A Day in the Life - July 30, 2007

Some pics of yesterday's events...

We have discovered that trial and error is the key to unraveling the mysteries of early parenthood. Not that we have really figured anything out yet, but here is an attempt we've made to get Alex to sleep in his bassinet instead of in the bed with us. We bought one of those sleeping baby wedgy things to imitate the sensation of being cuddled -which hasn't solved the problem as of yet - but as you can see by the look on his face, he doesn't seem to mind it either.

We christened the stroller portion of the travel system and took Alex on his first walk. Seeing as though he was asleep, I don't think he was aware that he went on his first walk. But at least we have pictures to commemorate the important occasion.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Alex embarked on his first official road trip Saturday - only twenty days old and already a jet-setter! We drove the 536 miles from Fayetteville to Peoria and he was awesome. His eating schedule is pretty regular, so he only fussed every three hours when it was time to feed him. However, his diaper dirtying schedule is not quite as predictable, so we did have to make a couple extra stops to change him (including one impressive up-the-back poopie blow-out that required a wardrobe change). I ended up sitting in the back seat with him while dad chauffeured us around, and between stops he just enjoyed the scenery, slept, and blew raspberries.

Overall, the whole trip only took 1.5 hours longer than it normally would take us sans newborn. Not nearly the traumatic experience that we were expecting.

We have had quite a time already - it is so fun to bring Alex "home" to the place where I grew up. He's already spent quality time with Grandma and Grandpa, and little with mom and dad, too.

He even helped celebrate Great Aunt Bodie's birthday - he is a true party animal, as you can see...

After all the partying, he got to take his first real bath - and a Jacuzzi one at that!

Lots more family fun to come...

Family and Friends

So much to blog about, so little time. First things first - Alex finally has a belly button!! It seems like such a trivial thing to be excited about (although with a new baby, every little thing is adorable, including burping, hiccups, and yes, even bowel movements). But this means he can finally have a real bath instead of the lame spot cleanings we've been doing so far.

Timothy's family came to see us...er...Alex on Friday, so there were many more photo ops. For example, sleeping with Papa is very likely to inspire a Kodak moment...

As does gossiping with Auntie Leah...

Some random pics of other activities this week...

Knowing we would be gone for two weeks and would miss our friends terribly, we invited the Primms over for a cookout Friday night.

Oliver and Alex met for the first time and hit it off right away. In fact, Oliver impressed us all and decided that he would add the word "Alex" to his growing vocabulary. Joy was showing him pictures of Alex on Leah's phone, and when Grammy walked in with the baby, Oliver pointed directly at him and clearly said "Alex". We all applauded and praised his accomplishment, then spent the rest of the night making him do it over and over.

Finally, it was time to say our sad goodbyes, so Timothy and Seth shared a special moment before the Primms headed back home.

Another good time with friends and family. More to come...

Two Weeks and Counting...

Boohoo, Alex is two weeks old as of Tuesday and it seems like he has grown so much already! He's already asked to borrow the car and I can't seem to get him to come home by curfew. Kids these days...

He had his two week checkup this morning, where the pediatrician determined that he is a very healthy boy. The nurse measured his length and came up with 21 inches, to which I replied, "So...he's shrinking?" At birth, the hospital measured him at 21.5", so this decrease was quite a mystery to me. Apparently it wasn't a surprise to the nurse, who was less than confident in the hospital staff's abilities to get an accurate measurement. Regardless, he has grown almost an inch since the last time we were there, which was exciting to hear. His weight was also at issue, in that he has not yet regained back to his original birth weight - odd since I know how much he is eating (and poohing). The doctor wasn't particularly worried and gave us the OK to travel over the next two weeks, suggesting that we come back into the office for a weight check when we returned. In the meantime, I will be sure to pump him full of milk at every chance in order to fatten him up.

I've had lots of requests for more pictures, so I will post some random ones that show Alex's daily life. Two week olds don't do a whole lot of interesting things other than sleep, eat, and pooh, however I still manage to have a billion pictures of Alex doing just that. Okay, so I don't really have any pics of the two latter activities - and no, I do not plan to take any in the future - so I will be sharing some pictures of him sleeping and a few of him awake, just to shake things up.

We worked a little on sitting up today. He did pretty well, although he likes to bobble his big noggin' around until he falls over. Once he gets his noggin' under control, sitting up will be a cinch.

I typically avoid posting pictures that make Alex look anything but adorable, but he makes these hilarious cross-eyed faces that I happened to capture on film. They must be shared, at the risk of starting rumors about "that poor little 'ole Evans child" and his crossed eyes...

Grammy has been hanging with us this week, making both of our lives a lot easier. Alex has taken full advantage of her attention while she has been here, which Grammy doesn't seem to mind.

I realize that the following pictures are very similar, but I have the hardest time picking just one. My apologies for the redundancy, but he is so photogenic...

