"It Was a Power Ranger and a Cowboy."

We just simply couldn't pass up an opportunity to visit the British Territory of Gibraltar this last Saturday (Oct. 2, 2010). You've probably heard of "the Rock of Gibraltar"... Well, we did it and it's more like "the small mountain of Gibraltar" Rock is a misnomer.

We hiked the "Rock" and a small part of the city of Gibraltar for over 5 hours!! My feet are still sore.

But let's begin at the beginning!

To see all the photos, go here.

We left Sat. morning from our hotel in Rota, Spain. It was a 2 hour drive thru dusty, scrub brush and cacti. About half way there, Zac got hungry and needed a diaper change. Good thing, because mommy was about to need a

diaper change too! Not a rest stop was to be found! We were surrounded by ranches and rolling hills but no services. I had to do the unthinkable! We pulled off the highway onto a ranch road where I nursed Zac and as I handed him off to dad for a diaper change, Stephen handed me a baby wipe, "for you" he said. Oh how sweet, my husband has just handed me a wet wipe so that I don't have to drip dry!

The whole operation was a success. Zac was fed and clean and I was relieved with out tripping, falling or peeing on myself!

We arrived in Gibraltar a little after noon. The weather was spectacular!! Sunny and 80 with the air spiked with just enough sea water to keep the humidity in check. The line of cars going into the territory was long, slow and winding.

Eventually we got through the passport check and were immediately stopped by a traffic light. As we w

ere sitting at the light, more and more mopeds and motorcycles were filling in the last bits of free space. In the length of 3 cars two across, there were easily 30 bikes!

Suddenly the pedestrian crowd just beyond our car windows started to get excited, cameras and camcorders flew up and we realized that were were about to watch the take off of a commercial jet. Gibraltar is so small (just 7 mi. long and only half that wide) that their airport runway crosses the controlled entrance in. That means, every time a plane lands or takes off, traffic is halted! It was so funny!!After the plane took off, we were allowed in where we found parking and were off to our first activity for the day - dolphin watching.

During the 1.5 hour cruise

around the bay of Gibraltar we saw 20 or more dolphins! It was beautiful. The crew was fun, the other passengers were few and Zac took to it like an old pro. Zac's first boat ride zonked him out.

After the boat ride, we were off to finally find some lunch. I opted for some "original" fish & chips (YUM) while Stephen enjoyed the chicken & chips.

After lunch we made our way to the cable car station and hitched a ride to the top of the rock. At the top is the home of the Barbary Apes. They are wild monkeys that just hang out with the visitors. When we first got off the tram, we had a bit of a scare as one of the monkeys saw Zac and made a bee line for him. I'm sure it was out of curiosity - but I wasn't going to let this Ape rip the arms off my baby. I urged Stephen's attention away from his camera and onto the monkey while I scooped Zac out of the stroller and into the wrap where I felt I could better control the situation (though I'm sure the monkey could rip of my arm if she wanted to).

We saw several apes and there were cute as a button (once I got over my initial fear). There were a few babys that would just melt your heart w/ cuteness! Unfortunately it was starting to get late, so the monkey business was not booming. We still got excellent photos from the top of the rock, that included the African coast! Yes, I saw AFRICA!!

After the monkeys, we hiked to a Cave, St. Michael's Cave. This was my first Cave experience and it was beautiful! The cave used to be a sacred space of the indigenous people, but has since (in the last several thousand years) been turned into a concert hall. I can imagine how amazing a small orchestra or a piano concert would be in this space.

After the cave I was starting to feel the day. I was tired and not looking forward to the 40+ minute hike back up the hill to the cable car and said as much to Stephen when he asked if we were ready to go. The security guard overheard me and said, "well if you follow this road here, take a left at the sign and then a right at the benches, it's only a 20 min walk to the bottom of the rock". SCORE! Sounded good to me. Walking down hill for 20 min or uphill for 40...which would you take?

We apparently missed our turns, because it took us 90 min to reach civilization again.

It was now 9pm we were all hungry and tired. We found a pub and enjoyed an excellent meal.

Near the end of the meal and couple of Saturday hooligans were stumbling home and in their jubilation, they decided that a little disorderly conduct was in order. After kicking over some furniture at the Pub we were dining at as well as a restaurant down the way - the pub called the police. By the time the cops showed up, the hooligans were well gone...but left behind one distinct impression - they were dressed in costumes (for unknown reasons). One was a yellow Power Ranger and the other a cowboy. These were the distinguishing "marks" that I thought could identify them for the cops. I told the waiter this and he immediately shouted to the cop (in an authentic british accent) "One was a POWER RANGER and the other a COWBOY".

Immediately the waiter rolled his eyes and looked to us saying, "I can't believe I just shouted that to a police officer!" And we all got a great laugh.

After dinner (now 10:30pm) we ambled our way back to the car. Thankfully, Zac and fallen asleep durning dinner. We arrived "home" at 12:15 am and VERY happy to see our beds.

What an excellent adventure!!

To see all the photos, go here.

Greetings from Spain

Yes, you're right. It's been roughly a million years since i posted an updated blog! In fact, I've missed the entire summer - and what a summer! Stay tuned, and eventually i'll have my summer overview posted.

However, now to the issue at hand...our Spain adventure! Zac and I have been in Spain now for 4 days. We came to meet Stephen who preceded us by a week - he's here on business. It's BEAUTIFUL! Stephen mentioned a few days ago that the peak of Spanish tourism season ends Sept. 15 (it's now Sept. 30). Well, my friend, I say go to spain Sept. 16th!! The weather is unbeatable (80s and sunny), the crowds are gone, and the hotel prices are down.

We are in the lovely coastal city of Rota. It's on the south-western tip of spin and is a city smack dab on the tip of a peninsula, so there's water on 3 sides! It's AWESOME!! Our hotel is a 3 minute walk to the beach (across the road and down a picturesque boardwalk thru sand and pines with lilies and various cacti!!).

Zac and I have had the pleasure of checking out the area on foot and (yesterday) by bus. It's a small city with many people (i don't know how many, if you're interested, google it). Stephen has a rental car so Zac and I are left to our own devices - as I prefer it!

