Brooklyn Babyblogging

The Belly

2010-06-25T10:20:00.004-05:00

These are from 3 June 2010 when I was 33 weeks pregnant...

Getting ready for baby

2010-06-25T09:53:00.009-05:00

The final days and weeks are upon us as we get ready to welcome our second baby on 15 July. Here are some sonograms of Spud's progression...

12 February 2010

17 March 2010

9 June 2010

16 June 2010

23 June 2010

I am getting sonograms every week now to keep an eye on my high anmiotic fluid levels. I am all belly all the time!

Nellie's Third Birthday

2010-04-16T10:39:00.004-05:00

We can barely believe that Nellie is three. We are having a small party and for the first time there are actually going to be children coming and not just adults with wine glasses.

Nellie has picked out the cake she wants me to make - a butterfly. Now we have to put together party favours, order balloons, make fairy bread, buy the prizes for pass the parcel and pick out the music for freeze dance.

Nellie does not need any more toys! We are recommending DVDs, instruments, colouring books, bubble bath, hairbands, face painting kit, art supplies for her easel and cold hard cash.

She is now nappy-free and sleeping in a big girl bed and has earned a tricycle from Mummy and Daddy. All of Nellie's focus has been on these things so she has barely cared that she is about to be a big sister.

Nellie is a snake

2009-10-05T05:43:00.001-05:00

Nellie looking at mural at Coney Island

2009-10-05T05:42:00.000-05:00

Nellie running along boardwalk from Coney Island to Brighton Beach

2009-10-05T05:41:00.001-05:00

Nellie singing on train to Coney Island

2009-10-05T05:38:00.000-05:00

Nellie on train to Coney Island

2009-10-05T05:19:00.001-05:00

The Stroller Solution

2009-05-06T16:14:00.002-05:00

When Nellie was a little too slow for the morning rush, we put her in her own stroller and then Mark was able to zip her along the Brooklyn streets and she could still push her own stroller too.

Ditmas Park Playgrounds

2009-05-06T16:02:00.003-05:00

We have two playgrounds near our flat in Ditmas Park. One is called the Tot Lot and is run by the council and the other is part of the local public school. Nellie is getting more daring these days - she climbs the steep step ladder without any assistance and goes down the slide all by herself too. She also like to hang by her arms from the monkey bars.

She is reaching the age when she can play with other children. It is less parallel play and more interactive which is really fun to watch.

Nellie's Birthday cont....

2009-05-06T15:23:00.004-05:00

We had a last minute shindig at our flat on the weekend. I made fairy bread and a cat cake! We had a lovely mix of new and old friends and two delightful five-year olds. It was a nasty old day weather-wise and we were grateful of those able to make the trek.

Nellie's Birthday

2009-05-06T15:14:00.003-05:00

Nellie is 2!

2009-04-26T16:17:00.003-05:00

So Nellie turned two on Friday 24 April. This means that I haven't been to a yoga class for over two years!! Yikes. I was wondering why my pre-natal yoga instructor didn't remember me when I bumped into her in the supermarket.

Let's focus on the fun we had all weekend for Nellie' birthday. On Friday, Nellie opened up all her pressies from the Bradford and Armstrong clans. Lots of beautiful clothes, books, an easel and art supplies. Mummy & Daddy gave her a dolly stroller which was a big hit! Mark and I met for lunch with Nellie and her babysitter, Angela. We played in the playground at Union Square. After work we went back to Angela's place for a small party. Angela and her family had ordered a beautiful cake from Queens that was just delicious. Clara and her girls, Genesis & Leslie were able to make it as well. It was wonderful to see them.

On Saturday, we hit both playgrounds in Ditmas Park and had a fun time watching Nellie get even more braver with the steep ladder and slides. Her new stroller was a hit with the other kids at the playgrounds and there were some discussions about sharing and a few tears shed. Nellie upped her street cred with a face plant on the footpath after a misjudged run and hug to Mark's legs. She has a nice scrape on her left cheek. She forgot about it five minutes after it happened. Mummy & Daddy were a little shaken for a bit longer.

On Sunday, it was very hot in New York City. We spent a lot of the time indoors then in the afternoon, Nellie and I went out for a neighbourhood stroll. The blossoms are all out and it is very pretty. As soon as we got back to the flat, there was a huge car crash outside and lots of police cars so we went down to check out all the excitement. No injuries luckily but it was a "teachable moment" about holding hands when crossing the street. Don't you love a good "teachable moment"?

We lost the cord to upload photos onto the computer so I will have to add them another time.

Nellie checking herself in the mirror - Christmas Day 2008

2009-01-26T18:07:00.000-05:00

Nellie loving her Christmas reflection!

2009-01-26T17:34:00.000-05:00

My Mamma Said

2008-12-01T13:34:00.002-05:00

My fabulous mum, Sandra has handknitted some beautiful infant and toddler items for us to sell. I have created a page on Etsy.com. The money will be going towards our trip home to Australia. Go shopping people. It is really beautiful stuff. My mum is a genius with a pair of knitting needles. I will post some of the items here as well.

