Lori, Ty and I just want to take a moment to wish all of our friends and family a Happy and Healthy New Year filled with Love and Goodwill.
We also wanted to give shout outs to a few of our friends who are enjoying exciting times in their lives.
To the Kipe family in South Carolina... you might be far away from us here in Pennsylvania, but you are never out of our thoughts. We wish you the best with your new born baby girl Abbi and her older sister Layna. Congrats!!! You have a beautiful family! We love you guys and can't wait to see you in the spring!
To the Bowersox Family... congrats on your big news of starting a family!!! We are soooo happy for you guys and wish you the best of luck when Baby Bowersox comes into the world sometime around July 4th! We love you and remember, if you ever need a helping hand, we are here for you!
And finally to the Penn State Football Team... GO STATE, BEAT USC!! :-)
Happy New Year to All!!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
A Joyful Christmas for the Smith Family
Christmas was bitter sweet for us this year, but overall very joyful. Bitter because of the recent loss of my father and the anniversary of Lori's father's death on Christmas day. Sweet because we were able to celebrate Christmas with many members of both of our families. Joyful because it was our first Christmas with our little guy.
Christmas Eve began on a good note with my mom deciding she was coming out for dinner and an overnight stay with us. She has been sick with ear and sinus infections, but after a visit with her doctor and him convincing her that she was not contagious, she decided to join us. Great News! We had our Christmas with her that evening since Christmas morning would be kinda crazy for us preparing to go to visit both side of Lori's family as we do each Christmas.
Ty made out excellent with clothes coming from Nan Smith. After the last few days, Ty pretty much has enough of clothes to last him through the winter thanks everyone including Nan.
Christmas morning arrived and we hustled to get food made for our visits and get Ty ready to go... I was always told that taking a child somewhere meant taking everything but the kitchen sink. I never believed it until Christmas morning. We were going to two places for pretty much 7 hours and it felt like we were packing for a weekend get away. As you can see, Ty was all dressed up for the occassion!
We went to Lori's Aunt Tracey's for a wonderful lunch and shared a few hours with that side of the family. Ty again made out well with a few toys and a gift card or two for more clothes/toys. Ty did very well and even took a much needed nap as you can see below. I love his cute little Santa bib.
Christmas Eve began on a good note with my mom deciding she was coming out for dinner and an overnight stay with us. She has been sick with ear and sinus infections, but after a visit with her doctor and him convincing her that she was not contagious, she decided to join us. Great News! We had our Christmas with her that evening since Christmas morning would be kinda crazy for us preparing to go to visit both side of Lori's family as we do each Christmas.
Ty made out excellent with clothes coming from Nan Smith. After the last few days, Ty pretty much has enough of clothes to last him through the winter thanks everyone including Nan.
Christmas morning arrived and we hustled to get food made for our visits and get Ty ready to go... I was always told that taking a child somewhere meant taking everything but the kitchen sink. I never believed it until Christmas morning. We were going to two places for pretty much 7 hours and it felt like we were packing for a weekend get away. As you can see, Ty was all dressed up for the occassion!
We went to Lori's Aunt Tracey's for a wonderful lunch and shared a few hours with that side of the family. Ty again made out well with a few toys and a gift card or two for more clothes/toys. Ty did very well and even took a much needed nap as you can see below. I love his cute little Santa bib.
Around 3, it was time to pack up and head to Lori's Grandparents for the rest of the day. There we exchanged gifts and had another delicious dinner. Ty again made out like a bandit with Toys galore and even a few more outfits for the coming months. Ty was a good boy until about the 6 o'clock hour when he became pretty fussy and was about ready to end his big day. We packed up the car and home we went. Ty took his bottle and was out like a light.
On Friday, I had to work... I know, Ho Hum... but Lori's mom was coming into town and Lori's brother was hosting more family members for lunch and our Christmas with her. Ty's big gift from Grandma Straley was the coolest toy and one everyone is at least aware about from news reports... Talking Elmo. Let's just say, dad has had more fun with it then Ty thus far! :-) That thing is so cute! I was able to skip out of work for a few hours to enjoy lunch with everyone.
So all in all our Christmas was joyful but busy. Ty did a great job going from place to place and has been quite a sleeper the past few nights. He is learning how to hold things and grab at his toys. He is becoming more responsive to people and loves to gabber. I have to say, when he smiles, his entire face lights up with joy, along with mommy and daddy's!
Lori and I just want to thank everyone for the Christmas gifts for Ty and to us. As you can see by the picture below, Ty will not need any new toys until he turns one!! :-)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Merry Christmas To All....
We just want to wish all of our family and friends a very Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Compromise
Merriam-Webster defines Compromise as a settlement of differences by consent reached by mutual concessions.
Well that is exactly what my brother-in-law, Ryan, and I have done. We have come to a compromise on Sports Teams for Ty. :-) Although someday Ty will be able to make up his own mind, for now, he will be rooting for specific sports teams respectively chosen by Ryan and I!
Of course I have chosen the Redskins for Football... surprise! Ryan has chosen the Yankees for Baseball. Ho Hum... I do not quite agree with it... but it was a compromise! ;-) What can I say?
Below is a photo of Ty in his attire along with Ryan and I.
Well that is exactly what my brother-in-law, Ryan, and I have done. We have come to a compromise on Sports Teams for Ty. :-) Although someday Ty will be able to make up his own mind, for now, he will be rooting for specific sports teams respectively chosen by Ryan and I!
Of course I have chosen the Redskins for Football... surprise! Ryan has chosen the Yankees for Baseball. Ho Hum... I do not quite agree with it... but it was a compromise! ;-) What can I say?
Below is a photo of Ty in his attire along with Ryan and I.
P.S. The Redskins Snow Suit, believe it or not, I wore as a child some 30 years ago. :-) My mom preserved it along with several other pieces of clothing from my childhood. How cool is that?
Thursday, December 4, 2008
2 Month Checkup & Sleeping
Well today was Ty's 2 month checkup, the first one with shots and one Lori and I were somewhat dreading. To say that Ty did a good job is an understatement.
He smiled and cooed for both the doctor and nurse, which they both enjoyed! He weighed in at 12 pounds 2 ounces and is now 22 and 1/2 inches long. Everything checked out and he seems to be a healthy growing boy! Ty did cry during his shots but only for about three minutes and that was it... such a good boy!
Since we have brought Ty home he has been an excellent night sleeper. He does not get awake in the middle of the night screaming and only squawks a few times to wake mom or dad for a bottle. If we put him to bed around 8 he normally sleeps for at least 7 hours until for his first feeding of the night. He has awoke a few times around midnight and slept as long as 5 am. Normally he is awake around 3:30 and then again around 5:30/6 and then up for his normal 8 am feeding. I believe he sleeps so well at night because he is not much of a napper during the day.
As for everything else, well the Smith household is doing well. We are all decorated for Christmas and Ty seems to have an attraction for the lights on the tree. Now we just need Santa to stop by! :-)
Below is a new picture of Ty showing off his clothes gifted by daddy's company, Global Data Consultants. Isn't he just cute?? :-)
He smiled and cooed for both the doctor and nurse, which they both enjoyed! He weighed in at 12 pounds 2 ounces and is now 22 and 1/2 inches long. Everything checked out and he seems to be a healthy growing boy! Ty did cry during his shots but only for about three minutes and that was it... such a good boy!
Since we have brought Ty home he has been an excellent night sleeper. He does not get awake in the middle of the night screaming and only squawks a few times to wake mom or dad for a bottle. If we put him to bed around 8 he normally sleeps for at least 7 hours until for his first feeding of the night. He has awoke a few times around midnight and slept as long as 5 am. Normally he is awake around 3:30 and then again around 5:30/6 and then up for his normal 8 am feeding. I believe he sleeps so well at night because he is not much of a napper during the day.
As for everything else, well the Smith household is doing well. We are all decorated for Christmas and Ty seems to have an attraction for the lights on the tree. Now we just need Santa to stop by! :-)
Below is a new picture of Ty showing off his clothes gifted by daddy's company, Global Data Consultants. Isn't he just cute?? :-)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A Tough Week
As some of you may or may not know, my dad (Shaun's Dad) has been battling cancer for over 11 years. Since I graduated High School my dad's medical condition has been a roller coaster. He has beat several different types of cancer and has been one of the strongest and most determined people I have ever seen fighting the disease. But last 3 months have been grueling for him, my mom, who was always by his side, and the rest of our family.
This past Monday morning my father finally gave in and passed away at the age of 61.
It was hard to see him leave us, probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with in my life. But really and truly he is in a better place. He no longer has to get stuck with needles, sit in the doctor's office to get chemotherapy or take so many pills just to stay alive. He will no longer have to get CT scans, biopsies or radiation treatments. His last days were filled with family and friends visiting and my mom and I by his side.
I am thankful for many things in my life and one of those is my dad. He loved me more than I will ever know... and I loved him the same. He taught me so many life lessons including how to be a good son, husband and father. I am also grateful that he was able to see his grandson, Ty, albeit for exactly the first two months of Ty's life.
Ty will not remember his grandfather crying his eyes out the first time he held him nor will he remember his grandfather's laugh when Ty cooed. Ty will only have pictures of his grandfather and the stories I tell. But my family and I do have those memories and they are all so very special.
I thank the good Lord above for giving my mom and I such a special man. I also know that he is watching over all of us with a big smile and there to help guide us until we see him in heaven.
I love you dad... I always will!
This past Monday morning my father finally gave in and passed away at the age of 61.
It was hard to see him leave us, probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with in my life. But really and truly he is in a better place. He no longer has to get stuck with needles, sit in the doctor's office to get chemotherapy or take so many pills just to stay alive. He will no longer have to get CT scans, biopsies or radiation treatments. His last days were filled with family and friends visiting and my mom and I by his side.
I am thankful for many things in my life and one of those is my dad. He loved me more than I will ever know... and I loved him the same. He taught me so many life lessons including how to be a good son, husband and father. I am also grateful that he was able to see his grandson, Ty, albeit for exactly the first two months of Ty's life.
Ty will not remember his grandfather crying his eyes out the first time he held him nor will he remember his grandfather's laugh when Ty cooed. Ty will only have pictures of his grandfather and the stories I tell. But my family and I do have those memories and they are all so very special.