Yesterday, we found out that the bus only costs 60 euro cents to ride. That's WAY cheaper than getting our own rental car. Stephen offered us a car yesterday on our way home from dinner and I turned it down. I figured, if there was something that I wanted to do that required a car, it would be easy enough to rent a car for the day - in the mean time, save the money and spend it elsewhere!

Oh boy, and did we spend some money when we got here.

Since I was traveling alone, I packed light. I pre packed some things in Stephen's luggage (cuz he had room and a much larger allowance) which REALLY helped me out. However, when we got here, we picked up a few things that weren't worth packing: diapers, wipes, groceries, baby food & supplies. Then S took us to the department store on base. This is a navy base, so it's similar to what we are used to...but oh so different! Their selection in clothing is great! now I may be saying this because I'm fed up with what we're offered back home, or because the first day we were here, we bought 6 new outfits (2-3 pc. sets) for Zac, as well as several pieces for each of us off the MEGA clearance rack.

We went back on the 2nd day i was here and bought a new MacBook pro because the price was right and I had no internet access at the hotel w/o a computer (at least this is what Stephen used to persuade me - the man collects computers like "Carrie" [from Sex and the City] collects Shoes).

The 3rd day we went back because I needed flip flops and to see if we could find a specific toy for Zac. Well, we found the flip flops (on clearance) and we found the toy...just not on clearance :( however, now Zac has an awesome new activity center that will grow with him! We now have to figure out how to ship it back. It came in a box roughly the size of 3 shoe boxes. With "some assembly required" it now measures about 2.5' x 3'x 3.5'.

Even with all the enjoyment we've experienced, it wouldn't be a cultural exchange with out some discomfort. Sure enough, I'm having just a little trouble with the language (2 years of H.S. spanish isn't quite enough to get me by now) and our biggest issue is that dinner isn't served until AT LEAST 8pm each night. Kitchens don't open until 8pm!!!

Now you can drink your brains out till then. But not a spot of food till the clock strikes 8 (and later in some establishments).

This wouldn't be such a problem, except Zac's bedtime is between 7 and 8 pm. The poor thing just can't take it after 8pm. We've slowly adjusted and finally had a dinner out on the town last night. Zac did great...until we got home.

He had a meltdown when we got home (about 9:30pm) and finally fell asleep shortly after 10pm - but spent the rest of the night up and down every 2 hours. I'm exhausted.

So, we've decided that dining out just isn't worth it! We'll probably try 2 more times and see how it goes (in another day or so). But thankfully where we are staying is actually and apartment (1 bedroom w/ kitchenette - about 600 sq. ft). So we've got a mini fridge stocked w/ 2 meals and we'll just play it by ear as we go.

Speaking of the hotel, it's quite a nice place! Very affordable (thanks to the off-season pricing) and lots of amenities (laundry room, restaurant, pool, spa [closed for maintenance], located on bus route, private parking, excellent staff). Seeing how we're set up here - I don't' think the 3 of us could ever fit into a hotel room for an extended period!!! (this is the first time we're traveling as a family and not staying in our parents' homes.) I do love it here. It's so comfortable and family friendly. There's even a kids club house - which we haven't checked out yet, but will soon. And, as i said earlier, we're a very short walk to the beach with a long, winding board walk to keep us occupied for days! Just yesterday we discovered an equestrian sporting arena, a small playground and a bike park w/ obstacles ( yes, we did it in the stroller - no one was there to yell at us so i thought "why not?!")

So, after just 4 short days, we're all feeling at home in our space and enjoying our time on the beach and in the sun. Perhaps this weekend we'll head to Gibraltar, or maybe take a ferry to AFRICA!!!

I AM SO BLESSED!

Wepon of Mass Interruption

Probably the most difficult thing to get used to as a new mom is interruption. Sleep is optional, eating is ocassional and showering really only affects those around you - but the ability to get things done (for me) is directly linked to my sense of purpose and self value. Now that Zac is here, my ability to get stuff done has been seriously altered! But, in the end, all for the better.




It's far better to have Zac and not get as much done because I get to watch, experience and encourage all these wonderful moments between us and even between Zac and Stephen. Having an infant really does make you appreciate so much more about your life - life before and after baby.



This weekend we took Zac to the pool for the first time. It was magical to watch him explore the water, how his body works in the water and the wonderment of being in the water. It's these moments that you can never appreciate until you're actually there! And that was worth WAY more than getting the laundry done, paying bills, meeting the repair man, etc. etc.

For more photos, click here.

On Tuesday, June 29 we are headed back to the U.S. for our first trip to America as a new and improved family. I'm quite nervous for how much stress it'll be. I know that the cooler I keep it, the cooler it will be for Zac and for Stephen. We all feed off each other in stressful situations. I truly hope that the whole flight (approx. 10 hours) will be no problem for him.

The thing I'm most concerned about is how he's going to transition to the new time. All the other travelling mommies I've talked to said it's just like adults, it takes a couple days, but eventually he'll be on track. The worst part will be when we come back to Germany - going east is far more difficult jetlag.

While back home we will be spending 2 weeks with my parents - who have never met Zac before. I'm so excited to introduce them to my son. I'm so proud of him - he's the best! And I can't wait till my parents get to see that as well.

After that, we'll spend a week with Stephen's family - they haven't seen Zac since he was a month old. Quite a lot has changed since then!

This month, as previous months, has seen a great number of firsts:

• Zac now loves laying on his back, putting his feet in the air and grabbing them to bring his toes into his mouth.
• Zac can now lift his own body weight onto his legs. We just have to hold his hands or body for balance and give him the initial momentum, but once he's on his way up, he's in total control.
• Zac can roll from belly to back (it took another month to get our 2nd instance of rolling) and just yesterday he did a back to belly roll. That one will take some more time to become reliable...but it's coming!
• He is now pushing up on his arms a little bit to lift his chest off the floor during tummy time.
• He grabs for toys when playing on his tummy, back or sitting in his chair.
• He sits, supported, in his high chair!
• He makes chewing motions while he watches us eat, and much of the excess saliva is now being swollowed (both signs of him getting ready for solids).
• He loves playing peek-a-boo with dad and dancing with anybody. He enjoys "pony rides" on your knee and can't get enough of silly sounds and faces.

