When you see this face, prepare yourself for pain.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
Today is Vivian's first Christmas Eve. We are very happy she is here and that her aunt and uncle both could make the trip down from PA to spend it with us.
Vivian wants to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from The Dad Blog.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Still Alive
Everyone should be happy to hear that little Vivian is still alive and kicking, despite our attempts at sleeping through feedings and failing to recognize when a diaper needs changing. She is also losing her nice yellow glow and turning a bit more pink, which is a good sign the jaundice is abating.
Things have been a bit rough the last few days with Vivian sleeping all day and staying awake crying during the night. She is actually pretty good, but just likes to be held when she is awake. I can't really blame her since it is much nicer then being trapped in her little swaddle blanket.
The other day I was taking some pictures and got a nice one of Yvonne and Vivian in front of the Christmas tree.
(anyone who has had a baby at Wake Med may recognize the blanket...)
Things have been a bit rough the last few days with Vivian sleeping all day and staying awake crying during the night. She is actually pretty good, but just likes to be held when she is awake. I can't really blame her since it is much nicer then being trapped in her little swaddle blanket.
The other day I was taking some pictures and got a nice one of Yvonne and Vivian in front of the Christmas tree.
(anyone who has had a baby at Wake Med may recognize the blanket...)
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Blowout!
Dad Advice #1: Be absolutely, positively, 100% sure that your baby's diaper is correctly worn and fastened.
Trust me.
Trust me.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Sleep Deprivation Experiment Day 3
The experiment is going well. Our test subject family has been allowed no more the two hours of sleep at a time. This is usually interrupted with carefully scheduled visits by research staff members to monitor such things vital signs and levels of trash in the garbage cans.
The female mother test subject is also being withheld vital food. Although she repeatedly informs staff and "care-giver" proxies of what she can and can't eat, they continue with bringing her unappetizing and gluten filled foods to test her stress levels. As anticipated, stress levels are high. However, the male subject managed to elude staff and sneak in food from Whole Foods which made the female subject feel better. Steps will be taken this evening to correct this situation (perhaps another difficult feeding with the baby female subject.)
The male subject was suffering from blurred vision and hallucinations earlier today, while both adult subjects suffered time distortion and lack of short term memory.
Initial phase of the experiment concludes tomorrow at 11am EST when the adult male and female subjects are released from the experimental paddock into the wild. The baby female is currently being fitted in the "nursery" with a two way telemetry transponder that will continue to return valuable research data over the next 18 years.
The female mother test subject is also being withheld vital food. Although she repeatedly informs staff and "care-giver" proxies of what she can and can't eat, they continue with bringing her unappetizing and gluten filled foods to test her stress levels. As anticipated, stress levels are high. However, the male subject managed to elude staff and sneak in food from Whole Foods which made the female subject feel better. Steps will be taken this evening to correct this situation (perhaps another difficult feeding with the baby female subject.)
The male subject was suffering from blurred vision and hallucinations earlier today, while both adult subjects suffered time distortion and lack of short term memory.
Initial phase of the experiment concludes tomorrow at 11am EST when the adult male and female subjects are released from the experimental paddock into the wild. The baby female is currently being fitted in the "nursery" with a two way telemetry transponder that will continue to return valuable research data over the next 18 years.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Day Two
Day two has been a busy, yet fairly calm day. Vivian has been a great baby so far. She rarely fusses or cries, unless I pick her up with my freezing cold hands. I have gotten a bit better at swaddling.
The biggest adventure for today was getting Vivian breast feeding. Although we had a quick tutorial yesterday before we moved into our recovery room, she was not having much luck latching on. She does have a good sucking reflex and opens wide, but has a tendency to pull her tongue back and then push it forward, knocking the nipple out of her mouth. Hard to feed without the nipple! Today we had a much longer consult and Yvonne started using a breast pump. Our first attempt was not as successful as we had hopped, but Vivian was starting to get better at it and learn how to use her tongue and latch on. The second attempt we ended up using a nipple shield to help her and she latched right on. She was really tired by then and didn't get a full feed, but after a few more practices she should be able to "do the boob".
As many of you know, Yvonne has Coeliac disease, meaning she can't eat anything with gluten in it (ie, anything with wheat or made with a wheat.) Oddly, the hospital doesn't seem to understand what this is and we keep getting questionable food for her. You would think that a major hospital would know what coeliac disease is and be able to supply a custom menu. Luckily, our nurses are very nice and have started taking custom orders for her. Hopefully we will get a chance to talk to a dietician tomorrow.
I got to spend a lot of time with Vivian today, even doing a little "skin to skin" contact with her. She is just so damn cute! (although dad needs to get back into the gym soon.)
The biggest adventure for today was getting Vivian breast feeding. Although we had a quick tutorial yesterday before we moved into our recovery room, she was not having much luck latching on. She does have a good sucking reflex and opens wide, but has a tendency to pull her tongue back and then push it forward, knocking the nipple out of her mouth. Hard to feed without the nipple! Today we had a much longer consult and Yvonne started using a breast pump. Our first attempt was not as successful as we had hopped, but Vivian was starting to get better at it and learn how to use her tongue and latch on. The second attempt we ended up using a nipple shield to help her and she latched right on. She was really tired by then and didn't get a full feed, but after a few more practices she should be able to "do the boob".
As many of you know, Yvonne has Coeliac disease, meaning she can't eat anything with gluten in it (ie, anything with wheat or made with a wheat.) Oddly, the hospital doesn't seem to understand what this is and we keep getting questionable food for her. You would think that a major hospital would know what coeliac disease is and be able to supply a custom menu. Luckily, our nurses are very nice and have started taking custom orders for her. Hopefully we will get a chance to talk to a dietician tomorrow.
