Kates shared this one with me tonight.
Enjoy.
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
5.24.2012
Introducing ...
Faye Alice.
Born at 6:53 a.m. today, weighing in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long.
We think she shares a lot of resemblance to Phoebe after she was born, except little Faye has a full head of hair. Phoebe did not.
She’s spent most of the day sleeping, and we’ve heard barely a peep out of her, aside from little squeaks here and there as she stretches and moves to get more comfortable. We may nickname her Squeaky.
She seems content as can be and quite laid back. We’re definitely going to keep her.
So here’s how we got to this point …
I arrived home from work last night, and Phoebe and I promptly headed outside to play together, as we’ve done every night this week. From kicking a ball around the back yard to dribbling a basketball and shooting hoops, our nightly playtime together has created some awesome daddy-daughter bonding time. Something I’ve tried to emphasize especially these last couple weeks with the big changes afoot in our house.
We had one of our epic dance parties, bounding around our family room to La Roux’s “Bulletproof.” Then I retreated to work on my graduate studies, while Phoebe joined Kates on the couch to watch whatever was showing on the Food Network.
At about 9:30 last night, Phoebe was zonked out next to Kates, who called me up to carry her to her bed. Her world would be forever changed when she awoke.
Kates headed to bed not long afterward, while I stayed up until about midnight, continuing to work on my graduate studies and touch base on a few other projects. Any other night, I might have pushed myself to stay up longer, but something told me last night that I needed to get some rest.
Then, at about 1:15 this morning, I was awakened by Kates sitting up in bed. Just the way she sat up told me something was happening. It wasn’t her usual I’m-getting-up-to-use-the-bathroom movement. Her water had broken.
I phoned the hospital to let the nurses know we would be arriving within the hour and then scrambled to make contact with our friends Gina and Jeff, who we lined up to care for Phoebe whenever this moment arrived. Finally, after what must have been a half-dozen attempts, Jeff picked up and said Gina was on her way. I packed the car with our bags and by 2 a.m. we were heading to the hospital.
As labor progressed, it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the events of Phoebe’s arrival. But we’re totally ok with that.
By the time we were settled into the delivery room, Kates was 7 cm dilated and the medical staff was forecasting a fast delivery. Kates' doctor -- Doctor M. -- was on her way, Kates’ blood pressure was stable and the labor was progressing well.
At around 4 a.m. Kates received the epidural. Which pretty much put her legs to sleep and had her flying nearly as high as kite. She said she could barely feel a thing.
Around 6 a.m. the labor process had stalled a bit, however. Kates remained at 7 cm and it was beginning to seem like we might not see Baby 2 for at least a couple more hours. In the meantime, we had settled into a “Brady Bunch” marathon on “Nick at Night.” In this morning’s episode, “Katchoo,” poor Jan had come down with a serious allergy and the Bradys worry that one of them is the culprit.
Then, at around 6:30, the room began stirring with nurses. Kates was fully dilated and Doctor M. said, “Let’s have this baby!” Everyone took their positions, and after a few rounds of pushing, Faye arrived. Phoebe arrived after about 11 hours of labor; Faye arrived in half the time.
Kates was so cool and calm throughout the whole process. Doctor M. and the nurses have commented repeatedly since this morning how well the delivery went. We had classical music playing in the room. The nurses and doctors were amazing cheerleaders. It was a beautiful thing that could not have gone more smoothly. … Better yet, Kates is up, walking around and her pain is minimal.
As the morning continued, we began communicating the good news to family and friends, snapped our first photos, and got to know little Faye. We ordered breakfast from room service and watched a little “Live with Kelly!” with this week’s guest host Seth Myers.
Back at our house, Phoebe had awakened and was having her fun with Gina. As told to us by Gina, Phoebe awoke this morning and walked into our bedroom, as she usually does, but she didn’t find us. She then headed for the living room, where she found Gina on the couch. Phoebe giggled and said, “My parents were sneaking on me.” Gina explained to her why we weren’t there, and with that she ran to give Gina a hug and flopped onto the couch, ready to eat breakfast, watch TV and commence her morning routine.
Around 1 this afternoon we finally got moved from our delivery room to a recovery room. Turns out there’s a little baby boom happening in The ‘Ville right now. The maternity wing of the hospital is booked solid, and we couldn’t move until one of the families was discharged.
After getting settled in the new room and some burgers for lunch, we were ready for Phoebe to meet her little sister.
Kates and I have anxiously awaited how Phoebe was going to accept a new person in the house. For the last four years, our world was her world. The way she reacted the day we shared the news of a new baby with her was a good sign, but these last few months we’ve remained cautiously optimistic about the adjustment, often discussing how a new baby would “rock her world.” Then again, she’s asked some really sweet questions the last few weeks about what she will and won’t be able to do with the baby.
After I led her into the hospital room this afternoon, she asked almost immediately if she could hold Faye. We obliged as Phoebe took a seat on a couch in the room. Kates laid Faye gently in Phoebe’s lap. And Phoebe was immediately smitten. She didn’t want to let Faye leave her sight and her protective, big-sister spirit was firing on all cylinders.
Phoebe stayed with us through the evening until I took her home to put her down for the night. She was so tired out from all of the day’s excitement that I skipped her bath, read her a story -- “The Berenstain Bears' New Baby,” appropriately -- and tucked her in.
Kates’ parents are en route and will stay at the house with Phoebe tonight. Once they arrive, I’m heading back to the hospital to spend the night with Kates and Faye.
So here’s an explanation about the name …
As I wrote Saturday night, Faye’s name wasn’t the easiest to decide. But when it came to us, it clicked.
A bit of research informed us the name is a variant of the Middle English word faith and the Old French word fay, meaning loyalty, or belief. Everything about it felt right, and we liked the way it fit with the middle name we’d chosen. … As for the answer to my hint of the character in one of our favorite movies, which was released in 1996: That would be Faye Dolan in “That Thing You Do!”
Faye’s middle name, Alice, is my grandmother’s first name. Having borrowed Phoebe’s names from Kates’ family tree, we planned all along to incorporate my family tree in our second child’s name. Phoebe’s middle name, Joanne, is Kates’ mother’s name, and we had hoped to have a son with the middle name Daniel, after my father. ... When we learned we were having a girl, we chose Alice, my father’s mother, as her middle name.
We’re proud of our choice.
For the record, since we never revealed it after Phoebe was born, the boy's name we selected at that time was Noah Daniel. That wasn't the name we had as our backup this time in case Faye turned out to be a boy -- a name that I'll hold a secret for now.
Here's a look back at some of this journey's highlights ...
a The announcement
a It's another girl
a Getting ready
a Not this year, Baby
a Extremely hot and incredibly uncomfortable
a Mother's Day
a The baby's room
a This, we weren't expecting
a The names game
a The waiting game
Born at 6:53 a.m. today, weighing in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long.
We think she shares a lot of resemblance to Phoebe after she was born, except little Faye has a full head of hair. Phoebe did not.
She’s spent most of the day sleeping, and we’ve heard barely a peep out of her, aside from little squeaks here and there as she stretches and moves to get more comfortable. We may nickname her Squeaky.
She seems content as can be and quite laid back. We’re definitely going to keep her.
* * *
So here’s how we got to this point …
I arrived home from work last night, and Phoebe and I promptly headed outside to play together, as we’ve done every night this week. From kicking a ball around the back yard to dribbling a basketball and shooting hoops, our nightly playtime together has created some awesome daddy-daughter bonding time. Something I’ve tried to emphasize especially these last couple weeks with the big changes afoot in our house.
We had one of our epic dance parties, bounding around our family room to La Roux’s “Bulletproof.” Then I retreated to work on my graduate studies, while Phoebe joined Kates on the couch to watch whatever was showing on the Food Network.
At about 9:30 last night, Phoebe was zonked out next to Kates, who called me up to carry her to her bed. Her world would be forever changed when she awoke.
Kates headed to bed not long afterward, while I stayed up until about midnight, continuing to work on my graduate studies and touch base on a few other projects. Any other night, I might have pushed myself to stay up longer, but something told me last night that I needed to get some rest.
Then, at about 1:15 this morning, I was awakened by Kates sitting up in bed. Just the way she sat up told me something was happening. It wasn’t her usual I’m-getting-up-to-use-the-bathroom movement. Her water had broken.
I phoned the hospital to let the nurses know we would be arriving within the hour and then scrambled to make contact with our friends Gina and Jeff, who we lined up to care for Phoebe whenever this moment arrived. Finally, after what must have been a half-dozen attempts, Jeff picked up and said Gina was on her way. I packed the car with our bags and by 2 a.m. we were heading to the hospital.
As labor progressed, it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the events of Phoebe’s arrival. But we’re totally ok with that.
By the time we were settled into the delivery room, Kates was 7 cm dilated and the medical staff was forecasting a fast delivery. Kates' doctor -- Doctor M. -- was on her way, Kates’ blood pressure was stable and the labor was progressing well.
At around 4 a.m. Kates received the epidural. Which pretty much put her legs to sleep and had her flying nearly as high as kite. She said she could barely feel a thing.
Around 6 a.m. the labor process had stalled a bit, however. Kates remained at 7 cm and it was beginning to seem like we might not see Baby 2 for at least a couple more hours. In the meantime, we had settled into a “Brady Bunch” marathon on “Nick at Night.” In this morning’s episode, “Katchoo,” poor Jan had come down with a serious allergy and the Bradys worry that one of them is the culprit.
Then, at around 6:30, the room began stirring with nurses. Kates was fully dilated and Doctor M. said, “Let’s have this baby!” Everyone took their positions, and after a few rounds of pushing, Faye arrived. Phoebe arrived after about 11 hours of labor; Faye arrived in half the time.
Kates was so cool and calm throughout the whole process. Doctor M. and the nurses have commented repeatedly since this morning how well the delivery went. We had classical music playing in the room. The nurses and doctors were amazing cheerleaders. It was a beautiful thing that could not have gone more smoothly. … Better yet, Kates is up, walking around and her pain is minimal.As the morning continued, we began communicating the good news to family and friends, snapped our first photos, and got to know little Faye. We ordered breakfast from room service and watched a little “Live with Kelly!” with this week’s guest host Seth Myers.
Back at our house, Phoebe had awakened and was having her fun with Gina. As told to us by Gina, Phoebe awoke this morning and walked into our bedroom, as she usually does, but she didn’t find us. She then headed for the living room, where she found Gina on the couch. Phoebe giggled and said, “My parents were sneaking on me.” Gina explained to her why we weren’t there, and with that she ran to give Gina a hug and flopped onto the couch, ready to eat breakfast, watch TV and commence her morning routine.
Around 1 this afternoon we finally got moved from our delivery room to a recovery room. Turns out there’s a little baby boom happening in The ‘Ville right now. The maternity wing of the hospital is booked solid, and we couldn’t move until one of the families was discharged.
After getting settled in the new room and some burgers for lunch, we were ready for Phoebe to meet her little sister.
