Goodbye Swaddle, Hello Errands

Today has been a hard day so I thought there was no better way to end it than to jot down some of the thoughts that have been flowing through this Swiss cheese brain of mine these days. Robert is back to work and boy am I feeling it. I wish I had had the time and energy to write an account for those first crazy days. I believe one day I didn't eat until 3 pm and another I didn't brush my teeth until 5 pm, yikes!! I anticipated that this transition would be hard, but I honestly thought it wouldn't be as testing as it has been.

My husband has a very unusual schedule and a rather demanding job. It seems he is working about 6 days a week, and they don't seem to be consistent either. I knew this before we had a baby. I have lived with a rather erratic schedule for many years now, but that was when I was just me. It rarely bothered me that I would sometimes sleep alone, or have to partake in couples activities as a single. He loves his job, and I like my me time. But having a baby is so different. Sometimes as I am sitting in the rocking chair breastfeeding or walking laps around the living room trying to rock her sleep I miss having someone to talk to, someone that can talk back at least. Or when she is screaming because she doesn't want to go down for a nap that she really needs and I need to go to the bathroom really bad, it would be nice to be able to hand her off for a second, but I can't. With overnight shifts, mandatory overtime, training, court, and pop-up protests I find myself alone with Marilyn a lot. I am not complaining I am just a little off guard at how hard this has been.

I am a patient person. I can wait in line for a long time before getting upset, I was a pre-school teacher, and I rarely get road rage from stop and go traffic. I consider myself very patient, but having parent patience is way more intense than any DMV line or Berkeley during commute hours. It is something that I need to perfect and something that has been thoroughly tested as we have taken this new curve. It was ironic that not only were we getting used to Robert going back to work but we were also transitioning Marilyn out of a swaddle. Apparently you should only swaddle babies up to 2 months as it can cause hip joint issues if done too long, since our little monster as we playfully call her, is as tall as a 4 month old right now we knew that we could not mess around with the swaddle cut off date. However at the same time all of this was happening she began to develop some serious body movement. Her arms flail faster than Michael Phelps on most days and for a newly free sleeper this is not a good thing. Why you ask? Because imagine you can't control your arm movement and that they are flying around at warp speed as you are drifting off to sleep. Your arms are moving and they only have so many directions that they can go when you are lying flat and one of those directions is right at your face. Next add the fact that your hands are 90% of the time in a fist and you can see why this is a nasty combination.

Needless to say she didn't nap for a few days, or she would simply sleep for about 20 mins before she beat herself up enough to cry. Was her arm flailing worse because she was dependent on the swaddle? Who knows, my inclination is yes. See she slept fine without a swaddle when we first brought her home, but she slept longer in the swaddle, and while in the hospital they constantly swaddled her, so we did too. Eventually we were swaddling her for every nap and bedtime until our doctor warned us of the 2 month cut off. So here I was on the day and night shift with a baby who could not sleep, you can imagine the bags under my eyes right? One night I nursed her in bed with me and when she fell asleep, I set her flat on her back and put my arm over her arms so when they flailed they couldn't hit her. After a while I began to worry that the weight of my arm would hinder her breathing, so carefully with my free arm I stacked pillows opposite her for my arm to rest on keeping it off her chest but still blocking her arms. She slept, I caught a little shut eye, but woke with a very stiff arm. Eventually she began to flail a little less in her deep sleep, they still Phelps it up with she is not as deep, but her sleeping has become better. She even slept through the night again close to her 9 week mark!

My mom told me countless times that the biggest shock of being a parent was that you could no longer just "run in" anywhere. That every outing was like you were leaving for vacation. I rolled this off my shoulders thinking it can't be that hard, but alas I was so WRONG! When Robert and I would run errands together often times he would drive around the parking lot while I ran in to grab whatever we needed. We would strategically plan when to leave and have the car packed long before take off. At the grocery store he would have her in one cart while I darted around getting the things off the list with another cart. Now that Robert is back to work and has one day off to spend with us, the last thing we all want to be doing on that day is running errands. So I have been learning to do them on my own.