I got to spend a lot of time with Vivian today, even doing a little "skin to skin" contact with her. She is just so damn cute! (although dad needs to get back into the gym soon.)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
First Night
What a long day! It is still a bit of a blur, but the beautiful little girl is definitely no dream. Once Yvonne left the O.R. she needed to be monitored for an hour before we could spend any time with Vivian. I had my chance to meet Vivian when she came out, but Yvonne only got a quick glimpse of her.
Yvonne had a few extra bleeders, so it took a bit longer to get out of the O.R. (if you consider 45 minutes for major abdominal surgery a long time...)
Once Yvonne had recovered enough (about an hour), we got to spend some quality time with little Vivian.
Yvonne's maternal instincts have totally kicked in. She is currently laying in bed sweet talking to baby Vivian into being quiet for the evening, telling her about all the visitors we will be having over the holidays and how much she lover her. I've never been in love more with Yvonne then I am today. I can't imagine living my life without her or Vivian.
Yvonne had a few extra bleeders, so it took a bit longer to get out of the O.R. (if you consider 45 minutes for major abdominal surgery a long time...)
Once Yvonne had recovered enough (about an hour), we got to spend some quality time with little Vivian.
Yvonne's maternal instincts have totally kicked in. She is currently laying in bed sweet talking to baby Vivian into being quiet for the evening, telling her about all the visitors we will be having over the holidays and how much she lover her. I've never been in love more with Yvonne then I am today. I can't imagine living my life without her or Vivian.
The Baby Hath Commeth
It was a long and rough night. Even after the epidural, Yvonne was still having pain. She started pushing around 7:30am, though the pain kept getting worse and the baby barely moved. It was amazing to see her push so long and hard. She fought very hard to push little Vivian out. At 10:30 Dr. Brannon decided that we need to have a C-section due to the length of time Yvonne was pushing and not making progress and how long it had been since her water broke.
She was rolled into the O.R. and prepped while I was made to put on a blue bunny suit and cover up my (lack of) hair. I got inside as they started the operation and had a seat next to Yvonne's head so I could talk to her. Soon, Yvonne felt the pulling feeling of having the baby removed and we heard baby Vivian's first cries at 11:06am. She is 7lb 7oz, 19.5 inches long, 13 inch head, and born on the same day as her namesake, my mom. I have to admit, we both teared up a bit. Then the nurse asked if I would like to come see Vivian and take some pictures. So, for the first time ever, here is:
She was rolled into the O.R. and prepped while I was made to put on a blue bunny suit and cover up my (lack of) hair. I got inside as they started the operation and had a seat next to Yvonne's head so I could talk to her. Soon, Yvonne felt the pulling feeling of having the baby removed and we heard baby Vivian's first cries at 11:06am. She is 7lb 7oz, 19.5 inches long, 13 inch head, and born on the same day as her namesake, my mom. I have to admit, we both teared up a bit. Then the nurse asked if I would like to come see Vivian and take some pictures. So, for the first time ever, here is:
Miss Vivian Roberta Beatrice Stoy
Mommy and Baby are both doing fine. Daddy, however, needs a vacation.
More to come later...
More to come later...
Birthing, Part 6
7:15am EST and Yvonne is at least 8cm dilated. The nurses have been in preparing the room for the birthing. Sadly, the epidural is still not 100% effective, so it is pretty uncomfortable for her at the moment. Only a few more hours and we should have our baby.
Birthing, Part 5
The pain finally bested us and Yvonne decided to get an epidural. She feels much better now, and my hand has a much better chance of surviving the night.
The one problem is that her right side isn't really numbing as much as the left so she still feels the pain there. Over all though, it is much better then it was, which is a win.
I'm tired. With any luck Yvonne will be able to fall asleep soon and then I will follow.
The one problem is that her right side isn't really numbing as much as the left so she still feels the pain there. Over all though, it is much better then it was, which is a win.
I'm tired. With any luck Yvonne will be able to fall asleep soon and then I will follow.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Birthing, Part 4
Midnight! Vivian has yet to make her appearance so it looks like she will be born on Dec 11th, the same day as her namesake, my mom and her grandmother. A part of me had always thought it would be appropriate for that to happen. Now we (mostly Yvonne) are hoping she makes her debut soon. The pain of the contractions is starting to get to Yvonne, but she is hanging in there. I'm amazed at her pain threshold. If it were me, I would have had them jam an epidural the minute I found out i was having a baby.
Birthing, Part 3
Nine o'clock rolled 'round and Dr. Scott came in and broke the bag of waters. Personally, I was expecting a giant gush of fluid like breaking a water balloon. Instead, there was nothing. At least, nothing excessive. Now though, every time there is a contraction, a little "gush" happens. Still though, no jet of water shooting across the room, so I guess that is good.
Not much else going to go on tonight. One cm dilation. Yvonne is in the bed and we are about to watch some Law and Order to pass the time.
More to come in the morning.
Not much else going to go on tonight. One cm dilation. Yvonne is in the bed and we are about to watch some Law and Order to pass the time.
More to come in the morning.
Birthing, Part 2
The excitement continues...
Currently Yvonne is lounging in a chair as she gets a foot massage and a nurse attempts to find our little one who is busily hiding from the fetal heart monitor.
The pitocin seems to be getting the contractions going on a more regular basis, but still nothing earth-shattering. They are planning on upping the dosage as soon as they can get a good read on the heart monitor...but Vivian has her own plans. Although we know that the housing market is crap she still needs to vacate her current home. Hopefully we won't have to evict her.
(Yvonne chatting on the phone with customer support at Stork Co., wondering were our package is.)
Birthing, Part 1
And so the adventure begins...
Yvonne had her last OB appointment today. She had an ultrasound and the doctor told us we were going to have a baby today! He told us to drop Yvonne over at the hospital to get her checked in and ready and I could go home and get the bags and such and come back. So, instead of doing that, we decided to to both head home and have a final meal and get ready to go.
