Merry Christmas, Avery!
Did you know that I, your daddy, used to be in some rock bands long before you were born? Being the huge geek that I'm known to be, it sometimes comes as a surprise, but it's true. I don't get time to play nearly as often as I'd like, but I made the time tonight because I wanted to play a very special Christmas song for you this year. I didn't write the song, but I play and sing it for you wholeheartedly. Here are the words:
A Baby Just Like You
Words and Music by John Denver and Joe Henry
(c) 1975 Cherry Lane Music Publishing Co, Inc.
The season is upon us now, a time for gifts and giving,
And as the year draws to its close, I think about my living:
The Christmastime when I was young, the magic and the wonder,
But colors dull and candles dim and dark my standing under.
Oh, little angel, shining light, you've set my soul to dreaming.
You've given back my joy in life and filled me with new meaning.
A savior king was born that day, a baby just like you,
And as the wise men came with gifts, I've come with my gift too:
That peace on Earth fills up your time, that brotherhood surrounds you,
That you may know the warmth of love and wrap it all around you.
It's just a wish -- a dream, I'm told -- from days when I was young.
Merry Christmas, little Avery. Merry Christmas, everyone.
Merry Christmas, little Avery. Merry Christmas, everyone.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Achievement Unlocked: Sleep Through the Night
Avery!
It's Dad. I'm so happy for you! You've reached a milestone: For the very first time, you actually slept all the way through the night without waking up! Of course, you were really hungry by morning, but that's perfectly normal and totally OK! Yay!
Coincidentally, I'm also doing something today that I've never done before. I'm entering an art show. I'm not really an artist, though I wish I were, but DeVry has an annual art show for employees, students, and their families. Since I had to make a 3D scene for my project anyway, I decided I might as well enter it into the show. Here it is:
I look forward to the time when you, Mom, and I can draw pictures and color together. That's gonna be fun!
It's Dad. I'm so happy for you! You've reached a milestone: For the very first time, you actually slept all the way through the night without waking up! Of course, you were really hungry by morning, but that's perfectly normal and totally OK! Yay!
Coincidentally, I'm also doing something today that I've never done before. I'm entering an art show. I'm not really an artist, though I wish I were, but DeVry has an annual art show for employees, students, and their families. Since I had to make a 3D scene for my project anyway, I decided I might as well enter it into the show. Here it is:
I look forward to the time when you, Mom, and I can draw pictures and color together. That's gonna be fun!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
6 weeks, 5 days
Once again, I must apologize for not writing sooner, but time is sooo hard to find these days. This entry will be quick for that very reasosn--if I sat here and wrote everything out since last entry, I'd be up far too long. I'm up now because you needed fed. Normally you have been waiting until around 5am lately, but you slept a bit more in the evening than usual, so this is not a surprise to me to be up a little earlier. I don't mind taking care of you, but gosh will it ever be nice when we can all sleep through the night again (I suspect this won't be happeningyour hed for me until I'm done pumping/breastfeeding you, which I plan to do until at least the 6 month mark).
Anyway, lots of stuff has been happening in your little life! You are started getting interested in objects a lot more lately; this triggered us to get out the playmat with the hanging toys for you to try a couple of days ago and you love it! Another thing you have achieved since last entry is that you now sleep in your crib instead of the bassinet...this started on Halloween night and has been going well ever since. You visited the doctor for a well checkup one week ago today; you weighed 10lbs 12 oz (75th percentile, same % for head circumference) and were 24 3/4 inches long (95th percentile!). Your love of eating seems to be getting you places lol! Oh and on getting places--you have been trying to crawl every time we have ever put you on your tummy for about 3 weeks now. Each week you seem to get just a little better at it. However, it makes you frustrated because you are not yet string enough to hold all of yourself up and coordinate all the movements. We are amazed at how well you hold up your head and push around on the floor even so. Pretty sure you are going to crawl far earlier than normal.
Well, time for me to be done pumping now and go back to sleep. I'll write more as soon as I possibly can. As always, I love you very much...mommy.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
16 days
As you may have noticed, my posts are not too frequent right now. It's not a lack of things to write--it's rather a lack of time and sleep. Day before yesterday was 16 days for you being in our life and we are still adjusting :)
This past weekend, you did another first: road trip! We went to Iowa to visit my relatives and they were soooo happy to meet you. Coincidentally, cousins Tony and Darby were having their annual 'Meat-a-palooza' party, which made it easy for everyone to get a chance to meet you. Great aunt Liz even gave you another present: 3 bibs and an adorable outfit that came with a matching cloth sleep-pal (which I washed as soon as we got home and you've already been enjoying :) ).
You did great through the whole trip, really. During the 5 hour car rides, you slept nearly the entire time, waking only once mid-way to be fed each time. At the party, you were awake quite a bit and never seemed to mind who was holding you. You even had a 'playdate' with cousin Darby's sister's baby, Olive (well, we sat you near one another and you observed each other lol). I, on the other hand, was foolish and took only my portable breast pump, which was too much of a switch from the hospital rented one; will not do that again! Don't worry, you were still well-fed; it just caused me to end up far more sleep deprived than I'd prefer. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the trip and am very happy we went. The weather was gorgeous--we even had to use the A/C sometimes!
Other news about you right now...let's see...you have now had another bath, which you hated just as much as the first one given to you. You once again peed on the towel we wrapped you in. I am beginning to think you feel the need to "christen" every first time wearing of an outfit (or towel, in this case). You equally hate diaper changes and getting your clothes on and off. What do you like? EATING! You eat almost too enthusiastically and have never left a bottle unfinished yet. I'm still unable to keep up with your feeding demands, so we have to use formula about once or twice a day. Your appetite has been increasing this week, though, so we may have to modify even more. You also like to watch cartoons and game shows, which is hardly surprising :) And last, but not least, you seem to love to sleep. Fortunately for us, you are quite good about sleeping right around 3 hours between feedings through the night. This helps mommy get at least some quality sleep--thank you! Hope you will continue the trend of such courtesy as you get older.
That's it for this entry; am hoping to get back to the rest of the birth story very soon...love you always,
mommy.
This past weekend, you did another first: road trip! We went to Iowa to visit my relatives and they were soooo happy to meet you. Coincidentally, cousins Tony and Darby were having their annual 'Meat-a-palooza' party, which made it easy for everyone to get a chance to meet you. Great aunt Liz even gave you another present: 3 bibs and an adorable outfit that came with a matching cloth sleep-pal (which I washed as soon as we got home and you've already been enjoying :) ).
You did great through the whole trip, really. During the 5 hour car rides, you slept nearly the entire time, waking only once mid-way to be fed each time. At the party, you were awake quite a bit and never seemed to mind who was holding you. You even had a 'playdate' with cousin Darby's sister's baby, Olive (well, we sat you near one another and you observed each other lol). I, on the other hand, was foolish and took only my portable breast pump, which was too much of a switch from the hospital rented one; will not do that again! Don't worry, you were still well-fed; it just caused me to end up far more sleep deprived than I'd prefer. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the trip and am very happy we went. The weather was gorgeous--we even had to use the A/C sometimes!
Other news about you right now...let's see...you have now had another bath, which you hated just as much as the first one given to you. You once again peed on the towel we wrapped you in. I am beginning to think you feel the need to "christen" every first time wearing of an outfit (or towel, in this case). You equally hate diaper changes and getting your clothes on and off. What do you like? EATING! You eat almost too enthusiastically and have never left a bottle unfinished yet. I'm still unable to keep up with your feeding demands, so we have to use formula about once or twice a day. Your appetite has been increasing this week, though, so we may have to modify even more. You also like to watch cartoons and game shows, which is hardly surprising :) And last, but not least, you seem to love to sleep. Fortunately for us, you are quite good about sleeping right around 3 hours between feedings through the night. This helps mommy get at least some quality sleep--thank you! Hope you will continue the trend of such courtesy as you get older.
