Dec. 16, 1999 - Thursday
Harry was born at 7:20 in the evening on this day after 19.5 hours of labor
and a full day in the delivery room. The presence of a phone and a notebook
computer - in truth brought just to play audio CDs - and a brief nap by Harry's
mother allowed me to log on and check email.
This website had been active for a few weeks prior to Harry's arrival with
pictures of Harry's pregnant mother,
his ultrasound, and other novelties.
Friends and family had been warned of our intent to post the word on the way
to the hospital. That happened
a few minutes past midnight and word quickly spread, including a premature
rumor of Harry's arrival, a response the to contrary, and, after the birth
and into the next day, several messages of congratulations. While some
called the delivery room directly and many emails and calls came in the following
days, below is a record of the email traffic received and sent from the delivery
room and later. My responses are in black. Italics are potentially helpful
references and asides.
8:05am
Well, I saw the website at 7am this morning - called the Hopsital, they have
no record of you.
Email or spread the word asap.
Ghia
8:54am
Well, is he breathing oxygen yet? Yes it was Jane Austen's birthday today,
but more importantly (perhaps) and more appropriately (since he's male) it
was BEETHOVEN's birthday today as well! I'm sure there are many others, not
to mention the most famous and most recent addition to December 16 births.
Hope all is well.
Tom
11:35am [This email was sent to 25 people with a copy to me]
Check the "Waiting for Harry" web site today. Well, the news is
that Harry is on his way this morning. According to Jane, who scooped me on
this story, Harry Robert Sauer will arrive at 7:00 a.m.EST. Since it's now
8:30 a.m., Pacific Time, I assume he's already here!
Dave
12:00noon
Congratulations on your new arrival -- just got the email. I am off to Europe
with my husband but will touch base as soon as I am back in early January.
This is the best news. Happy Holidays and all the best for 2000.
Cheers, Paulien
12:20pm
CONGRATULATIONS DAD!! Hope all went well with the delivery. I am sure you're
both exhausted --- boys are wonderful to raise... very independent thinking.
You'll both be very proud. Flight is cancelled & waiting for you to reschedule.
Are you available early next week (Monday or Tuesday??). Please advise as
quickly as you are able.
Take good care of your family & we look forward to meeting you next week!
Regards, Deb [A business acquaintance with whom I had planned an appointment
for the next day]
1:06pm
Was informed that your wife went into labor. Congratulations to you and your
wife. What a wonderful christmas present for you and your wife. (Know what
are you getting the little tike? HAHAHAHA) Also, I am glad to hear that you
spoke with Debbie. I look forward to hearing how things go.Again, Congrats
and try and get a few minutes of sleep each day.
Renee [Another business acquaintance - associate with above Deb]
3:47pm
Tom:
From the hospital...It's 3:45 and no oxygen yet. They're saying hopefully
by dinner time. Thanks for the email.
3:55pm
Dave and all: [A "Reply to All" to above message to 25
people]
Reporting from the hospital (Anne's resting, I'm not
a bad support person<g>), reports of Harry are premature as he is not.
Labor just began last night and it's 3:45pm Thurs and it's still a couple/few
hours away. The real story is that Anne's waters broke just as she started
to feel contractions last night and so the doctor made us come in right away,
only to send us home for a few hours of rest (yeah, right). We were back here
before 7:00am this morning and that's really when things starting happening,
she was just 2 cm at that time. Thanks for your emails of support. Harry's
mother appreciates them.
3:57pm
Debby:
Just a quick note from the hospital while mother sleeps...
No baby yet (3:45pm), but all is well, maybe in a couple hours. I'll have
to see how things go over the next couple days and will try to talk to you
Mon.
4:00pm
Hi again: [a second "Reply" sent to the 25 people]
I should have confirmed that all is well so far. It
just takes a long time and we seem to be on schedule according to the nurses.
4:15pm
This is fun. I think I'll pack my laptop in my hospital bag. Hope all is well.
I still believe it's going to be a girl.
At least I got the part right about it being early!! Best wishes to you and
Anne!!!!
-M [a pregnant friend expecting her baby in mid-Jan.]
