It has indeed been two months since Oliver was born. I am having trouble remembering all that went on over the last eight weeks. It's all a blur! The last post I had on here was regarding our return with Ollie from Children's Hospital. I apologize for the lack of any updates since then, but "no news is good news."
I am pretty surprised that we are not tearing each other apart, given the fact that we all become someone else when sleep deprived. Oliver has been getting some longer stretches in at night now. However, Evelyn is teething yet (now getting in her molars) and I swear its like clockwork - as soon as Ollie goes down after his early-AM feeding, she is up crying.
One fantastic difference in the time from the last post to now is the weather. Spring is finally here in earnest, giving us ample opportunity to be outdoors with the kids. Evie can't get enough, and several of her "tantrums" (more like whiny protests) concern not being able to pop outside whenever she wants to.
Both kids are growing so fast. As for Ollie, he is smiling more and more, and now developing a giggle every now and then. His neonatal hair fell out quickly and he is growing in his 'real' hair. It seems to be coming in a sandy blond, with some tints of auburn. Evie's had moments like this too, so I expect Ollie to end up kinda light-brownish. We are praying it doesn't come out red!
Evelyn continues to turn into a "big girl." All too fast as well. Her vocabulary and speech skills are astounding for 18 months. She will randomly start reciting the alphabet - starting anywhere between F and L it seems. Whenever she starts at the beginning, she gets as far as E and stops. But if she starts at L, it is likely to hear her get all the way through with a triumphant "zeeeee!" at the end. The same goes with numbers. When I was teaching her numbers I was also showing her how to count with her fingers. So when she starts counting off 1 through 10, she is throwing in some crazy signs with her hands too. She is such a gangsta. Evelyn is also into prayers - tonight before bed she demanded prayers over and over again. She doesn't fold her hands so much as she covers her eyes when she prays - adorable! She begins with "Dee Gawd" (Dear God) and then mumbles her own bit of language, and ends with "men-ah!" (The Evelyn version of Amen). She also, in her challenge of adapting to baby brother Ollie, has become cognizant of misbehavior when she does it. So, we get a lot of pre-emptive "saw-wee" (sorry) when she is about to be naughty or while she is being naughty. The major problem we have is that she is so damn cute that when we are trying to discipline or show displeasure, it is extremely hard to keep a smile off our faces to be 'serious' with her.
Oliver, by the way, is facinated with Evelyn. We knew someday he would think the world of Evie, just not this soon. I think it's because she oftentimes is the first "to rescue" Ollie from his discomfort. If he whimpers the slightest bit, she drops what she is doing and rushes to his side saying, "Kay, Aw-yee" (It's/are you OK Ollie). She plants kiss after kiss on him, hugs him, pats him, etc. She loves Ollie...and he loves her. Oftentimes his smiles are directed right at Evelyn. We couldn't be more proud of either of them!
All of their albums have been recently updated, by the way. Feel free to browse the pics!
www.meggisi.org/oliver
www.meggisi.org/evelyn
I am pretty surprised that we are not tearing each other apart, given the fact that we all become someone else when sleep deprived. Oliver has been getting some longer stretches in at night now. However, Evelyn is teething yet (now getting in her molars) and I swear its like clockwork - as soon as Ollie goes down after his early-AM feeding, she is up crying.
One fantastic difference in the time from the last post to now is the weather. Spring is finally here in earnest, giving us ample opportunity to be outdoors with the kids. Evie can't get enough, and several of her "tantrums" (more like whiny protests) concern not being able to pop outside whenever she wants to.
Both kids are growing so fast. As for Ollie, he is smiling more and more, and now developing a giggle every now and then. His neonatal hair fell out quickly and he is growing in his 'real' hair. It seems to be coming in a sandy blond, with some tints of auburn. Evie's had moments like this too, so I expect Ollie to end up kinda light-brownish. We are praying it doesn't come out red!
Evelyn continues to turn into a "big girl." All too fast as well. Her vocabulary and speech skills are astounding for 18 months. She will randomly start reciting the alphabet - starting anywhere between F and L it seems. Whenever she starts at the beginning, she gets as far as E and stops. But if she starts at L, it is likely to hear her get all the way through with a triumphant "zeeeee!" at the end. The same goes with numbers. When I was teaching her numbers I was also showing her how to count with her fingers. So when she starts counting off 1 through 10, she is throwing in some crazy signs with her hands too. She is such a gangsta. Evelyn is also into prayers - tonight before bed she demanded prayers over and over again. She doesn't fold her hands so much as she covers her eyes when she prays - adorable! She begins with "Dee Gawd" (Dear God) and then mumbles her own bit of language, and ends with "men-ah!" (The Evelyn version of Amen). She also, in her challenge of adapting to baby brother Ollie, has become cognizant of misbehavior when she does it. So, we get a lot of pre-emptive "saw-wee" (sorry) when she is about to be naughty or while she is being naughty. The major problem we have is that she is so damn cute that when we are trying to discipline or show displeasure, it is extremely hard to keep a smile off our faces to be 'serious' with her.
Oliver, by the way, is facinated with Evelyn. We knew someday he would think the world of Evie, just not this soon. I think it's because she oftentimes is the first "to rescue" Ollie from his discomfort. If he whimpers the slightest bit, she drops what she is doing and rushes to his side saying, "Kay, Aw-yee" (It's/are you OK Ollie). She plants kiss after kiss on him, hugs him, pats him, etc. She loves Ollie...and he loves her. Oftentimes his smiles are directed right at Evelyn. We couldn't be more proud of either of them!
All of their albums have been recently updated, by the way. Feel free to browse the pics!
www.meggisi.org/oliver
www.meggisi.org/evelyn
We were able to bring Oliver home from Children's this afternoon, earlier than we had anticipated. YAY! The doctor doing morning rounds concluded that he has only improved since coming in on Tuesday, and the cultures have not presented any evidence of infection or complication. So, by 1pm he was discharged, and we were home by 2.
Ollie has one wicked cough he is working through, though...evidence of the upswing, as his little body is trying to get all the gunk out. He has not had a fever since he was admitted, and he is eating and sleeping well. We have an appointment with our pediatrician tomorrow to make sure everything is good - and to take another look at his ears.