I thank the good Lord above for giving my mom and I such a special man. I also know that he is watching over all of us with a big smile and there to help guide us until we see him in heaven.
I love you dad... I always will!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
An Renewed Sense of Confidence & Smiles
Last weekend I kept Ty on two different occasions while mommy went out to do some grocery shopping and run errands. Both times Ty was a good boy and has given me a renewed sense of confidence in baby sitting. I am gaining confidence in taking care of Ty while mommy is gone and that surely makes me feel like I am accomplishing something. :-)
Ty is growing quickly (physically and emotionally) and is developing some ham hocks for legs. In fact his legs are big enough around that my thumb is about an inch away from touching my middle finger. When we brought him home, I did the same test and my thumb overlapped my middle finger to just above my finger nail, so you can get an idea of how he is growing. I think he might be an offensive or defensive linemen but not quite sure the exact position yet. :-)
Ty is cooing and smiling more often and his emotions turn quite quickly sometimes. One minute he could have a beat red face and screaming like mad, the next minute smiling and laughing. He really enjoys when mommy sings the ABC song and often begins smiling and laughing before she makes it to H or I.
His favorite places in the house has become his bouncy chair and his changing table in his room. Before Ty was born, Lori and I had decided not to get a bouncy chair since we had a swing. Well, we were given one at Lori's Baby Shower at work and we figured we would use it a little bit. let's just say that chair has been a blessing because Ty loves it.
I have to say that Lori is doing a great job at being a stay at home mom and I think she is starting to enjoy it. She is getting into a pretty good rhythm of doing chores around the house, taking care of Ty and ensuring her husband is happy with a nicely cooked dinner when he comes home from work. I am not sure how I am going to react when she goes back to work and I come home to thawed out meat on the kitchen counter! :-) But for the next month or so I am going to enjoy it while it lasts.
Ty is happy, mommy is happy and that makes daddy happy!
Ty is growing quickly (physically and emotionally) and is developing some ham hocks for legs. In fact his legs are big enough around that my thumb is about an inch away from touching my middle finger. When we brought him home, I did the same test and my thumb overlapped my middle finger to just above my finger nail, so you can get an idea of how he is growing. I think he might be an offensive or defensive linemen but not quite sure the exact position yet. :-)
Ty is cooing and smiling more often and his emotions turn quite quickly sometimes. One minute he could have a beat red face and screaming like mad, the next minute smiling and laughing. He really enjoys when mommy sings the ABC song and often begins smiling and laughing before she makes it to H or I.
His favorite places in the house has become his bouncy chair and his changing table in his room. Before Ty was born, Lori and I had decided not to get a bouncy chair since we had a swing. Well, we were given one at Lori's Baby Shower at work and we figured we would use it a little bit. let's just say that chair has been a blessing because Ty loves it.
I have to say that Lori is doing a great job at being a stay at home mom and I think she is starting to enjoy it. She is getting into a pretty good rhythm of doing chores around the house, taking care of Ty and ensuring her husband is happy with a nicely cooked dinner when he comes home from work. I am not sure how I am going to react when she goes back to work and I come home to thawed out meat on the kitchen counter! :-) But for the next month or so I am going to enjoy it while it lasts.
Ty is happy, mommy is happy and that makes daddy happy!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Adventuring Out With Mommy
Shaun has been doing a great job on keeping our blog updated. I thought it was about time that I share an update.
Motherhood is great! Yes, it can be tough at times but I would not change it for the world. Ty is so much fun even though he is only 6 weeks old. I love the coo's and the smiles that he gives us. I look forward to that every morning when he finishes his bottle and takes a poop. He seems as though he is the most happiest at that time. I wonder why?! As Shaun has mentioned in a previous post about changing Ty's formula, yes, he has been totally different. No more gas pains! Thank goodness!! Now we just have to deal with the "fighting sleep" fussiness. Boy, does he get mad when he is tired. I often wonder why babies decide to cry instead of just falling asleep. It would be so much easier on them and not to mention on mommy and daddy. I think I have made more laps through the house now then I have before Ty arrived. Whatever works, right?
Ty and I adventured to the mall for the first time on Monday. I thought since it was such a nice day out that we would get out of the house for a bit. Ty decided to have a meltdown as soon as I pulled out of the driveway. What do I do....let him cry until we get to the mall parking lot or pull over to see what is wrong? Well, I had to pull in to the Fayetteville School because he was just going balistic. Usually he is pretty good in the car but for some reason he was not at that time. Needless to say he slept pretty much the whole time we were at the mall. I was not complaining at all. He was a good boy.
Today was voting day. I wanted to make sure I voted before Shaun got home because I felt that it would be very crowded at that time. So, I made the decision that Ty would join me. Well, we had another meltdown again and this time I had to drive around to get him calmed down. The driving lasted about 10 minutes because I was sure he had fallen asleep. I pulled into the church parking lot and needless to say he was not asleep. I put him in the stroller and told him to be a good little boy. I was hoping that the lines were not too long. Of course row P through Z was the longest of them all and that was the line we needed to be in. Ty was a good little boy as we stood in line and was getting a lot of attention. I loved it when someone asked me if he was a boy or girl. Come on!! When I told the women my name and they gave me my ballot, Ty decided that he waited in line long enough and decided to cry. Nothing I could do then so I left everyone hear how good he is at showing off his lungs while I was in the booth. Needless to say he was mad pretty much the whole way home.
Tomorrow is my 6 week checkup. I can not believe it has been 6 weeks. Time is definately flying by. I could not even imagine if I had to go back to work on Monday. That would have been my first day back if I had not decided to take extra time. I will return to work on January 5th. That day will be here before I know it. I can not believe we are now in November. I am enjoying my time with my baby boy. He truly is a blessing. He amazes me every minute of every day.
Motherhood is great! Yes, it can be tough at times but I would not change it for the world. Ty is so much fun even though he is only 6 weeks old. I love the coo's and the smiles that he gives us. I look forward to that every morning when he finishes his bottle and takes a poop. He seems as though he is the most happiest at that time. I wonder why?! As Shaun has mentioned in a previous post about changing Ty's formula, yes, he has been totally different. No more gas pains! Thank goodness!! Now we just have to deal with the "fighting sleep" fussiness. Boy, does he get mad when he is tired. I often wonder why babies decide to cry instead of just falling asleep. It would be so much easier on them and not to mention on mommy and daddy. I think I have made more laps through the house now then I have before Ty arrived. Whatever works, right?
Ty and I adventured to the mall for the first time on Monday. I thought since it was such a nice day out that we would get out of the house for a bit. Ty decided to have a meltdown as soon as I pulled out of the driveway. What do I do....let him cry until we get to the mall parking lot or pull over to see what is wrong? Well, I had to pull in to the Fayetteville School because he was just going balistic. Usually he is pretty good in the car but for some reason he was not at that time. Needless to say he slept pretty much the whole time we were at the mall. I was not complaining at all. He was a good boy.
Today was voting day. I wanted to make sure I voted before Shaun got home because I felt that it would be very crowded at that time. So, I made the decision that Ty would join me. Well, we had another meltdown again and this time I had to drive around to get him calmed down. The driving lasted about 10 minutes because I was sure he had fallen asleep. I pulled into the church parking lot and needless to say he was not asleep. I put him in the stroller and told him to be a good little boy. I was hoping that the lines were not too long. Of course row P through Z was the longest of them all and that was the line we needed to be in. Ty was a good little boy as we stood in line and was getting a lot of attention. I loved it when someone asked me if he was a boy or girl. Come on!! When I told the women my name and they gave me my ballot, Ty decided that he waited in line long enough and decided to cry. Nothing I could do then so I left everyone hear how good he is at showing off his lungs while I was in the booth. Needless to say he was mad pretty much the whole way home.
Tomorrow is my 6 week checkup. I can not believe it has been 6 weeks. Time is definately flying by. I could not even imagine if I had to go back to work on Monday. That would have been my first day back if I had not decided to take extra time. I will return to work on January 5th. That day will be here before I know it. I can not believe we are now in November. I am enjoying my time with my baby boy. He truly is a blessing. He amazes me every minute of every day.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Chocolate Overdose
Ty got dressed this morning and decided to get into the Halloween Candy. He ODed, but thankfully he is doing well! :-)
Just Kidding about the OD, but the picture says it all. Click to see a larger view! Hopefully later today we will get a smile from him while he is in his outfit. But Lori and I could not wait to post this one of him!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Going Away, Photographer, Faces, Playtime & Tummy Time
Last Saturday Night Lori and I went away for a few hours and left Ty with the baby sitter for the first time. It turned out to be a good evening for Lori's Aunt Tracey who came to the house and took care of Ty. We were gone for about 4 hours and Lori called once an hour to check up and see how our boy was doing. I was impressed that it wasn't more often because Lori was kinda nervous leaving Ty with someone else other then me! Tracey took care of him and he was soundly sleeping when we arrived home around 10:15. Tracey said he was a little fussy at times but overall was a good boy.
Ty is changing everyday and since changing his formula about 2 weeks ago we can see a big difference in him. He does not have the amount of gas as he did before and is sleeping great at night. We have been trying to put him in his bassinet around 9:30 after his last bottle and he has been sleeping till 3 or 3:30 AM before waking for another bottle and diaper change. He does fuss quite a bit in the evening but that is because he does not like taking long naps during the day and likes to fight sleep. But once he is asleep, he is out for quite a while!
I have to say, Lori is becoming quite the photographer. I have a pretty nice digital camera and she never wanted to touch it before we had Ty. One evening a few weeks back, I gave her a quick overview and since then she is turning into an artist. :-) It seems like everyday day I come home and have to look at the camera to see the photos she has taken! She is getting the "eye" and is becoming pretty good. She has taken the top four photos on the right column of our blog and three of the photos in this post.
Ty is starting to show us signs of his personality and show faces. His frown is something to giggle at...
Ty has also been enjoying his activity gym. At this point, 20 minutes is about the extent of his play time but we have been able to get a few coos and smiles out of him while he looks at the different toys dangling around him.
And then there is tummy time... although it is only for a few minutes, Ty seems to enjoy his tummy time. Lori decided to give him some tummy time since he has been trying to pick his head up more often when we are trying to burp him. So far, it is working out quite well.