Favorite Things - Newborn to 4 Months

So all along the way, every new mommy and daddy learns something new: about themselves, about their babies, and definitely about a whole new world of products. Here are a few of my favorite things, in no particular order, that have helped ease our lives:

1) Bouncy Chair - I love the "Sassy Zanzabar Bouncer” – cheap (especially when received as a gift), light, super springy and relatively easy to take apart and carry with you if you're visiting a friend or what have you. This bouncer goes from living room to kitchen all day long. It’s comfortable, safe and portable. The downside is that it eats batteries (3AA).

2) Huggies diapers – I feel that they are contoured better than Pampers. Pampers and Luvs are practically the same diaper (the difference being the pictures that are printed on the diapers). I’ve heard that Pampers can hold more pee, but in my trials, they worked equally well. Huggies has 2 levels of quality. Huggies Snug & Dry and Huggies Swaddlers. I’ve noticed that the swaddlers run a bit smaller, are softer and have the “mess catcher” (an extra fold on the backside to catch the runny poops – actually works well!).

3) Huggies wipes – thick, strong, fresh. That’s all you need!

4) Baby Gym – I should have gotten this sooner. Not only does it encourage motor skills, it’s a huge help for mom too. I can put Zac in it and drink my cup of coffee and maybe even eat some breakfast before he’s done enjoying it. Get this one early for everyone’s benefit. We use the Tiny Love Kick ‘n’ discover.

5) Pack’n’play – the Crib, we’ve established, is for night time sleeping. The PNP is for day time sleeping. It’s portable, relatively small and handy to have especially when baby’s crib is on a different floor than your daytime living spaces.

6) Swing – Oy! This think is a life saver! Crabby baby goes in, turns into sleepy baby, happy baby comes out 20-60 min later. We have the Fisher Price starlight Papasan. Zac is mesmerized by the lighted stars and it chills him out quickly.

7) Strollers – originally I didn’t want to do a travel system. I was just not happy with the quality available to us. It turns out that we needed the infant bucket seat and now I’m desperately wanting the pop in stroller option. Well…Greco makes a stroller frame for the bucket seat. We’ll be picking one of these up when we get back to the states. I’ve seen how easy it is for my friends and I want to have the option of the big comfy pram as well as the quick pop in of the stroller frame. We will still use the pram, but it’ll be for those times when we’ll be on the roll for extended periods (walking in the city, exercising, etc).

8) Pumping Bra – this hands free, bandu bra helps me pump more milk! How? Well when I’m more relaxed, I get more milk. And when I don’t have to worry about keeping the pump properly positioned, I’m more relaxed.

9) Microwave Steam Sterilizer – most importantly, make sure that it fits in your Microwave before you purchase it. But this handy dandy contraption steam cleans breast pump parts, bottles, nipples, pacifiers and even toys. Madela makes micro steam bags, which are handy when traveling, but the contraption will last longer and save $.

10) Baby Timer App for iphone/itouch – in the first days, you will be obsessed with: sleep, feedings, pees and poops. This app tracks all of this and more. I loved it, it was only $5 and I was addicted to it for the first couple of Months. It really helps a sleep deprived mom to remember what’s been going on.

11) Baby Gas Drops – we were giving Zac this at nearly every feeding in the beginning. Very helpful

12) Colic Calm – when the problems are bigger than gas bubbles, this product really seems to help him feel better. This product has charcoal in it, so don’t be surprised when your baby’s poos are dark or black for 2 days after giving him the dosage.

13) Video Baby Monitor – Sound only would work just as well, however, I like peeking in at him without him knowing it! Ours even has lullabies that can be triggered remotely. Sometimes, if he’s getting fussy, I can turn on the music from the living room and it helps him relax off into dreamland.

14) Boppy Nursing Pillow – I have one for each floor! Not only does it help me to nurse him, but it’s also great for tummy time and propping him up for sitting (DO NOT LEAVE BABY UNATTENDED!!!).


15) "Moby" wrap - I put "Moby" in quotes because mine isn't actually the name brand. It's litterally 5 yards of jersey cotton that has been cut to the right width. It's perfect! Now that he's strong enough to hold his head I can wear him front facing out, front facing in, back pack style or side saddle! Plus its easy to ball up and toss in my super jumbo diaper bag.

I’m certain that as Zac grows and his needs change, so will his stuff. And when it does, I’ll let you know!

12 Weeks/ 3 Months

Well, my little peanut is now 12 weeks old...and will be 3 months on Tuesday. You'd think he'd be stale by now, but that isn't the case!

Zac, Stephen and I are doing great! Zac and Stephen are still defining their roles with each other, but it's starting to look like Stephen is the best joke Zac has ever experienced. Whenever dad comes home, or spends quality time with him, Zac is awe struck and all smiles by the attention that Stephen pours on him.

On the other side, you've got Zac and me. I'm now able to distinguish Zac's cries by his needs and I'm pretty familiar with the daily routine (as routine as a 3 month old gets). I look forward to every moment I get with him...mostly. There are those occasional 3a.m. feedings that I wouldn't mind sleeping through every once in a while.

Speaking of sleeping through, on Mother's Day eve, Zac had his FIRST through-the-night sleep fest! Just before putting him to bed that night, we had a chat, and this is what I asked for, for Mother's day. The little peach listened and complied! Of course, I didn't sleep thru the night. I woke up 2 or 3 times just to go check on him.

Zac is still "sleeping thru the night" with long 5-7 hour stretches! It's not always predictable which 5 hours he'll give me and it's not always the convenient hours in which I'd rather be sleeping, but he's doing it! My little man is growing up.

And BOY is he growing. He's weighing in now just under 14 lbs (he was born 7 lbs, 5oz). It's a matter of days before he's doubled his birth weight. We've also switched to stage 2 diapers and started emptying drawers of our 0-3 month clothes. It's so sad to pack away the tiniest of his things, but I know that it just means I'm doing my job well.

We have the pleasure of Stephen's sister here visiting for a short while. She kindly gave us last Saturday all to ourselves! So Stephen and I had a wonderful day at the spa (the German version...saunas, steam rooms, wellness stuff). It was great to be just him and me, if only for just a few hours.

