Transcendence in Transition

1)Tolerate uncertainty 2) Plan in 360 degrees but don't narrow options too soon (this requires a visit back to step #1) 3) Prepare to surprise yourself (allow some give in your view of who you are) 4) Make room (throw some things away if you have to).
My boys are my greatest teacher in this regard. They are always requiring me to allow for uncertainty, to make adaptive plans, and remain full of awe.

Where have we been?

Well, it's true I've been off the radar. But because I'm probably the only person that reads this blog with any regularity, you probably didn't notice. I think it is totally hilarious that my last post was about always being a work outside the home mom. That is why you should not use extreme words. It's not fair in an argument (always, never are bound to lead to more fighting), and is just too tempting to FATE when you use them with regards to yourself. In fact the use of 'never' got me into Psychiatry (I'll never be confused with a psychologist), and now it seems that 'always' has gotten me on the FSAHM track. If you can't figure out the acronym, here 's a hint: it starts with future and ends with mom, and has something to do with staying at home. It's all good, though because I think the major societal problems that I care about will still be around for me to solve (these days we have more and more reasons to build resilience and better support communities). But you never know, I still may find a way to 'do it all' with the right employed position.
Okay, so here's the updates on our kiddies. Isaiah is yummy. We almost ate him for Thanksgiving instead of the turkey, but figured we'd rather keep him alive for kissing. He's not too interested in crawling in the traditional sense, but can low crawl to get to something he's interested in (that's the soldier in him) and is way more interested in standing up, bouncing, and trying to walk. He babbles, blows rasberries, says 'dada' when he wants to. He eats pretty good and can make a mean mess when he's not hungry (by blowing a rasberry on the spoon). He's got his first tooth peeking out. Avi is officially a 'cool kid'. He plays electric guitar (still giving free concerts but only plays one song: Sunshine of Your Love by Cream, mommy on vocals--Smoke on the Water will come next), he ice skates (pre-ice hockey or speed skating, no figure skating here), he skateboards (still working on tricks and basic turn skills). All this while handling 1st grade like a pro. He is still great company on a rainy day, and game for cuddling if there's a thunderstorm.
Akil is still the greatest husband on Earth (he only gets better with time) and the Head Tickler of our Home.
So there you have it. The highlights, at least. :)

All Fathers start as sons (and why I will remain a work outside home mom)