Tomorrow is Halloween and that bring Trick and Treaters to our front door. Hopefully, Ty is a good boy and cooperates with mommy and daddy and allows us to take a few photos of him in his cute little outfit. We did not get costume this year since he is so little, but he will be dressed for the occasion! Will post photos sometime over the weekend! :-) Till then...
Ty is changing everyday and since changing his formula about 2 weeks ago we can see a big difference in him. He does not have the amount of gas as he did before and is sleeping great at night. We have been trying to put him in his bassinet around 9:30 after his last bottle and he has been sleeping till 3 or 3:30 AM before waking for another bottle and diaper change. He does fuss quite a bit in the evening but that is because he does not like taking long naps during the day and likes to fight sleep. But once he is asleep, he is out for quite a while!
I have to say, Lori is becoming quite the photographer. I have a pretty nice digital camera and she never wanted to touch it before we had Ty. One evening a few weeks back, I gave her a quick overview and since then she is turning into an artist. :-) It seems like everyday day I come home and have to look at the camera to see the photos she has taken! She is getting the "eye" and is becoming pretty good. She has taken the top four photos on the right column of our blog and three of the photos in this post.
Ty is starting to show us signs of his personality and show faces. His frown is something to giggle at...
And his smile... well you just have to see it! :-) Lori was able to catch a smile yesterday while Ty was playing in the clothes basket! He was laughing and cooing the whole time.
And then there is tummy time... although it is only for a few minutes, Ty seems to enjoy his tummy time. Lori decided to give him some tummy time since he has been trying to pick his head up more often when we are trying to burp him. So far, it is working out quite well.
Tomorrow is Halloween and that bring Trick and Treaters to our front door. Hopefully, Ty is a good boy and cooperates with mommy and daddy and allows us to take a few photos of him in his cute little outfit. We did not get costume this year since he is so little, but he will be dressed for the occasion! Will post photos sometime over the weekend! :-) Till then...
Thursday, October 23, 2008
One Month Old, Checkup & Other News
Yesterday was Ty's one month birthday! It is hard to believe that a month has gone by so fast, but it has. He has come a long way in a month. He now occasionally gives mom and dad a smile or a coo and is beginning to show some personality. I am trying to catch a smile with the camera but I seem to miss every time! I am sure I will get one sooner or later!
Last week we decided to switch Ty from Similac Advanced to Parents Choice (Wal-Mart brand) Gentle Formula. The big difference between the two is that the proteins in the Gentle formula are broken down into smaller amounts so that it is easier for Ty to digest. We decided to make the change after Ty was experiencing a lot of gas and tummy aches. After eating you could just hear his stomach rolling around trying to digest the formula which led to fussiness. Since we have changed last Saturday, Ty seems to be more content after feedings and is not having the tummy aches.
Last Saturday I decided to give my second try of baby sitting without Lori being around. She went to a birthday party for her little cousin while I stayed home and baby sat. And I thought the first time was hard?!?! Let's just say I cried "mercy" and called mommy to come home after one hour and 45 minutes of straight crying. No matter what I did, Ty just would not calm down. Within 20 minutes of Lori walking in the door, Ty was calm, cool and collected. Guess he just needed mommy! :-( Oh well, I am not about to give up! I will give another shot soon!
Today was Ty's one month checkup. He weighed in at a healthy 9 pounds 15 ounces and is still 21 inches long. Since our last visit 24 days ago, Ty has gained about 47 ounces, almost 2 ounces a day. Dr. Colli was impressed with Ty's weight gain and said that he is obviously getting the nutrition he needs and appears to be a happy baby. That is because Ty was a very good boy today during his visit, with the exception of peeing all over the nurse while she was weighing him in and taking his temperature!! Dr. Colli gave Ty a clean bill of health and also approved of our switch to a different formula.
As for Lori and I ...
Lori is healing well and is making strides in her recovery each day. She is doing laundry on a routine basis and even did a bit of lite cleaning around the house. In two weeks she visits the doctor for her six week postpartum appointment. At that point the doc should pretty much release her and allow her to get back to a normal life. *wink* House work! *wink* She is doing an excellent job as a new mom. She has had her moments too and does get a little anxious and teary eyed when Ty will not relax, but for the most part, she is doing excellent. I enjoy hearing her sing to Ty and coo with him and giggle when he does something funny.
I am doing well too. I am learning something new everyday, or at least it seems that way. I have learned to cope with the crying and fussiness, with the exception of last Saturday, and I think I am making strides as a new dad. I try to help as much as I can around the house and with Ty in the evenings just to try and take some load off of Lori and allow her to relax. But there are times, I can not do what mommy can and just have to sit back and let her take charge. The best thing about being a new dad is just coming home, being able to give Lori a hug and kiss and seeing that adorable boy of mine. That is special....
Last week we decided to switch Ty from Similac Advanced to Parents Choice (Wal-Mart brand) Gentle Formula. The big difference between the two is that the proteins in the Gentle formula are broken down into smaller amounts so that it is easier for Ty to digest. We decided to make the change after Ty was experiencing a lot of gas and tummy aches. After eating you could just hear his stomach rolling around trying to digest the formula which led to fussiness. Since we have changed last Saturday, Ty seems to be more content after feedings and is not having the tummy aches.
Last Saturday I decided to give my second try of baby sitting without Lori being around. She went to a birthday party for her little cousin while I stayed home and baby sat. And I thought the first time was hard?!?! Let's just say I cried "mercy" and called mommy to come home after one hour and 45 minutes of straight crying. No matter what I did, Ty just would not calm down. Within 20 minutes of Lori walking in the door, Ty was calm, cool and collected. Guess he just needed mommy! :-( Oh well, I am not about to give up! I will give another shot soon!
Today was Ty's one month checkup. He weighed in at a healthy 9 pounds 15 ounces and is still 21 inches long. Since our last visit 24 days ago, Ty has gained about 47 ounces, almost 2 ounces a day. Dr. Colli was impressed with Ty's weight gain and said that he is obviously getting the nutrition he needs and appears to be a happy baby. That is because Ty was a very good boy today during his visit, with the exception of peeing all over the nurse while she was weighing him in and taking his temperature!! Dr. Colli gave Ty a clean bill of health and also approved of our switch to a different formula.
As for Lori and I ...
Lori is healing well and is making strides in her recovery each day. She is doing laundry on a routine basis and even did a bit of lite cleaning around the house. In two weeks she visits the doctor for her six week postpartum appointment. At that point the doc should pretty much release her and allow her to get back to a normal life. *wink* House work! *wink* She is doing an excellent job as a new mom. She has had her moments too and does get a little anxious and teary eyed when Ty will not relax, but for the most part, she is doing excellent. I enjoy hearing her sing to Ty and coo with him and giggle when he does something funny.
I am doing well too. I am learning something new everyday, or at least it seems that way. I have learned to cope with the crying and fussiness, with the exception of last Saturday, and I think I am making strides as a new dad. I try to help as much as I can around the house and with Ty in the evenings just to try and take some load off of Lori and allow her to relax. But there are times, I can not do what mommy can and just have to sit back and let her take charge. The best thing about being a new dad is just coming home, being able to give Lori a hug and kiss and seeing that adorable boy of mine. That is special....
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Busy Autumn Weekend
Before all the Saturday morning chores began, Ty got his first tub bath. I think it was more exciting for Lori and I then it was for Ty. He cried a little, enjoyed the sound of the running water and then cried even more when he was being dried off. As I said to Lori, it will be rough for a while... then there will be the day we won't be able to get him out of the tub.
Following the tub bath I went out to finish cleaning up flower beds and to mow the lawn. I then went to the local hardware store to pick up a few fall mums and a couple of pumpkins to decorate the front porch.
Once all the chores were complete, it was time to get cleaned up and try to get a few family photos outside. One of those photos made the cut and is now on the right side of the screen. We managed to get those in before Ty began to fuss at us for taking his binky away every time a photo was about to be snapped.
Once all the chores were complete, it was time to get cleaned up and try to get a few family photos outside. One of those photos made the cut and is now on the right side of the screen. We managed to get those in before Ty began to fuss at us for taking his binky away every time a photo was about to be snapped.
We then hopped into the car and stopped by the candy store in Chambersburg to surprise Nan Smith. After leaving the store we went to visit with Pap Smith. Pap enjoyed the company for a few hours, even the occasional crying and fussiness from Ty. Shortly after Nan got home we packed up, picked up dinner at Subway and made our way home to relax.
Following dinner, Ty and I sat down to relax and watch the NASCAR race and the Penn State game. Even though Ty feel asleep on my chest, I greatly enjoyed the bonding time.
Sunday marked the first day Lori was allowed to drive again since having her c-section and giving birth to Ty. She took advantage of it by letting me baby sit, while she went to the mall to get her nails done and do a little shopping.
As mentioned in a previous post, this was something that I was very worried about since I have no alone experience with children much less a newborn. Of course Lori reassured me that I would be fine and that Ty would most likely nap most of the time anyways, so I had nothing to worry about. I think she was setting me up!
Here was my first 3 hours alone with my newborn son....
As soon as the garage door was down and Lori was out of the driveway, Ty woke up from his cat nap and began fussing. I changed him, fed him, burped him and he was still crying. I walked him, patted him, bounced him... still fussing. This little guy has some gas. Ok, let's try Milicon (gas relief for babies). No... did not work.
Went outside and walked around for a while... ahhh, silence. Yes, he is sleeping.... Awesome!
Walked back into the house and closed the door... darn it, it woke him up and he is fussing again. Sat down at the computer and Googled something like "water running sound." Found a good sound that lasted for about a minute and could be repeated. Listened to that for about 15 minutes until it appeared he had fallen asleep. "Yes, I succeeded. This isn't so bad," I said to myself with a big smile on my face.
10 minutes later he began fussing again! Geez, what am I doing wrong?!? So I changed him again, fed him some more and burped him again. Walked him around inside and out and still fussing. Sat down on my Lay-Z-Boy chair and cuddled him up against my chest and patted his butt for what seemed like an eternity. Ahhh, silence. He finally fell asleep. Must have been tired from all the crying. OK, I can get back to watching the Redskins embarrass themselves against the winless Rams.
