Hooray for Emma!!!

Today, Emma rolled over for the first time - and then did it again! We were stunned. Neither of us saw the first time since she was in her crib, but when I went to check on her she was on her back, and I had put her on her tummy! Then I called Nichole upstairs, and put her back on her tummy, and she did it again while we watched! We were so proud... we tried again later (with the video camera) but of course, she wouldn't do it again.

Home with Daddy

Emma and I had another good day today. She slept in, conveniently letting Daddy get several hours of work in, and then woke up for a bit and talked... and then I put her down in her boppy and talked to her while I got some email out of the way. Apparently my work is quite boring to her, though, because as I was explaining what my email was all about, she fell asleep in the boppy. She didn't even wake up when I transferred her over to her bassinet. The rest of the day was a pretty even mix of work for me and play for her, and we had dinner with Mommy when she got home.


Emma dozing off in her Boppy

Mister Mom, sort of

I'm working from my home office for most of the rest of the month, which means I get to watch Emma... and she doesn't have to start daycare yet. It means I have to really plan my workday and conference calls around naptime, and do some work in the evening, but it is sure worth it. Right now, she is napping (on my shoulder) after her second bottle of the day. Luckily with a laptop, blackberry, cell phone and PDA, I can still stay in touch and let her sleep at the same time!

O Christmas tree...

Emma's first Christmas tree. We started with a real tree this year, but once we started putting lights on the darn thing, needles started dropping... and dropping... and dropping. Every branch was quickly becoming bare. So after several fruitless hours of putting up lights, we decided it was no longer worth the effort and that we somehow got a tree that wasn't very fresh. So now it sits out in the back yard, collecting snow, while this one is in our living room... a nice, fresh, artificial tree with pre-strung lights. Ahhh. You can almost smell the pine. 

Hard to say goodbye

Tonight I left for a business trip for a couple of days. In the morning I worked in my office upstairs while Emma napped, and then I fed her and changed her before putting her back down for a second nap, while I packed for the short trip. It's not even three days but I already know it will feel like a lot longer. I took Emma to her Grandma M's in the afternoon, and when I was packing her up in her car seat she was just grinning and giggling and smiling at me. Normally, that's a very good thing and it definitely did make me smile too, but the sad thing is that it was harder to leave her today because of it. I just wanted to hold her and cuddle her and talk to her. She's such a happy baby, and her smile is infectious. I miss her already and can't wait to come home.

Emma sleeping in the car, 12/5/04 

Emma, 11/28/04

Emma's Thanksgiving Day Bath

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Emma's first Thanksgiving, and we all have so much to be thankful for... Emma, of course, is the newest thing we have to be thankful for. We're also thankful for our family and wonderful friends, and all the blessings in our lives. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!


It snowed last night!

Emma says Hi!

Tonight we were just sitting playing with Emma, and I said "Emma, can you say ''Hi'' to Abbi?" and out of the blue, she let out with a squeal that sounded exactly like the word "Hi!" We were all stunned. Every one of us heard it, and Jordan immediately wanted to call everyone he knew to let them know that Emma said hi. Of course, this is obviously just a fluke, but it was still amazing and very funny!


Emma ''talking'' to Abbi

Emma coos and makes noises all the time now, and is a very happy baby. We can take her anywhere and she won't fuss or make a scene, and she smiles quite a lot... even at complete strangers! The exception to this was, of course, when we took her to get her Christmas photo done. No one could seem to make her smile that day, and she definitely did not like being moved into all the different positions they tried to place her in.

Emma sucks her thumb in her sleep.

Big smiles!

Emma's smiles just keep getting bigger. There are a lot more pictures I just posted at the other site, Emma's Photo Page. Click the link here or the small icon below to visit the photo gallery. There is also a permanent link on the right side of this screen.


Big smiles! 

Another good night's sleep

Emma has been sleeping through the night all this week, by the way! So we have been sleeping quite well lately. :)

Vaccination day

Today we took Emma to her two-month doctor appointment. She weighs 11 pounds 5.5 ounces which is in the 50th percentile, she is 22.5 inches long which is also 50th percentile,, and her head was 16 inches in circumference which is 90th percentile! She is a very healthy and happy baby (which we knew) and everything looks good. She got three vaccinations today, though, which made Emma cry a LOT. She was not too happy about being poked three times -- twice in one leg and once in the other.

OK, OK, OK...

So it's been a long time since we last updated the site. We know! We've been hearing about it from all of you... apparently people are visiting to see what's new with Emma a lot more frequently than we imagined. We should start advertising on sleepers and bibs!


Emma smiles at Daddy, 11-5-2004

I plan to post more photos here and at the other photo site for Emma later today. So check back, don't give up faith, and keep visiting! And hey, if you visited and like the site, leave us a message -- even if it's an "anonymous" comment!

We've been quite busy these last few weeks, with a trip to Grand Rapids, Halloween in Gaylord, and lots of visiting with friends and family. (Plus lots of shopping with Mommy!) Emma was a ladybug for Halloween, and although she didn't go door to door this year, she went with us in the car while Jordan (who was an Orc from Lord of the Rings) and Abbi (who was "Spiderella") gathered up tons of candy.

We took a trip to Grand Rapids in Early October for a Conference my company was participating in, and Emma was a perfect angel the whole time. Actually, she has been very good every time we have ever taken her anywhere. OK, except for that one time at Wal-Mart. I swear every kid yells and screams when they are in Wal-Mart. I think they must sell more candy that way at the checkout counter.

Emma is now 8 weeks old, and has begun smiling all the time. She even smiled at Jordan on Halloween. The best part is, we can definitely tell she is smiling on purpose, and that it's not just gas. She has also started occasionally making "cooing" noises, and she gets quite excited, like she really wants to tell us something. She's still on her normal schedule of bedtime around 11:30pm and then one or two feedings between about 3am and 7:30am. Although last night she slept straight through until 7am. (She might have a slight cold starting... I'm sick with one myself and have been all week, and I wouldn't be surprised if I've given it to her despite her higher levels of immunity right now.)

More later, including pictures -- I'll try to "pre-date" them so they follow chronologically and match up with the dates in the blog, so be sure to scroll down and check them out!

Oh yeah, and here is one more photo of Emma, animated for your enjoyment!


Emma, being silly.

