Home, Sweet Home

We arrived back home today after a week in England. Jack did incredibly well on this trip and adjusted remarkably to sleeping in four different beds, managing a five-hour time difference, and meeting loads of relatives.

After spending last night in London -- where we enjoyed fish & chips, visited the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, and bought a Postman Pat book in Hamley's -- we were up at 4:00 am today (London time) to take the train to Heathrow for our 7:40 am flight. (Pictured: Jack at the airport, eating his passport.)

Jack was very tired (as were we!) and slept about 2 1/2 hours on the 7 1/2 hour flight home. Because we were the first flight of the day (getting into Dulles around 10:30 am), we sped right through immigration & customs and were in a cab home within about 15 minutes.

Our little guy looked so tired on the taxi ride home -- but he just wouldn't let those eyes close. He doesn't want to miss any action! He's been napping since 2:00 this afternoon and, although I'm tempted to wake him so we are okay for tonight, Mick has appealed to my senses and told me to let Jack sleep. The poor kid has been shuffled around so much, been such a trooper, and been so cheerful during the last three days when we've woken him up early that we really owe him a break.

I will post photos later from our trip as well as a bit more about what we did, who we saw, etc. It really was great to spend Jack's first Christmas with his relatives in Heptonstall/Littleborough/Chipping.

Before signing off, I also just want to commemorate Landon's birthday. If he were still with us, he would be turning two years old today. I spoke with my dad this afternoon and he mentioned that the family had gone to the cemetery and left some balloons on Landon's grave. Jack and I visited the cemetery before we came back to VA a few weeks ago and I mentioned to Sarah that being there made me very reflective. I realized that, had it not been for Landon, Deagan might not be here. That's not to say that I'm glad Landon's not here or that I'd rather Landon be here than Deagan. It's just a different way of thinking about things. So, happy birthday, Landon!

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and safe travels if your holiday has you on the road/in the skies.

We are enjoying our time in England although, as usual, the time goes too quickly. Our little traveler did very well on his first trans-Atlantic flight with absolutely no meltdowns during the seven hour flight. The same cannot be said for his parents, who had a bit of a grumble at the United ticket counter at Dulles after waiting close to a half hour (and being shuttled to four different agents) to pay the fee for Jack to fly; so much for Mick's premier executive flier status...

Mick's dad was kind enough to drive the 3+ hours to Heathrow to pick us up Sunday night and we arrived in Heptonstall around 2:45 am. Jack did NOT appreciate the car ride home (I think he'd had enough travel) and we had to listen to him wail for about an hour and a half. It was pretty tough for me to take but once we got home, he was all smiles.

Jack has adjusted fairly well to the time change, going to bed each night around 1:00 or 2:00 am and sleeping until about noon. We've had the last few days at Mick's dad's house and are here through Christmas morning. Tonight, we'll take Jack to the village square for carols and to see Father Christmas. In the morning, Mick's mum will pick us up and we'll spend the next few days with her and her side of the family. On Saturday, we are headed to London where we'll spend the night before our early-morning flight back to the U.S. on Sunday.

We've had an opportunity to introduce Jack to a number of his relatives, including his Uncle Chris & Uncle James as well as all three great-grandparents. I think it's fairly safe to say that everyone seems smitten with him. The time he has spent with his great-grandparents has been especially meaningful (and emotional, for me) as it has been quite a while since either side of Mick's family has had a baby around.

We'll post pictures from our trip once we're back in the states. Again, Merry Christmas to everyone!

Our Little Helper

OK, not sure if this will work but I am trying to upload a video that I took on Tuesday when my mom was here. I've got LOTS of great videos of Jack (starting from the day he was born!) but have never taken the time to post one here. I hope this works!

Our Time in Michigan

It's been a long time since I've provided a long post with an update on our activities, travels, pictures, etc. so since Jack is still sleeping I decided to update the blog.

First though, Jack's health status: his 4 month well visit was Wednesday & he did quite well. He's the size of a 6 month old, weighing in at 16 lbs, 8 0z (80th percentile) and 25 7/8 inches long (95th percentile). He had 2 shots and I think he felt it yesterday as he was quite fussy and was apparently on a nap strike. That was fun. He's been teething for about a month now but none of the pearly whites have poked through yet. His next visit (barring any colds) is in mid-February.

Now, our trip to Michigan! We made the drive on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Jack and Shergar did very well in the car and we were able to complete the trip in exactly 12 hours. We celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday (so that on Thanksgiving Andy & Sarah and Trevor & Stephanie could be with their other sides of the family) and were most thankful for the turkey. Mick started preparing the fresh turkey on Friday afternoon and I noticed a pretty nasty smell. Turns out the turkey was spoiled! YUCK! Calls to area grocery stores found that no one had fresh turkeys left (after all, who stocks extra turkey the day after Thanksgiving?) and we were all pretty sure we'd have to celebrate with pizza. But thankfully, Craig at Snyder's Market pulled through for us and provided us with the fresh turkey he was saving for his friend to use at Christmas. Thanks, Craig!

Jack spent some quality time with his cousins (Deagan pictured above), the guys (Mick, Andy, and Trevor) helped out by chopping wood for my parents to use in the woodstove this winter, and my parents babysat Jack while Mick and I went out for a very nice dinner at the Blue Cow Cafe.

Mick left on Sunday (Nov. 30) for a week back at the DC office before heading to Australia; the snow started falling a few hours after Mick flew out of Grand Rapids and didn't let up for the next few weeks! Seriously, in a 24 hour period, Big Rapids received a foot of snow. For me, this was one of the best parts of the trip. I love the snow and it's one of the things I miss the most about having lived here for the past nine years (Lake Michigan is the other thing I really miss). Almost every day, I took the dogs out and watched them romp through the increasingly-deep snow.

One day, I took Jack for a ride outside in the sled. He seemed to love the snow and giggled as Papa pulled him around the yard while snow toppled into the sled.


We did a lot of other great things while at home. Thanks to Sarah's good idea, we painted the boys' handprints & footprints on Christmas ornaments. Jack had a few swims in the pool and I am hopeful that he'll be a water baby as he gets older. I was able to spend my first night away from Jack (thanks for all the help, Papa, Grammy, and Aunt Sarah!) so I could take Trevor out to celebrate his graduation from Western. Congratulations on a major accomplishment, Trev!