Then mommy came home... and for the most part, the rest of the evening went pretty well. For Lori, it was good to get out and get some fresh air on her own time without Ty or me hanging around. I believe it helped her quite a bit and I was glad I could help her rejuvenate while I was pulling my hair out.
On the other hand, I guess the good Lord above was testing me. In the end, I am glad he did... because I think I handled my first test pretty well. But all my frustration did not come without a price. This morning I noticed I have a few more gray hairs on my head. I am sure they won't be the last ones Ty gives me! :-) Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Learning Curve...
I am told that as a parent your learning curve begins before birth and continues to grow for the rest of your life. Well Lori and I are two and a half weeks into that curve and I think we are doing pretty well.
Ty is becoming a pretty good little boy and Lori and I are doing pretty well as new parents. Since our first night home when Ty had a rough night, we have dramatically improved. We are learning that what makes Ty happy also makes us happy. We are also learning he is our new boss and we follow his schedule, not our own. For me that has been the hardest thing because I am such a stickler on time and schedules.
Here are a few things we have learned over the past 2 1/2 weeks:
He loves to be held close and his butt patted. He loves to be changed after eating rather than before. He loves to fall asleep when he is just about done his bottle. He loves to cuddle his head underneath our neck. He loves to have his hands up near his face, even when he is being swaddled.
Oh and one other thing... Lori and I are in love with our son, Ty. I think we are going to keep him! :-)
Ty is doing very well. He is sleeping pretty well through the night in his bassinet next to our bed, only usually awaking twice to feed. We are trying to start somewhat of a schedule with him at night and so far it seems to be working out pretty well. He is eating well and often. He is also making lots of dirty diapers!
During the work day I usually try to check in with Lori at least once to see how her day is going and to see how Ty is doing. The other day I called and she says "Honey, I'm kinda worried... he has not pooped all day and that is unusual for him." My reply, "Oh I am sure he is fine, he is just waiting for daddy to walk through the door." Well, believe it or not, as I pull into the driveway Ty dirties his diaper just in time for daddy to change. He dirtied three other diapers that evening... all for daddy! :-)
Overall the household is doing very well, although it needs cleaned pretty bad and that is on my Friday evening agenda.
Lori is recuperating quicker then I thought she would. She not only is doing a great job with Ty but is beginning to do light chores around the house such as laundry and cooking dinner. She is even getting up at night to feed Ty so I can sleep, which I greatly appreciate. She is getting back to her old self, but I believe she is getting a bit of cabin fever and needs some time out of the house. This weekend she will be able to drive again and I believe she is looking forward to that.
I am doing well too. I am trying to adjust to a new routine in the evenings. I used to come home, eat dinner, get things ready for the next day, maybe do a few chores and then retreat to my Man Cave in the basement for the rest of the evening. Now I try to come home from work and get settled quickly so I can take Ty off Lori's hands for a few hours while she showers and relaxes a bit without the little one in her arms. It has been an adjustment but one that has come with ease and understanding.
We are hoping for a nice weekend weather wise to get out of the house for a while. Take a ride with Ty, visit some family and enjoy a nice fall day. We are also hoping to take a few new photos of Ty, possibly outside and even try to snap a few family portraits. If we do, I am sure we will be posting some on here for everyone to see. For now, take a look on the right side of the page for a few new pics. Hope this finds everyone doing well!
Ty is becoming a pretty good little boy and Lori and I are doing pretty well as new parents. Since our first night home when Ty had a rough night, we have dramatically improved. We are learning that what makes Ty happy also makes us happy. We are also learning he is our new boss and we follow his schedule, not our own. For me that has been the hardest thing because I am such a stickler on time and schedules.
Here are a few things we have learned over the past 2 1/2 weeks:
He loves to be held close and his butt patted. He loves to be changed after eating rather than before. He loves to fall asleep when he is just about done his bottle. He loves to cuddle his head underneath our neck. He loves to have his hands up near his face, even when he is being swaddled.
Oh and one other thing... Lori and I are in love with our son, Ty. I think we are going to keep him! :-)
Ty is doing very well. He is sleeping pretty well through the night in his bassinet next to our bed, only usually awaking twice to feed. We are trying to start somewhat of a schedule with him at night and so far it seems to be working out pretty well. He is eating well and often. He is also making lots of dirty diapers!
During the work day I usually try to check in with Lori at least once to see how her day is going and to see how Ty is doing. The other day I called and she says "Honey, I'm kinda worried... he has not pooped all day and that is unusual for him." My reply, "Oh I am sure he is fine, he is just waiting for daddy to walk through the door." Well, believe it or not, as I pull into the driveway Ty dirties his diaper just in time for daddy to change. He dirtied three other diapers that evening... all for daddy! :-)
Overall the household is doing very well, although it needs cleaned pretty bad and that is on my Friday evening agenda.
Lori is recuperating quicker then I thought she would. She not only is doing a great job with Ty but is beginning to do light chores around the house such as laundry and cooking dinner. She is even getting up at night to feed Ty so I can sleep, which I greatly appreciate. She is getting back to her old self, but I believe she is getting a bit of cabin fever and needs some time out of the house. This weekend she will be able to drive again and I believe she is looking forward to that.
I am doing well too. I am trying to adjust to a new routine in the evenings. I used to come home, eat dinner, get things ready for the next day, maybe do a few chores and then retreat to my Man Cave in the basement for the rest of the evening. Now I try to come home from work and get settled quickly so I can take Ty off Lori's hands for a few hours while she showers and relaxes a bit without the little one in her arms. It has been an adjustment but one that has come with ease and understanding.
We are hoping for a nice weekend weather wise to get out of the house for a while. Take a ride with Ty, visit some family and enjoy a nice fall day. We are also hoping to take a few new photos of Ty, possibly outside and even try to snap a few family portraits. If we do, I am sure we will be posting some on here for everyone to see. For now, take a look on the right side of the page for a few new pics. Hope this finds everyone doing well!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Gaining Weight and Eating Good
Our doctor's visit was a good one this morning, well besides being thrown off feeding schedule. Our visit was at 10:20 and that coincided with Ty's bottle time. Well needless to say he was a little fussy till we got done the appointment.
The good part, Ty gained 6 ounces in about 48 hours! On Saturday he was 6 lbs 10 oz and this morning he weighed in at 7 lbs even. Doctor Colli and his nurse were very happy with the progress.
Ty has become a totally different baby since getting used to the formula. In fact this evening he drank his 1.5 ounces and then we gave him about another 3/4 of an ounce to satisfy him. I think we will be increasing his amount to 2 ounces and see how he does with that. Maybe he is going to be a big eater like his daddy?!?
I took a few more pics of him today and caught a few good ones. Below is another cute pic of our beautiful boy!
The good part, Ty gained 6 ounces in about 48 hours! On Saturday he was 6 lbs 10 oz and this morning he weighed in at 7 lbs even. Doctor Colli and his nurse were very happy with the progress.
Ty has become a totally different baby since getting used to the formula. In fact this evening he drank his 1.5 ounces and then we gave him about another 3/4 of an ounce to satisfy him. I think we will be increasing his amount to 2 ounces and see how he does with that. Maybe he is going to be a big eater like his daddy?!?
I took a few more pics of him today and caught a few good ones. Below is another cute pic of our beautiful boy!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Rough Start But We Are Learning... And Getting Better
Ty's arrival at home came on Thursday with tears of joy and happiness. Ty was sleeping when made his first appearance in the house and continued to sleep on his dad's lap while mom got her first good shower since Sunday.
The happiness was short lived when it came time to nurse him. Ty just would not latch on to Lori. He had extreme gas and was extremely fussy. Lori and I only got about 3 hours sleep our first night home and needless to say it was a long one.
Finally I talked Lori into giving him just a little bit of formula during our 4 am feeding and he seemed to be satisfied. After phone calls, tears and discussions throughout Friday and Saturday, Lori has come to the the decision to stop nursing on her own. A special thanks to our friend Mary for giving her advice and support to Lori during this time. It always helps to have someone there that just went through the same thing a few months ago.
The decision was hard for Lori but after visiting the Pediatrition on Saturday morning we found out that Ty was down 2 more ounces from his hospital discharge weight of 6 lbs 12 oz. Lori decided that it was best for us to begin giving Ty formula full time for him to gain his weight back. We go back to the Pediatrtion's office on Monday morning to weigh him again to see if he has gained weight. Hopefully he has and we expect that he has.
We did get some good news at our office visit. Ty's billirubin levels in his blood, which cause jaundice, have come down and should continue to go down day by day.
Since we have had a steady feeding of formula, Ty has become calm, cool and collected. He only fusses when he is hungry, has a dirty diaper or when changing him and slept for almost 4 straight hours last night. This has helped both Lori and I relax as new parents and take in and enjoy all the things we are experiencing with our son.
Believe it or not, I have changed many dirty diapers... pee pee or poo poo, I have been good and taken that in stride. Although the last one I changed this afternoon did have a bit of a stench! But I was successful and am getting quicker at changing. Lori is too getting quicker.
Yesterday just after feeding Ty, we were able to get a few photos of the little guy. Isn't he so cute? How can you not love that face?!? Keep checking back for updates!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
We Gave In....
of our stay we gave into our own binky rule. Ty seems to like it!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Ty's First 24 Hours In The World
Ty, Lori and I wanted to thank all the family and friends who have taken time to visit, call, send flowers and give gifts of love during this special time. We are soooo happy that Ty has finally arrived and has instintly become the new love of in our lives.
Below is a link to view photos from Ty's first 24 hours of his life. I chose to uploads photos to Wal Mart so folks can purchase pictures and get them in just over an hour for that instant gratification feeling! ;-)
http://photos.walmart.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=33995108/a=9963549/t_=9963549
Thanks Again to everyone, Ty just LOVES the attention!
Below is a link to view photos from Ty's first 24 hours of his life. I chose to uploads photos to Wal Mart so folks can purchase pictures and get them in just over an hour for that instant gratification feeling! ;-)
http://photos.walmart.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=33995108/a=9963549/t_=9963549
Thanks Again to everyone, Ty just LOVES the attention!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Still Waiting.... Slow Progression
Lori has only progressed to 5 cm as of 3 PM. Contractions are coming
at a strong pace but slow dilation and not seeing Ty drop too much is
a concern. There is no health concern for mom or Ty right now so we
are all thankful for that.
at a strong pace but slow dilation and not seeing Ty drop too much is
a concern. There is no health concern for mom or Ty right now so we
are all thankful for that.