I am not going to lie I was totally scared to drive in the car with her alone. I can't see her, and no one is there to tell me that she is okay. I can recognize her different cries somewhat at this stage and couldn't fathom being in the car with a hysterical baby. I was too scared. But with the thought of errand running for our family outings looming over my head I bit the bullet strapped her in the car and did it. I needed to find a gift for Marilyn's cousin Ava's first birthday and thought the bookstore in Point Reyes would be great. I could buy the book, walk to the post office to get some stamps, get bread at the local bakery, and grab milk at the little market there. This would require that I find ONE parking space, get her out of the car ONE time, get my items done, and then drive home in one piece. Well as I embarked on this adventure I ran into some serious road construction on my usual route, the gentlemen told me I was looking at a 10min wait before I could pass, she was already fussing. I couldn't do it, 10mins of baby crying in an idle car, no thank you. I turned myself around and rethought my plans. The only other way to Point Reyes would require that I drive to Central Marin and then out to the coast making my 20min drive into more like an hour, again no thank you. So instead I decided to head up to Downtown Petaluma, inland and about a 15 min drive. There I could park equal distance between the market and the bookstore and I could pick up fresh bread at the bakery. The only thing they didn't have was the Post Office which could wait.

I got there, found the perfect spot, and strapped her in the carrier. She fussed as she usually does so I stood on the street corner bobbing up an down to get her to settle before making my way to the bookstore. I got a few funny looks, probably childless people I assumed. She made it through the bookstore and the bakery and even one antique store (her first!). As I began to walk over to the market I realized that I was way over dressed for the hot Petaluma weather, I was planning to go to Point Reyes remember, so the sweat began to set in. Of course the journey to the market was a sunny side walk with juvenile trees. I ditched my purse (in the car) and just carried my debit card as this pack horse is not well enough to be working that hard just yet. I dashed through the market like a lightening bolt grabbing the provisions I had set out to get and it was not until the check out line that she began to cry. I think it must have been a sight to see me with baby strapped on front carrying two groceries bags in wool pants and long sleeves dashing through the parking lot and down the street with sweat streaming from my forehead. I wish someone was filming me especially as I took that shortcut through the plants :) I made it to the car and she and I both were much happier when we finally separated.

It was not until we were approaching our exit on the freeway that she began to wail. You know the hysterical I need to eat right now cry. My heart races every time I hear that cry and this time was no different. And what would you guess happened next? I got stuck behind some annoying person driving 20 mph in a 35 mph zone. Really? Why do people do that? I was ready to throw my shoe at his car, but alas we made it home. I quickly unstrapped her to get her in the house and on the boob, when I realized I had milk in the car. What to do, what to do...screaming baby and milk on a hot day. I grabbed her and ran her in the house and strapped her in her chair then ran back out to the car and grabbed the groceries. Threw the milk in the fridge and whisked her away to feed. We were home, we made it, and the best thing is that I realized I could do it. I could run errands on my own and now I am getting pretty good at it. I have even made several trips in one day!

Yes, I would like a pat on the back ;)

We spent our family day having a picnic in West Marin instead of running errands. Here she is on the picnic in the carrier asleep :) She slept through her first picnic.

Robert and Marilyn catching a morning nap together. She kept scooting herself closer and closer to him until she was buried in his chest, so precious.

Giggly in the morning.

Check out those blue eyes.

So cute.

Pouting lips :)

7 Weeks

That's right it has been 7 weeks, and wow how it has flown by!! Robert is back to work today so I thought I would finally get myself to create a post. I actually created a really wonderful and long 6 week post, but there happened to be a glitch in the system and I lost every word. So tragic. Guess it wasn't meant to be. But here I am 7 weeks after giving birth to our beautiful Marilyn at it again, finally!!

Motherhood is definitely an adventure. While labor may have been the most athletic thing I have ever done, motherhood is quickly becoming the most mentally challenging thing I have ever done. I have little control and just when I think I have figured it out, a new twist comes into play. I knew this going into it, but I could never anticipate the severity of it. Our good neighbor Dave, told us countless times that "nothing is apparent, until you become a parent" and he could not be more right. Becoming a parent makes you appreciate your parents in whole new light, makes you hate people who harm children in any way more than you ever could imagine, makes you question everything around you, and makes me weepy for kids whose parents don't love and care for them like we do for our dear Marilyn. That last one physically hurts to think about. I am only 7 weeks in and I feel this, what is it going to be like at 7 years, 17 years, or 70 years (I hope I make it that long!)??