So here's my yesterday from my perspective:It's a pretty typical maternity leave day. I'm awakened by Isaiah's screeching wails around 4am, and in a half daze nurse him and kiss my hubby goodbye for the day. I'm still wiped out from the day before but if I don't take a shower now I may just spend the whole day funky. I'm also up early because I have to get my car into the shop which is a pretty typical grown-up task--one I did with ease just 6 weeks ago. But now, it is a military operation requiring logistical support, GPS Navigation, and Joint Chief's level planning. Turns out that keeping an infant alive when you have not outsourced anything (ie are breast feeding and have no nanny) is WORK to say the least. I'm about to be without wheels so I know I better take advantage of my ride home, so I convince my mom to go to the park so I can see daylight, work on these 10 # that have decided to make a home in my gut, and try to wear out my 6 year old so he doesn't drive me bonkers on account of his own cabin fever. We just went to the skate park yesterday ALL afternoon, but he is begging to go back there now, and I know there's no way I could convince my mom to go 15 more minutes out of the way so I have to tell him it's the local park or home. He does pretty good, but he is liberal with his complaints making me wonder if I am raising him to be grateful enough. Back home, I'm full of things to do, the house is a mess despite my constant cleaning of it, I'm trying to finish some estate planning for the kids, and figure out how I'm going to complete the tasks I have tomorrow if I am without wheels again. Avi's in a TV trance which I'm sure I'll regret later even though its a rare allowance on my part, and when lunchtime comes...more complaints. I resist the temptation to remind him about starving people in Africa and pan fry the ham instead of nuking it hoping he'll think it' s another kind of meat. I also took him out to the garden and we harvested more snow peas and salad. I stir fried the peas for him and went back to work. (My lunch was a Nutrisystem bar with spinach) I'm still periodocally quieting down the little guy, and Avi keeps asking me questions the second I answer a call. Between calls---nothing; on calls--pester. (realize my calls were coinciding with commercial breaks) But after the third time he asks me about water ice I have him look out the window. "Avi, what do you see in the driveway?" "Nothing, mom". "Right, remember where we took my car? So how am I supposed to get you water ice?". (He tells me we should walk there). Seriously? I'm dozing off but not before letting him open the jar of peanuts (I just hope he doesn't et the whole thing). After a few more loads of laundry and unload, reload of the dishwasher, it's time to start getting ready for the evening. The car is not ready for pick up and I'm not sure I could survive another day with my current food situation so I call in reinforcements for a grocery run. I whip up something for Avi's dinner (more complaints), and he goes into a legal negotiation about portion size (he never does this to his father). After the lunch debate I'm holding my ground here especially since he's chomped on peanuts and popcorn all afternoon. When my mom arrives, so does my hubby's anniversary gift resulting in a 30minute distraction, but I convince mom to stay with the kids while I go to the store (in part to relieve my own cabin fever). I return feeling much better, and see Avi enjoying a round of Sorry sliders and Isaiah sleeping peacefully. Akil's on home call so if I'm lucky he will actually see his home (past three nights he's gotten in 10pm or later). I remember the Lakers are on tonight so I start getting Avi pumped. Akil does come home and I managed to get the house looking clean just in time for him to see his present and get filled in on all the things that require his input. It's been almost a week of sleepy hubby so I'm a bit back logged on conversation, but he's a champ about it and it's really nice to be talking with him alone, un-distracted even if it is about home stuff until----. I hear the whimpers of my oldest son. At first, I thought he fell, but when I ask him what's wrong he wails, "I just feel like you forgot all about me!!! You left me here all alone!". I tell him that's why we made him a baby brother, but he says "He's asleep!". I tell him Kobe's with him, but he says, "They're losing!"
Okay. I keep my composure, but I just can't figure out how I can be home almost 2 months with this kid every day and stuck ALL day with him today, and the 10 minutes I'm out of view with him on his own, all of a sudden I'm abandoning him?!? Now before I share how this relates to Fathers and my choice to be a working mom (if that's not already obvious), let me share Avi's perspective of the same day.

Here's yesterday from Avi's perspective: So, it's game 7 of the NBA finals. The series is tied, and I'm is rooting for my favorite superstar Kobe Bryant (who my mom says is STILL not better than MJ) to bring another trophy home. Should have been a great day, but I woke up at the butt crack of dawn so my mom could drop her car off to get fixed which means I'm stuck in the house all day with her and my cute baby brother who she never lets me kiss especially now because I have a small spot of ringworm on my cheek. At least we're going to the park so I'll be able to skateboard. I want to go to Washington Lake Park because they have cool ramps and stuff but my mom has us going to the busted park up the street which is not as fun. We get there and there are no kids and after about 1 lap I'm hot and thirsty. All she has for me is some diet tea that I have to share. What kind of mom is this? I'm bored. I go to the playground but all she wants to do is walk around pushing my brother, she's not even playing with me!
It's hot so I think it's a great day for water ice but she says I have to eat breakfast first.
When we get home my Nana leaves me and mom gets on her computer. At least I can watch Johnny Test and Chowder while she's not paying attention. It seems like the whole day goes by and I keep asking her about that water ice but she doesn't respond. Keeps telling me to hold on because she's on the phone or shhh because she's focusing on something else. It's lunch time and she has the nerve to offer me ham for the second day in a row! I'll eat it today, but this is crazy! At dinner time she offers me lasagna and broccoli but I don't want it. I'm kinda full from eating peanuts while she was napping, plus I wanted to go out for dinner. She insists I eat the whole thing even though I think I should just split it in two. But she bribes me with cookies if I finish so I go ahead and eat it. Thank God my Nana comes back over, but they get busy putting up some picture for Daddy. Mom leaves but not before banning me from tv. Now I have to play a board game. At least Nana plays with me. But she leaves too soon, and mom looks busy ordering me around to help her clean up. At least the game is starting. but the Lakers are losing and I feel sad. My dad comes home but before I know it they're in their room with the door closed. I haven't seen him in 3 days even though my mom says he has been home. What are they doing? My brother's asleep, my team is losing and my parents are totally ignoring me...Time to tell her how I really feel...

