ourpeanut

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 18:32:23 GMT

lily reading.

sleepwalk

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 04:42:21 GMT

Lily fell asleep at the tail end of my walk with her. I noticed her head drifting off to the left. I figured she was looking at a lizard. But when she swayed to the other side I said "Lily? Lily?" She was asleep. Just like that. I reclined the seat in the stroller and hustled home.

to be continued...

Tue, 19 Apr 2005 15:25:34 GMT

for future baby book reference:

Lily was born March 22, 2005. exciting happenings in the news at this time include: a pope was on his death bed. a prince was about to marry his long-time mistress. a young home-wrecking pop-star was pregnant. hollywood's 'golden couple' was getting divorced. america was in it's third year of a ridiculous war in iraq. an older eccentric pop-star was on trial for child molestation. again.

anyone else got any news or current events to add?

Mon, 04 Apr 2005 16:36:01 GMT

Lilypie's stump fell off today. i saved it, for the time being, just in case i needed to put it an envelope and save it for future mortifying incidents.
she didn't seem to mind, and now the fun tummy time and bathing adventures can begin!

8 days old today!

Wed, 30 Mar 2005 18:41:11 GMT

exciting baby news from Dr. Sears' office:

-Lily has already gained back her birth weight, plus 4 ounces. this makes worrywart mom happy. she weighs in at 8 pounds 5 ounces now.
-Lily was the one of the calmest babies they had ever seen. she only fussed a little while she was naked, and mainly because Dr. Bob was shining a bright light in her eyes.
-Lily guzzles milk. she can eat and pull herself off the boob in about 5 minutes, although mom feels better when she goes to 10.
-Lily's poop is perfect. (i know, i'm excited about poop. but Dr. Bob saw it and proclaimed it perfect! so there)

all this exciting news has made the fact that i had a c-section a little easier. i managed to get her to the breast within an hour of the surgery, and i think it helped her latch. john stayed at the hospital with me so we could room-in and i put her to the boob as often as i could in those first few days, causing my milk to come in while we were still in the hospital. i kept saying no to the nurses who wanted me to supplement and give her pacifiers and they backed off (eventually).
she's a great baby. my birth story is still a big black hole i would rather forget, but she is doing really well so far. her favorite thing is snuggling on daddy's neck and falling asleep. she's a doll baby, and that makes me happy.

Wed, 23 Mar 2005 00:42:47 GMT

(Cross-posted in valency)

All,

Hilary gave birth today. All is well. Mother and baby are wonderful. She'll be there until Friday morning, so it may be a few days until the pictures, accounts and details are posted.

Thanks to all of you that have been so supportive...

Cheers!

John

P.S. I know I may just be proud papa-ing it here, but Lily is amazing. She is serene, peaceful, calm, collected, cuddly, and cuter than anything I could have ever imagined. Her little round face is framed with shocks of blonde, curly hair, her eyes are clear and alert, and she's just simply wonderful.

march 21, 2005

Mon, 21 Mar 2005 16:51:01 GMT

eeek! we are going to the hospital. my doctor said i should be on my way there. so. eeek!

(sorry, no webcast. next time, maybe.)

i'm 40 weeks and 4 days. in 20 minutes.

Mon, 21 Mar 2005 07:39:08 GMT

so my due date was thursday. i've been having irregular contractions off and on for about a week. this evening, they started around 6ish and are still going strong, 10 minutes apart, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute.
i'm probably jinxing myself but oh man, what if i don't and it is and oh my!
it's funny because we've done just about everything except: hook up carseat in john's car and pre-register at the hospital. i have no idea why we slacked on those things, but we did. so if this isn't the 'real deal', we'll make sure to do those things tomorrow.
the other plan for tomorrow (again, if this isn't the 'real deal') is el cholo! every preggo needs a last meal. mine is tomorrow night at el cholo. i just barely still fit in the booths.
so that's it. being a first-time mom, i'm thinking i 'may' be in labor. i'm trying to keep it going by bouncing and rolling around on my birth ball. the other stuff too (RRL tea and walking and pineapple {after a run to the store, thanks to someone ;] i got a major craving.} and etc.). please don't snark me if i'm not.

Tue, 15 Mar 2005 07:10:00 GMT

Dear Lily,

The first "contraction" action happened last Saturday, sometime around 4:30 p.m. Yes, we had our first "Sit up and take notice" contraction. So Mom sat up and took notice. Since then, she's gone through one 'H'-shaped sticky note after another, carefully logging all of her contractions. Some six minutes apart, others more like sixteen. But still, they are regular, they're consistent, and they're an omen. Like a new star, or high pressure calm before our water-sign baby arrives.