2008-11-07T13:16:00.001-05:00

To Oz, To Oz

2008-11-07T13:10:00.002-05:00

I am off to London for work next week where I will be catching up with my brother Rob, then Nellie and I are visiting Las Vegas to meet Uncle Nathan and David.

We are all coming to Australia for Christmas but are struggling to afford the airfare. It is going to run approx $9K for our airfares and accommodation. "Luckily" the dollar is pretty weak so we will catch a small break there. We are asking our friends and family to pitch in $10 to help us out. Payments can be made directly into PayPal through my account nicollelbradford@hotmail.com. For those in Australia, money can go straight into my St George account. I will give you the details privately. It pains us to ask for help but I haven't been home for four years and my Dad still hasn't met Nellie!

We have a group started on Facebook to keep people updated about that. It is also called To Oz, To Oz.

It's been so long

2008-11-07T10:19:00.002-05:00

Major apologies about the neglect of the blog. Here are the bullet points on what has happened since our last post many months ago.

- We moved from Flatbush to Ditmas Park. We are back in a large apartment building similar to our place on Butler Place. Our flat is large and sturdy and still filled with unpacked boxes. I hope this gets remedied this weekend.

- Nellie has 12 teeth now. She has four gaps where her canine teeth should be.

- Dashiell and Dylan are friends again after some pretty violent months where they had to be kept separated. We let Dylan have first run of the new flat and that seems to have returned a balance.

- The Production Company's next production opens tonight which puts an end to almost three months of rehearsals for Mark. He directed a play at Stella Adler Studios and then went straight into The Most Damaging Wound.

Obviously we have taken plenty of photos and videos recently and I will try to get them up as well.

Buffalo adventure!

2008-06-15T18:15:00.000-05:00

This weekend we all went to Buffalo, NY for Tiffnay and Jake's wedding.We had a pretty smooth trip up and the wedding was a blast. Tiff and Jake put together a great day and Nellie danced the night away.

Today is Father's Day and we spent the day at Niagara Falls in both USA and Canada. It was so beautiful and fun. We rode on The Maid of the Mist which goes right up to the falls where you get completely soaked. We made sure that our passports got stamped but to my disappointment, they no longer have the words Niagara Falls on the stamp like they did when I was last here in 1999.

Right now I am typing this on my work Blackberry at Buffalo airport. Our flight was due to take off at 6:05pm and get us in at 8:05pm. It is currently 8:29pm! Our flight may now leave at 10:45pm! Gotta love that JetBlue.

Tiffany is also still here. Her flight was due to fly earlier than ours. She is flying out again in the morning to begin her honeymoon. Fingers crossed that she makes it!

After some overheating and teething issues, Nellie has crashed out in her stroller. I am getting a little jealous of her horizontalness.

2008-06-11T15:43:00.002-05:00

Nellie had her second last class on Saturday. She is wearing one of her new birthday outfits (yellow - my favourite). There is no class over the summer so we will have to find a new engaging activity to spur us out of bed on Saturday mornings!

Nellie and Brooklyn Public Library

2008-06-11T14:37:00.004-05:00

We have started going to the newly renovated Brooklyn Public Library this past fortnight after class on Saturdays. If you haven't been there before, it is a beautiful building next to Prospect Park opposite Grand Army Plaza.

As book junkies, Mark and I are delighted we reignited our passion for the library.

This photo is from the Children's area of the library. Nellie wouldn't let Mark hold the book for her. As you can see, she has a pretty good handle on the whole reading thing!

Nellie's First Birthday

2008-05-25T10:05:00.005-05:00

So we hadn't posted many photos from Nellie's actual birthday. She is wearing a beautiful dress brought back for her from Paris by Anne Sawyer.

Nellie's First Birthday Party at Coney Island

2008-05-25T09:49:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful party at Coney Island last weekend. It was very windy but we still had a good time. Here are some shots from the day.

Nellie Walking

2008-05-25T09:24:00.002-05:00

Nellie has been trying out the walking. We moved back all the furniture and let her go. She revs herself up and then takes off. My two favourite moments are when she eats and walks at the same time and the funky move she ends it all with.

Nellie's first steps

2008-05-01T09:32:00.007-05:00

These videos are from Nellie taking her first steps in front of me. She has been taking some steps with her babysitter Clara for a couple of weeks and has yet to do it for Mark. I was on the couch so the filming conditions were not great!

Nellie is Stylin'!

2008-04-27T18:51:00.003-05:00

Grandma Sandra made this pink helmut for Nellie. It covers her whole face which was great for those really cold winter days when Nellie would always be pulling off her hats.

2008-04-24T16:15:00.002-05:00

Today is Nellie's 1st birthday! The second photo is me on my first birthday.