On the way to see the massage therapist before going to the hospital our doctor's office called wondering where we were and that they were waiting for us. Ok, so, at that point we felt bad and decided to head in. We met the massage therapist at the entrance, valeted the car, and all headed inside at around 2:30pm.
The usual IV and monitoring occurred. Yvonne is feeling pretty good and not really having any bad contractions. The baby is doing well, but, as usual, swims away from the fetal heart monitor any time they try to find her. Sadly, there is still no dilation, so they put Yvonne on Pitocin at 5:30pm and Dr. Scott is coming back around 9pm to see if he can break her water and get things going.
For now, Yvonne is enjoying a nice massage and bouncing on her ball.
More to come...
Yvonne had her last OB appointment today. She had an ultrasound and the doctor told us we were going to have a baby today! He told us to drop Yvonne over at the hospital to get her checked in and ready and I could go home and get the bags and such and come back. So, instead of doing that, we decided to to both head home and have a final meal and get ready to go.
On the way to see the massage therapist before going to the hospital our doctor's office called wondering where we were and that they were waiting for us. Ok, so, at that point we felt bad and decided to head in. We met the massage therapist at the entrance, valeted the car, and all headed inside at around 2:30pm.
The usual IV and monitoring occurred. Yvonne is feeling pretty good and not really having any bad contractions. The baby is doing well, but, as usual, swims away from the fetal heart monitor any time they try to find her. Sadly, there is still no dilation, so they put Yvonne on Pitocin at 5:30pm and Dr. Scott is coming back around 9pm to see if he can break her water and get things going.
For now, Yvonne is enjoying a nice massage and bouncing on her ball.
More to come...
Monday, December 8, 2008
Today?
Today is Vivian's due date. Unsurprisingly, nothing has happened yet.
I'm guessing it will be a few more days, but you never know.
We are currently watching a movie on Midwives and natural births called The Business Of Being Born. It is pretty interesting about how far away from the natural birthing process America has come. This is just another example of how western medicine is not always the best practice. I'm not saying to never see a doctor or take advantage of the benefits of medicine. However, we shouldn't need to ignore nature and the normal processes of the body.
I'm guessing it will be a few more days, but you never know.
We are currently watching a movie on Midwives and natural births called The Business Of Being Born. It is pretty interesting about how far away from the natural birthing process America has come. This is just another example of how western medicine is not always the best practice. I'm not saying to never see a doctor or take advantage of the benefits of medicine. However, we shouldn't need to ignore nature and the normal processes of the body.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
I Lost
So, it appears that my prediction in the Guess Baby Stoy's Info contest was wrong. I just KNOW she will come in the middle of the night...but I got the day wrong. We have a doctor appointment today, probably our last one before the big day. Unless Vivian decides to come late. I don't think Yvonne would like that...
There is still time to make your predictions. Hurry before it is too late!
There is still time to make your predictions. Hurry before it is too late!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Our First Thanksgiving
This year Yvonne and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving together. Normally my brother and sister make the trek down from PA for a week and we hang out, drink, play Rock Band, and eat too much. Since Vivian is due any day now (nine days and counting), we decided they would come down for Christmas instead.
Yvonne does not always "approve" of my cooking methods. She is very much a "follow the recipe" type of person, so when I make substitutions or eye-ball measurements she tends to get nervous. When I went into the kitchen on Wednesday night and started to clean out the turkey and boil water, she was wondering what the hell I was doing. Of course, I was preparing to brine the turkey...something I have done the last few years. Although she initially protested and told me to "just cook the damn bird", I persisted and got the turkey into its nice cold bath to soak overnight.
Yvonne's job for the day was to make the Sweet Potato Cheesecake. I know, it isn't a pumpkin pie, but it sure is tasty. :-)
I had to post this picture since it is such a rare occasion to see Yvonne in the kitchen making anything. ;-)
She not only mixed up the cheesecake, but she also made the dressing (or is it stuffing?) I have to admit that it was really good.
Clearly, Yvonne enjoyed the meal. (To be fair, I ended up laying on the couch for an hour unable to move. Damn you turkey...damn you...)
Overall, we have a very nice Thanksgiving. I got to spend the holiday with my three best ladies (Yvonne, Lilli, and baby Vivian..although she was still hiding in the womb.)
Yvonne does not always "approve" of my cooking methods. She is very much a "follow the recipe" type of person, so when I make substitutions or eye-ball measurements she tends to get nervous. When I went into the kitchen on Wednesday night and started to clean out the turkey and boil water, she was wondering what the hell I was doing. Of course, I was preparing to brine the turkey...something I have done the last few years. Although she initially protested and told me to "just cook the damn bird", I persisted and got the turkey into its nice cold bath to soak overnight.
Yvonne's job for the day was to make the Sweet Potato Cheesecake. I know, it isn't a pumpkin pie, but it sure is tasty. :-)
I had to post this picture since it is such a rare occasion to see Yvonne in the kitchen making anything. ;-)
She not only mixed up the cheesecake, but she also made the dressing (or is it stuffing?) I have to admit that it was really good.
As you can see below, the Turkey turned out very nice and brown and very juicy (thank you brining!)
Clearly, Yvonne enjoyed the meal. (To be fair, I ended up laying on the couch for an hour unable to move. Damn you turkey...damn you...)
Overall, we have a very nice Thanksgiving. I got to spend the holiday with my three best ladies (Yvonne, Lilli, and baby Vivian..although she was still hiding in the womb.)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
18 Days
So, nothing happened the other day. Currently the baby is making Yvonne's life miserable by testing the boundaries of her womb and finding them most confining. Soon, though, she will have a very large world to grow bigger in. Let's hope she doesn't try to grow to fill it.
Continuing in my bad father roll, I went out to the local IGDA meeting tonight. I hadn't been to one in a long time and some friends of mine were going to be there that I haven't seen since May. It was fun to catch up and see just how many other people are having/had babies. On the positive side, not one of them regrets being a father and they tell me I will love being a dad. They also told me the first few weeks of sleep deprivation will make you hallucinate, so at least I have that to look forward to.