Okay, that's enough for now. Papa and Aunt Leah will be coming up tonight, so there is bound to be a slew of new pics to be posted in the near future. Stay tuned...

His First...

As I've mentioned, most of the things that Alex does on a daily basis are firsts. Like his first bath some of those other things we have been able to capture on film. Here are some other "firsts" that Alex has experienced in the last thirteen days:

First swing (outside of the nursery)

First time in the baby carrier

First "real" doggy kiss

First time in his crib

€€First time with his "GiddyUp and Go" gym

I also clipped his teeny little fingernails for the first time last week, although I did not attempt to take a picture of myself trying to do it. It was scary enough just trying not to clip his little fingers, let alone trying to operate a camera at the same time. You understand...I will try harder to capture future "firsts" so that you all can share in these very special moments.

Fun with Auntie L

Timothy came home Friday night and we had to say goodbye to Auntie Leah on Saturday morning. She was very helpful and we had a good time admiring Alex together. After Aunt Rachel and myself, she probably has taken the most pictures of lil' man and was certain to capture each and every move he made while she was here (if you don't believe me, check out Leah's Picasa site). Here is just a sampling of pics to show what we've been up to the last few days:

As you can see, Auntie L is a very comfy sleepy partner.

Alex has a habit of sticking his little feet straight in the air, especially when hanging out in his swing. You wouldn't think that it would be very relaxing to keep your foot suspended in the air like that, but he seems to enjoy it...

This is typical post-feeding behavior - wide awake and chillin', just taking in his surroundings. He'll usually hang out like this for fifteen or twenty minutes before falling asleep again. It is my favorite time - when you can watch him trying to absorb things as they happen around him. If only we knew what he is thinking...

Alex was pretty upset to see Auntie Leah go, but he knows he'll get to see her again soon. Thanks Auntie L!!

Timothy goes back to Kansas City tonight, then Grammy will be here on Tuesday to keep me and Alex company for the rest of the week while he's gone.

FYI, there has been a slight change of plans as far as how the rest of Timothy's clerkship will play out. Rather than going to St. Louis for the last two weeks, Timothy will spend the last two weeks working with the Kansas City office, with the option of working from home or from the office. We had tentatively made plans for Alex and I to stay with my family in Peoria for two weeks while Timothy was in St. Louis. Instead, all three of us are going to road trip to Peoria for the first week then drive to KC and stay there for the second week so that Timothy can finish out his clerkship at the office. Of course all of this hinges on whether the pediatrician gives his blessing when we visit him on the 26th, being that Alex will only be three weeks old. Fingers crossed, we will be heading to Peoria Saturday morning...

Snips, Snails, Puppy Dog Tails

So we've been parents for a little over a week now, and I am utterly amazed at all of the things that we have learned over such a short period of time. I am still in that stage where I look at him and think, "I cannot believe he was in my belly ten days ago."

Even more amazing, however, is the vast array of knowledge that our little boy has already acquired since he has been out in the "real world". I am finding it ironic, now, that people always tell you not to wish your child's life away, to "cherish these moments, they pass by so fast", and all other cliches of the like. I already find myself reminiscing about the present. I get so emotional when I look at him as he is now, so tiny and precious and perfect, and think that every moment that I have with him is one that I will never get back. I guess I just have to convince myself that memories are precious as well, and that each new experience with him will be just as wonderful.

Speaking of wonderful, I have the best baby in the whole world!! I know everyone thinks these things about their own baby, but he is so smart and so strong and such a good boy in general. I'm not being biased here, people. I'm just keeping it real. He sleeps as much (maybe more) than you would expect a newborn to, rousing us at night only when it's time to eat, then falling back to sleep until the next time.

Besides being devastatingly handsome, he is so alert and very expressive. He will just stare and stare and stare and seems to be so deep in thought. I wish I knew what those thoughts were! He can also track things with his eyes, which I didn't think was common this early (but I could be wrong). We got on the webcam last night and he just stared directly at it as I held it over his head. Then, as I moved it back and forth over him, he followed it with his eyes, just to make sure that Grandma and Grandpa B got the best view of his face at all times.

He is quite the little athlete as well. He can roll himself onto his side and really enjoys doing a modified version of the flexed arm hang. We can already see some little guns forming. It might take some more intensive training to get those skinny little legs into shape, so we are going to be working on some leg presses and calf raises this week. When he's being changed, he really likes to pumps his knees up and down like he is riding a bike, so we may actually have a future cyclist on our hands. Only time will tell...

As far as temperament goes, he is a pretty laid back dude. He is rather low maintenance and only fusses when he really wants something. Typically, fussiness means he's hungry, gassy, or has a dirty diaper, all of which are quite easy to remedy.