Boo!

Halloween

The kids had a great time trick-or-treating tonight. Well, Jordan and Abbi had a great time anyway. Emma slept in the car. And then slept when we got back to the hotel. It was a little chilly and a bit rainy, but the kids were glad they didn't need to wear coats to run around the neighborhoods we visited. (There's nothing more lame than an Orc in a down jacket, after all.)


Shhhh... The ladybug is sleeping.


Watch out for the orc!


Verrry scary!

Busy weekend

This weekend was one of very little sleep at night for Nichole, Emma and me. Emma seems to be waking up a lot in the middle of the night with a voracious appetite, and sometimes it even takes a supplemental bottle to get her to go back to sleep even for a short while. So this weekend felt busy, at least, since our internal clocks were all out of whack.

We did make a few excursions out and about with Emma, including to lunch today and then a trip up to Bay City to take Jordan and Abbi back to their mom. Emma has been very good about riding in the car for the most part... she seems to be lulled to sleep by the motion. On Friday, I strapped her into the Baby Bjorn carrier for the first time, and we did some chores around the house including taking the trash to the road. She fell asleep almost immediately, so maybe we'll try this on a day when she's fussier as well to see if it soothes her. It sure is nice carrying her so closely in the Bjorn.

Sadly, I think we are going to be giving our cat "Putter" away to my niece Andrea. The cat was fine for a couple of weeks, but now seems to be taking out his frustrations by using Emma's clothes and Abbi's bed as an alternative to the litterbox. Which we won't stand for. It's not something we can tolerate, and locking him up in the basement or keeping him out of rooms by keeping the doors shut all the time isn't fair to him or to us either.

We are sure he is acting out, since it has only happened once the initial shock of the new baby in the house wore off, and it only happens to things in Emma's room (and our bedspread once when we were holding her at night). He's left Jordan's room and any other belongings alone. So... tomorrow, off he goes to my niece's house. She has another kitten so maybe he will be happier there. We will definitely miss him a lot, though... he is a sweet kitty and very affectionate (when he is not acting like this), and he knows his name and comes when called. At least he will go to a family member who will love him.

Crankypants

Emma has been a bit cranky over the last three days. Last night she only woke up twice in the night, but both today and the day before yesterday she wanted to eat nearly constantly and was often crying and acting hungry when she was not eating. We're concerned she might have a tummy ache, so today Uncle Aaron stopped on his way over to bring us some Mylicon. Hopefully that will help.

I've been back to work for three days now, and have spent most of my time in my office working during the day, either on the phone with customers or firing off one email after another. I felt a bit sad today, because I realized I had not kissed or held or cuddled Emma since I woke up this morning despite the fact that today I'm in my office here at home all day. :(

We continue to get some wonderful gifts for Emma... a big Thank you to the folks in my region who sent us a beautiful gift basket of onesies, washcloths, bibs, and a blanket and to the ladies in Boston who sent us the Harry and David basket of goodies! Also thanks to Dave, Maggie, Charlie and Jack who sent us a car seat cover from L.L. Bean... it will definitely come in handy for Michigan winters! We've been blessed by so many warm wishes and gifts that it's hard to list everything, but thank you to everyone who has sent a note or card or a gift. They are all truly appreciated, and we're very grateful to have such wonderful and generous friends!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Nichole and I took a walk with Emma tonight around the subdivision. It was a beautiful night, and we walked further than we usually do. Emma, true to form, slept for the entire ride and woke up shortly after we walked back in the door, ready to eat again. And again.

Oddly, we still have not met very many families or couples in the subdivision with children. We've lived here well over a year, and barely know the couple next door who have a little girl only a week older than Emma, and although we know their names we don't really know many of our other neighbors either. We figured maybe going for walks in the evening would cause us to run across other neighbors with children, but so far this hasn't been the case!

Up half the night

Last night was a long one. After spending the afternoon at Grandma S's house visiting with family, we came home and thought we would have a good night's sleep. We thought wrong: Emma was up nearly constantly. It seemed like she was perpetually nursing, or crying because she was hungry, or in need of a diaper change. So I got very little sleep, and Nichole got even less. I think Emma got the most sleep of any of us, since at least she was able to nod off while she was nursing. On top of that, giving her supplemental bottles hasn't really touched her hunger... She either wants more right away or spits it all back up because she gulps so quickly from a bottle. As a result, today we've spent the day here at home, both of us feeling like we have hangovers. We had plans to visit Nichole's family, go grocery shopping, and maybe enjoy a walk in the afternoon since it was a gorgeous day. Instead we'll be lucky if we make it to the grocery store!

Long night

Emma was up a lot last night. I lost count, and I know Nichole was up more than I was with her. (Also, we hit a milestone: Emma spit up for the first time on Nichole after eating... I've been the target a number of times but this is the first time Nichole has had the pleasure.) Nichole is struggling a little bit with feeding, since Emma tends to "cluster feed" at certain hours of the day, and during those times does not seem to be able to get enough to eat, no matter how long she nurses! We are both looking forward to the weekend, when we can take a few naps when Emma sleeps.

Visitors

Today Jane and Mary Ellen came to visit, and brought a nice lunch with them to share! Jane held her first, and Emma promptly filled her diaper. Apparently once she is old enough, we are going to have to work on her manners (Emma's, not Janes!).

We also took the kids back home this afternoon, and Emma went for her first long car ride. She did pretty well, until half way home, when she woke up and was very hungry... so hungry we had to stop to feed her. Afterwards, we stopped off at Grandma S's house to visit for a few minutes, and then called it a night.

Big brother and big sister head home today

Jordan and Abbi will be heading back to their mom's house today. I am thinking they are going to really miss Emma. The last week, we have truly been a family and have spent a lot of quality time together, and the kids just seem to adore her. They don't even mind taking care of messy diapers when needed! I plan to send them regular emails with new photos of her, and give them some pictures they can take back and show their friends.