The moral of the story: Friends, if you just fell in love this window into my world may horrify you. But if you've popped out or raised a few kids you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. And I even cut out half of the other small frustrations of the day! So you can be a work outside the home mom and your days involve getting up, surviving the logistics of getting kid(s) to alternative child care (ie outsourcing), spending the next 8 hours doing meaningful activities that make the world a better place in some way (ie a decent job), and returning to the challenge of efficient 'catch up' parenting and homemaking. Or you could spend all day at home messing up and cleaning the same spaces, with a kid or two on extended long play mode when it comes to needs, restoring your sanity with playdates and mommy getaways, and engage in a life of meaningful volunteer community service . Take your pick of practice, but any way you do it, we all know that parenting is a thankless life choice but so many of us continue to do it for some reason. Personally, I don't think play dates or mommy clubs could save me from myself if being a full time homemaker was my daily life experience (I have dedicated a portion of my prayer time to stay at home moms, in addition to single moms, and grandmom's whose kids keep having kids). But God, in his infinite wisdom, set things up just right for me and has given me 2 sons to raise into Fathers. I thank God for vacations, day spas, and sleeping children. Because when all my boys were asleep I walked around and watched them dream. I reminded myself that Avi was simply becoming a man and he was in fact living in his own world. I imagined the day that he would bring home a girl that despite all I had swore in the past, at least once I would claim was not good enough for him. That day he no longer whines outside my bedroom door asking for a hug--when I have to text him to give me a call or bribe him with something bigger than a cookie to come by for dinner. I imagined further to the days that Isaiah would be calling me asking why HIS baby is so fussy and keeps him up all night (and I'll smile and tell him "It's not your wife's milk--that's just his temperment baby)
I thought forward to those days, and I realized that God made me a working mom for a reason. Because he knew me well enough; knowing both the limits of my frustration AND the depths of my love. And as long as the world continues to need strong men and strong fathers, I'll be glad to bear it sons. My ultimate thanks is for God, my first father, the strong father that He placed in my life as my earthly example of His love, and the strong (totally smokin' hot, tender, and wise) one He placed by my side to help me raise his sons.

Happy Father's Day to all, from one very grateful mom of future fathers.

In NOLA, missing Daddy

This is the first time we have been apart since Isaiah was born. I have been totally spoiled by seeing Akil every morning, all day long, and every night these past few weeks. On the one hand, I feel like a newlywed again; seeing so much of him reminds me how crazy in love we still are, and how silly we get when we are around each other for any meaningful length of time. On the other hand, it reminds me of the cost of our busy, demanding lives; and underscores the importance of finding whatever ways we can to stay connected. It's true what they say: you need quantity time to have quality time. And when you have 1-2 hours of face time a day that you also have to share with kids, you realize that you may have to steal time from somewhere. At least now I'll be awake at 4am when he's headed out the door!
We're coming up on our 2 year wedding anniversary, which seems so crazy since it seems like forever and just yesterday all at the same time. It's good to know we both have the same twinkle in our eyes when we lock our gaze across a crowded room. Better yet, when adversity and challenges come our way, it's refreshing to see us work as a team to solve the problem.
Even better, he still makes my heart skip a beat and my face flush on a regular basis. I can't wait to get back home!

Wow!

The champ is here! It's been amazing over the past week. I don't want to go anywhere. Isaiah John...God is my salvation. God's grace. A little of the Old and a little of the New. He's perfect. Years back, I always wondered what I would be like as a dad. Would I smother him with love?
Kiss on him? Ignore him? But look at him? How could you not love on this man. This king.

He is Him. He brings out the best in me. The best in his brother. The best in us. Only had one frustrating moment: He pooped, I changed his diaper, he peed while I was changing him, it hit the floor but I used another diaper, then he pooped while still on the changing table. But I was covered. Covered by my beautiful, strong wife. The only one I know that can be in labor for 2 hours, co-ordinate everything between contractions, has the grace to forgive me when I stayed in the bed for 10 minutes because I didn't fully believe her calls for help, delivered him in 4 pushes after preventing the delivery across our entire South Jersey trip, as I was driving 90 mph...Wow is my title. I get a better understanding of covering. What a perfect place marriage is. Where you are weak, your love will cover you. Where you are strong, you cover your love. We make a great team but is that because I'm aware of my flaws and her strengths?

To be continued...