Although we initially had a hard time convincing him that eating was just as important as sleeping, he eats pretty well now. My only complaint when it comes to nursing is that the little bugger has developed a penchant for chewing as opposed to sucking, which isn't a whole lot of fun for mommy. He also tends to root more often than he wants to eat, so after consulting with a number of professional sources, we have given in to our pacifier aversion and will use it on a limited basis to satisfy him.

We also have discovered that A is quite the little gas factory (his father's contribution). Poor little guy gets painful gas bubbles in his belly that elicit high-pitched sounds similar to that of a squealing pig. We tried everything to soothe him - all the classes and books thoroughly cover how to burp a baby, but none of them tell you how to fart 'em. Fortunately we discovered simethicone drops, aka Miracle in a Bottle, which instantly quells the screaming and turns him back into a happy camper. There is one benefit of his gas issues - he smiles all the time! It could be a natural, physical reaction or it could simply be that he is a boy and he finds farting funny. Like my mom says, having gas makes boys laugh no matter what their age.

His other pet peeve is having a dirty diaper. He really has no patience for it, an attitude that I hope holds over for a few years because it should make potty training a little easier. And as of late, he has decided that the most convenient time to create a dirty diaper is while eating. While that seems like an efficient system, it means that I have to stop nursing (often more than once during the same feeding) to change him. Timing is everything.

All of this in only ten days! I am waiting to see what each new day brings and how his personality will continue to develop. Hopefully it won't happen too quickly...

Just the Two of Us

So Timothy left last night to go back to Kansas City, which was not super exciting for any of us. We made sure Alex got lots of good, sloppy kisses from his daddy before he went, as well as a lecture on how he was now the man of the house and that it was his duty to make sure his mother and grandmother were well taken care of.

Grandma Boettcher (aka GiBi, aka Jee-Bee, aka Granny B, aka Gramboe aka "whatever he wants to call me") left this morning as well, resulting in yet another tearful goodbye and more sloppy kisses. It was hard to believe that over a month had gone by since she first got here, and that it was actually time for her to go. I don't know what I would have done without her here (lived in filth, starved to death, gone crazy, etc.) and I pity those girls that don't have their mommies to help them out at a time like this. Luckily I won't be alone for long as Auntie Leah will be here any time to fulfill her duties as babysitter. Yay for family!

Needless to say, it's been quite an eventful first week for little Alex. Among many other firsts (just about everything is a first when you are a newborn), he had his first bath yesterday. He wasn't totally convinced that a bath was a good idea, which is ironic considering he spent the last tenth months in one. The fancy tub that Great Grandma Mimi got us has a fancy temperature gauge that indicates the "ideal" temperature for baby's bath water, which is room temperature at the hottest. Who would want to take a bath in tepid water? Not I!! No wonder he wasn't crazy about it. He had a little "accident" in his pants this morning, one that could only be properly attended to by hosing him down. This time, I ran the water quite a bit hotter and poured just a bit on his feet to see how he'd react. His reaction was no reaction, which I took as I good sign. He lie there perfectly content, looking at himself and me in the mirror, and let me scrub down his nethers sans protest of any kind.

He spent some time sunbathing in what we call his "Flight of the Navigator Chair" and really seems to enjoy lying around in general.

He certainly is a man of leisure. And while he lies, he is very expressive, as evidenced in the following series I call "The Many Faces of Alex":

Bye Aunt Rach

We couldn't talk Rachel into blowing off any more work than she already has, so she had to get on a plane Saturday morning to meet her boat at its port in Cleveland. However, before she left we made sure to take advantage of her photog skills and do a quick impromptu photo shoot. A was quite excited for his modeling debut and totally hammed it up. What can I say, the camera loves him!!

This is Timothy's favorite - A and his now infamous faux-hawk. This is one of those pics that we will look back at when he is an adult and say, "what were we thinking doing his hair like that?" But for the time being, he is really developing his sense of style and we are going to let him run with it.

Murphy does not seem to be exhibiting any signs of jealousy; rather, he desperately wants to be able to play with this new creature we've brought into the house, or at least, to be able to give him lots of sloppy doggy kisses. But Murph has been surprisingly good about respecting A's space, coming just close enough to sniff at him before we shoo him away.

Even crying he is adorable. Rachel thought so too and made sure to take plenty of crying pics to prove to people that he actually does do that on occasion.

Ain't they precious? I usually shy away from sappy pics like this, but I've made an exception. This one was too sweet to pass up.

Rachel will be coming back here after her next tour (in about six weeks) with some of her equipment, so we will be doing a more "professional" shoot at that time. Until then, Alex will be watching Zoolander and reruns of America's Next Top Model to make sure he is adequately prepared...