4:18pm
I just got the news from Amy. Good luck! We're all very excited. Can't wait
to welcome Harry!
-Katherine
4:52pm
Hope everything is going smoothly. I checked www.famousbirthdays.com and found
the following:
16 - Dec - 1971 Michael McCary
16 - Dec - 1962 William "Refrigerator" Perry
16 - Dec - 1949 Billy Gibbons
16 - Dec - 1946 Benny Andersson
16 - Dec - 1943 Steven Bochco
16 - Dec - 1941 Leslie Stahl
16 - Dec - 1939 Liv Ullmann
16 - Dec - 1917 Arthur C. Clarke
16 - Dec - 1901 Margaret Mead
16 - Dec - 1899 Noël Coward
16 - Dec - 1775 Jane Austen
16 - Dec - 1770 Ludwig Van Beethoven
Perhaps you've heard of some of these people.
When did you post the new page. I thought I checked and reloaded at home later
than 9:00 p.m. PST, but maybe I didn't. Jane had a message waiting for me
(she scooped me) when I walked in the office around 8:30 a.m. today.
Love, Dave
4:54pm
Hi all, I assume that the baby has arrived and congratulations are in order!!!
- I'm glad that we are on the email list - at least we get first hand reports.
Our best to the three of you, and we'll be waiting for pictues soon. Kerwin
and Nancy
5:28pm
Glad to hear that all is well! Our best to you both. The new adventure begins...
-Kenny
6:28pm
I hope all this time passing doesn't mean that mother is in any great pain.
I am VERY excited for both of you. Can't wait to meet Harry.
Sue
(Two responses from me back in the office while posting Harry's first pictures.
I don't have specific time stamps, but it was about 10:30pm.)
Dave: (Reply
to Dave from 4:52pm)
You must of just missed it. We stopped on the way to the hospital at about
12:15am. I was wondering whether you'd check late enough. If not, I was expecting
it would be Ghia since she gets to work at 7:00 or earlier.
This is the only email I'll send tonight (I'm very tired) so you can point
people to the new pictures that I'm about to put up before going to bed.
Harry is good.
Molly: (Reply to Molly from 4:15pm. The above
email to Dave was obviously not the only one I sent, but the only one to family.)
You where wrong on both counts. Harry is Harry. Check
the site for early pictures. And this means Anne was about 2-3 days late.
Anyway, thanks for the emails. I'll talk to you more soon. For now, sleep!
Dec. 17, 1999 - Friday
1:15am
Well, I've had a busy evening, but obviously it was not as busy as Harry's
parents have been. The arrival of Henry Robert Sauer is complete. I received
the news about 6 hours after the big event. If you get this message and have
not seen the website lately, go
there right away! Dave
7:08am
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! He is so cute! Dad called me at 9:30 last night, he couldn't
remember any of the details except that he was 8 + pounds. I'm glad it all
worked out well. It seemed like a long day for me, I can only imagine what
it was like for you three.
Ghia
7:51am
Congratulations to all! This is Amy sending a message from home. I don't have
Harry's father's email address in my home address book yet, so I had to use
Tom's email. I'm sure he sends his congratulations too, but he is [away on
business] at the moment. He did not leave without seeing Harry though. I got
up early this morning and turned on the computer to see if there was any news
and there was! The pictures are great. I hope mother and Harry are doing well
and resting comfortably. I'm very happy for you all. Do you feel up to having
visitors this evening? Katherine and I were thinking of stopping by. It would
be best to reply to my work email address as I'm on my way there now. Enjoy!
Amy.
7:57am
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! I am,of course, crying my eyes out right at this moment
because I just visited Harry's sight and I am SO happy for you. I hope all
is well with Harry's mother. Talk to you soon.
Love Sue
7:59am
Welcome to the world of sleepless nights and wondering if you're doing ANYTHING
right ;) Welcome to the most wonderful experience you will ever have. Welcome
to the world beautiful child. All our love and best wishes!