I think Emma is expecting some visitors today as well... Nichole mentioned either Mary Ellen or Jane might stop by today. I'm heading off to bed for now, so won't write much more... Emma kept us up last night and tonight we seem to be headed for at least a few hours of quality sleep. Got to catch them while we can! The good news from all of this has been with all the running and household stuff (plus the stress, I am sure) I've lost quite a few pounds. Nichole is looking great, too. I think taking the baby for walks has helped, and it certainly has been awesome weather for that. Hopefully the weather and the walks will continue! :)

Happily napping

Emma sleeping in her bouncinette


Emma sleeping with Daddy

Today we went back to the doctor for Emma's 2 week visit. She has regained all of her birth weight and is back up to 8 pounds! Everything seems to be going very well for her. Last night, we actually watched her sleep and she was dreaming... and in the middle of the dream she smiled and actually *giggled*! We know it's not a real response, but it was just so cute.

Emma's First Bath

Emma really didn't care for her first bath.

...but she felt better after we dried her off!

Mommy holds Emma, 9/21/04

Mommy holds Emma, 9/21/2004

We've discovered that Emma likes to be held when she falls asleep. Some children you can lay down when they are groggy, and they'll fall asleep quickly. In Emma's case, she likes to snuggle up after being fed and curl up against your shoulder... she actually tucks her arms and legs in, and can sleep for hours like this. It's very sweet.

The headache is gone!

Hooray! Nichole's headache is finally gone. Also, her stitches seem to be healing nicely. (When we went to the ER the other day, they just cleaned the wound and put some new steri-strips on to hold things together... nothing to worry about, really.)

Since Nichole felt better, yesterday we all went for a short drive out to get some dinner at Leo's Coney Island (I think we were all feeling a bit of cabin fever) and then went to visit Grandma and Grandpa M. for a little while. I took Emma out during the day for a couple of walks... she slept most of the way. I guess that's enjoying it, for an infant; if they wake up and scream, they don't like it. If they stay asleep or fall asleep, they do. :) Emma slept most of the night last night, waking only at about 4:00 for a feeding. Then she slept straight through until 10am, so we all got to sleep in!

Today we plan to stick close to home, most likely, but it's such a beautiful day that maybe we'll play outside or something. Jordan and Abbi have had their stay here extended due to some unforeseen circumstances, so it's great to have all five of us here for this long! I'll write more later.

Jimmy and Lindsay visit

Jimmy Rock holding Emma


Lindsay holds her too, but Emma is not too sure!

Back to the E.R.

We're back in the ER again. Nichole woke up this morning and said her head felt a lot better... And then she walked into the bathroom and noticed that her incision from the C-section was bleeding! It wasn't gushing blood and there was no pain, so we had time to get showered and dressed, but now I'm in the waiting room of the ER at Huron Valley with Emma. She's mostly sleeping, and occasionally wakes up to wiggle a bit and look around. (By the way, this car seat/carrier we bought is terrific -- it snaps into the base in my car or Nichole's, comes loose to turn into a baby carrier, and also can snap into her stroller.) Anyway, we think the doctor will probably either give Nichole new stitches or bandage her up more securely, and I wouldn't be surprised if they put her on an antibiotic to make sure there's no infection. I'll write more later if I have time... Right now, it sounds like Emma is filling her diaper!

First trip to the doctor

Today was mostly an uneventful day, but we did get to take Emma for a walk in her stroller all around the neighborhood since the temperature was just right and there wasn't too much sun. It actually felt more like a Sunday today than a Friday.

We also had Emma's first doctor appointment. She was checked over briefly, and weighed. She has gained back 3 ounces since we left the hospital, which is a real credit to Nichole... the doctor was quite surprised to find that Nichole was able to be successful at breastfeeding with a spinal headache, and that we haven't had to supplement too much with formula. Everything else seems normal. Last night, the majority of her umbilical cord remnant dropped off, too! It's pretty early for that to happen, but she still has a small stub remaining which should drop off in the next couple of days according to the doctor.

Tonight we tried to all have dinner together in the kitchen, but Nichole wasn't able to sit erect for that long due to the headache, and had to take her meal into the living room and eat it in a prone position. I sure wish her headaches would improve. Maybe tomorrow she'll feel better... it will be more than 72 hours since the blood patch procedure, and the stuff we have read on the web seems to indicate that most patients find some relief by now.

Hopefully we'll have more pictures of Emma to post tomorrow! If you haven't been to her picture page yet, you can follow this link.

Jordan and Abbi meet Emma

Jordan meets Emma for the first time...

...and gives her an eskimo kiss!

Abbi holds Emma for the first time.

Abbi kisses Emma on her cheek.

Caffeine buzz?

We think the Diet Pepsi that Nichole was drinking tonight may have contributed to the fact that Emma was up about 6 times during the night and wanting to eat... and not taking "no" for an answer, either. It's about 7:30 now, and I think I've had maybe 2 hours of solid sleep.

That said, if caffeine will provide Nichole with some relief to the pain she's been having, I'll take as many sleepless nights as it requires until her headache subsides.

Emma also seems to be "processing" food very efficiently. Several times tonight we could hear her "processing" it into her diaper in fact... she gets a faraway look in her eyes, then clenches her whole little body up. It's amazing that such a loud noise can come from such a little thing.

A solid night's sleep

Emma slept from about midnight last night to 7:30 this morning without waking up at all! Nichole and I both got more sleep than we've had in quite a while, but Nichole's headache is just as bad as it has been since Sunday and really hasn't improved very much despite the blood patch and the Darvocet/Motrin combination. She still has to lie down flat, and sitting upright causes intense, constant headache. I'm basically handling all the diaper changes, burping, and carrying her since they told Nichole not to do any lifting at all until the headache goes away. Last night I got some laundry done, built the baby swing, sterilized bottles and pumping accessories, managed the dogs, and cleaned up the house. Whew! I also discovered that when you feed a baby three ounces, you better be sure you get a good burp out of it. Otherwise the baby isn't the only one who will need changing. :)


September 15, 2004

Taking it easy

Well, yesterday at the hospital turned into a long day. The anesthesiologist ended up giving Nichole the blood patch in her back, and then we went home to be sure she got plenty of rest. Nichole's spinal headache still is there even this morning, so she can only sit up for short periods of time (feedings and bathroom trips, mostly) and when she does it's excruciating. So today we're going to take it easy at home -- hopefully! Emma seems very hungry this morning, but is feeding really well, and has been a very sweet baby. She only cries when she is hungry or wet, and otherwise naps or looks around curiously.

