Aunties and Uncles and Cousins, Oh My!

Auntie Anna, Uncle Tim and Uncle Phil all came (from NYC, NYC and Oceanside, CA) to NC for Thanksgiving and got to visit Oliver.  Here are some of my favorites:

The day after Christmas, Aunt Elissa and Cousin Alex drove to visit Oliver from Washington DC.

Aunt Elissa teaching Ollie how to fly

Then we took Ollie on his first big (apple) adventure (a 500 mile drive!) to spend more time with Auntie Anna, Uncle Tim and Uncle Philip.

Whatever, I'm just hanging out in the car for 10+ hours.

We escaped NYC for a harried drive out to Long Island to see the Fitzpatricks, where cousin Timothy held viewing sessions so he wouldn't have to surrender the baby.

Grand people!

Some people are funny.  Some people are small.  Some people like honey. And some people are grand! Oliver has three grand people who love him lots.  Here are a few pictures of Oliver with his grand people:

Alan and Mary (Rob's parents) live nearby.

Grandma Mary*

Grandpa Alan*

Grandma Sue lives 670 miles away, so she came to visit a week after Oliver was born:

*The identified subjects have not approved these names for use by parents or baby.

A Lucky Muppet

So, we're crazy about this kid.  He's been a dream.

Thankfully, he's also lucky enough to be loved by many, many others.  This week, I'll put up some evidence of all the love.

We'll start with pre-birth loving from the baby shower.  Some very generous friends and family threw a shower for us at Alan and Mary's house, in their lovely garden.

Adorable orange owl pinata.  So cute!

Tim, Alan and Anna set up the amazing spread of brunch foods.

Heather and Krankin prep the activity tables

Such a lovely day!

Finland gives it's expectant mothers an exciting starter package containing the stuff below.  You can read more about this here and here.

While the US government offers nothing comparable, thankfully, our wonderful family and friends got Oliver set up with all that he might need!  Here are some photos of what our people created for him at the baby shower:

All of the handmade concoctions!

Krankin's masterpieces, including a cat "costume" to trick Oliver's grandmothers into
thinking he was a cat--to ensure they'd be interested!

This is how we remind Oliver about Uncle Phil.

For learning about animals.

Cathy's helpful reminder to keep bird flu away from the baby.

8 Weeks & Counting

If cute is a limited resource, we may have a problem, because Oliver is using it up fast. 

Grinning: A+

Napping: also A+

Some vital stats, at 8 weeks:

• From 8 lbs 1 oz at birth, he's now up to 13 lbs
• Still a champion sleeper - 7 hours is not a stretch

Unfazed by inflatable livestock

Notable events

• 4 weeks: Smiling
• 5 weeks: Reaching
• 6 weeks: Grasping
• 7 weeks: Giggling

Waving may be accidental

He's an extremely adorable, highly interactive, totally lovable bundle of joy. Adam told us so!

 

SaBlOliver!

As many of you will know by now, our little bundle of joy arrived on his due date - ah, I knew you'd be impressed! - of Halloween, at the extremely sociable time of 3:14 in the morning. We are now the proud new owners of a baby boy, Oliver.

Uncle Phil says he's going to be a model. Oliver, that is, not Uncle Phil.

We won't talk about the 60-hour labor or the 4 hours of sleep in 3 days. Nope, not a mention of that! Little Oliver weighed in at 8 pounds 1 ounce upon arrival and has, thus far, been a complete charmer. This is, surely, to lull us into a false sense of security before he begins his campaign of crying all night and covering all available surfaces in bodily fluids.

So fashionably dressed that he has to have clothing credits:
Top - Krankin Klothing Empire / Trousers - Ed McLenaghan & SLZ

His main interests thus far involve 1) eating 2) looking as though he's plotting the demise of the world while making a mess of his diapers 3) chewing on his hands and 4) having sleep-offs with the cats.

The paparazzi are really going to be a problem.
Oh, and Auntie Anna thinks that his outfit is on the iffy side of metrosexual.

He may be the most beautiful baby ever born - we're not entirely sure, because we haven't verified the other 7 billion on the planet currently. For now we're pretty satisfied that he is.

