Sights and Sounds

Evelyn's awareness has really blossomed -- she makes wonderful eye contact, smiles and coos when we make faces at her, and tracks movement by turning her head. She's growing up already - Boo Hoo!! But she's doing such a lovely job of it -- we're enjoying her more and more every day.

Busy busy busy...

Evelyn had a jam-packed day on the newborn scale -- started out with her very first immersion bath (belly-button healed up, so she's clear to skip the chilly sponge bath). She seemed to enjoy it -- particularly the fresh-from-the-dryer towel and head shampoo at the end. Love the smell of a fresh, sweet baby!!

The weather is predictably unpredictable for Memphis in December -- temps were up in the 50's and even hit 60, so we hit the sidewalks with all three pooches in tow and had a wonderful fast-paced walk through the neighborhood. The dogs are learning to appreciate the big, blue jogging stroller and already "do the happy dance" when I haul it out.

With Christmas around the corner, and some last minute shopping to manage, I bundled Evey into her car seat and took her on our very first trip to the store together. She snoozed in her sling while I shopped the aisles and avoided sneezy, coughy people -- she was a real trooper and saved her big diaper filling effort for the second I put her back into her car seat. Not sure what I would have done if she'd had a fit in the store...I'm sure that moment is in my near future.

So today, we are tuckered out. Probably will go for another good lap in the stroller since the weather is so terrific. Otherwise, time to get in some good napping...

Belly Buttons and Boppys

Miss Evelyn is already more than two weeks of age. How'd that happen so fast??

We've been to visit the Pediatrician's office and she got high marks on all aspects of her health -- including the impressive diaper change required while on his examination table (she leaked past the diaper onto the paper ... it was a doozie). She's been very busy gaining back all of her birth weight -- breast feeding is going well, so well in fact, that the nurse commented playfully that I must be part Jersey Cow (?!). I took it as a compliment.

The big news this week is that Evey lost her umbilical cord bits and now has a pretty little "innie" for a belly button!! I imagine it must be much more comfortable for her now.

The puppies have adjusted to having a crying infant in the house -- they have not adjusted well to the fact that their mom always has the infant in her arms instead of catering to their every whim as she typically would... I keep assuring them that this will change once we become more mobile and coordinated with feedings and diaper changes. We've been on two stroller trips around the neighborhood (dogs too!) and Evey seems to enjoy a short trip in the great outdoors...but being close to home is advisable as she can suddenly melt-down and require immediate changing and/or feeding!

Evelyn is on an aggressive 1-hour schedule these days...which wears mom out, but it's all for the best possible cause. Each new schedule adjustment and behavior change has me running to my books to see what's normal and what's cause for concern -- so far, it's all completely normal and of course, exactly what folks have been trying to prepare me for. What a learning experience!

Ahh, so this is what they meant...

I meant to update this blog last week, but I was floating around in a post partum bubble of amazement and joy and was unable to focus on much else besides my precious little newborn bundle. I had to leave the house yesterday to take Evelyn to her first Pediatritian visit (neonatologist requested a 1-week post-discharge visit as opposed to the traditional 2-week visit...based on her 3-day stay in the NICU). Was the first time I left the house since I brought her home the afternoon of Friday Dec. 4th. I have no desire to leave the house at all...want to retain my bubble...know this phase won't last forever and that real life is slowly creeping it's way back in around the edges...

Evelyn Sylvia Graham was born to an enthusiastic audience of 11 people on the evening of Tuesday Dec. 1st. It wasn't meant to be a dramatic birth. In fact, our plan was to quietly birth at home, with midwives overseeing the delivery. In my 38th week of pregnancy I changed plans and decided not to birth in the hospital -- after the lamaze classes, and extensive reading and research, a 30% c-section rate at Baptist East Hospital was not at all comforting. They do things differently down here in the south; they don't allow for movement off the standard curve. This being my first pregnancy, it was likely that I'd be far from on-curve, so I switched to a home birth plan, which turned out to be a blessing...but a blessing with high dues to pay!

But more on the birth story later...

My sweet perfect Evelyn is resting comfortably as I write. I cannot believe that I have a newborn. She overwhelmes me -- I'm completely and utterly infatuated. My heart is so full, I can hardly talk about it without tears leaking out. For years I tried to convince myself that I didn't want a child of my own, didn't need one of my own, that my life could be full and complete without that experience...but I never could fully sign on to that. Tag is such an amazing father; my heart longed to share parenthood with him on a deeper level. It pulled at me constantly and I knew that I didn't want to miss out on it. Wasn't sure exactly what the "it" was...but I knew it was important and life changing. And now... Now I know what they meant. Now I know just how huge this is. It's limitless. It's gripping. And completely fabulous!

I feel oddly guilty now, for not understanding what all my friends that have gone through this were feeling. There is so much I would have done for them, so much excitement I would have shared with them! My pregnancy is that much more precious to me now, now that I know who it was all for. What it was all about. My sister-in-law Claudia wrote to me that she "coudn't understand how there could be anything but peace in the world, when people have held their babies in their arms" and that says it all so perfectly. I will never be the same.

...start your engines...