We are so very happy to have our family back together again...especially Evie! Thanks to everyone for their words of support and the prayers, which clearly have been answered! Once I catch up around the house, we do have some new pictures to upload, so check back soon.
Ollie has one wicked cough he is working through, though...evidence of the upswing, as his little body is trying to get all the gunk out. He has not had a fever since he was admitted, and he is eating and sleeping well. We have an appointment with our pediatrician tomorrow to make sure everything is good - and to take another look at his ears.
We are so very happy to have our family back together again...especially Evie! Thanks to everyone for their words of support and the prayers, which clearly have been answered! Once I catch up around the house, we do have some new pictures to upload, so check back soon.
Well, I was really hoping to give an "upbeat" update, post some new pics, and be able to say that Oliver is doing well. In fact, until about 9pm last night, that plan would have been golden. Unfortunately, our little Ollie got sick last night. It was like someone threw a switch -- all of a sudden fussy, wouldn't sleep, crying, and temperature rising. About 10pm he only had a temp of about 99.5, so we hoped it was just something that would pass soon. Indigestion? Small cold? Unfortunately, the night pressed on with little improvement and more evidence of illness (goopy eyes, runny nose, etc).
About 5am today we measured his temp at 100.6. Called the doctor, and he went in for a visit at 1130. They could see that his right ear was infected. Ear infections are extremely rare for infants...and with the fever, they had us take Ollie to the ER at Children's Hospital in St. Paul.
About 5am today we measured his temp at 100.6. Called the doctor, and he went in for a visit at 1130. They could see that his right ear was infected. Ear infections are extremely rare for infants...and with the fever, they had us take Ollie to the ER at Children's Hospital in St. Paul.
The
big deal with his condition is that they are worried about meningitis or some
other bacterial infection. He does have infection in both ears -- extremely
rare for a 13-dy-old to even have infection in one ear let alone two. And since
the membrane that separates the inner ear from the brain is extremely thin at
this age, it is an even larger concern. So, they had to do a spinal tap on the
poor little guy (along with blood draws, having a heplock in for IV drugs,
being catheterized to get a urine sample, and having saline blasted up his
nasal passage to get snot samples for RSV/Influenza testing). He has been
through a ton of shit.
He
is in the NICU at Childrens, and not so much for his condition, but because Med-Surg was full up
and the census numbers are down currently for NICU (read: it is slow in the
NICU - they have room for 50 there and Ollie is one of like 10 they have in
right now). That rocks, actually, because the standard of care in NICU has no
comparison. It is the best.
That is the update for now. Everyone's thoughts and prayers are appreciated!
On February 18th, we welcomed our new baby boy into this world! Oliver David Pierson was 9 lbs, 5 oz, and 21.75 inches at birth. A big boy! The delivery was by c-section, and it went perfectly. We only had to stay in the hospital for two days because both "Ollie" and Sarah had fantastic recoveries.
We have been home now just over a week. (We came home the afternoon of the 20th.) It seems like things are finally adjusting to reality a bit more. Our biggest concern was Evelyn, who is now 17 months old, and very aware that a major change has taken place (see prior post). From their first meeting in the hospital the day after Ollie was born, Evelyn was smitten with her little brother. She loves to kiss him, pet him on the head, try to hold his hands, and really just can't leave the poor guy alone! That "honeymoon" period is fading a bit, however, as Evie has become frustrated with a combination of things: 1. Mommy can't pick her up (due to the surgery). This has led to a slight acting out against Daddy (I think Evie thinks that I am not letting Sarah pick her up. Although there is truth to that, it really is doctor's orders -- if Sarah could, she would.) 2. Evelyn has noticed that Oliver garners immediate attention with any little fuss he makes. Therefore this has led to the imitation of sounds her brother makes in an attempt to get the same reaction from us. 3. Evelyn is fighting off an ear infection (her first) and is really pissy about the medicine and the way it makes her feel. I don't blame her a bit.
I am sure that there are a number of other things on Evie's mind, but for now she really does love and care for Ollie. She has not acted out against him and that is what is most important to us. Also, knowing Evie's personality and the "mellowness" that Ollie has already exhibited, we think that once Ollie is 4-6 months old, his big sister is going to be the star of the show in his world. And she is going to ham it up!
OK, some more on Oliver. First off, the name. Sarah has always liked Oliver (and probably the most likeable quality of the name is being able to call him "Ollie"..it's pretty cool.) Even when we were discussing baby names for Evelyn, she had Oliver at the top of her list for boy names. So we stuck with that. His middle name, David, is my father's name. We thought it was truly appropriate to honor Dad in this way.
Ollie is a true newborn...sleep, eat, sleep, eat. The same drill. His sleep spans are a bit longer than what we had with Evie, and we think it may be because he is a solid 9 1/2 pounds. The thing about his size is that he is certainly bigger than average (90th percentile for weight and length), but he is not a "fat" baby...or even chunky, pudgy, etc. In fact, when you look at him, you really can't believe that he is that big because he is so proportional. I guess the easiest way to really relate is to consider that Oliver has the measurements of a kid who has been out of the womb for 30 days, not 10.
Life at home has been very good since our return from the hospital. I took vacation and family leave, not only to help with the adjusting but more importantly because Sarah can't lift anything heavier than 15-20 lbs for 4-6 weeks. She is healing rapidly, but we certainly cannot afford taking chances. The main lifting around here -- as I mentioned above -- is Evelyn, who tips the scales at about 26 lbs these days. We have been able to settle into a pattern that gives us some ability to catch up on sleep. Since Evelyn naps in the afternoon, so do Sarah and I. (Ollie, naturally, sleeps all the time.) Nighttimes have been getting better. We can typically expect to get into bed between 10-11 pm, and not have to wake to feed Ollie until about midnight-1am. Sometimes that time has stretched to 2am, which we are trying to limit. Oliver has already shown a tendancy to oversleep his hunger pangs, and our pediatrician said we need to keep him on about a 4 hour-between-feedings cycle if at all possible. No more than that. So, we can reasonably expect to be up again with Oliver around 4-5 am, which typically coincides with Evelyn's 5am wake up. We have been pretty sucessful in getting Evie back to bed until about 7am when she is up for the day. If the overnight goes as well as I am describing above, we are doing pretty damn good. There have been some rough nights, but they seem to come and go.