The weather here is increasingly better. The sun shines much longer now and the temperature is slowly climbing. Summer is on its way and I can't wait! We have some travel plans...back to the states! We will be visiting our families in WI and VA. I am SO excited to introduce my son to my parents! "Look mom & dad, Look what I made!"

So what have I learned this month?...Well, I guess these last 4 weeks have really been about the routine and learning the signs (hunger signs, tired signs, etc. etc.) Babies are extremely well at communicating their needs (a lesson we could all use)... the problem is that we don't speak their language any more. So, I've been relearning and teaching what I've learned to Stephen (and vice versa).

All in all, we're a happy little family - and I think it shows in our own personal satisfaction and our darling, well adapted, genius of a son.

Things you can only learn from an infant

We all learn new things, hopefully everyday. Here are some things that I've learned recently - and they can only be learned from an infant (some exceptions may apply).

1. How much diaper cream is too much


2. How many times mommy's lunch can be reheated (between feedings) before it's inediable (the answer is 2, forget it if you gotta nuke it a 3rd time.)


3. How to do just about anything one-handed (except for socks! I just can't seem to get my socks on if I don't have 2 hands.)
   
4. Spit-up is exempt from the known laws of natural physics (spit-up comes out the front, but somehow it's the back of his t-shirt that gets wet.)
   
5. Just when you've reached the end of your "giving/careing/providing" limits, when you just can't give any more and compassion fatigue has taken over, your child will know - he'll then smile at you and completely refill your meter and give you the stamina to give more than you'll ever expect you could.
   
6. Baby boogers are the same size as adult boogers! This is incredible because baby nostrils are a 5th the size of adult nostrils. So when one of those bad boys comes out, cover your eyes because it will travel roughly the speed of sound - or totally clog his nose; and if that's the case, you MUST go in after it. Mom's or mom's to be: my recommendation, keep your pinky fingernail long - it's an excellent tool.

I'm certain that this is not the end of the things I'll learn from my Zac and as I do learn, I'll be sure to share - hopefully that way you'll learn the lessons the easy way instead of in the trenches like I am.

My first week flying solo

Last monday (Apr. 5) Stephen returned to work, so it was my first week flying solo.

We did great! I love being a mommy!

On Monday, not only did I care for my son, I clean my house too! Well, not the whole thing, just the parts that company would see :) (dishes, vac/mop downstairs, tidying, etc).

Tuesday was also very good, got a few more chores done - but then Wed. brought a tough evening as Zac was up almost every hour from 2am on. Having so little sleep totally fizzed my super mommy game.

Thur. he gave me a good long break during the night (almost 5.5 hours) which helped to make Friday a good day, but by now I was pooped and barely got the dishwasher unloaded.

In addition to our first week alone together, we also took our first hike! We packed a backpack and Stephen strapped on the baby and we hiked our way to some castle ruins in a village just 10 min. from our house. The weather was fantastic! We got about 90% of the way to the ruins when Zac decided that he wanted some lunch. Great news, I'm breastfeeding, I just happened to have brought my breasts with us on the hike! And hey, look, there's a bench. So Zac enjoyed some boobie-al fresco!

By the time Zac was done with his lunch, Stephen was shakey with hunger, so we decided to turn back and head down the opposide side of the hill to a lovely german restaurant where we enjoyed a long and large lunch. Zac was so good! he only squeeked a couple of times.

All in all, we had a great but tiring week - and we're looking forward to more next week.

One Month!

I can't believe my little peanut is a month old (click for photos) - *sniffle*


To clebrate, we took photos and had our first Pediatrician visit. The doctor, Dr. Schmitt, was very nice, extremely personable. However, he talked too much! Poor Zac was all laid out naked on the exam table, and doc is just talking, talking, talking. I just wanted to say "shut up and get on with it so I can dress him!"

In the end, Dr. Schmitt deemed Zac a "Perfect, healthy child". Yay! He now weighs 8.8 lbs and still measures 21.75 inches.

Stephen is still hanging out with me (on paternity leave) and I couldn't be more greatful. He's always there just in time. Just when I'm getting frustrated of fussyness, Stephen takes over. Just when my arms are too tired to carry Zac any more, Stephen takes over. When I need a shower, time to pay bill, a moment to update my blog...Stephen takes over. Stephen is the greatest dad!! I can't wait to see how their relationship changes and grows as Zac starts to really act like a kid. It's only a matter of time before daddy and me Karate classes begin!

Multi-tasking has taken on an entirely new defination for me. I have ALWAYS been good at multi-tasking. In fact, my time is not properly used unless I'm simultaniously doing at least 2 things. "Having a baby changes everything." This morning, for example, I had finished nursing Zac and had him in his bouncy chair so that I could:

1. prepare my breakfast
2. brew coffee
3. feed cats
4. pump breastmilk
5. draft my blog in my head
6. wonder what the day had in store for us
7. review everything that I've not gotten done in the last month
8. feel guilty about being completely out of touch with friends and family but not have enough time or energy to do anything about it.
9. begin the grocery list
10. plan dinner

Now multi-taking, to me, means going over all my intentions rather than making progress towards finishing a project. Moms of multiples...how do you do it?!

Every day, we try to do "something" . Our "something" is usually a trip to the store or a walk around the neighborhood. The weather has really gotten quite beautiful and Zac loves getting out of the house...well, I don't know how much Zac really appreciates it since usually he's in his baby wrap sound asleep. I can tell you for that mommy surely appreciates getting out of the house!

And speaking of getting out of the house, our kitties are also enjoying the lovely weather! Houdini has been reincarnated as Amber - this cat can get out of anything all in the name of being outside.

For the last 2 years, we've had a catwalk (a netted contraption that the cats can enjoy the out of doors without the danger of being hit by car) on our patio. Well, after several attempts and now a skillful set of manuvers, Amber has thwarted our every measure to keep her from running away. So, we've taking the catwalk off the patio, and moved it to the roof of our carport (which is also the livingroom window). Ha, HA Amber! take that.