Nellie climbing the stairs

2008-04-23T16:59:00.001-05:00

You need some patience with this video - just like Nellie had patience with the first time she climbed the stairs. I helped her on the first two and then she took off. You can see by the end she is in a bit of a rythmn. We went and climbed them straight away again after we reached the top.

Nellie climbing the slippery slide

2008-04-23T15:09:00.004-05:00

This is Nellie climbing up the slide the first time she was ever on one!

2008-04-23T14:56:00.002-05:00

We all had a lovely Easter. Here is Nellie enjoying her chocolate bunny from the Easter Bunny.

2008-04-23T14:53:00.002-05:00

This shirt says "My Mum Rocks". I am so sad that she has grown out of it now. Maybe I will get a version of it for every size!

Nellie is almost 1!

2008-04-23T09:57:00.009-05:00

Tomorrow is Nellie's first birthday!!! This time last year, I was sitting/reclining/resting/bored in the delivery room strapped up to things, crap coursing through my veins and not much else going on. Today is Shakespeare's birthday and we thought that would be a lovely day for LP to be born. LP and my cervix had other plans (ewww gross why did you have to talk about your cervix?!)

We can't believe it has been a year! Dad and Nathan still haven't met Nellie yet.

For her birthday tomorrow, her babysitter, Clara, and her two girls are bringing Nellie to Central Park for lunch. Mark is going to trek up as well. Let's hope the weather will hold out.

Nellie's words are - mama, dada, baby, play, up, hi and bye (with different waves!)

She is not actually walking but she can stand and drink! Clara has seen her take a few steps but she hasn't done it for us yet. She can climb the stairs and the slippery slide however! She loves climbing!

She eats everything we give her. She particularly likes rice and beans, pineapple, hot chips, corn chips, broccoli, guacamole and veggie burgers. She drinks formula, juice and water. We can start her on regular milk after tomorrow.

She has started reacting (read - throwing small tantrums) when we walk away or take something from her. These are usually low key and pretty funny.

Nellie has seen a lot of movies this year. Most of them she has either slept through or just sat and watched. Recently she has started to consider them interactive entertainment and "talks" back to the screen. This means that Mark and I spend most of the movie either at the door or out of the theatre. We will have to bite the bullet and start taking her to more appropriate films where she can make as much noise as she wants.

She has been taking Sign-a-Song classes for a few months. We have a lovely time but she is not doing much signing yet. She seems to babble with her hands which is normal apparently.

Everyone says that she is big but she is right in the 50th percentile for her age. Enjoy the photos and video.

Oscar Madness

2008-02-25T09:01:00.002-05:00

Last night we took Nellie to her first Oscar party. This was our second year at the Orchard Project's Oscar party. Last year I was almost 8 months pregnant so we sprung for the fancy seats and I rued that I couldn't take advantage of the open bar.

Nellie was wearing her new fancy pants and her movie themed onesy "Nobody puts baby in the corner". She delighted everyone when she was awake and awed everyone when she slept through the bar noise.

I think I would prefer to watch the awards at home. I take them very seriously and like to hear all that is being said. Although I don't think I would have as wonderful cocktails and the food was delish.

Nellie eating chocolate

2008-02-18T13:32:00.003-05:00

The Simpson's cast is being interviewed by James Lipton and Nellie is finishing off her Valentine's Day chocolate. She still has a bit of a cough.

Nellie jumping like a monkey at Sing a Song class

2008-02-18T13:13:00.003-05:00

Nellie loves this part of class when she gets to jump.

Sign-a-Song

2008-01-26T22:38:00.000-05:00

We have started taking Nellie to Sign-a-Song classes in Park Slope. It is a lot of fun. Nellie doesn't seem to be taking very much of it in right now. Mark and I will keep working on her though.

Nellie's Sign-a-Song class

2008-01-26T22:09:00.000-05:00

2008-01-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

Nellie's Grandpa Jack took this photo over Christmas in Duluth, Minnesota.

Nellie update

2008-01-17T08:29:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have seen from my Facebook profile that Nellie and I have been quite sick. We both had a nasty bout of stomach 'flu. It is really difficult to see your baby sick. Especially when she is this young and can't tell you what is going on and you can't explain that it will all be better soon.

I lost 4lbs which is good but Nellie lost weight too and that is bad. Her Buddah belly has lost some of its roundness and her tremendous thighs have been reduced to thunder thighs.

She was weak and morose on Monday but on Tuesday she was back on track. She woke up hungry and happy. Wednesday she ate everything in sight and giggled the whole day! She seems astounded by her recovery. A week is a long time for a baby. She probably thought this was how it was going to be forever. Mark and I got pretty proficient at blocking and dodging projectile vomit and getting Nellie swiftly over to a sink so it could all come out one tube and go down another.

New Foods

2007-11-20T15:01:00.000-05:00

Nellie has started on solids and we are having her try all different sorts of foods. Today was peas. She is not too sure about them yet. Food on the face photos, though are always a classic! It's a little blurry but I think she was dodging the spoon.