That's it for this entry; am hoping to get back to the rest of the birth story very soon...love you always,
mommy.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Birth story
Despite both of us pleading with you, it came the day of my induction appointment (Thursday 22 September) and no spontaneous labor had started, so we headed to the hospital around 6 (takes a while to get there, plus we had to stop off for a bite to eat at Wendy's en route). "We" included me, daddy, uncle Kevin, Nana Linda and Papa Junior, and Nana Judy. We arrived and were admitted at 19h50, just 10 minutes before the 20h appointment time. I have admit that I was very nervous and a bit scared, but you simply could not be left in there much longer (I was 9 days overdue). It took a while to get the paperwork rolling and all that. We were placed in room 608 and prepped--this is the part I declared several times hurt worse than any contraction; the phlebotomist/nurse that placed my hep-lock IV was AWFUL!!! I have great, easily visible, thick veins that no one has ever had trouble finding--until her. She tried in my forearm, hit a valve, caused immense pain, then tried again on top of my hand, which felt most nearest to having a piece a glass shoved in very slowly. I actually said, "Please don't ever make get one of THESE again!" Grrr. Then we tried getting my laptop booted up to have the music I had selected--it would not cooperate at all (we tried several times, then it came on once we were home, go figure). Anyway, induction via Cervidil placement commenced at 22h26. I had to have 2 monitors placed around my belly--1 for your heart rate and 1 for the contractions. The induced contractions began around 2 hours later, some of which were a bit intense, but manageable. I slept between some of them, but not as much as I probably should have (I now wish I'd taken the sleep aid they offered me). I was hoping the Cervidil alone would get the real labor started--this was not the case. At 10h30 the next morning, midwife Mary came to check me. I had only progressed 20% more effacement, nothing more. 2 cm, 70% and low was the announcement. Daddy and I were both stunned; the contractions through the night had been getting into a regular pattern and it sure felt like a lot more had happened! This was my first round of what would become a series of such let-downs.
Anyhow, I was allowed to take shower (which was HORRIBLE because the shower itself was difficult to operate and control), eat lunch and walk around a little before the next step. Yep, that next step was the dreaded Pitocin (given via the IV). They started me at the smallest dose (1), and augmented very slowly until getting to 6 a few hours later. This was giving stronger and stronger contractions, which I found out after a nice pizza dinner brought in by Nana Judy around 19h, had resulted in me reaching 6cm! Yay--this meant they could break my water! Midwife Mary had a student, Kristin, working with her, and she let her try to do this first--did not succeed, so Mary had to try. It was really difficult; when she finally got it, it was soooo relieving! They warned me that the contractions would now get more intense, even with the Pitocin getting slowly turned off. If I could make progress and continue to do so without the Pitocin, I would get to move to the ABC (Alternative Birth Center) and complete the delivery as a waterbirth like I had been dreaming.
With this in mind, I was determined to get through the pain and make it to the water. I won't lie--these contractions hurt pretty bad at times, so much so that I had moved on from breathing through them to moaning through them. Midwife student Kristin had me try a couple of different positions to help the baby turn--he was 'sunny side up' and needed to roll 180 degrees to make delivery easier on me. I got on my hands and knees for bit--seriously uncomfortable. Went on the birthing ball, too--again, did not enjoy, too hard to keep a good position, especially with those darn monitors (the one for the heart rate slid off numerous times). Ended up on my side back in the bed. This went on for about 4 hours. The intensity got so bad and my fatigue so high thay my moans turned into babbling nonsense mumbles of syllables (like 'mmmmm-bbbbb-lalalala'--Nana Linda said it sounded like singing sometimes). I was getting kind of out of my head, which made me believe I was hitting transition stage. This turned out to be incorrect. I was checked about every hour to hour and a half, and I reached 7cm, but then I started having swelling at the top of the cervix. You had turned about 90 of thge 180 degrees we needed--good, but this may have caused the swelling, too. There are a few different things that can cause it, so they are not sure. At any rate, after the 4 hours and off the Pitocin, I was failing to progress, plus I was wearing out. I'd now been in labor for 25 hours with little rest. Midwife Mary said I should consider some pain relief medication to help get rest and get through contractions better. Options were Nubain, Demerol, or the epidural. I really did not want an epidural, so I thought I'd go for one of the others. Those are given via the IV and just 'take the edge off' the contractions, as she put it. She recommended Demerol, so I went with that. They gave me a test dose (half of half a regular one) and I reacted badly. My stomach hurt, felt like I was going to be sick, very uncomfortable. That option was gone, looks like I can add that to drugs I can't tolerate (coincidentally, my mom (Nana Linda) and 2 of her brothers can't tolerate it, either). So, with great reluctance, I gave in to getting an epidural around 23h30. I was again scared, disappointed, and very upset. The dream of waterbirth was over; I cried a lot and it still hurts even now if I think about it too much. The epidural took very well--I only felt some pressure from the contractions through the night. They put me back on the Pitocin, reaching level 10 dose by morning. I (and everyone else) figured I would have to be making great progress with this, especially with the opportunity to sleep and rest a bit more. Nope, no such luck. All that night was for naught--only progressed maybe a 1/2 cm and the swelling was getting worse. At this point, Midwife Sarah had taken over; she looked very sad for me when she had to recommend emergency c-section. She said you were starting to show minor distress signs and she really did not think I should try to labor any longer, my cervix was simply not cooperating. I agreed and the call was made to get it done right then. Dr. Chorezempa, the OB from the midwives' office, was the one who had to be called in to do the procedure. Luckily, I had not eaten anything after the pizza at 7pm the night before, so I was good there. They still made me drink a nasty 'shot' of liquid that tasted like salted crushed sweet-tarts in water, designed to dry up any liquid I might aspirate during the surgery--yuck. Daddy was the only one who would be allowed to be with me during the procedure, and he had to put on scrubs to be present in the operating room. Minutes later, I was being wheeled to pre-op on the 3rd floor--it was supposed to be on the same floor (6th), but due to it being the weekend and people having called in sick, there was not enough staff there, so the procedure had to be done on the regular OR floor. It seemed like an eternity before Dr. Chorezempa arrived, even though she was only about 25 minutes later than she'd estimated. I'm sure it seemed this way because not only was I anxious about the whole thing, but in pre-op, I was not on the epidural and in the time of the delay, it was wearing off, sending me back to feeling pain from the contractions. Once she did arrive, it was just a few minutes and we were off to the OR. Daddy had to wait until they had me anesthetized before he was allowed to come in. The relief was immediate when they restarted the medicine through the epidural. It felt strange--strapped my arms out to the sides and the last sensation I really felt was when the cleansed my belly skin. After that, total numbness and cold. Daddy came in and they started maneuvering all my parts around--a strange feeling. He talked to me sweetly for a few minutes and then I heard the best sound in the world: your cry! I doubt I'll ever forget how it sounded. Tears of overwhelming joy streamed down my face as I looked at your daddy and proclaimed, "we made it, we did it!" I think I asked how he looked and he said great, and that you had such big hands! Then he got to go over to where they were going to clean you off and they let him cut the cord, too. After that, he brought you over to show me and let me feel your face and hair, though I could barely tell I was doing so (I only knew because I was watching my hand). I told you I loved you, then you and dad had to go to the nursery to finish taking care of you. You were born at 12:16pm on Saturday the 24th of September--I recall them announcing this, among many other things, before they started putting me back together. This part of the operation was rather unpleasant--I gagged a few times, started shaking from the medicine, felt very weird and uncomfortable. The worst was when they had to move me from the table to the transport bed--even though it was just a roll back and forth, it was as though I'd just been put in an intense roller coaster, causing me to gag some more.
As they wheeled me to recovery, I started to get even colder and shakier, but the nausea had disappeared. The nurse in recovery was super nice--her name was Ann. She put warm blankets on me and they gave me a morphine IV to help with the pain, instructing me to self dose before it got too intense (to keep ahead of the pain, if you will). After an hour, I was supposed to be going up to see you; again, with it being the weekend, there was not enough staff and transport was an hour behind. Ann tired her best to get me up there as quickly as she could, but it still took two hours instead of the one. Meanwhile, I found out dad had a great time talking to you and just bonding with you while you waited on me. We were placed in room 638, where we would spend the next few days recovering...which I will tell about in another entry!
Anyhow, I was allowed to take shower (which was HORRIBLE because the shower itself was difficult to operate and control), eat lunch and walk around a little before the next step. Yep, that next step was the dreaded Pitocin (given via the IV). They started me at the smallest dose (1), and augmented very slowly until getting to 6 a few hours later. This was giving stronger and stronger contractions, which I found out after a nice pizza dinner brought in by Nana Judy around 19h, had resulted in me reaching 6cm! Yay--this meant they could break my water! Midwife Mary had a student, Kristin, working with her, and she let her try to do this first--did not succeed, so Mary had to try. It was really difficult; when she finally got it, it was soooo relieving! They warned me that the contractions would now get more intense, even with the Pitocin getting slowly turned off. If I could make progress and continue to do so without the Pitocin, I would get to move to the ABC (Alternative Birth Center) and complete the delivery as a waterbirth like I had been dreaming.