We also seem to have discovered a pattern to Emma's behavior... she tends to wake up fairly early, eat voraciously a couple of times, and then sleep between 10am or so and who knows when in the late afternoon. She has her days and nights a bit mixed up, but it gives us some time to get things done during the day and relax a bit. She does get up throughout the night, but last night only woke up 3 times. If the pattern holds, when she wakes up later today she'll want to eat about every half hour until late this evening!

Headache

Nichole has had an excruciating headache since she was in the hospital. It only seems to be there when she is sitting up, and when she is lying down she doesn't even notice it. So they think it may be a spinal headache, related to the epidural she had during labor and delivery. Once they assess things, they may do what is called a blood patch to seal the leak of spinal fluid if there is one that may be causing a pressure differential and giving her the headache. Basically they draw blood, then insert it into a new epidural, and it then acts as a patch with the platelets and clotting factor to seal the leak until her body can produce more fluid and regain the correct pressure -- sort of like a fix-a-flat for the brain.

So far, though, we have been waiting nearly 3 hours without even a visit from a doctor or nurse who can evaluate Nichole's condition or provide any care. So it's a very boring day, and likely to be so for a while. Emma is in the lobby with her Grandma M. while we wait. Grandpa M. will be coming up later this afternoon as well, and hopefully we can all go home tonight.

Sunday morning

Everyone got more sleep last night, but Nichole's headache is still there. Dr. Gordinier came in this morning and took the staples out of Nichole's incision, then used small butterfly bandage strips to take the place of the staples. Afterwards, we had kind of a lazy Sunday morning together. Emma yawned and stretched, then had breakfast and cuddled until they brought in breakfast for Mommy.

Right now, I'm holding her on my chest and snuggling (and have been for the last hour) while Nichole takes a long, hot shower to try to get rid of the headache. Emma is so cute just lying here and sleeping. Jordan and Abbi called this morning to see how she was and let us know they saw her photos here. I can't wait until Thursday, when they get to meet her!

The nurse just came in and gave Emma her hepatitis B vaccination, but Emma barely cried, and we're back to snuggling. Soon, the doctor will be in for one last look at Emma, and then we can go home!


Emma goes home!

One step forward, two steps back

As good as Nichole felt yesterday, it was a bit of a surprise tonight that she felt generally awful. After all our visitors left, Nichole developed an intense headache, her stitches hurt, and she felt quite tender from trying to get Emma to latch on properly when feeding. So we're taking things pretty easy, and plan to try to get more sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day.

Emma gained a couple of ounces back, and is doing very well. She's had a few fussy moments, but all in all is totally sweet. She slept most of the afternoon, which meant everyone got in some cuddle time with her. This afternoon we got rid of the hospital-issue onesie and put her in a Michigan sleeper in honor of today's game against Notre Dame. Michigan lost, but at least Emma showed her spirit!

Fussy and hungry

Emma is wanting to nurse all the time right now. We don't think she's getting much milk or even colostrum, since she seems hungry most of the time. Last night she was very fussy and we felt like we had to supplement her regular feeding with a couple of ounces of formula. Today is much the same.

We expect a few more visitors this afternoon. It's Saturday, but both Nichole and I feel like we've lost track of time.

24 hours old

Emma has passed the 24 hour mark without a problem. She has lost only six ounces in weight, is eating well, and is only fussy when her diaper needs changing, when she is cold, or when she is hungry. Today she had lots of visitors: Grandma M, Helen D, Aunt Tricia and Uncle Craig, Uncle Aaron, Grandpa M, Grandma S, Aunt Karen, and Aunt Vicki all stopped by. Short entry today, but it was a great day.

Sleepyhead

Emma wakes up, September 10. **More pictures of Emma below!**

Emma and Nichole both had a good night last night (I slept like a rock, as well, although I will probably need a chiropractor visit after two or three nights in these chair-bed things). This morning, Emma woke up very slowly and seemed to be looking around at things. She barely made a sound, and yet reacted to the sounds of our voices. Around 9, the nurse came in and did the first (of many!) diaper changes Emma will have. It looks like the baby is having no trouble processing food, and Nichole says she is latching on and eating very well already.

Emma Hope is here!

Emma Hope was born last night, September 9th, 2004 at 7:35pm. She weighed 8 pounds even, was 20 and ½ inches long, and is a beautiful, sweet baby!

Emma's first picture, just 15 minutes after she was born.

Emma had a bit of a difficult time getting here, and Nichole had an even more difficult time getting her here: After Nichole finally reached full dilation (which took almost all day), she pushed (and I coached) hard for more than two hours. During all this time, however, Emma really made no progress at all in moving downward. It was as though she was stuck in one place, which was frustrating and exhausting.

By about 6:30, Doctor O. was suggesting that we consider a C-section. Neither Nichole nor I wanted a C-section because of the risks involved as well as the recovery time, but it was really our only option at this point. They prepped Nichole, and I put on a paper suit, hat and face mask, and they began the procedure shortly after 7pm. Nichole was shaking violently from the flood of hormones, drugs, and anxiety, which was making her feel very cold, so they wrapped her upper body in a pretty high-tech warming system while they performed the surgery. I was allowed to sit next to her, touch her face, and basically describe what I could see happening... Which wasn't much until the baby was about to be born.

When it was time, the nurse told me I could stand up, and I watched as they pulled Emma out of the womb. It was an amazing sight, and as I told Nichole about it we both started crying. They placed Emma in a warming tray and I got to go to her while they cleaned her off and suctioned her mouth and nose. Then they wrapped her up and I brought her back to the top of the operating table so Nichole could see her for the first time. They finished the procedure and closed Nichole's incision, and we went back to a birthing room for recovery. I was very concerned about the abdominal surgery and the pain afterwards, but the doctors have done a fantastic job and the procedure was relatively quick.

Nichole was able to nurse Emma almost immediately, and since then she's fed several times and always falls asleep afterwards. Nichole is very wobbly and unsteady from the surgery, and they will keep us here for several days until we can all go home. As the epidural wears off, she's bound to have quite a bit of pain, so I plan to stay close to help with as much as I can so she can concentrate on resting and recovering. One of the great things about this hospital is that I'm allowed to stay if I choose, and so the three of us have spent a full night and most of the morning together, and I'll stay with them until we go home as a family, which will probably be sometime this coming weekend.