Tired but Healthy

So Thursday was our first night at home with Alex. The new baby-fied schedule was a little rough on all of us, but aside from a little fatigue, we managed to get through it unscathed. We have quickly discovered that Alex prefers to sleep with a warm body nearby as opposed to lying on his own in the bassinet - he's a people person, I guess. However, three's already a crowd in our bed (Murphy's the third, in case that wasn't obvious), so adding a fourth is really not an option. Although he woke up/woke us up half a dozen times, Timothy insisted that I only do the parts that he absolutely could not do himself (i.e. nurse the baby). He got up every time Alex cried and handed him over to be nursed, then insisted that I sleep while he burp (Alex, that is) and soothe him back to sleep. Needless to say, I was very grateful for the little bit of extra sleep and for Timothy, of course. Outstanding work, Daddy!!

Alex had his follow-up doctor's appointment on Friday afternoon. The boys were all a bit pooped from the events of the previous night, so they took a nap together in the morning to make sure Alex was well-rested and in tip-top shape before seeing the pediatrician. Once he was done getting his beauty rest, we packed him into his carseat and headed out on our first big adventure.

The NWA Pediatric Clinic is just down the street from the hospital so we got there in no time. The nurse make us strip Alex down to his skivvies, which didn't really please the little guy. Although we hate to see him upset, it did please us to know that a career in male exotic dancing is not likely to be in his future. She weighed him and measured his length, then Dr. Robinson (the pediatrician) came in to complete the physical. Poor A did not enjoy this process one iota. He screamed his fool head off as he was poked and prodded, while I did everything I could to stifle my own waterworks. It's not as though he was being harmed in any way, but just knowing how confused and scared he must've been...well, it still makes me want to cry as I write about it. I guess that's what happens when you're a mama.

The results of the exam were as follows: Alex weighed in at 7lbs. 4ozs., down a perfectly normal 12ozs. from his birthweight. All of his vitals were good - legs work, eyes are good, ears clear, etc. All in all a good diagnosis. The only snafu we ran into was that the doctor thought he was looking a bit yellow and suggested that we have his blood drawn to test his jaundice levels. At home, we actually hadn't noticed anything weird about his coloring, but in the oh-so-unflattering fluorescent light of the examination room, we saw that Alex did seem to be sporting a lovely shade of French's Mustard yellow.

We immediately took him to the diagnostic clinic down the street to have his blood work done. I thought that what transpired at the doctor's office was traumatic, but I hadn't seen nothin' yet. I made Timothy stand by Alex and hold his little hands while the two techs poked at his feet and attempted to collect a sufficient amount of blood in a tiny vial before it clotted. They were unsuccessful with the first foot, so they had to try the second one before they finally collected enough. I made sure to keep a tech between myself and Alex so that I would not have to look at him, but his pitiful little screams still ripped my heart out. Poor Alex. Poor me!!

Later that evening, we got the results of the blood work, which indicated that his jaundice levels were not high enough to require any real action other than to keep feeding him and stick him in a sunny window. Until things change, we will just have to be sure to dress him in tones that are complementary to yellow...

Bringing Home Baby

Okay, so I need to get back on track after that little diversion. Where were we? Ah yes, we will continue by discussing the events of July 12th...

...At last, the day had arrived to take Alex home. Tim's family and my dad had to head back home in the morning, so Team Alex had a final meeting in our room where everyone held Alex one more time before saying tearful goodbyes.

We attempted to dress Alex for the first time in "non-hospital attire" for his homecoming. Although the onesie was quite a good fit for the teeny guy, his plaid shorts (which seemed so tiny when we bought them) swallowed him up. He really wasn't pleased with the fit and preferred to go pantless rather than ending up on some fashion "don't" list for busting too much of a sag.

After Alex and I had our last check-ups with what seemed like every single staff member at the hospital (the pediatrician, midwife, lactation consultant, various nurses, administrative professionals, etc., etc.), we were finally discharged. We buckled 'lil man into his carseat, they buckled me into a wheelchair, and together we rolled in style out to the car.

Timothy and I decided that we wanted to keep the homecoming experience just between the three of us, so we sent Rachel and Mom off to the movies and we made the short trek home from the hospital.

We were pleasantly surprised to get home and find balloons on our mailbox, a banner on the garage, an "it's a boy!" sign in the yard, and a diaper wreath on the front door. We were even more shocked when we got inside and found the makings of surprise birthday party for Alex and Tim (his birthday is July 20), complete with decorations, cake, presents - the whole nine. Alex was very excited for his first party, but we decided to wait for Mom and Rachel to get back to help us celebrate, especially since they were instrumental in planning the event, along with Timothy's family.

In the meantime, we introduced Murphy to the newest member of the family. We thought he might be upset about not being the baby of the family anymore, but he seemed to be excited about being a big brother.

We also realized that a diaper change was in order, and we were very anxious to make use of the changing table for the first time. Timothy led the charge - it was a little rocky at first, but we had a clearly posted reference guide to help us get through. Luckily, no one got hurt, and A came away with a freshly dressed rear to boot.