With this in mind, I was determined to get through the pain and make it to the water. I won't lie--these contractions hurt pretty bad at times, so much so that I had moved on from breathing through them to moaning through them. Midwife student Kristin had me try a couple of different positions to help the baby turn--he was 'sunny side up' and needed to roll 180 degrees to make delivery easier on me. I got on my hands and knees for bit--seriously uncomfortable. Went on the birthing ball, too--again, did not enjoy, too hard to keep a good position, especially with those darn monitors (the one for the heart rate slid off numerous times). Ended up on my side back in the bed. This went on for about 4 hours. The intensity got so bad and my fatigue so high thay my moans turned into babbling nonsense mumbles of syllables (like 'mmmmm-bbbbb-lalalala'--Nana Linda said it sounded like singing sometimes). I was getting kind of out of my head, which made me believe I was hitting transition stage. This turned out to be incorrect. I was checked about every hour to hour and a half, and I reached 7cm, but then I started having swelling at the top of the cervix. You had turned about 90 of thge 180 degrees we needed--good, but this may have caused the swelling, too. There are a few different things that can cause it, so they are not sure. At any rate, after the 4 hours and off the Pitocin, I was failing to progress, plus I was wearing out. I'd now been in labor for 25 hours with little rest. Midwife Mary said I should consider some pain relief medication to help get rest and get through contractions better. Options were Nubain, Demerol, or the epidural. I really did not want an epidural, so I thought I'd go for one of the others. Those are given via the IV and just 'take the edge off' the contractions, as she put it. She recommended Demerol, so I went with that. They gave me a test dose (half of half a regular one) and I reacted badly. My stomach hurt, felt like I was going to be sick, very uncomfortable. That option was gone, looks like I can add that to drugs I can't tolerate (coincidentally, my mom (Nana Linda) and 2 of her brothers can't tolerate it, either). So, with great reluctance, I gave in to getting an epidural around 23h30. I was again scared, disappointed, and very upset. The dream of waterbirth was over; I cried a lot and it still hurts even now if I think about it too much. The epidural took very well--I only felt some pressure from the contractions through the night. They put me back on the Pitocin, reaching level 10 dose by morning. I (and everyone else) figured I would have to be making great progress with this, especially with the opportunity to sleep and rest a bit more. Nope, no such luck. All that night was for naught--only progressed maybe a 1/2 cm and the swelling was getting worse. At this point, Midwife Sarah had taken over; she looked very sad for me when she had to recommend emergency c-section. She said you were starting to show minor distress signs and she really did not think I should try to labor any longer, my cervix was simply not cooperating. I agreed and the call was made to get it done right then. Dr. Chorezempa, the OB from the midwives' office, was the one who had to be called in to do the procedure. Luckily, I had not eaten anything after the pizza at 7pm the night before, so I was good there. They still made me drink a nasty 'shot' of liquid that tasted like salted crushed sweet-tarts in water, designed to dry up any liquid I might aspirate during the surgery--yuck. Daddy was the only one who would be allowed to be with me during the procedure, and he had to put on scrubs to be present in the operating room. Minutes later, I was being wheeled to pre-op on the 3rd floor--it was supposed to be on the same floor (6th), but due to it being the weekend and people having called in sick, there was not enough staff there, so the procedure had to be done on the regular OR floor. It seemed like an eternity before Dr. Chorezempa arrived, even though she was only about 25 minutes later than she'd estimated. I'm sure it seemed this way because not only was I anxious about the whole thing, but in pre-op, I was not on the epidural and in the time of the delay, it was wearing off, sending me back to feeling pain from the contractions. Once she did arrive, it was just a few minutes and we were off to the OR. Daddy had to wait until they had me anesthetized before he was allowed to come in. The relief was immediate when they restarted the medicine through the epidural. It felt strange--strapped my arms out to the sides and the last sensation I really felt was when the cleansed my belly skin. After that, total numbness and cold. Daddy came in and they started maneuvering all my parts around--a strange feeling. He talked to me sweetly for a few minutes and then I heard the best sound in the world: your cry! I doubt I'll ever forget how it sounded. Tears of overwhelming joy streamed down my face as I looked at your daddy and proclaimed, "we made it, we did it!" I think I asked how he looked and he said great, and that you had such big hands! Then he got to go over to where they were going to clean you off and they let him cut the cord, too. After that, he brought you over to show me and let me feel your face and hair, though I could barely tell I was doing so (I only knew because I was watching my hand). I told you I loved you, then you and dad had to go to the nursery to finish taking care of you. You were born at 12:16pm on Saturday the 24th of September--I recall them announcing this, among many other things, before they started putting me back together. This part of the operation was rather unpleasant--I gagged a few times, started shaking from the medicine, felt very weird and uncomfortable. The worst was when they had to move me from the table to the transport bed--even though it was just a roll back and forth, it was as though I'd just been put in an intense roller coaster, causing me to gag some more.
As they wheeled me to recovery, I started to get even colder and shakier, but the nausea had disappeared. The nurse in recovery was super nice--her name was Ann. She put warm blankets on me and they gave me a morphine IV to help with the pain, instructing me to self dose before it got too intense (to keep ahead of the pain, if you will). After an hour, I was supposed to be going up to see you; again, with it being the weekend, there was not enough staff and transport was an hour behind. Ann tired her best to get me up there as quickly as she could, but it still took two hours instead of the one. Meanwhile, I found out dad had a great time talking to you and just bonding with you while you waited on me. We were placed in room 638, where we would spend the next few days recovering...which I will tell about in another entry!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Already one week old
I have been wanting to write in this blog for what seems like ages now and could not for several reasons. One reason is my laptop hit the dust; finally got a new one yesterday, so now I can hopefully get back on track. I'm currently up right now pumping milk to feed you. I'll tell why it's this and not straight from the breast in a different 'catch-up' post. The crazy thing to me right now is that you are already a week old! You were born on Saturday the 24th of September, and here we are on Sunday the 2nd of October. It was a very intense week, as you shall soon read all about. For this post, I'll just talk about how yesterday went.
You were at the hospital to begin the day; you'd been there two nights due to elevated bilirubin. We were anxious to find out if you would be able to come home with us, so we went straight over there after breakfast. Happy news awaited us: your level was down to 8 and you were doing well, so it was just a matter of the formalities of paperwork and you'd go home. They told us this would take a few hours, so daddy and uncle Kevin decided to go downtown to grab some authentic Chicago deep dish pizza and bring it back for us for lunch. This would normally have taken about an hour and half or so. Unfortunately, there was construction everywhere, making downtown a mess and hard to get around. They ended up taking almost an extra hour bwecause of this. Meanwhile, I waited with you at the hospital. Held you, fed you, talked to you, changed your diapers--all the usual things. Finally, daddy showed up, we put you in the car seat (you don't like this process much) and we went home!
At home, we all had lunch, of course--too bad you can't have pizza yet, because it was delicious! After that, Nana Linda babysat you while daddy and I went out to get me a new laptop. Found one at Fry's, returned home, back to enjoy being there as a family again :) Nana Linda made dinner for us (bourbon salmon--yum!), we watched some TV (Weird Al concert), and decided it was time to give you your first bath. Oh wasn't that a production! You were quite displeased through most of it; you got back at us by peeing all over the towel and wall at the end lol. After that, Nana Linda wanted some Anne Geddes-style pix of you, so we did that, too.
We needed to run to Walgreens really quick for a couple of things, so Nana Linda took charge of getting you settled down to sleep and babysit you one last time. Upon return, daddy and I took a shower, fed you, then it was bed for all of us. You slept through the night very well, only waking up for feedings and diaper changes. It was a good day for your 1 week birthday! Upcoming posts will cover what happened prior to that...
You were at the hospital to begin the day; you'd been there two nights due to elevated bilirubin. We were anxious to find out if you would be able to come home with us, so we went straight over there after breakfast. Happy news awaited us: your level was down to 8 and you were doing well, so it was just a matter of the formalities of paperwork and you'd go home. They told us this would take a few hours, so daddy and uncle Kevin decided to go downtown to grab some authentic Chicago deep dish pizza and bring it back for us for lunch. This would normally have taken about an hour and half or so. Unfortunately, there was construction everywhere, making downtown a mess and hard to get around. They ended up taking almost an extra hour bwecause of this. Meanwhile, I waited with you at the hospital. Held you, fed you, talked to you, changed your diapers--all the usual things. Finally, daddy showed up, we put you in the car seat (you don't like this process much) and we went home!
At home, we all had lunch, of course--too bad you can't have pizza yet, because it was delicious! After that, Nana Linda babysat you while daddy and I went out to get me a new laptop. Found one at Fry's, returned home, back to enjoy being there as a family again :) Nana Linda made dinner for us (bourbon salmon--yum!), we watched some TV (Weird Al concert), and decided it was time to give you your first bath. Oh wasn't that a production! You were quite displeased through most of it; you got back at us by peeing all over the towel and wall at the end lol. After that, Nana Linda wanted some Anne Geddes-style pix of you, so we did that, too.