Emma without her hat. Tons of soft, curly hair!

Emma is beautiful... She has a face like a little cherub, and she has a lot of very soft, somewhat curly black hair. She almost seems to recognize our voices, because the few times she has fussed, we've noticed that she calms down when she hears one of us talking... Unless she's hungry, of course. She is adorable. I hope to be able to post some photos today or tomorrow. We're very happy, and our new little girl is so sweet.

Visitors last night who got to be the first to see Emma include her Grandma M., Grandpa M., Grandma S., Uncle Aaron, and Sue and Jimmy R. We expect even more visitors today. One last note -- Emma was born, nearly to the minute, on the three-year anniversary of the day that Nichole and I first met, which was September 9, 2001!!!


Emma and Mommy on September 9th

4:30 pm Update

Nichole's progressed another 2cm, and the doctor is checking more frequently -- a good sign. The baby still has not moved down much, but Sally, our nurse, says this isn't abnormal and could happen as the dilation increases.


Our birthing room. Yes, that's Nichole on the phone, between contractions.

UPDATE: She moved to 9cm in the last 20 minutes! It may be time very soon!!! The baby is still at -2 station, but at least the dilation we've been waiting for has happened. Doctor Obron says one more centimeter to go, and she is fully effaced, but he did also say that if the baby doesn't change position in the next hour or so, we may have to increase the Pitocin... or even consider a cesarean section. Nichole is starting to get tired.

Epidural

Nichole was in a fair amount of pain as the contractions increased in strength, so she made the decision that an epidural might be a good thing. I had to leave the room for about 20 minutes while they performed the procedure and Nichole said it wasn't pleasant at all, but now she says her body feels like Jello -- and she may take a nap! She certainly feels more comfortable, but we're told it could delay delivery somewhat, which means they'd increase the dose of Pitocin to keep the labor progressing.

We have now been at the hospital for 15 hours, and it's been 16 since her water broke -- if their goal is to deliver the baby within 24 hours, they might have to move things along even faster!

It's a slow process

They've increased the amount of Pitocin Nichole is receiving, to see if they can increase the strength and frequency of the contractions. Right now they are about 3 minutes apart on average, but not terribly strong -- just uncomfortable. Of course, this is all according to Nichole and I'm just an outside observer to most of the pain and discomfort. Nichole's actually resting right now, and seems to be sleeping. So far the baby's heartbeat has been very regular and the doctor says they both are doing great. It looks like today will be the day, though!


A nice view from our hospital room, and a great day for a 0th birthday!

Pitocin

They've started Nichole on a low-level Pitocin drip now, to make her contractions stronger and more regular. It seems to be gradually working, and Dr. Gordinier says she is at 100 percent effacement and 3cm, so everything is still progressing, just a bit slowly at this point. Nichole says that I.V.'S suck... It took the nurse three attempts to find a vein.

Nonetheless, everyone (baby and mommy) both seem to be doing fine.


"Can you hold on? I'm having a contraction."

It's time!!!

Nichole's water broke around 10:15 tonight. Right now it's almost exactly midnight and we are at the hospital, checked in, and in our private birthing room. Nichole's water has definitely broken and she is at just about 2cm right now, according to Dr. Gordinier. So far there have only been a couple of small contractions, and they tell us that things may progress on their own from here, or they may start Nichole on a Pitocin drip if things are not escalating by 5 or 6am. So far, Nichole isn't in any pain, and her only complaint has been that the hospital gowns aren't very attractive. If we have the baby tomorrow on the 9th, it will be exactly 3 years from the day Nichole and I first met!!!

No baby yet...

Well, it's been 24 hours since the doctor told Nichole that it could happen in 24 to 48 hours. No signs whatsoever that anything has changed, so we're still anxiously waiting.

Pre-labor?

Nichole woke up this morning with some decentralized pain in her stomach and back, as well as quite a bit of nausea, so she went to the doctor. According to Dr. Campbell she is now closer to eighty percent effacement and Dr. Campbell said she would be surprised if full labor didn't start within the next 24 to 48 hours. Nichole and I are both very anxious, and I hate to see her in pain, but it definitely sounds like we are about to have a baby! More updates to come when we know more...

Saturday morning

This morning, Nichole woke up with a charley horse type of pain in her right side that would not go away. After a couple of hours of this, we decided she should call the doctor. The doctor suggested we go to the hospital, since it could be a problem, and it would be better to be safe than sorry. One thing the doctor thought was that it might be Nichole's appendix, and a white blood count could tell us that. So... We're at the hospital right now, waiting for the results of the blood test and for a doctor to come in. They also said she may have a pelvic exam while we're here, to see how close to delivery she really is. Nichole is hooked up to a baby monitor system which shows the baby's heartbeat, tracks fetal movement, and measures contractions. So far it looks like she has had a few small contractions, but nothing particularly regular yet. The pain she was feeling has subsided somewhat, and seems to be centralized more in her back now. Jordan and Abbi and I are in the family!
waiting room for a bit, where I'm making this entry. They are getting restless since we have been here for an hour with nothing really happening. I'll write more later if I have a chance. We planned to go swimming at my mom's house today, but that may have to wait. UPDATE: False alarm, but we're closer! Nichole's white blood count is normal, which rules out appendicitis. Nichole is at 1cm with sixty percent effacement. The pain seems to have gone away for now, so it's off to my mom's to go swimming.

Early contractions

This afternoon Nichole called me to let me know that she was having contractions. They lasted a couple of hours, and were pretty close to precisely 13 minutes apart, but then apparently they subsided. So another false alarm... I think every time we have one of these false alarms, we get more anxious and impatient for the baby to arrive. We have a doctor appointment on Wednesday afternoon to see how things are progressing.

Not tonight, please.

Tonight I am traveling out of town for business. I hope Nichole doesn't go into labor. She still should have a while to wait, but as the doctor told us, "the baby doesn't know what the due date is." I'm a bit nervous about traveling tonight, but hopefully nothing eventful will happen.

I was hoping to get more of the room set up today, but I had a flood of phone calls for work to take care of and still had to pack for my trip. Nichole is working late tonight, too. I think we're both feeling like we have to be sure we are completely caught up with work in case the baby should come early.

