A Peaceful Day

With work just around the corner (tomorrow) for dad, The day is setting out to be nice and relaxing for the family. The girls are trying to catch up on a few zzz's while Jacob rocks away in his swing and dad is working a tad from home to make up for an extra day that was taken because of the day we were sent home last week.

It was a peaceful night, or as much as it can be with a 5-day old. Now that Jacob is beginning to come out of his "newborn funk" a bit, we are thinking that we may need to be working on watching / flipping his days and nights or at least be aware of the potential need.

Mom is definitely stealing a few moments for a few extra zzz's while Jacob doesn't seem to mind. Although, it may be somewhat short lived as dad will probably intervene so we can be sure to get Jacob the nutrients he needs.

So today should be a peaceful and relaxing day. The sun is shining while it is getting warmer, especially for an October day in Michigan... Did I just type that? Ocotober? ...and it is supposed to be 80 degerees? We may actually get out and enjoy a quick walk to the corner or something to enjoy the fresh air, but only time will tell with what the days events will have for us as we take life an hour at a time these days...

A Rought Night

Grandma was nice enough to bring some food yesterday for us. She knew that Amy has enjoyed this entree in the past and something we generally don't make... Stuffed green peppers. This was a great food to eat in theory, but maybe not in reality...

Something we didn't think about until 4 am (3 hours after Jacob was a "little" uncosoleable) was the fact that green peppers make Amy and most people a little more "gassy". Not thinking about this, of course, Jacob would be a little/a lot gassy too!! ...and boy was he!! Fortunately, after trying to calm him down for a number of hours, Amy remembered getting some "gas relief drops" at a shower from Sam. Sam is our "A++++++" friend!!! and is a true sleep saver!!! Unfortunately, this is one bit of advice that we forgot about until the wee hours of the morning.

We have been trying not to give Jacob a pacifier too much if at all so that there isn't any possibility of "nipple confusion". This is one topic that has many different opinions that are widely varied, even amongst the professionals. However, we did feel it was okay to give him one on as needed. We had been using the hospital pacifier, but it has lost some affect so Amy decided to open a new one and sterilize it in the middle of our "tour". What an ordeal... Who would have thought that boiling water for 5 minutes would cause such drama... The smoke alarm was going off for some reason. We think it was because of the plastic smell or something...

Frankie is hanging in there like her parents. Fortunately, I think we look better than she does... The picture of Frankie is actually before our "tour of duty", but she has been able to get a little sleep since...

First Bath At Home

Mom did a great job with only a little bit of dad's help for Jacob's first bath (dad had to take pictures of course...). It was done in no time, but if you ask Jacob, it took hours. Jacob was wide awake through the whole big ordeal. His reward is "latching on" for a job well done!

A Big Day Out!

The first full day at home started out as a pretty easy one. Dad worked out in the yard getting the leaves picked up and the lawn mowed because he heard that rain was going to be here by noon. The lawn had needed to be done before all of the weekend's events, but there were other priorities... So now was the time! Then it was time to rustle up the crew and get them ready for a trip to the pediatrician.

While mom was in the shower getting ready, dad quickly sprang into action to get Jacob ready for the big day. Oh what to wear?!?!... After digging through many different size clothes in his drawer, some newborn clothes were found. Okay, so I grabbed the first pair of pants that were newborn and threw them on! They are really big on him as he did lose some weight after he was born. He dropped down to 6 lbs, 11 oz at discharge. So, we loaded up the truck and we moved to the pediatrician...

Upon our arrival and knowing we had a 3-day old, we were quickly swept away to a cubby hole called vision. Then the doctor's entourage came in one by one to check out how cute their newest patient is. The oohs and aahs were just a flowin'! making mom and dad pround parents. We waited for a little bit before heading to the "bug room".


Now for the "bug room". The assistant came in and got Jacob naked, well, I jumped in and got him naked. Some discussion began and events were noted. It wasn't too long before the question came out... "Is this your first?", I replied with yes and she said, "You get the Good Dad Award, how do you know so much already?" I simply shrugged my shoulders and said I don't know, I just pay attention and listen to things I guess... We weighed Jacob and he was 6 lbs, 13-1/2 oz which was good news for us. He had lost almost too much weight in the hospital and was/is a concern we are watching. Losing weight in the first week is normal, but this was almost too much. It was thought to also be a contributor to the jaundice.