So you are probably wondering how she and we are doing, as that is the question we always get. I love it when our friends tell us that we look good for "new parents" or the lady in the bookstore who told me I look great for having such a new baby. It makes me chuckle. Is that a compliment? What did we look like before we had her? I think we are doing great. We have rough days, but really who doesn't, even without an infant? We are adjusting just fine and will continue to, there have been a few shocking things, breastfeeding, errands, and poop to name a few, but nothing we can't handle.

Marilyn is doing wonderful. She is tall (in the 98 percentile according to her Dr.), gaining weight as she should, and lately giving us some of the very best smiles. Her days consist of the basics sleep, eat, play, and potty. What a life!!

Here is a breakdown of each category to date:

Sleep - The most common complaint that you hear from new parents is how tired they are. We are tired too, but have realized that we are not necessarily getting less sleep, we are just not getting these hours together. I have been reading my sleep book over and over and over. I kid you not I have been reading the same three chapters for the entire 7 weeks. Trying to navigate the "schedule" the "signs" and the proper "soothe". For now I am refusing to let her cry it out and hope to never have to cross that bridge. The thing about parenting advice and parenting materials is there is SO much out there and everyone has their own opinion as to what the correct method is. Dr. Weissbluth recommends letting her cry it out, that she won't think I have abandoned her, but Dr. Brazelton says that a baby should NEVER cry it out. Everyone hears what they want to hear, which is why so much research is difficult to navigate but what it comes down to for me is the source. Both authors are well known doctors, both books are very well written, but one came as a recommendation from a friend (with a wonderfully well-behaved child) and the other comes from a recommendation from my college professor (I minored in child development). For this one I am trusting my college professor. How can she not think I have abandoned her if I have been so responsive to her cries and then all of sudden I stop. Granted I am 7 weeks in, but that is my stance for now.

Overall Marilyn has been very good to us in the sleep department. Early on she adopted a 5 hour nighttime stretch up for a change and feed and then down for another 3. She was taking 3 hour naps, but in the last few days they have shorten to 1-3 hours, 3-4 times a day. On her 6 week birthday she slept through the night! Of course I didn't take advantage of this because I woke up at 3:45 to Robert's snoring, then my body told me she needed to eat, and later I began to fret that she wasn't breathing in her crib. At 5:45 when she finally awoke I sprang up with relief as I had been lying there worrying she was not okay, but to afraid to check. She hasn't done it since, but we keep hoping. The last few days she was up almost every two hours, but everyone assures me that she must be having a growth spurt, apparently it throws off their sleep. Lets hope that is the case :)

Eat - Everyone lies about breastfeeding, or better yet they withhold the truth from you, and I am here to break that trend. I read countless articles, a book that is supposed to be the breastfeeding bible, and Robert and I even took a class on the subject but no one, NO ONE, tells you how hard it can be. All I heard was its natural, its an amazing bonding experience, its all your baby needs to survive and thrive. No one tells you that it hurts, that you may become sore, you may bleed, you may cry and even scream your way through it. This is exactly what happened to me, which sent us to two lactation consultants as every thing I read told me that if it hurts your baby has a bad latch or has a physical issue. Well Marilyn has a perfect latch and no physical issues and I had a horrible start with breastfeeding. I believe is was 2 am on our first night home, when Robert asked me if Safeway (which is the only place open at that time) carried formula as he watched me cry through a feeding. I refused and when they began to bleed I still refused. There was no way I was going to give my little organic baby, something that the first ingredient is corn syrup, at least not until I gave it the old college try. I have sensitive skin and found this out the hard way. Like labor I fought my way through it, but unlike labor the pain did not go away it lingered. It took about three weeks for me to feed her without screaming part way through it. What helped? A Dr.'s recipe for homemade nipple cream, time, and organic lollipops :) Robert was my biggest cheerleader, it helped that he kept telling me I was already a good mom. The easy thing to do would have been to give her formula, but I couldn't bring myself to do it and I am so glad, because now it only hurts when she first latches on, oh and of course when she decides to do the occasional bite down, yikes! Once we get going all those things that I heard about breastfeeding became true, it seems just like moms forget the pain of labor until they find themselves there again, they seem to forget the pain of breastfeeding too.