Home from the hospital ;-)

OK, so this is not a picture of Emma. But she is still our baby! Lily was very sad today when she came home from the vet. I don't think she feels very good, and I am sure she does not appreciate the fashion statement that is the e-collar.

Long day... but a good one!

Today was sure a long day. The doctors were wondering just how big Emma is getting, so we went this morning for an ultrasound at Huron Valley. They said she probably weighs about 6.75 pounds right now, +/- 15%. Which means she is right on track as far as size and if she comes on the due date should probably weigh somewhere in the 8 pound range. They said everything looks normal. Nichole has been feeling a lot more movement lately, and also some painful cramps occasionally and some occasional contractions (but not regular ones). The doctors all say this is quite normal and to be expected.



After our ultrasound appointment, I went back to work for a while and then we went to meet one of our new (potential) pediatricians. We really liked their office, and it's not too far from home, so I think we may go with them. Apparently they will get a call from the hospital when the baby comes, and one of the doctors from their practice will visit the baby in the hospital to make sure everything is fine.



In the afternoon, we had Nichole's regular doctor visit. The strep bacteriology test was negative, so it's one more thing that has gone perfectly in this pregnancy. Really, Nichole has not had any of the problems so far that other women report.

Lastly, we went to see Sarah McLachlan tonight at the Palace. Emma's still 3 weeks from her due date and she has already been to more concerts than I had gone to see by the time I was 16. Oddly enough, we sat next to a couple who are expecting their baby on September 11. It kind of felt like we were in the "pregnant" section.




Sarah on the big screen at the concert

Tomorrow I have to take Lily, our pug, to the vet. Seems like this is the week for doctor visits!

Getting closer...

This weekend, we worked on getting Emma's room ready for her, and on cleaning up the place and just getting it all ready for when our new baby arrives! Even with all the gifts we received, we still have to get a few things, so we are headed to Target to pick up a diaper pail and a few other items. It's amazing how many things a little baby needs, and how many choices there are in the store. And of course, one brand of pump doesn't fit another brand of bottles, so we either have to choose one or buy both. Same thing for diaper disposal systems, car seats, and just about anything else baby-related.

I will probably be putting together the bassinet soon, since the crib is already set up and the rest of Emma's room is nearly done. We plan to let Emma sleep with us in our room when possible, which is why we're using the bassinet as well as the crib.



The baby seems to have "dropped" a bit just recently, so we're definitely getting close. we're both very excited about meeting our little girl! Tomorrow we are having another ultrasound -- the doctor wants to see just how big she is getting -- and then going to meet the doctor who may be our new pediatrician. Maybe we'll have more ultrasound pics to post.

In addition, we are going tomorrow night to the Sarah McLachlan concert at the Palace. It will be Emma's second concert. I am guessing it won't sound nearly as good to her as the Van Halen concert did. ;)

More from the baby shower

Gifts received by people who could not attend include:
* Aunt Joyce (a beautiful handmade quilt)
* Heidi F. (the sweetest, silliest stuffed fish)
* Heather E.
* Charity G. (cute leather slippers and a bellybutton "piercing" onesie)
* Evelyn G.
* Aunt Shirl


This quilt we received is absolutely beautiful, and
must have taken weeks to complete!

By the way, for anyone interested in the Anagram Game, there are more than 520 -- yes, 520! -- common words of 3 letters or more that can be found in Emma's full name, Emma Hope S__________, not counting place names, personal pronouns, foreign words, or plurals and possessives. Only two people who played the game listed the word 'hope' as one of their words, by the way :)

Doctor Visit 8-16-04

Today Nichole and I went to our regular weekly doctor visit. He measured the uterus with a tape measure (at least I think that's what he was measuring) and it measured 40 cm. According to their "rule of thumb", the size they measure should roughly match (with 2cm either way) the number of weeks. Up until last week, we were in the same ballpark. According to today, though, the baby is measuring 40 weeks (+ or - 2cm). The doctor did a quick pelvic exam and said that although Nichole is not dilating yet, she has begun to efface, and the baby's head has moved down closer to zero station and birth position... so it shouldn't be long! (Although, as they cautioned us, it could be today, could be tomorrow, but more likely will be a while yet... and that we could go early OR go late.

One thing the doctor did mention is that I should probably stick fairly close to home until the baby is due, since it could happen soon, and although we'd probably have plenty of time to get where we both need to be, there is no sense adding the extra pressure of being out of town to the whole experience. And I would want to be there from the moment she starts labor, anyway.

Our next visit is scheduled for next Monday, August 23. And the doctor felt we should be scheduled for an ultrasound that morning, just to see exactly how big this baby is getting!

The Baby Shower

Nichole's baby shower was today at her mom's house.

Nichole at the baby shower. 4 more weeks until the due date!

We received many, many wonderful gifts... including a bassinet, a couple of different types of "bouncers", a Boppy, lots of beautiful little girl clothes, a fuzzy faux-fur pink coat and hat, and lots more. So THANK YOU to everyone who brought us a gift... they are all very much appreciated and will be very useful. We are so grateful to have friends and family like all of you.

Thanks to everyone who came! Here is a list of everyone who was at the shower:

Helen D., Amy H., Suzanne G., Barb C., Kristie C., Connie E., Donna L., Tricia S., Stephanie S., Jennifer S., Brooks L., Alicia H. (winner of the Anagram Game), Susan R., Lindsay R., Mary Ellen M., Jane B., Nicole K., Barb S., Karen C., Krystal C., Jenny Chakroff, Andrea S., Vicki H., Kayla H., and Carolyn M.

And of course... Nichole (with a special appearance by Eric as emcee of the Anagram Game). Thank you again to everyone for the wonderful gifts and wishes, and we hope you had fun!

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

Happy Birthday, Nichole... from Eric, Jordan, Abbi, Romeo, Chip, Lily, and Putter. We all love you very much, and hope you have a great birthday!

Friday the 13th!

Tomorrow, August 13, is Nichole's Birthday. We've got some special gifts picked out for her and the three of us (Jordan, Abbi, and I) have been working hard on hand-made birthday cards. We even have a present to give to her from Emma! She won't be able to pick out her own gifts for Mommy for a few years, so I figured I might as well pick one out for her now. Emma will probably miss her Mommy's birthday this time around, although with the hospital visit on Wednesday night we weren't too sure.

