v2, d290: "And we can stay all day..."

Today, Kim and I both decided to devote some one-on-one time to our older son.  I watched Isaac while Kim and Robbie did a bit of cooking first thing this morning. (They tried out a new recipe and made some fantastic waffles)  Shortly after breakfast, I told Robbie I was going to take him somewhere, and that that somewhere would be a surprise.  For some reason, Robbie has equated "surprise" with "I'm getting a new toy."  I don't know how that happened.  Nevertheless, he didn't seem disappointed at all when our surprise was a Daddy/Robbie day at the zoo instead of a new plastic digger. 

I know the transition from "only child" to "older brother" has been a bit rough so far on Robbie, and on the whole he's done a great job with it, but I wanted to give him a day to remind him that he is very special and unique.  Plus, we had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon that expired on Monday and I'd been planning to take him "sometime after the baby was born."  Just in the nick, I'd say. 

We had a blast. He loved everything, and I loved him loving everything.  This was the first time we've taken a zoo trip where he's really been excited about seeing all of the animals.  He had a long list of everything he wanted to see, and he could just stand and watch particular animals all day if I'd let him.  (Particularly: any type of turtle, the two black bears, the two--yes, two--baby elephants, and the miniature ground squirrels)  He also willingly went into the petting zoo and didn't shy away from anything.  Even brushed a goat from head to toe.  He was also excited about the carousel, excited about the hot dog, excited about carrying his own ticket around all day, and (of course) excited about the playground.  What can I say, my kid loves playgrounds.

At first, he was a little hesitant to run up and play.  He tends to be shy when there are lots of kids around, especially ones he doesn't know.  He wanted me to go with him.  I said no.  I knew he could have more fun climbing and sliding and whatnot without trying to hold my hand the whole time.  He hesitantly climbed the first few steps and then cautiously crossed the bridge (he had a bad experience with one of those bridges once and has been extra careful on them ever since).  When he got to the other side, his eyes swept the crowd around the playground.  Looking for me, I knew.  When he spotted me, his face lit up.  "I did it!" he shouted.  I smiled and called back a "Good job!" or something, and then he ran across the bridge several times. 

Eventually, he climbed a few more levels.  He wanted to go down a slide, but you know what the slides are like at busy playgrounds.  Kids aren't all very good at waiting or following rules, so groups of older children would sort of push him aside and dive into the slide, or he'd try to come down and see another child coming up the slide, and he got scared.  He kind of cowered to one corner of the platform.  I should mention that, at this point, there was no direct line of sight from where he was to where I'd been standing.  So I came to where he could see me and encouraged him to be brave and go down when he had a chance. "I'll be waiting right at the bottom for you," I promised.  Eventually he went for it, and of course there I was, right where I'd said I'd be.  Again, the smile on his face could have lit up a city block. 

I watched him climbing and playing and exploring, and every few moments I'd see a worried look suddenly flash across his face and his head would go on a swivel, trying to find me.  Making sure I was watching.  Making sure I was paying attention.  Maybe even making sure I was still there.  And obviously I always was.  As if I'd be anywhere else, I thought.  As if I have eyes for any other child out here by you.  

If you could only realize how much I love you...


"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!"

v2, d286: Isaac

What, really, can you say about a day like yesterday?

Yeah, that'll sum it up pretty well.

We actually went in Friday night after a couple versions of the conversation from the "It's Not a Movie"  post.  Kim actually didn't really want to go in, because she was pretty sure they were just going to tell her to go home after keeping her overnight.  Which is almost what happened, actually, but Kim was able to explain her reasons for not wanting to go home with enough clarity that the doctor decided to go ahead and break her water late Saturday  morning.  After that, it happened pretty fast.  I think they broke the water at around 10:40 a.m.  Isaac was born at 1:15 p.m.  At one point, Kim mentioned the contractions were starting to hurt and requested her epidural (Wikipedia for the curious, but basically it pumps anesthesia into her spine).  Around 11:30ish I had to leave for a while, because they want as few people as possible in the room when the anesthesiologist performs the procedure, since poking around people's spines is a fairly delicate operation.  So I went downstairs to grab some lunch from the cafeteria, and when I (and, incidentally, Kim's nurse) got back from lunch, they were calling the doctor.  Half hour/forty-five minutes of pushing later, we had a baby boy.