We needed to run to Walgreens really quick for a couple of things, so Nana Linda took charge of getting you settled down to sleep and babysit you one last time. Upon return, daddy and I took a shower, fed you, then it was bed for all of us. You slept through the night very well, only waking up for feedings and diaper changes. It was a good day for your 1 week birthday! Upcoming posts will cover what happened prior to that...
Saturday, September 17, 2011
My turn to plead
Hello my dear Avery. We are now past your due date by 4 days and you have me worried. You are still moving around in there really well, your heartbeat sounded great at Thursday's appointment, you continue to give me "practice" contractions sporadically, yet haven't gotten serious about coming out. I really wish I knew what the holdup is! I've been pretty good to remain patient up to now, but the threat of being induced is looming nearer, making me uneasy. Wouldn't you like to come out on your own instead of being forced? I promise it will be nicer...we are supposed to birth you in a beautiful warm tub of water, nice and peaceful. If you don't come out by Thursday, the entrance will not allowed there; they will use drugs to make my body bring you out straight into hospital air. Surely you would prefer the water, right? That is certainly what mommy wants for you. Please, please, please, please, please my dear son, come on out now. Yes, I am begging, very hard, as much as I can. We are more than ready for you, full of love and warmth, ready to give you as wonderful of a life as we possibly can! Again, pleeeeeeeease, pretty please, with...milk on top?
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Let the Pleading Begin
Avery, it's Dad again. Let's talk. (I know you can't hear me or read this until it's too late, but just humor me for a minute.) Man, you've gotta stop teasing your poor mother.
You act like you're going to come out, you give signs that the time could be here, but then you back off. What gives? You're so crowded in there that you can't even stretch out. You'd be a lot more comfortable out here in the world. There's plenty of room for you, and there are a lot of nice people who really want to meet you.
Do you even know what great experiences await you? You have your very own room that you don't even have to share with anyone. (Dude, I don't even have that, and I'm the one who pays the mortgage.) You also have a reserved VIP seat in the back of your very own chauffeured car. Well, OK, it's my car and I'm your chauffeur, but the seat is still reserved for you and only you. And all weekend your mom has been making cookies. It'll be a while before you can enjoy them even after you emerge, but trust me, it'll be worth the wait. The sooner you get out here, the sooner you can enjoy the indescribable ecstasy of Mom's freshly baked goodies. If that's not incentive, I don't know what is.
It would really work out great for Mom and me if you would just come out today (Sunday), but I'm afraid your timing is going to be the worst that it can possibly be. Here's what's going on in the next couple of days: later today I have a game developer meetup, but I can miss that if I have to. Monday, I have a very important activity planned for my graphics programming class, and my students really, really need me. I can't let them down. After that, there's the first night of my next class at DePaul. Since this class requires attendance, I don't want to face the trouble caused by my absence on the first day. Tuesday I have a doctor's appointment, Wednesday I have graphics programming class and your mom has a super busy day of tutoring.
So as you can see, today would be the best possible time for you to join our happy family. Think it over while you're pummeling Mom's guts in your daily ritual. My concern is that you'll decide to come on Monday -- the worst possible time for me. But if you do, then I'll drop everything for you. You and your mom are my top priorities and you always will be. Just get out here! The weather's great, the cookies smell amazing, my workload is under control at the moment, and everyone is eager to see your adorable little face. I keep telling you how fun it is out here, so come find out! I'll wait here for ya. Just hurry up.
See you soon! I love you, little guy!
Dad
You act like you're going to come out, you give signs that the time could be here, but then you back off. What gives? You're so crowded in there that you can't even stretch out. You'd be a lot more comfortable out here in the world. There's plenty of room for you, and there are a lot of nice people who really want to meet you.
Do you even know what great experiences await you? You have your very own room that you don't even have to share with anyone. (Dude, I don't even have that, and I'm the one who pays the mortgage.) You also have a reserved VIP seat in the back of your very own chauffeured car. Well, OK, it's my car and I'm your chauffeur, but the seat is still reserved for you and only you. And all weekend your mom has been making cookies. It'll be a while before you can enjoy them even after you emerge, but trust me, it'll be worth the wait. The sooner you get out here, the sooner you can enjoy the indescribable ecstasy of Mom's freshly baked goodies. If that's not incentive, I don't know what is.
It would really work out great for Mom and me if you would just come out today (Sunday), but I'm afraid your timing is going to be the worst that it can possibly be. Here's what's going on in the next couple of days: later today I have a game developer meetup, but I can miss that if I have to. Monday, I have a very important activity planned for my graphics programming class, and my students really, really need me. I can't let them down. After that, there's the first night of my next class at DePaul. Since this class requires attendance, I don't want to face the trouble caused by my absence on the first day. Tuesday I have a doctor's appointment, Wednesday I have graphics programming class and your mom has a super busy day of tutoring.
So as you can see, today would be the best possible time for you to join our happy family. Think it over while you're pummeling Mom's guts in your daily ritual. My concern is that you'll decide to come on Monday -- the worst possible time for me. But if you do, then I'll drop everything for you. You and your mom are my top priorities and you always will be. Just get out here! The weather's great, the cookies smell amazing, my workload is under control at the moment, and everyone is eager to see your adorable little face. I keep telling you how fun it is out here, so come find out! I'll wait here for ya. Just hurry up.
See you soon! I love you, little guy!
Dad
Friday, September 9, 2011
39 weeks, 2 days
We're getting so close to meeting you, can't believe it! You're back to your regular activity, so our appointment at the midwives was faster today. Progress was made--now measuring 2cm, still 50% effaced, not sure about station. She said the cervix has come more forward, yet when I asked about the station, she said it was still -2. That doesn't make much sense, so I'm just leaving it as "uncertain" for now.
There's not much to report as far as anything you've experienced with me/us lately; we've been just working and hanging out around home for the most part. Everyone asks about you all the time, bets are being made as to when you'll arrive, etc. Our moms wanted you to come last weekend (labor day), cousin Ricky even had a dream you were going to arrive last Saturday; I am actually glad it wasn't then because it would have most likely been very hectic in the labor wing and likely understaffed, too. Daddy hopes you'll come now/this weekend; I just want you to come before we hit the 41 week mark, as I really don't want to have to be induced (which they will do if you are still in there at that point). Meanwhile, I keep going on with work as usual, despite some of the clients telling me they don't think you'll be in there past the weekend/much longer. I even have 2 new students to meet--one tomorrow and one on Monday! We'll see if that happens...
Love you so much, getting even more excited to meet you ~ mommy
There's not much to report as far as anything you've experienced with me/us lately; we've been just working and hanging out around home for the most part. Everyone asks about you all the time, bets are being made as to when you'll arrive, etc. Our moms wanted you to come last weekend (labor day), cousin Ricky even had a dream you were going to arrive last Saturday; I am actually glad it wasn't then because it would have most likely been very hectic in the labor wing and likely understaffed, too. Daddy hopes you'll come now/this weekend; I just want you to come before we hit the 41 week mark, as I really don't want to have to be induced (which they will do if you are still in there at that point). Meanwhile, I keep going on with work as usual, despite some of the clients telling me they don't think you'll be in there past the weekend/much longer. I even have 2 new students to meet--one tomorrow and one on Monday! We'll see if that happens...
Love you so much, getting even more excited to meet you ~ mommy
Friday, August 26, 2011
37 weeks, 2 days
A quick entry to report today's weekly midwife visit results. A midwife student was part of today's visit; she did everything the midwife did, thus I basically got two exams in one. Was a bit intense--they were not sure of your position, thought we may have to have an ultrasound. Though I'd have loved to get a peek at you, it turned out to not be necessary, so we'll have to hurry up and wait until we see you in person. They were able to confirm that you are still head down, and now mommy is 1cm dilated and 50% effaced! This has us excited because it means you are getting even closer...but you could still hang in there for a few more weeks at the same position, so we're trying not to let it get us too excited... One more thing: we were told that you are "not a small baby"--not to say that you are oversized, just not small--I already suspected as much ;)
One other thing about today--we went bowling! It was a mixer event for the honors group at DeVry for which daddy is a faculty 'sponsor'. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to bowl much, as I haven't been in quite a while and, well, as everyone was saying, it would be like bowling with two bowling balls lol! Ok, it wasn't exactly that, but I certainly could not make the effort I normally would have. Usually, I bowl about 100ish; tonight, game 1: 49 (I have never had this low of a score lol!!); game 2: 74 (I finally started doing better after a game and a half--even managed to get one strike!). It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I(we) went :) Now it is time for mommy to head to bed and probably for you to squirm around a bunch as I try to fall asleep. Love you lots, mommy.