Isaiah's Arrival Story and Photos

You have been waiting with us, and the wait is over! Here's how it happened. Monday May 3rd, I went to bed anxious to get a good night's sleep after 7 days of 3 hrs or less. I woke up at 2:18 am saying, "well, at least it's not my usual 1am wake-up!". I had gardened that day for 2 hours, installing 3 flats of impatients (yes, I was feeling inpatient!) and my back seemed a little sore. Around 3am, I thought I should take a bath to help me sleep, plus I was having Braxton-hicks. But I didn't feel like waiting for the water to run so I decided to take a shower and try the birth ball in the shower to see if it would make the contractions go away. As I was making my way to the shower I remembered that I hadn't yet packed Avi's bag in case I had an overnight delivery, and I was thinking since Akil had to wake up early that day to finish a presentation, I could get him to do it. At this point I was also noticing that my contractions seemed to start and stop, and wondered if it was more than just braxton-hicks. I called "Kil", and he grumbled and rolled over in bed. I started my shower, and as I was figuring out how to sit down on the ball inside my 4ftX4ft shower, I called, "Kil", to no response. After 5 minutes, I was pretty sure something was going on with my body but not yet convinced it was labor. I thought ahead to potential chaos, and my poor son running around with dirty clothes because I forgot to pack his bag. A third time I more enthusiastically called, "Kil!", and he stumbled into the bathroom. I asked him to pack some clothes for Avi and he gave me a quizzical look. "I'm having some contractions," I said. His eyes brightened, and he went away to pack the bag. After 5 more minutes I was sure these were regular but it wasn't that painful so I decided to get out of the shower and time them. My back was still hurting so I figured I'd get Akil to warm up my buckwheat pillow to ease that (gardening soreness or back labor?). I called for him, and he said he had put some clothes on Avi, I clarified, "put some clothes in a bag for him, and could you heat up my pillow for me?". He left and rustled around for a while, during which time my back was really bothering me, and when he returned empty-handed, I realized I left it in the car. Now it's about 3am and I'm in a fair amount of discomfort so I go to the bathroom, and let's just say, 'cleared things out'. That was my first sign that something was going on, so I called Avi's Pop-pop who was on my short list for overnight care and since it was his birthday May 4th, I said 'Happy Birthday, you might bet getting a birthday buddy!". He was also confused when I asked him to get Avi. He said, "Do you want to call me back with an update?", and I said, "No, can you come get him now?". I knew I was going to have to at least go in to get checked out but since my water hadn't broke, I wanted to stay home as long as possible.
At this point my denial was over. I realized I might not make it to my nail appointment that day. So I asked Akil to call my mom and have her come over. I called his mom, and asked her to come over as well, but she was watching my niece and said it might be a bit. I called the OB to see when I should come in. I was having pretty much continuous contractions lasting 90 seconds with 10 seconds break in between. She told me to wait 20 minutes at first, but when I told her my first one came in 2 hours and I lived in NJ, she told me to come in now to get checked. I texted Akil's mom to just meet us at the hospital. My mom arrived and Avi's Pop-pop came to get him. I kissed Avi good-bye and told him I might finally be getting his brother out. I got my comb used for accupressure pain management (you press against the crease at the base of your fingers) and grabbed a towel on the way out (just in case).
Standing up to leave the house, I realized that I couldn't walk through the contractions, so I would stop and press my back against a wall to ride it out. Between contractions I felt fine so I used deep relaxation techniques to make sure I was getting my pain down to zero, and moving as far as I could between them. We started on our way, and I was feeling pretty decent until we stopped at a light right before the entrance to rt 42. I had a big contraction and felt a 'pop', just like a water balloon burst, and exclaimed "Oh no, my water just broke!". For this point on, all I can say is, I was praying not to have my child on the highway that fills me with road rage every morning as I sit in bumper to bumper traffic. With each contraction I felt him dropping and the urge to push. I breathed like crazy and dug that comb deep into my hand. Akil was flying down the road, but it still seemed like forever. We made it past the bridge and he said, "We're almost there, you're doing great!". I tried to estimate how many more contractions I had to endure before we got there, and figure out how I was going to walk since I felt the baby so low. We got there and I tried to get into the wheelchair, but worried I would have less control over the pain. I decided to walk between contractions to the floor. One big one in the lobby. One waiting for the elevator. One in to elevator. One in the waiting area. Baby still inside, phew. The nurses were pretty chill as I walked in calmly and gave my info. One big one at the nurses station. I gave them my clinical highlights and they perked up and directed me to an exam room. One big one in the room. "Get on the bed so we can check you"..."Can't you just do it here?" (I'm standing up against the wall)..."uh, no, you really need to get on the bed." I looked at the bed and all I saw was pain. It was too soft. But that's what I came here for. They checked me, "Wow, okay she's 10cm and 2+ station..you look so calm!" They rolled me into a labor room. I scooted over between contractions. "Can I push on the next one?"..."Sure do you remember how to do it?"..."I think so". 1st push: "Okay, wow, there's the head". 2nd push: "Okay he's stretching you out". 3rd push: "Okay head's out...you really know how to have a baby" 4th push: "Here he is!".
And there you have it. Isaiah cried vigorously and I laughed my head off. "That was fun! Let's do it again!" I thanked God that he was born at a hospital and not a highway. (Maybe I should just have the next one at home!)
Isaiah John was born at 5:01 am on May 4th. He was 7 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches long.
So here are some pictures of Isaiah and our family. He's gotten a lot of visitors and there are more to come. His World Premiere Party is May 15th at our home and he's already been to the park and his first church service. Avi is a great big brother and you will see him reading to Isaiah, holding and feeding him. Akil is an amazing dad and you will see his first diaper change and feeding, as well as those tender first moments when he held his son for the first time. His nana and noonie are proud grandmommies, and the hands picture is when they got 'christened' in the delivery room. I'm smiling in every picture because I was so happy to get un-pregnant! He's truly a blessing and a little prince. I hope you enjoyed this journey with us.
click on this photo to see the slideshow!
Enjoy!