We spent lots of quality time with Papa and Grammy while in BR and I think Jack burrowed himself further into their hearts. One of the nicest things about having quit my job post Jack's birth is that I can take extended trips to Michigan to see my family & friends. Grammy was especially helpful in working to find a way to keep Jack's pacifier in his mouth when he was fussy. The best idea she could come up with: using her CPAP machine (I said Jack looked a bit like Hannibal Lecter).
Jack and I made the trip back to Arlington this past Monday & my mom rode along with us so she could help with Jack (thanks, Mom!). I was so grateful for her help as Jack had a bit of a meltdown during the last hour of the trip and I was very close to pulling onto the shoulder of the road and just crying. Mick and Jack were reunited after 2 weeks of being apart and, despite Mick's concerns that Jack wouldn't remember him, Jack was all smiles when he saw his daddy. He especially is fond of the present his daddy brought him from Sydney:


We are now busy preparing for our trip to England this weekend. Mick and I are so excited to set Jack's little feet down on British soil and to introduce him to his three great-grandparents.

I'll post with updates on that trip in the coming weeks. In the meantime, all of the photos from our stay in MI are in our photo album. Since I didn't get my act together this year in getting out Christmas cards, please know that we wish all of you a happy holiday season and a safe and healthy new year!

One More Thing...

Mick failed to mention one very important piece of news from his trip to Australia: he was promoted to Vice President of Marketing. He's not one to toot his own horn so that's what a proud wife is for!

I have lots to report about Jack's and my stay in Michigan, which I hope to do in the near future. I've got loads of pictures to upload too... my goal is to get all of this done before we leave for England next Sunday. So, stay tuned!

Heading Home

Friday afternoon now and I’m sat in the Air New Zealand lounge in Sydney airport awaiting my flight back to San Francisco. It’s been a great week—have spent a lot of time with my colleagues creating plans for 2009 and solving some of the challenges we’ve faced in 2008. Some of the things that have stood out include:

1. With the time difference, I’ve woken up around 5am each morning. Given the usual post-work dinner and drinks, the days have run long.
2. It’s very warm here. I went for a morning run on Monday and it took me an hour to cool down. I didn’t make that mistake again.
3. I saw the biggest spider ever this morning. From end to end, it was probably 2-3 inches in length. We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Then, it blinked and disappeared.
4. Oddest sight of the week; a metal statue of Ned Kelly (check your history books) dressed in a Santa outfit and holding a rifle, out front of a house down the road. Merry christmas, everybody.
5. Unfortunately, I left my book on the Titanic disaster at the house I was staying at. I may never know what happened to the unsinkable ocean liner.

Have a quiet weekend planned, followed by preparations to fly to England next Sunday. Am excited to see family and for Jack to meet his great-grandparents.

Once Upon a Time...In a Land Far, Far Away

As I write this, I have just arrived in Australia to spend some time with my marketing counterparts in the company’s Brisbane office. At some point in the future, it will be interesting for Jack (or perhaps Marcus and Deagan) to look for some of the places that I flew over on my way from Los Angeles to Sydney…the Channel Islands, Honolulu, Nadi, Papeete, Samoa, the South Pacific Ocean, Coral Sea, and Tasman Sea. Of course, there'll be a test at the end of it.

After the 14-hour flight (not helped by the fact that United’s aging jumbo jet didn’t have seat-back TVs), I had a couple of hours in Sydney waiting for my connection on Qantas to Brisbane. As usual, I picked up a newspaper to see what’s happening in Australia—I find it a good way to acquire some conversation-starters and show that you know something of day-to-day life here.

Of course, it’s summer at present, so Brisbane (which is in the tropics) is very warm—
temperatures are above 30C/85F. Staying at the house of work colleagues of mine, I spent Sunday afternoon alternating naps and work, before having a very good dinner (steak, couscous, red wine) with several members of the team.

Tomorrow is the first of 4 days in the Brisbane office before returning home on Friday. Jack and Kelly will be back from Michigan the following Tuesday and we’ll be preparing for our Christmas trip to England, which we are all very excited about.

World Traveler

Jack's passport arrived yesterday. He has a nice little photo in it, complete with wide eyes and flamboyant hair. Thankfully, you cant see my hands around his body (I was holding him at arms length in front of the camera). As such, he is set to begin accruing border control stamps on each page. Amazing to think that by the end of his first calendar year, he will have taken at least 6 flights. They grow up so fast.

His musical tastes are developing, falling asleep to Kanye West and laughing up a storm to the Grand Ole Duke of York. If a hip-hop version of the latter ever gets released, Jack will be beside himself.

The Same Old...

I just realized I hadn't posted in a while so thought I'd just provide a quick update while Jack naps.

The last few weeks have been relatively uneventful, though we are doing various activities to prepare us for the holidays. Last weekend we went and applied for Jack's passport which he'll need for our flight to England at Christmas. The passport arrived today, suggesting that the State Department has ironed out the kinks in the passport application process which plagued them a few years ago. Mick is in the process of filling out paperwork to register Jack as a British citizen; this means Jack will have dual citizenship. We have begun our holiday shopping (have had 2 weekends of it now) and are almost done with our list, which is a relief!

Jack is doing well, growing (as usual) like a weed, as is evident from these pictures. He is sleeping very well at night - usually a good 10+ hour stretch once he falls asleep around 11 pm. We'd still like his bedtime to be a bit earlier, but we realize how incredibly fortunate we are that he's been sleeping such long stretches since he was about a month old. We think he's started teething so that's throwing a bit of a curve to us but we are managing. The biggest challenge for me has been to find teething products that are not made of plastic with BPA and/or are not made in China. I just don't trust the plastic & painted products from China, particularly for something that is supposed to be in his mouth. I have found a few options, including Sophie la Giraffe who is handmade in the French Alps; her price certainly reflects this.

We changed our plans for Thanksgiving as Mick now has travel to Australia for work right after Thanksgiving. We were going to fly to Michigan for the holiday but now are going to drive (eeek!) which will be interesting as Mick isn't a big fan of the drive & Jack HATES his car seat. Shergar and I have done the 12-hour drive many times before and aren't bothered by it so we will try to impart that attitude to our traveling companions.

Jack, Shergar, and I will stay in Michigan after Thanksgiving so we have company while Mick is away. We'll return via car (just me & Jack... that's the trip I'm nervous about!) in mid-December, just in time to pack for England as we're leaving on Dec. 21.

It's so hard to believe that just a year ago Mick and I were in Australia together, still in a bit of shock that we were newly expecting. That trip to Sydney and to the Great Barrier Reef will forever seem to me like our last travel hurrah before becoming parents. Now, travel and vacations have a whole new meaning (and require a LOT more preparation & list making!).