Well, now, instead of working their way out of the catwalk, they simply wait behind a piece of furniture for us to open the patio door and then shoot out like furry greased lightening. We just thank our stars that our cats can't live without their litterbox. Yes, can you believe it, the litterbox is what keeps em' coming back. After spending time outside, usually the first stop (once back indoors) is a straight line to the litterbox. Hey, whatever it takes to keep them coming home!

So, despite the sleepless nights, lack of social interaction and complete consumption of time by our little man, this month has flown by! And I hear it doesn't get any slower.

Thanks for checking up on us...maybe some day soon we'll have something other than the baby to talk about!

2 Weeks Old

Another week has passed and despite a very serious conversation that Zac and I had well over a week ago, he seems to be defying me and changing every day. This week, we had the joys of our first full submersion bath, screaming pains of gas, going it alone (Grammy & Gramps had a mini-vacation) and lots of bright blue eyes.

<--Isn't this a funny picture?! We call this "Crinkle Face" We see it often and it means little more than he's having a thought, or a fart, or a sneeze, or a burp, or a....

On Mon. I had my stitches removed. We had a home visit with a midwife where she checked Zac from head to toe and gave me a once over as well. She gave us some excellent advice and education and encouraged us to give Zac his first bath.

Since Zac's umbilical stump fell off, we had our first full submersion bath on Tuesday.(you can't get the stump wet, so we were relegated to sponge baths). We decided that the "Tummy Tub" was the way to go for us (see photo left - this is NOT Zac). If you don't know, this is a tub that looks like a cleaning bucket. It's actually designed to simulate the uterus. And when filled with warm water, babies LOVE it - Zac was no exception. He floated around happy as a clam...well, he is a Pisces - it's totally natural. Unfortunately his already dry skin did not get better after the bath, even though we used next to no gentle baby soap.

I mentioned gas earlier. My poor peanut is experiencing the worst gas pains in the world. The poor thing crys for almost 2 hours each evening and we do everything we can (anti-gas drops, massage, burping while nursing, etc, etc, etc) but it's still not enough. I have not been able to pin point where I may be going wrong in my diet yet, but we taking steps to find out what his triggers are. The sad part is that this process takes days and days and these are days-and-days of gas pain screaming. It's terribly frustrating to watch your child in pain, do everything that you possibly can and still have no effect. We had another visit with the midwife today (Thursday) and she gave us a few more wepons for our arsonal.

Bright eyes: Zac has been spending more time awake and eyes wide open! He has amazing steel blue eyes and I just love watching him watch stuff. In the coming weeks, I look forward to him being able to truly focus on objects. Right now, he's really just seeing high contrast and faces.

Going it alone: Grammy & Gramps took a much deserved mini-vacation Sun-Thur to Heidelberg. While there, they visited with their daughter's friend, enjoyed the sites and flavors of Heidelberg and got some needed rest and relaxation. So Stephen and I got a chance to fend for ourselves - Us vs. Zac. It was awesome!! Though we had some tough times working through the gas pains, we've all gotten to know each other even better and we've learned even more how to sooth our baby and more about what he likes and dislikes when it comes to his routines. It was an excellet opportunity to boost our confidence and get some one on one time.

We'll have a 3rd midwife visit on Saturday - Zac has not been gaining weight like he should and so she's given us some tips and pointers in hopes that we can pack on some ozs. before his next weigh in. Sadly, those tips and pointers included supplimenting breast milk with a little formula. The goal is that we will only need it for a few days until he gains some weight and energy.

Let me tell you, it was a direct hit through my heart when the midwife suggested the formula. Yes, I started crying. Stephen and I are so committed to brestmilk that not only did I feel inadequite but it was a huge slap in the face. Bottom line: we want to do what is best for Zac, so we agreed to small supplimental feedings - thankfully the supplimental feedings are few and spread out to maybe 3 a day. And like I said, we're hoping that after a few days we'll be able to stop the formula.

With that said, it is that time again, off to satisfy Zac's hunger...

1 Week Old

I just can't believe it, it's already been a week!

At 11:51 a.m. today, we were nursing when Grammy said "hey, do you know what time it is?" Well instantly I welled up. My little man is aging, quickly.

We had our first outing yesterday. We went back to the hospital to visit with the Photographer who took some excellent photos of Zac (see right) and go over package options. I don't even know why they have options, any new mother chock full of hormones will instantly buy the entire package...which is exactly what we did. Now my poor husband has to find a way to fit it into the budget. But heck, we have some amazing photos and some great keepsakes.

After the visit with the photographer, we stopped in on our "neighbors". The new mom in the room next to ours was American as well, they had arrived on Sun. We met the husband when we were registering Zac's birth on Monday. But since we checked out on Mon. afternoon we didn't get much chance to talk with them. So we stopped in on Wed. and visited for some time.

Their story was oddly similar to our own - emergency C-Section due to wrapped cord. So we swapped war stories, talked breast feeding, comiserated and shared our joys. It's excellent to have someone who is going through the very same ordeal to share and compare with. Sometimes it makes it all just a little easier to swallow.

Today we had our 2nd outing. We went to the Mall and the Grocery Store! We planned it so that we left the house right after a big feeding. Zac was zonked so getting him into the carseat was no big deal. Then once at the mall, I placed him in the baby wrap where he contently snoozed all the way until we got home almost 3 hours later. He was EXCELLENT!! We even got oogled in the food court - he's just so darn cute.

In other more mundane news, nights are long - some harder than others. Sometimes Zac is just so unhappy and there's nothing that Stephen and I can do to sooth him. This is painfully frustrating. But it's also very much a part of the learning process - him learning us as well as us learning him. Thankfully I have the support of my wonderful husband and the helping hands of Grammy & Gramps. Other nights have been an absolute breeze! Thankfully, we've had more breezy nights than stormy ones.

Grammy & Gramps are off to visit Heidelberg for a few days at the end of the weekend. I'm excited by the challenge of taking Zac on mano y mama. I think it will be an excellent confidence boost for Stephen and I to prove to ourselves what excellent work we can do. Think positive...right?!

So that's the update for now - as I must absolutely take a nap. You never know if a feeding is going to last one hour or three. Right now, i'm hoping for three.

Stay tuned for more!