Oliver already had his first "outing" yesterday, too. Something we were not brave enough to do with Evelyn, and especially during wintertime. We had taken him to his one-week checkup at the pediatrician, and then ran an errand to St. Paul. We grabbed a bite at the Blue Door Pub (the Blucy Lucy is as good as they say it is, BTW). He didn't wake one bit! We are looking forward to a week where we can get out with both him and Evie again, and are praying for warmer weather. However, this is March in Minnesota.
Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes and congratulations! Remember, you can keep up with all the kid's pictures at the following links on the site:
www.meggisi.org/evelyn
www.meggisi.org/oliver
We have been home now just over a week. (We came home the afternoon of the 20th.) It seems like things are finally adjusting to reality a bit more. Our biggest concern was Evelyn, who is now 17 months old, and very aware that a major change has taken place (see prior post). From their first meeting in the hospital the day after Ollie was born, Evelyn was smitten with her little brother. She loves to kiss him, pet him on the head, try to hold his hands, and really just can't leave the poor guy alone! That "honeymoon" period is fading a bit, however, as Evie has become frustrated with a combination of things: 1. Mommy can't pick her up (due to the surgery). This has led to a slight acting out against Daddy (I think Evie thinks that I am not letting Sarah pick her up. Although there is truth to that, it really is doctor's orders -- if Sarah could, she would.) 2. Evelyn has noticed that Oliver garners immediate attention with any little fuss he makes. Therefore this has led to the imitation of sounds her brother makes in an attempt to get the same reaction from us. 3. Evelyn is fighting off an ear infection (her first) and is really pissy about the medicine and the way it makes her feel. I don't blame her a bit.
I am sure that there are a number of other things on Evie's mind, but for now she really does love and care for Ollie. She has not acted out against him and that is what is most important to us. Also, knowing Evie's personality and the "mellowness" that Ollie has already exhibited, we think that once Ollie is 4-6 months old, his big sister is going to be the star of the show in his world. And she is going to ham it up!
OK, some more on Oliver. First off, the name. Sarah has always liked Oliver (and probably the most likeable quality of the name is being able to call him "Ollie"..it's pretty cool.) Even when we were discussing baby names for Evelyn, she had Oliver at the top of her list for boy names. So we stuck with that. His middle name, David, is my father's name. We thought it was truly appropriate to honor Dad in this way.
Ollie is a true newborn...sleep, eat, sleep, eat. The same drill. His sleep spans are a bit longer than what we had with Evie, and we think it may be because he is a solid 9 1/2 pounds. The thing about his size is that he is certainly bigger than average (90th percentile for weight and length), but he is not a "fat" baby...or even chunky, pudgy, etc. In fact, when you look at him, you really can't believe that he is that big because he is so proportional. I guess the easiest way to really relate is to consider that Oliver has the measurements of a kid who has been out of the womb for 30 days, not 10.
Life at home has been very good since our return from the hospital. I took vacation and family leave, not only to help with the adjusting but more importantly because Sarah can't lift anything heavier than 15-20 lbs for 4-6 weeks. She is healing rapidly, but we certainly cannot afford taking chances. The main lifting around here -- as I mentioned above -- is Evelyn, who tips the scales at about 26 lbs these days. We have been able to settle into a pattern that gives us some ability to catch up on sleep. Since Evelyn naps in the afternoon, so do Sarah and I. (Ollie, naturally, sleeps all the time.) Nighttimes have been getting better. We can typically expect to get into bed between 10-11 pm, and not have to wake to feed Ollie until about midnight-1am. Sometimes that time has stretched to 2am, which we are trying to limit. Oliver has already shown a tendancy to oversleep his hunger pangs, and our pediatrician said we need to keep him on about a 4 hour-between-feedings cycle if at all possible. No more than that. So, we can reasonably expect to be up again with Oliver around 4-5 am, which typically coincides with Evelyn's 5am wake up. We have been pretty sucessful in getting Evie back to bed until about 7am when she is up for the day. If the overnight goes as well as I am describing above, we are doing pretty damn good. There have been some rough nights, but they seem to come and go.
Oliver already had his first "outing" yesterday, too. Something we were not brave enough to do with Evelyn, and especially during wintertime. We had taken him to his one-week checkup at the pediatrician, and then ran an errand to St. Paul. We grabbed a bite at the Blue Door Pub (the Blucy Lucy is as good as they say it is, BTW). He didn't wake one bit! We are looking forward to a week where we can get out with both him and Evie again, and are praying for warmer weather. However, this is March in Minnesota.
Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes and congratulations! Remember, you can keep up with all the kid's pictures at the following links on the site:
www.meggisi.org/evelyn
www.meggisi.org/oliver
We are experiencing a "February Thaw" here which is not that uncommon. The temp hit 47 last night (overnight today) as a blast of warm air moved in from the south, accompanied by strong gusty winds. After a winter of well over 30" of snowfall, we really haven't seen bare ground since early November. This morning we woke to the sight of several large areas of bare grass on the lawns, and the snowbanks have shrunk to less than half the size they were yesterday. (We had some on our property that were 5 feet high at the end of the driveway).
I thought to myself that things are changing. Seasons change. Weather changes. So do our lives. We are only 9 days away (or less) from welcoming our new baby boy into this world. Sarah's C-Section is scheduled for the 18th, and man is she ready. Her actual due date is Feb. 26th, but due to the complications she had delivering Evelyn (and the hospital's "no-VBAC policy") we had to schedule a C-Section. Having a new baby in the house will be a huge change for all of us.
Lots of friends and family have asked if Evie "knows" that change is coming. We know she has been perplexed by Sarah's big belly, but that is about it. However, last Sunday, I put up the crib for the new baby while she was napping. It will be in our (me and Sarah's) room for the first few months at least, so that Evie can have a fair chance at sleeping. When Evie woke up, she came into our room and saw the crib and was immediately excited, but equally confused. The look on her face was precious -- one of ponderance and curiosity. I told her, "This is where [name redacted] will sleep. Can you say [redacted]'s bed?" And she smiled and nodded saying, "[redacted]'s bed!"