Lori did get an epaduralso she is not feeling much pain.
The doctors are going to wait for a few more hours and see where we
are at with dilation. If it gets to be 7 pm and Lori is still at 5 or
6 cm then a c-section will become more likely.
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers! Will keep you all informed!
Still waiting... Pitocin has started
The nurses have started to give Lori Pitocin which is the drug to
start contractions. She has been having mild contractions/cramping
since about 2 AM but nothing she is getting excited over. Since that
time the contractions have become stronger but Lori says it is hard to
feel them. The pitocin dosage will increase every half hour until Ty
arrives.
start contractions. She has been having mild contractions/cramping
since about 2 AM but nothing she is getting excited over. Since that
time the contractions have become stronger but Lori says it is hard to
feel them. The pitocin dosage will increase every half hour until Ty
arrives.
The Cirvadil that they gave Lori last night and kept in till 6 this
morning did little to make her dilate.
So the waiting continues....
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Anxious, Excited, Nervous, Scared and Happy
It was 3:30 AM and I had just changed sleeping positions when my mind started to race and tears came to my eyes. All these thoughts and emotions going through my head...
Anxious just to get everything over with, have this entire process go according to plan and have Ty and Lori safe, sound and recouping.
Excited to be able to hold my son for the very first time. Excited to see the joy and happy tears on the faces of the my wife, the new grandparents and other family members.
Nervous wondering if I am going to be a good Father? Am I going to have the patients to deal with a screaming baby at 2 AM when a big day of work is on the horizon? Nervous thinking about the first time I handle Ty alone while Lori goes shopping and get her nails done.
Scared to death knowing that this little guy we are about to bring into this world, is going to depend on us for the next 20 + years. Scared to think that soon I will officially become a dad, something I never thought of 8 years ago partying in Shippensburg with Jeremy, Steve and Jason.
And finally Happy....
Happy knowing that I am so lucky to have to beautiful, loving, caring wife that is going to give birth to my son in a day or two.
Happy that I had such great parents of my own and that they were able to teach me and mold me into the man I am today.
Happy knowing that so far with a few peaks and valleys that my life has gone the way I imagined and hoped it would since I was in high school.
Happy because Ty's Birthday, besides getting married, will be a day that I will never ever forget.
Anxious just to get everything over with, have this entire process go according to plan and have Ty and Lori safe, sound and recouping.
Excited to be able to hold my son for the very first time. Excited to see the joy and happy tears on the faces of the my wife, the new grandparents and other family members.
Nervous wondering if I am going to be a good Father? Am I going to have the patients to deal with a screaming baby at 2 AM when a big day of work is on the horizon? Nervous thinking about the first time I handle Ty alone while Lori goes shopping and get her nails done.
Scared to death knowing that this little guy we are about to bring into this world, is going to depend on us for the next 20 + years. Scared to think that soon I will officially become a dad, something I never thought of 8 years ago partying in Shippensburg with Jeremy, Steve and Jason.
And finally Happy....
Happy knowing that I am so lucky to have to beautiful, loving, caring wife that is going to give birth to my son in a day or two.
Happy that I had such great parents of my own and that they were able to teach me and mold me into the man I am today.
Happy knowing that so far with a few peaks and valleys that my life has gone the way I imagined and hoped it would since I was in high school.
Happy because Ty's Birthday, besides getting married, will be a day that I will never ever forget.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Week 40 - Over Due Checkup w/ Eviction Date
Ty has decided he likes it in mommy's tummy. Unfortunately, Doctor Brown has given Ty the weekend to make his grand appearance or else we are going to evict him by the force of drugs.
We go into the Labor and Delivery Dept on Sunday Night at 7 pm to begin procedures to induce. On Sunday night an IV drug will be given to Lori to make her dilate, currently she is on 1/2 a centimeter. Monday morning the nurses will begin to give her a drug that will force contractions. If all goes well, we will have Baby Ty by Monday evening. If not, Lori could end up repeating the process over again or having a c-section.
Lori's appointment went well this morning. We visited with Doctor Brown first and she scheduled the appointment for the hospital. Lori then had her last stress test. Ty did not perform up to his prior standards again, but he did have some spurts.
During one of Ty's movements during the test, Lori had a contraction but Ty's heartbeat dropped instead of rising.
Doctor Brown requested we go for a biophysical sonogram where they measure movements of the baby and to see if he is stressed in his environment. Depending on how this test went, could have determined if we went for inducement today or wait till Sunday. Well after about a 45 minute sonogram and about 70 minutes of waiting for the results, we found out that Ty was just fine and we would wait until Sunday.
So... Hopefully, if all goes well, Monday, September 22 will be the day. If everything went really well, it would be this weekend without force. But for some reason, I doubt that will happen!
Oh by the way, Lori asked Doctor Brown how big she thought Ty would be.... her guess was 9 pounds! :-)
We go into the Labor and Delivery Dept on Sunday Night at 7 pm to begin procedures to induce. On Sunday night an IV drug will be given to Lori to make her dilate, currently she is on 1/2 a centimeter. Monday morning the nurses will begin to give her a drug that will force contractions. If all goes well, we will have Baby Ty by Monday evening. If not, Lori could end up repeating the process over again or having a c-section.
Lori's appointment went well this morning. We visited with Doctor Brown first and she scheduled the appointment for the hospital. Lori then had her last stress test. Ty did not perform up to his prior standards again, but he did have some spurts.
During one of Ty's movements during the test, Lori had a contraction but Ty's heartbeat dropped instead of rising.
Doctor Brown requested we go for a biophysical sonogram where they measure movements of the baby and to see if he is stressed in his environment. Depending on how this test went, could have determined if we went for inducement today or wait till Sunday. Well after about a 45 minute sonogram and about 70 minutes of waiting for the results, we found out that Ty was just fine and we would wait until Sunday.
So... Hopefully, if all goes well, Monday, September 22 will be the day. If everything went really well, it would be this weekend without force. But for some reason, I doubt that will happen!
Oh by the way, Lori asked Doctor Brown how big she thought Ty would be.... her guess was 9 pounds! :-)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Still Waiting - Eviction Notice
September 16, 2008
Tenant: Ty Gregory Smith
Address: Mommy's Womb, Fayetteville, PA
Dear Ty Gregory,
You are hereby given notice that the undersigned is terminating your tenancy of the premises located in Mommy's Womb, where you are a tenant from month to month under the lease dated December 2007, between Mommy as landlord and Ty as tenant. This termination is to be effective on September 19, 2008. You must continue to pay rent or punch and kick mommy until this date.
You are required to vacate and surrender possession of the premises to the undersigned on or before the above date, free of all occupants and personal possessions. Upon termination, the security deposit in the amount of Room and Board, Food and College Tuition, will be given to you after being used to repair any damage to the premises.
If you fail to vacate the premises by the above date, the undersigned may commence eviction proceedings (also known as inducement of labor) against you.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.
Love,
Mom and Dad
Tenant: Ty Gregory Smith
Address: Mommy's Womb, Fayetteville, PA
Dear Ty Gregory,
You are hereby given notice that the undersigned is terminating your tenancy of the premises located in Mommy's Womb, where you are a tenant from month to month under the lease dated December 2007, between Mommy as landlord and Ty as tenant. This termination is to be effective on September 19, 2008. You must continue to pay rent or punch and kick mommy until this date.
You are required to vacate and surrender possession of the premises to the undersigned on or before the above date, free of all occupants and personal possessions. Upon termination, the security deposit in the amount of Room and Board, Food and College Tuition, will be given to you after being used to repair any damage to the premises.
If you fail to vacate the premises by the above date, the undersigned may commence eviction proceedings (also known as inducement of labor) against you.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.
Love,
Mom and Dad
Friday, September 12, 2008
Week 39 - Checkup / Stress Test
With the Due Date only 2 days away (Sept 14th) Lori had another weekly checkup and Stress Test today.
Lori's Doctor visit was first and both her weight and blood pressure were excellent. She has not even gained a pound since last week. The doctor did an exam and said there is no dilation but that does not mean much at this point.
Ty was a little stubborn this morning and did not dance like he did last week. That is until the technician gave Lori a granola bar to munch on. Ty sure did like that... he became our dancing fool again.
The stress did reveal something very interesting.... Lori is having very mild contractions. :-) Yes, she is having mild contractions that she barely feels but they are showing up on the radar screen. So we are close. Could be today, tonight, tomorrow or this weekend sometime... might not be till next week, but at least we know we are close!
Keep checking back for up to the minute news!
Lori's Doctor visit was first and both her weight and blood pressure were excellent. She has not even gained a pound since last week. The doctor did an exam and said there is no dilation but that does not mean much at this point.
Ty was a little stubborn this morning and did not dance like he did last week. That is until the technician gave Lori a granola bar to munch on. Ty sure did like that... he became our dancing fool again.
The stress did reveal something very interesting.... Lori is having very mild contractions. :-) Yes, she is having mild contractions that she barely feels but they are showing up on the radar screen. So we are close. Could be today, tonight, tomorrow or this weekend sometime... might not be till next week, but at least we know we are close!
Keep checking back for up to the minute news!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The Waiting Game
As the saying goes, Good Things Come to Those Who Wait. Well sometimes waiting can be the hardest thing of all.
We are still waiting for Ty and Mother Nature to decide when the big day is. So far no clues have been given.
Mommy and Ty continue to be healthy and happy. Ty is moving more and more each day and at times is literally a pain in mommy's side. He likes to kick her some where under her right rib cage and occasionally makes mommy cringe. But then mom smiles, rubs her belly and Ty relaxes.
We are hoping for some news tomorrow when we visit the doctor but until then, just more waiting!
We are still waiting for Ty and Mother Nature to decide when the big day is. So far no clues have been given.
Mommy and Ty continue to be healthy and happy. Ty is moving more and more each day and at times is literally a pain in mommy's side. He likes to kick her some where under her right rib cage and occasionally makes mommy cringe. But then mom smiles, rubs her belly and Ty relaxes.