-Kenny
8:23
CONGRATULATIONS!!! We are thrilled about the arrival of Henry Robert, and
what a big boy, too! I hope all was well with the delivery. John logged onto
Harry's website Thurs AM and saw that you went to the hospital about midnight,
and I just logged on now and saw that he was delivered last night! I hope
all of you are doing well. Don't worry, the lack of sleep will pass when Harry
is about 3-4 months old. The time goes too quickly!
Mary Lou
8:26am
Congratulations! Welcome Harry! He's adorable! Well done! See you soon.
Love, Katherine
8:43am
heartiest congratulations to you and anne on harry's birth. thinking of you
fondly, hope and colum and phoebe
8:52am
You have just received an animated greeting card from Kerwin and nancy You'll
see the personal greeting by using the following Web location. http://www1.bluemountain.com/
view card.. (Your greeting card will be available
for the next 90 days) There is no charge for this service! :) HAVE a good
day and have fun!
12:18pm
Congratulations. Matt forwarded your URL and the news today. A beautiful lad.
It's just a matter of time before he's hauling camcorders around for his Dad.
There's nothing quite like bringing another human into the world. Enjoy it
man. Scott
12:49pm
What a beautiful baby! I've never seen a baby smile that brand new. Truly,
the world already feels like a better place with him in it. My best wishes
to you and Anne.
Gillian
1:37pm
Hi guys, I thought you might enjoy this message from my sister Karyn in response
to visiting the Harry web site. Amy.
Subject: Re: Harry pool How did such a slender woman birth a winner like harry?
He is adorable, looks like a keeper!!! Looks like he's ready to go play. That's
the best kind of Christmas gift yet. Thanks for the photos. Karyn
1:42pm
Hi, I forgot to put you on the list for this one. Amy.
- [a forward regarding a pool]
Hi Everyone, Well, Harry has arrived, making or breaking our fortunes! If
you haven't seen him yet, take a look http://jeff.dtvgroup.com/ He's cute
as a button! As Harry choose to arrive on the most auspicious date of December
16th (he shares his birthday with none other than Jane Austen and Beethoven),
Amy wins the date pool. As he choose to come in at a robust 8 lbs. 12 oz.,
Jack wins the weight pool for being the closest without going over. Actually,
no one went over; no one was even in the 8 lb range. I credit Anne for maintaining
her girlish figure throughout the pregnancy. Amy.
2:45pm
Harry is finely chiseled figure of a boy. Of course, I am very impressed with
his girth, but it seems to me that he was a little pre-mature. Fortunately,
timing is a learnt skill, and it will be a while before that is really important.
Kudos to dad for maintaining such a fine record of the birth, through what
I am sure was a hectic time. Take Care and Have Fun,
Jack [winner of the above weight pool]
3:14pm
Hi. I see the pics of you and Harry. My favorite though is the one on
the right of Harry and mother. Thanks for posting the pictures so soon.
Any recommendations for a digital camera under about $300? Or does such a
beast not yet exist. I saw some Olympus one for $299, but I forgot which model
it was. How's that yellow poop? Most new dad's don't know the full effect
of that stuff until they have to deal with it.
Dave
3:53pm
Hello - I am amazed that you've been able to send out these updates during
labor - Bob was too busy during mine to do much of anything except feed me
ice chips and hold the basin when I threw up. Nothing like throwing up and
having a contraction AT THE SAME TIME!!! So anyway . . . . .now you guys know
why they call it labor - HA HA! But once it's over and you have that beautiful
baby, you do tend to forget about how painful it was! I'm hoping by this time
that it is indeed all over and things are quiet. I imagine Henry is the most
beautiful boy ever. We are thinking of you both and are so very happy for
you. You guys are about to embark on the greatest love affair you've ever
known. It is really so fun to have kids. Everyone is doing fine at our house
- today is my last day of school and then I have 2 weeks off. Hooray! Merry
Christmas to the 3 of you, and congratulations!!!! You have joined a special
club - the parenthood club!
-Cindi
11:39pm
Hi guys, Nice photos up on the web! Amy told me she went to visit, and there
she is already. Amazing. He looks good. I especially like the one where
he is looking into the lens. Good use of available light in many of the shots.
Glad to hear that all three of you are well.
-Tom