We BOTH noticed you are not a big fan of the contractions. You squirm and wiggle with just a bit more chutzpah than normal, and Mom swears she thinks you're trying to dig your way out of her belly feet first. You don't know this (or perhaps your do), but the more you dig, the more you'll bump into Mom's ribs and a bunch of squished internal organs that have gladly given way during Mom's nine-month Lilysaurus Rex-a-thon.

You know, it'd be just perfect if you came tomorrow, on the fifteenth. The first time you read Julius Caesar in, say, ninth or tenth grade, you'll already know what the ides of March are. You could do a science fair project on why ides are ominous, and why fifteen is fifty times better than fourteen.

Then again, you could come March 17, right on time, exactly eighteen months after your mom and I met and fell in love. I can't believe it's passed so fast.

And I can't believe you're knock knock knockin' on heaven's door...

Wow.

Love,
Dad

something is happening

Tue, 15 Mar 2005 01:02:42 GMT

over the weekend i had some contractions.
then this morning, i had some more. i'm still having them, random contractions, some stronger then others, and there are other things too. i've lost some weight. not a lot, but a couple pounds. my back is tight. an increase in the amount of discharge (ladies you know what i mean) i have. all this + irregular contractions.
i know it could mean nothing, but it could mean something. i wonder if el cholo would jumpstart anything that might (or might not) be happening. maybe regularize things a little.
some more random factoids: my stomach wall aches from her stretching and pressing. i have 2 chins. there are still (still!) some last minutes items i want to get before she comes. at night when i can't fall asleep i try to figure out who she's going to look like. of course she always has his dimples. i haven't sterilized any of my bottles (or isis but i think i'm going to do that soon) yet because that is how bad i want to breastfeed.
back to timing contractions at non-regular intervals. i've been doing this since 10:06am. hooray!

5 days till edd

Sat, 12 Mar 2005 16:20:15 GMT

the peanut is rocking and rolling this morning. she's quite happy in her little womb, with no signs of a breakout anytime soon. i figured i'd be going crazy by this time but i'm actually not. now if people would just stop calling to ask how things are going...
i'm retaining a ton of water. everything about me is swollen, no big deal. the apartment will be ready very soon. she likes to spread her legs out and push out on my belly from both sides. she'll play with you if you tickle her feet. i get irregular contractions sometimes, but nothing major. i have feelings of when and how i'm going to go. i can't wait to see if i'm right.
i think i'm going to clean. the urge to clean comes and goes for me, but i figure i better take advantage now while i'm feeling it.

fever.

Mon, 07 Mar 2005 17:19:45 GMT

i've had a fever since yesterday. i've been taking tylenol but it's still sticking. so i'm going to see my doctor in an hour. i'm bringing my bags, (just in case!) but i'm really hoping it's nothing. she's been active the whole time, i'm just worried. my fever has gone from 99 degrees to 102 degrees. currently, we are at 101 degrees.
not. good.
i feel like crying. oh hell, i am crying. i just really want everything to be ok.

38 weeks. same old, same old.

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 19:43:18 GMT

i am not dilated. not even a little. and baby's head is still waaaaay up in my pelvis, not even at any station. i am all for waiting but i refuse to go 44 weeks like my mom did with her first. 42 seems like a fine number (even if it is still 4 weeks away!). the good news is it looks like i'm going to win the bet we made.
internal exams are not your friends and joking with your doctor (and NP and john) during them does not make them better.
we're still just waiting for baby. i get to go back next week and see if my cervix decides to open up.

37 week appointment

Fri, 25 Feb 2005 21:15:16 GMT

so i am positive for the strep B gunk. meaning i get antibiotics at delivery. yee-haw!
my doctor also asked if i wanted to schedule an induction. actually, he said 'so we're waiting for baby, right?' and i said 'um, yes. for now.' and he laughed and said it was all up to me. i got a little freaked out because he put the doppler where we always put it and there was no heartbeat. then he moved it to the other side and still no heartbeat. i think my face was white at this point, but she had been squirmy just a few minutes earlier, so i didn't scream or say anything. just held my breath as he moved the doppler a bit higher. and there it was, her little 'whoosh-whoosh' baby heartbeat, sounding so much more like a real heartbeat. turns out miss lilyface thought it would be cute to turn around and get into prime birthing position, so everything was a little shifted. which explains some of those bizarro alien-type movements she had been making. this is also exciting because she is getting all ready to be born! at this point, she is not sunny-side-up, so we're hoping she stays that way, at least for my sake and the sake of an easier delivery.
so we're waiting for baby. 20 days till my due date. could be 34 days till she decides she's ready. ohmygoodness!