Continuing in my bad father roll, I went out to the local IGDA meeting tonight. I hadn't been to one in a long time and some friends of mine were going to be there that I haven't seen since May. It was fun to catch up and see just how many other people are having/had babies. On the positive side, not one of them regrets being a father and they tell me I will love being a dad. They also told me the first few weeks of sleep deprivation will make you hallucinate, so at least I have that to look forward to.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Getting Close
Just a quick update. We are in the last three weeks of pregnancy. Yvonne has been feeling contractions the last few days and tonight they are starting to get a lot stronger. We are rushing around getting our bags ready to go since we may end up taking that trip to the hospital any time now. I'll post an update when something happens.
Wish us luck!
Wish us luck!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A New Member to Our Family
This weekend, on Saturday around 4:30pm, we had a new addition to our family. I had a feeling when we took Yvonne's Mini Cooper to Charlotte for its yearly service we would be returning with a new addition. At first, Yvonne was sad, but once she spent some time with our new baby, she fell in love.
So, here is a picture of our new baby...
Isn't she beautiful? Mommy is so happy to have her...our bouncing baby BMW 335i.
.
So, here is a picture of our new baby...
Isn't she beautiful? Mommy is so happy to have her...our bouncing baby BMW 335i.
.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Catching Up
I've been slack the last few weeks posting here on the Daddy Blog. Things are moving along fast and furious as we wait for our little one. Here are some highlights of the last few weeks.
We had another little scare a few weeks ago. Yvonne was starting to feel some contractions and feeling sick. After a call to the doctor, we made our second trip into the hospital. This time it was on a Sunday and the place was fairly deserted.
After the standard round of tests and monitoring, the doctor decided that Yvonne was dehydrated, so they put her on a saline IV. Of course, Yvonne has little luck with needles and never had an IV before, so it took two different nurses to finally get one into her.
It took about an hour, in which time I managed to get my laptop and iPhone both connected to the hospital wireless. Sadly, Yvonne's baby belly prevented her from comfortably using the laptop in bed, so she had to suffer with the iPhone to feed her Gmail addiction.
After the IV was done Yvonne felt much better. We were both hungry, so we decided to head up to Outback and have a nice dinner. Perhaps after the birth we will go to Ruth's Chris.
Of course, the day of our hospital trip was also the day that I decided to put together the crib we bought. About halfway through was when I got the "call" from Yvonne that we needed to go. I was worried we would be coming back with little Vivian and not have a place for her to sleep! Of course, she didn't come, and I have had enough time to get not only the crib but the changing table assembled. We still have to find a mattress for the crib. Target does not seem to have a good selection (surprise!), so a trip to Babies 'R Us is in the works.
Hormones play an interesting role in pregnancy. Monday Yvonne had a prenatal message and felt really good Monday night. She was happier then she had been in a while (being physically uncomfortable all the time wears on you after a while.) Tuesday morning seemed normal until I was about to walk out the door. I went to give her a goodbye kiss and she hopped up and started running around the house saying it was a pigsty and it needed cleaned. I told her it was ok and that I would be happy to clean when I got home, but she got even more insistent that the house had to be cleaned. I decided the best thing to do was stay home and clean, which we did together. We managed to get the baby room mostly cleaned (finally finished the shredding!) One can not stand in the way of the nesting instinct.
We had an OB appointment yesterday that went well. Baby is about 5 1/2 lbs and coming along nicely. Every day brings more contractions. At the moment they are not regular or often, but like the rumbles of a distant storm, the big thunder is not far away.
We had another little scare a few weeks ago. Yvonne was starting to feel some contractions and feeling sick. After a call to the doctor, we made our second trip into the hospital. This time it was on a Sunday and the place was fairly deserted.
After the standard round of tests and monitoring, the doctor decided that Yvonne was dehydrated, so they put her on a saline IV. Of course, Yvonne has little luck with needles and never had an IV before, so it took two different nurses to finally get one into her.It took about an hour, in which time I managed to get my laptop and iPhone both connected to the hospital wireless. Sadly, Yvonne's baby belly prevented her from comfortably using the laptop in bed, so she had to suffer with the iPhone to feed her Gmail addiction.
After the IV was done Yvonne felt much better. We were both hungry, so we decided to head up to Outback and have a nice dinner. Perhaps after the birth we will go to Ruth's Chris.
Of course, the day of our hospital trip was also the day that I decided to put together the crib we bought. About halfway through was when I got the "call" from Yvonne that we needed to go. I was worried we would be coming back with little Vivian and not have a place for her to sleep! Of course, she didn't come, and I have had enough time to get not only the crib but the changing table assembled. We still have to find a mattress for the crib. Target does not seem to have a good selection (surprise!), so a trip to Babies 'R Us is in the works.
Hormones play an interesting role in pregnancy. Monday Yvonne had a prenatal message and felt really good Monday night. She was happier then she had been in a while (being physically uncomfortable all the time wears on you after a while.) Tuesday morning seemed normal until I was about to walk out the door. I went to give her a goodbye kiss and she hopped up and started running around the house saying it was a pigsty and it needed cleaned. I told her it was ok and that I would be happy to clean when I got home, but she got even more insistent that the house had to be cleaned. I decided the best thing to do was stay home and clean, which we did together. We managed to get the baby room mostly cleaned (finally finished the shredding!) One can not stand in the way of the nesting instinct.
We had an OB appointment yesterday that went well. Baby is about 5 1/2 lbs and coming along nicely. Every day brings more contractions. At the moment they are not regular or often, but like the rumbles of a distant storm, the big thunder is not far away.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Place your Bets
(Enter BabyStoy as the name of the game to play.)