It's a heck of a thing, watching a baby be born.  I'm pretty sure that I was focusing more on Kim last time, but this time I watched Isaac pretty much the whole way.  Heck of a thing.  Way more of an impact that watching the births on the pre-childbirth classes at the hospital.  Really, the whole process is pretty mind-blowing when you're face-to-face with it. 

"Birth: Quite Possibly the Damndest Thing Conceivable" 

You like?  You buy?

Afterward, the observing student nurse (who actually missed the entire delivery; I don't know if she was on lunch or not, but she got there just in time for the cutting of the cord) took the camera from me so we could get some full family shots.  She did a pretty nice job, given the low quality of our camera.

A big thanks to Sarah, Neil, Shirley, and Dave, all of whom helped to make this weekend work.  And everyone at Woman's Hospital of Texas, of course, though none of them read this blog.  And everybody who prayed and supported us over the past three months.  Kim hit 37 weeks at midnight Friday/Saturday (which is why the doc was okay inducing labor), and we had a perfectly healthy baby boy.  Healthier even than Robbie was, because they didn't have to take Isaac out for any oxygen at all.  (Robbie needed a few short minutes of oxygen when he was born)  Isaac was seven pounds, two ounces.  Which Kim called. When the doctor asked how big she thought the baby would be, she called seven pounds two ounces.  And there it was.  On the dot. Not even a tenth of an ounce off.  He was also nineteen-point-five inches.  So he was a pretty good size for a 37-week baby. 

Robbie was SO EXCITED to see his baby brother for the first time.  I put Isaac down in front of Robbie on the bed, and the three-year-old's face slowly lit up.  He patted him a couple of times, and I helped him hold his baby brother.

Kim is doing well (though she just called me unable to sleep because Isaac won't let her lay him down, so she's having a rough night).  She's having less pain than she had after Robbie, which is nice. Tomorrow, she and Isaac will be coming home.  I'll be taking my paternity leave this week, so hopefully I'll be more help than annoyance.  Now the real sleepless nights begin.  (Unfortunately, more for her than for me)   Soon we'll have to figure out how we're going to do four people with one car, and soon we'll have to find out how we're going to pay for two kids in day care.  Very soon, this'll get very hard, and we won't have nearly as many visitors in the early-going as we had with Robbie.  We'll appreciate your prayers.  And if blogging gets sporadic again, it's 'cause I've got diapers to change. 

v2, d277: A Post that Started Out Being Random Tidbits and Ended Up Being a Reflection on a Nice Night at Home

This 'n that.

Watched Despicable Me tonight finally with my lovely wife.  Has been the first time we've been able to sit down and watch a movie together in a very long time.  It was enjoyable, as was the flick.

Was the first man in after a Dudernoise sent out the alarm that the costume shop had flooded.  Helped move stuff, threw some towels on the ground.  Towels didn't help a whole lot, but at least we got a walkway to the washer that wasn't half an inch of standing water.  Added some spice of variety to my Thursday afternoon.

No baby today, obviously. 

Had a really nice night at home tonight.  Decided to pick up some fries for Robbie's after school snack as a nice surprise.  Wasn't feeling too hot (and my entire body is achy lately), but managed enough energy to play with cars for a little bit with Robbie until I got my second (or fourth) wind.  Made the bed (with Robbie's help).  Then, heated up some leftover pizza & cheesesticks (with green beans, of course!) and set to doing some dishes and laundry.  Robbie saw me doing dishes and wanted to help.  His way of "helping" consists of my filling his sink with rinse water and his using each spoon or cup as an excavator dropping water into a larger cup or bowl while I wash and rinse dishes.  When I drop something in his sink to be rinsed that looks like it'll make a better excavator or dump truck than the one he's currently using, he gives me the one in his hands to dry off.  Then, off to the usual sock puppet/cuddle time/brush teeth/story and bedtime routine.  He didn't even ask to turn on the TV once. 

I'm very grateful God gave me enough energy and relief from headaches to enjoy tonight.  It's a struggle pulling myself out of bed each morning just due to the tiredness and the headcold-like symptoms that won't go away until I get a bit more rest. 

Bleh.  Who needs rest when you've got DayQuil, right? 

(I think I'm down to my last DayQuil, though)