Nellie's stats

2007-11-19T12:22:00.000-05:00

Nellie is 17 lbs 6 oz and 25 1/4 inches. Big girl. She is almost seven months now too! Hard to believe. She is super strong and eager to learn.

It's getting colder

2007-11-19T12:17:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness Becky gave us all these warm clothes for Nellie. The temperature has really dropped. Nellie had to go out for a check up at Dr Gough's and to get some shots.

Where have we been?

2007-11-19T10:39:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. We have been trapped in Facebook, working/vacationing in Florida and busy at work.

We are all doing very well. I took Nellie to Kansas so she could meet her Great-Grandma Velva and her Great-Uncle Larry plus all our other family and friends in Lyons and Wichita. We then went to Tampa to visit Mark who was directing a play at USF.

Nellie and I spent a lot of time on the swings at the playground. I had her in the Bjorn and we would swing for ages. We both really loved it. We also discovered with the help of our hosts David, Amanda and Dylan that bouncing on a large exercise ball is very soothing.

Nellie did very well on all the flights. I was very grateful that Mark came back with us since we accumulated some gifts from the journey.

I am back at work and Mark is taking this opportunity to stay at home with Nellie. They are having a great time together and Mark is relishing Nellie's first word - "dadadadadadadadadada"!

We have two cats now. We rescued a lovely and lively boy named Dashiell. He and Dylan are in LOVE! Dashiell has been a wonderful companion for Dylan. It is all a bit of a handful but fun at the same time.

I will get more photos posted here. Our harddrive is full on our computer so we haven't been able to upload from the camera.

Nellie nuzzling the mirror

2007-09-29T20:44:00.001-05:00

Nellie is really getting into seeing herself in the mirror.

Nellie gets the giggles

2007-09-29T20:34:00.000-05:00

Annette and her daughter are making Nellie laugh. Nellie has a really sweet giggle. She is a delight!

Nellie in her crib

2007-09-29T18:45:00.000-05:00

Nellie is now sleeping in her crib. It is going really well. She is using her pink sheet that grandma Sandra made for her.

It's a little sad that Nellie isn't going to be sleeping in our room anymore but she is sleeping better now. She was getting way too big for her hammock.

Beckett for Babies

2007-09-24T09:43:00.000-05:00

Here.

Nellie chats

2007-08-21T05:40:00.000-05:00

This is Nellie having a chat with the camera.

gotta love that swing!

2007-07-31T21:26:00.001-05:00

Nellie is really getting into the swing!

Dylan finds his light

2007-07-31T21:00:00.000-05:00

I took this photo of Dylan on the weekend and it couldn't have turned out better. Dylan has generally been a very good boy with Nellie. I can't wait to see what happens once she is moving around on his level. We are thinking of getting a second cat to keep Dylan company. I think he has long days inside with nothing to break up the monotony.

Nellie learns "cause and effect"

2007-07-31T20:37:00.000-05:00

This was so exciting. Nellie started to pull on the cords and realise that music and lights began. I was so excited that I could be there to see it.

Seriously - how pretty is this baby!!

2007-07-01T01:38:00.001-05:00

I know that this photo was just featured in the previous post, but it is one of the best ones that captures how pretty Nellie is.

The many moods of Nellie

2007-07-01T01:32:00.001-05:00

Nellie is awake!

2007-07-01T01:03:00.000-05:00

This is Nellie in her new carrier. We bought it at a stoop sale and it has proven to be very useful. She was hanging out with me on the couch. She is staying awake longer now and as you can see she is very animated. Her facial expressions crack me up. She is a very funny little girl.

Nellie up close and asleep

2007-06-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

Going for a bit of an arty feel here. I love to watch Nellie sleep - that is pretty obvious by the copious amounts of photos I take of her in repose.

Nellie in her Aquarium swing

2007-06-16T21:04:00.000-05:00

I put Nellie in the swing again today after about a month. She is starting to appreciate it more and loves to stare at the fish hanging to the sides.

Nellie under her blanket

2007-06-16T17:08:00.000-05:00

Here is Nellie hiding under her blanket.

Nellie Sleeping

2007-06-16T16:55:00.001-05:00

Nellie making her sweet sleeping sounds.

Nellie reclining

2007-06-13T18:55:00.001-05:00

This photo cracks me up. She is sitting like a pious 40 year old.

Her hand is moving so fast you can't see it.

More Visitors

2007-06-13T18:40:00.000-05:00

Mark, Emma, Erin & Felicity

Lisabeth

thanks for stopping by

2007-06-13T18:28:00.000-05:00

Mary

Art

Annette

Kim

Art

Hello Nellie

2007-06-13T18:16:00.000-05:00

I think I finally got the video to work. This is Nellie responding to me yesterday. I think just after teh film ended she burst into tears.

Eyes open photo request from Grandpa Dennis

2007-06-09T05:44:00.002-05:00

Close-up request from Grandma Sandra

2007-06-05T05:59:00.001-05:00

This is Nellie last week all swaddled up.