DAY 7: Coming home! (3.1.10)

We were released a whole two days earlier than I had expected!

We had a pediatrician visit first thing in the morning, and so when I showed up to retrieve Zac, the midwife informed me that I was able to check out today if I wanted. Well heck yes!

So, we began making preparations. Stephen started cleaning and packing the room. Grammy & Gramps were put on alert. We had a hearing test at 11:30 (he passed w/ flying colors) and a photography appointment at noon. By 1:30 pm we were making our final arrangements, getting final instructions and snapping our little peanut into his new peanut shell – the car seat.

We arrived home shortly before 2pm. We went directly to the nursery, spent a half hour nursing and followed that up with a nearly 4 hour nap…well, Zac napped, we were making phone calls, video calls, and trying to get caught up on all that we had missed over the last week.

Our first night at home went smashingly! Feedings were equally spaced, sleep was had by those who could get it and again, confidence took a shot in the arm and skyrocketed.

DAY 6: Successful parenting (2.28.10)

Now with our confidence boosted by my gaining ability to satisfy Zac’s hunger. We had an excellent day of just getting into a routine. Zac was finally beginning to fall into a pattern (unreliable, but pattern-like none the less). We even had a visit from my mom’s brother and his wife (they live here in Germany too.) So Zac got his first visit from extended family with Great Uncle Bud and Aunt Anne. An excellent day was followed by a stellar night. Now it wasn’t as smooth sailing as his very first night. But now we had a game plan. We had come up with some soothing strategies that were working for us. So Stephen and I tag teamed the kid and worked together to try to balance sleeplessness and baby care.

DAY 5: A little more confidence (2.27.10)

I was again treated with a much needed nap at midday thanks to Grammy. Stephen took Gramps grocery shopping and the day went by with greater confidence - especially after a particularly successful feeding session. I could tell that my milk was finally starting to arrive mid morning. Zac’s sucking pattern was now different and I could hear distinct swallowing sounds that were significantly more satisfying sounding than previously experienced. I was at 100% yet, but we were well on our way.

Our new concern was diapers. We hadn’t seen a dirty or wet diaper in several hours (from about 3am to nearly 2pm). Mid morning, I enquired at the nurses’ station about this. They again assured me that as long as he’d had his initial dirty diapers, there was nothing to be concerned with. So we watched and waited and celebrated every dirty diaper after that (and still are).

DAY 4: It begins (2.26.10)

It’s FRIDAY! TGIF…wait, what’s going on here? Holy crap, what are we doing!? OMG this is amazing!
Just a few of the thoughts that went through our heads the nano seconds that our 2nd day with Zac began. Not that the day actually “began” as I stayed up nearly the entire night as well as did Stephen.
The day was spent again, mostly watching and trying out new things…like how to hold him. Stephen found some excellent success in the “baby lounging on chest” position. While I mostly favored the traditional cradle hold.
The day is pretty much a blur…Grammy & Gramps came to visit about mid morning. Lunch arrived around noon. I was able to take a nap while Grammy took Zac to the visitors’ room. Stephen headed home with Gramps to take care of some business. Day passed to evening. Evening to night, and then it began.

Zac’s quiet demeanor was gone. 9 p.m. brought with it a whole new world of concern. We couldn’t get him to stop crying. We did everything, twice, three times, nothing! I knew that all his problems were my fault. My milk still hadn’t come in and so I assumed that the discomfort Zac was in was due to my (perceived) lack of foremilk viability. During a rare quiet moment, I stepped down to the nurses’ station and began expressing my concern. This concern quickly snowballed into a disgusting display of tears, fear and desperation.

I was assured that everything that we were experiencing was normal. That the baby was fine and that soon my milk would come. C-Section deliveries often experience delayed milk production. As much as I hate to admit it, I was progressing on track (instead of ahead of expectations as I much prefer to be).

Eventually our night of hell passed, a new day broke and we were renewed with hope and support with another visit from Grammy & Gramps.

Day 3: Happy Birthday Zac!! (2.25.10)

We were asked to come back at 7:30am for more monitoring. The 7:30 session showed that the contractions were much more regular but remained weak. The doctor came to visit us at 8 am and did another exam. She found that even with all the contractions, I was only dilated 2 cm and this was AFTER the used her fingers to stretch me – something I didn’t take lightly and let the rest of L&D know!

The doctor decided it was time for the final installment of the hormone treatment. This was a much stronger dose; it burned much more and caused MUCH stronger contractions.
About 20 min. into the treatment, Stephen and I were alone in the room when the baby’s heart rate dropped dangerously low and stayed there. I told Stephen to get someone immediately. As he was trying to get some attention, the heart rate dropped to the low 50s (target range is 120-180). The midwife immediately got me up on my hands and knees, injected me with adrenaline and began massaging my uterus to get a reaction out of the baby.

The adrenaline kicked in within seconds. My body started shaking, I started crying (a mostly physical reaction, I was concentrating too hard on what I was supposed to be doing to have an emotional reaction). Peanut’s heart rate gained, but we knew that this was something to be watched.

After an hour and a half on the monitor and greatly increasing contractions, I just couldn’t sit still any longer. I had Stephen ask if I could get up and moved – I heard the moving around would help alleviate and cope with the pain. The midwife told me that at this time, it’s not a good idea, but that she would have the doctor take a look at the monitor and we’d get a game plan going.
The doctor reviewed the results and determined that with every contraction Peanut’s heart rate was dropping. This was not a good thing. She said that it was not time for a c-section.

I didn’t hesitate – all I care about is a healthy baby!

She said “we’ll get started now then, that way we can work into it and not make it an emergency c-section”. Sounded good to me! In came the gurney, the surgery smock, the catheter (yay) and some worried looks from the fellow midwives.

They rolled me off to the OR for my epidural, Stephen was sent back to the room with the rest of my things and some urgent phone calls to make.

As I was in with the anesthesiologist getting the epidural, the midwife stayed with me to monitor Peanuts heart rate. Again, it dropped – and she forcefully encouraged the anesthesiologist to get a move on. We’ve run out of time – we couldn’t wait for an epidural. It was determined that I needed to have a spinal block ON the operating table. So they rushed me to the OR where Stephen met us after they finished the spinal block.