By the way, did you know that the cesarean section procedure has been around for hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of years? It's amazing what you can find on the Internet. Here is an extensive page about the history of the cesarean section. Even though things have come a long way since the 1500's, we're still grateful that the doctors didn't need to do a cesarean this week. I'm betting there is nothing more depressing than being in the hospital after a cesarean section on your birthday!

Nichole doesn't have any idea yet that this site has been created, so this is going to be part of her gift in addition to the "real" presents. I also figured we would have it done in time to post pictures from the baby shower, pictures of Emma in the hospital, and her first pictures when she comes home. It's been a labor of love for me to give to them both... I hope Nichole likes it, and I hope Emma will be able to read and enjoy it when she is older.

Racing heartbeats

Nichole just called, and I am going to the hospital to meet her. She went for a doctor appointment, and the baby's heartbeat was measured as 200 beats per minute right now, so she may be in distress or have some other reason for an accelerated heart rate. I hope everything is okay. I'm leaving as soon as my niece Krystal gets here to watch the kids. Saying a prayer.
---
Update: Back from the hospital now, and everything is fine. Apparently when they measured the heartbeat, it was just during a period of "extreme fetal activity". In other words, she spazzed out in the womb for a minute or two. It's similar to if you ran up the stairs really fast... your heartbeat would be racing too.

Click the play button above to listen to Emma's heartbeat!


They kept Nichole for 30 minutes or so and kept her on a monitor and everything seemed to be fine. The monitor did show that Nichole had at least one good-sized contraction, but I don't think we'll be heading back to the hospital tonight, and things seem to be okay with the baby. But at least for a short while today, Emma's wasn't the only heart that was racing.

33 Days To Go (plus or minus)

Well, only 33 days to go to our due date... less than 5 weeks! Emma is moving a lot right now (or so I hear) and we're both getting anxious to meet her. We still have a lot of work to do around the house, especially getting my office moved to the basement and Jordan's room cleaned out. We have wayyyy too much stuff, so minimizing that clutter would be great. I wish we could get one of those Clean Sweep-type shows to come do our house!

Nichole seems to be sleeping fitfully -- she gets up constantly -- and as a result I'm not sleeping well either. Maybe it's God's way of making sure we're prepared for many sleepless nights to come. I've been burning the midnight oil as well... partly to make sure I have my work caught up before I take paternity leave, but also I've spent a lot of time polishing this site and the only time I can work on it is after Nichole's fallen asleep. It means I get a lot less sleep than I would like, but I think the results will be worth it!

The kids are a little bummed because they might not be around when the baby is born. I confess we're of two minds about this... it's one less thing to think about if they're not here, but they wouldn't get to have the full experience, or see their little sister on the day she enters the world, or participate in all the craziness. On the other hand I think Nichole and I will need the time alone to bond with the baby, sort out some semblance of a schedule, and not have to worry about much else.

I find myself looking at the 3D ultrasound pictures constantly. It's hard to believe how much detail you can see there. (They are posted in a previous entry, or you can also see them at Eric's other web site along with the heartbeat sound.) I wonder how much Emma will look like her "photos"? I think she already has her mommy's nose.

The baby shower is this coming Sunday at Nichole's mom's house. We're registered at Target, and at Babys 'R' Us. Looks like the shower should be fun... last night we even went on the web to research a game for the shower. More on this later (don't want to spill the beans). I'm going to be playing golf with Joe and Aaron at the Preserve before that, but hopefully I won't miss the whole shower!

Breastfeeding class

Tonight we went to a breastfeeding class at the hospital. We had an impossible time finding the room, and the woman who was teaching the intro to childbirth class didn't have e clue either. It's a small hospital, but it's kind of like a maze. I hope when the time comes for the baby to arrive, we don't have as much trouble finding the right place!

The breastfeeding class was interesting. My two other children were breastfed, but a lot has changed even in a few short years. It used to be they wanted no more than "10 minutes on a side", but the thinking now is that the best food for the baby comes later in the nursing cycle, so you should let the baby nurse as long as it wants to (up to half an hour) without changing sides. They also showed us that the "football hold" with the baby's bottom up against wherever the mother is sitting is the preferred position for first-time nursing mothers, since it allows the mother to see the baby's mouth more easily and see whether the baby is latched properly. Probably the best piece of advice: if it hurts, you're not doing it right.

After the personal instruction -- she used a thing that looked like a beanie baby shaped like a boob -- we watched a movie. I think the movie was from the 80's, because the doctors had big hair, wore pink dress shirts with pink ties, and looked as cheesy as can be. It was good to see what the baby's mouth should look like when it is ready to nurse and in the proper position, but I don't think either of us could get past the creepiness of some of the video... in a couple of scenes, the woman teaching the technique to the new mothers put her fingers right on the new mom's nipple, to show her what was happening. I don't think I would be comfortable with that.

Tigers Game

Today we went to the Tigers Game at Comerica Park. Nichole had tickets for the four of us plus Dennis, Michael and Andrew. It was probably the hottest day of the summer so far, and so we only sat in the stands for a couple of innings. Nichole and I did the usual ball park hot dog thing, and also bought frozen lemonade. We also shared cotton candy among the four of us, and Nichole said the sugar really was making the baby move a lot.




We left before the end of the game -- it was just too hot to stand around or sit in the sun -- and then Jordan, Abbi and I walked extra-fast to the van to pick up Nichole closer to the ballpark, so she wouldn't have to walk so far. Afterwards, we all went swimming at Grandma S's house!

Doctor Appointment

Went with Nichole to the doctor appointment today. The doctor said Emma is probably 5.5 pounds or more already! Everything checked out just fine.

I'm in Florida; Nichole's in pain. :(

Today Nichole called me while I was at my sales meeting in Miami. I could tell it must be something fairly urgent because my cell phone buzzed two or three times, and then I got messages on my blackberry. I stepped out from the meeting to take the call.

Nichole said she had been feeling some painful contractions at varying intervals, and they were painful enough that she called the doctor, who had her come in. After examining her there, they sent her over to our hospital (nearly an hour drive from her office) to have a monitor put on and for observation. Luckily, the contractions subsided, and were never really strong enough to be considered false labor apparently, but I was still very nervous. Nichole stayed at the hospital for 2 hours with the monitors on, and then went home to rest. They say she can go back to work tomorrow if she is feeling okay, so I guess it was a false alarm. I'm glad... I hated to be away when she is this far along anyway, and this just made that feeling worse for me. I hope I don't have to rush home... getting out of Miami in a hurry and back to the Detroit area would be very difficult with the airline schedules the way they are.