37 weeks pregnant today.

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 17:05:39 GMT

fullterm today. everything's formed, everything's ready for her to make her little (but very big) appearance on the world. well, not our apartment yet, but i blame that on the rain. oh hell, i'll blame everything on the rain. and i'll blame the rain and the wettest season south cali has seen on lilyface, my little water baby. the rain year starts in july, this is when we begin counting the inches. july was also when lily was first noticed. so therefore: lily = rainy seasons. 35 inches! she's a true pisces water baby, so let's hope she comes before march 20th.
and everyone tells me to rest because i will have a newborn soon but i can't. the past few nights have been an experiment in tossing and turning and flipping over and going to the bathroom and nothing can help me drift off to dreamland. i have unisom but i don't want to take it, because when i do i never get up for potty breaks and i'm afraid my bladder would explode. so i toss and turn and probably wake john up the whole time, then i stumble to the computer and try to find funny and interesting things to read there, but you know how that goes.
oh and! i'm swelling up like a sausage. i've got the lovely cankles and my ring leaves an attractive mark when i take it off that lasts for days. i've been having irregular contractions (or what i think/hope/imagine to be contractions) and every once in a while, that wonderful stabbing vagina pain. i've read that's the cervix, prepping for it's big day. speed it up, please, i say.
but in other news, i ordered a hotsling for me. i also want a ring sling, so that's next on the wishlist. everything on my wishlist is baby-related.
we measured my stomach last week and it was 43 inches or something insane. i used to have a very girlish 28ish size waist (hey i'm petite). i am actually craving crunches. i want to do them so so bad.
no pictures. i've gained everywhere, from my face (double chin and round cheeks) to my upper arms (wobble wobble) to my legs (size medium is getting a little snug) to my feet (i can only fit into my slippers and flipflops). everywhere!

baby gear

Mon, 21 Feb 2005 22:21:22 GMT

i had a doctor's appointment on friday. i got the group strep B swab. a swab here, a swab there, and my doctor didn't even check if i was effaced or dilated. "next week" he said. yeah, i'm on the once-a-week plan now. so on friday i will get the results from said dreaded swab, as well as an internal checkup. let's hope i'm a little effaced. i want to be a little bit ready.
we got the last of the gear we 'needed', too, a bouncer seat (that folds up for travel) and a pack n play. the pack n play is still in the box, but i pulled the chair out and set it up. then i put batteries in it and the pooh bear from lex. it's cute. john put together the swing and we both have decided we want to be shrunk down to baby size so we can use it too. it's so soft and sweet and waddles the duck is residing in it for now.
i have no idea how much i will use this stuff as i plan on wearing my baby. but it's nice that we have such cute stuff (uh-oh my materialistic side is showing).
these last few weeks have been/are going to be the worst, so far. i had been having a ball until a week or two ago, that's when it started getting really hard to breath or get comfortable at all. and i keep getting bigger! my weight jumped in 2 weeks and i have no idea how, i have actually been eating less, i think.
doctor guesstimates she's about 5 pounds so far. i have 3 thank you cards left to write. my parents are coming to visit this week and drop of the cradle (and we want to take them to el cholo because it's just that good!). after that, she's welcome any time.

Thu, 17 Feb 2005 03:52:38 GMT

dear lily,

mommy is getting ready. see?

all of your stuff is in place, your clothes, toys, little rattle mittens and socks, a cradle, bibs, diapers, hats, slippers, even ugg boots and bowling shoes (thank you aunt looloo!)

so much love. so much anticipation. we're ready lily. when will you be?

love, dad

baby name fun

Mon, 14 Feb 2005 18:02:39 GMT

and you thought Jermajesty Jackson was bad?
i just want to know what they were thinking.

Thu, 10 Feb 2005 04:27:13 GMT

Lily, I need to take a second and write down the things Mom has craved while you've been stowed away in her belly...