The room was TINY! And there were SO many people rushing around. The drape was barely up before they began making the incision. Stephen held my left hand and stroked my hair. The anesthesiologist continually asked me questions to make sure all was going well. A bit of pressure, lots of pushing of my body back and forth and suddenly I felt a warm heavy mass on my abdomen.

“HERE HE IS” a grey little gremlin was hefted over the drape and there was my baby!!! He started crying, they rushed him off to clean him up and examine him. I cried with joy – minimal labor pains, a healthy cry, what more could a woman ask for?

Zachary (Zac) Adrian Watson was born at 11:51am, Feb. 25, 2010. 7 lbs. 5 oz. 21.7 in.
Zac came back to me just a few minutes later. They put him into Stephen’s arms and then placed him on the table to the left of my head. All I could see was a small patch of reddish hair, one steely blue eye and the damn cutest nose I’ve EVER seen!

Slowly the spinal block had crept its way up my body and was starting to affect my hands – they were beginning to feel tingly. So I asked them to place Zac back with Stephen. And the boys went back to L&D where Zac got his first check up.

Now I wasn’t present for this part, but I hear that his reflexes were tested, vitals taken, measurements measured, etc. At the end of the exam, the midwife said “Perfect!”…well, of course! I made him (with a little help from Stephen).

While Zac was getting poked and prodded, so was I. They were cleaning me up and stitching me back together. The delivery took about 3 min. from the time that I laid down to the minute that Zac’s cord was cut. Ah yes, the cord! It turns out that the problem we were having is that Zac’s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck two times. So every time I had a contraction, it was acting like a noose. I’m glad we spared no time in making the c-section decision.

Cleaning and suturing me took about 20 minutes. I was then wheeled into recovery where I stayed for about an hour and a half!

DAMMIT! An Hour and a half?! My baby is waiting for me. LET’s GO! What’s going to happen? It’s not like I’m leaving the hospital!!! Well, because the Spinal Block was so efficient, I had to stay in recovery until feeling had returned to all parts above my waist. So there I waited. I watched several people be wheeled in for various other surgeries, and others still being wheeled out after unknown amounts of time. I just kept hoping that my turn was next. Every half hour the nurses checked my reaction and finally at about 3 p.m. I was returned to L&D where I was finally reunited with my baby.

Wow, what a moment. I’ve never felt so utterly overwhelmed and consumed with rapture. He was beautiful, he was perfect and he was all mine. Words cannot put into account the rock hard, crushing emotion that fills every crack. Tears enough cannot be shed to purge the pain that such joy brings (yes, I am crying now as I type this).

About three hours later, we were returned to the Maternity wing. Really? Three hours? I could have sworn it was 20 minutes. Thank goodness the photos have digital time stamps on them.
Once back on the ward, more photos were taken, Grammy and Gramps got their turns at first holds, and then we were left to our own devices (with the assistance of the excellent care from staff) for our first night as new parents.

Stephen was able to stay with me during the entire hospital stay. He even got his own hospital bed and meals. I don’t know what I would have done without him there. I have a really hard time asking for help. Chances are very good that I would have hurt myself trying to take care of Zac all on my own those first few nights. I would have never wanted to bother the midwives with my needs and would have wanted to take care of everything myself. Stephen is probably the biggest reason for my speedy recovery. He did the diaper changes, he did the burping, he did the soothing and all the while never let me forget how much he loved me and now our new son.

Our first night with Zac was excellent! He was such a quiet and content little one. We had our first poopy diaper, our subsequent attempts at breast feeding and LOTS of staring and admiring and snuggling. I didn’t get more than 20 min. of sleep that night. All I could do was watch him to make sure he was still breathing as he slept.

Day 2: Induction (2.24.10)

Our morning started bright and early…well not so bright, seeing that the sun still isn’t up till nearly 7:30. Stephen headed for home (shower, food, fresh clothes) at shortly after 7, while I cleaned up and dressed for the day. We had an 8am monitoring session, so when 8 came around, I waddled over to L&D, got hooked up and tried to zonk out while listening to my baby boy’s heartbeat.

The previous night’s monitoring and the mornings’ sessions showed that peanut was doing well and was ready for a bit more persuasion. The doctor came to me in L&D at 8:30 and administered the hormonal treatment…let me tell you, that doesn’t tickle! No need for details, but just rest-assured that it included a painful examination followed by an invasive “application”. We were monitored for an hour, during which time I really began to feel different.
I had continued to have gentle, irregular contractions throughout the night, but the way things were feeling now were quite different. The night contractions were generally high in my belly, short and fluid. These new morning contractions were very low, long and concentrated. Still relatively painless though, MANY thanks to God. At 9:30am we were released back to the room for some breakfast and rest.

By the afternoon, the contractions had ceased. It was time to do application #2. The same procedure resulted in more contractions throughout the night. We were continuously monitored every 2 hours until midnight.

38-Week Check up, and then some… (2.23.10)

On Feb. 23, we went to the doctor to have our 38 week check up—a routine check-up with the usual ultrasound peep show, and fetal monitoring. However, this time, we had the joy of sharing it w/ Stephen’s mom. So Grammy got to see peanut in utero!

During the ultrasound, the doctor noted that the amniotic fluid was again, lower. She flipped on the Doppler to listen to his heart beat and it was also low, not in a range we like to see. After short deliberation, the doctor said that it was time to induce! The low amniotic fluid posed a threat mostly to the umbilical cord and we were encouraged to take action. So we agreed. The good news is we were mostly prepared for such an occurrence. The bags have been packed and in the car for about 3 weeks now, so I checked in and Stephen got the bags.

First stop was Labor & Delivery (L&D) for monitoring. We spent 30 min. on the monitor during which time the baby’s heart rate dropped 3 times – one of those times was while I was getting an IV inserted. There were two possible induction methods: internal hormonal stimulation or pictocen drip. While in the doc’s office, she was leaning toward the hormones, however, the monitoring showed that we needed to start a little bit slower with a “Pic Test”. This consisted of hooking me up to a very low dose of Pictocen and increasing the dosage every 30 min. for two hours.