I have had a few interesting nursing experiences but I'll save those for another post.

Play - Her playtime is what we call face time. She is usually lying flat or in her leaf chair where she has been giving us these amazing smiles (check out one of the photos below) that really melt our hearts. We do "tummy time" and it has been amazing to see the strength developing in her neck. We are also reading all her wonderful books to her. She seems to enjoy the brightly colored pages and when we went through the spring bulb catalog together (yes I am starting her early) she focused on the yellow flowers. She even cooed for the daffodils with white centers. Do you remember Mike who I practiced my swaddles on? Well Mike catches her attention all the time. He lives on the bookshelf behind the rocking chair and when she is supposed to be burping I catch her stretching her neck to catch a glimpse of him. When he comes down for "play time" she stares at him very deeply, I think we found her first love.

Potty -  Someday she will dislike us for sharing the details to follow but we just can't help it. Robert and I joke that we are going to share these stories when she brings her first date home. We have named her the "projectile pooper". For the first 4 weeks or so she refused to poop in her diaper, probably because she is such a lady :) Instead she waits until Daddy has got her on the changing table and diaper is open to let it out. We are not talking about a delicate lady like release, Robert describes it as a "skunk spray". It shoots out with force often splattering all over him. It has been projected onto the wall, the closet door, Robert, me, and the adorable organic rug. It has gotten to a point now where Robert can predict it before it happens so the mess has become less, but every now and again she surprises him. When it actually happens in a diaper it is so loud, noises you would expect from a sailor, not our delicate little flower. We have nicknamed it her "skooshies", where did we get that from?  I have a tendency to nickname all sorts of funny things, Robert thinks it's a weird Aptos thing, but he is been known to do it too. We are having great success with our reusable diapers and wipes. Daddy is the laundry king and he loves the fact that we don't have to spend money on diapers. On the go we may opt for a disposable, but when did a weekend with my parents she quickly broke out with a diaper rash from the diapers and wipes. When we got home and back to our old routine it cleared up quickly. The environmentalist in me feels great that we aren't filling up the landfill and Robert thinks they are super easy too, which is great!

So the hubby left for work this evening as I was feeding Marilyn before her bedtime. After he left and I had successfully gotten her to sleep I wandered around the house and couldn't help but find myself in a unique place. 7 weeks have literally whizzed by, I can't believe it. We are turning over a new leaf, Robert with his new schedule will have to adjust to seeing Marilyn less and trying to sleep through the days, ignoring her refusals to nap. I will have to adjust to the day and night shift. If only he could get paid to stay home and we could savor all these life changing moments together everyday. If only...Well until we win the lotto I am afraid that will not happen. I will miss him late at night when he would so graciously pluck her from her crib and bring her to me to feed and then later change her and bring her back, I have been so lucky. I will also miss chatting with him as we try mercifully to get her to go to sleep and the ability to hand her off when I just need a break. He is not going to war, he will still come home everyday, but with his very unique schedule, mandatory overtime, and extra training he will not be able to give us the attention that I know he wants to. This new chapter will be hard, but together we will make it work. Hopefully I can master the errand running alone so our days "together" will not be spent running around but rather enjoying our family time.

Two days ago all smiles after our first outing just the two of us to the bookstore. This is my favorite picture so far!

4 generations

Marilyn (1 month) and Helen (99 years)

With Auntie Erica and Ralphie

At her Baptism

First trip to the beach

Cruising with Auntie Mandi and Cousin Cameron

First doctor's appt.

In her chair early on.

In her chair recently, look how she has grown!!

With her Cousin Cameron, isn't he adorable!

Another playtime with Cameron, they're almost exactly one month apart.

First shopping trip.

With Uncle Cliff.

With her Great Grandma, what a great picture!!