The next update will likely be an announcement of some kind.... Not to go into detail, but I do believe early labor has started (quite robustly) and my friend Sandie came over to hang out with me and distract me...she's decided to start timing my contractions since I guess they're coming faster that I think they are (?) -- they aren't all that bad, just pretty uncomfortable, and I can talk through them no problem, so we're still early in this fun game of birthing.

You'll probably hear from Taggy next with a full report -- might have news for you tomorrow or the next day -- Wish me a short, smooth and healthy delivery !!! xoxo h

Day +7

It's hard to imagine that someone so large in the mid section can eat sooooo little. I spend hours preparing the turkey only to watch Heidi the Great nibble away. Heidi is still very active walking the dogs and doing odds and ends. Her nature is not to sit still, so quite often she tires herself out. We are enjoying how our dogs (Potter in particular) are paying closer and closer attention to everything Heidi does. It's as if they are just waiting for this to be over and the routines to resume.

Keagan flew in from school in hopes of meeting his little sister to be. We all had a nice visit. He will return again from school for Winter Break in 2 1/2 weeks. Oh....Mr. Dylan has completed his first week of culinary school and loves it. He's quite impressed with his selection of Ninja knives to slice and dice small objects using various techniques.

Well...that's all for me for now. Have to take Keagan to the airport in about an hour. Hey...if you think Heidi looks big in the blog photo, you should see the one I took of her last night. "Iceberg" scale : ) love & kisses

No news is....no news

Nope. No baby. Not yet. But I got to enjoy a leisurely and decadent Thanksgiving holiday -- didn't lift a finger (so guilty!). My mom took over the heft of the kitchen duties, including the shopping, prepping, cooking AND the clean-up (how terrible am I?!). Tag deep-fried our turkeys again this year - spectacular as always.

I continue to roll around the house, larger than life...feeling those "deep sea" movements in my belly...and wondering what it will be like to have a newborn in this house. As eager as I am to reach the end of this pregnancy, I'm anxious about the enormity of the baby's arrival. Not the birth -- I'm as prepared as I can be for the challenge of birth -- just the incredibleness of her arrival...it's overwhelming to think about. Maybe she's waiting for me to settle my heart about it? Are you ever really ready for the arrival of a firstborn? What an awesome responsibility...

Let's talk about Dad

So, my dearest Tag has been on the receiving end of a vast array of reactions when folks find out we're expecting. As you might imagine.

Our friend Karla, who's been Tag's close buddy forever and ever, is nominated for most extreme reaction on the "WOW !!! I'm So Excited For You Guys!!!" end of the spectrum. I think probably Leah, Tag's college-age niece, is a shoe-in for the opposite end of the spectrum (her reaction went a little like this: "Are you serious? Uncle Tag is going to be like 100 years old when that kid goes to college!").

In any event, we can all agree that Tag is a trooper, and he's my personal Super Hero. He didn't sign on for more kids when we married...he didn't even really sign on for 400 lbs of dog when he married me (!), but he went along with that too. And he's been so amazing through all of it. This baby is Tag's ultimate gift to me, and I'm so so so blessed to have him for a life partner.

Ninth Month Musings

Due Day is coming to a close...and it makes me think back all the way to March of this year, when I first confirmed that I was (amazingly) pregnant (and on my birthday no less!). What a gift this pregnancy has been. Six years of hoping ... praying ... and suddenly, fast-forward to November and I'm counting down the days (hours?) when we'll all get to meet this precious and much anticipated addition to our family.

We spent the past nine months staying extremely busy -- this pregnancy really didn't slow me down at all until the past couple weeks. We finally 'finished' the back-yard and the Garden House turned out perfectly.

The year was full of concerts (seven total! including Eddie Vedder at the Orpheum, which was incredible) and performances (saw Wicked -- awesome, and also caught a Cirque show), camping in Michigan (in a tent, in the POURING rain, on a DEFLATED air mattress - we made it through one night and packed it in...sorry Paul), and Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City and Sharpie 500 (yes, we did our best to fit in, and I think we did an okay job -- we just pretended we were at a Harley rally :-) ).

So we've drug our little one around to all sorts of noisy cultural events and hope it's provided her with a full neurological cocktail of positive stimulation. She sure is active in the womb...maybe we over did it (?!)

Ready...set....

The nursery is stocked with tiny diapers, cozy onesies, and soft blankets --

We also hung a drum lamp and a white roman window shade, but I haven't taken photos of the room with those additions yet.

Here is the incubator in action, at 39 weeks and 5 days.

Tick Tock... Three Days till Due Date

Thought a blog might be a good way for distant friends and family to follow along as we prepare for the arrival of Baby Graham. I'll post photos along the way so you can see what the nursery looks like, what the belly looks like...

Yes! I'm still working, and VERY GLAD for the chance to be productive and focus on other things, because as those who know me well understand, waiting is NOT something I am good at.

In fact, I have been a bit irritable lately (sorry 'bout that) but I easily remind myself as often as possible that things are going so well, I'm so incredibly blessed by this pregnancy, and before we know it, it will be over and we'll be on to a completely new stage (BABY STAGE!!). So - I continue to enjoy my now gargantuan beach ball of a belly, and the movements of the Belly Monkey inside, and try to get as much good sleep as possible.