Yes, we have chosen a name. But as we did with Evelyn, we are keeping it a secret until he is introduced to the world. Evelyn only says it when you ask her to repeat it back to you. If you ask her, "What is your baby brother's name?"she just gives you the "RCA Dog" look.
Meanwhile, the rest of our preparations are plodding along. We have been cleaning the carpets. The bathrooms will need a final scrubdown this week. Lots of reorganizing and storing/spacemaking. We are indeed ready to receive Baby Boy Pierson at home at this point, we just need to reduce the clutter and make sure everything is stocked. Sarah announced a required Target and grocery store expedition has been planned for this week.
Overall the world is changing. It was refreshing to see Obama's press conference last night, with most of the focus on the "Stim." His attitude is so refreshing. He exudes confidence and a no-nonsense attitude toward his goals, and what is best for America. It is something we only saw once (and barely even then) from #43, and that was after the attacks of 9/11. Things will definately get a little worse before they get better -- just like Obama has admitted time and again. But they will change.
And so will the weather. By the time I get back on here to post about our new baby boy, the weather will most likely be more seasonal again...with temps below freezing and people waiting impatiently for March Maddness to begin. Wish us luck, pray for the health of the baby and of Sarah, and we will update you very soon!
I thought to myself that things are changing. Seasons change. Weather changes. So do our lives. We are only 9 days away (or less) from welcoming our new baby boy into this world. Sarah's C-Section is scheduled for the 18th, and man is she ready. Her actual due date is Feb. 26th, but due to the complications she had delivering Evelyn (and the hospital's "no-VBAC policy") we had to schedule a C-Section. Having a new baby in the house will be a huge change for all of us.
Lots of friends and family have asked if Evie "knows" that change is coming. We know she has been perplexed by Sarah's big belly, but that is about it. However, last Sunday, I put up the crib for the new baby while she was napping. It will be in our (me and Sarah's) room for the first few months at least, so that Evie can have a fair chance at sleeping. When Evie woke up, she came into our room and saw the crib and was immediately excited, but equally confused. The look on her face was precious -- one of ponderance and curiosity. I told her, "This is where [name redacted] will sleep. Can you say [redacted]'s bed?" And she smiled and nodded saying, "[redacted]'s bed!"
Yes, we have chosen a name. But as we did with Evelyn, we are keeping it a secret until he is introduced to the world. Evelyn only says it when you ask her to repeat it back to you. If you ask her, "What is your baby brother's name?"she just gives you the "RCA Dog" look.
Meanwhile, the rest of our preparations are plodding along. We have been cleaning the carpets. The bathrooms will need a final scrubdown this week. Lots of reorganizing and storing/spacemaking. We are indeed ready to receive Baby Boy Pierson at home at this point, we just need to reduce the clutter and make sure everything is stocked. Sarah announced a required Target and grocery store expedition has been planned for this week.
Overall the world is changing. It was refreshing to see Obama's press conference last night, with most of the focus on the "Stim." His attitude is so refreshing. He exudes confidence and a no-nonsense attitude toward his goals, and what is best for America. It is something we only saw once (and barely even then) from #43, and that was after the attacks of 9/11. Things will definately get a little worse before they get better -- just like Obama has admitted time and again. But they will change.
And so will the weather. By the time I get back on here to post about our new baby boy, the weather will most likely be more seasonal again...with temps below freezing and people waiting impatiently for March Maddness to begin. Wish us luck, pray for the health of the baby and of Sarah, and we will update you very soon!
Sitting next to every airline captain who performs acts of heroism such as ditching an A320 into the Hudson River and saving the lives of all aboard his airplane is a very capable and equally heroic First Officer. (Or, for you non-airline folks, "Co-Pilot") While Capt. Sullenberger certainly deserves all the kudos and well wishes he has received, equal credit needs to be given to his F/O. Hopefully, when he gets his time at a microphone, he says as much.
OK... we are experiencing the coldest weather in five years here in Minnesota. Temperatures overnight -- across the state, including in the Twin Cities Metro -- were around -20F. (Yup...that's twenty-below-zero!) Wind chill values were around -30F to -40F around the state, with some areas getting to -50F!! As a result the National Weather Service has posted a "Wind Chill Warning" across the area, which will last through the day. The warning says "
A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR ANDMost "outstate" school districts closed today as a result of the warning. However, metro area school districts did not. Shame on them. I hope that parents did the right thing and kept their kids home today...regardless if they are "bussers" or "walkers." The wind chills are just as bad in-town as out-of-town. We have a bus stop for three schools on our property, and when the elementary school bus pulled up this morning, the wind chill was -39F according to my weather station (www.lakevilleweather.com).
WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS WILL
RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA OR DEATH IF
PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN."
Sunday morning...we really should be attending church this morning. Probably would have been one of the best things to do with, and for, Evie. I think fatigue won over, however, and convinced me that it was just way too much to deal with. Horrible. But it got me thinking about routines, and what exactly my "routine" is with Evie. So I am going to blog it...as we head through the day, I will add a little more to the entry...with time stamps so you can keep track and try not to get confused.
As a preface, I will say that last night was the first in about ten that she slept well. The holidays completely interrupted her "normal" sleep habit, which only once-in-a-while involved her waking up and whining for a pacifier. As of late, she was waking anywhere from 2-4 times a night and crying for either a pacifier or water or milk or just some cuddle time. The Pierson family has operated on mainly zombie status as a result. It has been particularly hard on Sarah who is trying to get through her last month of pregnancy as best she can...and insomnia is already prevalent due to the discomfort of Baby Boy Pierson in restless gestation. She is not getting any help from her daughter (and to some extent her husband...with my snoring).