Eventually, Mom and Rachel got back and we partied like rockstars.

All the partying and diaper changing was a bit much for a newborn to bear, so Alex went to bed in his pack 'n' play, surely dreaming of all the excitement the next day would bring...

To be continued...

Like Mother, Like Father, Like Son

In response to Gramboe's comment on the previous post, I decided to repost the picture of Alex, along with the newborn pics of myself and Timothy. It is pretty hilarious, if you ask me. As far as whose traits he exhibits, he definitely has some from Column A and some from Column B. We'll leave it up to you to decide what contributions each of us has made to create his dashingly good looks...

Visitors and Guests

We had intended on staying at the hospital for the required 24 hours after delivery, but Alex was so pooped from the whole "being born" thing that he decided he'd rather sleep than eat. He also still had to have"stuff" done to his "boy parts" that would probably leave him even more tired and fussy, so the pediatrician thought it might be best if we stayed another night to let him recover (emotionally, that is).

Lots of Alex fans came to visit during the course of the day. Mari stopped by in the a.m. to check in on me and to see how Alex was doing. Tim asked if she'd like to hold him, to which she responded, "Yeah, I already got to hold him," i.e., "I was the first person to ever hold him". Of course she wanted to hold him again (who wouldn't?), and we even got her to cheese for the camera.

Later in the day, my grandma and grandpa who live in Arizona stopped in to check out their newest great grandson. My family spent most of the day with us, just hanging out and admiring our new bundle of joy. Timothy's family came by later that evening, and with Timothy's two grandmothers also in town, we thought it would be fun to have three of Alex's greats memorialized in a pic.

After my parents and grandparents left for the evening, Tim's family brought Tim's Pizza for dinner - a wonderful departure from virtually inedible hospital food (that night's dinner was overcooked broccoli, boxed potatoes, and a disgusting gravy smothered meatloaf-looking thing. To call it "mystery meat" implies that it was actually meat of some sort, which tasted not to be the case). No one seemed to be able to get enough of Lil' A, so everyone had at least two turns to hold him before it was time to feed him and put him to bed.

It was so fun to see everyone interact with him when he was just two days old and so thrilling to think about how his life will unfold with the love of all these people in it. Although we aren't sure about Auntie Leah. It is obvious that she is going to be a bad influence...

To be continued...

The Birthday Boy

...So Alexander Lloyd Evans was born on July 10, 2007, at 6:14pm. He weighed in at exactly 8 pounds, measured 21 1/2" long, and is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. He has flawless skin, not the least bit blotchy or wrinkled like that of so many newborns. The nurses immediately commented on the size of his feet and hands, stating that he is sure to be a big'un, destined for a life of athletics and, well, big shoes and gloves. Majority opinion is that he has my lips and chin, Timothy's eyes and forehead, and that his nose is still up for debate. One of our favorite features is his hair - it is sandy brown and shiny, with a slight wave and luscious golden highlights like he just came back from summer vay-cay in the Hamptons.

I got to hold him immediately after I delivered him, which was incredible in every sense of the word. Just minutes after he arrived, he was already bright-eyed and alert, examining the faces belonging to the voices that he had been hearing for so long. The experience of seeing him for the first time was so surreal, and I can only assume that his experience was infinitely more bewildering.

What a miracle babies are. Especially when they are your own.

We promised Team Alex the very earliest possible glimpse of their mascot, so while I was being...pampered...Timothy took A to the window where our families were waiting, cellphone cameras poised, and presented the newest member of the clan. After the nurses were comfortable with Alex's vitals Timothy and I spent a few minutes with Alex alone. When the lashing at the door was more than we could bear, we let Team Alex join us in the room for a short meet and greet. Soon after, Alex was transported to the nursery (with daddy in tow), where all of the basics in newborn baby care were covered. He was then chauffeured back to our room, sporting a very stylish "faux-hawk", where I was anxiously waiting to see and hold him after missing him for almost 3 hours.

We were very proud of our families, who were very patient and took turns with the baby like big boys and girls. We didn't even have to break up any fights over who got to hold him next. Good sharing, family. Five gold stars.

What a trip. Lil' man has no idea how much these people already love him. Hopefully one day he will realize what a lucky guy he is!

To be continued...

I'm Ba-ack!!!

It's official, I'm a mama!! Thanks to Auntie Leah who volunteered to update you all with Baby Evans news (including a pic of my sweet baby that I can't see without singing Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy for My Shirt"), as I have been otherwise occupied the last couple of days and have not had the time to blog. I swear, if the hospital hadn't blocked its wi-fi connection from internet stealing interlopers like us, I would've been on the ball and you all would have had many more updates since that initial one. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and as a result, I will have to bear the rigors of writing an extensive and thorough blog entry, and you all will have to bear the rigors of reading it. To make that process a little less tedious for both of us, I am going to break it down into sections over the next couple of days so it is more conducive to being read in parts, as time permits. If the suspense is to much, you can at least view the event in picture form at my Flick'r site, where I've uploaded ten zillion pics taken by various contributors...

