Ok, before I forget:
I also have a story to tell about using the internet to track down long-lost friends and family, but that’s for another day. One when I am more cohearant.
BTW, If your last name is Dunn, and you received an email from me Thursday night in which I mentioned this blog, HIYA! Hope to hear from you soon!
Edited on Oct 1st 2004, 11:23 by Hooloovoo
Justin has been with us a week as of today. Here are a few things I’ve learned about being a dad so far. (Some lessons just need to be learned the hard way.)
The first time your baby does anything, (even urinate on you,) it’s cute.
If you don’t find it cute, you’ll at least be relieved that all the plumbing is working.
By the fourth time, its no longer cute. It’s not a big deal either.
Baby’s poop. ALOT.
When you think it’s time to change a diaper, (unless you can see the mess already) wait 5 minutes, you’ll be glad you did.
Always have the clean diaper ready to go BEFORE you take the dirty one off.
If you have a little boy, position him so the “business” end is not pointed at you. (Don’t worry, he’ll manage to get you anyway.)
Happiness is a sleeping baby.
Take naps whenever you can, but don’t forget to let your wife take them too.
You can spend hours watching him sleep. (But this time might be better used for napping)
Don’t forget to make time for the other members of your household. (Your wife, the cats, the computer…)
If friends or family call wanting to know if you’re up for visitors, say yes. (Especially if they offer to go to the store for you.) You’ll be glad for the distraction, and they’ll understand when you need to kick them out.
When you go visiting, don’t forget to bring a change of clothes for yourself, too.
The “Pause” button is your friend. (I imagine TiVo would be too, if I had it.)
You will do alot of laundry.
No matter what you do, sometimes the baby just wants Mommy.
Don’t forget about day to day things: paying bills, checking the mail, cleaning the litterbox, grocery shopping.
Not to steal anyone’s thunder, but it looks like Justin might be saying hello to the world very soon. And on his due-date, no less. (Already taking after his dad, *dopeygrin*)
Jenny passed her mucous plug about 8:30am yesterday. She began having contractions around 1:00am this morning. Jenny called the birthing center, and we started timing them about 3:45 (as they began to get closer together.) It is now about 5:00am, and her contractions are currrently 15-20 minutes apart.
The hospital doesn’t want us to come in untill her contractions have been 5-6 minutes apart for an hour, or her water breaks, or if the baby appears to be distressed. None of those things has happened yet, so there isn’t much for me to do but push the button on the stopwatch when she says “I’m having another one” (which just happened – 11:12 need a few more data points to see if they’re really getting closer together or not.)
I don’t know whether or not I’ll have a chance to update this before we go to the hospital, but I’ll try to keep everyone informed.
I’m going to quit typing now and go give my wife some support and encouragement, (and a backrub.)
really wants to put this in announcements – but knows that’s category is for site/server related news.
So I’m sitting at work trying to get a petulent machine to cooperate when my cell phone rings.
I think to myself: “Is that Jenny? Is it time? Do I need to leave so I can take her to the Hospital?”
No, just some friends of ours making sure that I can still check on thier cats while they’re camping next week.
Edited on Aug 14th 2004, 06:33 by Hooloovoo
I had an infant and child CPR class today. 4hrs – non certification. I think it went rather well, once I figured out when and where the class was being held. (Heck I even got there *almost* on time. All I missed was the instructor introducing herself.)
I only had about 4hrs of sleep last night, (this morning if you want to pick nits,) and an 1.5 hr nap between getting home from the class and leaving for work. I’m really starting to feel it now. Caffinated beverages (and a quiet lab full of machines behaving themselves) are my friends.
Tomorrow has been decreed a day of cleansing. The house will be ready for a baby to be brought home. So it was written, so it shall come to be.
And lest I forget, the Wierd Al concert is tomorrow evening, yay! All work and no play (and no sleep) makes Hool a grumpy father-to-be.
Ok, enough rambling.
Edited on Aug 8th 2004, 05:34 by Hooloovoo
At our most recent appointment, (I’ve only missed one so far) the OBGYN informed us that while she’d prefer at least one more week, she’s comfortable with delivering the baby should Jenny go into labor at any point moving forward. She’s also comforable inducing at this point if there are signs of fetal distress.
“The only reason you’re still pregnant at this point is becuase both you and the baby are doing fine.” I believe was what she said. (The “You” in this case obviously being Jenny. My health, while important, has no direct affect on the course of the pregnancy.)
So the doctor is ready. Jenny’s almost ready (I think she’s tired of being pregnant, but still feels like there are things we need to do.) I think I’m good to go (mostly.) We have a car seat, we have a crib, we have baby clothes, and blankets, and diaper wipes, (but we need diapers,) and what seems like a million other baby-type accessories. We finished lamaz, I’m taking an infant CPR class next Saturday, and the hospital bag is (almost) packed.
There is still a lot to do around the house. We’ve resigned ourselves to the fact that the crib is going to be in our room at first. The computer/craft/storage room is nowhere near ready to be called “nursery” but it’s (slowly) starting to get there.
The due date is still August 28th. (Actual delivery date subject to change with no notice. Most first babies are late.)
Jenny and I are hoping for at LEAST one more week (I’ve got CPR Sautrday, we have tickets to the Wierd Al concert next Sunday, and we still have stuff to do around the house before we’ll really feel ready.)
My mother is hoping Justin is born on, or before, the 23rd (She wants a Leo in order to complete her Fire-Sign Trinity. My Father was an Aries, and I’m a Sagittarius.)
I think it would be cool if Justin was born on his due date (as I was) since it’s not that common.
There have been several people (including our new upstairs neighbor) say that it doesn’t look like Justin’s going to wait for his due date. (Hey, the fire sign thing is pretty cool, too.)
I’m just rambling at this point. Excited and nervous and and a bit overwhelmed by how much we still need to get done.
AAK!
Mentioned briefly in my previous post, Jenny and I have decided on a name for Duckling:
[Spoilers] Justin Douglas Belknap [/Spoilers]
What, you thought I was going to make it easy on you? Nope – clicky clicky to find out 🙂
Jenny’s been feeling Duckling moving around a lot more lately. (I’ve even been able to feel him move a couple of times – if I’m patient enough)
This morning I was sitting across the room from my wife, when Duckling kicked a few times. Not only could Jenny feel it, but today was the first time we could actually see it, too! It was neat to watch, and especially reassuring considering how we spent Saturday night.
Saturday night, Jenny and I did not have a nice peaceful dinner at home like we planned. Instead, we discovered just how long it takes to drive from home to the hospital we’re planning to deliver in. (About 25 minutes door-to-door in medium-light traffic.) We also got a “dry-run” of the check-in procedure and a look at the birthing center. All very good things. I just wish we hadn’t have needed to do all that this weekend.
The sudden change in plans was brought on by some abnormal bleeding. When Jenny called the after-hours number for her OB-GYN, they wanted her to come down immediately for an evaluation. We were worried, (obviously) but the hospital staff was wonderful, everything worked out, and mom and baby are both okay.
I feel really good about the place – and the doctor – we’ve picked out.
Jenny had her 20wk lvl 2 sonogram last Monday. Duckling is healthy, developing normally, and quite plainly male. (That last bit took the technician a while to determine, as duckling was not being overly cooperative.)
We have a 5 minute VHS video capture of part of the sonogram. We’ve subjected my parents too it already, Jenny’s parents are coming down Sunday to see it, and a few friends have expressed an interest in seeing it as well.
I may be digitizing and posting a clip online. Need to find a friend with a decent capture card.
The name game phase 2 has begun. Anyone have suggestions for boys names?