Here We Go Again!!

This time last year, Chris and I were blogging about Baby #1. Well, as my grandmother so sweetly puts it, our rhythm gets us into trouble. Who would have thought my husband has rhythm!? Well, you call it rhythm, fate, or an excitable woops, Baby-A is on the way! Yes, Baby-A, not to be confused with Baby #2. That just seems like we're ranking them. Luckily, Baby A will be the last to inhabit my body, so we won't have to come up with another way of saying "the third child."

I know what you're thinking. Sure...this is the last one...you also didn't think you were going to have this one so soon. Well, I have my ways. Actually, I don't have any ways, really, but I hear some general surgeons have their ways. ;) Sorry, babe! And for those men out there who find it inappropriate for me to even discuss such procedures, all I have to say is, too bad! I lost all privacy and sense of modesty through my pregnancy, why should Chris go completely unscathed?

I of course, had heard that every pregnancy is different. Regardless, I began this one assuming I did not need to read up or prepare myself any differently. I mean, c'mon, I JUST did this, I know what it is like. Yeah, this has been different. I like to think this just shows me a unique personality already developing in this little one. I have been utterly exhausted, while not nearly as nauseous. While in the first pregnancy I was almost always on the verge of being sick, this one goes in waves. I will feel perfect one minute and THEN be running for the bathroom in the next. While the reprieve is appreciated, the bolts of despair are ridiculous!

In the first pregnancy I also had food aversions right away. In this pregnancy, I have cravings! Weird ones. The only similarity is that I continue to be easily influenced by television. Yup, advertisements work, just not always in the expected way. For example, a commercial for all natural cheese that begins with a clip of terribly fattening, processed, cheese in a can should make you crave that all natural goodness....Yeah, I wanted Cheese-Wiz. Don't worry, I resisted that terrible urge. I also talked to myself and my son in the cookie aisle for 20 minutes trying to convince myself not to buy Chips Ahoy so that I could dip them in milk.

Christopher continues to be an adorable, doting father to both of his children. Surprisingly, I am not the only one who is experiencing a completely different pregnancy. With Maxson, he was a ball of nerves and rarely even talked about the fact that his wife was pregnant as if talking about it would jinx it. While most say to keep it quiet during the first trimester, he seemed to be playing it safe by waiting until I was in premature labor. And I think even then he was forced to tell people because they would be curious why he stopped showing up to work. With this pregnancy, however, he took the 12 week ultrasound pictures into work with him and showed them off. He talks to our son about being a big brother and asks him whether he wants a brother or sister. The responses have been difficult to interpret! It is sweet to see him so excited, even if I did make him speechless when originally breaking the news. If you thought Chris was already a pale little white guy, you should have seen him on that morning!

As of Thursday, we should know the gender, though I will be very skeptic if they tell me girl again... Regardless, pictures will be posted so keep your eyes on the blog! Oh, and here are some pictures to keep you satisfied until then!!

A message from a proud mama!

Not even a week in, but I have experienced more intense emotion in this past week than I have ever felt in my life. I have a deeper love for my amazing husband, who (despite his not-so-convincing "you're doing great" coaching) has been nothing short of a terrific father, and friend. He has been so patient, helpful, and it is hard to describe the feeling when you see him with his son. He adores his little man, and is (not surprisingly) a wonderful father. Though my love for this man continues to grow on a daily basis, my love for my son is unparalleled. While Chris was impressed by the fact that I did not shed a tear through the pushing and the contracting...I realized I had been saving them up for the moment they set him in my arms. Words to describe it? There are none. I cannot imagine not having him in our lives.

Pediatrician Update:
- Maxson had his first check-up. The doctor said (note the quotations) "PERFECT!"
- No jaundice
- He has gained back all the weight he lost (so he is back up to 7lbs, 8oz)
- He was alert, but not fussy.
- He is in the 25th percentile for height and weight (small, but not tiny. and very much in proportion)
- Maxson was given the thumbs up for travel whenever we really feel comfortable. We decided that he would have his second check up (first week of October) to make sure he's still doing well at a month and then probably come up shortly after that! Columbus Day weekend perhaps? That way he still has a couple weeks after daddy leaves to continue building up a good immune system and we can have another check-up to see if he's good to go. The doctor's confidence was reassuring :)


Words from Maxson (or at least, if he could talk, I think this is what he would say about himself)

What you should know about me, or what I have figured out so far.
- Hands taste better than pacifiers.
- I like to mark territory. I have already peed on my doctor's table, my bedroom window, wall, and all over myself. I was perfectly content with squirting until I got myself...
- While I am unsure as to whether or not I love or hate hearing my mommy sing...I am definitely intrigued.
- My brother and sister look funny and have not stopped sniffing me.
- If I'm crying, there is an 85% chance that I just wanna strut around for a bit. There is a 15% chance that I have gas...
- I have discovered my tongue. It is delightful.
- I get mad if mommy tries to give me a pacifier. Who does she think she's kidding? I know she's got the good stuff.
- Daddy is scruffy and I like it.
- I love hats, and I look adorable in them.
- I hate socks or anything on my feet...
- I have discovered another fun thing down in my diaper. It is also delightful.
- I have a great sense of humor. For example, I think it is hilarious to wait until right after my parents change my diaper and then poop! Okay, I think it's funny...
- I didn't cry during any of my shots OR my circumcision. Beat that! I'm a manly man.