We'll keep everyone posted about our holiday travels. Knowing us, I am sure there will be some good stories...

A New Era

It has been an incredible night here in the Collins household and throughout America. Mick and I are very aware of what a momentous occasion this is and we feel a tremendous responsibility to ensure that Jack understands it too, someday.

We've popped the champagne, rejoiced when we saw that our beloved Virginia finally voted Democratic (first time since 1964!), and smiled along with President elect Obama as he gave his acceptance speech.

There are no words to express how incredible this moment is, how fortunate our son is to be born in a country where the people's voice and choice counts (at least in this election), and how truly meaningful this is to those whose voices have been squandered for hundreds of years.

It is my sincere hope that Jack understands the significance of this moment, just 43 years after the Voting Rights Act was passed. As the parent of a dual citizen, it is not lost on me that many countries look to the U.S. as a beacon of hope, as a symbol of what can be. Sadly, the last few years have tarnished that reputation and have made me even more eager to reestablish our standing as a great society that cares for its poor, its environment, and its sick.

Ultimately though, I hope that this election enables all Americans -- regardless of political persuasion -- to come together to work to reestablish America's position in the world as one of the greatest nations in the world.

Voting

We voted!

It took two tries, but we made it happen. I went by myself to the polls around 6:15 this morning (they opened at 6 am) but the line was insane - about 500 people long! I knew Mick had to be to work early, so I came home and decided to go later.

Jack and I then headed out at noon to try again. I packed a bag for us, complete with two bottles, three diapers, two pacifiers, one change of clothes, etc. Wouldn't you know though that I didn't need ANY of it! There was absolutely no line when we arrived so we just walked straight up to the voting booth and voted. Jack received a "Future Voter" sticker - exciting.

Sadly, Mick, Shergar, and Jack all have the same voting privileges: none. If Mick had married me a year earlier, he'd have his dual citizenship by now and would be able to vote, but that's another issue...

We have champagne chilling in the fridge for tonight as we watch the election results roll in.

Lots of Fall Fun

The last few weeks have had us busy doing all sorts of fall-related activities. As you can see from this picture, Jack loved Halloween. So many people have told us over the last few months that his hair makes him look like a rock star that we decided that's exactly what he'd be for Halloween. The sunglasses are an early Christmas present, courtesy of Papa (thanks!).

Actually, the pumpkin carving earlier in the day went well. Jack and Shergar sat on the porch with us (Mick took the day off) while we cleaned the pumpkin and carved. Unfortunately, the trick-or-treating time coincided with Jack's "unhappy hour" which usually lasts a few hours every evening.

The weekend before Halloween we went to Great Falls, VA for a gorgeous hike with Shergar. The leaves weren't really changing yet but the weather was mild and Jack was well behaved in the Jack Pack.

This past Sunday, we headed downtown as Jack hasn't been to the Mall yet. We have taken him downtown to see our offices, but he hadn't seen the monuments yet. We were able to show him the Lincoln, the Washington Monument, the new WWII Memorial, the Capitol, the Jefferson, and the FDR. He tolerated his stroller for the first 15 minutes and then he wailed (he hates his stroller & car seat) so Mick carried him around for the rest of our trip.


I have updated our photo album so take a look to see more of these pictures. Oh, and a quick explanation on the random pictures of Jack with the cloth on his face:
He has taken to constantly putting his burp cloth on his head and then covering and uncovering his face. He doesn't do peek-a-boo yet so I can't figure out why he loves this so much. It can literally keep him occupied for a half hour or more. Mick and I just laugh. The first time I saw it, Jack was on the floor and his entire head was covered with the cloth. I asked Mick why he did that and Mick looked at me as if I were crazy and said "I didn't do that... he did!" So I just had to take pictures of it. What a weird child.

Lots of Learning

This week has been a busy one for Jack! We went to the University of Maryland on Monday as Jack was scheduled to be a research participant in the department of Infant and Child Studies. His part of the study was in the linguistics department; the research attempts to determine whether children can match sounds with faces. Jack did okay, though it took four takes for us to get through the whole 10 minute video he had to watch. We stopped for a wardrobe change, a quick feed, and two positional changes (he didn't like sitting on my lap and facing the screen -- maybe because the screen just showed a woman who said "ray" over and over for 10 minutes). Jack received a gift (a Thomas the Tank lift-the-flap board book... my favorite kind!) for his participation.

On Wednesday, we went to the library for the first of a four-week "Baby Steps" program. There were about 10 other babies there and we were able to sing songs, watch puppets, and read stories. Jack was on the young end (most of the babies were sitting already) but he and I had fun nonetheless. We met another little guy there who is 1 month older than Jack but who sounds like he is Jack's twin. He, like Jack, hates his car seat and stroller and can only be carried around in a Baby Bjorn (similar to the JackPack). This other little boy also refuses to sleep before midnight and then refuses to wake up in the morning... just like Jack! His mom was very friendly and she invited me to a playgroup, which I went to today with Jack.

My cousin, Emily, gave me some great advice before Jack was born. She told me that if I decided to stay home with him and quit my job (which I have), I needed to find parents with similar-aged kids to spend time with during the week. I have sort of ignored Emily's advice these last few weeks, feeling like I really am not cut out for a "mom's group." But I can easily say that after our two outings this week I have realized why Emily told me that. These groups are great sanity savers and are also immensely helpful in normalizing Jack's behaviors. He may not go to bed as nicely as some of the other babies, but he eats well. And he may hate the stroller, but he's not colicky. My big fear is that these groups will turn into "whose husband is worse" sessions, but I will attend until that starts to happen.

Well, I hear my little guy waking up, so off I go. Stay posted for Halloween pictures & Jack's debut as a rock star...

Jack's Stats

We saw the pediatrician yesterday for Jack's 2 month appointment (though he's 10 weeks old now). He had 2 shots and was a real champ through them, possibly because we brought Daddy along to comfort Jack. He continues to grow and grow and grow. He is bigger than 50% of all four-month-old babies! His stats are:

• Weight: 14 lbs, 1.5 oz (93rd percentile)
• Height: 25 inches (97th+ percentile)
• Head: 15.25 inches (25th percentile)

This week I have been working on packing away his newborn clothing. It is a bittersweet task as I love how interactive he is now but wish that I hadn't been in such a daze during his first few weeks of life; I miss my "tiny" Jack.