Place your bets. The winner gets an autographed picture of baby Vivian, sure to be an instant collector's item.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
One Less Thing to Worry About
I came across this article this morning. Good thing Vivian is a girl. :-)
Attractive fathers do not pass their looks on to sons
Attractive fathers do not pass their looks on to sons
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Trip to the Fair
Well, it is that time of year again. The time when folks from all over the state converge in Raleigh to look at farm animals and eat fried farm animals. That's right, the North Carolina State Fair started up last week and Yvonne and I (and a couple of friends) decided to go look at the animals and eat some fried things.
It was a few years after I moved to North Carolina before I made it to the fair, but now I enjoy my yearly outing. Where else can you get a Blooming Onion, see a pig race, chow down on a Polish Sausage, pet some sheep, and then end the night with some fried Oreos? I'm sure I will be paying for this tomorrow...
Yvonne even got into the spirit. Of course, she can't eat any of the "food" at the fair, but she can make some new friends. She wanted to bring the little guy home as a friend for Lilli, but sadly, they weren't for sale.
I did feel bad for all of the walking Yvonne did. By the end of the night she was pretty tired and her sciatica was starting to act up again. It will be easier to get around once Vivian is on the outside and I can help carry her. Right now Yvonne is laying on the couch next to me with baby Vivian kicking the crud out of her from the inside. Overall I think they both had a good time. At the very least, we got a few nice pictures.
It was a few years after I moved to North Carolina before I made it to the fair, but now I enjoy my yearly outing. Where else can you get a Blooming Onion, see a pig race, chow down on a Polish Sausage, pet some sheep, and then end the night with some fried Oreos? I'm sure I will be paying for this tomorrow...
Yvonne even got into the spirit. Of course, she can't eat any of the "food" at the fair, but she can make some new friends. She wanted to bring the little guy home as a friend for Lilli, but sadly, they weren't for sale.
I did feel bad for all of the walking Yvonne did. By the end of the night she was pretty tired and her sciatica was starting to act up again. It will be easier to get around once Vivian is on the outside and I can help carry her. Right now Yvonne is laying on the couch next to me with baby Vivian kicking the crud out of her from the inside. Overall I think they both had a good time. At the very least, we got a few nice pictures.
Aren't we cute? We even have matching Columbia Sports Wear jackets!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Little Baby Stoy
No, that isn't baby Vivian come early.
It's ME! Yes, look how cute I am! Love me!
Hard to imagine I was ever this small...if you consider 8lbs 6ounces to be small.
I can only hope that our baby turns out as well as I did. All ten fingers and toes and a healthy weight.
And, since I had the scanner fired up, I thought I would bring you a few other family pictures...
Ah...the fashions of 1981. Th
is is my sister Maria doing her best to keep the late 70's alive. It is scary how much she looks like our mom at that age though.
is is my sister Maria doing her best to keep the late 70's alive. It is scary how much she looks like our mom at that age though.(My mom and Vivian's namesake)
To be fair (and prevent my siblings from hating me too much), I present you with a winning picture of myself. This one from 1985.
I'm not sure what scares me most about this picture. The fact that I probably weigh more in this picture then I do now, or that I'm wearing that stripped sweater. Seriously, who would put a chunky kid in horizontal stripes? At least I had that awesome cowlick in my hair to distract the casual observer...
And, of course, I can't embarrass my sister without returning the favor to my brother Sam (another gem from 1981...)
To be fair (and prevent my siblings from hating me too much), I present you with a winning picture of myself. This one from 1985.
I'm not sure what scares me most about this picture. The fact that I probably weigh more in this picture then I do now, or that I'm wearing that stripped sweater. Seriously, who would put a chunky kid in horizontal stripes? At least I had that awesome cowlick in my hair to distract the casual observer...
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Help our Baby Start Life with Stuff
Our baby needs your help. Or, at least, your generous gifts.
We've finally gotten around to registering for our baby at Target and BabiesRUs.
If you are feeling the need to buy a baby some stuff, feel free to stop by either of those stores (or online!) and pick out something. Vivian will happily send you a personal thank you note...once she is old enough to write.
We've finally gotten around to registering for our baby at Target and BabiesRUs.
If you are feeling the need to buy a baby some stuff, feel free to stop by either of those stores (or online!) and pick out something. Vivian will happily send you a personal thank you note...once she is old enough to write.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Damn Zeus...
Apparently someone in the house (I blame Lilli) pissed of Zeus last night and he sought revenge by casting a lightning bolt at us. This of course fried or Vonage router and the Ethernet port on our cable modem. Poor Yvonne had to drive in to RTP to work at the office today (which really sucks for someone who is almost eight months pregnant.)
I did manage to get us back online for now (otherwise I'd be writing this on my iPhone, and I'm not that good with the keyboard thingy yet.) Thankfully the USB connection on the modem was still working, so I patched it through the fileserver and got us back online. Yay dad!
So, I'm not sure which is worse...pissing off Zeus so he tosses lightning at your, or having your very pregnant wife spend the entire day running around town and working at the office, only to come home and find that diner won't be ready for two more hours...
I think I'll stick with Zeus...
I did manage to get us back online for now (otherwise I'd be writing this on my iPhone, and I'm not that good with the keyboard thingy yet.) Thankfully the USB connection on the modem was still working, so I patched it through the fileserver and got us back online. Yay dad!
So, I'm not sure which is worse...pissing off Zeus so he tosses lightning at your, or having your very pregnant wife spend the entire day running around town and working at the office, only to come home and find that diner won't be ready for two more hours...
I think I'll stick with Zeus...
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Baby Equipment
In about 10 weeks we will have our little baby girl, Vivian. As all good parents do, we have been procrastinating on buying the necessities having a baby in this modern age require. This weekend we decided it was time we start getting serious about being prepared, so we skipped our "Newborn Basics" class and decided to go shopping instead.
Of course, it isn't good enough to just run down to Jamesway, KMart, or the local dump. These days you need to do some research ON-LINE. After combing Consumer Reports and the Target website, we settled on the Chicco Cortinal Travel System for our first carseat/stroller.