* * *
Kates and I have anxiously awaited how Phoebe was going to accept a new person in the house. For the last four years, our world was her world. The way she reacted the day we shared the news of a new baby with her was a good sign, but these last few months we’ve remained cautiously optimistic about the adjustment, often discussing how a new baby would “rock her world.” Then again, she’s asked some really sweet questions the last few weeks about what she will and won’t be able to do with the baby.
After I led her into the hospital room this afternoon, she asked almost immediately if she could hold Faye. We obliged as Phoebe took a seat on a couch in the room. Kates laid Faye gently in Phoebe’s lap. And Phoebe was immediately smitten. She didn’t want to let Faye leave her sight and her protective, big-sister spirit was firing on all cylinders. Phoebe stayed with us through the evening until I took her home to put her down for the night. She was so tired out from all of the day’s excitement that I skipped her bath, read her a story -- “The Berenstain Bears' New Baby,” appropriately -- and tucked her in.
Kates’ parents are en route and will stay at the house with Phoebe tonight. Once they arrive, I’m heading back to the hospital to spend the night with Kates and Faye.
* * *
So here’s an explanation about the name …
As I wrote Saturday night, Faye’s name wasn’t the easiest to decide. But when it came to us, it clicked.
A bit of research informed us the name is a variant of the Middle English word faith and the Old French word fay, meaning loyalty, or belief. Everything about it felt right, and we liked the way it fit with the middle name we’d chosen. … As for the answer to my hint of the character in one of our favorite movies, which was released in 1996: That would be Faye Dolan in “That Thing You Do!”
Faye’s middle name, Alice, is my grandmother’s first name. Having borrowed Phoebe’s names from Kates’ family tree, we planned all along to incorporate my family tree in our second child’s name. Phoebe’s middle name, Joanne, is Kates’ mother’s name, and we had hoped to have a son with the middle name Daniel, after my father. ... When we learned we were having a girl, we chose Alice, my father’s mother, as her middle name.
We’re proud of our choice.
For the record, since we never revealed it after Phoebe was born, the boy's name we selected at that time was Noah Daniel. That wasn't the name we had as our backup this time in case Faye turned out to be a boy -- a name that I'll hold a secret for now.
Here's a look back at some of this journey's highlights ...
a The announcement
a It's another girl
a Getting ready
a Not this year, Baby
a Extremely hot and incredibly uncomfortable
a Mother's Day
a The baby's room
a This, we weren't expecting
a The names game
a The waiting game
5.22.2012
Playing games
Man, I’m having fun with this softball stuff.
After our awful showing last week, our team played flawlessly tonight.
I don’t know what the final score was, but I know we won by a comfortable margin.
We hit the ball solidly and kept scoring runs. … Better yet, barely a ball got through our infield. I played a perfect third base, notching four putouts myself, including the first part of a 5-4-3 double play to end the second inning.
At the plate, I went 1-for-3. I lined out to short and then flied out to left. In my last at-bat, I singled on a liner to center field and eventually scored.
Our team got together for a practice Sunday and I think all of us could agree it jumpstarted our play tonight. I know it made a huge difference for me to get in some lengthy fielding practice and, after all of my years of facing hard-throwing baseball pitchers, I’m adjusting to the slower pace of a soft, underhand pitch.
The ball was flying off my bat during our practice Sunday. Despite my small frame, Coach says he’s impressed with my bat speed. He says I’m like Alfonso Soriano, but I play better defense.
I’ll take it, I guess.
Meanwhile, the waiting game for Baby 2 continues.
We have to keep reminding ourselves that D-Day isn’t for another five days. But we were sure she’d be here by now.
Instead the anxiety is growing. Kates is more uncomfortable by the minute.
At dinner tonight …
Phoebe’s questions are getting more inquisitive, too
Tonight, to Kates, as we drove home from my softball game ...
As Kates left for her doctor’s appointment the other day ...
Of course, we’ll always remember the classic that started it all ...
Although, seeing Phoebe’s response to every new development makes me glad we timed the arrival of her little sibling when we did. It’s fun to see her love for her little sister already developing with the way she kisses and hugs Kates’ belly. And it’s fun to witness her responses to our random baby discussions.
One of her recent memorable quotes as she played in our living room ...
When Kates returned from her appointment yesterday and reported that the baby had dropped and the doctor was able to feel its head, Phoebe responded with a high pitched ...
And on Saturday, as Phoebe was deep into another one of her pretend cooking sessions, she walked around, stirring a bowl and saying ...
This stuff never gets old. Soon, God willing, we’ll be having double the fun.
After our awful showing last week, our team played flawlessly tonight.
I don’t know what the final score was, but I know we won by a comfortable margin.
We hit the ball solidly and kept scoring runs. … Better yet, barely a ball got through our infield. I played a perfect third base, notching four putouts myself, including the first part of a 5-4-3 double play to end the second inning.
At the plate, I went 1-for-3. I lined out to short and then flied out to left. In my last at-bat, I singled on a liner to center field and eventually scored.
Our team got together for a practice Sunday and I think all of us could agree it jumpstarted our play tonight. I know it made a huge difference for me to get in some lengthy fielding practice and, after all of my years of facing hard-throwing baseball pitchers, I’m adjusting to the slower pace of a soft, underhand pitch.
The ball was flying off my bat during our practice Sunday. Despite my small frame, Coach says he’s impressed with my bat speed. He says I’m like Alfonso Soriano, but I play better defense.
I’ll take it, I guess.
* * *
Meanwhile, the waiting game for Baby 2 continues.
We have to keep reminding ourselves that D-Day isn’t for another five days. But we were sure she’d be here by now.
Instead the anxiety is growing. Kates is more uncomfortable by the minute.
At dinner tonight …
Kates, with a sigh: “I’m ready for this baby to come.”
Me: “I am so ready.”
Phoebe, with a more dramatic sigh: “Me, too. I’m super-duper 100 percent ready.”
Phoebe’s questions are getting more inquisitive, too
Tonight, to Kates, as we drove home from my softball game ...
“How will you get the baby out?”
As Kates left for her doctor’s appointment the other day ...
“Is it time for the baby to come out?!”
Of course, we’ll always remember the classic that started it all ...
“Did you eat it?”
Although, seeing Phoebe’s response to every new development makes me glad we timed the arrival of her little sibling when we did. It’s fun to see her love for her little sister already developing with the way she kisses and hugs Kates’ belly. And it’s fun to witness her responses to our random baby discussions.
One of her recent memorable quotes as she played in our living room ...
“M-O-Q-H-I! What does that spell?! Baby!”
When Kates returned from her appointment yesterday and reported that the baby had dropped and the doctor was able to feel its head, Phoebe responded with a high pitched ...
“Are you serious!?”
And on Saturday, as Phoebe was deep into another one of her pretend cooking sessions, she walked around, stirring a bowl and saying ...
“I'm just dilating stuff.”
This stuff never gets old. Soon, God willing, we’ll be having double the fun.
5.19.2012
The names game. Take two.
Well, it turned into a monumental task. But at this hour, on this day … We have a name for our second child.
Like Phoebe’s name, it’s a name we’d never considered until the time came to make a decision. And like Phoebe’s name, at least part of the name is derived from our family tree.
But unlike Phoebe’s name, this one took a long time to come to terms on.
I’ve told this story many times: Almost as soon as we learned Phoebe was on the way, we began brainstorming names over dinner at a café. Phoebe was the first name we wrote down and we fell in love with it immediately. We liked that it was a name from the Bible, and it was on Kates’ family tree.
This time around, once we learned we were having another girl, we thought That’s great! There’s a ton of girls names we like! … Since Phoebe came from Kates’ family tree, the plan all along was to select the name for our second child from my family tree, boy or girl.
But picking another girl’s name, it turned out, wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be.
With Phoebe, we might have set the bar a little high. Because this time around, we also felt pressure to come up with a name that is as unique.
We were quick to agree on the middle name for Baby 2 after someone in my family. But the challenge was finding a first name that complemented the middle.
We discussed and ruled out Ingrid, Gretchen, Greta and Amelia. We also discussed Lydia and Naomi, but decided against those because of people in our circles with those names. We considered Sarah, but ruled it out because Kates has a cousin of the same name.
There was a fleeting moment when we both liked Rachel. Then we decided the whole connection to Phoebe and Rachel on “Friends” would be too weird.
Nor will the baby's name be Anna, Elizabeth or Emma.
There was a stretch when Molly and Clara were serious contenders. But their stock eventually dropped.
We pored over our family tree, looking for any name that might trigger something. And with that Ancestry.com has become my new obsession … In the last few days, I’ve mapped out nearly my entire family tree, going back five generations. Fun stuff!
The more time that passed without us coming to a decision, the more we began to worry we might have to settle on one of Phoebe’s suggested names: Baby Bear Rapunzel, Rainbow Rapunzel, Rainbow Barbie Rapunzel, or her most recent suggestion Rainbow Marshmallow.
And last weekend, when our pastor talked about Moses' mother, Jochebed, in his sermon, Kates and I looked at each other with thoughts of At this point, anything's possible.
Finally, last night, as we continued our name discussions over a relaxing dinner on our deck, Kates mentioned a name that recently appealed to her. I sat back in my chair and smiled. It worked. It clicked. I liked it. … We slept on it. Talked about it more today. And agreed tonight that it’s the one.
So here are some hints. The first name is a one-syllable name derived from Middle English. It’s not on our family tree -- as far as we can tell -- and it’s not in the Bible, although it has something of a religious origin. Rankings show the name is almost nonexistant today, with its popularity dropping significantly in the 1970s. However, it is the name of a character in one of our favorite movies, which hit theaters in 1996.
And for good measure, just in case the ultrasound reading was wrong and we’re surprised with a boy, we’ve got a boy’s name on standby -- and it‘s different than the boy‘s name we had picked out had Phoebe been a boy. This time, our boy’s name is derived from a Latin name with wide use in Germany. It’s a name Kates liked early on, but it wasn’t until I found it on my family tree that I started to warm up to it. It’s not a Bible name, but it’s a great, venerable name with some strong nickname possibilities.
So there you have it. We’ll provide you with answers to these questions and more when Baby 2 arrives.
Like Phoebe’s name, it’s a name we’d never considered until the time came to make a decision. And like Phoebe’s name, at least part of the name is derived from our family tree.
But unlike Phoebe’s name, this one took a long time to come to terms on.
I’ve told this story many times: Almost as soon as we learned Phoebe was on the way, we began brainstorming names over dinner at a café. Phoebe was the first name we wrote down and we fell in love with it immediately. We liked that it was a name from the Bible, and it was on Kates’ family tree.
This time around, once we learned we were having another girl, we thought That’s great! There’s a ton of girls names we like! … Since Phoebe came from Kates’ family tree, the plan all along was to select the name for our second child from my family tree, boy or girl.
But picking another girl’s name, it turned out, wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be.
With Phoebe, we might have set the bar a little high. Because this time around, we also felt pressure to come up with a name that is as unique.
We were quick to agree on the middle name for Baby 2 after someone in my family. But the challenge was finding a first name that complemented the middle.
