Saturday, November 29, 2008

Call list

Tara sent out an email (below is some of the text) ...
Jesus, this IS real.

Technically there are 14 days until Dec. 13 … 2 weeks from today!
However, as my midwife says it really is a Due Month.
Anytime from Dec. 1 (38 weeks) to Dec. 27 (42 weeks) is possible.
Only 4 % of babies are born on the actual due date.
Anyway, in the process of preparing, we constructed a call list, kind of like a phone tree.
Jai will call certain people, then those people will contact a few others.
An email will be sent also so everyone will get the information eventually.
We’re not going to want lots of visitors at the hospital, especially as hopefully it should be a short stay (2 days).
THANKS for everyone’s love & support. We’re almost there!!!!
Love, Tara & Jai & baby : )

Friday, November 28, 2008

LJ - the nephew (so far the only male grandchild)

There is so much that we could write about LJ, the 14 year old son of Tara's brother, the first, and only male, grandchild. He is a character and he has been true to form during the pregnancy! Overall he is so sweet and earnest and curious about the baby.

From the moment we told him Tara was pregnant, it has been a hoot. Tara called her dad in NC on Father's Day and told him next year Jai would be celebrating the holiday ... cute, right?!? Then LJ got on the phone (he spent the summer with Harold, his grandfather, and extended family in NC) and Tara tried the same tactic: "guess who will be celebrating Father's Day next year?" ... long pause ... "Jai will be" ... another long pause. Finally it clicked and LJ said "you're having a baby ... how many months?!" Tara replied "yes, 3 months." LJ said "how could you not tell me all these months?"

: )

Once LJ returned home to Nashville, we've seen him sporadically which is normal; his interest in the pregnancy and baby has not disminished. He loves to check the belly (size), talk to the belly ("hi, baby"), touch the belly (see how hard it is), even kiss the belly (very affectionate). He also is VERY determined to know the gender. He really wants the baby to be a boy. He has 3 female siblings on each side of his mother and father's families so he is one male surrounded by 6 girls! He also refers to the baby as his nephew though we explain that the baby is his cousin. : )

This week LJ stayed with us a couple of days which worked out nicely in particular for 2 appointments we had. One was with Smile Mommy! diaper service (the only one in the state of Tennessee). They brought our initial weekly supply of cloth diapers (80), wipes (80) and covers (20 in yellow and green) as well as the diaper pail and liner bags. LJ heard the explanation of the process and learned how to change a cloth diaper. (It seems simple, but a doll is not the same as a squirming infant, potentially projectiling bodily fluids; we'll see how we do. )

Then the next day he went with Tara to her midwife appointment. He asked the nurse if she knew what gender the baby is. Actually almost every time we talk with him or see him he asks if we know the gender - like we didn't know before, but we know now and can tell him. (Actually the only person who should know the gender is the ultrasound tech when we went at Week 21; it's not a secret and we're not telling anyone. We don't know and we won't know until delivery.)

LJ got to hear the heartbeat which is always strong and loud. The midwife was really complimentary of LJ; he asked some good questions about the impending labor & delivery. What to do when the water bag breaks (call) and how long before we head to the hospital (depends on how far apart the contractions are)? LJ doesn't want to be present for the birth which is fine with us, but he's excited to get the call from Bonnie and come to the hospital. We think he's going to be a great older cousin, even willing to change a few diapers! : )

Friday, November 21, 2008

Father-to-be/Baby Shower #4

My lovely coworkers threw me a shower yesterday. My boss took the pictures, scroll through the photo stream below. It was a huge surprise in that I thought it would be only circulation staff (my department); it ended up being a whole library thing.

I'm a lucky guy.

Go here for photos.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The buzz has hit the fan

A week or so ago I sent out a mass email at work explaining that at some point in the near future I would be unexpectedly unavailable. At the same time my boss decided to throw a baby shower for me. Between the two events, people are constantly asking me "are you ready?," "how's your wife?" and "hello papa." It's sweet and nice to be liked, but the attention is a mixed bag. On one level I don't like the attention. I feel self-conscious and stupid even. On another level it is nice to know people like you.
Tara's comment: Welcome to my world for the past 6 months! : )
  • "Am I ready?" I have no choice. I am nervous; I don't have any experience with babies.
  • "How's my wife?" Tara is strong and confident. She looks as cute as ever. She's having some heartburn issues but other than that she's pushing through.
  • "Hello papa." Yes, I'm gonna be a daddy. I'm nervous about the changes it will bring... no money, time or sleep, etc. I know I will be fine but holy crap!