Hopefully the baby comes with better instructions...
I have to say once it was together I was impressed with how easy it is to use. The stroller folds up by pulling one handle, and the car-seat snaps in and out with almost no effort. Yvonne and I even tried out the car-seat in the Audi and Mini today. Clearly, technology has seriously advanced since I was a kid. The LATCH System makes it extremely easy to install the car seat.
So, the car-seat/stroller is our first major purchase for the baby. We saw a few cribs while we were out, but are still debating how much to spent and what to get. Target has a nice one that isn't very expensive, but we still need to research it a bit more before we decide.
Finally, since it can't ALWAYS be about baby, I leave you with a picture of the new TV I bought after selling my townhouse two weeks ago. It is an LG 42PG20 Plasma TV. The best part is that it has a digital tuner, which lets us get HD off the air. No more cable bills! I need to enjoy it while I can, for soon enough it will be playing a continuous loop of "The Little Mermaid" or some other such crap...
Of course, it isn't good enough to just run down to Jamesway, KMart, or the local dump. These days you need to do some research ON-LINE. After combing Consumer Reports and the Target website, we settled on the Chicco Cortinal Travel System for our first carseat/stroller.
Hopefully the baby comes with better instructions...
I have to say once it was together I was impressed with how easy it is to use. The stroller folds up by pulling one handle, and the car-seat snaps in and out with almost no effort. Yvonne and I even tried out the car-seat in the Audi and Mini today. Clearly, technology has seriously advanced since I was a kid. The LATCH System makes it extremely easy to install the car seat.
So, the car-seat/stroller is our first major purchase for the baby. We saw a few cribs while we were out, but are still debating how much to spent and what to get. Target has a nice one that isn't very expensive, but we still need to research it a bit more before we decide.
Finally, since it can't ALWAYS be about baby, I leave you with a picture of the new TV I bought after selling my townhouse two weeks ago. It is an LG 42PG20 Plasma TV. The best part is that it has a digital tuner, which lets us get HD off the air. No more cable bills! I need to enjoy it while I can, for soon enough it will be playing a continuous loop of "The Little Mermaid" or some other such crap...
Saturday, September 20, 2008
How NOT to be a dad...
The other night Yvonne and I decided to get her old Cabbage Patch doll out and see what it would be like to dress it. Basically, we wanted a trial run with a non-squirmy baby to make sure we knew how to button the onesies.
Let's just say I know why I never played with dolls growing up...
Of course, as I have learned over the years, every problem can be solved by my old friend and Patriot, Sam Adams...Clearly, the little Cabbage Patcher is excited to have a good beer and not the usual Miller Lite.
Don't worry. When the REAL baby arrives, she will only get a steady diet of Momma Yvonne's Breast-y Lager.
Let's just say I know why I never played with dolls growing up...
Of course, as I have learned over the years, every problem can be solved by my old friend and Patriot, Sam Adams...Clearly, the little Cabbage Patcher is excited to have a good beer and not the usual Miller Lite.
Don't worry. When the REAL baby arrives, she will only get a steady diet of Momma Yvonne's Breast-y Lager.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Nervous Moments/Dry run
Yesterday started out as a normal day. Wake up late, shower late, leave late, and head to work. Yvonne and Lilli saw me off as I got into the car and I started work as usual. Around 11:30 Yvonne messaged me that she was feeling ill and getting tunnel vision and that it wasn't getting any better. To play it safe, I left work and came home. I was pretty nervous and hoping she would be all right. When I get home she is on the phone with the nurse trying to get hold of a doctor to see what might be wrong. We managed to eat some lunch before the nurse called back and let us know the doctor wanted us to head into the hospital and get checked out. The fear is Yvonne may have Pre-eclampsia. All I could do was re-assure her everything would be ok. Luckily it was a nice day out and we had a pleasant ride to the hospital. I think getting some fresh air helped.
We made it to the hospital and, after taking too long to hand my keys to the valet (which was very handy), we went inside and had to update all of our paperwork. Yvonne was very nervous and we kept telling Vivian she wasn't ready yet and needed more time to cook.
They took us back to room 14 and gave Yvonne a hot little dressing gown and had her sit on the bed where the nurse, Sherry, hooked her up to a blood pressure monitor, a fetal heartbeat monitor, and a pressure monitor to measure any contractions. Then Sherry left and said she would be back in a bit. We spent the time looking around the room, having our first tour of the place. We also noticed the TV had both of its channel buttons removed, so we were stuck watching CNN.
Yvonne was feeling the urge to go potty, so we walked down to the nurses station to get a little help. Sherry returned shortly and collected her sample and told us someone would be by to get a blood sample.
More time passed.
Finally someone did arrive and managed to actually get blood from Yvonne (her hand, since the veins in her arms are apparently fake.) Off the lady went and we got to spend more time alone with CNN and listening to the fetal heartbeat monitor. I got thirsty and decided to look for a soda and some fruit for Yvonne. I managed to find the nursery, though there were no babies there at the time. Finally I made it to the front entrence where there was a gift shop that sold drinks. I got a diet Pepsi and a Snickers for Yvonne (sadly, they had no fresh fruit.)
Back in the room the iPhone paid off by allowing us to check our email and find that my house finally closed and I was now officially homeless. Well, unless you count the country house...
Around 4pm Sherry returned with the good news that Yvonne was fine and that it wasn't Pre-eclampsia, and that we were able to go home. We were both relieved and happy to leave, though it was a good experience getting to see the inside of the hospital and how things worked. We also walked by the nursery on the way out and got to see a little newborn baby girl. She was very cute! Soon enough we will have our own little one to bring home with her cute little pink hat.
Speaking of cute, here is a picture of Yvonne in her sexy hospital gown. What you don't see are the easy open flaps for breast feeding. ;-)
We made it to the hospital and, after taking too long to hand my keys to the valet (which was very handy), we went inside and had to update all of our paperwork. Yvonne was very nervous and we kept telling Vivian she wasn't ready yet and needed more time to cook.