We discussed and ruled out Ingrid, Gretchen, Greta and Amelia. We also discussed Lydia and Naomi, but decided against those because of people in our circles with those names. We considered Sarah, but ruled it out because Kates has a cousin of the same name.
There was a fleeting moment when we both liked Rachel. Then we decided the whole connection to Phoebe and Rachel on “Friends” would be too weird.
Nor will the baby's name be Anna, Elizabeth or Emma.
There was a stretch when Molly and Clara were serious contenders. But their stock eventually dropped.
We pored over our family tree, looking for any name that might trigger something. And with that Ancestry.com has become my new obsession … In the last few days, I’ve mapped out nearly my entire family tree, going back five generations. Fun stuff!
The more time that passed without us coming to a decision, the more we began to worry we might have to settle on one of Phoebe’s suggested names: Baby Bear Rapunzel, Rainbow Rapunzel, Rainbow Barbie Rapunzel, or her most recent suggestion Rainbow Marshmallow.
And last weekend, when our pastor talked about Moses' mother, Jochebed, in his sermon, Kates and I looked at each other with thoughts of At this point, anything's possible.
Finally, last night, as we continued our name discussions over a relaxing dinner on our deck, Kates mentioned a name that recently appealed to her. I sat back in my chair and smiled. It worked. It clicked. I liked it. … We slept on it. Talked about it more today. And agreed tonight that it’s the one.
So here are some hints. The first name is a one-syllable name derived from Middle English. It’s not on our family tree -- as far as we can tell -- and it’s not in the Bible, although it has something of a religious origin. Rankings show the name is almost nonexistant today, with its popularity dropping significantly in the 1970s. However, it is the name of a character in one of our favorite movies, which hit theaters in 1996.
And for good measure, just in case the ultrasound reading was wrong and we’re surprised with a boy, we’ve got a boy’s name on standby -- and it‘s different than the boy‘s name we had picked out had Phoebe been a boy. This time, our boy’s name is derived from a Latin name with wide use in Germany. It’s a name Kates liked early on, but it wasn’t until I found it on my family tree that I started to warm up to it. It’s not a Bible name, but it’s a great, venerable name with some strong nickname possibilities.
So there you have it. We’ll provide you with answers to these questions and more when Baby 2 arrives.
5.15.2012
This, we weren't expecting
Well, today didn’t go the way we planned it. And it had little to do with the baby we’re expecting.
Although Kates’ latest checkup yesterday afternoon revealed she’s now 5 cm dilated. Baby 2 could come any day, and we’re still two weeks from D-day. Kates wasn’t even half this far in the days before Phoebe was born -- two days past her due date.
Our episode began last evening after I picked up Phoebe from preschool. I drove her home and she was her usual jovial self. We began unpacking her backpack, and when Kates arrived home a short time after us Phoebe greeted her with the burst of excitement she typically shows when one of us walks in the door.
But as we were preparing supper, she became restless and whiny. At one point I picked her up and she was practically burning. It was a little strange, but Kates and I didn’t think much of it. It had been a hot day and we figured Phoebe was just overheated from playing hard during her after school program.
A short time later she was curled up on the couch with Yellow and Lamby, and she was fast asleep. She was still burning up, so Kates put a cold wash cloth on her forehead. Something wasn’t right.
Before bedtime Kates took Phoebe’s temperature. It was 100.2. We gave her some ibuprofen and decided then that she wouldn’t go to school today. … Kates wanted to stay home with her and reserved a substitute teacher for her classroom. In a way, it was a good thing because Kates' grade was taking their students on an outdoor picnic today. With temperatures in the 90s, Kates had no desire to spend the day supervising 20-some kids in a park at 38 weeks pregnant.
Fast forward to this morning. None of us got a good night’s sleep, and Phoebe woke us up at 6:30, crying, “Mommy, I threw up!” With that, Kates and I were out of bed, tending to the child.
It got even better. As I was preparing myself for work, Kati waddled through the bedroom, looking as though she’d never been more uncomfortable. “Oh, I’m feeling like I could have this baby any time,” she groaned.
That statement sealed my decision to stay home, too. My schedule was clear for the day and I could easily work from home. I was in better condition to care for Phoebe, and if anything happened related to Baby 2, I’d be home to move into action.
So at 9 this morning, I was taking Phoebe to the doctor. We feared strep throat, but a test came back negative and the doctor diagnosed it as a good old-fashioned stomach virus.
The fun continued around 12:30 when Phoebe had a vomiting fit. As she was sitting on the couch watching TV. And cuddling with Kates. Apparently the Wheat Thins weren’t such a good idea. … I scrambled to clean up the mess, got Phoebe into some new clothes and threw the soiled ones in the laundry. Meanwhile Kates changed her own clothes because she had been in the projectile zone. … And at that point I was having flashbacks to Christmas 2008 when Kates was sick with the flu and I was flying solo with the infant Phoebe.
Not long afterward, Phoebe was resting on the couch by herself. She fell asleep quickly and was out for most of the afternoon. When she awoke, her fever had broken and she was smiling for the first time since I’d picked her up yesterday afternoon.
Besides seeing Phoebe so sad and uncomfortable, the big downer in all of this is that her illness kept her from participating in her end-of-the-year preschool concert tonight. Phoebe and her class had been practicing the songs for weeks, and Kates and I had been nervous that a trip to the delivery room might keep us from going. Not an unfortunate stomach virus.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
Although Kates’ latest checkup yesterday afternoon revealed she’s now 5 cm dilated. Baby 2 could come any day, and we’re still two weeks from D-day. Kates wasn’t even half this far in the days before Phoebe was born -- two days past her due date.
Our episode began last evening after I picked up Phoebe from preschool. I drove her home and she was her usual jovial self. We began unpacking her backpack, and when Kates arrived home a short time after us Phoebe greeted her with the burst of excitement she typically shows when one of us walks in the door.
But as we were preparing supper, she became restless and whiny. At one point I picked her up and she was practically burning. It was a little strange, but Kates and I didn’t think much of it. It had been a hot day and we figured Phoebe was just overheated from playing hard during her after school program.
A short time later she was curled up on the couch with Yellow and Lamby, and she was fast asleep. She was still burning up, so Kates put a cold wash cloth on her forehead. Something wasn’t right.
Before bedtime Kates took Phoebe’s temperature. It was 100.2. We gave her some ibuprofen and decided then that she wouldn’t go to school today. … Kates wanted to stay home with her and reserved a substitute teacher for her classroom. In a way, it was a good thing because Kates' grade was taking their students on an outdoor picnic today. With temperatures in the 90s, Kates had no desire to spend the day supervising 20-some kids in a park at 38 weeks pregnant.
Fast forward to this morning. None of us got a good night’s sleep, and Phoebe woke us up at 6:30, crying, “Mommy, I threw up!” With that, Kates and I were out of bed, tending to the child.
It got even better. As I was preparing myself for work, Kati waddled through the bedroom, looking as though she’d never been more uncomfortable. “Oh, I’m feeling like I could have this baby any time,” she groaned.
That statement sealed my decision to stay home, too. My schedule was clear for the day and I could easily work from home. I was in better condition to care for Phoebe, and if anything happened related to Baby 2, I’d be home to move into action.
So at 9 this morning, I was taking Phoebe to the doctor. We feared strep throat, but a test came back negative and the doctor diagnosed it as a good old-fashioned stomach virus.
The fun continued around 12:30 when Phoebe had a vomiting fit. As she was sitting on the couch watching TV. And cuddling with Kates. Apparently the Wheat Thins weren’t such a good idea. … I scrambled to clean up the mess, got Phoebe into some new clothes and threw the soiled ones in the laundry. Meanwhile Kates changed her own clothes because she had been in the projectile zone. … And at that point I was having flashbacks to Christmas 2008 when Kates was sick with the flu and I was flying solo with the infant Phoebe.
Not long afterward, Phoebe was resting on the couch by herself. She fell asleep quickly and was out for most of the afternoon. When she awoke, her fever had broken and she was smiling for the first time since I’d picked her up yesterday afternoon.
Besides seeing Phoebe so sad and uncomfortable, the big downer in all of this is that her illness kept her from participating in her end-of-the-year preschool concert tonight. Phoebe and her class had been practicing the songs for weeks, and Kates and I had been nervous that a trip to the delivery room might keep us from going. Not an unfortunate stomach virus.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
5.14.2012
Baby 2's room!
After months of thought and a little work, we have a completed Baby 2’s room.
It was a tough decision, but keeping our budget and future expenses in mind, we decided to stick with a lot of the décor and themes we used in Phoebe’s original room.
Although, there are also a few things that make Baby 2’s room unique in its own right.
Here’s a look at the transformation, starting on the left with the way the room looked when we moved in a year ago …
I removed the wallpaper, pulled up the carpeting to uncover the hardwood flooring and painted the walls a Peppermint Vinca.
And here are the results ...
We moved the curtains from Phoebe's original room with us from K-Town because we liked them so much. ... And like the dresser we placed in Phoebe's room, this dresser has some special meaning behind it because it came from my grandmother. I painted it white to match the wall trim and the crib. ...
Once again, we've included a shelf with some of the beloved stuffed animals from Kates' and my childhood years. And a shelf with starter books. ... The Peek A Boo block on the book shelf was a good find by Kates, and she gussied up what had been a plain white lamp shade with a pair of wavy green stripes.
The crib is brand new, from Target, and we couldn't resist resurrecting the colorful globes above the crib, although we positioned them differently this time and doubled the number of them.
It was a tough decision, but keeping our budget and future expenses in mind, we decided to stick with a lot of the décor and themes we used in Phoebe’s original room.
Although, there are also a few things that make Baby 2’s room unique in its own right.
Here’s a look at the transformation, starting on the left with the way the room looked when we moved in a year ago …
I removed the wallpaper, pulled up the carpeting to uncover the hardwood flooring and painted the walls a Peppermint Vinca.
And here are the results ...
We moved the curtains from Phoebe's original room with us from K-Town because we liked them so much. ... And like the dresser we placed in Phoebe's room, this dresser has some special meaning behind it because it came from my grandmother. I painted it white to match the wall trim and the crib. ...
Once again, we've included a shelf with some of the beloved stuffed animals from Kates' and my childhood years. And a shelf with starter books. ... The Peek A Boo block on the book shelf was a good find by Kates, and she gussied up what had been a plain white lamp shade with a pair of wavy green stripes.
The crib is brand new, from Target, and we couldn't resist resurrecting the colorful globes above the crib, although we positioned them differently this time and doubled the number of them.
5.13.2012
Mother's Day
HAP-py Mother’s Day!
We started the day by going to church. With trying to get ready for Baby 2 and our Financial Peace course on Sunday afternoons, it was the first time in several weeks that we’d been to a worship service. … And boy did Kates turn some heads when we walked into the sanctuary and people saw how pregnant she is. Needless to say the questions -- “How are you feeling?” to Kates, or “How is she feeling?” to me -- are getting old.
Back at home, we presented Kates with our gifts. I gave her a card with an elegant-looking cover and the words: “Motherhood, a summary.” Then, just when you think you’re going to open it to find a heartfelt poem, the inside reads ...