Nellie's Neighbourhood

2007-06-03T13:51:00.001-05:00

Milestones

2007-06-03T13:33:00.000-05:00

We have a few milestones to report on this week.

Nellie has started spitting up

She has started smiling in response to the way I say a couple of phrases

She has had several showers with us and really seems to like them. It has been really warm here and being on the top floor has bumped up the temperature. We are wearing little and showering often.

We organised for Nellie to have a babysitter when I go back to work. I hope to go back in a fortnight part time.

Mark has introduced her to The Beastie Boys album Ill Communication.

Memorial Day Weekend

2007-05-29T08:15:00.000-05:00

Well we had a big long weekend. Our friends Trista and Dean were in town with their 16 month old daughter Ila. They were staying with our other friends Barbara and Heather and their 18 month old son Ryder. All NINE of us met up on Saturday and went to Prospect Park for a late afternoon picnic. We had such a lovely time. Ila and Ryder played with the ducks, on the swings and with a ball Heather "acquired" at the park. Dean later went to great lengths to rescue the ball from the lake. True hero dad stuff.

On Sunday we all met up again and went to Battery Park. It was another lovely day. We ate at a Chinese restaurant on the water. Mark and I sat and watched the sunset whilst I feed Nellie. It was really beautiful.

On Monday Mark, Nellie and I went to Coney Island. We met up with Dean and Ila as well as Kim and her friends Andrea and Mark. It was crazy busy at Coney Island and super noisy. We all had a good time but our stamina is not what it was. Kim's trio was wonderfully supportive of our new needs with Nellie. Dean and Ila bailed first and then Mark, Nellie and I hit the wall and made our exit whilst Kim and her Mark were on the Wonder Wheel. (sorry we didn't get to say goodbye).

Nellie was very unsettled last night. It took extra feedings, swaddling, dummies, rocking and a walk around the block to calm her to sleep. In the end Mark had the magic touch - a call back to when I was pregnant with her and she would stop jumping around when he placed his hands on my belly. She and I are hanging out at home today.

Nellie goes to work

2007-05-16T18:20:00.000-05:00

I took Nellie in to Macquarie today so everyone who was so intimate with LP could now meet Nellie. As I was leaving I realised that I didn't take any photos! Poo Bum Wee! I do have a photo of her in her new dress (a gift from her great-aunty Barbara and great-uncle Tom) that she wore today. I cracks me up that she sleeps with her hands up in the air.

I am trying to figure out my return to work - when?, part time or full time?, which department?, etc. Happily I like working there and even more happily they are working with me to sort out my choices.

I am still trying to figure out the showing-Nellie-off protocol. She was in the Baby Bjorn and fast asleep but no-one could see her. So the decision is - do I take her out and possibly have her cry and/or scream or do I leave her attached to me to keep the peace? I did a bit of both. I also go to use the Mother's Room for a speed feed before I had to meet someone else at 4pm.

I realise that there are several people that I didn't get to see. Next visit may be more social. This one was mainly about seeing Shelley (we both got to experience our first catch-up with a baby in the room).

I thought Miranda's uterus was going to explode. She kept holding onto it.

We are both pooped! This trip required me to bring, Nellie, the nappy bag, the Boppy pillow, an umbrella and my purse! My stitches are straining a bit.

As I was leaving to meet Ari Kreith, the skies opened up and it poured down. I seems that every time I take Nellie out in a sling or bjorn it rains.

I am so hungry.

More Photos

2007-05-14T16:56:00.000-05:00

Nellie after her bath

2007-05-09T16:09:00.000-05:00

This is a beautiful towel that Kim Prentice gave Nellie. It is so big and lush that Nellie almost disappears in it. This photo is slightly blurry but she looks so pretty in it.

Thanks for the pressies Uncle Rob

2007-05-09T13:27:00.001-05:00

Nellie's uncle Rob gave her the acquarium bath and swing. As you can see she was "delighted" to take her first bath! It was more of a case of "What the..." The swing has been working out well. Right now we are manually swinging it until we buy some C batteries, which will make the lights flash and the music play as well as make it swing at 8 different speeds!

Nicolle & Nellie at two weeks

2007-05-09T13:17:00.001-05:00

Here are comparision photos of me at two weeks and Nellie at two weeks. It was Nellie's two week birthday yesterday. We don't really look alike.

Nellie after lunch

2007-05-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a photo taken about 10 minutes ago. Nellie had some lunch and then passed out.

2007-05-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

Mark and I apologise for not writing anything since the birth. As you can imagine things have been a little hectic. Here are the highlights -
I was induced on Monday 23 April
Had to get epidural for very painful internal exams
Given Pitocin to start contractions
Due to an old scar - my cervix did not dilate past 2cm
5 am Tuesday 24 April - Dr Noel told us that I needed a C-section but we held out for about 4 more hours
No change to dilation
Had C-section
Nellie was born
Tears
Drugs
Photos
Painkillers
Tubes
Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie Nellie

Our "first baby" Dylan

2007-04-30T16:04:00.000-05:00

Nellie comes home

2007-04-30T16:02:00.000-05:00

Nellie's third day

2007-04-30T16:01:00.000-05:00

Nellie's second day

2007-04-30T15:59:00.000-05:00

Nellie's first day

2007-04-30T15:52:00.000-05:00

Due Date mach 2

2007-04-21T10:59:00.000-05:00

This photo is from our last doctor's appt on the day before "Due Date mach 2". Sorry it is on its side - can't figure out how to rotate it.