He's here!!!!

Welcome Baby Isaiah John Wrenn Gordon!

Born at 5am and weighs 7lbs.

Baby and Mom are doing well.

We hope you can celebrate with Glenda and Akil on Saturday, May 15th!

What is he waiting for? (and other tales)

If anyone has a clue, please let us know! Maybe it was too cold outside. Maybe he wants to be really fat and plump before his entry. Maybe he likes the sound of my heartbeat. Whatever the reason, he is going to be a fully baked baby, just like his brother. I'm still hopeful I can beat my previous labor record of 2 hours, 15 minutes. I pray that when I go to my appointment today I'm at least 3 cm. I've got a lunch date with spicy latina food, and it's a beautiful day to go for a LONG walk. Since I was up basically all night long, I should take a nap at some point. And another thing, I'm pretty sure I'm turning into my husband! It all started when I had the urge to purchase not one, not two, but 3 packs of cookies at the Rite Aid. The next week this was followed by 2 packs of Oreos and Cherry Garcia ice cream. Now, if you know me, you would know that I would not be caught red-handed with that stuff in my presence let alone in my mouth! I thought maybe I was just getting soft and getting them for the boys, but I found myself chomping on Oreos and delighting in the cute 200 cal Ben&Jerry ice cream tubs. Even Akil is wondering what has gotten into me. Last night I'm picking off chicken from the whole carcass (a practice generally undertaken by Dr. Gordon much to my dismay) wondering 'why can't I stop?'. Now I'll know I've been possessed if I start playing Mafia Wars. I'm a little worried since I've been letting Avi play video games after school, and have not experienced my usual complete lack of interest. I also think I felt a little TOO excited when we went to Best Buy the other day and he got me a GPS (how did I ever live without that thing?). This is bizarre and the only explanation is the 23 foreign genes that are currently being expressed and perhaps backwashed into my bloodstream!!
Help!!!!

I'm still pregnant!

Babies come when they want to I guess.
We're all just hanging out.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Waiting.