Usually I’m all for the sensitive, sentimental cards. But this year, I thought that one was appropriate and couldn’t pass it up.
As for Phoebe. Well, she presented Kates with a terrifically adorable painting featuring her handprints and some words of love that could have only come from Phoebe’s mouth. One of her preschool teachers told us Phoebe’s painting was one of her favorites in the class, and Kates can hardly wait to put it in a frame and hang it on a wall.
We spent the afternoon relaxing. And tonight, we cooked burgers on the grill and shared a supper on our deck. For dessert, Kates made a dirt pie with strawberries sprinkled on top.
As we sat outside and enjoyed the gorgeous evening, I couldn’t help but sit back, smile and say aloud, “Life is good.”
What makes this day even better is that we’re finally ready. Ready for Baby 2 to arrive any day she wants.
Although Kates is seriously determined to finish her school year -- which ends Thursday. Her feet and ankles are so swollen that every school day she gets through is a miracle, and she's got the entire school abuzz.
When I took a day off from work Wednesday with the intention of catching up on some projects at home and dressed in an old T-shirt, shorts and ball cap, I bet Kates that morning that Phoebe's preschool teachers were going to think we'd been to the hospital because of the way I was dressed. ... Sure enough, when I walked into Phoebe's classroom to drop her off, one of her teachers raised her eyebrows and said, "You're dressed pretty casually, today!" and inferred that I might have been coming from the hospital. I called it.
I'm digressing.
The hospital bags are packed. The car seats are installed. The room is ready. All of the baby clothes are laundered and put away. We have childcare standing by for Phoebe. I spent part of this afternoon tying up the loose ends and clearing off the rest of our Baby To-Do List. The baby bouncer is reassembled and stationed in the baby's room, and the swing -- which Phoebe has temporarily claimed for her stuffed animals and a blanket -- also is reassembled and ready to go in a corner of our living room.
Ok, so we’re still coming to terms on a name for this baby, but I’m optimistic we’ll get there.
Going through this process again these last few weeks has brought back so many memories from our first go of it. Assembling and setting up all of the equipment for the first time. Buying and receiving the baby clothes ...
And then, to recount a conversation I had with a colleague a couple weeks ago, to think about all of the changes, and growth, and ups and downs, and people who have come in and out of our lives during the last four years since Phoebe was born. Back then, we were of the mindset that we’d be happy to spend the rest of our lives in K-Town and raise our family there. …
To look back on all that’s transpired since then ...
Mind-blowing.
We started the day by going to church. With trying to get ready for Baby 2 and our Financial Peace course on Sunday afternoons, it was the first time in several weeks that we’d been to a worship service. … And boy did Kates turn some heads when we walked into the sanctuary and people saw how pregnant she is. Needless to say the questions -- “How are you feeling?” to Kates, or “How is she feeling?” to me -- are getting old.
Back at home, we presented Kates with our gifts. I gave her a card with an elegant-looking cover and the words: “Motherhood, a summary.” Then, just when you think you’re going to open it to find a heartfelt poem, the inside reads ...
“Holy crap! It’s hard. The End
(Happy Mother’s Day to someone who makes it look easy.)”
Usually I’m all for the sensitive, sentimental cards. But this year, I thought that one was appropriate and couldn’t pass it up.
As for Phoebe. Well, she presented Kates with a terrifically adorable painting featuring her handprints and some words of love that could have only come from Phoebe’s mouth. One of her preschool teachers told us Phoebe’s painting was one of her favorites in the class, and Kates can hardly wait to put it in a frame and hang it on a wall.
We spent the afternoon relaxing. And tonight, we cooked burgers on the grill and shared a supper on our deck. For dessert, Kates made a dirt pie with strawberries sprinkled on top.
As we sat outside and enjoyed the gorgeous evening, I couldn’t help but sit back, smile and say aloud, “Life is good.”
* * *
What makes this day even better is that we’re finally ready. Ready for Baby 2 to arrive any day she wants.
Although Kates is seriously determined to finish her school year -- which ends Thursday. Her feet and ankles are so swollen that every school day she gets through is a miracle, and she's got the entire school abuzz.
When I took a day off from work Wednesday with the intention of catching up on some projects at home and dressed in an old T-shirt, shorts and ball cap, I bet Kates that morning that Phoebe's preschool teachers were going to think we'd been to the hospital because of the way I was dressed. ... Sure enough, when I walked into Phoebe's classroom to drop her off, one of her teachers raised her eyebrows and said, "You're dressed pretty casually, today!" and inferred that I might have been coming from the hospital. I called it.
I'm digressing.
The hospital bags are packed. The car seats are installed. The room is ready. All of the baby clothes are laundered and put away. We have childcare standing by for Phoebe. I spent part of this afternoon tying up the loose ends and clearing off the rest of our Baby To-Do List. The baby bouncer is reassembled and stationed in the baby's room, and the swing -- which Phoebe has temporarily claimed for her stuffed animals and a blanket -- also is reassembled and ready to go in a corner of our living room.
Ok, so we’re still coming to terms on a name for this baby, but I’m optimistic we’ll get there.
Going through this process again these last few weeks has brought back so many memories from our first go of it. Assembling and setting up all of the equipment for the first time. Buying and receiving the baby clothes ...
And then, to recount a conversation I had with a colleague a couple weeks ago, to think about all of the changes, and growth, and ups and downs, and people who have come in and out of our lives during the last four years since Phoebe was born. Back then, we were of the mindset that we’d be happy to spend the rest of our lives in K-Town and raise our family there. …
To look back on all that’s transpired since then ...
Mind-blowing.
5.01.2012
Extremely hot and incredibly uncomfortable
For the most part, we’ve been playing this whole Baby 2 thing pretty low-key.
People say that about the second time around, don’t they? That parents don’t show as much concern as they did with the first child, right?
The timeline for our preparation pre-Phoebe is a little fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure we were well ahead of the pace we’re on this time around. Life wasn’t so hectic and complicated for us four years ago as it seems to be today.
Take Baby 2’s room, for example. I pulled up the carpet and had a good painting spurt a few weeks ago. But the room sat largely untouched until a couple weeks ago when I got a whim of inspiration and set up the crib. And there’s been no progress since.
Now things are getting interesting, however.
Kates’ latest visit to her doctor yesterday resulted in this revelation: She’s 3 centimeters dilated. Doctor said Baby 2 could arrive any day now.
Wait. What!?
She’s in Week 35. Kates wasn't that far along at this stage with Phoebe. D-Day isn’t for another month. May 27, to be exact. And we’ve still got plenty to do before we’re ready.
The news didn’t come as a complete shock. In fact, we expected to hear something similar at Kates’ previous appointment a few weeks ago -- after days of Kates and I looking at each other and thinking, This pregnancy seems to be progressing a lot faster than the way we remember it going the first time around.
Then again, there was a time we thought Phoebe was going to arrive early, too. But that came and went. And Phoebe arrived two days past her due date.
Still, Kates does seem to be more uncomfortable at this stage. Her ankles have been swollen for well over a month now, and she spends the bulk of her time at home on the couch with her feet propped up. Many people have commented that she doesn’t have much room left in that belly of hers.
It also doesn’t help that temperatures are warming and we hit the 90s last week.
People say that about the second time around, don’t they? That parents don’t show as much concern as they did with the first child, right?
The timeline for our preparation pre-Phoebe is a little fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure we were well ahead of the pace we’re on this time around. Life wasn’t so hectic and complicated for us four years ago as it seems to be today.
Take Baby 2’s room, for example. I pulled up the carpet and had a good painting spurt a few weeks ago. But the room sat largely untouched until a couple weeks ago when I got a whim of inspiration and set up the crib. And there’s been no progress since.
Now things are getting interesting, however.
Kates’ latest visit to her doctor yesterday resulted in this revelation: She’s 3 centimeters dilated. Doctor said Baby 2 could arrive any day now.
Wait. What!?
She’s in Week 35. Kates wasn't that far along at this stage with Phoebe. D-Day isn’t for another month. May 27, to be exact. And we’ve still got plenty to do before we’re ready.
The news didn’t come as a complete shock. In fact, we expected to hear something similar at Kates’ previous appointment a few weeks ago -- after days of Kates and I looking at each other and thinking, This pregnancy seems to be progressing a lot faster than the way we remember it going the first time around.
Then again, there was a time we thought Phoebe was going to arrive early, too. But that came and went. And Phoebe arrived two days past her due date.
Still, Kates does seem to be more uncomfortable at this stage. Her ankles have been swollen for well over a month now, and she spends the bulk of her time at home on the couch with her feet propped up. Many people have commented that she doesn’t have much room left in that belly of hers.
It also doesn’t help that temperatures are warming and we hit the 90s last week.
4.02.2012
Not this year, Baby
Oh, Kansas.
What can I say?
I’m not the least bit a Kentucky fan. Nor am I a John Calipari fan. And I’m so sick of hearing about Anthony Davis.
Kentucky was the better team tonight.
But Kansas also missed some opportunities.
Kentucky put Kansas in a hole in the first half.
Then, the Jayhawks, like they’ve done throughout the season, turned it up a notch in the second half and clamped down on defense. They cut the lead and made it a competitive game.
But a couple missed dunks and bad passes were killers. The death knell was the travel call on Elijah Johnson as he was setting up for a three-pointer from the corner with just over three minutes left. Kansas was on an 8-0 run at that point and Johnson's three-pointer would have cut Kentucky's lead to four points.
Those Kansas miscues go the other way and the game might have had a different ending.
We all knew Kansas had to play a near-perfect game to beat Kentucky. Being down 18 points in the first half doesn’t cut it.
It was a fun game to watch. A heck of a run for Kansas. Unlike so many frustrating Kansas teams over the years, this one overachieved and put together a season of which us Jayhawks fans can be really proud. … I’m watching the Kansas City news as I write this and seeing the hordes of fans smiling and high-fiving as they crowd Mass Street says it all.
Beyond the Kansas run, when you think of all the close games, comebacks and upsets -- Lehigh over Duke, Norfolk State over Missouri -- this year’s NCAA tournament was one for the ages.
In the end, I correctly picked Kentucky as the winner in my bracket.
Although, what I really wanted was for Baby 2’s bracket to have the luck of Phoebe’s bracket in 2008. Baby 2 had Kentucky and Kansas in the national championship game with Kansas winning it all.
We came close, Baby. Maybe next year.
Good pre-game reads ...
a In title game, ground rules established
a Jayhawks refuse to lose faith while facing a deficit
a No Easy Path to the Rim for Either Tourney Finalist
a Kansas is running on Releford time
a Legacies at stake in Bill Self-John Calipari national title matchup
(Updated 04.04.2012) Good post-game reads ...
a KU can’t dig out of hole in 67-59 NCAA title game loss
a Coronation for Kentucky, and for Its Coach
a Valiant effort falls short as Kansas runs out of magic in title game
a NCAA Championship photo gallery
a Kentucky: Thanks for a memory ... Fifteen years or so down the road, after they’ve experienced the emotional bumps and bruises of both NBA and everyday life, they may come to the realization they never had more fun playing this game than they did with each other. They could have gotten more out of it.