We are hoping for some news tomorrow when we visit the doctor but until then, just more waiting!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Week 38 - Checkup / Stress Test
Today was another weekly doctor's appointment and stress test.
The fetal stress test went great. Ty was kicking like mad this morning. He is getting pretty good at this. No coaxing this time! This is one of the neatest things for me as a dad to experience because you can hear this noise (sounds like horse galloping), which is Ty's heart beat going about 135 beats per minute. Then when Ty moves his heart races to about 160 beats a minute and it you can hear this sound like water sloshing around and fingers screeching across wet glass. Truly an amazing feeling.
Today we had Dr. Brown and I have to say, out of all the doctor's we have visited she is one of the most pleasant, caring and cheerful doctor's I have ever been around. In fact, I like her almost as much, if not a little more, than Dr. Orndorf.
Anyways, Dr. Brown checked Lori's cervix which was not dilating at all. So for at least today, no celebration. She did perform another quick sonogram and confirmed that Ty is still head down and in proper position, which confirms we are a shooting for a natural birth.
Lori's vitals were just OK this week although the doc did not seem concerned. Lori gained 3 more pounds and her blood pressure was a little high today. But I think the high blood pressure was only because I was agitating her while she was getting her stress test! :-) Imagine that?!?
Lori became very happy with Dr. Brown when she suggest Lori quit work. Since we are close to the due date, and since Lori travels to Carlisle everyday Dr. Brown thought it would be a good idea. So today is Lori's last day at work.
Now I have to start hearing "ah, someone has to go to work tomorrow, but I don't!" Oh Joy... I guess I will have to put up with that for a few weeks until Ty comes... then we will see if Lori is still saying that! ;-)
That is this weeks update. Keep checking back...
The fetal stress test went great. Ty was kicking like mad this morning. He is getting pretty good at this. No coaxing this time! This is one of the neatest things for me as a dad to experience because you can hear this noise (sounds like horse galloping), which is Ty's heart beat going about 135 beats per minute. Then when Ty moves his heart races to about 160 beats a minute and it you can hear this sound like water sloshing around and fingers screeching across wet glass. Truly an amazing feeling.
Today we had Dr. Brown and I have to say, out of all the doctor's we have visited she is one of the most pleasant, caring and cheerful doctor's I have ever been around. In fact, I like her almost as much, if not a little more, than Dr. Orndorf.
Anyways, Dr. Brown checked Lori's cervix which was not dilating at all. So for at least today, no celebration. She did perform another quick sonogram and confirmed that Ty is still head down and in proper position, which confirms we are a shooting for a natural birth.
Lori's vitals were just OK this week although the doc did not seem concerned. Lori gained 3 more pounds and her blood pressure was a little high today. But I think the high blood pressure was only because I was agitating her while she was getting her stress test! :-) Imagine that?!?
Lori became very happy with Dr. Brown when she suggest Lori quit work. Since we are close to the due date, and since Lori travels to Carlisle everyday Dr. Brown thought it would be a good idea. So today is Lori's last day at work.
Now I have to start hearing "ah, someone has to go to work tomorrow, but I don't!" Oh Joy... I guess I will have to put up with that for a few weeks until Ty comes... then we will see if Lori is still saying that! ;-)
That is this weeks update. Keep checking back...
Friday, August 29, 2008
Week 37 - Checkup / Stress Test
We had our weekly appointment today. Baby Ty decided to do "The Flip".
Yes, his head is in position! :-) I had a slight feeling that he had moved since I am feeling more kicks and more punches. Of course, we had our hearts set on seeing our Bundle of Joy on September 8th, but we may have to wait a little longer. I also was looking forward to my last day of work being on September 4th. I am not sure when that will be now. It's all a waiting game from here. We have not canceled the September 8th date just yet. The Doctor just said to wait until next Friday for our next appointment.
As far as the rest of the appointment, everything went well. My blood pressure, weight, etc is great and Baby Ty's heart is going strong. During the Stress Test, he knew exactly what to do because he was just a rolling around like crazy!! Mommy did not have to talk him through it this time. He was a trooper! Daddy just sat there and watched us.
As far as how I am feeling, I am still doing great! I am still walking at least 6 days a week every morning. I am not sure how long I will continue since I am starting to get a bit out of breath, but will keep it up as long as my body can handle it.
Cleaning the house is starting to get a bit hard and I am impressed that I have gone this far with it. Shaun has been a big help, but no surprises there. He has been very supportive, but in the next breath says he is going to get me a mop to clean the tubs since I can not bend over too much anymore. How sweet is that?! :-)
Baby Ty is going to act just like Daddy, I am sure. I am in for a real treat!!
Below is a new photo of my belly... yes, it has grown quite a bit in the last few weeks!
Yes, his head is in position! :-) I had a slight feeling that he had moved since I am feeling more kicks and more punches. Of course, we had our hearts set on seeing our Bundle of Joy on September 8th, but we may have to wait a little longer. I also was looking forward to my last day of work being on September 4th. I am not sure when that will be now. It's all a waiting game from here. We have not canceled the September 8th date just yet. The Doctor just said to wait until next Friday for our next appointment.
As far as the rest of the appointment, everything went well. My blood pressure, weight, etc is great and Baby Ty's heart is going strong. During the Stress Test, he knew exactly what to do because he was just a rolling around like crazy!! Mommy did not have to talk him through it this time. He was a trooper! Daddy just sat there and watched us.
As far as how I am feeling, I am still doing great! I am still walking at least 6 days a week every morning. I am not sure how long I will continue since I am starting to get a bit out of breath, but will keep it up as long as my body can handle it.
Cleaning the house is starting to get a bit hard and I am impressed that I have gone this far with it. Shaun has been a big help, but no surprises there. He has been very supportive, but in the next breath says he is going to get me a mop to clean the tubs since I can not bend over too much anymore. How sweet is that?! :-)
Baby Ty is going to act just like Daddy, I am sure. I am in for a real treat!!
Below is a new photo of my belly... yes, it has grown quite a bit in the last few weeks!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Visiting While in Hospital
We have been asked by family and friends about the visiting hours and rules related to visiting.
We thought we would share a few important things with you in case you decide to visit.
We thought we would share a few important things with you in case you decide to visit.
- Visiting Hours are from Noon to 8 PM
- No more than four visitors in the room at any time
- All visitors must report to the reception on the 5th floor and provide Photo ID
- You will NOT be allowed in the department without photo ID
Friday, August 22, 2008
Week 36 - Weekly Checkup / Stress Test
Lori's weekly checkup went well today. She had a fetal stress test before her visit with the doctor. Everything went well.
Ty did not seem to cooperate as well this week as he did in last week's visit. However, he did seem to move just enough to gather enough data to satisfy the technician. Below is a picture of mommy during her test.
Lori has only gained 11 total pounds which the doctor gave her kudos for her excellent efforts. Her sugar has been excellent as expected.
Next week the doctor plans to do a quick sonogram to view the orientation of the baby. From what she felt today, she believes he is still breach.
Lori has been sleeping well and that means I am sleeping well. We are just enjoying sleep now, which everyone that has ever had kids and some who haven't, is telling us to do. Good news is I have yet to be kicked out of the bed. With just over two weeks to go till B-day, I doubt I will be.
We are pretty much ready to rock and roll to the hospital for B-day. Lori has pretty much everything from personal clothing to the baby bag packed. Packing my stuff is on my task list for this weekend and yes, the camera is the first thing on the list!
I have successfully tested the ability to take a picture from my iPhone and send it directly to this blog. So when Ty enters the world I only have to send to one email address and I do not leave anyone out accidentally.
Please bookmark or make this page a favorite and come back often.
http://thesmithfamilybabyblog.blogspot.com/
Ty did not seem to cooperate as well this week as he did in last week's visit. However, he did seem to move just enough to gather enough data to satisfy the technician. Below is a picture of mommy during her test.
Lori has only gained 11 total pounds which the doctor gave her kudos for her excellent efforts. Her sugar has been excellent as expected. Next week the doctor plans to do a quick sonogram to view the orientation of the baby. From what she felt today, she believes he is still breach.
Lori has been sleeping well and that means I am sleeping well. We are just enjoying sleep now, which everyone that has ever had kids and some who haven't, is telling us to do. Good news is I have yet to be kicked out of the bed. With just over two weeks to go till B-day, I doubt I will be.
We are pretty much ready to rock and roll to the hospital for B-day. Lori has pretty much everything from personal clothing to the baby bag packed. Packing my stuff is on my task list for this weekend and yes, the camera is the first thing on the list!
I have successfully tested the ability to take a picture from my iPhone and send it directly to this blog. So when Ty enters the world I only have to send to one email address and I do not leave anyone out accidentally.
Please bookmark or make this page a favorite and come back often.
http://thesmithfamilybabyblog.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Week 35 - Doctor's Visit
Lori made her weekly doctor's visit today and seen her favorite OB in the practice, Dr. Orndorf.
Lori has lost 4 pounds which puts her only gaining 10 total pound throughout her pregnancy. :-) She was kinda worried about that weight! Ty should be about 6 pounds now that pretty much means Lori's weight is All Baby!!!
The Baby Stress Test results were perfect and Ty had a heart beat of 145 beats per minute.
Dr. Orndorf spoke with Lori and told her that Ty is still breach. The doctor gave her the choice of trying to physically move Ty around to the correct position by pushing on Lori's belly or a C-section. Lori did not care for the pushing and moving... so she tentatively scheduled a C-section on Monday, September 8th (time TBD) to be performed by Dr. Orndorf. :-)
So if that holds true, T-Minus 4 weeks and counting until Ty Gregory enters the world!
Keep checking back for updated news!
Lori has lost 4 pounds which puts her only gaining 10 total pound throughout her pregnancy. :-) She was kinda worried about that weight! Ty should be about 6 pounds now that pretty much means Lori's weight is All Baby!!!
The Baby Stress Test results were perfect and Ty had a heart beat of 145 beats per minute.
Dr. Orndorf spoke with Lori and told her that Ty is still breach. The doctor gave her the choice of trying to physically move Ty around to the correct position by pushing on Lori's belly or a C-section. Lori did not care for the pushing and moving... so she tentatively scheduled a C-section on Monday, September 8th (time TBD) to be performed by Dr. Orndorf. :-)
So if that holds true, T-Minus 4 weeks and counting until Ty Gregory enters the world!