Next was the doctor. She came in and did her examinations and Jacob passed with flying colors, except for the persistent jaundice that had developed. We were then told that they wanted to do some blood work and needed to go to the hospital for it. She wanted us to get it done pretty much right away so that we could get the results back before the end of the day. She noted that she would not be concerned if his billirubin level was less than 15 for his age. So, we loaded up once again, fed Jacob in the car and then were off to the hospital for some blood work.

The hospital visit went well. We were taken back in a relatively quick motion to get the prick. It was noted that it might be a little slower because they just took back another newborn. We went back and they put a warm compress on Jacob's heel to warm it up to make the draw go better. Jacob was a real trooper and didn't mind it at all. However, I did step between mom and Jacob so that she couldn't see what was going on. There was barely a peep from Jacob, but definite tears from mom. She blamed it on hormones and all was good.
The doctor called us at about dinner time to say that Jacob's level was 9.1 and is fine. She was not concerned with this level for his age and doesn't see a need to recheck him or see a need for a visit before his two week appointment.

So, it was a big first full day at home!! After getting home late afternoon, we were greeted with food from Grandma. It was very nice and much appreciated. She also took care of Jacob for a little bit so that I/we were able to do a few more things around the house that I hadn't been able to get to yet.

Stay tuned for more drama in the newborn household... :-D!! It's all good!!

First Night At Home!

We made it through the first night without too many battle scars. Actually, it was pretty uneventful for the most part. I forced mom to give up Jacob for a while and lay down to rest in the early evening. She really didn't want to, but she needed to get some much needed sleep. It wasn't long before she was bringing down the house with her "breathing" ;)! I was on the loveseat with Jacob when she went to sleep. She woke up abruptly for some reason and noticed that we weren't where we were when she went to sleep. I was waving to her from the dining room to let her know where I was at. She was still frantic wanting to know where Jacob was. I told her everything is alright as he is here with me. It took her a few moments to settle down, but she did...

We went to bed around 11 pm. This was a little stresful for mom because she knew she needed to leave her comfort zone. Mom was pretty much only in the living, except to go to the bathroom all day. The next big was a big step as there was no comfort zone like at the hospital because Jacob was in the nursery as "feed on demand" which gave her 5 hours one night and 6 the next for Jacob to be in the nursery. Now, she/we were on our own. It was a little struggle to get her to go, but "Brothers And Sisters" was almost over, so she gave in. I went upstairs to do a few things to prepare and her mom sniffling at the bottom of the stairs with Jacob. I told her not to worry, everything was alright and that I would come down and get Jacob so that she could focus on herself. This was the first time she had to go up the stairs since she had been home. I got Jacob ready for bed and had him in the basinette/play pen all ready for the night before mom even got to the bedroom. Mom checked around looking for something to do, but everything was already taken care of. So, there was nothing else to do, but to get into bed.

There was only one little glitch in the night. We were both sleeping pretty soundly. Frankie started making a little noise which I didn't think was a big deal. However, mom thought it was Jacob and bolted to the end of the bed to check on our son. Of course, this really startled me and I did the same only to find that everything was okay and that we could go back to bed.

Mom was up much of the night just holding Jacob and cuddling with him. She was able to get about 3-4 hours of sleep and that's about what I was able to get too. So, for the most part our first night was probably about as easy as it could go and we weren't too paranoid...

Jacob And Mom Are Home!!!

Jacob and mom have made it home. Both are doing well. Mom is sore, but resting comfortably. Although, I may need to sit on her shortly because she is talking about doing a lot and doesn't need to be.

We will be making a trip to the pediatrician tomorrow. Jacob lost almost a 1/2 pound and is down to 6lbs 11oz. It is normal to lose about 10% and is okay, but his weight loss is causing a little jaundice so we are going to the pediatrician a little sooner. Other than that, everyone is fine and safe at home!!

Coming Home Today?!?!

Today should be the day that mom and baby come home for the first time! The pediatrician and OB/GYN should both be in this morning to check out mom and baby.

Mom was pretty sore yesterday, but was able to get a totally awesome nurse that made all of Amy's ailments seem to just float away. It made the night nurses look like they weren't very competent considering everything. Yes, Amy did tough it out unncessarily, but I think now she knows that she shouldn't be. She did have a bout of dizziness that was of a concern, but she is okay and doing well now (or at least when I left about 10:30 last night). Amy's favorite nurse will be back this morning and hopefully be our nurse again. She will be able to give us the rundown on the taking Jacob home before we hopefully leave today.