At one point or another, she's craved:

Hot dogs on whole wheat buns
Cranberry juice
Fruit juice popsicles
Pizza with white sauce
Raisins
Bean and cheese burritos
Jello
Jello pudding
Macaroni and cheese
A jelly donut
Chocolate milk
Carnation instant breakfasts
Oatmeal cookie dough ice cream
Cheeseburger pie
Sunchips
Slushy from Dairy Queen
Six dollar westerns

...I am certain there are other items not listed that are even more strange, but... it's all I can think of for now. It's been a long day, a long month. It's hard to think, hard to focus. But one thing we are focused on is you: we are both so excited and anxious to meet you...

pediatrician update

Wed, 09 Feb 2005 18:41:11 GMT

Oh Dr. Jim Sears. Even with your coffee breath, we would have chosen you.
The interview went well, most of our questions were answered by the pamphlet and the huge updated version of The Baby Book they left with us to peruse while waiting for Dr. Jim. He himself is very nice, and very obviously loves being a pediatrician, so hopefully, if all systems go, Dr. Jim will be Lilyface's ped. He is going to let us delay vaxxing for a few months and only get one shot per visit when we do vax, so I'm happy. Plus, there was not one formula poster or pad of paper or pen from a formula company that I could see in the entire place, just BF posters and cute baby shots and photos of the whole Sears clan (they are a good-looking group, too).
We ended up buying The Baby Book as we were leaving, and low and behold, it's signed! Which is funny because I had said earlier to John: "I want to bring in The Birth Book and The Breastfeeding Book and get them signed. But that's probably crazy talk, right?" We decided it was.
Lately I've been acting like such a raging shrew. I'm sure it has to do with the ever-shrinking countdown till Lilysaurus Rex makes her appearance. I'm starting to get scared and nervous and really could I just fall asleep for the next 5 weeks and wake up with a baby in my arms? Everything is just becoming a lot more real, a lot more in my face, a lot more oh-my-word type moments. But I will overcome. I always do.
35 weeks today. Why does saying that make me want to scream? And not in the cheesy off-key Ashlee Simpson sort of way?

i get grumpy when it's gray out.

Mon, 07 Feb 2005 17:58:21 GMT

sorting through all the stuff i got at my shower is just frustrating me. and it shouldn't, right? people were very very generous, and i got a lot of great stuff, but i don't know how many of this or that (onesies and sleepers) i'll need in what sizes. i don't know what to take back and what to keep. i don't know where half of this stuff will go, and then i freak out because holy shit! a baby has to fit into my house, too. and if i can't find room for diapers, i don't know what i'm going to do with all the baby gear.
i have about 20 sleepers in the 0-3 month size, and about 15 onesies. too many, methinks, even if i don't have a washer and dryer close by. i just hate that it's all new to me, that i have no idea how big she'll be when she comes out, so i have no idea how many of what size i'll need, etc etc etc.
but i did order the super expensive diaper bag i wanted because it'll double as a purse and i wanted something i wouldn't mind looking at for 12 months or however long diaper bags are needed. 24 months? i don't know and it's driving me crazy!
we also ordered a swing, because we fell in love with it at the store. so now i have to find room for that when it comes.
the shower was great though, it was so nice to see my friends and family and everyone had a good time and my mom had pink roses everywhere and i got to show off my new bling (left hand ring finger bling!) and everyone ooohed and aaahed over john's good taste in bling. my mom deserves a gold star for all she did and the cutest part of the shower was when i opened up a card and money fell out and it was from john saying for me and my mom to go get pedicures before baby comes and just that he was really excited for baby.
my old boss kajsa gave me a breast pump, the avent isis. she is swedish and had to fly home at the last minute because her dad is sick, but i was so touched she got me something anyway. she is a big attachment parenting advocate, and i had hoped to talk to her about some things, but now i just hope her dad is ok.
there's more, but i keep looking at the stack of baby clothes i have to sort though and i'm guessing i should do that.

34 weeks! oh my goodness!