Alex's birthday

As mentioned in my last entry, the plan was to check into the hospital Tuesday morning to be induced. However, my little Alex was feeling ambitious and/or impatient and decided to expedite things a bit. After an entire sleepless night of irregular and annoying-but-not-excruciating contractions that I would have qualified as "false labor", I arrived at the hospital to find that I had dilated to over 2cm with 90% effacement overnight. This was encouraging news, so instead of administering Cervadil (sp?), Mari went straight for the good stuff and hooked me up with some Pitocin (sp?) to intensify my already "annoying" contractions. Fortunately, she also hooked me up with God's gift to laboring women - aka epidural - and my contractions went from intense to undetectable. I'm normally as straight and narrow as they come, but in this case - yay for drugs.

I became a little concerned when the nurse anesthetist had to call in reinforcements to show him how to work the pump that would continuously redose the medicine, but decided not to worry about it until it became an issue. Plus my mom, who is a certified hypnotherapist, had been working with me over the past few weeks on some relaxation techniques to cope with contractions and prepare me for the unpredictable nature of childbirth, so I was comforted in knowing I had a backup plan should any unforeseen issues arise. (BTW folks, this is a little literary device I like to call "foreshadowing".)

By this time, Team Alex had begun to infiltrate the hospital, taking over the waiting room and spreading team spirit to each visitor, staff member, and patient that happened to pass through. Many of the nurses that worked with us came in and commented on how lucky we were to have such fun and loving family members and friends, and how loved (and spoiled) Alex would be. We seconded those opinions.

I spent the next several hours making up for the previous night's lost sleep and catching up on some current events (courtesy of People, US Weekly, and Star magazines), while Timothy did some work and Mom waited on me hand and foot while telling my subconscious to "1-2-3 relax".

By this time, I noticed that the feeling in my legs had started to return, along with some increased pain sensations. The N.A. returned, still couldn't figure out the pump, and had to manually redose my epidural. The drugs kicked back in, and by about 2 o'clock, I had progressed to 5+ and Mari decided it was time to break my water and move things along. By 4:00, the drugs had kicked back out and I was not a happy camper. The nurse kept hitting the button, to no avail, but I was at 9cm and moving steadily along. By that point, I became completely convinced that my epidural drip was completely malfunctioning because...well...OUCH!! I decided that I was done messing around. I had hypnosis in my arsenal and it was time for this baby to come, drugs or not. Fortunately the added "pressure" seemed to be a motivating factor, so when I reached 10cm around 5:50, I said, "Let's do this". The nurse set up the equipment, retrieved Mari, and in about 20 minutes, I had pushed that little guy right out into the world...

To Be Continued...

He's here......finally!!!

It's Auntie Leah!!!

We got to the hospital at 7:30am today and at 6:14pm Alexander Lloyd Evans made his grand entrance!! He weighed in at 8.0lbs and is 21 1/2" long! He has brown hair with a slight curl and big hands and feet! All of his stats and scores are great and he is beautiful! Sarah was such a trooper!! She handled things like a pro and pushed Alex out in about 20 minutes. For anyone that may live in the area, they are at Washington Regional Hospital, Room 1311. Sarah will post a much better blog later, but maybe this will tie you all over until then!!

Final Thoughts

So here I am, on the eve of the big day. It is not unlike the feeling I had the night before my wedding day - surprisingly calm and ready to face things as they come. I prefer not to think too much about what may or may not happen, or I will drive myself to insanity by worrying about things I cannot change anyway. That said, I am beyond ready to meet my precious baby and expect tomorrow to go smoothly if I keep my eyes on that prize.

When I posted my 9 month entry, I quipped about it being my last monthly entry, assuming there would be no 10 month entry. If only I could eat those words now... I felt it necessary and fair, at this final stage, to share some last pics of my huge belly before it is no more. In case you are curious and don't want to ask, let me also add that my final stats include a 35-39 pound total weight gain (depending on who you ask) and a total circumference of 41 1/4".

I am feeling quite conflicted about saying goodbye to my preggo self, because the time I've had with Alex as he's been growing inside me has been a precious gift that I will always remember and that I will always miss. However, I know that the next stage(s) I'll share with him will be infinitely more special, and that makes the parting much easier to bear.