One other thing about today--we went bowling! It was a mixer event for the honors group at DeVry for which daddy is a faculty 'sponsor'. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to bowl much, as I haven't been in quite a while and, well, as everyone was saying, it would be like bowling with two bowling balls lol! Ok, it wasn't exactly that, but I certainly could not make the effort I normally would have. Usually, I bowl about 100ish; tonight, game 1: 49 (I have never had this low of a score lol!!); game 2: 74 (I finally started doing better after a game and a half--even managed to get one strike!). It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I(we) went :) Now it is time for mommy to head to bed and probably for you to squirm around a bunch as I try to fall asleep. Love you lots, mommy.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
37 weeks
Yay, you are considered "full term" now! And it feels like it, too--my belly is huge and I can tell almost every time you move even a little bit these days. I've been having Braxton-Hicks contractions every day, usually more in the evenings, sometimes really intense ones. Keep wondering when you will choose to come out and meet us...
It's harder for me to get around and do much lately, though I am still working. If it weren't a job where I could remain seated, I don't think I'd be at it any longer, or not for very long at a time. I've been cooking and doing some things in the house, but I get tired easily and end up napping nearly every day. My sleep schedule is strange, as you might be able to tell by the time stamp on this entry. Am hoping I can fall asleep after I finish this; many times, I feel tired and sleepy, only to lie awake in the bed thinking too much or the sleepiness goes away suddenly. When that happens, I get back up and hang out on the computer or read until I'm sleepy again.
Not much has been going on other than work and wrapping up last minute preparations for your arrival. There's lots more change in your bank since I posted the picture in the last entry :) We put the car seat in daddy's vehicle over the weekend and got the bag packed for the hospital. I had to slightly rearrange your room to make sure there will be a space for the crib; Nana Linda is swearing to me that it will be ready in time unless you come early. I'm still going to use the bassinet at first, though, because it will be easier to keep you near without waking you (it's on wheels, the crib isn't). I also filled in as much as I could in your baby book; a lot of it has to wait until you are born, though.
Daddy has been super busy with work this week because it is finals week. He'd like it very much if you would come during next week or the one after, as he won't be too busy just yet. We'll see what happens. The midwife we saw at last appointment (Mary) seems to believe you will be late. I just want you to be healthy, good size, and ready, whenever that turns out to be.
Love you lots as always, mommy.
It's harder for me to get around and do much lately, though I am still working. If it weren't a job where I could remain seated, I don't think I'd be at it any longer, or not for very long at a time. I've been cooking and doing some things in the house, but I get tired easily and end up napping nearly every day. My sleep schedule is strange, as you might be able to tell by the time stamp on this entry. Am hoping I can fall asleep after I finish this; many times, I feel tired and sleepy, only to lie awake in the bed thinking too much or the sleepiness goes away suddenly. When that happens, I get back up and hang out on the computer or read until I'm sleepy again.
Not much has been going on other than work and wrapping up last minute preparations for your arrival. There's lots more change in your bank since I posted the picture in the last entry :) We put the car seat in daddy's vehicle over the weekend and got the bag packed for the hospital. I had to slightly rearrange your room to make sure there will be a space for the crib; Nana Linda is swearing to me that it will be ready in time unless you come early. I'm still going to use the bassinet at first, though, because it will be easier to keep you near without waking you (it's on wheels, the crib isn't). I also filled in as much as I could in your baby book; a lot of it has to wait until you are born, though.
Daddy has been super busy with work this week because it is finals week. He'd like it very much if you would come during next week or the one after, as he won't be too busy just yet. We'll see what happens. The midwife we saw at last appointment (Mary) seems to believe you will be late. I just want you to be healthy, good size, and ready, whenever that turns out to be.
Love you lots as always, mommy.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
35 weeks, 1 day
We are getting so close to meeting you! We're both very excited, of course :) You are moving around in my belly a lot at this very moment while I type this...can't imagine what exactly you are trying to do, but I hope you are still comfortable in there. I broke out with "pregnancy rash" about the same time as I wrote the last entry, but now it is getting much better (still not gone entirely, though, and have been told it may not until you come out). Otherwise, I am still feeling good, just feeling heavy and big with you now (not a bad thing). Each day, each night, I find myself wondering, "Will today be the big day??"
This past weekend, we went on one last road trip together, as we figure from now on, it is best to remain close to home. We went to Saint Louis; had a wonderful time, of course (despite how HOT it was)! It was just for Saturday-Sunday, so we only had time enough to do a few different things. First, we went shopping in St. Charles. I spent my birthday money on a few little things--some for me, some for daddy, and one for you! Here it is:
Now, every time daddy or I have some change, we'll be putting it in this bank for you--we started yesterday!
After shopping, we drove through Lone Elk Park, a place near which we used to live and visit often. We were lucky--we saw the elk, buffalo, and even a couple of turkeys! Then it was on to dinner at El Maguey--mmmmmmm.
The next day, we first visited the Butterfly House in Chesterfield. Love that place! I'd only been there once before (with daddy when we lived in St. Louis), daddy has been a few times. Even so, it's a place that is a different experience every time we go. This time, daddy bought you some more books (we just couldn't pass them up!):
Your library just keeps growing; since the picture I posted, I've bought more books, too, and now there are 321 total!! I still need to clear out another shelf to put them all up (will post when I get this done).
Next, we headed to Fritz's, our favorite frozen custard place. It was just as delicious as ever, and we found ourselves wondering what you will like there when we bring you and you are old enough to choose...
Then, we headed downtown to go to two places I'd never been: the Botanical Gardens and the Art Museum. Both places were great, no surprise there. Here is a picture of me at the Botanical Gardens:
See how big we are together?! It's funny, but I don't realize I'm this large until I see it in a picture (even though I know very well how heavy you are in there).
By the time we did the Art Museum, I was getting worn out--this worked out well, as it was time to head back home. On the way back, we stopped off in Carlinville (where daddy went to college) to eat at Nick's Pizza. Mmmm again! Wish I could have more of that...will have to wait for next trip...
Today, a special present arrived! This is the quilt that 'Auntie Suzanne' made just for you:
Close up of the tag:
It is her hope that it will be useful to you from the time you are born until you are an adult. It is super warm and really beautiful. I'm certain you'll be wrapped up in it within a couple of months :)
Time to go to bed now. Love you lots, mommy.
This past weekend, we went on one last road trip together, as we figure from now on, it is best to remain close to home. We went to Saint Louis; had a wonderful time, of course (despite how HOT it was)! It was just for Saturday-Sunday, so we only had time enough to do a few different things. First, we went shopping in St. Charles. I spent my birthday money on a few little things--some for me, some for daddy, and one for you! Here it is:
Now, every time daddy or I have some change, we'll be putting it in this bank for you--we started yesterday!
After shopping, we drove through Lone Elk Park, a place near which we used to live and visit often. We were lucky--we saw the elk, buffalo, and even a couple of turkeys! Then it was on to dinner at El Maguey--mmmmmmm.
The next day, we first visited the Butterfly House in Chesterfield. Love that place! I'd only been there once before (with daddy when we lived in St. Louis), daddy has been a few times. Even so, it's a place that is a different experience every time we go. This time, daddy bought you some more books (we just couldn't pass them up!):
Next, we headed to Fritz's, our favorite frozen custard place. It was just as delicious as ever, and we found ourselves wondering what you will like there when we bring you and you are old enough to choose...
Then, we headed downtown to go to two places I'd never been: the Botanical Gardens and the Art Museum. Both places were great, no surprise there. Here is a picture of me at the Botanical Gardens:
See how big we are together?! It's funny, but I don't realize I'm this large until I see it in a picture (even though I know very well how heavy you are in there).
By the time we did the Art Museum, I was getting worn out--this worked out well, as it was time to head back home. On the way back, we stopped off in Carlinville (where daddy went to college) to eat at Nick's Pizza. Mmmm again! Wish I could have more of that...will have to wait for next trip...