[1000]
So, last night Evie rested well. She is awake and refreshed this morning, and really I should have been too -- at least well enough to go to church. Instead we entered into a typical morning routine: Wake at 0700 or just before. Change overnight diaper. Evie tries to get mommy out of bed while daddy ambles into the kitchen to brew coffee. Mommy then heads into bathroom to get ready for her day, daddy extracts Evie (with mild protest) from mommy and out to the living room and kitchen. Unfortunately, mild protest becomes a moderate tantrum, and we decide to let her stay near mommy. At some point, the constant clinging and hanging all over mommy is too much, and Sarah asks me to take her out to the kitchen with the bribe of television. Thus begins her daily dosage of television (anchored by Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). Mommy rushes to get out the door, hopefully grabbing something to eat on the way...she has to be to work a bit earlier this morning. I prepare some oatmeal for Evie and she scarfs it down. Breakfast ends for Evie and it is time for play. Kitchen cleanup is typically hampered by that playtime ending up "under foot" as Sarah likes to say, and today is no different...but eventually it gets done. The morning diaper change typically occurs soon after breakfast, and like clockwork the smell invades the kitchen. Evie has been pretty good about this typically, and when you ask her, "Do we need to change your diaper?" she responds positively and will even lead you to her room. Not today. Today it is a shake of the head with a, "Nooo!" But I can tell she has a load, and I scoop her up and bring her into her room. More kicking and arching of the back, twisting and turning to attempt some sort of ejection from my clutches. I get her on the floor and positioned relatively well over a changing pad, and as soon as I reach for the zipper on her jammies, she flips over and crawls away. This morning, I am not in the mood for chasing her, and announce, "Fine, have it your way and run around with poop in your pants all morning." I leave her in the room and return to the kitchen and resume my daily perusal of Facebook activity. About three minutes pass, and she emerges from her room, heads over to her toy collection in the living room and finds her plush Winnie-the-Pooh bear. She brings it to me saying in her sweetest voice, "Hi!" and grinning ear-to-ear hands Pooh to me like a peace offering. She says, "Uh, Uh!" which means "Up" and I hoist her onto my lap, the odor of her diaper even more pungent. "Should we change your diaper now?" I query, and this time Evie responds with a nod. Diaper changes that go well, like this one evenutally did, lead to some sort of book reading in her Evie's room. I say "some sort" because she typically remains engaged with a book for about three pages before diverting her attention either to a different book or to run back out to the living room where the bulk of her toys are. Books, toys, a little chasing and wrestling here and there, and we arrive at mid-morning snack time. Evie munches on some cinnamon snack toast, and I write this part of the entry.
[1220]
Well, Evie just went down for nap. Here is what happened leading up to naptime. Not too long after morning snack time, we are engaged in a flurry of book reading. First the Dora book, then the "I Went Walking," followed by her all-time-sing-it-until-you-are-about-ready-to-do-something-illegal favorite book, "Wheels On the Bus." (We have the "Sing along with Raffi" version. There are times I am thankful for Raffi, and other times where I want to 'phone' him up in Canada and say, 'Fuck you, eh?' My father-in-law warned me about that. Sorry, John. I should have listened to you. Haha.) It dawns on me that I meant to upload some pictures to have printed today so I can update my photo album that I bring with me on trips. "Would you like to go downstairs with Daddy?" I ask, and Evie runs to the gate atop the stairs and attempts to rip it down. We spend some good time with her on my lap in front of the computer in the office, perusing pictures going back to last summer. She notices my USB headset sitting on the desk, and points to it saying, "Eh, eh, eh?" I reply, "Do you want to listen to these?" She nods 'yes.' So I fit them to her head as best I can, and fire up iTunes. Playlist selection...Raffi, of course. We get to the end of picture time (and the end of my patience with her trying to type on the keyboard) and I let her down to play a bit. After saving the bookshelves from destruction - three times - I decide it is time to head upstairs for lunch. Moderate tantrum ensues. I drag Evie upstairs, show her some food in the fridge, and she seems to like the idea of lunch now. The question will be if she eats well. Cup of diced peaches are a hit, and I griddle a quesadilla for her. I ask her if she wants some water. She accepts the offer, and I fill up a sippy cup. Now, some of the sippy cups we just got have valves in them that she has to suck harder against than her older cups...and she doesn't like that. So we have been taking the valve out and letting her drink free-flow style. Some supervision is required. Well, as I turn my back to flip over my already-scorched quesadilla, Evie proceeds to dump out all of her water into her tray. I turn back around to see her happily splashing away at the mess she has created. Her quesadilla -- which she only had nibbled on -- is soaked. She needed to change clothes anyway before nap time, so I let her splash. After wolfing down my serving of lunch, I whisk her into her room for a change of clothes, diaper, and to get her in bed -- to which she protests. Eventually, with some persuasive voice raising, I get her dressed and into the crib. Now hopefully she sleeps.
[1600]
Ah, Sunday afternoon, the sun is shining. What a beautiful day...and we didn't waste the opportunity to take in some fresh air. Evie woke up around 1430, right when I wanted to get the bulk of the rest of my work done. After getting her down at 1220, I had to return to the kitchen to clean up some more, having noted that the extent of splashed quesadilla water went across the room. I also decided to pick up the swath of toys that had been strewn about the living room...some left over from Saturday night, but the majority having been taken from their normal storage positions today. The kitchen and living room cleanup burned an hour, and I started to make my way downstairs to work on the rest of my chart revisions, catch a shower, and fold the laundry that still occupied the couch in the family room. The phone rang with a call on a contract question from a co-worker. That was then followed up by another call I placed to a different co-worker. Then, just as I thought I would get to work on my to-do list, Evie woke up. She was pleasant, indicating that she truly wanted to get up now, and had not been woken up prematurely by something (like my voice). I announced to her, "Hey, we are going to go bye-bye!" She was immediately excited, and willing to be cooperative in getting (both of us) ready. We loaded into the car and headed to SA for a gas fill-up and a car wash. Despite the fact that the snowy and salty roads would only let the shine last about a block or two, the car needed it bad. The build-up of salt residue was to the point of chunkiness. Evie is fascinated by the car wash anyway...and she was excited by the diversion. From there we went across the way to Walgreens to pick up the photos, which allowed her to walk around somewhere other than home and to make eyes at someone other than daddy. Then we loaded back up in the car and went for a little drive. Upon arrival back home, in our garage the angle of the sun spotlighted a bouncy-horse we have currently stored in front of where I park. As we went inside the house, a moderate tantrum ensued as Evie begged me to let her play on the horse...or in general to stay outside. However, I knew after the lackluster lunch, she was most likely hitting snack time again. We headed up to the kitchen and I offered her food...my "good daddy" status was returned, and as I switched on the Chargers-Steelers game, she became overjoyed. With her arms rasied over her head she yelled, "Tut-dawn!" Then she devouered a banana.