Babysitter!

Last night, Mick and I had our first real outing since Jack's birth. It was Mick's birthday and I lined up a babysitter a few weeks ago (someone I know from work) so we could enjoy a meal out. We were originally going to head to a fancy restaurant for a 5-course tasting menu, but we decided against that as Jack had been a bit fussy on Monday and we didn't want to be interrupted mid-meal with a call saying we had to get home (it's hard to doggie-bag courses from a tasting menu).

So instead we headed to Bistrot Lafayette in Old Town Alexandria for a lovely French meal. We had mussels and escargot to start, along with some white wine and then we moved on to a red wine for our entrees. I had the rack of lamb with fresh thyme jus and roasted garlic mousseline and Mick had the NY strip with a cabernet sauvignon reduction. We had dessert at home -- a from-scratch cheesecake that I made during Jack's afternoon nap.

The best part of our date? Our conversation! In the 2 1/2 hours we were away, we did not talk about Jack at all. We discussed politics, religion, and travel... just like our old, pre-parent selves!

According to the babysitter's report, Jack was a good boy. He had his bottle, admired himself in the mirror for a good 25 minutes, and cuddled with her. This was fantastic to hear as I think we'll be using a babysitter again in the near future. As I mentioned to my dad last night, I think having a babysitter every once in a while is a justifiable expenditure. Going out together from time to time is certainly less expensive than marriage counseling (and more fun, too)!

City Boy Does Country

With my mom comfortably (?) settled at home, Jack and I decided to go out to the country to visit Andy, Sarah, Marcus, and Deagan. We headed to Heritage Farms where Jack had his first experience with a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and hay ride. We saw elk and buffalo and were able to enjoy the gorgeous fall colors as the trees here look to be close to their peak.

Although Jack slept for much of our visit to the farm, I think he generally enjoyed it. He was not able to share the donuts and cider with us but I think I had enough for both of us! It was a perfect day out (with temps in the mid to upper 70s, which I don't think I've ever seen in Michigan in mid-October!) though we both missed Mick. Maybe we'll do another fall outing with Daddy when we're back in Virginia next week.

Andy also took us to the Manistee National Forest to see the salmon run in the White River, but it seems we were too late this year. The salmon usually spawn from September to the end of October but maybe the warm weather has cut the run short this year.

Photos from our trip yesterday are in our photo album.

Mama - She's Coming Home!

I just received a call from my mom (who is still in the hospital) and she was thrilled to tell me that she will be released later this afternoon. She did really well with her physical therapy yesterday. Jack and I were there to watch her conquer steps, getting into and out of a vehicle, and walking (with walker) down a long hallway.

The blood clot in her leg that was found on Wednesday night via ultrasound is apparently a subcutaneous clot, meaning it's not as serious as we originally thought. If the doctors had been concerned about the clot, they never would have let her get out of bed yesterday for fear that she would risk dislodging it.

So, with any luck, we'll have her home by dinner time tonight. Thanks again for all of your support!

Mission Accompished

Just a quick post this morning to let everyone know that Jack and I successfully made it from DC to Grand Rapids on Sunday night. I was a bit nervous about flying without Mick when I had a 7-week old baby with me, but we did just fine. I did a good job of packing: just one suitcase between the two of us and one carry-on (diaper bag that served as a purse as well) so I wouldn't need to struggle with these extra items. As it was, I needed to make it through security with a car seat, stroller, and baby carrier (the Jack Pack). That's the part I was really nervous about as I didn't know how I was going to manage collapsing everything and sending it through the x-ray machine while holding Jack. But thankfully most of the airline & security people were helpful and the Jack Pack was extremely useful.

My mom's knee surgery on Monday went well. The doctor told us she was "past due" for a total knee replacement as her knee was bone-on-bone; he said the x-rays didn't tell half the story. When we left her on Mon. night she seemed okay - she was drugged up on narcotics and kind of out of it but generally she was fine. We got a scary call yesterday morning from the hospital telling us my mom was having trouble breathing, was on oxygen, and that they were worried that her lungs were collapsing. Long story short: they did a CT scan yesterday to check for any possible blood clot/embolism. The report on the scan wasn't back by the time we left around 7:30 last night, so that suggests that no clot was spotted. The nurses suspect my mom might have a touch of pneumonia but we'll know more today.

I felt good about leaving the hospital last night. My mom was sitting in bed and had had her first real food since Sunday (which made her SO happy!). Her oxygen levels were getting a bit better, partly due to a lot of encouragement from Andy that she take deep breaths. She was surrounded by her entire family (though Mick was missing, which she lamented). I truly think that having her three grandsons there was the best medicine she could have had!

OK, off to hospital again. Will keep everyone posted. Thanks for your keeping my mom in your thoughts.

New Photos

I have added 4 new photo albums to our group room on Snapfish. Let me know if you need the room code.

Thanks to those of you who commiserated with my car seat posting, put things in perspective for me, and helped me realize that the mistake is more normal than I had thought. Also, a HUGE thanks to all of you who offered sleep suggestions. I followed the idea a few of you had (start bedtime earlier) and Jack slept last night from 9:15 to 7:00 this morning, with just two short feeds between 9:15 and 12:30. So I got solid sleep from 12:30 on! That meant Mick actually got to spend a little cuddly time with a happy Jack this morning before he went to work. (Poor Mick usually arrives home right as Jack starts what I call his "unhappy hour" -- which tends to drag on for more than just an hour!) We'll see if last night was a fluke or if this will continue...

Worst Mother in the World

Wow, was yesterday a doozy! Jack is back to going to sleep every night between 3:00 and 4:00 am. Once he settles down, we get a good 6 - 8 hours out of him, but spanning that time between 10 pm (when we start trying to get him to sleep) and 3 or 4 am is not easy. It makes things even harder as he is now really starting to smile and laugh and interact with us. Nothing melts a parent's heart like looking at your little guy at 2:30 am and saying "Jack, it's not playtime, it's bedtime" and getting a giant gummy smile in return. (If anyone has tips for how we can get Jack to go to bed a bit earlier, please let me know!)

The photo above shows Jack in the midst of his bedtime routine last night. Mick gave Jack a bath (on his own!) and then "styled" his hair and gave him a bottle. Mick then kindly sent me to bed while he stayed up with Jack. Jack finally went down around 3:00 am; Mick couldn't fall asleep, so he went into the office in the middle of the night so he could plow through some work. I am hoping he comes home early today for a nap...