July 16

Went to the doctor with Nichole again. Everything is still fine. She's not gaining much weight, her blood pressure is incredibly normal, the glucose tolerance test came back with no problems at all, she's not having much back pain or fatigue (of course, she goes to bed around 9 or 10 at night, so she is getting plenty of sleep), and everything seems to be on track. Our next appointment is for July 30th before our planned trip up north. I wonder if we'll see another ultrasound before the baby is born?

Emma's first concert

Well, we can officially say that Emma's first concert was Van Halen! Nichole and I went to the Van Halen concert/reunion tour at the Palace of Auburn Hills tonight with Vicki and Dennis. It was loud, very loud... but Sammy Hagar was in terrific form. Nichole actually checked with the doctor on our last visit to ask if the loud music would be a problem. The doctor laughed and said it wouldn't, and then added that he'd love to go. Nichole would have probably given him her ticket, but since it was my birthday present, she got to go. And therefore, so did Emma. Wonder what it sounded like inside the womb...?

Now if I can only find a baby mobile that plays "Panama"...

Emma in 3D

We had this "photo" taken at Oh Baby in West
Bloomfield. It's a 3D ultrasound!


Another 3D picture of Emma from our
ultrasound on July 9th. Isn't she cute?

Birth Class, July 8

Went to the birth class tonight, and got a tour of the hospital. Really, it didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. It's certainly a nice birthing room, and it's nice that the hospital believes in "rooming in" with the baby and the Daddy in the same room with Mommy all night, but it's still a hospital, no matter how much they try to make it look like home. (Unless, of course, you have a warming tray and lucite crib in your house. My apologies if so.) The good thing is that it seems very quiet, appears to be very new inside and out, and does seem to have the latest in medical technology. As for the non-medical technology, they say we can even access the Internet and email from the birthing room, which sounds pretty convenient. Maybe we'll post an entry from there! It's only $9.95 a day, which is about what you'd pay for the same thing at a hotel... not a bad deal as hospital prices go, considering what they charge for other items.

The hospital said they have somewhere between 25-30 birthing rooms (they actually told us the number, but my memory fails me now) and that at any given time up to 20 of them can be occupied with new mom's and moms-to-be in labor. I think their nurse-to-patient ratio ends up being like 5:1. It sounds like it will be a good place to deliver. Assuming nature cooperates and we deliver where we're supposed to!


A birthing room at the hospital

Planning for the ultrasound

Today we called "Oh Baby", a business on Orchard Lake Road that actually does what they call "pre-birth imaging". In other words, they take a 3D ultrasound of your baby before it is born, and then you can purchase photo packages complete with albums, a CD-ROM, and prints. It seems pretty cool, and Nichole and I decided that for the price (around $250 for 2 "poses") it would be something we had to do... when would we ever have the chance to see our baby before she is born?

I've posted the link to the company's web site here as well. Packages start at $180, and it feels like a day spa... they have water and fruit juices, small snacks, and they'll let your whole family (or friends) watch the ultrasound in process.

Back from up north

Back from the cabin tonight. We had a great weekend, but I think some of the hormonal changes and crabbiness that come with being pregnant reared their head this weekend. The kids and I kind of wanted to see the fireworks in both Harrisville and Barton City, but Nichole nixed that idea and we ended up only seeing the Barton City fireworks, which were pretty impressive, especially after the nasty weather we had all day. We were lucky we saw any at all, frankly.

By the time we got to the fireworks, Nichole was pretty cranky. The kids and I finally settled on a place near the side of the road to watch the show go off over Jewel Lake. Nichole stayed in the car... not sure if it was because she was mad at me or (more likely) she was just more comfortable sitting there instead of on the ground. I don't know how she manages to sit in the car for as long as we have had to this weekend, with the trip here and the trip tomorrow going back home. I guess if she can do that, we can all put up with a little crankiness. :)

Emma, if you are reading this, remember... don't push your mom's buttons too far. She's liable to turn that car right around. ;)

A busy evening

Tonight we had our doctor appointment at 5pm. Everything was just fine, and we got to hear the baby's heartbeat again. I never get tired of hearing it. The doctor turned the volume up kind of loud, and it sounded like elephants marching in a cartoon. Pretty neat.

After the doctor appointment we went to our second "Birth Awareness" class. Why do they call it birth awareness, anyway? It's not like we're not going to be fully, completely aware that there is a birth going on. And Nichole will be more aware than anyone! Anyway, the second birth class was basically almost the same as the first. Same video, and much of the same instruction... that's what happens when you have two different instructors, I guess. The baby in the video looks all white and slimy from the vernix caseosum, which is the coating many babies have on their bodies at birth to protect them in utero. Apparently some babies can even be born en caul, which means still in the amniotic sac. Doctors must have to learn a lot of Latin. Or maybe the videos just use these terms to sound professional.

We'd hoped to get the grand tour of the hospital tonight, but apparently that's a different night with this instructor. It's a pretty small hospital though, so I doubt we'll get lost when the time comes. And we wouldn't do anything about it if we didn't like the hospital, anyway, at this point... we certainly wouldn't switch. I think with or without a tour, we'll be just fine.

On top of everything else tonight, we packed to go up north to the cabin tomorrow, for a long 4th of July weekend. I'm dead tired. Looking forward to the vacation, if not the drive to get there.

Birth Awareness Class

Tonight we went to our first Birth Awareness class. Nichole felt bad because she thought she was the oldest pregnant woman there, but I don't think that's true... and she was certainly the prettiest.

It was an interesting class, mostly. OK, it was kind of boring. I'm being honest. It lasted nearly 3 hours, and they could probably have cut it down to 90 minutes at most. We watched one of those birth videos (very graphic) and they told us all about what to expect. Of course, no two births are the same, so telling you what to expect is a bit of an oxymoron, since you can't expect anything to be the same for you as it was for someone else. Your mileage may vary, and all that.

We have to go to class on a different night next week, and it's supposed to be a different instructor. Wonder if it will be any more interesting?