Now for more sap and mush that is so uncharacteristically me. I just wanted to thank everyone who has followed my little adventure through Preggoville. Timothy, of course, who has been on this crazy ride with me from the very beginning, has been amazingly supportive and nurturing and through this process has only further inflated my ego in that I found someone so awesome to be my baby daddy. I can't imagine anyone being more prepared, excited, and made to be a daddy than he is, and I know many people who can attest to that fact. Thanks to our families who have been so supportive and excited for us (and themselves). We realize that this has been quite a long time coming, but we assure you that it will be worth the wait in the end. We also are so grateful for the friends that we have shared this experience with - we are so lucky to have so many incredible people in our lives. And although I am breaking award show acceptance speech etiquette by thanking God last, I prefer to sum things up by thanking the Lord for all of the blessings that I have just mentioned and those He decides to bestow in the future (hopefully He will be in an especially giving mood tomorrow).

So that's all I have. Thanks for reading and for commenting and for sharing this experience with us. This is the end of an era. Okay, that's a little dramatic. But it is the end of one chapter and the beginning of another and I do hope all of you continue reading.

To be continued...

Hallelujah!

We've finally decided that tomorrow is the day. At this morning's appointment, we found out that I am still at 1.5cm and closer to 70% effaced - not especially remarkable in terms of progress since last time. However, we asked Mari whether she expects there to be "material" difference in the risk of C-section if we go ahead and induce tomorrow as opposed to waiting until Friday. She didn't seem to think that the risk was worth waiting four more days for, so we went ahead and scheduled the induction for tomorrow. That means we will check into the hospital at 7:30am tomorrow, they will monitor my contractions and Alex's heartbeat, then Mari will check things out and "install" some kind of labor-inducing pill to get things moving. If that doesn't take, we will move on to Plan B (Petocin), Plan C (breaking water), or, God forbid, Plan D (C-section) until 'lil man decides to make an appearance. In other words, there is no Plan E (going home without a baby). We're in it for the long haul!

Now that I have explained our plans, allow me to express how I am feeling right about now... Holy schnikeys, we're having a baby!!! Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. It's still quite surreal at this point, which is good because if it were "real" I would probably be pretty freaked out right now.

I am the tiniest bit bummed that A has decided not to show up unannounced, and I am still holding out hope that he will make a surprise appearance tonight. Since my appointment this morning I have been having really strong (and regular) Braxton-Hicks contractions and have a lot more discomfort in my back and abdomen, which could mean absolutely nothing. But it is a change from what was going on yesterday, and in these situations, any kind of change is promising.

Regardless of the outcome, the gang is on its way - Dad is heading down from Peoria, the Evans crew (Bill, Vicki, Leah, G-ma, Mamaw, and the dogs) is heading up from Eldo, and Rachel called the boat and told them she'd catch up with them at their next port. I have packed a bag of games and snacks to entertain them (distract them) at the hospital, although I have a feeling that it will take more than games and snacks to keep them from congregating at the door to my room...

I may have to recruit someone (Auntie Leah has already volunteered) to run back to the house and post some updates as things happen tomorrow. If by chance the hospital has wi-fi, I may sneak in a laptop and try to post between contractions. How impressed would you all be? Otherwise, you all will just have to be patient and wait in anticipation until I can get back to the computer and let you all know the 4-1-1.

I am contemplating writing one more pre-Alex blog tonight, as a final farewell to my prima gravida days, so be sure to check back in before beddy-bye. TTFN.

Ta-ta-ta-today, Juniah!!

Dadgum, still no baby yet. Rachel came back last night - rented a car and drove the eight hours from Peoria to be here just in case he arrives in the next two days. (Alex has the best aunties in the world, huh?) She has to get back on her cruise ship Tuesday, so we have a very small window to make something happen before she leaves. Today's plan is to go to the mall and walk 'till we can walk no more.

Supposedly the baby starts to settle down somewhat once he has been fully cooked and is getting ready to head down the hatch. Hopefully Alex is being defiant and has decided to ignore that particular rule, cuz he is still working on his Tae Kwon Do moves as I write. Mom says that I moved around like crazy up to and during labor. Speaking of which, now would be a good time to share an excerpt from the journal that my mom kept to document my first couple of years, including the month leading up to my birth. These two entries were written on the day I was born. Bear in mind, my original "due date" was September 5, 1979, so this day was a long time coming...

Monday, September 24, 1979
(morning sometime)

Who are you rough-housing with in there? The doctor said there's only one of you! You must be shadow-boxing. I just read where the baby settles down a few days before it's born. Well, take a nap, will ya!? At the rate you're pounding around in there, I could be pregnant for another year! Hopefully you'll be the exception to the rule. I know you're going to be an exceptional child - how can you mess with parents like us (tee-hee). I hope I'll see you soon.

Love,
me

Monday, September 24, 1979
3:39 PM

Hey, I won't believe it 'till I see it, but I think you're on your way. Hopefully by tomorrow at this time, we'll have you to hold instead of carry. I can't believe how many people have called and asked us to make plans for tonight. We only have about six different places to go. Were you just waiting for us to have full schedule? You're at the top of our list of things to do, so don't hesitate on our account! Oh, by the way, you're still knocking around in there.