What can I say?
I’m not the least bit a Kentucky fan. Nor am I a John Calipari fan. And I’m so sick of hearing about Anthony Davis.
Kentucky was the better team tonight.
But Kansas also missed some opportunities.
Kentucky put Kansas in a hole in the first half.
Then, the Jayhawks, like they’ve done throughout the season, turned it up a notch in the second half and clamped down on defense. They cut the lead and made it a competitive game.
But a couple missed dunks and bad passes were killers. The death knell was the travel call on Elijah Johnson as he was setting up for a three-pointer from the corner with just over three minutes left. Kansas was on an 8-0 run at that point and Johnson's three-pointer would have cut Kentucky's lead to four points.
Those Kansas miscues go the other way and the game might have had a different ending.
We all knew Kansas had to play a near-perfect game to beat Kentucky. Being down 18 points in the first half doesn’t cut it.
It was a fun game to watch. A heck of a run for Kansas. Unlike so many frustrating Kansas teams over the years, this one overachieved and put together a season of which us Jayhawks fans can be really proud. … I’m watching the Kansas City news as I write this and seeing the hordes of fans smiling and high-fiving as they crowd Mass Street says it all.
Beyond the Kansas run, when you think of all the close games, comebacks and upsets -- Lehigh over Duke, Norfolk State over Missouri -- this year’s NCAA tournament was one for the ages.
In the end, I correctly picked Kentucky as the winner in my bracket.
Although, what I really wanted was for Baby 2’s bracket to have the luck of Phoebe’s bracket in 2008. Baby 2 had Kentucky and Kansas in the national championship game with Kansas winning it all.
We came close, Baby. Maybe next year.
Good pre-game reads ...
a In title game, ground rules established
a Jayhawks refuse to lose faith while facing a deficit
a No Easy Path to the Rim for Either Tourney Finalist
a Kansas is running on Releford time
a Legacies at stake in Bill Self-John Calipari national title matchup
(Updated 04.04.2012) Good post-game reads ...
a KU can’t dig out of hole in 67-59 NCAA title game loss
a Coronation for Kentucky, and for Its Coach
a Valiant effort falls short as Kansas runs out of magic in title game
a NCAA Championship photo gallery
a Kentucky: Thanks for a memory ... Fifteen years or so down the road, after they’ve experienced the emotional bumps and bruises of both NBA and everyday life, they may come to the realization they never had more fun playing this game than they did with each other. They could have gotten more out of it.
3.31.2012
Let's get together and do it again
Today was a pretty great day.
I slept in until almost 9 this morning. The day was sunny with temperatures in the 80s.
Kates went to church in the morning to rehearse with the choir for its Palm Sunday cantata tomorrow. Phoebe played in the living room and watched the Food Network.
And I worked in the baby’s room. I did some cleanup of my paint job, washed the hardwood floor, nailed down the new quarter-round and started unpacking some of the baby items we’ve been storing in the closet.
After lunch, Kates took Phoebe to a friend’s birthday party at the bowling alley and did some grocery shopping. I headed outside to spend the afternoon in the yard.
Besides the usual mowing and trimming, my objective for the afternoon was to begin the process of moving a section of the chain-link fence that surrounds our backyard. I’m willing to put my dislike for chain-link fences aside, but a section of the fence that ran along one side of our yard has bugged me since we moved in.
We have a shed in the back corner of our yard. But the shed sat outside of the fence, at a corner of our yard that is opposite of where the fence gate was located. So when I worked in the backyard -- inside the fence -- and needed something in the shed, I had to walk the length of the yard to the gate, exit the fenced portion and then walk to the back corner of the yard to access the shed. To me, it made a whole lot more sense to have the shed inside the fenced portion.
So I got my plan approved with the city officials. Plunked down $10 for a permit. Had the utilities mark off cables and pipes. And today I dismantled the side in question, which was a cinch to do, by the way. As I find time in the next couple weeks, I’ll dig new holes for the posts and reinstall the fence about 10 feet over from its original location. Outside our shed.
While I was outside this afternoon, I came upon a little friend I scooped up for Phoebe to see.
As much as Phoebe begged for us to keep him -- and as tempting as that was -- we finally did say goodbye. After we had been inside for awhile, I looked out the window just in time to see him hopping away.
I would’ve worked in the yard until the sun set had it not been for a certain college basketball game tonight.
By the time I did come inside and turn on the TV, the Kentucky-Louisville game was in the second half and Kentucky was widening its lead. … For a little while, Louisville looked capable of pulling off the upset. But Kentucky took back control of the game and advanced to Monday night’s championship.
I hope Kansas sticks it to them Monday night. I’ve never been a Kentucky University fan, and now that John Calipari’s coaching them, I dislike them even more.
But Kansas had better learn to play in the first half, if they have any hopes of winning the national championship. … These tournament games are making my hair turn grayer by the minute.
Tonight, against Ohio State, they looked absolutely awful in the first half. They were out of control, attempting fancy passes that were landing out-of-bounds and tossing -- to quote one of the CBS analysts tonight -- "dipsy-dos" at the basket. To Ohio State’s credit, the Buckeyes were playing tight defense and a slow tempo that had the Jayhawks out of whack. Ohio State also was knocking down its shots, and Kansas was not.
Good thing for Kansas that college basketball is a game of two halves. Especially in this year’s NCAA tournament. My goodness.
I lied emotionless on the couch for the first half, preparing myself for what could have been the end.
The energizing second half had me sitting up and paying closer attention. To yet another comeback. … As Kansas closed in on the lead I let out a burst of excited laughter and shouted to Kates, “They’re doing it again!”
Then, when Kansas finally took its first lead, since leading 2-0 to start the game, a weight was lifted. But it was hardly the end. Multiple lead changes as the clock wound down kept me on edge.
During that last minute, all I could think was, Here we go again. …
I was sweating and literally sitting on the edge of my seat. Every time there was a shot, turnover or whistle I was springing off the couch, pumping my fists, clapping and pacing to the back of the living room before returning to the couch.
When Withey caught a pass in the paint, turned and tossed a shot into the basket with 27 seconds left, I let out a loud cheer and started jumping around the room, thinking he sealed the game -- only to turn around and realize the referees waved off the shot because he traveled. The basket would have put Kansas ahead by five.
Back on the couch I went to sweat it out some more. Every time Kansas took another step toward sealing the game, they followed it with a careless mistake. With 3 seconds left and Kansas ahead by three points, Tyshawn Taylor stole an Ohio State pass, drove the court and then threw the ball away. Maddening!
It left Ohio State with time to do something as Aaron Craft went to the foul line.
Finally, the Jayhawks got the break they needed when Craft made his first shot and then drew a whistle on his second for racing into the lane in an attempt to rebound the shot, which he missed on purpose.
Before any of the Ohio State players could figure out what happened, Kansas inbounded the ball and the game was over.
Jayhawks fans across the land breathed another sigh of relief and rejoiced.
At one point in the second half, I noticed my TweetDeck was eerliy quiet, which I took to mean that people were paying so much attention to the game.
But when the game ended, Twitter and Facebook blew up. Here’s a sampling of some of my favorite posts …
… Tonight I’m going to bed a happy man.
Meanwhile, in Manhattan. ... What a saga this Frank Martin thing has turned out to be, after he emphatically denied during one of the tournament games last weekend that the news of him moving to South Carolina was totally untrue. The Star's Sam Mellinger had a good take on it this week.
Good reads ...
a Kansas Tops Ohio State in Tense Stretch Run
a Bill Self's good point about the "easy" job he's had this year
a Davidson loss was a turning point for KU
a Withey’s volleyball background was a building block
a Sullinger, Robinson truly the elite in matchup of Ohio State and Kansas
a The Onion: Exhaustive Investigation By Broadcasters Finds Every Player In NCAA Tournament Just A Great Kid
I slept in until almost 9 this morning. The day was sunny with temperatures in the 80s.
Kates went to church in the morning to rehearse with the choir for its Palm Sunday cantata tomorrow. Phoebe played in the living room and watched the Food Network.
And I worked in the baby’s room. I did some cleanup of my paint job, washed the hardwood floor, nailed down the new quarter-round and started unpacking some of the baby items we’ve been storing in the closet.
After lunch, Kates took Phoebe to a friend’s birthday party at the bowling alley and did some grocery shopping. I headed outside to spend the afternoon in the yard.
Besides the usual mowing and trimming, my objective for the afternoon was to begin the process of moving a section of the chain-link fence that surrounds our backyard. I’m willing to put my dislike for chain-link fences aside, but a section of the fence that ran along one side of our yard has bugged me since we moved in.
We have a shed in the back corner of our yard. But the shed sat outside of the fence, at a corner of our yard that is opposite of where the fence gate was located. So when I worked in the backyard -- inside the fence -- and needed something in the shed, I had to walk the length of the yard to the gate, exit the fenced portion and then walk to the back corner of the yard to access the shed. To me, it made a whole lot more sense to have the shed inside the fenced portion.
So I got my plan approved with the city officials. Plunked down $10 for a permit. Had the utilities mark off cables and pipes. And today I dismantled the side in question, which was a cinch to do, by the way. As I find time in the next couple weeks, I’ll dig new holes for the posts and reinstall the fence about 10 feet over from its original location. Outside our shed.
* * *
While I was outside this afternoon, I came upon a little friend I scooped up for Phoebe to see.
Phoebe, of course, was enthralled and we had a good time petting the little bunny. He, or she -- we never did figure that part out -- stayed with us in the yard for much of the afternoon.
As much as Phoebe begged for us to keep him -- and as tempting as that was -- we finally did say goodbye. After we had been inside for awhile, I looked out the window just in time to see him hopping away.
* * *
I would’ve worked in the yard until the sun set had it not been for a certain college basketball game tonight.
By the time I did come inside and turn on the TV, the Kentucky-Louisville game was in the second half and Kentucky was widening its lead. … For a little while, Louisville looked capable of pulling off the upset. But Kentucky took back control of the game and advanced to Monday night’s championship.
I hope Kansas sticks it to them Monday night. I’ve never been a Kentucky University fan, and now that John Calipari’s coaching them, I dislike them even more.
But Kansas had better learn to play in the first half, if they have any hopes of winning the national championship. … These tournament games are making my hair turn grayer by the minute.
Tonight, against Ohio State, they looked absolutely awful in the first half. They were out of control, attempting fancy passes that were landing out-of-bounds and tossing -- to quote one of the CBS analysts tonight -- "dipsy-dos" at the basket. To Ohio State’s credit, the Buckeyes were playing tight defense and a slow tempo that had the Jayhawks out of whack. Ohio State also was knocking down its shots, and Kansas was not.
Good thing for Kansas that college basketball is a game of two halves. Especially in this year’s NCAA tournament. My goodness.
I lied emotionless on the couch for the first half, preparing myself for what could have been the end.
Kansas was on the ropes at halftime Saturday against Ohio State. With the Jayhawks' chances of playing for their second national championship in five years hanging in the balance, they turned the screws defensively and sped past the Buckeyes 64-62 and into Monday's final.