I will be induced next week if LP doesn't come this weekend.

OK cramping - gotta go

stay tuned

Wednesday Update

2007-04-18T10:40:00.000-05:00

So, yesterday was our due date. (The one from the sonogram; our doctor has been using Friday.) And nothing happened. It was weird. We’ve spent all this time building up to April 17, which has now come and gone.

I went to a Yankees game with Nathan, David and their friend Bryan. I felt weird about it, but we all concluded that the baby wasn’t likely to come. (Great game, too. Yankees exploded for six runs in the second inning, including three home runs. And Chase Wright posted the win in his first major league start.)

Tomorrow is our 40-week doctor’s appointment. I guess we’ll know more when we know more.

Photo from last doctor's appt

2007-04-17T11:52:00.000-05:00

Here is a side view from last Thursday 12 April at Dr Noel's.

Due Date mach 1

2007-04-17T11:08:00.000-05:00

According to my sonogram, today is my due date. Yesterday we thought it was all go - pain, discomfort, cramping but it turned out to be a trial run due to probably too much jalapeno and too little sleep. I would like to thank Lindsay, Layla, Katty, Wendy, Angela, Sarah, Ann-Marie, Mary and Kim for checking in on me this last week.

Mark and I are pretty set. We finished off our birth plan last night and our hospital bags are pretty much packed and ready to go. We keep trying to capture footage of LP moving around but every time we turn the camera on LP stops. Mark has some weird calming voodoo effect on LP. Whenever he comes near, LP freezes any activity. It 's a little frustrating for the two of us since we want to share this experience of kicking, pushing and general boogying in my belly.

Nathan and David arrived Friday night and we have been having a nice time with them. LP needs to make an appearance while they are in town.

Sitting on this chair is very uncomfortable so I will sign off.

Mark has the camera today so we will upload photos later.

My belly today

2007-04-11T13:05:00.000-05:00

Advice from Veronica Farje

2007-04-11T12:59:00.000-05:00

everyone needs to make a casserole and freeze it as a "baby-warming" gift. You can stockpile them in your fridge, and feast for a couple of months. you will need your energy for nursing. geez you will be thirsty too. i took to carrying a gallon of water with me everywhere. but you won't have to pee like crazy anymore. the oxytocin that your body will make is naturally relaxing, and all of that carrying of baby and stuff will release serotonin and endorphins. it is just super cool. plus, they do such neat stuff every minute of their lives--just watching them for hours is fun!

i pledge a lasagna for the fridge.

love and kisses to the family

Advice from Tina Fallon

2007-04-11T12:32:00.000-05:00

Wow - April 17th! That's soon! Prepare to be swept away on a tidal wave of love and tenderness.

My advice is pretty simple: your job for the first six months or so is simply to survive. You will be stressed, sleepless, confused, irritable, convinced you'll never be able to work again, hungry, unshaven, etc.. Don't sweat it! It's normal, all of it, even the freakiest shit is normal. Jaundice? Normal! Colic? Normal! Convinced your sleeping child has stopped breathing? Normal! Feel like you're going to die? Normal! considering divorce? Normal! Your production training will come in handy, as will your experience with The 24 Hour Plays. And flying to Australia in coach. All of that. Try to take care of yourselves, not just the baby - because that will help the baby, too. Nobody likes a grump.

But it's just incredible, every day something miraculous and new. And it's just a nanosecond - you may feel like you haven't ______(showered, written in your blog, seen your friends) in a million years, but when you pop out of the rabbit hole barely a month will have passed. Everything will be right where you left it. So feel free to disappear for a while. We won't take it personally. And once infancy is gone, it's really gone. Which is a good thing, really, but you don't want to miss it.

Don't answer the phone unless it's really convenient. They'll call back if it's urgent. Do order takeout food without feeling guilty. Accept help when offered, especially offers of food, clean laundry, money. Do steal a stack of receiving blankets from the hospital. They're really handy, and you can go through up to five a day. Don't feel obligated to entertain people when they stop by to meet the baby. Drink as much booze as you like/require. Ditto other drugs, chocolate. Take pictures, try to write, but don't beat yourself up if you skip a week. Watch TV, or get caught up on your netflix queue. It won't hurt the baby. If the baby sleeps peacefully in a stroller/seat/sling, the first couple of months you can go out to dinner with baby in tow.

Jeez. It looks grim, right? It's not, it's the best thing ever, and it gets better and better. I'm so excited for you!

xx
Tina

I am huge!