[1500 next day]
Well, I should have known this is how this entry would turn out. I am finishing up the post from my hotel room in St.Cloud, MN. I started a 3-day trip today, so I am out flying around in the frigid tundra environs that the upper-midwest offer up this time of year. So, last night, dinner time rolled around just after 1700. Evie was happy to chow down on some peas, macaroni, and chicken nuggets. I had popped dinner in the oven for Sarah and myself, so we did our bathtime routine. Evie's new trick was to put her face into the running water as it came out of the tap. She couldn't get enough of it...I had to pull the drain plug so the water level could stay at a safe level while she continued to play. After she noticed the water cooling down, I got her out, dried her off, brushed her teeth (her new trick while teeth brushing is the rinse...daddy taught her to rinse and spit!) Soon after that we got into pajamas, and awaited mommy's arrival home. She started rubbing her eyes when Sarah arrived, and we did not spend too much time playing before we opted to get her into bed for the night. Since I would be gone the next couple nights, I took duty on getting her to bed. We sit in the rocker and sing a couple songs (well, I sing, she drinks a cup of milk) and then say some prayers, and its off to sleep.
I am not going to detail the rest of the night or today, other to say that the preparations for the trip took over last night, and the trip took over today. It was when I was on the LRT going through the tunnel under the airport when it really hit me...our "routines" with Evelyn are anything but routine. We try to keep a common schedule, but the details are always in flux. It is what makes parenting a challenge. But it also makes it rewarding, and fun. When our baby boy comes next month, a new layer of complexity and reward will join the routine. I am getting more excited for it each day.
As a preface, I will say that last night was the first in about ten that she slept well. The holidays completely interrupted her "normal" sleep habit, which only once-in-a-while involved her waking up and whining for a pacifier. As of late, she was waking anywhere from 2-4 times a night and crying for either a pacifier or water or milk or just some cuddle time. The Pierson family has operated on mainly zombie status as a result. It has been particularly hard on Sarah who is trying to get through her last month of pregnancy as best she can...and insomnia is already prevalent due to the discomfort of Baby Boy Pierson in restless gestation. She is not getting any help from her daughter (and to some extent her husband...with my snoring).
[1000]
So, last night Evie rested well. She is awake and refreshed this morning, and really I should have been too -- at least well enough to go to church. Instead we entered into a typical morning routine: Wake at 0700 or just before. Change overnight diaper. Evie tries to get mommy out of bed while daddy ambles into the kitchen to brew coffee. Mommy then heads into bathroom to get ready for her day, daddy extracts Evie (with mild protest) from mommy and out to the living room and kitchen. Unfortunately, mild protest becomes a moderate tantrum, and we decide to let her stay near mommy. At some point, the constant clinging and hanging all over mommy is too much, and Sarah asks me to take her out to the kitchen with the bribe of television. Thus begins her daily dosage of television (anchored by Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). Mommy rushes to get out the door, hopefully grabbing something to eat on the way...she has to be to work a bit earlier this morning. I prepare some oatmeal for Evie and she scarfs it down. Breakfast ends for Evie and it is time for play. Kitchen cleanup is typically hampered by that playtime ending up "under foot" as Sarah likes to say, and today is no different...but eventually it gets done. The morning diaper change typically occurs soon after breakfast, and like clockwork the smell invades the kitchen. Evie has been pretty good about this typically, and when you ask her, "Do we need to change your diaper?" she responds positively and will even lead you to her room. Not today. Today it is a shake of the head with a, "Nooo!" But I can tell she has a load, and I scoop her up and bring her into her room. More kicking and arching of the back, twisting and turning to attempt some sort of ejection from my clutches. I get her on the floor and positioned relatively well over a changing pad, and as soon as I reach for the zipper on her jammies, she flips over and crawls away. This morning, I am not in the mood for chasing her, and announce, "Fine, have it your way and run around with poop in your pants all morning." I leave her in the room and return to the kitchen and resume my daily perusal of Facebook activity. About three minutes pass, and she emerges from her room, heads over to her toy collection in the living room and finds her plush Winnie-the-Pooh bear. She brings it to me saying in her sweetest voice, "Hi!" and grinning ear-to-ear hands Pooh to me like a peace offering. She says, "Uh, Uh!" which means "Up" and I hoist her onto my lap, the odor of her diaper even more pungent. "Should we change your diaper now?" I query, and this time Evie responds with a nod. Diaper changes that go well, like this one evenutally did, lead to some sort of book reading in her Evie's room. I say "some sort" because she typically remains engaged with a book for about three pages before diverting her attention either to a different book or to run back out to the living room where the bulk of her toys are. Books, toys, a little chasing and wrestling here and there, and we arrive at mid-morning snack time. Evie munches on some cinnamon snack toast, and I write this part of the entry.
[1220]
Well, Evie just went down for nap. Here is what happened leading up to naptime. Not too long after morning snack time, we are engaged in a flurry of book reading. First the Dora book, then the "I Went Walking," followed by her all-time-sing-it-until-you-are-about-ready-to-do-something-illegal favorite book, "Wheels On the Bus." (We have the "Sing along with Raffi" version. There are times I am thankful for Raffi, and other times where I want to 'phone' him up in Canada and say, 'Fuck you, eh?' My father-in-law warned me about that. Sorry, John. I should have listened to you. Haha.) It dawns on me that I meant to upload some pictures to have printed today so I can update my photo album that I bring with me on trips. "Would you like to go downstairs with Daddy?" I ask, and Evie runs to the gate atop the stairs and attempts to rip it down. We spend some good time with her on my lap in front of the computer in the office, perusing pictures going back to last summer. She notices my USB headset sitting on the desk, and points to it saying, "Eh, eh, eh?" I reply, "Do you want to listen to these?" She nods 'yes.' So I fit them to her head as best I can, and fire up iTunes. Playlist selection...Raffi, of course. We get to the end of picture time (and the end of my patience with her trying to type on the keyboard) and I let her down to play a bit. After saving the bookshelves from destruction - three times - I decide it is time to head upstairs for lunch. Moderate tantrum ensues. I drag Evie upstairs, show her some food in the fridge, and she seems to like the idea of lunch now. The question will be if she eats well. Cup of diced peaches are a hit, and I griddle a quesadilla for her. I ask her if she wants some water. She accepts the offer, and I fill up a sippy cup. Now, some of the sippy cups we just got have valves in them that she has to suck harder against than her older cups...and she doesn't like that. So we have been taking the valve out and letting her drink free-flow style. Some supervision is required. Well, as I turn my back to flip over my already-scorched quesadilla, Evie proceeds to dump out all of her water into her tray. I turn back around to see her happily splashing away at the mess she has created. Her quesadilla -- which she only had nibbled on -- is soaked. She needed to change clothes anyway before nap time, so I let her splash. After wolfing down my serving of lunch, I whisk her into her room for a change of clothes, diaper, and to get her in bed -- to which she protests. Eventually, with some persuasive voice raising, I get her dressed and into the crib. Now hopefully she sleeps.