They took us back to room 14 and gave Yvonne a hot little dressing gown and had her sit on the bed where the nurse, Sherry, hooked her up to a blood pressure monitor, a fetal heartbeat monitor, and a pressure monitor to measure any contractions. Then Sherry left and said she would be back in a bit. We spent the time looking around the room, having our first tour of the place. We also noticed the TV had both of its channel buttons removed, so we were stuck watching CNN.
Yvonne was feeling the urge to go potty, so we walked down to the nurses station to get a little help. Sherry returned shortly and collected her sample and told us someone would be by to get a blood sample.
More time passed.
Finally someone did arrive and managed to actually get blood from Yvonne (her hand, since the veins in her arms are apparently fake.) Off the lady went and we got to spend more time alone with CNN and listening to the fetal heartbeat monitor. I got thirsty and decided to look for a soda and some fruit for Yvonne. I managed to find the nursery, though there were no babies there at the time. Finally I made it to the front entrence where there was a gift shop that sold drinks. I got a diet Pepsi and a Snickers for Yvonne (sadly, they had no fresh fruit.)
Back in the room the iPhone paid off by allowing us to check our email and find that my house finally closed and I was now officially homeless. Well, unless you count the country house...
Around 4pm Sherry returned with the good news that Yvonne was fine and that it wasn't Pre-eclampsia, and that we were able to go home. We were both relieved and happy to leave, though it was a good experience getting to see the inside of the hospital and how things worked. We also walked by the nursery on the way out and got to see a little newborn baby girl. She was very cute! Soon enough we will have our own little one to bring home with her cute little pink hat.
Speaking of cute, here is a picture of Yvonne in her sexy hospital gown. What you don't see are the easy open flaps for breast feeding. ;-)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Still Cookin'
Not much has been going on in daddy-land lately. Things are going well and Vivian is really starting to grow. This, of course, leads to Yvonne's belly starting to grow on almost a daily basis. We are anxiously awaiting the day her "turkey timer" (ie, belly-button) pops out, which is getting close. Vivian's movements are also getting stronger and clearly visible. I can't wait until the day we can see a little foot or hand pressing out.
On another note, I managed to get into some sort of poison plant while weeding a couple weeks ago and have developed some nasty, itchy rash all around my body. It is very pleasant. I initially thought it was chiggers, then fleas from Lilli (first the dog farts all the time, now she gives me fleas...) I went to the doctor on Monday and she said it was caused by some plant and she's seen it before. She gave me 12 days worth of Prednisone, so hopefully it will start clearing up in the next day or so.
On another note, I managed to get into some sort of poison plant while weeding a couple weeks ago and have developed some nasty, itchy rash all around my body. It is very pleasant. I initially thought it was chiggers, then fleas from Lilli (first the dog farts all the time, now she gives me fleas...) I went to the doctor on Monday and she said it was caused by some plant and she's seen it before. She gave me 12 days worth of Prednisone, so hopefully it will start clearing up in the next day or so.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Baby's First trip to the Zoo
Last weekend Yvonne and I had planned on going to the mountains in Asheville, NC and visit the Biltmore Estate, but we had a slow start on Friday and Yvonne wasn't feeling well, so we decided to go to Asheboro and visit the NC Zoo instead. I always love the zoo and Yvonne had never been there, so we thought it would be fun.
When we got there we had both Yvonne's camera bag and a cooler, which of course, I would have to carry around. Yvonne insisted we rent a stroller so we wouldn't have to carry the bags around. I thought tat would be rather embarrassing, but we went up to the little booth and plunked down our $6 for a fancy little plastic stroller.
Of course, the first thing we did was take a picture, just to see how we'd look pushing a stroller around.
It actually wasn't so bad. I had fun doing wheelies and going down stairs. Of course, the people around me looked a bit aghast until they noticed there was no baby on board.
Technically, we did have a baby with us...she just had her own personal carrier. I can't wait until Vivian is old enough for us to all go out to the zoo and let her see the animals.
When we got there we had both Yvonne's camera bag and a cooler, which of course, I would have to carry around. Yvonne insisted we rent a stroller so we wouldn't have to carry the bags around. I thought tat would be rather embarrassing, but we went up to the little booth and plunked down our $6 for a fancy little plastic stroller.
Of course, the first thing we did was take a picture, just to see how we'd look pushing a stroller around.
It actually wasn't so bad. I had fun doing wheelies and going down stairs. Of course, the people around me looked a bit aghast until they noticed there was no baby on board.
Yvonne got in on the act as well. She was enjoying herself also, except it was a bit hot for her.
Technically, we did have a baby with us...she just had her own personal carrier. I can't wait until Vivian is old enough for us to all go out to the zoo and let her see the animals.
Finally, you can't go to the zoo without seeing a monkey. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Freaky Cool Technology
While looking for ultrasound images online to get an idea what little Vivian looks like, Yvonne and I came across "3d/4d" ultrasounds. These are crazy cool. Basically, it produces a 3D image of your baby and the "4D" version records a video of those images so you can see your baby moving around.
Yvonne found a place locally that will do the 3d/4d ultrasound and we are considering it. The prices aren't so bad for a basic package ($150 for 30 minute session), though some of the more expensive packages seem like a bit much.
Anyway, if you can check out this site: http://www.triangle4dbaby.com/index.html
If we do get this done I'll be sure to post some pictures.
Yvonne found a place locally that will do the 3d/4d ultrasound and we are considering it. The prices aren't so bad for a basic package ($150 for 30 minute session), though some of the more expensive packages seem like a bit much.