So, yesterday was going fairly smoothly. I had showered (I forgot to rinse the shampoo out of my hair, which I didn't realize until I was drying it -- but at least I was clean!), fed Jack his mid-afternoon meal, and dressed both of us. I then walked across the street to our neighbor's house to ask if they needed me to pick up any groceries for them (they just had their third child, who arrived three weeks early; and I think I have MY hands full!). I loaded Jack into the car and headed off to the grocery store, our first venture out to do a big shopping trip. I have been nervous about doing a real trip for groceries because I wasn't sure what I'd do if Jack had a meltdown when I had a full cart. Would I just leave the cart and run?

Of course, one block from the store, Jack started screaming. I thought the motion of the cart would help him, but no such luck. So, I carried him around the grocery store while an empty car seat sat in the shopping cart. This was not easy, but I was able to get a few needed items, including ingredients so I could make a nice dinner for Mick. I was able to get a few reprieves when I would set Jack back in his seat, whiz through a few aisles (forget checking prices or comparing items to each other), and then take him out again to quell his screaming.

Finally, I got throught checkout and back to the car where I loaded Jack and the groceries and then collapsed in the driver's seat. I was sitting at the red light, waiting to cross through the busy intersection, thinking about what a supermom I was for accomplishing all of this with a 6-week-old when, all of a sudden, my heart dropped. I realized I had forgotten to strap Jack back into his car seat when I placed him back in the final time. So, while the car seat was attached to the car, Jack was just resting on top of all the belts in the seat. I panicked and then I got into the other lane, drove across the street, and stopped in a parking lot to make adjustments. And then I started crying. I can't even begin to think about what could have happened had I been hit by another car. Sarah told me this happened to her too when Marcus was about 2 months old and she cried too. So, I guess I feel a bit less alone about this, but still... how inept am I?

Needless to say, arriving home was a blessing and a curse. Jack was screaming - again - so I had to lift him out of the car seat and "shush" him while simultaneously screaming at Shergar to be quiet (she realized we were home and was threatening to jump out the window screen while yelping away frantically). I didn't know how to get the groceries in, so I went to the yard and grabbed a stroller. As I was trying to open the stroller (with one hand) Jack's head smashed my shoulder and he started screaming again. It took forever for me to load the bags into the stroller (of course, I put the bag with the bread on the bottom) and this whole time I was still comforting Jack and screaming at the dog. I finally made it into the house and tried to get dinner started while dealing with an insane dog and a baby who was threatening to launch himself out of the baby carrier pack I had him in because he was so hungry.

Mick complimented my cooking though AND I didn't burn down the house. So in all, we survived, but what a day!

Future Frequent Flyer

We can happily report that Jack survived his first flight to Michigan! We flew into Grand Rapids on Thursday night and Jack received a "First Flight Certificate" signed by the captain, first officer, and flight attendant. Since he was such a good boy on the plane, we decided to fly back to DC with him on Monday, despite the fact that my parents would have been happy to keep him. Jack and I will return to Michigan in October to stay with my mom after her knee surgery, meaning he'll have had 4 round-trip flights by the time he's four months old.

Our visit to MI was exciting on many fronts. Jack was able to meet his grandpa (Papa), Uncle Andy & Uncle Trevor, Aunt Sarah, Stephanie, and his cousins, Marcus and Deagan. Here he is with Papa and Deagan (who is just two days younger than Jack!) and then with Marcus and Deagan. If Jack looks a bit disheveled in the second picture, it's because he was distraught about Michigan's poor performance against Notre Dame... (thanks for the outfit, Andy & Sarah!)



Jack also attended the "Sip & See" party thrown by my friend, Andrea, and her mom. He was able to meet quite a few of our Big Rapids friends and to wow them with his generous head of hair.

One of the most special parts of the weekend (for me, at least) was the "welcome to the world" celebration we held for Jack and Deagan on Sunday. We had cake and champagne and dressed Jack in the christening gown worn by my grandma, my mom, and me & my brothers (as well as my mom's brothers, my cousins and their kids!). The gown is 99 years old and remains in mint condition, a true testament to my grandma and her impressive laundering skills.

Andy took some great pictures of Jack in the gown and I will post those, along with the rest of my weekend pictures, when I have a chance.


On a final note, Jack continues to grow and to be a very good eater. We went for his one month visit to the pediatrician yesterday and his stats are as follows:

• Weight: 11 lbs, 10 oz (93rd percentile)
• Height: 23 1/2 inches (97th percentile... he's grown 2 1/2 inches since birth!)
• Head: 14 1/2 inches (25th percentile - I guess it's just the hair that makes his head look so big!)

It's hard to believe Jack has been here for five weeks now. The time is going so quickly that I am trying to relish every single moment, even those at 3:30 am. We are truly fortunate to have such a wonderful, healthy son!

One Month

It's been a wonderful, hazy, tiring, rewarding month since Jack arrived. It seems like a lifetime ago that I was admitted to the hospital for labor induction & that Jack made his harried appearance (pun intended!). We continue to learn more about him, to settle into a relatively-stable routine, and have started to distinguish between his cries. He's now sleeping a solid 8 hours at night which has been a tremendous help to both me & Mick. He is quite a predictable chap: he cries when he's tired, overstimulated, hot, hungry, or has hiccups. He's what one of my books refers to as a "textbook baby."

We all dressed up on Sunday morning for brunch with my in-laws. He did quite well at the restaurant (his third meal out!) though we did pass him around to keep him quiet. We took the above photo when we returned home - the first proper family photo (with Shergar) since Jack's arrival.

Here's what we all felt like after the huge meal though:

We are headed tomorrow evening to Michigan for a few days and will be sure to post an update after that trip as we are looking forward to seeing how Jack does on the plane.

He has just awoken from his nap and is calling for his mum so I'm off now! Shergar hates it when I let him cry for a minute or two and is moving between his crib and the sofa (where I am) to let me know that Jack is up. She's a pretty funny dog...

Busy Week

We've had quite an eventful week full of lots of "first" outings for Jack. The good news is that we've survived all of them and are all still in one piece, despite some frazzled nerves and tears (at least on my part & Jack's).

On Monday night, we went out to dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Tutto Benne. We were accompanied by Sarah Jane (Mick's sister) and my mom. Thankfully, Jack slept through the entire meal and only started to fuss when we got the check. Maybe he thought the meal should have been on the house?