Jacob checked out okay by the pediatrician yesterday, but he did/does have a little jaundice. It is 0.2 which is something I guess they are watching, but not concerned with. We didn't even know he had any until the pediatrician looked at his chart and mentioned it. He noted that the jaundice needed to be at a 3-4 before we could see it, so nothing to worry about. It was nothing to worry about in mind already since we couldn't see it and didn't think it was even worth discussing.... Guess that's why Amy and I aren't doctors... ;)! Oh, Jacob is now breastfeeding GREAT!! He was falling asleep A LOT, but wouldn't you know it... When I wanted to leave after he was done last night, he just kept going and going and going... I think he has a sixth, seventh and eighth sense about his mommy and daddy already... LOL!!

I will be leaving here soon and am hoping to be at the hospital before 7. The day REALLY started yesterday at 8:15 with people literally lined up waiting to see us. Mom and I were a little overwhelmed and didn't really remember who came in. Some of them are coming back today because there was just too much going on at the time yesterday, partly because this is when Amy was having her bout with dizziness.

So, today should be the day that our new family will all be arriving home together for the first time!!! Let our new life begin!!! :-D!

Will The Blog Continue?

Many have asked the question if we will be maintaining the blog now that Jacob has arrived. The answer is simply, yes. We have grandparents, relatives and friends that are not close to us in distance, but are close in relation. I/we have had fun sharing many of the events leading up to the birth of our child and are looking forward to sharing pictures, video and stories with you in the future. We hope you have enjoyed checking the blog to either check and see what we have been up to or to get a good giggle and maybe even both. The silly antics, the anxiety of our experiences or just the plain 'ol fun... Not to mention that I really need to proofread these before I post (spelling errors, missing words, extra words... LOL!) My mom has even gotten a new computer and is looking at getting even more up-to-date with getting the internet. Something that she has talked about since I gave her a computer a number of years ago and really even before that. I guess it just takes a first grandchild to put that into motion... ;)! It didn't take long after she was told that if she were to get into the "technology craze", she would be sent pictures and could access the blog just like all of you.

So, yes, we will be keeping the blog going. It is sort of an online scrapbook...

Why Am I Up Now?

It is now 5:44 am on Saturday... I'm at home and it is less than 24 hours after the birth of our son. You are probably saying to yourself, "Why is that fool up now when he could be getting a good nights rest?" It's pretty simple, my wife and baby are not here and the only place there are pictures or the ability to see them is online. I simply woke up and my mind starting thinking about the events of yesterday and how I would like to be back at the hospital. At the same time, I am sitting with Frankie and making sure she is okay and getting rid of some energy as she had a long day yesterday as well with hardly no one around... It is still too early to head back to the hospital because hopefully mom and baby are still sleeping. We decided it was best for me to come home and tend to our pet while we allowed Jacob to go to the nursery for the night. This was to allow mom to get some rest and not feel the need to be up all night with him. He is in the nursery and is "feed on demand" and will be brought to the room if mom is needed for a feeding.

So, here I am checking out the pictures of yesterday, feeling the present and looking forward to the future...

Jacob Daniel Has Arrived!!

Jacob Daniel arrived at 12:03 pm. Mom and baby are doing extremely well. Mom is currently sleeping soundly and the baby is in the nursery. He is about 35 minutes old in the picture.

Other stats: 7 pounds, 2 ounces; 20-1/4 inches long.

E-mail announcement to follow later...

Pictures from Aunt Abby...

Almost Time To Go... Again!!

As the time approaches for us to leave for the hospital once again, we are "trying" to get some much needed last minute sleep. Amy was able to get some sleep yesterday afternoon and some last night. She is only resting now as the alarm is set to go off in the next 1/2 hour or so.

We are hoping that we have much better luck today and the hospital is not full. We were guaranteed that we would not be sent home today, but as we found out yesterday, things do happen. Hence we are still a little concerned, but optimistic.

A Depressing And VERY Frustrating Day!!