Getting Ready

This may be my last blog entry as the mother of one. All the clothes are washed, separated by size and season, packed neatly into labeled ziplock bags (thanks to the help of my own mother who would probably sterilize the whole house if she could!), I've got my hair and nails freshly done (no crazy postpartum picuires of this momma), I changed the air filter in my house (it was definitely overdue), and just got off my last overnight shift before the baby comes (so there will be no delivering in the crisis center!).
Everyone thinks I am slightly off my rocker for thinking he will be here this week since my due date fluctuates from May 1st to May 5th depending on the method, but in reality, it's Isaiah who will select the day of his birth. So I've focused my strategy (in addition to all the old wives tales of inducing labor) on appealing to him directly. Last night Avi and I serenaded him with an African inspired impromptu incantation: "Four more days and you're coming out (repeat X2), Coming out (repeat X2), Go down the tunnel (repeat X2)!" We may continue the countdown and navigational tips tonight. I think he's turning from his head down, but strangely transverse positioning, to a 'butt up' location. Still no 'drop' but I think he'll be a fast mover like his brother.
Second child brings some logistical challenges around planning delivery. What to do with the older sibs since they are 'banned' from the hospital? My brain is not sharp enough to compute all the contingencies so I put together a few options and I'm just going to expect things to work out as they should.
I start each day wondering if it will be the one whose details I will recount for years to come. "On the day you were born..."
In my middle of the night awakenings I wonder what he will smell like, what it will feel like to feel his tiny heartbeat against my own, and how he will look when he sleeps.
I don't feel nervous or anxious. Neither impatient or passive. I'm just ready. I feel like I did before the Penn Relays (which happen to be this weekend), right after a great warm-up round when the hammer and I were in perfect synchronicity and the powerful feeling of release flooded my brain with endorphins. I also feel like I did in the days before my wedding, when it seemed as if all of creation surrounded me and lent me its strength for the journey. The leaves on the trees whisper peace to my soul, the birds sing in anticipation and celebration, the earth supports and uplifts me with each step, and when I tend to my seedlings in the garden, they reassure me "you're a good mommy, we're ready to go outside now".
As much as the pain labor is considered 'Eve's curse', as with Avi, I feel that somehow I'll be given a voucher to labor naturally with ease and joy.
This is truly one of life's most amazing gifts. The journey has been sweet (as I am already forgetting the agony of 7-8 months of nearly daily nausea and vomiting), and I can see how God designed this process not unlike our own lives: not without adversity and struggle, but greatly rewarded with complexly deep positive emotions when you accept the process and journey for better and worse.
At the end of the day, we are all just trying to live and love freely and deeply, to stay connected with our core and find our unique purpose...and I cherish these moments of pause before major life transitions.
I'm grateful for being able to share this journey with so many friends and family, and I am looking forward to what lies ahead!

Glenda

Isaiah and Avi's Room

We redesigned the playroom to be a shared space for Avi and Isaiah. I found this cool mural at toys r us.com after much searching and thinking about what wall art I wanted. We painted the ceiling sky blue (picked out by Avi) and the other walls are belgian waffle which is a really cool soothing neutral color that we also have in our kitchen. The coolest thing about the mural is that we were able to create a full wall effect even though the room is a strange layout. It's just enough 'wow' as a centerpiece without feeling too budy when you're hanging out in the room. The light fixture was a pick from Ikea and is on a dimmer and Avi likes to use this as a night light. You can see a little bit of Avi's bed that has an animal print, as well as a canopy leaf that really makes him feel like he's in the jungle. Needless to say, it's much easier to get him to sleep in his own room now.
Okay, so this is the winning Jungle themed crib set! An ebay auction find, I got this for 1/4 the cost of similar products sold at babiesrus and I think it is really cute. I'm not sure how much of this crib Isaiah will actually see but Akil assures me that he'll be sleeping in the crib. :) I got the cute little cheetah rattle from our trip to the San Diego Zoo.

Here's a view of what Isaiah may see. We've got a jungle mobile on our registry that is hopefully more baby friendly. I hope he doesn't think the animals are going to eat him! We will be channeling his African tribal roots with this room. If we're blessed he will be spending most of the time sleeping anyways!

I've been telling him that April 21st would be great day to be born. We'll see if he agrees. Today he put me in a state of serious pain for about an hour at work. I was all laid up on the floor and looking crazy. My doctor research co-workers were all ready to do some doctoring, but I told them it was all good. This is why it's best to work from home some days. I could have soaked in the tub for 30 minutes and gone about my writing.
The walk from my office to the car feels like a marathon, and the thought of driving through rush hour traffic is not a pleasant one.

But let me stop my complaining. I made it this far, and pretty soon all this will be a faded memory! I'll be talking about #3 and you will all think I have lost my marbles!