Trailing by 13 points late in the first half and nine at intermission, Kansas (32-6) held OSU to eight second-half field goals on 33 attempts. (USA Today)
The energizing second half had me sitting up and paying closer attention. To yet another comeback. … As Kansas closed in on the lead I let out a burst of excited laughter and shouted to Kates, “They’re doing it again!”
Then, when Kansas finally took its first lead, since leading 2-0 to start the game, a weight was lifted. But it was hardly the end. Multiple lead changes as the clock wound down kept me on edge.
During that last minute, all I could think was, Here we go again. …
I was sweating and literally sitting on the edge of my seat. Every time there was a shot, turnover or whistle I was springing off the couch, pumping my fists, clapping and pacing to the back of the living room before returning to the couch.
When Withey caught a pass in the paint, turned and tossed a shot into the basket with 27 seconds left, I let out a loud cheer and started jumping around the room, thinking he sealed the game -- only to turn around and realize the referees waved off the shot because he traveled. The basket would have put Kansas ahead by five.
Back on the couch I went to sweat it out some more. Every time Kansas took another step toward sealing the game, they followed it with a careless mistake. With 3 seconds left and Kansas ahead by three points, Tyshawn Taylor stole an Ohio State pass, drove the court and then threw the ball away. Maddening!
It left Ohio State with time to do something as Aaron Craft went to the foul line.
Finally, the Jayhawks got the break they needed when Craft made his first shot and then drew a whistle on his second for racing into the lane in an attempt to rebound the shot, which he missed on purpose.
Before any of the Ohio State players could figure out what happened, Kansas inbounded the ball and the game was over.
Jayhawks fans across the land breathed another sigh of relief and rejoiced.
At one point in the second half, I noticed my TweetDeck was eerliy quiet, which I took to mean that people were paying so much attention to the game.
But when the game ended, Twitter and Facebook blew up. Here’s a sampling of some of my favorite posts …
YYYEEEESSSSS!! Holy mother of Xanax we WON!!!
Who can watch NEWS after a game like that, Greg Gumbel!? Anyone with a pulse should be rewatching that second half. #Kansas
HOW do they keep DOING that?!
Boom. Kansas.
I think my heart beat is back to normal now.
Not bad for a rebuilding year!
Bill Self really needs to start giving his half time speeches at the beginning of the game...
I love having the opportunity to hit "like" on so many of my friends' status updates! Rock Chalk!
Thanks to Charles Barkley and Bill Walton for continuing to pick against KU, I'm counting on you again monday!
Thinks it's funny that I have so many KU fans from so many different eras of my life. Must be good people.
Oh man. no crappy first half Monday night jayhawks! Let's do this!
… Tonight I’m going to bed a happy man.
Meanwhile, in Manhattan. ... What a saga this Frank Martin thing has turned out to be, after he emphatically denied during one of the tournament games last weekend that the news of him moving to South Carolina was totally untrue. The Star's Sam Mellinger had a good take on it this week.
Good reads ...
a Kansas Tops Ohio State in Tense Stretch Run
a Bill Self's good point about the "easy" job he's had this year
a Davidson loss was a turning point for KU
a Withey’s volleyball background was a building block
a Sullinger, Robinson truly the elite in matchup of Ohio State and Kansas
a The Onion: Exhaustive Investigation By Broadcasters Finds Every Player In NCAA Tournament Just A Great Kid
3.24.2012
Spring break
In between a lot of basketball …
The university was on spring break this week. And it was good.
It’s not a true spring break for me, because I do have to work during the week. The students and faculty get their traditional spring break week off, but staff members like me are off on Monday only.
Nonetheless, this year, I took Tuesday as a vacation day so I could have some extra time at home to catch up on projects and make some dents in our baby preparation.
Usually, it seems, my vacation days are marred by some stint of bad luck or a project that doesn’t go according to plan. But aside from the fact that it rained both days, I couldn’t have had two more enjoyable days -- let alone a more enjoyable spring break week.
While I checked a ton of things off my to-do list this week, my major accomplishment was painting Baby 2’s room.
We knew early on, no matter the gender, that we wanted to paint the room a shade of blue.
Then, after a lot of pondering, Kates and I decided to go with the same décor we used in Phoebe’s baby room.
To a fault, we want to be sure Baby 2 gets the same brand of one-of-a-kind treatment Phoebe got before and after she was born. But we’re also learning to be realistic and know that not everything can be that way during this journey we call parenthood. In this case, it came down to our budget and the realization that, in the end, we can design a room that’s just as unique as Phoebe’s original room was, with the same decorations and a few twists.
Plus, those original decorations have blue in them. So we matched it with some paint colors and chose Icy Peppermint Vinca.
Thursday afternoon, we had our basement inspected, and I now have some peace of mind about our foundation and all of the work that was done to it before we took ownership of our house last year. Long story short, the steel anchors on the walls are doing their job, the foundation is secure, and I have clearance to finish off the basement and start resurrecting my baseball museum … It will be awhile, though. Before I can think about the basement, we need to get adjusted to life with two children, and I need to finish my master’s degree.
Yesterday, I finished my work week. And I cleared a ton of projects off my desktop. That’s the thing about our spring break: We may not get a full week of vacation like the students and faculty, but it’s just as refreshing because of all the work we catch up on.
I’m most proud of this story, which I referenced last fall after one of my colleagues stumbled on a video about their nerdy hobby. … We followed up on it, and I had a fun interview with them last week. Now I want one.
That brings me to today. Phoebe spent the afternoon at a classmate’s birthday party -- at the bowling alley -- and Kates went shopping. I spent the day working outside in our yard, and it was glorious. Sunny with temperatures in the low 80s, and I mowed our lawn -- in March!
Mark this one down: The winter leading up to Phoebe’s birth was one of the snowiest in history; heck, it snowed on the April morning she was born. Now, as we work our way to Baby 2’s birth, we’re coming out of one of the mildest winters on record.
Tonight, Kates and I capped the week with a late showing of “The Help.”
An excellent, enlightening and inspiring film. Wonderfully written. And terrific acting by an uber-talented cast that includes Emma Stone and Allison Janney.
It’s on my list and highly recommended. Here’s the trailer …
The university was on spring break this week. And it was good.
It’s not a true spring break for me, because I do have to work during the week. The students and faculty get their traditional spring break week off, but staff members like me are off on Monday only.
Nonetheless, this year, I took Tuesday as a vacation day so I could have some extra time at home to catch up on projects and make some dents in our baby preparation.
Usually, it seems, my vacation days are marred by some stint of bad luck or a project that doesn’t go according to plan. But aside from the fact that it rained both days, I couldn’t have had two more enjoyable days -- let alone a more enjoyable spring break week.
* * *
While I checked a ton of things off my to-do list this week, my major accomplishment was painting Baby 2’s room.
We knew early on, no matter the gender, that we wanted to paint the room a shade of blue.
Then, after a lot of pondering, Kates and I decided to go with the same décor we used in Phoebe’s baby room.
To a fault, we want to be sure Baby 2 gets the same brand of one-of-a-kind treatment Phoebe got before and after she was born. But we’re also learning to be realistic and know that not everything can be that way during this journey we call parenthood. In this case, it came down to our budget and the realization that, in the end, we can design a room that’s just as unique as Phoebe’s original room was, with the same decorations and a few twists.
Plus, those original decorations have blue in them. So we matched it with some paint colors and chose Icy Peppermint Vinca.
* * *
Thursday afternoon, we had our basement inspected, and I now have some peace of mind about our foundation and all of the work that was done to it before we took ownership of our house last year. Long story short, the steel anchors on the walls are doing their job, the foundation is secure, and I have clearance to finish off the basement and start resurrecting my baseball museum … It will be awhile, though. Before I can think about the basement, we need to get adjusted to life with two children, and I need to finish my master’s degree.
Yesterday, I finished my work week. And I cleared a ton of projects off my desktop. That’s the thing about our spring break: We may not get a full week of vacation like the students and faculty, but it’s just as refreshing because of all the work we catch up on.
I’m most proud of this story, which I referenced last fall after one of my colleagues stumbled on a video about their nerdy hobby. … We followed up on it, and I had a fun interview with them last week. Now I want one.
* * *
That brings me to today. Phoebe spent the afternoon at a classmate’s birthday party -- at the bowling alley -- and Kates went shopping. I spent the day working outside in our yard, and it was glorious. Sunny with temperatures in the low 80s, and I mowed our lawn -- in March!
Mark this one down: The winter leading up to Phoebe’s birth was one of the snowiest in history; heck, it snowed on the April morning she was born. Now, as we work our way to Baby 2’s birth, we’re coming out of one of the mildest winters on record.
Tonight, Kates and I capped the week with a late showing of “The Help.”
An excellent, enlightening and inspiring film. Wonderfully written. And terrific acting by an uber-talented cast that includes Emma Stone and Allison Janney.
It’s on my list and highly recommended. Here’s the trailer …
1.10.2012
Oh, girl
So Kates and I now know the gender of Baby No. 2.
I said I didn’t want to do this. But …
It’s a girl.
Another girl.
Yep.
Kates and I went into the ultrasound last week with tempered anticipation. But deep down I think both of us really expected to hear we were having a boy.
As the technician began the measurements, I was glued to the monitor. The baby was rolling all over, waving its hands and gently kicking its legs. It was a joy to watch and the image on the monitor was a lot easier to make out this time around than the day we first saw Phoebe. It was great fun.
Then the technician got to the moment we’d all been waiting for. “Well, I think you’re going to be able to use a lot of the baby clothes you already have,” she said.
Kates’ eyes and mine caught each other, and neither of us really knew what to say. The technician looked at a couple other angles. And she was pretty convinced.
Suffice to say, Kates and I experienced a bit of a mourning period that night. As I’ve grown into an adult and a father, I’ve dreamed of sharing the wonderful experiences I had with my dad with a son of my own. Coaching little league baseball and backyard games of catch, Boy Scout campouts, solving problems and building stuff. Boy things. The father-son bonding. … We don't know what the future holds for our family, but it makes me sad that I may never get to experience that bond.
Geez, we'd even started to decorate the room -- in our heads -- and discuss names, for a boy.
I had sort of mentally prepared myself for that possibility and the outcome. Kates hadn’t done so much, and when the realization of another girl in the family hit her a couple hours after we were home that night I think both of us were a little surprised at how hard it hit her.
After all, both of us grew up with younger brothers. Now we’re surrounded by friends and family members who have one of each. Having one of each certainly keeps things interesting and varied. We wanted that dynamic for our family, too.
Instead, Kates and I are asking ourselves how we’ll embrace the challenges of raising two girls. How will the younger one define herself? Will we be able to give her the same love and attention we’ve given Phoebe? … Two girls will present a different set of challenges we hadn’t thought about before. All of this talk is nonsense, I know, and I have little doubt these questions will work themselves out. With everything, there is a reason we were dealt this hand.