[1600]
Ah, Sunday afternoon, the sun is shining. What a beautiful day...and we didn't waste the opportunity to take in some fresh air. Evie woke up around 1430, right when I wanted to get the bulk of the rest of my work done. After getting her down at 1220, I had to return to the kitchen to clean up some more, having noted that the extent of splashed quesadilla water went across the room. I also decided to pick up the swath of toys that had been strewn about the living room...some left over from Saturday night, but the majority having been taken from their normal storage positions today. The kitchen and living room cleanup burned an hour, and I started to make my way downstairs to work on the rest of my chart revisions, catch a shower, and fold the laundry that still occupied the couch in the family room. The phone rang with a call on a contract question from a co-worker. That was then followed up by another call I placed to a different co-worker. Then, just as I thought I would get to work on my to-do list, Evie woke up. She was pleasant, indicating that she truly wanted to get up now, and had not been woken up prematurely by something (like my voice). I announced to her, "Hey, we are going to go bye-bye!" She was immediately excited, and willing to be cooperative in getting (both of us) ready. We loaded into the car and headed to SA for a gas fill-up and a car wash. Despite the fact that the snowy and salty roads would only let the shine last about a block or two, the car needed it bad. The build-up of salt residue was to the point of chunkiness. Evie is fascinated by the car wash anyway...and she was excited by the diversion. From there we went across the way to Walgreens to pick up the photos, which allowed her to walk around somewhere other than home and to make eyes at someone other than daddy. Then we loaded back up in the car and went for a little drive. Upon arrival back home, in our garage the angle of the sun spotlighted a bouncy-horse we have currently stored in front of where I park. As we went inside the house, a moderate tantrum ensued as Evie begged me to let her play on the horse...or in general to stay outside. However, I knew after the lackluster lunch, she was most likely hitting snack time again. We headed up to the kitchen and I offered her food...my "good daddy" status was returned, and as I switched on the Chargers-Steelers game, she became overjoyed. With her arms rasied over her head she yelled, "Tut-dawn!" Then she devouered a banana.
[1500 next day]
Well, I should have known this is how this entry would turn out. I am finishing up the post from my hotel room in St.Cloud, MN. I started a 3-day trip today, so I am out flying around in the frigid tundra environs that the upper-midwest offer up this time of year. So, last night, dinner time rolled around just after 1700. Evie was happy to chow down on some peas, macaroni, and chicken nuggets. I had popped dinner in the oven for Sarah and myself, so we did our bathtime routine. Evie's new trick was to put her face into the running water as it came out of the tap. She couldn't get enough of it...I had to pull the drain plug so the water level could stay at a safe level while she continued to play. After she noticed the water cooling down, I got her out, dried her off, brushed her teeth (her new trick while teeth brushing is the rinse...daddy taught her to rinse and spit!) Soon after that we got into pajamas, and awaited mommy's arrival home. She started rubbing her eyes when Sarah arrived, and we did not spend too much time playing before we opted to get her into bed for the night. Since I would be gone the next couple nights, I took duty on getting her to bed. We sit in the rocker and sing a couple songs (well, I sing, she drinks a cup of milk) and then say some prayers, and its off to sleep.
I am not going to detail the rest of the night or today, other to say that the preparations for the trip took over last night, and the trip took over today. It was when I was on the LRT going through the tunnel under the airport when it really hit me...our "routines" with Evelyn are anything but routine. We try to keep a common schedule, but the details are always in flux. It is what makes parenting a challenge. But it also makes it rewarding, and fun. When our baby boy comes next month, a new layer of complexity and reward will join the routine. I am getting more excited for it each day.
The obligatory New Year's blog post. Looking through my blog's archives I guess I have never felt "obliged" to make a New Year's post before. Weird. What I did find, however, is that I am a very sporadic blogger. There is probably a host of reasons for this, but I think the common reason is a lack of true blogging spirit. I guess I have never broken down my personal boundaries enough to write blog posts as an online "diary" of sorts. My gut has always been that putting everything out there on the world-wide-web has certain risks. This is evidenced by the fact that my employer has pretty much admitted to perusing employee's blogs, MySpace, and Facebook pages to find evidence of non-compliance with Company policy. (a) Since I have never been - nor will I be - stupid enough to write or post pictures that incriminate me, no probs.
So, with a new year underway, I figured I might get a little more on the blogging bandwagon. And yeah, I know I have said this basically several times before (b) on this very blog. But this year I have some new inspiration. My sister-in-law has kicked off her new year with a new blog. I think she has a good intention here - to use the blogging medium to aid in meeting her resolutions to "evolve into a new me." She said in her first post:
I think she has made a great start! She is blogging for a good reason, and she will have plenty of inspiration to write posts about.
There have been several other friends and acquaintances out in the blogging world that truly blog...writing about daily thoughts and experiences. They also inspire me. Perhaps the best inspirations for me right now are the ones using the medium much like my sister-in-law. Bloggers who write about goals and experiences encountered while meeting those goals.
So that is what my new goal in blogging will be. I have no lack of material, really. More and more challenges and experiences are coming my way with the forthcoming birth of my son, and the continued rapid growth of my daughter, Evelyn. My wife Sarah and I have already committed to each other a renewed focus on organization, getting the house into a consistent mode of peace.