Keep checking back for updated news!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Report from Harrisburg
We traveled to Harrisburg to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Office on Thursday for a check up.
We are happy to report Baby Ty and Mommy are doing great. Baby Ty is now up to 5 lbs 2 oz. His blood flow through his embilical cord is excellent and symptoms of a two vessel cord, such as low weight, are not being seen by the doctors.
So it is looking like we will have a healthy baby boy... my guess, around 7 lbs 6 oz. :-)
We are happy to report Baby Ty and Mommy are doing great. Baby Ty is now up to 5 lbs 2 oz. His blood flow through his embilical cord is excellent and symptoms of a two vessel cord, such as low weight, are not being seen by the doctors.
So it is looking like we will have a healthy baby boy... my guess, around 7 lbs 6 oz. :-)
Another Surprise Shower for Lori @ Her Office
The folks at Lori's office surprised her on Wednesday with a Baby Shower. She was surprised... in fact she told me this, "I am so loved around here I can hardly stand it." Well she is loved by everyone and it was apparent by the gifts and generosity showed by her coworkers. Lori got a Baby Monitor, Bouncer, Bath Tub, Books, Clothes to mention a just a few things. Thank you to everyone at her office for helping produce this party and show the kindness you have! Thank You!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Checkups, Stress Tests and Busy Week
Lori had her two week checkup and baby stress test yesterday. Everything went well and Lori and Ty are both happy and healthy. Lori has gained 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks. The doctor was not happy with that, but to Lori's defense the appointment was late afternoon after Lori had consumed 2 meals and 2 snacks. We are hoping it is lower next week!
Lori is now down to weekly visits with a baby stress test before or after every checkup. The test is simply two monitors placed on Lori's belly and she is asked to press a button every time Ty moves. Ty's heart rate is monitored and printed out. This is being done basically because of little things that have come up throughout her pregnancy.
Tonight (Tuesday) we go to Breast Feeding Class. *laughing* Dad is not thrilled about this and getting instructions on breast feeding, but he is going to be supportive of his lovely wife and son! :-)
Thursday morning we go travel to Harrisburg for one last sonogram examining the two vessel umbilical cord. Lori and I are really looking forward to get a few new pics of Ty and seeing his approximate weight!
Will post again on Thursday or Friday with updated news!
Lori is now down to weekly visits with a baby stress test before or after every checkup. The test is simply two monitors placed on Lori's belly and she is asked to press a button every time Ty moves. Ty's heart rate is monitored and printed out. This is being done basically because of little things that have come up throughout her pregnancy.
Tonight (Tuesday) we go to Breast Feeding Class. *laughing* Dad is not thrilled about this and getting instructions on breast feeding, but he is going to be supportive of his lovely wife and son! :-)
Thursday morning we go travel to Harrisburg for one last sonogram examining the two vessel umbilical cord. Lori and I are really looking forward to get a few new pics of Ty and seeing his approximate weight!
Will post again on Thursday or Friday with updated news!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Week 34 - Baby Shower
On Saturday Lori was given a "Surprise" Baby Shower. She had an idea that it was Saturday and believe me, she asked many questions about it... so many questions in fact one evening I got a little adjitated with her and had to tell her to relax. :-) When I arrived at the Baby Shower no one but Lori's Grandparents were there. Mother Nature showed her ugly side with a very big Thunderstorm complete with Wind, Heavy Rain and even penny sized hail. But it only lasted 20 minutes and the sky cleared and Mr. Sunshine came back out. *Shew* I was glad to see him!
Lori arrived just after 3 o'clock and was not surprised of the party but surprised to see the location and everyone that was able to make it. Thank you for all the well wishes, gifts and for sharing our special day with us. We really enjoyed it!
Tracey and Andrea put a lot of time into the making the invitations, taking RSVPs and oraganizing and setting up the decorations. Lori's mom provided the good food. A Big Thank You goes out to them and anyone else who contributed to putting together the day, Lori and I sure do appreciate it!
The cake was prepared by a friend of Tracey's with, what else, a frog decoration! The cake was half chocolate walnut and the other half vanilla. It was delicious.
We received a lot of great things that we put on our registry... a stroller, car seat, diapers, bottles, blankets and lots of clothes among many other things. We have to say that we were quite overwelmed and thankful for the generosity of everyone.
I even got a special gift to use when Ty comes courtesy of my best buddy Jeremy! :-) A Gas Mask for when I have to change diapers along with some nice thick latex gloves! I could not stop laughing! Lori like to say Ty is going to be and act just like his daddy... by the look of my new hair style, I am sure she is right on the mark!
Again, thank you to everyone, who came from near and far, the gifts and well wishes. With only 6 weeks to go, the days are going by fast and Lori and I are both very excited. Can't wait for everyone to meet this bundle of joy!
We will keep you posted on the health checks on mom and Ty! Keep checking back!
Friday, July 25, 2008
32 weeks and counting........
I had my 2 week check up this morning and everything continues to be going just fine. Baby Ty's heart rate was 150 which is perfect.
Amazingly once again, I have not gained any weight. In fact, I was up 3 lbs. two weeks ago and down 3 lbs. this morning. :-) The doctor did not say anything about it. Ty is measuring on track so that is the most important thing. I guess I am losing weight elsewhere, but where, I am not sure. :-) Or….the weight is going to Ty only. Who knows.
As far as my sugar, I am still doing great. I have had some mess ups here and there, but for the most part, it's just fine. I am down to only pricking myself twice a day so I will begin that next week.
My next check up will be Aug. 4th. At this appointment, I will be getting a stress test on the baby. No surprise to us since we were told about it earlier in my pregnancy. This will put me at 34 weeks. This basically is just a fetal monitor that wraps around my belly for them to listen closely to Ty. The purpose is because of my blood pressure and all other issues that I have had.
Speaking of blood pressure..it was perfect this morning. I am not concerned about it..just another precaution. The good news is that they do this right in the office.
Aug. 7th we head back up to Harrisburg for the last time.
Oh..and Aug. 5th is our breastfeeding class. I am sure Shaun will have lots to say about that. LOL
As far as how I am feeling. I am doing great! :-) Belly is definitely getting bigger but not bothersome yet. I am sure in the next couple of weeks I will be kicking Shaun out of bed. LOL
Amazingly once again, I have not gained any weight. In fact, I was up 3 lbs. two weeks ago and down 3 lbs. this morning. :-) The doctor did not say anything about it. Ty is measuring on track so that is the most important thing. I guess I am losing weight elsewhere, but where, I am not sure. :-) Or….the weight is going to Ty only. Who knows.
As far as my sugar, I am still doing great. I have had some mess ups here and there, but for the most part, it's just fine. I am down to only pricking myself twice a day so I will begin that next week.
My next check up will be Aug. 4th. At this appointment, I will be getting a stress test on the baby. No surprise to us since we were told about it earlier in my pregnancy. This will put me at 34 weeks. This basically is just a fetal monitor that wraps around my belly for them to listen closely to Ty. The purpose is because of my blood pressure and all other issues that I have had.
Speaking of blood pressure..it was perfect this morning. I am not concerned about it..just another precaution. The good news is that they do this right in the office.
Aug. 7th we head back up to Harrisburg for the last time.
Oh..and Aug. 5th is our breastfeeding class. I am sure Shaun will have lots to say about that. LOL
As far as how I am feeling. I am doing great! :-) Belly is definitely getting bigger but not bothersome yet. I am sure in the next couple of weeks I will be kicking Shaun out of bed. LOL
Friday, July 18, 2008
It's all in the name...
As you may have caught in previous posts, Lori and I have decided on a name for our baby boy.
Ty Gregory Smith
We had narrowed it down between Stone and Ty but in the end we loved the sound of Ty Gregory. Lori did not like my idea of Stone Rock Pebble Smith... so Ty it is!
Ty's first name came from his dad. Watching football one day I heard the name and really liked the easy spelling not to mention the strong nature of the name.
Ty's middle name, Gregory, is in honor of Lori's late father. What a better way to keep the memory alive?
Ty Gregory Smith
We had narrowed it down between Stone and Ty but in the end we loved the sound of Ty Gregory. Lori did not like my idea of Stone Rock Pebble Smith... so Ty it is!
Ty's first name came from his dad. Watching football one day I heard the name and really liked the easy spelling not to mention the strong nature of the name.
Ty's middle name, Gregory, is in honor of Lori's late father. What a better way to keep the memory alive?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Week 31 - 3rd Trimester, Sugar & Nursery
The past few weeks haves gone by in a blur. Between regular checkups, sonograms, sugar tests, birthing class and getting the nursery finished we have been on the move.
Lori has officially entered her 3rd trimester which means doctor checkups every two weeks instead of every month. The checkups will change to weekly a month away from her due date.
Everything is going very well and Lori has only gained 11 total pounds. Her belly is showing more and more each day and Ty seems to be giving "Love Taps" to mommy more often. Although it is rare, I have even seen and felt a few movements myself. It seems as though Ty already enjoys agitating daddy because he can be a dancing fool for mommy, but as soon as daddy comes around to watch or feel, he stops and is motionless.
We went to Harrisburg on July 3rd and had another sonogram to monitor the two vessel umbilical cord issue. Everything was reported to be fine, although Ty was not cooperating with the camera to get his picture taken. He kept playing peekaboo and hiding behind the placenta. The technician was only able to get one decent picture. Ty weighs in at an estimated 2 pounds 12 ounces which is right on par with normal development. We go again on August 7, which should be the last trip to Harrisburg.
Lori had to take a regular scheduled sugar test a few weeks ago and the results came back iffy. So the doc asked her to go back and take a three hour test. Again the results came back iffy and Lori has been diagnosed as having gestational diabetes. So she was ordered to go see a dietitian.
The dietitian said that Lori has a great diet and plan but needs to watch carb intake for the last 10 weeks of pregnancy. Lori also has to prick her finger 5 times a day to measure her sugar levels and record them for the dietitian's nurse. If levels are not in the range that the nurse likes them, Lori may have to give herself shots. That's hope that is not the case.