Anyway, if you can check out this site: http://www.triangle4dbaby.com/index.html
If we do get this done I'll be sure to post some pictures.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Baby's First Clothes
This weekend is a tax-free holiday here in NC. That means everyone runs out and buys clothes and computers and sporting goods. Basically, anything that could be useful for a kid going back to school is free of sales tax this weekend. So, of course, we went out to buy some baby clothes cause, well, I guess these days baby clothes are considered a necessity for high school.
We bought some "onesies" and a couple of cute "footy" outfits. Hopefully I'll get better at this terminology as time goes on.
There we have it. Vivian's first clothes. I can't wait to see her dressed up and immediately vomit all over them. :-)
It has also been brought to my attention that I failed to let everyone know Vivian's full name. It is:
We bought some "onesies" and a couple of cute "footy" outfits. Hopefully I'll get better at this terminology as time goes on.
There we have it. Vivian's first clothes. I can't wait to see her dressed up and immediately vomit all over them. :-)
It has also been brought to my attention that I failed to let everyone know Vivian's full name. It is:
Vivian Roberta Beatrice Stoy
Vivian after my mom, Roberta and Beatrice after Yvonne's grandmothers, and Stoy after my family name. We actually agreed on the name pretty quickly, so of course Vivian will pop out a boy and we'll end up arguing for a week over a new name.
Monday, July 28, 2008
A quick update
Things seem to be moving along fine with the baby. Little Vivian is happily gestating inside Yvonne. In fact, see seems to be a rather active little girl. Last night when we were laying in bed I actually saw and felt a little poke. Yvonne has been feeling it for a while now, but this was the first visual/tactile experience for me (that I was sure wasn't gas), so it was exciting. :-)
To branch out a little from the baby, Yvonne and I were looking for a new house. After moving into her house from my townhouse, we decided it would be best to wait until after the baby comes before we try to find a new house. Although "the country house" is nice, we are already feeling the pinch with lack of room. The garage is packed full of my junk, and we will have to make the guest room into an office. I spent all weekend at my townhouse cleaning and packing up all of the junk there. This morning we rented a truck and managed to do a final haul to the dump. I was sad because I finally had to throw out my old Commodore 64 and Amiga. I know it sounds lame, but the 64 was my first computer. If it wasn't for that machine I probably wouldn't be were I am today. But at least I have the memories (and I kept the old Pool of Radiance disks...)
So, things are going well with the baby and we are settling in at the house. Guess nothing to do now except wait for the stork. :)
To branch out a little from the baby, Yvonne and I were looking for a new house. After moving into her house from my townhouse, we decided it would be best to wait until after the baby comes before we try to find a new house. Although "the country house" is nice, we are already feeling the pinch with lack of room. The garage is packed full of my junk, and we will have to make the guest room into an office. I spent all weekend at my townhouse cleaning and packing up all of the junk there. This morning we rented a truck and managed to do a final haul to the dump. I was sad because I finally had to throw out my old Commodore 64 and Amiga. I know it sounds lame, but the 64 was my first computer. If it wasn't for that machine I probably wouldn't be were I am today. But at least I have the memories (and I kept the old Pool of Radiance disks...)
So, things are going well with the baby and we are settling in at the house. Guess nothing to do now except wait for the stork. :)
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
It's a Girl!
Today we had 20 week ultrasound exam and found out out little baby is a girl! At least, that is what the doctor told us. Truth be told, we had no clue what he was seeing as the image looked like a gray-scale blotch. But, he is the expert, so we will believe him. Our little girl is healthy, weighs in at a nice 12oz, and is coming along nicely. We had been thinking it would be a girl (Yvonne has been reading all sorts of folk-tales and such) and already have a name picked out. What is it? Well, that is still a secret. You'll just have to come back another day to find out. ;-)
So, I know you are all dying to see our first picture of her, so without further ado:
(Head is on the right. We think those are two little hands...but really..they could be gas bubbles for all we know...)
So, I know you are all dying to see our first picture of her, so without further ado:
(Head is on the right. We think those are two little hands...but really..they could be gas bubbles for all we know...)
Monday, July 21, 2008
Movement Update!
Yvonne messaged me today (during the five minutes I was actually at my desk) that the baby was making visible movements today! She could see her belly move and see it mover her laptop (well, more her belly-top computer these days.) When I got home this evening I got to see the belly move a bit too. It's so cool. I know it is freaky having some little alien thingy moving around in her, but neat-o. :-)
We looked at a bunch of baby movement videos on YouTube last night (yes, you really can find anything there.) There were some really freak videos where you could clearly see hands and feet kicking out. Looked like some Freddy Krueger thing (something like this.) At least we have that to look forward to...
We looked at a bunch of baby movement videos on YouTube last night (yes, you really can find anything there.) There were some really freak videos where you could clearly see hands and feet kicking out. Looked like some Freddy Krueger thing (something like this.) At least we have that to look forward to...
Sunday, July 20, 2008
And so it begins...
I'm going to be a father. This is a rather strange thing for me and it is taking a while to sink in fully. I mean, I know my wife is pregnant and we are expecting...but it hasn't really been real to me until the other day. I was sitting at work and my wife IM'd (yes, we are geeks) and told me she felt the baby move for the first time. It felt like gas. Or popcorn popping. Either way, it was a new sensation and definitely the little one flexing her muscles. I actually got excited. I couldn't wait to get home and put my hand on her belly to see if I could feel anything. Of course, the baby is still a bit too small so I couldn't feel it, but I know that day is coming.
On Tuesday we go in for our 20 week ultrasound where we, hopefully, will find out the sex of our little one. I know Yvonne is hoping for a girl, and I wouldn't mind, but mostly I'm just hoping to see two arms, two legs, and one head.
If we get a chance I'll post the ultrasound cause, hell, that is cool.
On Tuesday we go in for our 20 week ultrasound where we, hopefully, will find out the sex of our little one. I know Yvonne is hoping for a girl, and I wouldn't mind, but mostly I'm just hoping to see two arms, two legs, and one head.
If we get a chance I'll post the ultrasound cause, hell, that is cool.
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