2007-04-11T12:05:00.000-05:00

Since moving into our new flat, we haven't had the luxury of a full length mirror - just two curiously high bathroom mirrors. Therefore I don't see myself for days on end. I was really struck by my girth the other day when I was using a public bathroom and checked myself out in their mirror. Wowsers! I had my photo taken last night with my wonderful friend Kim and the white shirt really brings out the belly in my belly. What do you think?

At 39 Weeks

2007-04-10T15:29:00.000-05:00

Our due date is in one week. That seems really soon, but it's a long time to just sit around and wait. Nicolle has kept busy at home by cooking and baking, learning how to use our new digital camera (we've leapt into the '90s in anticipation of taking many pictures of the baby) and packing all of our stuff for the hospital.

For anyone who's wondering how we'll get from our home to the hospital, we'll call a car service within Brooklyn. Maybe we'll call a couple of them and see which one gets there first. We've toured the hospital twice and we know where to go and what to do when we get there. I still need to map the drive so we're not hung up by any one way streets.

The best books I've read about the birthing process are this one and this one. Sadly, I have failed in my attempt to completely memorize them and I will be frantically thumbing through them the entire time.

Where We Stand

2007-04-05T15:00:00.000-05:00

I haven't been able to update this as often as I would have liked to, so here's a rundown of where we're at:

We've moved into our new apartment. Set up a room for the baby and trying to race the clock to get fully unpacked before the big day.
Nicolle's mum Sandra is staying with us through the birth and has been such a big help. Her brother Nathan and his partner David will be arriving next week.
Nicolle is, if possible, even more swollen than before.
We are under the two week mark. There is no sign that the baby will come early, but we are trying to be prepared either way.
As always, you can visit our amazon registry, our babiesrus registry or send us some green diapers.
It has been really great to hear from so many friends recently. If you think of it, give me a call. I have a lot on my mind.
We have been having weekly doctor's appointments, during which I bust out all my hard-won book-learnin' about the birth process. Unfortunately, as we are having a hospital birth, Nicolle will need to be strapped to a fetal monitor most of the time. Fetal monitors can be inaccurate up to 70 percent of the time, causing hospital staff to proceed with interventions that may not have been necessary. But, as we're having the birth in a hospital, they need to have the readings for (of course) legal reasons.

That's all for now. More soon. Hopefully Nicolle will weigh in as well.

Baby Shower

2007-03-16T14:58:00.000-05:00

Sunday is the baby shower that the company, particularly Mary Leach and Meg McQuillan, are throwing for us. We are so lucky to have so many good friends. We're really looking forward to seeing everybody at the new place.

Hopefully bringing some more stuff over today and tomorrow, continuing to get everything in place. It's all becoming even more real.

Um...

2007-03-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

At Babies R Us, I registered for the Yankees baby bottle and it showed up on the registry as the METS baby bottle. Little bit of a difference.

2007-03-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

Today has barely started and I'm already done. I have had heartburn since yesterday and swollen legs for three days. I really just want to lie down. Thank God it's Friday and I have a three day weekend. Sunday is our baby shower so there will be plenty of prepping.

I'm too exhausted to write any more.

peace out

Up To Speed

2007-03-12T20:41:00.000-05:00

So, Nicolle and I started this blog as a way to keep everyone updated on our journey into parenthood. I also maintain the popular theater weblog Mr. Excitement News and I'll occasionally be cross-posting items to that blog. But the main purpose of this one is as a journal, updating everyone on the latest pregnancy and baby-related news.

Here's where we are at so far.

*Nicolle and I are expecting our first child on April 17. We will be having the birth at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where we just finished our birthing classes.

*Nicolle had a very rough first trimester, unusually so. She was very nauseous and unable to eat much. Since the second trimester, things have improved a bit. Now, in the third trimester, she is dealing with swollen ankles and issues of general bulk (although she is mostly carrying in front). She has been a real trooper about the whole thing. She is still working and will through the end of the 37th week.

*We are moving from our current location, which is near Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, to a new place in Flatbush (also in Brooklyn). Our new place has three bedrooms; one for us, one for L.P. (Little Person, which is what we call the fetus, since we have elected not to find out the gender) and one to be used as an office for our theater company.

*Nicolle's mum Sandra will be coming out later this month to help us out through the birth of the baby. My family will probably be coming later in the spring and summer.

*Yes, we have picked out both boy and girl names, but we are not telling you.

*We are registered at www.amazon.com/babyregistry and www.babiesrus.com. Also, we will be purchasing all diapers at www.gdiapers.com.

*We have a new cat named Dylan, who we rescued from the cold.

More updates soon.

A Positive Conception of Adulthood

2007-03-12T14:01:00.000-05:00

Nicolle found out about Baby Loves Disco a few weeks ago and was really excited. She's a former dancer and very excited about the possibility of getting down with our upcoming arrival, once he or she hits the six month mark. I'm really excited about all the things we're going to be able to do with the kid in New York. My friend Blake is raising twins on the Upper West Side and they're having a blast. Raising kids in the city is completely underrated.