Everyone kept commenting on how big her feet were, so here is a close up.

A few days old :)

Catching a nap with Daddy.

Celebrating Robert's 30th we took her to her first Giants game, she was perfect!

"You fall in love with your children in a way that you have never fallen in love before. It is deep, protective, fierce, unconditional love that grows and changes. It is a powerful shift in your life when you become a parent and realize that the world is officially not about you, that you have an obligation to the community around you, to the future, to your children, and to other people's children. Welcome to parenthood-its big, you are not trained for it, it is unpaid weary labor, and yet it is one of the most powerful, transformative journeys of your life." - Big Book of Birth  

So well said. 

XOXO

Our Birth Story

I'll never forget the first time that I rode the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I was tall enough for the ride so that meant that I "should" ride it. I don't recall if it was the first roller coaster that I rode or even how old I was but it is the only one that stands out in my mind. Maybe it is because it was the "Giant Dipper" or perhaps it is because my great grandfather was one of the very first to ride it making it feel like a familiar obligation. I had no fear as I waited in what seemed to be an endless line, anticipating it to be fun and no big deal, tons of people ride it year after year and everyone loves roller coasters. As the roller coaster rode slowly up the first and largest peak the whole Boardwalk/wharf area came into view, my stomach began to tighten as I realized what I had gotten myself into. A fear began to boil in me and I quickly understood there was no turning back, that in this moment I had no other choice but to go forward. As I leaned over the side of our bed fighting my way through a contraction this memory came to mind. After all this waiting we were finally here, and there was definitely no slowing down and certainly no looking back.

My contractions began at 2:33 am, yes 2:33. I was awoken after falling asleep at 12:30 to a rolling rush that I had never experienced before solidifying that this was the real thing. Robert had just begun to get ready for bed when I informed him that it was time, he never did catch any sleep. They began at 30 min apart but a certain excitement and anticipation came over me making it impossible to go back to sleep. They were not necessarily painful at this point but rather shocking as there is no way to describe that feeling. I took a shower which was both soothing and seemed to escalate them as they came closer together after that point. The doctor and our birthing coach told us not to go to the hospital until the contractions reached the 5-1-1 point. Five minutes apart, last a minute long, and had gone on for one hour, so time is what I had. As Robert tried to catch some shut-eye, I messed around on one of my guilty pleasures, Pinterest, until I was too uncomfortable to sit any longer. It was at this point that the Giant Dipper came to mind. That anxiety of "oh my this is really happening and I no longer have any control" came over me and I am not going to lie made me feel nervous. This was the first and only time during this whole pregnancy that I was nervous about giving birth. Thankfully all the chaos made it so my mind was not able to focus on these nerves for very long.

When my contractions reached 8 min apart at 6 am I began to bleed and that scared me, so Robert quickly got on the phone with labor and delivery to make sure everything was okay, which it was. They told us to relax and call back when the contractions were closer together, like 4 min apart. We tried to relax, we ate and put together the last items to pack for the hospital. Around 7 am Robert took Jessie (his working dog) to the kennel to board her while we were away. While he was gone I got dressed and fixed my hair, as my contractions got stronger. They varied between 3-5 min apart but they never lasted a minute long, the longest being 45 sec. When Robert returned he called the hospital again to check in and expressed a nervousness we had about being stuck in commute traffic, the nurse told us to go ahead and come in. The anticipation rose, we were off.

Of course baby had to come on the only rainy day in June at commute time and just after the commute lane to the city had closed. Robert asked me to let him know if he needed to drive on the left hand shoulder as he was fully prepared to do so, thankfully it never came to that. My contractions were much more intense and now very painful, sitting in the car did not make this any easier. I couldn't help but think of what the other people stuck in Tuesdays traffic thought of my grimacing faces and horse lips. In all the excitement and rushes we both had forgotten all the breathing techniques that we had learned in our classes except for the horse lips and squeezing of the hips - which came later. Horse lips is basically when you push air through your lips making a horse noise, you probably have done this for a child or as a child while pretending to be the animal. This act was SO helpful for me to manage the pain. It sounds so silly but the vibration of my lips and face really alleviated some of the pain and stress I was feeling below. Slowly but surely we made it to the hospital, through security, and into the waiting room at about 9:30 am. We waited for what seemed like forever, I began to wonder if they had forgotten about us. My contractions were so intense I began to wonder (not seriously) if I would survive. I sort of had a poor me moment in my head. Robert was doing his best to help by reminding me to breath and pressing hard on my hips through the contractions. Finally our nurse came and escorted us to our room.