As I said, the mourning period only lasted for a night. We are having a baby, and that makes us very happy. For me, the mourning ended that night of the ultrasound, as Kates and I were heading for bed, and I stepped in Phoebe’s room to check on her. She was in a deep sleep, her hands resting easily on her chest and clutching her blanket. In that instant, she seemed so grown-up, and I knew this was meant to be.
I met Kates in our bedroom and told her, “Phoebe is going to be a great big sister.”
Here's our new baby girl ...
I said I didn’t want to do this. But …
It’s a girl.
Another girl.
Yep.
Kates and I went into the ultrasound last week with tempered anticipation. But deep down I think both of us really expected to hear we were having a boy.
As the technician began the measurements, I was glued to the monitor. The baby was rolling all over, waving its hands and gently kicking its legs. It was a joy to watch and the image on the monitor was a lot easier to make out this time around than the day we first saw Phoebe. It was great fun.
Then the technician got to the moment we’d all been waiting for. “Well, I think you’re going to be able to use a lot of the baby clothes you already have,” she said.
Kates’ eyes and mine caught each other, and neither of us really knew what to say. The technician looked at a couple other angles. And she was pretty convinced.
Suffice to say, Kates and I experienced a bit of a mourning period that night. As I’ve grown into an adult and a father, I’ve dreamed of sharing the wonderful experiences I had with my dad with a son of my own. Coaching little league baseball and backyard games of catch, Boy Scout campouts, solving problems and building stuff. Boy things. The father-son bonding. … We don't know what the future holds for our family, but it makes me sad that I may never get to experience that bond.
Geez, we'd even started to decorate the room -- in our heads -- and discuss names, for a boy.
I had sort of mentally prepared myself for that possibility and the outcome. Kates hadn’t done so much, and when the realization of another girl in the family hit her a couple hours after we were home that night I think both of us were a little surprised at how hard it hit her.
After all, both of us grew up with younger brothers. Now we’re surrounded by friends and family members who have one of each. Having one of each certainly keeps things interesting and varied. We wanted that dynamic for our family, too.
Instead, Kates and I are asking ourselves how we’ll embrace the challenges of raising two girls. How will the younger one define herself? Will we be able to give her the same love and attention we’ve given Phoebe? … Two girls will present a different set of challenges we hadn’t thought about before. All of this talk is nonsense, I know, and I have little doubt these questions will work themselves out. With everything, there is a reason we were dealt this hand.
As I said, the mourning period only lasted for a night. We are having a baby, and that makes us very happy. For me, the mourning ended that night of the ultrasound, as Kates and I were heading for bed, and I stepped in Phoebe’s room to check on her. She was in a deep sleep, her hands resting easily on her chest and clutching her blanket. In that instant, she seemed so grown-up, and I knew this was meant to be.
I met Kates in our bedroom and told her, “Phoebe is going to be a great big sister.”
Here's our new baby girl ...
12.11.2011
Hit me, Baby, one more time
It’s been a long time coming. There have been a lot of twists and turns and stops and delays.
But, if all goes well, Phoebe's wish for a new brother or sister will come true in late May.
Kates and I -- and Phoebe -- are expecting Baby No. 2 on May 27.
We’ve been holding this secret since the end of September. Given some bad luck last spring, Kates and I proceeded with caution this time and agreed not to tell -- ok, barely told -- a soul.
Finally, Nov. 30, we headed to the doctor. There was a heartbeat, and Baby appeared healthy on the ultrasound monitor. Doctor said that at this point, we’ve got little to worry about. … We were ecstatic.
The next step, of course, was telling Phoebe. We’d been dancing around the topic for weeks. Not to mention all of the other family discussions we’ve had about the possibility. And we've been dealing throughout the fall with Phoebe’s tendency to tell her teachers and other caretakers that’s she’s going to have a baby brother -- or sister -- without fully understanding what that means, or even whether there was any truth to it. … For days during those first weeks of classes, we got questions from people. ...
“Are you … Because Phoebe said … ”
No. We’re not, we’d say.
Then, as the fall progressed, there were the gentle nudges from the teachers and co-workers.
“Are you going to have another one any time soon? … Phoebe really wants a baby brother or sister.”
When we know, we’ll be sure to tell you, we’d say. … The truth was, We think we are. We’re just not ready to tell you.
So after getting confirmation, we developed the plan to tell Phoebe last weekend. After decorating our Christmas tree and after tucking Phoebe into her bed Saturday evening, I placed the ultrasound photo into a small frame, put it in gift wrap and placed it under the tree.
Surprisingly, Sunday morning she didn’t speak a word about the lone small package that had appeared under the tree overnight. Although, I’m sure she noticed it because at one point I caught her looking curiously at it. It had her name on it, after all.
Later, when we returned from church, we told Phoebe we had a surprise for her. We sat her on the couch with us and handed her the gift-wrapped picture frame. She unwrapped it and then, with her trademark giggle, she asked, “What is it?”
“It’s your new baby brother or sister,” Kates told her. “You’re going to be a big sister.”
Phoebe continued giggling, not really sure what to make of the news.
“There’s a baby growing in my tummy,” Kates said.
Then, the classic line we'll repeat years from now when we tell this story: Phoebe asked Kates, “Did you eat it!?”
With the big announcement settling in Phoebe’s brain, she clutched the frame and studied the grainy black and white photo. Then after awhile -- just as Kates and I might have predicted -- she walked away with the frame and said “I’m taking this to my room so I can put it on my dresser!” Where it will no doubt be displayed until Baby arrives.
That afternoon we attended Phoebe’s dance recital, and celebrated the Packers run to 12-0 on that incredible fourth-quarter drive against the Giants -- though with Aaron Rodgers, was there really ever a doubt!?
That evening we shared the good news with my parents via Skype, and we did the same with Kates’ parents the next night. We had discussed holding our secret until we could tell them in person during the Christmas holiday … But Kates’s belly is getting bigger and something had to give.
On both Skype calls we started the conversations with some small talk. Then, after a few minutes, we gave Phoebe the cue that she had “a very special surprise” -- it took some good sweet talking to keep Phoebe from blurting it out the moment either call began -- she pulled her picture frame out from underneath her and we held the ultrasound photo up to the camera to let our parental units figure it out.
They did, and it was a really sweet moment both times. During the call with my parents, my mother asked Phoebe, “Are you going to be a big sister?”
Phoebe shouted, “I already AM a big sister!”
Fast forward to today, and we had this conversation at lunch
Funny, last weekend, Kates found a bargain on a Graco crib online. She ordered it to have it shipped, and it arrived Wednesday. I was the first to arrive home from work Wednesday evening, and when I saw that big cardboard box propped on our front stoop and the word "GRACO" stamped on the box, I thought, Man, if anybody drove by our house today and saw that, it's no secret now. It turned out when I told our news to my team of co-workers Thursday, one of them had indeed driven by our house, seen the box and was on to me.
We made it official on Facebook earlier today, which always makes for a good time to watch the comments and "likes" coming in from all eras of our lives.
So now the next phase of questioning begins …
How is Kates feeling?
So here we go again. ... I've got five months to finish the baby's room, which needs more work than Phoebe's room did at this point in the cycle. Kates and I have some ideas for names, based on the list we compiled for Baby No. 1, but there's sure to be more debating this time. And I've got to start working on a new lullaby playlist.
Should be fun!
But, if all goes well, Phoebe's wish for a new brother or sister will come true in late May.
Kates and I -- and Phoebe -- are expecting Baby No. 2 on May 27.
We’ve been holding this secret since the end of September. Given some bad luck last spring, Kates and I proceeded with caution this time and agreed not to tell -- ok, barely told -- a soul.
Finally, Nov. 30, we headed to the doctor. There was a heartbeat, and Baby appeared healthy on the ultrasound monitor. Doctor said that at this point, we’ve got little to worry about. … We were ecstatic.
* * *
The next step, of course, was telling Phoebe. We’d been dancing around the topic for weeks. Not to mention all of the other family discussions we’ve had about the possibility. And we've been dealing throughout the fall with Phoebe’s tendency to tell her teachers and other caretakers that’s she’s going to have a baby brother -- or sister -- without fully understanding what that means, or even whether there was any truth to it. … For days during those first weeks of classes, we got questions from people. ...
“Are you … Because Phoebe said … ”
No. We’re not, we’d say.
Then, as the fall progressed, there were the gentle nudges from the teachers and co-workers.
“Are you going to have another one any time soon? … Phoebe really wants a baby brother or sister.”
When we know, we’ll be sure to tell you, we’d say. … The truth was, We think we are. We’re just not ready to tell you.
So after getting confirmation, we developed the plan to tell Phoebe last weekend. After decorating our Christmas tree and after tucking Phoebe into her bed Saturday evening, I placed the ultrasound photo into a small frame, put it in gift wrap and placed it under the tree.
Surprisingly, Sunday morning she didn’t speak a word about the lone small package that had appeared under the tree overnight. Although, I’m sure she noticed it because at one point I caught her looking curiously at it. It had her name on it, after all.
Later, when we returned from church, we told Phoebe we had a surprise for her. We sat her on the couch with us and handed her the gift-wrapped picture frame. She unwrapped it and then, with her trademark giggle, she asked, “What is it?”
“It’s your new baby brother or sister,” Kates told her. “You’re going to be a big sister.”
Phoebe continued giggling, not really sure what to make of the news.
“There’s a baby growing in my tummy,” Kates said.
Then, the classic line we'll repeat years from now when we tell this story: Phoebe asked Kates, “Did you eat it!?”
With the big announcement settling in Phoebe’s brain, she clutched the frame and studied the grainy black and white photo. Then after awhile -- just as Kates and I might have predicted -- she walked away with the frame and said “I’m taking this to my room so I can put it on my dresser!” Where it will no doubt be displayed until Baby arrives.
That afternoon we attended Phoebe’s dance recital, and celebrated the Packers run to 12-0 on that incredible fourth-quarter drive against the Giants -- though with Aaron Rodgers, was there really ever a doubt!?
That evening we shared the good news with my parents via Skype, and we did the same with Kates’ parents the next night. We had discussed holding our secret until we could tell them in person during the Christmas holiday … But Kates’s belly is getting bigger and something had to give.
On both Skype calls we started the conversations with some small talk. Then, after a few minutes, we gave Phoebe the cue that she had “a very special surprise” -- it took some good sweet talking to keep Phoebe from blurting it out the moment either call began -- she pulled her picture frame out from underneath her and we held the ultrasound photo up to the camera to let our parental units figure it out.
They did, and it was a really sweet moment both times. During the call with my parents, my mother asked Phoebe, “Are you going to be a big sister?”
Phoebe shouted, “I already AM a big sister!”
Fast forward to today, and we had this conversation at lunch
Phoebe: Am I a big sister yet?We shared the news with our extended families and co-workers as the week went on. Phoebe took her ultrasound picture to her preschool sharing time on Friday, and that was her way of telling her teachers and class.
Kates: No not until the baby's born.
Phoebe: Is it coming yet?
Kates: No, it's growing in my tummy.
Phoebe: Is it ready to be born now?
Kates: We have to wait until May.
Me: After your birthday.
Phoebe: Ohhh ok. I'm sorry.
