4 Months

Poor Tater...he looks so tired here!

From the archives

So we finally figured out how to download the early Tate pics from my phone. Here are a few of my favorites.

Baby feet!

There were a couple of months when Tate would only sleep on someone. Now if he's lying on my chest he lifts his head and looks around instead. Even though it's so exciting to see him grow and develop, a small part of me misses those early days.

This is another of my favorite pics of Brad and Tate. I think Brad had been asleep and I brought Tate in to see him. So sweet.



I can't believe there was a time when he only took up a small corner of his crib. He's so much bigger now!

Month three

We're enjoying every minute of being Tate's parents. I'm so grateful to be home with him to watch each little change. I've watched his eyelashes grow from being a few little faint blonde hairs to being long and dark. I've watched him lose his mohawk and grow more hair each day. He's started to grab onto things, and to show more interest in his toys and books. And this past month he's started rubbing his hands together like he's plotting something. I wonder what it could be?

Month two

Time really does fly! Around 8 weeks Tate started giving us his first real smiles. We thought he had us wrapped around his finger before, but oh--when we see his smile we just melt.

Month one

The first month was a blur of sleepless nights, feeding, diaper-changing, laundry, and cuddling. Lots and lots of cuddling. I'm pretty sure this photo was one of the few times I actually put Tate down. I just couldn't get enough of holding my baby.

Introducing Tate Robert

These two photos say it all: exhausted, elated parents and a pale, wrinkly, confused baby. We couldn't have been happier!

Having my baby

I finally understand why women like to share their labor stories. It's such an amazing experience that you want to re-live it over and over again. And because it's so surreal that you almost have to say it out loud from time to time to believe it really happened, at least that's how it was for me.

But I'll spare you the whole story and just share one of my favorite labor memories. Brad and I had created a labor playlist for his iPod. Since we started dating we've created playlists from time to time for various vacations, etc., and it was only fitting we'd have one for this. When we first got to the hospital I was between 2-3 cm dilated, and the nurse had us walk around for a while to see if my labor would progress. The pain of the contractions was getting worse, but the painful part was really short so I could use my Lamaze breathing to get through each one. Brad and I plugged in the dual headphones and listened to our playlist as we held hands and walked slow laps around the triage hallway, stopping every couple of minutes so I could breathe through a contraction. It was 4 a.m. and the triage area was nearly deserted so it felt really private and intimate even though we were at the hospital. We were joking around and so excited anticipating the birth of the Bean. It is one of the sweetest memories of my labor experience.

Here is what we were listening to:

"Danny's Song" by Loggins & Messina

"Baby I'm-A Want You" by Bread

"Sweet Life" by Paul Davis

"Baby, What A Big Surprise" by Chicago

"Love Without End, Amen" by George Strait

"Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor

"(You're) Having My Baby" by Paul Anka

"Rock Me Gently" by Andy Kim

"Cry Baby" by Janis Joplin

"Baby I Love Your Way" (Live) by Peter Frampton

"Baby, I Need Your Lovin'" by Johnny Rivers

"Let's Go" by Wang Chung

"Baby Hold On" by Eddie Money

"Don't Worry, Baby" by the Beach Boys

"Baby, Come to Me" by James Ingram, Patti Austin & Quincy Jones

"Maybe Baby" by the Crickets

"Be My Baby" by the Ronettes

The above photo was taken about 20 hours into my labor after I said screw Lamaze and got an epidural.

An early arrival...

Who knew I'd go into labor just 5 1/2 hours after I wrote that last post! We took photos every week during my 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Here's the last one, at 38 weeks. Overall I really did enjoy being pregnant, but I don't miss those swollen feet!

38 weeks, 1 day

The update from the OBGYN today is that I've made a little progress--I'm at 2 cm so far. He'd like to see me farther along since he'd like to get the baby out sooner than later so he doesn't get any bigger. The doctor said I need to be "active, active, active" to help bring on labor. No pressure, huh!

37 weeks (and a day)

Nothing much new from my appointment today. I'm still dilated about 1 cm, so no progress since last week. My doctor talked to me about how big the baby is (plus his head is in the 75th percentile), and mentioned that when the time comes if labor doesn't progress well we might have to go to a c-section. We'll keep you posted!

Shower

My friends Jaime and Traci hosted a wonderful shower on July 18. We felt so blessed to have friends and family there to celebrate The Bean's upcoming arrival. Here are a few photos:

Shower games! Everyone had to try to draw a baby on a paper plate without looking. We got some good ones. :-)





Jaime, Me, Traci



Sara, Me, Monica, and Vivian



Me and my Mom



Me and Brad's Mom



Me, Lois, and Allie



Karen, Carla, Me, Jennifer, and Jaime



Beth made a beautiful quilt for The Bean. He's lucky I have such talented friends.



Here are photos of the quilt Jaime made. She had everyone create a square at the shower, then she sewed it all together. It's such a beautiful keepsake.

36.5 weeks and counting!

An update on The Bean: I saw my doctor last week, and I'm dilated 1 cm and my cervix is starting to thin out (TMI, I know), so things are getting started. I had an ultrasound today, and they estimate that he's already 6 lbs 15 oz (give or take 10%), so I don't think this is going to be a small baby! I see the doctor every week now, so we're going back again on Friday for another check. I can't believe my due date is 3 weeks from Thursday already. The last couple months have really flown by.

The art of childbirth

Brad and I spent last weekend at a Lamaze class to prepare for the birth of our son. It was really educational, and definitely made me feel a little more prepared for labor. During our class we learned that some couples keep the placenta and dip it in paint to make a print to hang on the wall (similar to sponge painting). I'm glad Brad was in the restroom when the instructor was talking about this, because we both would have had to stifle our laughter if he had been in the room. One thing we definitely agree on as parents: placenta prints are not for us. Although this one is kind of cool...

Exciting news

We're going to be welcoming a new addition to our family. It's a boy, and he's due August 19! I know it's too early to tell, but I think he looks like Brad. :-)