The test went smashingly. I started having very gentle and regular contractions at 1.5 hours, but seeing as this was only a test (and a potential way of jump starting my body gently) when we reached the 2 hour mark the drip was stopped and we were monitored for another 30 min. w/o drugs. We returned every 2 hours for a 30 min. monitoring throughout the evening until our last session at 11pm. Finally, they told us we could go to sleep.

Stephen and I blearily ambled back to our room, got into bed and couldn’t sleep. We had both been nearly asleep in the final monitoring session, but now we couldn’t even think of sleep. Finally, hours later we both fell into a shallow state of sleep. New beds, new location, new sounds…these things all add up to not so excellent sleep. But we caught a couple of Zs

RIP: Thurmond (Oct. 1994 - Feb. 2010)

We are very sad to say that this afternoon we decided to put our eldest cat, Thurmond, to sleep. He has battled mouth cancer for some time and has been slowly deteriorating. We have always believed that it was our job to create the most loving, comforting and fun environment for him as we possibly could for as long as we could - and we believe wholly that we did. He brought so much to our household and it’s hard to come home without him, but we also know that his quality of life was no longer what it should have been. Please say a little prayer that his kitty soul finds its way safely to heaven and that his spirit never leaves our hearts.

Pre-Labor...the clock is ticking.

On Wed. 1/27 I was admitted to the hospital after having several episodes of rapid pulse, dizzyness, shortness of breath, numbness in hands. It started at about 8:30am on wed, and i had 2 episodes before I called the doc (one is a fluke, 2 is a pattern).

They told me to come in immediately. So I called stephen (who was in the Mainz office) to let him know that i was headed to the doc. I told him to stay put until i knew more about what was going on. When i got to the doc, they drew blood and did all the vitals then sent me to Labor & Delivery to be put on the fetal monitor. When monitoring was complete, i headed back to gynocology and wait as the doc w/ in surgery and was expected to return in about 20 min.

As i was sitting in the waiting room, i had another episode, so i walked up to the desk and let them know. They put me up on an exam table and did the vitals again. my pulse was quite rapid and my BP had jumped 20 points. At this moment the doc walked in and said "what's going on". So as the nurses were delivering the news, the doc said, "how'd the EKG look". The nurses all got the "deer in headlights" look and said "no EKG was done". So they sent me back to L&D to do more moitering and EKG. More blood was drawn, more questions asked and an IV was put in place (OUCH!). Stephen was called back to Ktown and made it safely to the hospital. In the end, the IV was never hooked to anything, so i got to have a very uncomfortable port thing sticking out my hand all night.

The first blood results came back about about 4pm and nothing out of the ordinary was found. But just to be safe, they asked me to stay the night. So stephen cruised home, picked up some things, and came back. He hung out w/ me for a few hours then I sent him home. The next morning, i had another small episode (must less intense and shorter) and I was scheduled for fetal monitoring at 9am. So i spent 30 min on the moniter, the midwife came in took a look, made a face and said "we're going to leave you on here for 20 more min" then left. Of course, i freaked out...WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??? WHAT IS SHE SEEING??

So Stephen went to moniter and took a look at the printout. He said "you're having contractions". I said "shut up and sit down you don't know what you're looking at!" Well the midwife came back 30 min. later, looked at the print out and said "you're having contractions...can you feel them". my eyes bugged out! :) No, i wasn't feeling contractions and dang if Stephen actually DID know what he was talking about. I guess he WAS paying attention in birth class.

So we were sent back to my room, where we lounged in bed waiting for the doc to come by. As i was laying there, i was now paying attention and could definately feel the rythmic contractions! They were coming every 10 or so min. but weren't causing any pain. I'd felt this sensation before, but i'd always attributed it to Peanut stretching, not me squeezing.

We finally saw the doc at about 2pm and she was suprised that we hadn't been released yet. Unfortunately, she hadn't gotten the memo about the contractions yet - so we filled her in and then she went and got the whole story from staff. She came to the room about 5 min later and said "get back on the moniter". so i was hooked up again for 30 more min and by the end of that session, the contractions were getting weaker and further spaced. Doc did an exam and said that she could definately feel his head pressing against the cervix but that it was still shut tight. We were released at about 3pm.

It turns out that the contractions aren't doing much to the cervix (GOOD NEWS) though there has been a slight change it's not enough to warrent bedrest or further hospital admittance. I have another appt. on tuesday at which time we will discuss our birth plan w/ staff, the doc will of course check out how the baby is doing and hopefully we'll be able to cruise for at least 2 more weeks (aiming for 37 weeks - babies no longer premie at 37 wks).

So, bottom line, we're fine! Baby's fine, mommy's fine, daddy's fine...we're just going to "take it easy" or at least try to.

Baby Shower

Today was my Baby Shower!

Lory, Ellen, Chelsea and I all gathered at Lory's house where she prepared some excellent fun and food for us to shower Peanut with. We all had so much fun!

We played a game, "guess what it is", using baby food. It was hilarious! we all had to taste a mystery paste and figure out what it was. There's no suprise that the mom of a toddler, Chelsea, was the winner!

I recived such thoughtful and adoreable gifts, probably the most popular of which was a lion my mother-in-law made:

I can't say how happy I am to have celebrated with such excellent friends. Ladies, you're the best! I know that with people like you in my life, my little one will have no lack of love in his life.

Go check out the photos, there's some cute ones!

It's DEFINATELY a boy!

We had our 32 week check up yesterday, and ultrasound has confirmed with 99% certainty that we are indeed having a boy. We got an extremely clear view of his "goods" - but, out of respect (and hopes that he'll one day be famous or president) I will refrain from posting the money shot. :) - not to mention, my husband would kill me!

During the ultrasound we got to see the usual: heart, ribs, spine, skull. But we also got to see some new stuff (aside from his genitals) which included his kidneys, diaphram, stomach, both arms and even his tongue! Yes, he stuck his tongue out at us! It was quite amazing.

He's currently estimated to weigh about 4.5 lbs and is two weeks ahead of schedule in growth. They've not changed my due date, but we'll be going back in 2 weeks (standard proceedure now that i'm in my 8th month) to have another look.