Tuesday, my mom packed up to leave after having spent 5 weeks with me. To say that it was tough to see her go is a tremendous understatement. I cannot begin to put into words how wonderful it was to have her here, both for me and for Jack (and maybe even for Mick, too.). We are counting down the days (14) until we are in Michigan for our next visit and are able to introduce Jack to the rest of my family.



On Wednesday, I gave Jack a bath entirely by myself. This was a huge accomplishment for me as this has been the one task I've been most nervous about; babies are so slippery when wet! My mom gave me a good tip though to use warmer water than I had been using when she helped me with his baths. She was right: he liked the warmer water and didn't cry at all. Phew! I also took Jack into Mick's office for family day. Jack and I made it in one piece. We were both dressed and clean. These days, that's a big accomplishment for us.



Today, Jack took a long enough morning nap to allow me & Sarah Jane to go to the salon for some pampering while Mick, who was working from home, remained on standby should Jack have a meltdown.

Sarah Jane leaves tomorrow and so it will be my first day alone with Jack. I am a little anxious about how that will go but am looking forward to a three-day weekend with Mick, Jack, and Shergar -- our first time on our own as our new family.

First Unscheduled Visit to Pediatrician

What an eventful morning we had! I noticed a funny (read: disgusting) smell coming from Jack and also noticed that his belly button area was moist. His umbilical cord hadn't fallen off yet (it usually comes off between 7 and 14 days after birth) and it didn't look the way it had for the past week.

I called the pediatrician (after referring to him as "the vet"... I guess that will take some getting used to!) and was told that I should bring Jack in right away. My mom and I had to step into high gear, figuring out how to get Jack's car seat into the spare car (Mick was at the airport with our Jeep) and driving to the doctor's.

We found out a few interesting things about Jack:

• His umbilical cord is not yet infected, though we do need to start treating it with rubbing alcohol to make sure it dries back up.
• It is not neglectful for me to keep him just in a diaper because he keeps getting so hot (too hot even for a onesie). The doctor said it's very possible that he's acquired his dad's tendency to always run warm. He's also probably getting hot and clammy due to my pregnancy hormones.
• Despite my concerns that Jack isn't feeding the way I learned he should when I attended all of my breastfeeding classes, he is doing more than fine. Most babies gain 1 oz per day when they are being breastfed. Jack has gained 2 oz per day since his appointment on Monday and is now up to 9 lbs, 8 1/2 oz. What a little overachiever!

It was a big relief to us that Jack checked out well. My mom was actually much more worried than she let on to me (and boy am I glad she didn't tell me what she was thinking could be wrong with Jack; it would have sent me over the edge!). All's well that ends well.

Lots of Jack Photos!

I have finally found a bit of time to upload a bunch of pictures of Jack to our Snapfish photo album. They may be found here. Let me know if you need the room code. Enjoy!

(This photo was taken about 10 minutes after Jack finished eating. He looks pretty satisfied, huh? At this rate, he'll weigh 20 pounds by his 3-month checkup!)

All is Quiet on the Western Front

Jack is one week old today and continues to amaze all of us just by doing basic baby things. Of course, we all think he's smart ("look at how alert he his!", "he's holding his head up; he is so strong!", "he is tracking and focusing already!") and good looking.

I am growing more and more confident every day and am learning to just trust my instincts as, so far, they've been dead on. Thanks to a suggestion from my brother, Andy, I dressed Jack a bit differently last night and he slept solidly from 1:30 am until 7:15 am when I woke him up to feed him! Being rested has made such a difference to me today; I almost feel like my old self.

My emotions have remained relatively under control -- I don't think one set of tears per day is anything out of the ordinary, especially when I'm still on two different pain killers. My most embarrassing breakdown so far came on Sunday evening when I couldn't find the hospital bands that Jack, Mick, and I wore until we were discharged. I ripped apart the house, accused Mick of throwing them out, and then asked my mom to help me dig through the garbage (which was completely full) to find the wristbands. My poor mom dumped the heavy garbage can in our driveway, dug through all of the yard waste that Mick had just put in there, and struggled to pull out the 4 bags of garbage that were at the bottom of the can. Then, she patiently sorted through each of the bags of trash while I stood weeping in the driveway and insisting that the bands must have been thrown out.

After sorting through all of the indoor & outdoor trash, I started thinking about our discharge and I remembered the nurse saying that she needed to staple our bands to a hospital form that would be put in Jack's chart. As we sat down for dinner, I said to Mick "I'm so sorry, I think I made a mistake." I explained that maybe the bands didn't come home with us (despite my earlier insistence that they had) and that we should call the hospital on Monday. Mick did just that and the nurses confirmed that all hospital bands remain at the hospital. Oops.

Other than that snafu, I think things have gone very well. The grandparents -- four of whom are here right now -- think Jack is just swell. I have told my dad that he gets Jack priority when we're in MI in September as he still hasn't been able to meet the little guy. I am so thankful for all of the help I've received these last few days. Not having to think about cooking and cleaning is such a relief. Plus, having a chauffeur (I cannot drive until I am off pain meds) has been incredibly helpful.

I still haven't posted pictures to our Snapfish album but will be sure to post an update here when I do!

Oh, and in other exciting baby news, Jack had a cousin born 2 days after him: Deagan James Klimek (Andy & Sarah's son) arrived on August 15 after just three pushes! He was only one day past his due date and weighed in at 9 lbs, 10 oz and 20 inches long. Big brother Marcus is being a big help though Andy said he still doesn't have the "wash your hands before you give Deagan your finger to suck on" rule internalized. We are looking forward to introducing the babies to each other in September.

Home on the...um...Range

Jack arrived home on Saturday afternoon and has adapted well to his new surroundings. With a multitude of family in tow, he fills his time with demanding activities such as being held, sleeping, eating, looking around, being held, eating, sleeping, being held, and...every so often...looking around some more.

We've learned a lot about his patterns and behaviors; the sound of the ocean (emitting from a woolly sheep) relaxes him, rides in the car seat put him to sleep, and his arms and legs are remarkably powerful.

He got his first look at a pediatrician's office yesterday; thankfully, all checked out well and he continues to gain weight, height, color, and hair.

Otherwise, he's a little miffed that he didnt win the baby pool, but expects to mount a strong campaign for the "Number of Times Each Day Someone Will Say 'He's TOO Cute!'" pool. Not sure how he paid his entry fee though....

The Details

I have just finished reading through all of the emails we have received over the past two days and it is an understatement to say that I am overwhelmed. Thank you all for your kind wishes and congratulations; it is really special to know that so many people share in our pride and excitement over Jack's birth.