Two weekends ago we finished the nursery which feels great to have that task finished. Like I said in past posts, the theme is Frogs. (Ty is either going to love frogs or have a life long frog phobia. I can't wait to have to buy a frog or two for pets and have them hopping all over the house!) :-P
Lori has officially entered her 3rd trimester which means doctor checkups every two weeks instead of every month. The checkups will change to weekly a month away from her due date.
Everything is going very well and Lori has only gained 11 total pounds. Her belly is showing more and more each day and Ty seems to be giving "Love Taps" to mommy more often. Although it is rare, I have even seen and felt a few movements myself. It seems as though Ty already enjoys agitating daddy because he can be a dancing fool for mommy, but as soon as daddy comes around to watch or feel, he stops and is motionless.
We went to Harrisburg on July 3rd and had another sonogram to monitor the two vessel umbilical cord issue. Everything was reported to be fine, although Ty was not cooperating with the camera to get his picture taken. He kept playing peekaboo and hiding behind the placenta. The technician was only able to get one decent picture. Ty weighs in at an estimated 2 pounds 12 ounces which is right on par with normal development. We go again on August 7, which should be the last trip to Harrisburg.
Lori had to take a regular scheduled sugar test a few weeks ago and the results came back iffy. So the doc asked her to go back and take a three hour test. Again the results came back iffy and Lori has been diagnosed as having gestational diabetes. So she was ordered to go see a dietitian.
The dietitian said that Lori has a great diet and plan but needs to watch carb intake for the last 10 weeks of pregnancy. Lori also has to prick her finger 5 times a day to measure her sugar levels and record them for the dietitian's nurse. If levels are not in the range that the nurse likes them, Lori may have to give herself shots. That's hope that is not the case.
Two weekends ago we finished the nursery which feels great to have that task finished. Like I said in past posts, the theme is Frogs. (Ty is either going to love frogs or have a life long frog phobia. I can't wait to have to buy a frog or two for pets and have them hopping all over the house!) :-P
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Week 26 - Registry, Sonograms, Kicking & Nursery
26 weeks down, about 14 more to go!
After 3 1/2 hours in Target our Registry is complete. I don't think I have spent 3 1/2 hours in the same store before but it was fun. Lori and I had a great time looking at all the things we need and all the clothes that we want to buy! :-) My mom came along and was a huge help. She pointed out a lot of things that we never even thought about putting on our list.
Lori's Week 20 sonogram for the anatomy checkup revealed an abnormality that the doctor did not seem to concerned about. However, he said that a two vessel umbilical cord is something we needed to follow up on with more tests. Otherwise, Ty is doing great!
Lori and my mom made their way up to Harrisburg a few weeks ago for a another
sonogram and fetal echocardiogram. I was unable to go because I was out of town attending a training class for work. Everything turned out OK and the baby is healthy and so is mommy. Oh it's still a boy... For Sure! Lori goes back July 3rd for another checkup and this time I will be going!
Lori has started to feel Ty kicking and punching her every so often. It seems he really appreciates dinner in the evening because he likes to celebrate with a little jab or kick soon afterward. Taking after daddy like any good son does!
My parents have been so generous and purchased the furniture (Crib, Changing Station & Dresser) for Ty's room. Thank You So Much!!! My best friend Jeremy was nice of enough to lend his time to go to my parents, pick it up and help me take it into the house. Thanks to you as well!
Along with the getting the furniture we started the nursery over Father's day weekend. We have chosen to go with a Frog theme... frog border, frog curtains, frog crib accessories, frog stuffed animals. Everywhere you look, there is frogs! :-)
My mom and dad came over on Father's day and while dad was relaxing, mom and I were working hard putting up border. Soon afterward Lori and mom put up the curtains that look great followed by some good Beer Can Chicken on the grill for our Father's Day Celebration. Next year at this time, I will be able to celebrate my very first Father's Day. Wow, how fast time goes by!
Monday evening I put together the crib and
changing table which took a few hours but was enjoyable. Although there were a lot of pieces to put together, I did not end up with any spare parts, which I guess is a good thing!
After 3 1/2 hours in Target our Registry is complete. I don't think I have spent 3 1/2 hours in the same store before but it was fun. Lori and I had a great time looking at all the things we need and all the clothes that we want to buy! :-) My mom came along and was a huge help. She pointed out a lot of things that we never even thought about putting on our list.
Lori's Week 20 sonogram for the anatomy checkup revealed an abnormality that the doctor did not seem to concerned about. However, he said that a two vessel umbilical cord is something we needed to follow up on with more tests. Otherwise, Ty is doing great!
Lori and my mom made their way up to Harrisburg a few weeks ago for a another
sonogram and fetal echocardiogram. I was unable to go because I was out of town attending a training class for work. Everything turned out OK and the baby is healthy and so is mommy. Oh it's still a boy... For Sure! Lori goes back July 3rd for another checkup and this time I will be going!Lori has started to feel Ty kicking and punching her every so often. It seems he really appreciates dinner in the evening because he likes to celebrate with a little jab or kick soon afterward. Taking after daddy like any good son does!
My parents have been so generous and purchased the furniture (Crib, Changing Station & Dresser) for Ty's room. Thank You So Much!!! My best friend Jeremy was nice of enough to lend his time to go to my parents, pick it up and help me take it into the house. Thanks to you as well!
Along with the getting the furniture we started the nursery over Father's day weekend. We have chosen to go with a Frog theme... frog border, frog curtains, frog crib accessories, frog stuffed animals. Everywhere you look, there is frogs! :-)
My mom and dad came over on Father's day and while dad was relaxing, mom and I were working hard putting up border. Soon afterward Lori and mom put up the curtains that look great followed by some good Beer Can Chicken on the grill for our Father's Day Celebration. Next year at this time, I will be able to celebrate my very first Father's Day. Wow, how fast time goes by!
Monday evening I put together the crib and
changing table which took a few hours but was enjoyable. Although there were a lot of pieces to put together, I did not end up with any spare parts, which I guess is a good thing!Saturday, May 3, 2008
Week 20 - It's a BOY!!!!!!!!
That's right - We are having a BOY!!! This past Monday Lori and I went for her 20 week checkup and anatomy sonogram. Everything is developing well with the baby. Mom is doing great as well. Lori's placenta has also moved naturally so no more previa!
Below is a 4D (3D with Motion = 4D) video of our baby boy!
Finding out the sex of the baby is actually a very small part of the anatomy sonogram. Still photos are taken of every bone and organ. Video in 3D and 4D is also taken all of which is evaluated by both the technician conducting the sonogram followed by a doctor. The entire sonogram took just over an hour.
Baby Boy Smith weighs in about 10 ounces and is approximately 10 inches from head to heel. The heartbeat was measured at about 140 beats per minute.
Below is a 4D (3D with Motion = 4D) video of our baby boy!
Finding out the sex of the baby is actually a very small part of the anatomy sonogram. Still photos are taken of every bone and organ. Video in 3D and 4D is also taken all of which is evaluated by both the technician conducting the sonogram followed by a doctor. The entire sonogram took just over an hour.
Baby Boy Smith weighs in about 10 ounces and is approximately 10 inches from head to heel. The heartbeat was measured at about 140 beats per minute.
Monday, March 31, 2008
16 Week Checkup
Lori went to see the doctor today and she got to hear the heartbeat. I did not go in with her, but she tells me she lost a pound. :-) She has been watching her diet and been doing a great job. No sonogram was taken this time but the babies heart beat was a very healthy 167 bpm.
She still is not showing but her clothes are getting tighter by the day. I believe we will be going this weekend to get a few maturnity clothes for Mom! :-)
The baby should be about the size avocado now and weighs 3 1/2 ounces. The length: 4 1/2" head to bottom!
She still is not showing but her clothes are getting tighter by the day. I believe we will be going this weekend to get a few maturnity clothes for Mom! :-)
The baby should be about the size avocado now and weighs 3 1/2 ounces. The length: 4 1/2" head to bottom!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Too Much Work Causes Problems @ Week 12.....
Lori decided to do a little decorating around the house for the spring season. Taking the Christmas tree (yes, we keep the tree up till March, it is decorated in snowmen) and other decorations down and putting new decorations up. All this included moving boxes around and going up and down stairs. I tried to help but the hard head that Lori is sometimes (gets that from her dad) paid for it in the end.
In the middle of the night, Lori wakes up with some minor cramping and more bleeding.
She called the doc the next morning at which time they requested she go to the Imanging Center to have a sonogram done on a more advanced machine. When examined, we were able to see a heathly baby with a strong fast paced heart beat.
The baby even decided to show a little leg. ;-)
When the results were in to the doctor, she diagnosed Lori with Placenta Previa. Previa is a common occurance but something to be concerned about. Basically it is when the placenta is blocking the opening to the cervix. Most of the time the placenta will move away from the cervix, but if not, then a c-section will be needed.
With the diagnoses came along orders of no lifting of heavy objects and pelvic rest. Not a good thing to hear if you are a guy. :-) The doctor also said that she wanted Lori to gain no more than 25 pounds for her entire pregnancy due to her high blood pressure. This kinda stressed Lori out for a little while until I told her she has bigger and more important things to worry about than just her weight.
The baby at this time is about the size of a lime and about a 1/2 ounce. About 2" long from head to bottom.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Week 10 - Bleeding
Lori decided to go to the Chambersburg Mall to do a little shopping. She was walking through the mall when she realized she was having another bleeding moment.
The next day we went to the doctor. This time they thought it was possibly due to the placenta rubbing against a small phybroid Lori has on her uteris. The doctor again suggested rest and relaxation for Lori until the bleeding subsided.
The good thing about the doctor's visit was we got to see Pebbles again and hear the heart beat for the very first time, 170 beats per minute. The doctor said that the baby was healthy and at this time it is about a 1/2" long. About the size of a kidney bean.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Week 6 - Excitement and Depression
We were so excited about having a child until the last few days. Lori has had some bleeding that concerned her enough to go to the doctor.The doctor thought it was coming from implantation of the embryo into the uterine wall. He suggested Lori take care of herself by resting and keeping her feet up.
This incident caused both of us to tell our parents that they are going to be grandparents. It is not the way we wanted to do it but we felt we had to tell them the situation.
My father received a great Birthday present yesterday.... the first image of his grandchild. My mother immediately nicknamed it "Pebbles" since it is only about a 1/4" in size.
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