Funny, last weekend, Kates found a bargain on a Graco crib online. She ordered it to have it shipped, and it arrived Wednesday. I was the first to arrive home from work Wednesday evening, and when I saw that big cardboard box propped on our front stoop and the word "GRACO" stamped on the box, I thought, Man, if anybody drove by our house today and saw that, it's no secret now. It turned out when I told our news to my team of co-workers Thursday, one of them had indeed driven by our house, seen the box and was on to me.
We made it official on Facebook earlier today, which always makes for a good time to watch the comments and "likes" coming in from all eras of our lives.
* * *
So now the next phase of questioning begins …
How is Kates feeling?
Not great. She’s dealt with bouts of nauseousness since day one, and she’s pretty beat after a day of teaching her squirmy fourth graders and chasing Phoebe. Given her condition during labor with Phoebe and the days after that, we’re keeping pretty close tabs on her blood pressure, too.
Me? I’m just trying to keep up with making sure Kates is ok, in addition to doing the house chores and keeping the home fire burning.
This was a conversation we had in October, during a weekend that she was cooped up on the couch because she wasn’t feeling well …
Kates: Let’s just fast forward two months, ok?
Me: How ‘bout we hit pause, so I can do all the work that I need to get done, then we fast forward to months?
Kates: Hitting the pause button wouldn’t make me feel any better.
Is there anything Kates can’t eat? Has she begun to have cravings?Me: Actually it would. Because if I hit the pause button, then you’re on pause and you wouldn’t know how you’re feeling. While I’m running around doing all the work, then I fast forward two months and -- bam! -- all the work’s done, you’re doing ok, and you didn’t miss anything.
Dairy products, she’s learned, are a big no-no. Which is tough for a family that comes from Wisconsin and typically has multiple dairy products on the table with every meal.Are we going to learn Baby’s gender this time?
As for cravings, there was a day in October when I had to make a lunchtime run to Taco Bell to feed one of her cravings. … I went to the drive-thru and placed the order. But when I got to the window, their computer was down, and they were only accepting cash. So I had to make a run to the bank for cash and then headed back to Taco Bell for the nachos Kates requested.
Yeah. That was a fun day. And I’m happy to report there have been no cravings since.
Yes. We had the whole “we don’t want to know” experience with Baby No. 1. This time we want to have the experience of learning the gender from that ultrasound and preparing for that boy, or that girl, ahead of the due date. Plus, we’d kind of like to know if we need to start buying some more boy things, or we’re good to pass down some of Phoebe’s things.
Notice all of my gender references refer first to the possibility of a boy. Here’s hoping. … Although Phoebe seems pretty sure it's a girl. When her teachers asked her more about the baby, she told them, “It’s going to be a girl. Mommy and Daddy don’t know it yet, but it’s a sister!"Are we going to share the gender with other people when we know it?
That’s still being debated. I’d prefer to keep it between us.
So here we go again. ... I've got five months to finish the baby's room, which needs more work than Phoebe's room did at this point in the cycle. Kates and I have some ideas for names, based on the list we compiled for Baby No. 1, but there's sure to be more debating this time. And I've got to start working on a new lullaby playlist.
Should be fun!
4.25.2009
If a baby could Twitter
This is one of the most fun, entertaining things I've read in a long time.
Probably because it has to do with Twitter. And baby behavior. And these tweets are totally things Phoebe would write.
Probably because it has to do with Twitter. And baby behavior. And these tweets are totally things Phoebe would write.
4.12.2008
Introducing ....
Ladies & Gentlemen ...Kates and I would like to introduce to you ...
Phoebe Joanne.
Born at 3:44 a.m. this Saturday, April 12, after about 11 hours of labor.
She was born at 7 lbs. and 4 ounces, and 20 inches long.
She's got a cone head and she can't stop sticking her tongue out at us.
The first song she heard was "Here Comes the Sun."
And we love her.
We'll fill in the rest of the story later.
In case you missed any of it, here's a look back at some of the highlights in our journey ...
a The announcement
a The names game: Still debating
a I thought I wrecked the baby
a A Christmas story
a The new car
a Repainting the baby's ceiling
a Painting rooms, going to birthing class and shopping sprees
a A conversation with Baby
a Baby dreams
a Our first hospital stay
a Week 36: Getting closer
a My haircut
a The names game: Hints
a The new and improved guest room
a Baby's room
4.10.2008
D-Day
So today’s our due date.
And still no baby.
Kates is getting more uncomfortable by the day. Her legs are the size of tree trunks. She can barely walk.
But Baby doesn’t seem to care.
So much for worrying the baby was coming early and not being ready.
And still no baby.
Kates is getting more uncomfortable by the day. Her legs are the size of tree trunks. She can barely walk.
But Baby doesn’t seem to care.
So much for worrying the baby was coming early and not being ready.
4.07.2008
A night to remember
So patient for 20 years, Kansas had no problem working an extra five minutes to bring a long-awaited championship back to the heartland.
-- The Associated Press
Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.
The thoughts are barreling through my head so fast right now, I’m not even going to try to keep up …
I had never felt more confident going into a Kansas game than I did tonight. I've been so impressed with their play throughout this year's tournament, most of all their defense, and Saturday night’s win over North Carolina had me really believing there was something special about this team …
Once tonight’s game started, I was parked. On the couch. Wearing the same KU shirt and cap I’ve worn for every one of their tournament games. And a blanket to hide under when the going got rough …
My confidence only got heavier as Kansas took the first half lead … But I started using that blanket again in the second half.
Finished with her school work, Kates -- wearing a Jayhawks T-shirt, too -- joined me midway through the second half. Together, we yelled and screamed and scoffed at the TV as the Jayhawks appeared to be letting it slip away …
They were down by nine points. Nine points! With barely two minutes left to play …
Then Memphis started missing free throws. Kansas grabbed the rebounds, and they turned those into points … and then. Then. Mario Chalmers hit the three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left to send the game to overtime …
When the shot went down, both my feet and my arms shot straight up in the air, while my butt remained planted in the couch cushion -- and the blanket probably hit the ceiling. I spent the ensuing commercial break lumped over our coffee table in exhaustion …
It was all Kansas in overtime …
And then, as the final seconds ticked away and the championship was in the Jayhawks’ grasp, I raised my arms once more and rose to my feet … I could stand for only a few seconds before I fell back into the couch crying. Tears streaming down my cheeks. Overcome with the emotion of finally living that moment …
Remember I had Kansas in Baby’s bracket -- for luck … And as the weekend began, I said the ultimate scenario would have been Kates and I having the baby and then being able to watch the Kansas game with him/her tonight …
That didn’t happen. But I’ll take what I got.
And figure this: Kates started having her first significant contractions during the waning minutes of the game.
Truly, a night to remember. Truly, one of the best games ever.
I'll be checking the Lawrence-Journal World a lot in the the next few days ... There's some great photos here and here.
And how great was it to see Roy there with a Jayhawks sticker on his chest!? We still love'm ...
4.03.2008
4.02.2008
Baby's room!
As we continue to celebrate Week 38 here at Horniculture ...
Last night, we gave you the new guest room ... and tonight we give you Baby's room!
First, here's what it looked like when we moved into the place a few years ago ...
Last night, we gave you the new guest room ... and tonight we give you Baby's room!
First, here's what it looked like when we moved into the place a few years ago ...
Eventually, the room became Kates's office space ... It was the last room we painted after moving here, and after thinking long and hard about the color, Kates wanted it orange ...
It was a great, cozy office space, and it served its purpose well ... But it was time to move on ...
Ultimately we decided to stay with the orange. (And there was a fleeting moment when we thought it would be good to paint the ceiling yellow, too, but we won't talk about that ... ) We had a clear vision of how we wanted the room to look. Kates picked out a swell theme that featured animals and the alphabet, and we went with it ...
This is the view from the door ...
... There's a funny story to that bare wall above the bed, to the left of the window ... Kates and I registered for a set of wall art that matched the bedding and the quilt we got (see picture below). We almost bought the art ourselves during a trip to Babies R' Us a few weeks ago, but after looking at them again in the store we decided they were unecessary ... Then, we got the wall art for a gift anyway, and started thinking that bare wall would be a great place for them. We got excited to put them up and thought they would be the final touch on the room ... But when we took them out of the package and began placing the pieces on the wall, Kates noticed the word "giraffe" on one of the pieces was missing the "ffe." ... They were completely gone, like that car commercial were the "h" has disappeared from everything to find a new home ...
The room also has lots of stuffed animals and books -- two elements that were really important to Kates and I. Over the years, both of us had held on to boxes of our childhood books and animals, in hopes that we could incorporate them some day and share them with our children ...
The shelf below includes Kates collection of Classic Pooh characters along with my musical lamb, which has lost a lot of its stuffing, but it still winds up and plays a great lullabye! ... Also on the shelf is my beloved Ernie doll, whose ears are falling off. He got so much wear and tear that Grandma Horns had to sew him up for me countless times ...
And finally a shot of the changing table and Kates's antique dresser, which I refinished with a little help from my pops ...
4.01.2008
The guest room
Ok. We said there would be pictures of some of the things we've been working on ...
So tonight we're showing you our new and improved guest room ...
First, this is what it looked like when we moved in four years ago ...
A few months in, we painted the room a creamy yellow and then waffled for the next two years on the rest of the decor. On the bed was a checkered duvet cover of Kates's that had blues and yellows, and for a time we had blue curtains to match it ...
But it still wasn't right (Sorry, I couldn't come up with the pictures to prove it) ... So when we found a new set of curtains with reds and golds and yellows we tried those. And bought a new, beige duvet cover to pull it together. ... It all looked good in a picture we had seen, but it still didn't look right in our guest room ....
Finally last fall, when we started making preparations for the baby, we decided to turn Kates's former office space into the baby's room and move some of Kates's things into the guest room. Thus we were going to have to make some alterations and it gave us the perfect opportunity to finally get this whole guest room thing right ....
We repainted the walls -- again -- this time to Red Ochre (I drove through a snowstorm to finish the job) ... and we picked up some lamps from IKEA ...
And this is what we came up with ... Much better.
So tonight we're showing you our new and improved guest room ...
First, this is what it looked like when we moved in four years ago ...
A few months in, we painted the room a creamy yellow and then waffled for the next two years on the rest of the decor. On the bed was a checkered duvet cover of Kates's that had blues and yellows, and for a time we had blue curtains to match it ...But it still wasn't right (Sorry, I couldn't come up with the pictures to prove it) ... So when we found a new set of curtains with reds and golds and yellows we tried those. And bought a new, beige duvet cover to pull it together. ... It all looked good in a picture we had seen, but it still didn't look right in our guest room ....
Finally last fall, when we started making preparations for the baby, we decided to turn Kates's former office space into the baby's room and move some of Kates's things into the guest room. Thus we were going to have to make some alterations and it gave us the perfect opportunity to finally get this whole guest room thing right ....
We repainted the walls -- again -- this time to Red Ochre (I drove through a snowstorm to finish the job) ... and we picked up some lamps from IKEA ...
And this is what we came up with ... Much better.
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