I de-robed and was hooked up to monitors to listen to the babies heart beat and track my contractions. I shared my birth plan with the nurse and as she asked me about pain relief I found myself doubting my strength when I uttered "I am going to try" when asked about my desire to do this au naturale; I could see the brief moment of confusion on Robert's face. The thought of bearing those contractions for 36 hours seemed a bit overwhelming. The nurse then checked me and found that I was dilated 4 cm. I was careful not to express it but I was pissed when I heard I was only 4 cm!! I needed to get to 10 and I had been 2.5 at my last doctors appt a week ago. I had heard that it took on average of an hour per cm so you can imagine my disappointment. The nurse informed us that they would check us again in an hour and depending how far along I was I would be given the opportunity to stay or go back home. WHAT??!! Go home? There was no way! I was having this baby. I was not going home, we wouldn't make it home, it was raining and traffic was a mess. I couldn't sit so I continued to stand rocking back and forth, breathing like a horse, with Robert squeezing my hips with all his might through each contraction.

An hour passed, but it felt more like 15 min to me, the doctor came in to check me and I had progressed from 4 to 7 cm. I was so ecstatic! They hooked me up to the IV to begin the process of the antibiotics for the Strep B that I had. I can say confidently that this was more difficult for me to bear than my contractions at this point. I complained many times about the pain in my hand from the IV throughout my labor, I really wish that this did not have to be apart of our special day, but alas it was. Robert requested a birthing ball for me as we had heard that this was a helpful position for many laboring women. I sat on that thing for about a min before it got the reject button. I couldn't sit. I stood and rocked back and forth with Robert squeezing my hips as hard as he could through my contractions all the while breathing like a horse. And then they changed.

Not only did my contractions get even more intense but I began to feel this crazy amount of pressure down under. It was like my body was pushing without me. Robert quickly called the nurse in to check on me. Back on the bed I went, she found that I was 8.5 cm. She knew what she was doing, but I like to think I know my body, and the first thing I thought was she was wrong. Back to standing I went and then had a sudden urge for a bowel movement, Robert helped me quickly roll my equipment close to the door and shut me in. As soon as I sat on the toilet my water broke. They really should describe this as exploding not breaking. I felt like a canon had just shot a water balloon out of me. Luckily I was on the toilet, less mess for everyone. Robert called the nurse in and he helped me out of the bathroom while she tried to determine if the water was normal. At this point the Dr. was in the room with us and was giving kudos on how we had progressed. She said she would return in a 1/2 hour to check on us when I muttered "I feel like it is coming now" Robert made sure she heard me. Back on the bed I went and she took one look and said "you're right". A feeling of relief came over me.

This sounds weird but your body doesn't need you, it starts pushing the baby out without you. It took three contractions, three pushes, and ten minutes to push our baby out. That primate lady you saw a couple of weeks ago was there. My horse breaths were so intense that spit was flying everywhere, and I let out a few screams which helped alleviate the pain tremendously. After the first push the Dr. asked us if we would like to touch the head, Robert and I both declined, I didn't want to dilly dally I wanted this baby out! Two more pushes I could feel the head come out and then the shoulders and then the rest seemed to just slip out painlessly. At 12:47 pm out baby came and as they were placing baby on my tummy I called out "it's a girl!!". It was amazing. Robert and I quickly apologized to Marilyn for calling her a boy all this time. She came out screaming letting us know she was no boy! They wiped her on my belly as I de-robed quickly to take advantage of those first skin to skin moments. It was all so beautiful. I didn't cry then, but I well up in tears thinking about it now.