Today, a special present arrived! This is the quilt that 'Auntie Suzanne' made just for you:
It is her hope that it will be useful to you from the time you are born until you are an adult. It is super warm and really beautiful. I'm certain you'll be wrapped up in it within a couple of months :)
Time to go to bed now. Love you lots, mommy.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Pregnant birthday/33 weeks, 3 days
A quick entry to tell you about how you celebrated my 34th birthday with me. 'We' started the day with a tutoring session, then did some garage sale-ing. I bought some books for you and 2 dragonfly suncatchers for me :) We had a lovely nap, complete with many kicks and squirms from you hehe. When dad got home from work, he brought me flowers--gorgeous carnations, my favorite (tied with stargazer lilies), then we got ready to go out to dinner with friends at Villa Verone. Oh, was it ever yummy!! We're going to continue the celebration tomorrow by going downtown--should be lots of fun :D You got quite active right after the meal, so I have the impression you enjoyed it, too. At the table next to us, I noticed there was what appeared to be a family of 3--the parents and a college age boy (I think, can't know for sure, but he was having wine, so at least 21). I imagined that being our family in the future; perhaps you would be home for the summer to visit, and we'll be going out for one of my future birthdays. Just one of many, many activities I hope and dream will happen...
Love you, mom.
Love you, mom.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Your room
Wow, it is 32 weeks 3 days now--time is going fast!!! The reason I haven't written for a while is that I've been working hard on getting your room ready. It used to be the "office" of the house; you would never believe the transformation that has taken place--it was A LOT of work (you are worth it, of course!!)
Anyhow, little by little, I've gotten the various pieces that I needed to have it ready to receive you in just a few weeks. Much of what I have bought has come from garage/yard sales, though about half of that has been toys and other stuff for when you will be a little older. Let's have a look:
I just painted these letters and animals over the last two evenings. It was tedious trying to get them lined up and spaced, but I managed well, I think! As I painted them, I didn't have them in order yet. When I finished, I rearranged them correctly to spell out your name while drying. Seeing your name there in front of me made me all the more excited for your arrival and, yeah, I got teary-eyed with happiness and anticipation. I stared at the letters for a few minutes, just thinking about you and how much I love you already.
Anyhow, little by little, I've gotten the various pieces that I needed to have it ready to receive you in just a few weeks. Much of what I have bought has come from garage/yard sales, though about half of that has been toys and other stuff for when you will be a little older. Let's have a look:
This is the corner view with the closet doors hiding your stroller, blankies, some toys, and other stuff. About half of the closet still has office stuff, though, because there's simply no other practical place to put it at the moment.
It was really hard to get this picture, had to stand in the doorway and aim as best I could. As you can see, I went with a pond theme, but I also added Winnie the Pooh stuff, too (my favorite blankie when I was little was one with Winnie the Pooh, so yes, I've still got a bit of a 'thing' for such décor). Your dresser is filled with A LOT of clothes; each drawer goes one size level up for now, most likely will change this system later. On top of the dresser, you can see a few different items. At the far left, there is a jack-in-the-box of Humpty Dumpty (got that last weekend at a garage sale--so cute!) Behind it, there is a Winnie the Pooh wooden puzzle block that you'll get to play with when you are older. In the middle, there is coin bank of the "Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe"; this belonged to your daddy and was in his room from the time that he was a baby! Behind that, the lit up item is a gift from your "Aunt" Monica--it's a wax warmer that makes the room smell nice, plus it makes a nice soft light at night time. When we need a little more light, we have the 'Hunny' lamp that next to it.
This one shows the wall a bit better. For now, we have just a bassinet to receive you; Nana Linda and Junior are currently making your crib and will bring it when you are born. The bedding for it is a great set I got of Winnie the Pooh theme.
You can't see the blankies very well, despite my efforts here. There is one from Great Nana Nicholson (the 'baby' one), one from Nana Judy, and one in the bassinet from Nana Linda. The awesome rocker-recliner where I'll be probably nursing you and probably falling asleep many times was a gift chosen by daddy--it's super comfy!!
Here's a better view of the dresser, plus you can see the froggie wastebasket in the corner :)
One more corner view. The Graco bag contains a 'pack and play', which I'm told will be very useful when we travel (and I believe it already, even though I've no experience with such a thing lol).
This is located on the opposite wall of the room; the whole wall is taken up by bookcases. Because we believe that reading is so important, we have already dedicated these 2 shelves to books for you! There are books in both French and English. Some were gifts from your baby shower, others were eBay purchases (mainly the French books), and the rest came from garage sales. We plan to read to you a lot, at least every night for bedtime if nothing else.
There you have it, the room as it is at the moment, ready to become officially 'yours' when you decide it's time to join us. For now, I'll just keep enjoying you kicking and squirming in my belly (which you do quite often these days, particularly when it's bedtime).
Love you,
mommy
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Your first hiking trip
Not only was the travel bug getting me, the hiking bug was hitting, too. Both your daddy and I love nature and walking in it, and this park's website boasted great views and trails that were not terribly long. Sounded perfect to us! En route, we stopped at a 'Summerfest' in Oregon, WI and walked around that, enjoying the parade and then some fair-type foods. It was a nice place, great weather, relaxing fun. Then, it was on to the park. We ended up doing two trails: first, the West Bluff trail and second, the Tumbled Rocks trail. The picture you see above is from the top of the first trail. It was quite a climb for me, carrying you along! But I did it (and so did dad, of course)! Lots of people remarked about 'us' and how you were going to be a climber, etc. Thankfully both hikes were in the shade and I stayed very hydrated to make sure we were safe :) I can't wait for the days when you can enjoy the nature and scenery along with us!!
The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is...
Hi, Avery!
It's Dad again. Forgive my random wandering and wondering, but I'm trying hard to figure something out. It seems that ever since we got pregnant with you, people have been issuing dire warnings about how much our lives are going to change after you're born. You've been called "a life changer". I've been advised to finish my game (Team Laser Combat) before you arrive, because there won't be time for anything else once you're here. It seems like everyone is convinced that our lives are going to be turned upside down and nothing will ever be the same. It feels like we're being told that we won't be able to handle having a baby around.
Now, I agree that things will be different for all of us. Having you around is going to be so awesome, but it's definitely going to be a change from what we're used to. However, I can't help but wonder if these "warnings" are somewhat over-dramatized and over-exaggerated. Perhaps they're just intended to prepare us for the changes to come. Perhaps they're the experiences of under-prepared parents. Perhaps it's the point of view of people who aren't adequately acquainted with my nature.
Or perhaps they're right, and my wildest imagination just isn't pessimistic enough to conceive of the horrors I'm about to experience with your arrival. I don't think this is the case. I don't believe that everything I've worked to achieve is going to crumble once I have a high-maintenance baby and a full-time job as your father. I just don't see that happening, and I'll tell you why.
First, there's the relationship I have with your mom. We always support each other in every way that we can, so no matter how difficult it may be to take care of you, neither of us is doing it alone. We are true partners. And you're totally worth it all.
Second, there's sheer determination. I'm proud to be your daddy and I will fulfill that duty to the best of my ability. You and Mommy can always count on me. Always. Again, you're worth it.
Then there are the books that your mom and I have read. First we read one called The First 12 Months of Motherhood. The author had a severe lack of logic and common sense, but a hearty supply of evil. If this dimwitted ice queen can raise a child, then I'm quite certain that we can too.
Then we read a book called The Happiest Baby on the Block. This book is extremely well written. It's interesting to read, fun to discuss, and full of great information. Most importantly, it describes attributes and habits of parents who are effective at calming and comforting their babies, and building bonds of trust with them. It's reassuring to know that Mommy and I already have the right lifestyles and attitudes to serve you best.
And on the subject of books, I've noticed that several of my favorite books' authors write dedications to their families and children in the fronts of those books. This means that these people are capable of being fathers, game developers, and book authors, all at the same time. If they can do that, then can't I accomplish similar things? Of course I can. (There's an old lesson from Dr. Marsha Meredith at work here. I'll teach you that one later, buddy!)
President Franklin Roosevelt said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Is this the case with us? I believe that it is. I'm ready to be your daddy, even with all the challenges that come along with it. I love you, little guy.
Love,
Dad
It's Dad again. Forgive my random wandering and wondering, but I'm trying hard to figure something out. It seems that ever since we got pregnant with you, people have been issuing dire warnings about how much our lives are going to change after you're born. You've been called "a life changer". I've been advised to finish my game (Team Laser Combat) before you arrive, because there won't be time for anything else once you're here. It seems like everyone is convinced that our lives are going to be turned upside down and nothing will ever be the same. It feels like we're being told that we won't be able to handle having a baby around.
Now, I agree that things will be different for all of us. Having you around is going to be so awesome, but it's definitely going to be a change from what we're used to. However, I can't help but wonder if these "warnings" are somewhat over-dramatized and over-exaggerated. Perhaps they're just intended to prepare us for the changes to come. Perhaps they're the experiences of under-prepared parents. Perhaps it's the point of view of people who aren't adequately acquainted with my nature.
Or perhaps they're right, and my wildest imagination just isn't pessimistic enough to conceive of the horrors I'm about to experience with your arrival. I don't think this is the case. I don't believe that everything I've worked to achieve is going to crumble once I have a high-maintenance baby and a full-time job as your father. I just don't see that happening, and I'll tell you why.