Glenda

We're not the only New Parents!

Avi wanted something to take care of for his birthday back in January. We decided since we were soon going to have a baby to take care of, we should get something small that he could care for on his own. He made his selection and here is the story of how he became a 'new parent' just like us. I am pleased to report that his babies are still alive and he is a very good papa. You will notice that I took some parenting tips from him. :)

The first step was getting their new room all cleaned up.
Next he decorates it really nicely with colorful and interesting items. (Do you see a theme?)

He makes sure there is enough food to eat and there are toys to keep them stimulated.


Now everything is ready and Hermie and Crabby are ready to enjoy their new home!

Countdown is on!

Isaiah is growing everyday now, and we are all just looking forward to meeting the little guy. We have made it through 72 inches of snow, and I've celebrated my 32nd birthday!
We went to San Diego to celebrate my birthday and even though it was rainy (yes, in southern California) we did manage to have an awesome time and after long days of exciting adventures, my first stop was the hot tub! The boys had a great time, especially flying in the flight simulator.



I guess I'm in the final stages of nesting; cleaning all the baby's gear, signing up for childbirth class, resisting the temptation to buy all the crazy stuff marketed to moms that probably give your kid ADHD instead of making them smart...
I think Akil is also starting to appreciate the reality of a new baby in our life, too. Yesterday he asked me what the bassinet was for. (I'm sure he was thinking: if we have a crib, and a moses basket downstairs, why do we need ANOTHER something for the baby to sleep in?) It was really cute. I can't wait to see him install the car seat for the first time and change his first diaper! I've had my share of moments when I've wondered 'Will I remember how to do this?' I found some triple paste in Avi's cabinet and wondered 'Does this stuff expire?'.
Now that we have all the basics to keep the baby alive and comfortable there's really nothing else to do but wait. I can realistically look forward to the day that my reflux is gone and I can walk a mile without getting a contraction---let alone run. I'm also looking forward to the days to come snuggling up to my little cub smelling his sweet breath, watching him sleep and coo. It's really nice to be without the first time mom anxiety. I can really relax and enjoy every minute of this last month (swollen feet and shortness of breath aside) and dream about how amazing his life will be.
I can't wait for everyone to meet him and I am so glad he's a spring baby so I can take him outside and see the world!

Glenda

Jungle Love

So Avi and his brother will be sharing a room...jungle, that is. I am having way too much fun planning their room. I really should be writing up my research projects, but that can wait, right? From cool panel window treatments to a huge African watering hole mural, their room will be complete with a jungle canopy, safari sun light, and decor to bring out the animal in all of us. Maybe I'll actually convince Avi that it's cool to sleep in your own room. :) Actually, I don't know how it took me so long to figure this out but I taped a few family pictures up underneath his leaf canopy and he feels he can look at us when he's going to sleep and hasn't wandered into our bed since then. (Parents take note!)
The baby's growing every day and has thankfully redistributed my weight to my belly (instead of making me globally ginormous!) He likes to wake up in the early evening and around 4am to exercise, but is generally pretty chill.
FYI:
We hope to plan a 'Welcome to the World" Party in May for the little guy in lieu of a traditional baby shower to give extended family a chance to come visit him at home while mom and dad are on family leave, and we will be taking the crew out for southern states tour in July hitting up Orlando, Miami, Tallahassee, and Atlanta-area to visit family and friends down there.

Joy and Love!

24-26 week Update

Doing fantastic and nesting like crazy!!!!!

It's a Boy! Hallelujah!!!

Well, we have known for a few weeks now, but my blogging has not been up to date. I am sooooo relieved to know that we are welcoming a boy into our family. Here's to mud baths and roughhousing! For those of you who care about how mom is doing---yes, I am still throwing up. But at least I have diagnosed my self with something: GERD. You would think I would figure it out and just eat less, or smaller meals; but I am so hungry that sometimes I just try to push it and fit in one more snack. Baby's like, "Nope, mama, that's not good for you!" And there it is. My son is going to motivate me to be disciplined and tough. I'm starting to get pretty excited now that I have a cantaloupe sized belly and frequent reminder kicks. I think dad is getting psyched as well. I still haven't gotten motivated enough to plan the kid's new room, but I did register for the few things that we will need. I'm getting there.
Now the hard part: finding the right name!!!