Well, that's all I've got. I have now been awake for two whole minutes and demand food. And I'm pretty sure I need my tenth diaper change of the day.

Here are pictures of me!
First one -- on my way to the doctor! That pacifier is almost as big as my face... but again, don't I look adorable in that hat? It's a little big for me, but still.



This is my infamous "poop face" picture. Right after my very first bath at home, I decided it was a good time to poop something fierce! I told you I was funny.
If you are reading this, you are most likely part of our "village" - so thank you so much for the support and love you have shown us. We are lucky to have such family and friends.

I love you all!

Pictures

Just so everyone knows, Julia and I are posting all of our Maxson-related pictures out on Webshots. Feel free to browse!

http://community.webshots.com/user/AdmlTolwin

Aw crap, I've got poop on my hand

Quick hits from five days of being a dad:

I was sitting in Jason's Deli the other night, waiting for a to go order. I had poop on my thumb. Six days earlier, I would've been disgusted. This time? I smiled.

I smelled like babies the other day at work.

There was something pretty great about that celebratory cigar.

My favorite picture taken so far is the one of Julia and Maxson, the first time she held him after he was weighed and swaddled. I'll definitely admit that at first glance, it's not the most flattering picture of my wife. But the more I look at it, the more I can't help but notice the look in her eyes. She's seeing her son for the first time. That, and she's totally looped out on drugs.

The nurse tech that was screaming for Julia to "GET MAD! GET ANGRY!" has obviously done this before. I think that was way more useful than my, "You can do it honey!" approach.

Babies apparently follow similar physical laws as buttered toast Alanis Morisette's "Ironic." Little man wasn't making us change his diapers as often as we thought, so we took him to the pediatrician. In the waiting room, he decided to show us that we're a bunch of worrying idiots by peeing then and there.

As a corollary to that, it's entirely true that all new parents find an appreciation for counting the number of dirty diapers. And then talking about it with each other.

As another corollary, I now worry. A lot.

I'll level with you. He doesn't do much. He sits, looks around, does his business, sleeps, and cries. But I've never been so entertained by someone that doesn't do much. I could watch him for hours.

This morning, I spent almost two hours staring at him. Instead of sleeping. What the hell is wrong with me?

Little Man Dreams

Now, if only I could get someone to change my disposable underwear, we'd be an exact match.

Video!

Don't mock the cinematography. He's cute!

Light at the End of the Spaceship?

Okay another update! Complete with Erik-friendly mad-libs so that he does not get queasy while reading this...

Doctor's appointment today. Wait... that means it's been a week since the last appointment, which means the baby did not come in 72 hours?! But...but.... Yeah, I know it has not been fun for me either!

So what's the word?

Baby First:

* His heart is still beating! He's still kicking. These are all good things :)

Mama Second:

* My rainbow is 3 centimeters unicorned.
* The baby is putting a great deal of pressure on my rainbow and that has caused quite a bit of juggling. The stork was amazed that my pot of gold hasn't been stolen. It also made her wonder if it was going to happen on it's own.
* The circus won't let my stork schedule me to luge unless medically necessary or 1-2 weeks past my due date. (LAME, right?) So the stork came up with a plan to cheat the circus! (insert evil laughter and maniacal finger tapping).
* On Tuesday, September 7th at 5:00a.m. I am instructed to go to the circus and tell them that I cannot feel the baby moving, and that my kittens are intense and getting closer together. Yes, my stork is having me lie. Not just lie, but act...and do it well! She has a colleague who will be on call and that colleague will tell them to keep me and ultimately luge. From there they will steal my pot of gold and give me some candy.
* Don't get me wrong, my stork is a good person. While she does not typically lie to the circus, she understands that it has been 8 weeks since I started to unicorn and she does not want me to continue to be so uncomfortable. If she did not have a procedure on Friday, she was going to have me come in before the labor day weekend. Damn!
* Yes, it is still possible for me to begin my mysterious journey before then. Hell, it could be any minute now - but she believes that if it doesn't happen by then, it may not happen without a little help.

SO - Assuming I do not have a baby this week/weekend -- little man will be joining us on Tuesday! It's nice to have a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm still going to be walking and hoping for something sooner - but at least we KNOW! I got your hopes up last week - but this time, I mean it. This is not a prediction - it is a guarantee! Yay!!!


THE LEGEND:
Stork = doctor
Rainbow = cervix
Unicorned = dilated
luge = induce
mysterious journey = labor
circus = hospital
kittens = contractions
juggling = effacement (thinning)
lemonade = amniotic fluid/placenta
pot of gold is stolen = water breaks
candy = drugs/pitocin