A number of you have written to me asking for birth details (I think it's safe to say that all of these questions have come from women!). I don't see myself having time to provide those details to everyone individually, so I here provide the timeline of how the labor played out. Feel free to skip this post entirely as it's nowhere near as brief or witty as Mick's posts.

Tues, 5 pm: Receive Cervidil to help prepare my body for the induction.

Wed, 7 am: Begin receiving Pitocin -- am dilated to 3 cm.

Wed, 7 am - 12 noon: Labor is endurable, played cards with Mick & my mom, contractions pick up but I still am able to manage w/out an epidural (as I wished).

Wed, 12 noon: Water is broken -- am dilated to 4 cm.

Wed, 12 noon - 4:30 pm: Labor picks up dramatically in intensity. I continue laboring with no epidural, fully due to the support I received from Mick and my mom (both of whom were fantastic and who, thankfully, were not offended when I snapped at them for rubbing my back or breathing with me). By 4:00, my midwife was sure I was in the transition stage of labor (8cm - 10 cm) because of the way I was reacting to the strength and frequency of contractions. I was kind of in a zone -- shivering/shaking, vomiting, moaning, etc. The pain was intense but I was so proud of myself that I was still without an epidural. My nurse was fantastic; she told me pre-labor that she had 3 kids, all born via Pitocin induction, and that she did not have an epidural for any of them. She was truly my inspiration throughout labor as so many people had scoffed at my goal of having an epidural-free labor with Pitocin.

4:30 pm: Midwife checks me -- she is shocked (as am I) that I have only progressed about 1/2 cm in 4 1/2 hours, particularly given the intensity of my contractions. She tells Mick & I (though I am barely aware of what she's saying b/c I am gripping the bed rails and trying not to give up) that we have 2 options because she thinks the baby's head is too big for my pelvis. We could either keep laboring for a few more hours and see if the baby progressed (which she doubted because my cervix was starting to swell, which is an indication that the baby's head won't descend through the birth canal) or we could have a c-section.

4:35 pm: Mick and I decide to do a c-section so the baby won't be stressed any more than he already has been. Mick is given scrubs, I am told that the anesthesiologists are being called for an epidural.

4:45 pm (approx): Suddenly, everyone is running around and hollering at each other (by everyone I mean the medical team) and my bed is being raced down the hall. I am zoomed into the OR and I hear the OBGYN screaming into the phone that she needs the anesthesiologists NOW because she has fetal distress with a heartbeat of 105 and if she doesn't have anesthesia in 1 minute she is going to call a code. I am alone in the OR with no sign of Mick and all I could focus on was the frenzied pace around me. No one was talking to me and telling me things would be okay. The doctors were not reserving their concern for hushed conversations with each other; they were being VERY vocal about the severity of the situation. Within about 2 minutes, I was being told to breathe deeply as there was no time for an epidural or c-section and that I was going to need a general anesthetic. I was so scared I cannot put it into words. Mick wasn't there to hold my hand - no one was. The last thought I had was that I could very well wake up without a baby. In the meantime, Mick -- in his scrubs -- and my mom were left standing in the hallway with little idea of what had happened so quickly and why Mick wasn't being invited in to the OR.

4:58 pm: Jack William Collins is born and is healthy (Apgar scores of 8 and 9 on a 10-point scale).

7:00 pm: I wake up in recovery and immediately ask if the baby is okay, followed by saying "Oh, crap! He hasn't eaten yet. He must be starving. Bring him to me so I can feed him." (I don't remember any of this -- I was very out of it and have been told I was saying some pretty funny things as I came out of the anesthesia.)

So, that's how the whole thing played out. Obviously, this was the exact opposite of what I had prepared for with the Lamaze, birth plan, and midwife. What was especially jarring about the situation was the span of time in which things moved from a "we should do something in the next few hours" situation to an absolute emergency. Fewer than 15 minutes after I was rushed out of my room, Jack was born. I was told post-delivery that the doctors used staples rather than stitches on me b/c they had no time to sterilize anything because it was such an emergency; should I get an infection, it will be easier to manage with staples than with stitches.

These last few days have been tough for me due to the way Jack was born. It was especially hard for me yesterday as I felt as if I was never going to bond with Jack. I didn't have that moment when I saw my child born, when I looked at my husband and cried as I learned we had a healthy son. Instead, I woke up and there was a baby next to me that people told me was my son. Everything I dreamed about -- delivering Jack, hearing the midwife announce whether we had a boy or girl, looking into Mick's eyes and knowing we had created this little person -- did not happen.

Fortunately, Mick has been patient with my roller-coaster emotions and I am pleased to say that I fell in love last night with Jack. I just needed a little time to feel like he really was mine.

I am about to head off to bed, but am anxiously awaiting Jack's next feeding so I can look at him with that sense of overwhelming love and awe and that I have never known before.

24

A little more than 1 day into Jack's life and he's doing very well, feeding at regular intervals and sleeping a good amount. In fact, when he's not eating, he is very content to get swaddled, lie back, and watch the world go by. So far, he's a pretty peaceful child.

Kelly is getting better and better but will stay in the hospital a few more days to rest. She's been walking around the halls and her appetite has returned. We had our Celebration Dinner last night, a specially prepared smorgasboard of overcooked beef, underseasoned broccoli, and sparkling cider (which we dumped in favor of champagne).

Overall though, the hospital staff have been fantastic and we couldn't ask for more in terms of the post-partum ward--everything is brand new and our room is massive.

Kelly will be home sometime this weekend and primed for sushi and more champagne.

Welcome to the World

After a long, long day, Jack William Collins was born at 4:58pm EDT. He weighed a whopping 9 pounds 2 ounces and measured 21 inches in length, suggesting that he’ll be an NFL star after he finishes his Economics PhD at Princeton.

Both mother and baby are doing well and safely resting for the evening. Jack has a healthy set of lungs and voracious appetite. Attached is a photo of Jack minutes after his entry into the world.

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes and messages of support.

Ready, Steady, Go!

We had our final check-in with Karen, our midwife, this morning. In routine tests, the baby's heartrate was strong, but its movement a little sluggish (like Shergar, the baby tends to sleep all morning and become active towards the late afternoon).

As a precaution, Karen recommended an additional set of tests, one of which found that the fluid surrounding the baby was at a lower level than would be ideal. It was decided that Kelly should be admitted to the labor and delivery unit today instead of tomorrow.