Friday, November 14, 2008

One Month to Go and the Reality Sets In

I don't know what happened, but in the past couple of days the reality of what is about to happen set in.

I don't know what the trigger was, but the butterflies appeared.

Yesterday I sent out a mass email to my coworkers, the ones who I communicate with daily or weekly, to let them know that I will be out of the office sometime soon without much warning and for an indefinite amount of time.

Yipes!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Baby Shower # 3

Today was the baby shower at Goodlettsville Middle School where I work. After each shower, I'm filled with such gratitude and warm feelings and think "best shower ever!" Truly each event was special for various reasons and today's celebration was no different. I really appreciate the genuine and generous support I've received throughout my pregnancy. Daily I am asked how I am feeling - teachers see me more often in the halls as I make my frequent trips to the bathroom! : ) - and other curious questions about the pregnancy. It's lovely to be surrounded by such care and concern.

The loot was bountiful! The theme at this shower included books which has been consistent and of course, we're educators. There is a lot of washing/cleaning type items (washcloths, hooded towels, an adorable robe) so the baby will be clean. : ) Also I got TONS of baby outfits, most from consignment stores, thrift stores and yard sales, which I love; again most stuff looks hardly worn. Finally baby Sanders will have some clothes to wear - seriously she or he is set for at least the first year. I also received lots of Target gift cards : ) as well as some gift cards/certificates from Whole Foods/Body and Uncommon Goods which I really look forward to using!

My favorite gift and though it seems unfair to pick a most liked present when presented with such an outpouring of generosity, for those present, they saw my reaction. The "Life is Good" red snowflake onesie and hat are definitely the winner! They are SO adorable and perfect for a December (winter) baby. I have another outfit picked out for the baby's trip home from the hospital, but this one is a keeper and I anticipate the baby will wear it often.

Big shout out to Niki for her second set of shower gifts which are her very creative creations. We now have a peace blanket and earth onesie, a blanket with "Sanders" (no first name since that's a surprise!) sewn on it, a 37216 zip code onesie, and two colorful burp cloths.

The food was good - I cannot forget the food, best part of being pregnant! Whitt's BBQ is so yummy. The dessert was homemade cupcakes (from a local business woman, recommended by a co-worker who always gets her birthday cakes made by her). You know I love the frosting! : )

A BIG thanks to my co-workers who organized a wonderful event - Tara P., Dominique, Jeanie and Niki. You are the best!

Today was blessed for MANY reasons. Happy Election Day!

Baby Sanders cannot wait to meet everyone - soon ...

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Misery Loves Company

For anyone who has been paying attention to my blog entries you might have noticed that I haven't written much in the last few weeks. Actually my sister said something about there not being anything new; it's nice to be missed : )

I was sick, very tempted to get some traditional meds so you know I was really miserable.

It's not really surprising considering the time of year and change in weather as well as my vocation. Germs have been flying around. Combine that with a month of little sleep created by this heartburn phenomenon (oh my goodness!), then this congestion that happens in the 7th & 8th months [maybe next month, too : ( ] and constant trips to the bathroom. Plus I got the flu shot which is recommended for women who are pregnant and I always get the shot because of having asthma. Voila, a cold is in the making! Then I got a vicious cough which is not good with a large belly, especially when the baby decided to start a full-court press on my chest. It was not good times. I missed work most of last week which is difficult for me to do, but I had no choice - I wasn't going anywhere.

Funny side story:
My co-worker was out 2 days for a conference and then discovered she had pink-eye. Thankfully I didn't see her until after she started treatment and was permitted to return to work. I told Jai that if I'd gotten pink-eye after all of the other ailments, I would have said "take me to the hospital and take this baby out now. I am DONE!"

Fortunately I have a wonderful husband; Jai continues to pick up the slack, keeps the house running and takes care of Johnders. I feel blessed to have an equal partner who loves me and the baby dearly.

I discovered some natural remedies that really work and saved me.
1. licorice (liquid extract I put in my water) - helps with congestion AND heartburn
2. papaya extract (yummy chewable tablets) - helps with digestion AND heartburn

I felt so much better today. We went for a walk at Shelby Park, ate dinner out and saw a movie. I told Jai we have to take advantage of any burst of energy! I anticipate a return to exhaustion soon enough. There is limited time to do anything we want to do before the baby's arrival really changes our lives forever.