Changes...

Today, David is 3 weeks old and changing by the minute. I simply cannot believe how fast the days seem to go by and how happy I manage to be despite having achieved no more than 3 straight hours of sleep at a time since the little man was born. I wish that I could make time stand still so I could continue to enjoy these leisurely days with him until I've had my fill. Since that's not likely to happen, I guess I'll continue to make the most of the time while I can.

Mom came down from Lafayette today to accompany David and me on our first official outing (doctor visits prior did not count). The weather was gorgeous, sunny and warm, and the three of us had an incredibly enjoyable and relaxing time. We ate at Paradise bakery, picked up a few cute bargains at Children's Place, and enjoyed strolling shop to shop aimlessly. Yes, our additional cargo made the excursion a bit more challenging, but the extra effort was worth it. After our experience today, I feel confident enough to venture out on my own soon, which I plan on doing Friday. Watch out world, here we come!

Now that I have adapted to the sleep deprivation, the hormone lability, and the feelings of inadequacy typical of a first-time mom, I am less self-absorbed and more free to observe and appreciate David's daily changes. I love how his little gaze follows me as I move about the room. He adores the wooden mobile above his changing table, a find I made at an antique store years ago, long before he was even on the radar. (I am so delighted that something I put up for my own aesthetic reasons has given him such practical enjoyment.) His growing strength amazes me; he already packs a powerful kick. And those adorable swaddling blankets that wrapped him so easily and completely just a few short weeks ago are now way too tiny to do the job. He busts out of them easily with a few enthusiastic wiggles.

David's latest discovery is his Baby Einstein activity gym, a shower gift from Eva and Mike. He loves staring at the colorful toys and watching the flashing lights of the attached music box. It is so fun to see him absorbed in the sights and sounds of his surroundings, of which he takes more of an interest in every day. I knew he was cute, but the pictures below of him hanging out on his little play mat really prove the point.

Happy day to you all!

He's Here!

David Charles Owens. Born March 10th at 7:37 pm. 7 lbs, 3 oz and 20.5 inches long.

Needless to say, we are over the moon.

His arrival was a bit more harrowing than we had hoped for it to be. A routine test at my OB's on his due date caught a brief period of an alarmingly slow fetal heartbeat, prompting Dr. Johnson to send us straight to the hospital for an induction. I remember feeling scared, numb, and thinking "I'm not ready for this,", even after weeks (ok, months) of complaining that I simply could not wait one more minute for him to arrive.

Once at the hospital and despite a healthy infusion of pitocin, my labor languished for hours. Cory and I even were able to finish designing and proofing a business ad for the newspaper (deadlines don't care if you're having a baby, you know). The nurses kept telling me I looked "way too happy", as they cranked up the pit even more. The contractions suddenly increased in intensity early that evening, causing another unexpected and horrifying episode of fetal distress when the baby's heartrate dropped into the 30s for several minutes (it should have been in the 130s. So scary). I think the entire medical and nursing staff of the labor and delivery unit rushed in to the room, terrifying both Cory and me but providing the intervention necessary to keep the baby safe. His heartrate thankfully came up on it's own, but once Dr. Johnson arrived and declared, "I want that baby out," we consented to an emergency C-section without hesitation.

The ensuing minutes are a blur of fear, my memories clouded a bit by a morphine haze but still punctuated by moments of clarity. Like when I first heard him cry. What a wonderful sound. It's what kept me sane as I lay behind the sterile screen in the OR, practically dying to see him. But I had to wait for the NICU staff to give him the once-over, which, miraculously, he passed with flying colors despite the distress he had shown during labor (and having the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck not once but twice, the probable cause of his low heart rate, come to find out). Thankfully, Cory was able to get some pictures of his first moments since I was unable to see them with my own eyes. I will treasure those photos forever.

Finally, David was safe. And we were elated.

So, that's the short version of David's birth. I had imagined recording it a few days after arriving home, which obviously did not happen. Which takes me to my next thought...

Just a few weeks ago I couldn't imagine what could be so time-consuming about caring for a newborn. Considering the fact that after two full weeks at home I have managed little else on a daily basis than multiple nursing sessions, oodles of diaper changes, some personal vanity, and lots and lots of laundry. No scrapbook pages done, no shopping outings, very little sleeping. The hours whiz by regardless. Oh, how I wish I could make time stand still.

At his last pediatrician visit this past Friday, David topped the charts at 8 lbs 1 oz and 22 inches. He finally fills out his newborn sized clothes, and his days in newborn diapers are numbered. In a few short weeks, he's already changed in innumerable ways. We can't wait to watch him continue to grow. I just hope he does so slowly, so we can enjoy every minute. Meanwhile, check out our photos on my Picasa Web page. I'll be adding more over the next couple of days, when the little man allows me the time, of course.

Awww....

This is what happens when you go on maternity leave a little too early. Since everything is cleaned, washed, stocked, put together, maintained, dusted, painted, organized and otherwise ready for the storm (also known as "the baby"), you have to be creative to fill the hours as you wait for something, anything, to happen. {sigh}.

A few days ago, we decided we needed a few more hats for little David. No naked baby heads allowed around here. What we were finding at the stores were kind of boring and pretty much exclusively blue. I wanted something a little bit different, so I hit etsy.com (one of my favorite sights for crafty inspiration) yesterday and searched "newborn handmade hats". Whoa.

I dare you to look at these pictures without saying "awwwwwww"....

How will I ever decide? Labor, please save me from this frivolity!

Just call me the "watched pot"

And you know what they say about the watched pot. I'm not boiling yet either, despite the fact that I was told at the OB's office on Tuesday afternoon that I would probably "go" in 48 hours. What do they really know, anyway? Just goes to show you that we are not in control here, an important concept to remember when you are dealing with nature, I guess.

Even Cory's patience is wearing a bit then. He has taken to walking me around the block to try to get things moving, twice yesterday. I felt a bit like a show sheep getting conditioned for the county fair. A sympathetic walker even called out "good luck!" as we crossed paths. Pretty pathetic when a complete stranger knows exactly what you are up to during such a pursuit. She probably once did the exact same thing in order to bring on a birthday for one of her children. Or it could've been my breathless waddling that gave away the fact that we were not strolling about in the cold strictly for fun.

I did put my anxiousness aside today (especially since it's not doing me any good, really), resolving to relax and enjoy this time I have with Cory. We did a little shopping (check out the adorable Star Wars onsie I spotted at Old Navy, a whopping $10.50 and worth every penny!), spent some time in the bookstore, and went to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D at the Imax in Noblesville. I loved it, despite some pretty scathing reviews. So worth the wait. But I would've gladly waiting a few more weeks to see it had I been doing other things. Other things like, say, labor and delivery.

OK, little guy. I saw my movie, thank you. Now you can come out...