Mary and I spent the day with Kelly as she checked in, got hooked up to various monitors and IVs, and settled down for the night. We will return in the morning to prepare for Kelly to be induced with Pitocin. She is doing remarkably well and is in good spirits.

After many months of waiting, we should soon be parents. Tomorrow will be a climactic day.

Tired of Waiting

Well, it's now 11 days past my due date, but I'm still not officially "overdue." However, I am definitely ready to have this baby! I am really ready to meet our little one and to see whether he or she has Shergar's mouth (as Mick predicted from an early ultrasound). Also, while I've really hated to complain about the aches and pains associated with pregnancy (aside from the two rounds of PUPPPs, which really did test me), I am now at the point where I just don't think I can take many more nights of hip pain or many more days of hobbling around wherever I walk. But, as I keep reminding myself, if the baby needs a few more days before it's ready to meet all of us, that's okay. Maybe it's taking after its mum (I was 3 1/2 weeks overdue).

I had this song in my head last night as I was trying to fall asleep and it made me smile when I thought of it again today. Truer words have never been spoken!

Thanks to everyone for your support, kind words, and encouragement. Hopefully it won't be much longer!

It's a....

...beautiful day here in DC; with lower humidity and hazy skies, the weather is perfect for walking the dog, relaxing on the porch, or just hanging out with friends. But I digress...

We have decided to give ourselves more time for a natural delivery and have pushed back the date for induction to next Wednesday, the 13th.

In the meantime, we have our fingers crossed that labor will commence in the next few days.

Nesting - Everybody's Doing It

Sunday night here and I'm still VERY pregnant. No sign yet of Baby Collins' arrival. We are all just waiting and hoping that the baby decides to make an appearance before I have to be induced on Thursday morning.

My dad arrived on Tuesday night and he and my mom have been extremely busy cleaning every corner of the house, helping with fix-it projects, cooking, and running errands. Here's a picture of my dad using the carpet cleaner; my mom had just finished cleaning the upholstery on both sofas (they don't screw around when they clean!)


On Friday, I read that heavy cleaning often brings on labor. So I joined in with everyone else and cleaned both sides of all the doors in the house with Murphy's Oil Soap. It smelled good and made everything look much nicer.


(While there are no pictures of Mick & my mom, it doesn't mean they haven't been busy around the house; they're just a bit more camera shy.)

I am doing everything I can to encourage the baby to be born: walking, swimming lots of laps, drinking special tea, having acupuncture, trying not to think about it, etc. I think this is probably the first of many times as a parent that I will realize I'm not in control when it comes to my child.

We will keep everyone posted on what's happening. I'm sure a flurry of emails will go around once the baby arrives!

(Note: I think I have figured out how to link to the photos in our Snapfish album. Go to the right side of this page and click on "Photo Album" under "Collins' Links." You may need a room code to access our photos. Just email me (kellyklimek@hotmail.com) or Mick (mickjcollins@hotmail.com) and we'll send it to you. I have added the pictures from my baby shower to the albums.)

All Quiet on the Eastern Front

Not much to report at present. We're 2 days past the due date and there are few indicators that labor is imminent. As such, Kelly is trying out various methods (acupuncture, walking, spicier food) reputed to spur labor, in the hope that the baby will arrive before its scheduled induction.

So, life continues unabated. Kelly and her parents have been doing odd-jobs around the house, while I catch-up on previously unresolved items at work and plan for my time out of the office.

Thanks to everyone for their calls and emails; we will be sure to let you all know as soon as the baby is delivered.

Le Weekend

Sunday morning now and we're just 48 hours from Kelly's due date. Since the last appointment with Karen (the midwife), Kelly has been trying to rest and relax, which contravenes all of her innate tendencies. With her mother now in town, there are two people to take care of tasks around the house, leaving the mother-to-be to her various thankyou cards, reading, and learning new card games (such as 16-card mini-Pai Gow).

Yesterday, we had lunch with Jerry and Lisa Sorkin and their two kids, Emma and Claire (who you may recall were flower girls in the much-acclaimed production "Kelly and Mick Get Married").

While the adults imparted lots of great advice, and generously donated books, outfits, and toys to us, the kids entertained the guests with Michigan fight songs, flashing blue ice cubes, and stories of summer camp. As I later found out, Kelly went to camp until she was 17.

Preparations for the hospital are largely completed. The bags are packed and the jeep has a full tank of gas (although, with the hospital being just a mile away, we could probably walk there). Shergar has begun to get her bag ready; so far it only includes a bone.

Finally, for the music-lovers among you, Kelly has found that the best way to encourage the baby to move around is placing headphones on her stomach and blasting a mix of Metallica, Chemical Brothers, and the Prodigy. It would seem that this child likes drum and bass as much as its father.

One Week from Due Date

Well, I made it to week 39. That's a VERY good thing as my mom arrives from Michigan tomorrow evening. It was tricky to plan her travels around when we thought I might deliver. So far, we've been okay and haven't had any need to make last-minute travel changes. Now, if I can just get through the next 20 hours until her arrival...

We visited my midwife today and she confirmed that the baby is very low (which I kind of knew already as it's getting very difficult to stand or walk). My blood pressure was a bit high (which Mick and I joked was b/c of my mom's impending arrival... all in good fun though as I'm really looking forward to her being a part of this) so I have to go back on Thursday morning to have it checked again. If it's still high, they will likely induce me on Thursday so the baby is not in harm's way. Otherwise, we'll continue to wait it out.

I had acupuncture tonight to try to induce labor as naturally as you can (without drugs). When acupuncture works for induction, it usually starts labor in 24 - 48 hours. So, we'll see. I have my next acupuncture appointment on the 29th (due date) and my dad arrives that night.

It becomes more real every day that Mick and I will soon be parents. I am excited and nervous and a little emotional (Mick might say a lot emotional) about this whole thing; I'm sure it will be near impossible to describe.

Off to practice our Lamaze breathing. I'm hoping we don't laugh as much as we did during the class...

Baby's First Room

Attached are a couple of photos of the redecorated baby's room. We painted the walls orange (which actually looks less psychedelic than you might think) and added a John Lennon-inspired border--apparently, the legendary Beatle drew cartoonish animals when not being the most influential icon of the Twentieth Century. Makes me look rather lame in comparison.

Or does it? The crib, dresser, and rocker have all been assembled, using wood from trees we planted in our garden a while back, then lovingly hand-crafted in my garage/woodshop. The bedding we made from duck feathers and homemade silk. Take that, King of Pop!