Now, I see that the Christian Science Monitor has a problem with Baby Loves Disco (Hat tip, Amanda):

"One of the major premises revealed in [Baby Loves Disco] is that we've shifted from a child-friendly to an adult-driven lifestyle," says Lynne Griffin, an author and registered nurse who teaches in the Family Studies graduate program at Boston's Wheelock College. "What we're seeing increasingly is adults sharing a lifestyle with their children that is geared towards adult needs for everything from sleep to daily activities such as entertainment and communication."

Noting that parenting styles tend to go in cycles, many clinical experts dub this a period of permissive parenting, in which adults do not set appropriate boundaries between themselves and their offspring.

"I'm seeing parents who look at their children and say, 'He's just like me, so whatever is good for me is good for him,' " says Don MacMannis, a child psychologist who is codirector of The Family Therapy Institute of Santa Barbara, Calif.

Aside from the disturbing implication that Saturday afternoon dancing is apparently bad (hello, Footloose), I just don't agree that children seeing adults act like adults is such a bad thing. For years, mainstream Hollywood has been feeding America the myth that adulthood is such a terrible, unfulfilling thing and that what we really all want to do is go back to being children again.

Growing up in the 1980s offered many examples of this trope, which Anthony Giardina discussed in this essay, which anyone who is or (as I was when I first read it) is thinking about becoming a parent should read. He describes being capitve to this anti-adult mentality after having his first child - the Kramer vs. Kramer paradigm:

Whatever he has been before, he has whittled himself down now to one pure thing: a father. For Ted Kramer, it pretty much ends there: work will never again have the same meaning for him. He will do it, but only for the money, only so that he can provide for his son. The world of hustle, of power lunches, of office flirtations, all those lubricants of his previously exciting, superficial existence has been seen through. So has ambition itself. He has ascended to a kind of saintliness, and that is where he will stay.

It ought to have settled things for me as well. The "About Men" column, "Kramer vs. Kramer," and all those sons and daughters of it that filled my Saturday afternoons at the movies in the years to come "Mr. Mom," "Mrs. Doubtfire," "Baby Boom," "Parenthood," "Hook" -- they all cohered around a central premise: we (men) were better off when we let go of hustle and allowed our inner nurturer out.

But the idea never sat well with him:

"What were the images of "Hook" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" -- those adulthood-hating stories we were now telling our children -- doing to my daughter's sense of what was to come? In those movies, whether the parental figure is Robin Williams as the hustling businessman of "Hook" or Michelle Pfeiffer as his female counterpart in "One Fine Day," the main narrative thrust has to do with getting this worker drone to face the boss, jettison work, and sacrifice the career so that he or she can make it to the place where we all truly belong -- on the sidelines of the soccer game!
[--]
[M]ovies offered helpful clues as to what might be going on: at a certain point in the movie "Multiplicity," the chronically overworked Michael Keaton comes home, late at night, to watch a video of his child's grammar school play, one that work has forced him to miss. So dreadful does the play seem that you find yourself thinking he must be secretly glad he missed it, until you look at the screen and see Michael Keaton weeping uncontrollably. It's a deeply unbelievable moment, but it says a great deal about the ways in which, between 1979, when "Kramer vs. Kramer" opened, and 1996, when "Multiplicity" made its bow, a generation of parents enshrined the notion of itself as childhood-worshipers."

Eventually, however, Giardina came to look to another movie as a model for his parent-child relations:

This time it was a movie I didn't really have to watch, but only to glimpse briefly, on the TV screen of a beach house in Ocean City, Md. We were there with friends, and my daughter, then about 6 or 7, had turned on the TV, midday. We discovered her watching, rapt, an old movie I recognized immediately. It was "40 Pounds of Trouble," a largely forgettable early '60s concoction in which Tony Curtis plays a Las Vegas casino owner, a man about town who is suddenly handed responsibility for a little girl. There is no point in glossing the plot of "40 Pounds of Trouble" except to say that Tony Curtis does not accept this responsibility as Ted Kramer does, by jettisoning everything about his life that made it exciting and fun. Instead, he takes the little girl along. There he was, on that screen, Tony Curtis in all his glory -- sharkskin suit, porkpie hat, shiny sports car -- living the vivid life of an American bachelor, circa 1963. And the little girl beside him in the red sports car -- did she look deprived because Tony hadn't cast all his selfish pursuits aside in order to settle down and read to her about Mr. Pumblechoke? Did she look as though what she wanted above all things was to be clasped to his bosom while he ran through the streets of the Upper East Side, a Saint of Fatherly Protection? Hell no. The little girl was having a ball.

There are adults who actually despise adulthood, with its myriad of choices and complicated moral universe. I won't be one of them. My kid is going to see his or her parents pursuing their dreams and enjoying adult life.

I can't wait for Saturday afternoons at Baby Loves Disco.

[Cross-posted at Mr. Excitement News.]