With her Abba (grandmother, Linda) and Tia (aunt Sara) as birthing coaches to her mama (Bethany), Sequoia was pushed into her father’s (Arkus) hands at 4:20 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14th in a home water birth. She arrived to shouts of joy from her family, who had to be quieted by the midwife. . “ She looks just like Bethany” Abba exclaimed “ You did it!” Sara exuded. Sequoia’s cousin Sol was present and was so excited to witness her birth, he had been circling his Tia watching her labor, bringing her flowers and wanting so much to help with the laboring process. Sequoia was immediately placed on Bethany’s stomach and her beautiful dark eyes opened wide and looked up at her Mama. “Hi my baby”, Bethany whispered to her, not knowing if she was a boy or a girl, then taking a look and discovering that she had a beautiful daughter. Sequoia had a perfect head full of long, light brown hair, the same color as her mama’s, a precious nose and mouth, and two delicate little ears, flat against her head, just like her Mama. Arkus cut her umbilical cord and she was lifted into his arms, and to his broad smile and loving coos. The family huddled around her and watched her every move intently as she was weighed and measured, taking in her feet, and hands, that were so big for such a small baby, her long legs and arms and the perfection of her little body. Finally Mama and baby settled down and snuggled together on the couch, wondering at each other. Mama traced her fingers around Sequoia’s sleeping face and smelled her new smell, and touched her hair, wanting to breathe in every part of her, as she drifted off to sleep. Sequoia immediately began getting to know her family. Her Daddy loved to rock her in the hammock and tell her stories. He would take out his guitar and serenade her, just like he does her mama almost every evening. Sequoia loved the sound of her daddy’s voice. Sequoia recognized the sound of her Mama’s voice at one day old and would turn when her mama would speak to her. Sequoia was a happy baby, but when she did cry she sounded just like a little teapot, and so, that became her nickname – Teapot. She reveled in the adoration of her Abba, who rocked, and cooed to her, kissed her and cradled her as much as she could. Sequoia was the light of her Tia’s eye. Sara had so wanted Bethany to have girl, and with no girls of her own, Sara loved spending every minute she could with Sequoia. She rocked her, and talked to her, gave mothering lessons to Bethany on different ways to hold Sequoia, and burp her, baby massages, baby yoga for helping to move gas, and all things ‘baby.’ Sara would stay late into the evening, and be there early in the morning to greet her with smiles and kisses. Arkus was the perfect attentive father to his daughter and doula to his wife. He washed the laundry, made sure that Bethany ate well, and exalted in every moment spent with his little Sequoia. He never tired of talking and singing to her Sequoia was mesmerized by her Daddy. Bethany had no idea what being a new Mama would be like, but she instantly loved it. She knew that she already loved her baby, but was not expecting to be so completely and immediately consumed by such a fierce love, the first time Sequoia gazed up into her Mama’s eyes, and sealed their bond of love for all time. Holding her precious baby girl, rocking her, touching her sweet face, talking and patting her back, spending hours gazing at her asleep or awake, reveling in every sound that she made, was everything to Bethany. Falling asleep with Sequoia on her chest, with their hearts next to each other was heaven on Earth. Nights with little sleep were of no consequence, Mama and Daddy were happy to spend every moment with her and attend to her every need, it was a joy for them. They took turns walking with her, changing her, and rocking and singing to her to soothe her into sleep. Bethany loved the feel of Sequoia’s strong suck on her little finger, it was a comfort to both Mama and baby. Sequoia didn’t always like being undressed, but she loved being in the sun. She would take sun in the buff each day in the bright kitchen, being held by her family, rocked in the sunbeams, looking out over the beautiful Coquille river and valley. Bethany adored Sequoia’s long hair and brushed it with her soft baby brush, cradling her bare head in her hand , breathing in the sweet smell of her precious little head and sandy locks. This beautiful little girl, Sequoia Iris Reed Rodrigues, arrived on Tuesday, June 14. She captured our hearts immediately. On Friday, june 17th Sequoia fell ill and was taken to the Bay area hospital Emergency Room in Coos Bay, OR where her condition quickly declined. She was transferred to Sacred Heart Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care unit in Springfield, OR where she was diagnosed with septicemia, an infection in the blood that the doctor said randomly occurs in one in a thousand babies for no known reason. In spite of the excellent care and the thousands of prayers of light and love sent to her from friends, family, and strangers from all over the world, Sequoia succumbed to her septicemia at 7:20 p.m, June 18th. She died in her mother's arms, surrounded by her family. We are so grateful for all of the support and prayers that we have received over the past few days. We are all completely devastated by the loss of this little angel, but: "We would rather have had one breath of her hair.. one kiss of her mouth.. one touch of her hand.. than an eternity without it.." In four short days Sequoia opened our hearts and transformed our lives. We know that she forever changed our lives, we like to think that she also changed the world. She touched so many in such a short time. She was our miracle baby and a light to the world. Sequoia’s parents ask that you honor her short life with gifts to the hospitals that provided such excellent care and love to her and to her family during her illness. Donations can be made to the Sacred Heart Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (https://www.peacehealth.org/apps/foundation/Donate.aspx?foundationid=2) or the Coos Bay Area Hospital Emergency Room (http://www.bayareahospital.org/getattachment/Foundation/Foundation_Copy.pdf.aspx). “Sometimes love is for a moment…Sometimes love is for a lifetime…Sometimes a moment is a lifetime.”