First, there's the relationship I have with your mom. We always support each other in every way that we can, so no matter how difficult it may be to take care of you, neither of us is doing it alone. We are true partners. And you're totally worth it all.
Second, there's sheer determination. I'm proud to be your daddy and I will fulfill that duty to the best of my ability. You and Mommy can always count on me. Always. Again, you're worth it.
Then there are the books that your mom and I have read. First we read one called The First 12 Months of Motherhood. The author had a severe lack of logic and common sense, but a hearty supply of evil. If this dimwitted ice queen can raise a child, then I'm quite certain that we can too.
Then we read a book called The Happiest Baby on the Block. This book is extremely well written. It's interesting to read, fun to discuss, and full of great information. Most importantly, it describes attributes and habits of parents who are effective at calming and comforting their babies, and building bonds of trust with them. It's reassuring to know that Mommy and I already have the right lifestyles and attitudes to serve you best.
And on the subject of books, I've noticed that several of my favorite books' authors write dedications to their families and children in the fronts of those books. This means that these people are capable of being fathers, game developers, and book authors, all at the same time. If they can do that, then can't I accomplish similar things? Of course I can. (There's an old lesson from Dr. Marsha Meredith at work here. I'll teach you that one later, buddy!)
President Franklin Roosevelt said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Is this the case with us? I believe that it is. I'm ready to be your daddy, even with all the challenges that come along with it. I love you, little guy.
Love,
Dad
Friday, June 17, 2011
Mom at 27 Weeks
Avery, dude, it's Dad. Wanna see something cool? Look at the picture below. We've been pregnant with you for 27 weeks now, and this is what your mom looks like.
See that big round belly? That's YOU in there!
27 weeks, 2 days
We had a very busy, happy weekend--so much so that I'm just now getting around to posting about it (it's Thursday now)! It will probably be the last time I travel while pregnant, as it is getting harder and more uncomfortable to do, well, a lot of things with the bigger and bigger belly holding you. Hope that doesn't sound like a complaint--it isn't, I promise :) Very happy you are in there!
Friday started with getting an elective 4D ultrasound—found a great deal to get one for just $69 at First Peek in Oak Park. It was supposed to be a 20 minute session, but since we had the first appointment of the day and no one was waiting, they went more like 30 minutes. Got a free DVD, too, so you can see it one day! Just like with the 20 week ultrasound, you started out active, then settled into a spot and didn’t want to move much. You’re still sitting on my bladder (I forgive you lol) and seem to prefer lying transverse; hopefully you will turn head down in the next few weeks. You did a few cute poses with your hands/arms at first, then, turned away for a while. The tech tried to get you to move (again, like last time), but it didn’t work, so we tried walking around for a few minutes and drinking some juice before trying again. Right towards the end of the session, you finally started moving and we got some great shots. Love the pic of you with your feet near your face—you were basically folding yourself in half! We think you look like daddy and act like him a bit, too—you were up (what seemed like) all the night before and slept in the morning. He had to actually stay up all that night to finish a project for school; perhaps you were trying to sympathize lol.
After the ultrasound, we stopped by the house to do a few things before heading to Iowa
Saturday was the big day; that morning, we printed copies of the best picture of you from the ultrasound to give to each person/family at the shower. Nearly everyone came, even cousin Darby, who had been up all the previous night with her sister Leslie, who was having a baby girl, born that morning. Darby was exhausted but happy for her sister and new niece. Grandma Judy and Grandpa Roger also joined us, which made it all the merrier—everyone from my family loves having them around, too. The only people missing from the shower were Aunt Liz (she had to work) and cousin Michael’s girlfriend Jessica (not sure why she couldn’t make it). We had an awesome time, with food, games and tons of great gifts! Daddy won the M&M’s guessing game and Nana Linda won the string-around-the-belly game.
After it was over, the weather was really beautiful, so we went for a walk at the nearby memorial gardens with daddy and Nana Linda. I’ve been trying to walk at least 30 minutes every day to help keep us (me and you) healthy, plus I enjoy walking anyhow. That evening, we went out to dinner with some of the family to Chicago Speakeasy (yum), and afterwards, we hung out with Grandma Judy and Grandpa Roger at the Prairie Meadows Casino. I came out $5 ahead, Judy came out around $20 ahead, but Roger lost some money. We had fun anyhow; there was a good band playing there and you seemed to like the music—you moved around a lot when I got close to it : )
Sunday we spent the day with just Nana. We went shopping at the mall, had lunch at Fazoli’s, and just enjoyed the rest of the time we had left at Nana’s house, chatting about you and all sorts of other things.
Monday morning, we headed to “Auntie” Suzanne’s near Kansas City
Your movements are getting stronger by the day, but still don’t follow any set pattern. I’m sure getting a lot hungrier lately, though! Am wondering if you have hit another growth spurt…time to go to bed now, at least, for me. I feel you almost every time now when I get up in the night, so I am guessing you party all night and sleep most of the day. As long as you don’t kick me hard enough to wake me, this arrangement is fine by me ;)
Love you lots,
Mommy
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Daddy's Avery Wallpaper
Hey, Avery, it's your dad again. Check this out. As soon as we had a good 3D rendering of your handsome little face, I made some wallpaper for my laptop so I could see you (and show you off) anytime I want. The picture I made it from is also the one we decided to duplicate and distribute to everyone at your first baby shower at Aunt Diane's.
Everyone says you're cute. Everyone says you look like your daddy. I suppose it's possible that both statements could be true. :)
Monday, June 6, 2011
More About Yesterday's Class
Hey, Avery,
Love,
Dad
After I posted the blog entry yesterday, I thought of some more things that you might like to know about yesterday's childbirth class. The teacher asked us a lot of questions, and here are my answers to some of them.
What is something you would like to do before the baby arrives?
I really want to get ahead on my work and studies so that I can spend all the time I possibly can with him.
What is something you've enjoyed about the pregnancy?
I've enjoyed making fun of the pregnant woman. I know it sounds mean, but I'm really just trying to lighten the mood and make some of the less pleasant aspects of pregnancy more enjoyable for both of us. She knows it's all in fun and has a great sense of humor about the whole thing.
What is something about your partner that you hope the baby inherits?
I hope he inherits the love of education and learning that we both have.
What is something you're looking forward to after the baby arrives?
I'm looking forward to sharing toys, cartoons, and so on. I still haven't outgrown them, and I'm sure my son and I will enjoy these things together.
What are you worried about?
TIME! I'm very worried about the amount of time and effort that my job and my graduate school education take. My job and academic performance are important to me, but so is my family. I'm worried about being able to balance it all, but I'm going to do my very best. I will have quality family time with my wife and son, even if it means I have to compromise somewhere else.
As you can see, there are a lot of hopes and concerns around you, little guy. But it's all for the very best reason: You are important to us and we want to give you the very best life we possibly can. After all, you could end up being one of the greatest guys in the whole universe. What makes me think so? I can back it up with reasons, and that'll be a topic for another blog entry on another day.
Later, little dude!
Love,
Dad
Sunday, June 5, 2011
You Never Stop Learning
Hey, buddy!
Your mom and I finished our childbirth class today. It was fun and interesting, but most of all, it taught us some really good ways to help you begin a happy, healthy life. We learned about birthing positions, what to expect from Mom's body when you're getting ready to come out, how I can make the process better and easier for both of you, and plenty of other useful things.
We also got to see the birthing center where you'll be born. I just kept thinking about how the sights and sounds of the place would be among the very first things you would ever see and hear. I felt good about that, because I really believe that we have chosen a wonderful place for you to enter the world. It should be a good, safe spawn point for you to begin playing this fun, exciting, challenging game of life.
I learned today that I will get the honor of being the first to change your diaper. I'll also be the first to swaddle you. Today's class taught me how to do both of those things. I'm sure these are just the beginning -- I know we'll have plenty of "firsts" together...and I hope they're more fun than that "diaper changing" bit.
But right now, my job in your life is to keep your mom healthy and comfortable so she can provide a nice buffer where you can finish "loading". Every time I touch her belly these days, I can feel you with my fingertips. You sure are a wiggly little thing! But that's good. It means you're doing just fine in there as you're getting ready to come out and meet us. We try hard to make sure that you have a happy, low-stress environment -- both before and after you're born.
It's dinner time for us now, so I'd better go see if I can help Mom get something to eat. Catch ya later, little guy. I love you.
Love,
Dad
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
25 weeks already!