Love,
me

Let me follow up by explaining that Mom wrote this entry while she was in early labor, set the journal down so that she could drive herself to the job site where my dad was working to let him know, followed dad back to the house so they could take one car to the hospital, then I was born at 8:27 that evening. That said, let me warn you that I am not expecting to be in the frame of mind to calmly compose a blog entry between the time I go into labor and when I go to the hospital to have the baby. Maybe I don't have enough faith in myself. I guess we'll find out...

Anyway, that excerpt was encouraging and hopefully Alex will take after his mother and be active up to the very end, despite the "rules" about settling down. However, I am beginning to think that all the fussing about could mean, "I am cramped and uncomfortable and I want out now", and that it is my body that isn't ready to let him go. So I blame myself for the delay, or at least, I am willing to take one for the team...

Tomorrow at 11:15am we go to the clinic to be checked, God willing, for the last time...

Still Waiting...

Yet another appointment and still nothing significant to report. I am around 1+cm and maybe closer to 60% effaced, so there hasn't been a ton of progress since Monday. I am pleased to know that Alex is enjoying his pimped-out bachelor pad so much that he is reluctant to leave it. While I was at the clinic, they performed a non-stress test that indicated that he is quite comfortable in there and that there is really no reason to force him out at this point. Although I am very anxious to meet him and move to the next phase of this baby-having process, I am still in no hurry to unnecessarily rush things and risk complications.

We had such high hopes for Alex's arrival this week that, in addition to Dad and Rachel, Tim's family came to town yesterday afternoon to be here "just in case" we decided to induce. Unfortunately, the postponement meant that Dad, Rachel, and the Evans crew had to head back to their respective homes for the time being. We have scheduled another appointment for Monday morning at 11:15 to check my progress and decide what to do, so everyone will probably return Monday-ish, with hopes that Alex will be arriving soon after.

According to Mari, little Alex's lease will expire once I've reached 42 weeks, so at least there is an end in sight. Even if it does mean that little Alex will have to be evicted...

Nope, Not Yet...

Sorry folks, no baby yet. We found out this morning that I am at 1 cm and 50% effaced, and although Mari was encouraged by the progress, she was still hesitant to induce when we are still this far out. Timothy and I are especially reluctant to rush things because, since the beginning, we have thought that his due date is actually a week later than what the hospital has been calculating. That said, we would like to give the little guy the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is still right on time and not at all stubborn or lazy as it may seem.

Long story short: We have decided to schedule another appointment for Thursday a.m. to check things out and decide whether we feel comfortable scheduling the induction for Thursday afternoon or Friday. With luck, I will continue to progress and we won't make it to Thursday morning...

Yep, Still Pregnant...

I'm sure many of you are wondering whether the lack of blog entry yesterday means that I was too busy birthing a child to write anything. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Despite my best efforts to entice him out on his due date (yes, I did flash my belly at last night's full moon), Alex has apparently decided that it is much more comfortable in there than it is out here, and thus, has extended his stay for a while longer.

To distract us from thinking about Alex's impending arrival, we have tried to keep ourselves busy the last couple of days. Mom's birthday was yesterday, so we got her some petits fours from Rick's Bakery (hubba-hubba) and got the whole family on the webcam so that we could sing happy birthday to her. Gee, I wonder what she wished for...? Although it would have been nice if we could have sung Happy Birthday to Mom and Alex, we still shared a sweet family moment. Happy (39th) birthday, Mom!!

Some family friends from Eldo were playing in a softball tournament in Bentonville, so we thought it would be fun to catch the game. Despite noticing some very ominous looking clouds, we were very optimistic that any potential storms would "blow over" before we got to the field. We made it onto the field just as the heavens opened and poured buckets - literally, buckets of water onto us and everyone else at the tournament. I'm talking gale force winds, horizontal rain, the whole she-bang. We booked it to the car and had to jump in completely wet from head to toe, inevitably saturating our respective car seats in the process. None of us could remember the last time we had gotten that soaked.

Although it may sound more like a punishment than a reward, we celebrated Mom's birthday with a classy dinner at the Golden Corral (her choice). After dodging raindrops that afternoon, we had worked up an appetite that only an all-you-can-eat buffet could satisfy.

Sunday morning we churched and went home for lunch. Dad and Rachel got in from P-town around dinnertime, so we indulged at Tim's Pizza before ending the evening with a fiercely competitive game of Phase 10. No one made it further than Phase 9, so that game is to be continued tomorrow, either here at the house or at the hospital.


I have another appointment at 8 am tomorrow, so Mari will check things out and determine what the next course of action should be. We plan on having our bags packed in the event that she sends us directly upstairs to the hospital after we meet. If not, we will be back here and I will hopefully be updating you all with the newest version of our "birthplan"...