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 17:10:22 GMT

can i just say i love my baby classes? i really do. last night was the last night of the 4 week course and i was a little sad. even though the obnoxious couple asked obnoxious questions, i think i'll miss everyone a little. we exchanged numbers with the couple that lives in san clemente (Glen and Katie), they seemed really cool and she is due with a boy right after me, so it would be nice to have baby friends. i think it was such a good idea to take the classes, (even if they did cost a little bit of money), john learned so much and it got him a lot more excited, i think.
and we had the tour, which was very nice (the hospital is really great) and we saw a brand new family on their way to a pp room and it was so cute, the dad was wheeling the bassinet and the baby was just staring up at him and oh all us girls melted a little. everytime a baby is born, the new dad (or support person) gets to press this button and it plays Brahm's Lullaby over the entire hospital. last night we heard it 5 times! busy night last night.
i still have 2 classes left, prenatal breastfeeding next week and then infant CPR in a couple weeks. oh my gosh everything is happening so fast!
and i think (hope) i found a pediatrician! Dr. Jim Sears (son of Dr. William Sears!) practices with his dad and brothers less then 5 miles from my house and i had no idea. we have an interview next week and i am so excited! (and yes, i never thought i would get excited about choosing a pediatrician but you know.)
34 week appointment on friday, alexis and my shower on saturday, class on monday, ped interview on wednesday. wow. things are really starting to happen. eep!

Freschetta 3-cheese-and-bacon pizza rules!

Wed, 26 Jan 2005 21:19:07 GMT

33 weeks down or 50 days to go. either way, it's getting dangerously close. wow.
i am starting to get more uncomfortable. when i sleep, i hate all the pillows but when i don't use them, my stomach aches. it feel like it's getting so stretched out and i just want to sleep how i used to sleep. oh and my tailbone gets sore sometimes and that's 'completely normal' according to kim, our birth class teacher. last night at the store i got 2 really bad BH contractions and i made john touch my stomach and he was pretty impressed. uterus of steel i have! and she loves to kick me in the ribs and it's cute and sometimes i catch her foot and she'll stop but she always starts again. she's fiesty.
i asked my doctor about inductions and his feelings on it. he said he would never force me to be induced but after 38 weeks, i can request it. i'm sure that's for all the OC mom's out here who probably scream and cry and 'want it out now!' all the time. so far, i'm letting nature take it's course. she'll come when she's ready.
and it better be 50 days+! because i'm still not ready yet.
in a sidenote, i'm getting a haircut and highlights this weekend because i feel butt ugly. taylor will make me pretty again even if i weigh more then i ever thought i would weigh ever. my mom and i will be discussing the shower, stamping and the hotsling knockoff i want her to sew me.
baby class today, breathing exercises today (which is eh for me, i feel like a dolt sitting in the class in the dark breathing, mainly because i don't know if i'm doing anything effective) and hopefully more delicious cookies. (hahaha, lily just kicked me. she likes the cookies too) so far i've been working on my birth plan and my list of things to pack in my hospital bag. i've never stayed in a hospital for anything. not a broken bone or illness or anything. eep!

Mon, 24 Jan 2005 03:51:43 GMT

Dear Lily:

I was sitting on the floor sorting and folding excess sweaters and jeans that don't fit anymore when your mom called out, "Look at my belly!"

Let me put it this way: a portion of your little body was protruding in a crease of baby goodness from Mom's belly.

I said, "Wow!" Then, "Does that hurt?"
Mom said, "Yes, it hurts."

I then began folding the sweaters and jeans with greater zest. Needless to say, we're ready for you to be here. We're ready to fill up the closet I'm emptying with a new assortment of important items, such as little onesies (pink, green, white) and sweaters and outfits and lots of accessories, including a Boppy from one of two very kind New Hampshire-ites who happen to be watching you grow from thousands of miles away.

Just be nice to Mommy in these last few weeks. The two of you have been a good team thus far, and Mom is aware of your every move. Just be soft. Mom is a little person, and her body is trying its best to make lots of room for you...

Love,
Dad

birth balls and boppys

Fri, 21 Jan 2005 03:33:56 GMT

last night john had to go back to work after birth class. until 2am. when he came home though, he was bearing a gift. a birth ball! i've been bouncing on it all day and my ass and tailbone thank me.
i have also been using the breathing methods she went over last night because i keep having BH contractions. they don't hurt, they are just annoying, on top of baby girl poking me all the time and i am just really ready to be done with this. gah and i still have 8-9 weeks.
but! today a huge box from amazon.com came and i opened it and it was my barenaked boppy! from robin and it went with the other box i finally got to open (i was under strict orders to wait to open the first package) which had the pink slipcover i wanted. it was so nice of her and i cried. of course i also cried while watching i love the 90's (oh and opening a card from my parents), but we won't mention that. but thank you robin! it really made me smile (through my tears) on an otherwise rough day. what a thoughtful thing to do.
i have questions to ask my doc on monday (must not forget!). and how happy was i to hear my hospital is partnered with WHO as breast-feeding friendly? very happy, even if no one in my class seemed to care.