The morning was off to a great start, we woke up and got to the hospital on time (6 am). We checked in, got the the monitors hooked up and things were rolling right along. At about 7:30 or so Amy needed to go to the bathroom and was unhooked and went to the bathroom across the aisle. While in there, our doctor showed up to say good morning and check on Amy. Amy heard him while she was in the bathroom and was relieved and excited that she heard his voice. The doctor let me know of a concern about how the day migh play out and left…

As Amy was coming back across the aisle, she heard a woman say something about the possibility of sending an induction patient home. Her eyes were instantly very much bigger than her head as she exclaimed “They aren’t talking about me are they?!?!” I didn’t want to be the one to tell her about the possibility, but I was not given the choice. I had to tell her that they were talking about us and there was a chance of us being sent own. Fortunately, our doctor came back and filled us in and how he was lobbying for us to stay.

After about 45 minutes or so, one of the managers of the unit came and said that we could stay or go home. After much discussion and her reevaluation of the hospital’s status, we are being sent home. We were discharged form the hospital due to the hospital not having any post partum beds available for us. We have been guaranteed that we will be in an LDR room with an IV and pitocin going in by 7 am tomorrow morning or the manager told us that we could/should fire her. She will be there at 7 am to check and be sure that this is the case.

Amy is on her way home as I sit her and wait for my mom to arrive at the hospital since her cell phone isn’t working and she has already left the house. We will be back here tomorrow bright and early at 6 am, to once again be induced and have our child. Needless to say, one of Amy worst fears has come true and we have been sent home and she feels like she has let people down. I have told her that there is nothing that we can do about it and everyone understands. There is nothing that we did wrong or could have changed. We just need to relax and hopefully get some rest tonight so that we can bring our child into this world tomorrow…

Induction Day!!

Here we are getting ready to bring our child into the world. Mom was able to only get a couple hours of sleep, but is ready to go, once she takes a shower. Stay tuned for what we have all been waiting for...

Have you ever gone into a local pub and when you open the door the whole bar turns and stares at you? Well, Amy and I went out to celebrate our last official dinner as a dink couple (dual income, no kids) and this is exactly what happened at the neighborhood Big Boy. Jaws dropped and you could see stares and lips mouthing "oh my god". You would think they never saw a pregnant woman before... It probably didn't help when the waitress asked Amy when she was due and she said tomorrow. The waitress immediately said "You're kidding!!!" and Amy replied "No!" The waitress said, "Well, don't break your water in here..." At least we were able to satisfy Amy's latest craving for Big Boy spaghetti. It was a very romantic dinner... ;)!

Today has been a bittersweet day... As we anticipate bringing a new being into our lives, we are saying goodbye to another. Amy's stepmother's dad passed away around noon today after a short 'bout with cancer. We are deeply saddened by his passing. This makes an even bigger void for our little one to fill as Amy's Uncle Larry's girlfriend also passed away suddenly within the past few weeks...

So, now we are sitting here contemplating tomorrow's events along with a new life with our son. Of course, we are doing this while watching the results show for 'Dancing With The Stars'. This may be the last time that we can do it and stay awake or not get pulled away due to a dirty diaper or some other "infant" reason. One of the big things that Amy is contemplating / envisioning for tomorrow is our son swaddled up on her chest while she watches the season premiere of 'Grey's Anatomy'. Quite the picture, eh? Just in case that tomorrow's events run long, she is taping it for her own mental security... ;)!! LOL!!

We will be at the hospital tomorrw at 6:00 am to get the new adventure started. We do not know for certain in which direction our adventure will traverse, but we do know how it will end... Holding our baby son between us staring into his eyes in awe...

Thursday 9/27/07 Birthdate?!?!

If our little boy doesn't arrive soon, he will be forced out of his safe haven this week. Amy is scheduled to be induced on Thursday this week. Yes, only a couple of days away. Last minute things are being done around the house like putting the knobs on the closet doors, attached the changing pad to the dresser, putting baby wipes in the carrying cases and warmer, etc.

Amy is getting a little anxious about the whole day and time leading into Thursday. I think we would both prefer it to still be a surprise and are secretly hoping that we will still go in on our own. I'm sure it would relieve much of the anxiety that Amy is now feeling because we now know when it is going to happen and can't avoid it. Of course, this is all new to us and we are taking it in stride. We could be waiting three more weeks and still have the need to induce. Given Amy's health, she has done a GREAT job in keeping our little guy healthy and growing, so their is no need to further stress her body when our little guy is basically fully cooked!! (not by the button though... ;)! ) You might say that she has created quite the little haven for him and he is just comfortable in there. To put everything in perspective, our due date isn't for close to another week...

I will let you know when the little guy arrives as soon as everyone is cleaned up, stable and I can steal a few moments away from the excitement of becoming parents for the first time!!