Labor was hard. It burned just like everyone said it would.  It was by far the most athletic thing I have ever done. I feel now like there is nothing I cannot do. It was quick, intervention free, and uncomplicated, just as we had hoped. (so quick in fact that IV they hooked me up to didn't have time to get into my system, what a waste) Robert accredits this to the fact that I took such good care of myself throughout my pregnancy eating well, exercising often, and educating myself. I agree that this was a major contributor, but I also have to give him credit too. I wouldn't have been able to do all of that without his support. Even though there were times in that delivery room where I could tell he felt helpless, his support and belief in me gave me great confidence through this journey. I read many stories about women who had hidden stresses, communication issues, and insecurities that bogged them down during labor, making it difficult for them to get fully dilated. I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful and supportive husband who is an amazing communicator.

Marilyn Louise arrived on Tuesday June 25th at 12:47 pm. She was 8 lbs 7 oz and 21 inches long. Every ache, pain, lost minute of sleep, swelling, etc has been so worth it. She is a blessing and we could not be happier. We are enjoying our little one tremendously and soaking up every moment.

We are home and settled. If you would like to visit please let us know.

XOXO

Our first picture and the beginning of our breastfeeding adventure

Proud Dad.

We're a family.

First examination.

Eye treatment time.

Proud Grandparents.

The grandma's and I with the bag of chips I immediately went for after labor, can't remember the last time I ate Lays :)

Grandma Lisa with Marilyn. Probably the best picture my Mom has ever taken.

A nervous future Auntie.

Uncle Patrick and Daddy looking very happy.

The cousins!

Hayley & Marilyn.

Kelly & Marilyn.

Tarah & Marilyn.

Daddy changing his first diaper.

First bath.

Asleep on Daddy's chest.

Having her hearing tested.

Daddy and Marilyn catching a snooze in the hospital.

Our journey home from the hospital. I was so nervous about her head in the carseat we used Robert's shirt to prop it up. She slept the whole drive home :)

Happy 4th of July!!!

We are getting settled and will share our birth story soon. Hope you have a wonderful holiday!!

Past Due

Here we are 3 days over due. I have had some contractions but they are not in rhythm yet so more waiting is what we shall do. Our "due date" was Wednesday and we spent the day celebrating Father's Day, which consisted of sleeping in, sweatpants, coffee, burgers, doggy-time, and an action film. I managed to adorn some onesies during the film to keep myself from getting too antsy. Aren't they cute? I used fabric scraps, embroidery thread, and some buttons I had laying around to adorn some organic onesies I picked up for $4 each, what a bargain! 

Thanks Baby Gerrans for waiting until after Bobby & Kiren's wedding, but now you can come anytime!! Daddy got to be a groomsmen last night and he looked adorable in his tux (pic below). We unfortunately did not catch any photos of the two of us, but that is because we had such a great time eating spicy Indian food and partaking in some exciting Indian dancing. Loved it! Mom's feet were such a sight we nearly cried from laughing so hard once we got in the car. Have you seen Shallow Hal? Think of Gwyneth's feet in that movie, that is what mine looked like. We took a photo but its not making it to the blog today.

I have been eating spicy food, walking, eating pineapple, drinking raspberry leaf tea, rocking in the rocking chair, but still no baby. I am SOOOOO ready. Getting up, sitting down, standing, and sleeping are all difficult and my feet, oh my feet, are so swollen all the time. Sometimes I feel as if they will explode. I was hoping the full moon would pull baby out, but alas that has not worked so far, I guess I have a few more hours :) If baby does not arrive by Wednesday, I might drive to Walnut Creek for some "Prego Pizza" which is famous for inducing labor.

I am dilated 2.5 cm and 75% effaced and the doctor seemed pretty confident that we won't make it to our next appointment (Wednesday the 26th), but the anticipation is driving us all a little crazy. It is funny how you spend so much time prepping and planning for this moment and when it comes close there is little you can do other than wait. I can't think of anything else in life that is like this, I literally have no control and that is a bit bizarre. Every baby comes out so it is just a matter of time.....we'll keep you posted!!

xoxo

A fish.

An apple.

A bunny.

A turtle with glasses?

Daddy-to-be in his tux before the wedding.

Here I am on the due date, looking exhausted, swollen, and so ready for Baby's arrival.