parents know, not in contiguous blocks of any length. We have family visit us, but it is still so hot that it is difficult to want to tour much of New Bern. The weather is hot and sticky, and our borrowed CruiseAir A/C unit runs continuously. We decide to visit the Cow Cafe for ice cream. Kristina, Luke and their cousin, Melody, enjoy playing with the cow-themed toys. Melody celebrates her fifth birthday with us, and we have pizza and cake pool-side.
We arrange to haul Canto out of the water for routine maintenance (to paint the bottom and service the seacocks) and our friend, Chris, comes to help. While the boat is out of the water, we travel to the Raleigh-Durham area and spend a weekend with other friends, Barry and Jo. On Saturday, Barry and Adrian sail Canto back to our marina, while Jo, the kids and Angie hit thrift shops for baby stuff. Angie also visits our trailer to try to recover baby items that we kept, but it is a daunting task to unload a trailer with three kids in tow, and she quits after recovering only the portable high chair and a baby floatation device. The diapers and diaper covers will just have to stay in the trailer, and we'll find them somewhere else!
We hop in our van and take our planned trip to Florida, to coincide with other family members' visits. When we've all congregated at Grandma's house, we fill it! On Paul's baptism day, there are 18 extended family members present, including six young cousins gathering closely around Paul to watch.
Later, along with Angie's brother and sister-in-law, we drive to Panama City and enjoy the beach. We take a seaplane ride - what a blast! Our visit is, as always, too short, and the day we depart for New Bern arrives all too soon. We don't have a hard and fast schedule, i.e. no vacation days to run out of, but we do have a great deal to accomplish before we can cast off our docklines to go south again. The time between now and the end of September, when we'd like to leave, will be full of projects.
Paul is doing fine, though the weather is still quite hot. We spend a great deal of time in the marina's lounge, especially since we have canvas projects to complete. Kristina also makes dolls, doll dresses, and, finally, her very own summer dress! We also have a couple friends make "last-minute" visits to meet us.
Paul has no lack of people to hold him, and boat life seems to suit him well. More than a little sleep-deprived, we work steadily to make our final preparations for departure: ordering school supplies, making final repairs and upgrades, and generally working like huskies running the Ididarod. One must-do is to make a place for Paul onboard. The best and safest place we can think of is the pilot berth. With a store-bought "lee board," we make a secure nest for Paul in the pilot berth. He can view the view the world but he can't roll or crawl out to escape (yet).
October arrives much too quickly. We have to leave our comfortable marina with mixed feelings - we must forsake the comfort the marina offers, but we are also eager to once again experience the thrills of travel.
We want to take the folding bikes with us, but we can't get them to fit in the locker with the S.C.U.B.A. equipment, so, alas, they have to stay behind. We do keep the sewing machine aboard. It has proved its usefulness with canvas projects, sail repairs, and, now, Kristina's dressmaking hobby. Her American Girl doll, Felicity, has quite an array of outfits, aprons and bonnets now! Paul is fascinated with her, too.
Bright and early on the day of our departure, a neighboring boat captain needs an able-bodied seaman to retrieve a halyard. Malinda asks if Luke could do it. He readily agrees when he hears that there is money involved! Luke does a great job going up a 60' mast and looks so grown-up.