Measuring Up

As I approach my due date (3 more days until Oct 31!), I thought it would be appropriate to look back over the the course of my pregnancy to remember how it has measured up.  

Health Things

- Glucose test: 103  --> I'm not really sure what it means, but I've just been telling people that I got a hundred on my glucose test.  Basically, I don't have gestational diabetes.

- Hematocrit 12 and 36 --> I don't really understand this one either, but my doctor said "looks like you're eating well" after she told me these numbers.

Baby Sizing

- 7 week ultrasound: CRL = 1.43cm or 0.56 inches
- 12 week ultrasound: CRL = 6.4cm or 2.51 inches

- 19 week ultrasound: 11 oz

Additional Milestones

- Stopped mountain biking: 12 weeks
- First PhD Qualifying Exam: 16 weeks
- Trip to the British Virgin Islands: 16.5-18 weeks
- Trip to Seattle: 20-22 weeks
- Stopped running: 22 weeks

- Started prenatal yoga: 24 weeks

- Started swimming laps: 28 weeks

- Gave in and bought a prenatal bathing suit: 30 weeks
- Started reading to the belly: 30 weeks

- Baby shower: 34 weeks

- Second PhD Qualifying Exam: 34 weeks
- Last plane trip: 35 weeks (Christine & Jody's Wedding!)
- Stopped riding my bike to work: 36 weeks
- Baby dropped! 37 weeks

SLZ Sizing
- I was sloppy about keeping track of my weight gain over time.  Somehow, it hadn't occurred to me to keep track of this stuff on my own and now it's in two different places and I have some missing data.  Sloppy.  Anyway, I've gained ~40 lbs!  They recommend you gain 25-35, so I've exceeded the recommended range of weight gain for people with normal BMI.

Here is how I've grown (through pictures) instead of the happy little graph I was planning.

~16 weeks, sailing in the BVI with Blob and his family!

~20 weeks, kayaking in Seattle with Jessica

~22 weeks, Hiking in Mt. Ranier Park

~24 weeks, with Meredith (who was just 11 weeks!)

~28 weeks

~29 weeks with AED (who was ~18 weeks! and photo-averse)

~30 weeks

~33 weeks

~35 weeks at Christine and Jody's wedding!

~35 weeks after hiking Mt. Kearsarge

~36 weeks with some similarly shaped epi-friends ( ~34 weeks and ~32 weeks)

~37 Weeks with another another soon to be hot mamma (~35 weeks)

Slz Pregnant? I had no idea.

Slz would like me to pull my weight (which is now slightly less than hers) and describe what this whole growing-a-baby experience has been like for me. Now, as Sabrina pregnant is remarkably like the rest of the US population on a better-than-average day (slightly rounder than you would expect, with an elevated fondness for ice cream) there isn’t really much to tell. She has had disappointingly few pica incidents – I have not had to hide the potting soil, the paint, or the wood glue – and apart from the occasional fourth breakfast by 10:30 a.m. she generally keeps the foraging to a dull roar.

The more entertaining aspects of Sabrina pregnant are:

• Use of the baby containment vessel as a shelf: useful for glasses of water and extra food she might want later
• Extensive discussion with the baby, which from the other room simply sounds like she’s lost the ability for an internal monologue; of course, I'd probably converse with something that was kicking the living daylights out of me from the inside, too
• Proprioception: the baby containment vessel is MUCH bigger than Sabrina thinks, and as a result gets in the way A LOT – I have learned not to attempt a side-to-side pass in the hall lest I end up a permanent part of the plasterwork
• Baby Ate My Brain: she does have a tendency to forget everything from her name on down and blame the baby, which is obviously going to be a genius

These diversions aside, Sabrina has been shockingly easy to be around for the last 38 weeks. Until about a month ago she rode her bike every day, which is more than I manage! It’s possible that our good friend Grey has been more affected by the pregnancy (lavish displays of excitement about the baby and extensive nesting).

As for us parent-type people, we’re pretty excited about the new addition. Clearly we have no idea about the terror that is about to be unleashed on our lives, but maybe knowing you’re not ready is preferable to thinking you are!