As a kick-off for this renewed effort in my blogging, I figured I would do some contemplating of New Years Goals: First, the ever-present need to get more healthy, and more active. Sarah did say she also aims to lose weight and become more active after the baby is born, with an ultimate goal of doing the TC Marathon 5k with Liz. I think that's awesome. I want to get back to some treadmill work and free weights. (c) Weight can be lost I think...although my body seems to have found a nice "level-off" point for weight gain, it needs to be much lower. I am thinking also of making better use of nocturnal hours - by sleeping. When the baby boy comes, this will be even more important. Point is...staying up after the 10 o'clock news can no longer be an option. Coupled with this is a renewed goal to make time to exercise. I have always wanted to be an "early riser" who can wake up, get an workout in, and get some other things taken care of before the day starts. I always feel much more energized and productive when I start days like this. Problem now is that the day "starts" when Evie wakes up...which as of late could be anywhere between 5-7am. In any case, I am going to recommit to trying to make this happen.
Second goal for me is to spend more time with my father. He has taken "early retirement", so-to-speak, on account of mainly ALS. Since mom still has to work (for the near future) he has way too much alone time. Despite the fact that he gets many visits from friends, quite frankly, for my sake and his, I think we need to have more time with each other.
Third goal for me is to continue removing priority focus from work and refocusing on God and family. Without going into too much detail, 2008 was wasted sitting in an office (not an airplane). The reason that happened is because we (my committee at work) was under the consistent impression that we needed to work our asses off to meet deadlines that we thought other people would keep as well as we did. You would think after all the missed deadlines I had witnessed at work that we would have known better. That will not happen anymore.
With that, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2009 will be much better in so many ways from 2008. We all know it will! Good luck to all.
(a) Which, I think, is utter bullshit. A Company cannot control somebody's personal life. There should be strict lines drawn here, and my employer -- simply by warning people not to blog, post, or communicate with fellow employees via these websites -- has crossed it.
(b) See my posts on 8/10/08, 3/11/06, and perhaps several other posts in the archives where I apologize for the lack of blog activity
(c) We have a room set up in our home with a club-grade treadmill, free weights, water cooler, and even a wall-rack mounted TV/DVD combo. We wanted to get a weight bench at one point too. Currently the room has become transient storage space...which does not create a very inviting exercise environment.
So, with a new year underway, I figured I might get a little more on the blogging bandwagon. And yeah, I know I have said this basically several times before (b) on this very blog. But this year I have some new inspiration. My sister-in-law has kicked off her new year with a new blog. I think she has a good intention here - to use the blogging medium to aid in meeting her resolutions to "evolve into a new me." She said in her first post:
So I have decided that I need to evolve into a new me. I am happy about who I am, but I need to be healthier and fitter. I have decided that 2009 is the time to change who I am not only on the outside, but become more confident on the inside. I have set some goals for myself and I will blog away my daily struggles and triumphs.
I think she has made a great start! She is blogging for a good reason, and she will have plenty of inspiration to write posts about.
There have been several other friends and acquaintances out in the blogging world that truly blog...writing about daily thoughts and experiences. They also inspire me. Perhaps the best inspirations for me right now are the ones using the medium much like my sister-in-law. Bloggers who write about goals and experiences encountered while meeting those goals.
So that is what my new goal in blogging will be. I have no lack of material, really. More and more challenges and experiences are coming my way with the forthcoming birth of my son, and the continued rapid growth of my daughter, Evelyn. My wife Sarah and I have already committed to each other a renewed focus on organization, getting the house into a consistent mode of peace.
As a kick-off for this renewed effort in my blogging, I figured I would do some contemplating of New Years Goals: First, the ever-present need to get more healthy, and more active. Sarah did say she also aims to lose weight and become more active after the baby is born, with an ultimate goal of doing the TC Marathon 5k with Liz. I think that's awesome. I want to get back to some treadmill work and free weights. (c) Weight can be lost I think...although my body seems to have found a nice "level-off" point for weight gain, it needs to be much lower. I am thinking also of making better use of nocturnal hours - by sleeping. When the baby boy comes, this will be even more important. Point is...staying up after the 10 o'clock news can no longer be an option. Coupled with this is a renewed goal to make time to exercise. I have always wanted to be an "early riser" who can wake up, get an workout in, and get some other things taken care of before the day starts. I always feel much more energized and productive when I start days like this. Problem now is that the day "starts" when Evie wakes up...which as of late could be anywhere between 5-7am. In any case, I am going to recommit to trying to make this happen.
Second goal for me is to spend more time with my father. He has taken "early retirement", so-to-speak, on account of mainly ALS. Since mom still has to work (for the near future) he has way too much alone time. Despite the fact that he gets many visits from friends, quite frankly, for my sake and his, I think we need to have more time with each other.
Third goal for me is to continue removing priority focus from work and refocusing on God and family. Without going into too much detail, 2008 was wasted sitting in an office (not an airplane). The reason that happened is because we (my committee at work) was under the consistent impression that we needed to work our asses off to meet deadlines that we thought other people would keep as well as we did. You would think after all the missed deadlines I had witnessed at work that we would have known better. That will not happen anymore.
With that, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2009 will be much better in so many ways from 2008. We all know it will! Good luck to all.
(a) Which, I think, is utter bullshit. A Company cannot control somebody's personal life. There should be strict lines drawn here, and my employer -- simply by warning people not to blog, post, or communicate with fellow employees via these websites -- has crossed it.
(b) See my posts on 8/10/08, 3/11/06, and perhaps several other posts in the archives where I apologize for the lack of blog activity
(c) We have a room set up in our home with a club-grade treadmill, free weights, water cooler, and even a wall-rack mounted TV/DVD combo. We wanted to get a weight bench at one point too. Currently the room has become transient storage space...which does not create a very inviting exercise environment.
This Christmas we of course wish everyone peace, love, joy, and a sense of fulfillment. On the first Christmas, over two millenniums ago, God came to us on Earth and gave us hope and a future. The ways of our world -- with economic depression and hardship, piracy and genocide, persecution and pain notwithstanding -- are nothing the "Spirit of Christmas" cannot overcome. That Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and is the fact that Jesus was born to us on Christmas, and lives for us today and forever. There is goodness and light in this world, and it is so much easier to see on Christmas.
In the words of the Christmas Hymn "O Little Town of Bethlehem," we certainly can hear the reason for this season, as we sing:
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
We wish you a very, merry Christmas this year!
Photos
