Answers to the usual questions:
Born Aug 30 (her due date... what do you expect from Brita's kid?), at OHSU, at 2:08PM.
7 lbs 5.5 oz. (3.33kg)
19.5' long
Some photos here.
Disposition sunny, feisty, eager
Eyes blue, hair color yet to be determined... stay tuned!
Name: Freja Hélène Poole Johnson

Apparently Brita started feeling labor contractions on Friday, and they became increasingly frequent throughout the day Saturday. Not certain it was real labor and not wanting to derail our plans for the day, she said nothing! We went to Wilsonville on an errand, and then to Aurora Salvage for fun, since we were in the neighborhood. We took the slow roads home through farm country, crossing the Willamette on the Canby ferry. It was a gorgeous afternoon.

Afterward we made a potluck dish and went up to see friends at the annual PPC ice cream social, staying 'till after 9PM, when Brita said "we need to go home... NOW!"
When we got home, Brita admitted to me that she was having an experience that might be early labor contractions, and that they'd become more regular and less comfortable. Geek that I am, I had already installed some labor tracking software for my computer, and it confirmed her impression: regular 90 second contractions, 8 minutes apart. Yikes!

We called Shana, our doula, to put her on alert, and did our final packing for the hospital. We tried to sleep, but one of us was too uncomfortable and we were both too excited. Within a few hours the contractions were 5 minutes apart, and we called the hospital to let them know we were on our way in. By the time we arrived, Brita's contractions were 3 minutes apart and each one commanded a pause in whatever she was doing at the moment. It was a bit after 1AM. Shana met us there, and I imagined the baby might be born very soon.

Then labor really began. Patty, the doctor on call, said we were still so far off from delivery that she'd not admit Brita to the hospital yet, but she was fairly sure this was "the real deal." She came back two hours later and said about the same thing. Huh.

Finally around daybreak someone came to ask a bunch of questions, and Brita was admitted as a patient. The hours wore on. Shana and I worked to help Brita manage her pain, and Brita labored. Around 9AM the nurses said they'd call our doctors to let them know, and maybe they'd be in around noon. NOON??!!

I'll leave it to Brita to describe her experience of labor & delivery. From my perspective, she handled the pain, fear, exhaustion, and exertion with an amazing amount of grace and courage. Shana and I helped her as we could, and the doctors brought a few expert skills & clever gadgets, but Brita did the hardest work herself, the old-fashioned way. She was incredible.

Eventually it was time to push, and soon our baby was born. The doctors put her right on Brita's chest, and I cannot describe our mix of relief, elation, and amazement. I cut the cord, we cleaned her up a little, and soon we three began what has been a sweet timeless period of getting acquainted. We are all awake and sleeping day and night, eating at odd hours and removed from our familiar routines, focused almost entirely on each other. I feel truly blessed, not only to have Brita and now this tiny child in my life, but to have the opportunity to step aside from everyday life and experience this time as fully as possible. Thank you, friends and family, who've supported us in getting to this point and now in spending time with our new kidlet!