Wow, three weeks since my last post--that means exactly what you might suspect--we've been busy! Since I last wrote, here are the major things that come to mind that have happened:
1. Late mother's day celebration. your grandmas were not able to come for what was the actual weekend of mother's day, so we just waited until 2 weeks later when they were able to be with us. They both remarked about how big my belly is/how pregnant I look, and I told them about how you are moving all the time, causing me to make funny faces and sounds as you insist on riding as low as possible. We all had a great time together--got a new bed put together for the guest room, ate some great meals, the moms (and mom to be (me)) got mani/pedis and massages, and laughed a lot together as always. Grandma J bought us your stroller as an early shower gift, too! Grandma L and her husband are making you a crib, but it's not ready yet. Daddy bought me/us a rocking chair to help nurse and put you to sleep. Your room is getting full!
2. I had another checkup appointment for the pregnancy. Was told that you are still right on track, got to hear your heartbeat (love that sound!) and my measurements are where they are supposed to be--all good news. We go back in 4 weeks for a gestational diabetes screening.
3. My tutoring and homeschooling kept me very occupied, but that is quite normal. Unfortunately, I hit a big snag this Sunday when the mom of the homeschool kids decided she wants to find something else :( This made me mad, sad, frustrated and disappointed. But as I will tell you many times and I am sure is true now, this happened for a reason; I may never know exactly why, but I'll move on and find the next step in the path. Very important to remain positive-minded!
4. I went garage sale-ing to find lots of great bargains to help with your arrival. I got tons of clothing in many sizes, some toys and other stuff. Also searched for and got a pack-n-play from a nice family on craigslist.
That's all for the events section, at least all I can think of for the moment. You are currently moving around like crazy this evening, and seem to be getting more active each day. Your favorite thing now seems to be kicking me just behind my right hip bone, in a way that is rather ticklish for me :) No matter what it does to me, I love feeling your movements and cannot wait to meet you! Just 15 more weeks (approximately)...
1. Late mother's day celebration. your grandmas were not able to come for what was the actual weekend of mother's day, so we just waited until 2 weeks later when they were able to be with us. They both remarked about how big my belly is/how pregnant I look, and I told them about how you are moving all the time, causing me to make funny faces and sounds as you insist on riding as low as possible. We all had a great time together--got a new bed put together for the guest room, ate some great meals, the moms (and mom to be (me)) got mani/pedis and massages, and laughed a lot together as always. Grandma J bought us your stroller as an early shower gift, too! Grandma L and her husband are making you a crib, but it's not ready yet. Daddy bought me/us a rocking chair to help nurse and put you to sleep. Your room is getting full!
2. I had another checkup appointment for the pregnancy. Was told that you are still right on track, got to hear your heartbeat (love that sound!) and my measurements are where they are supposed to be--all good news. We go back in 4 weeks for a gestational diabetes screening.
3. My tutoring and homeschooling kept me very occupied, but that is quite normal. Unfortunately, I hit a big snag this Sunday when the mom of the homeschool kids decided she wants to find something else :( This made me mad, sad, frustrated and disappointed. But as I will tell you many times and I am sure is true now, this happened for a reason; I may never know exactly why, but I'll move on and find the next step in the path. Very important to remain positive-minded!
4. I went garage sale-ing to find lots of great bargains to help with your arrival. I got tons of clothing in many sizes, some toys and other stuff. Also searched for and got a pack-n-play from a nice family on craigslist.
That's all for the events section, at least all I can think of for the moment. You are currently moving around like crazy this evening, and seem to be getting more active each day. Your favorite thing now seems to be kicking me just behind my right hip bone, in a way that is rather ticklish for me :) No matter what it does to me, I love feeling your movements and cannot wait to meet you! Just 15 more weeks (approximately)...
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
22 weeks :)
Today we reach the 22 week mark, leaving just 18 weeks until we get to meet you. Both your dad and I can hardly wait! The weather suddenly turned very hot today--temps in the mid 80's, like an early taste of summer. It's only supposed to last a few days, then back to more spring-like weather (60's during the day, etc).
You are moving a lot these days; I was saying to your dad earlier that I wish I could see what you are doing in there. Sometimes you seem to be trying to tickle me, I swear! The most movement happens when: 1. we are riding in the car on my way to tutoring appointments (or elsewhere), 2. right after I eat or drink anything, 3. when you hear music. Hope that means you like those things lol.
Since the weather has been much better lately, dad and I have been going for walks everyday, mostly in our neighborhood. We talk about how we will do this with you--first in carriers or strollers, then with you walking beside us! Lucky us, we live near lots of things, including the library, many parks with playgrounds full of kids and great playground equipment, and places to eat. I imagine taking you to the library to check out books to read together, then some time to enjoy the park, too.
I may not write here everyday, but you are a part of everyday for me/us already...
You are moving a lot these days; I was saying to your dad earlier that I wish I could see what you are doing in there. Sometimes you seem to be trying to tickle me, I swear! The most movement happens when: 1. we are riding in the car on my way to tutoring appointments (or elsewhere), 2. right after I eat or drink anything, 3. when you hear music. Hope that means you like those things lol.
Since the weather has been much better lately, dad and I have been going for walks everyday, mostly in our neighborhood. We talk about how we will do this with you--first in carriers or strollers, then with you walking beside us! Lucky us, we live near lots of things, including the library, many parks with playgrounds full of kids and great playground equipment, and places to eat. I imagine taking you to the library to check out books to read together, then some time to enjoy the park, too.
I may not write here everyday, but you are a part of everyday for me/us already...
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
21 weeks, 1 day
(note: the title indicates how far along I am in the pregnancy)
It was just 6 days ago that we got to see you on the ultrasound and find out you are a boy--it was such an exciting day! I wanted to start the blog that evening, but our (mine and your dad's) schedules were simply a bit too crowded, thus I had to wait until today. I've been able to feel you moving since I was about 14 weeks along; you moved so much during the scan that many of the printed pictures we have are a bit blurry :) I love feeling you move--it still surprises me pretty often, even though I'm more used to it now. The pregnancy has given me a mild case of heartburn lately (first time in my life for this), which is nothing compared to what some people have to put up with while they are pregnant, so I feel lucky in this respect. Every day, I think of you often and wonder what it is exactly that you are doing in there, wishing I could see you again. As far as I know, I won't get to until you are born, which is still a few months away. And yes, we love you already, very much. Your grandparents, uncle Kevin, and other relatives are also very excited about your pending arrival.
Thought you might like to know that while in utero, you have traveled a bit more than perhaps the average fetus. Besides visiting our relatives in other nearby states, you also experienced two trips to California (via plane); one was for a conference dad attended, where he bought you your first piece of clothing (a onesie), and the other was for the wedding of a friend (Justin). On that trip, you visited your first National Park, Yosemite. It was the first time any of us had been there--we thought it was gorgeous, and talked about coming back there one day with you. We hope you will love nature just like we do and that we will have lots of great experiences exploring and enjoying it as a family.
It was just 6 days ago that we got to see you on the ultrasound and find out you are a boy--it was such an exciting day! I wanted to start the blog that evening, but our (mine and your dad's) schedules were simply a bit too crowded, thus I had to wait until today. I've been able to feel you moving since I was about 14 weeks along; you moved so much during the scan that many of the printed pictures we have are a bit blurry :) I love feeling you move--it still surprises me pretty often, even though I'm more used to it now. The pregnancy has given me a mild case of heartburn lately (first time in my life for this), which is nothing compared to what some people have to put up with while they are pregnant, so I feel lucky in this respect. Every day, I think of you often and wonder what it is exactly that you are doing in there, wishing I could see you again. As far as I know, I won't get to until you are born, which is still a few months away. And yes, we love you already, very much. Your grandparents, uncle Kevin, and other relatives are also very excited about your pending arrival.
Thought you might like to know that while in utero, you have traveled a bit more than perhaps the average fetus. Besides visiting our relatives in other nearby states, you also experienced two trips to California (via plane); one was for a conference dad attended, where he bought you your first piece of clothing (a onesie), and the other was for the wedding of a friend (Justin). On that trip, you visited your first National Park, Yosemite. It was the first time any of us had been there--we thought it was gorgeous, and talked about coming back there one day with you. We hope you will love nature just like we do and that we will have lots of great experiences exploring and enjoying it as a family.
A blog for our child
This blog is going to be all about the life of our child, who has not yet arrived, but is already very loved. I find myself wishing I knew more about my life up to the point that I started to have my own memories, as well as my childhood in general. Thus, I thought blogging about this life being created and what happens once he is in the world would be a great gift to him when he is old enough to appreciate it. It shall be written in the form of a "book" addressed to him. "You" from this point on will be directed at Avery, who is supposed to arrive officially mid-September :)
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