Don’t lose it…
And by “it” I mean the belly band you bought early in your pregnancy so you wouldn’t have to wear maternity pants. For someday there will be a day today when your pregnancy jeans won’t stay up and your regular jeans won’t button up you will wish you could remember where the heck you stashed your belly band!!!
So much to write about… or, “How to Teach Infants to Make Faces”
There is so much to write about and I have so little focus for writing right now. In the next week or so I want to blog about Oliver’s birth, recovery from birth, our time at home, and visits from family.
In the mean time, here’s a quick little story that involves Liz (my sister of the ¡Sopresa Proyecto! fame). Excuse the poor writing, my brain is still in sleep-deprived mode.
My sister Liz came to visit last week. She was here Monday evening through Saturday afternoon and we miss her already. Oliver loved Liz and apparently she has left her mark on him – and no, he doesn’t have a tattoo like his aunt yet! Liz had mentioned some research she learned about on the Discovery channel (or TLC… or one of those educational stations) that showed you can teach infants to make a particular facial expression by repeating it in front of them. In the study she had seen, the researcher in question was able to teach the newborn to stick out his tongue in a relatively short period of time. Liz arrived on Monday night. On Thursday I was changing Oliver and noticed he had his lips pursed in a perfect little “O” shape, as though he were whistling. Later in the day he did it again. It wasn’t until the 3rd incident on Friday morning when I thought to ask Liz about it… “Liz, did you teach Oliver to purse his lips?” Liz: “Is he doing it?!? I’ve been trying to teach him all week!” So indeed, you can teach infants to make faces. If you have a newborn and want to play a game, this is one they can play. The best part (from my point of view, anyway) is that Oliver won’t do it for Liz, just other people. So if you meet Oliver and he purses his lips for you, thank Liz.
Here’s the “O” just a moment after it happened… I still haven’t been fast enough to catch it in the moment.
"O!"
Daddy is Awesome!
Hello all!
I haven’t had too much time for blogging with the running around we’ve been doing over the past couple of days. Note to self: when it comes to running around in the first week or two LESS IS MORE! Less running around = more time to rest and recuperate. Amanda, take note. I do want to say that I couldn’t have done this all without Jeremy… and I’m not not just talking biology here. All through labor, a slightly stressful birth, and innumerate diaper changes he has been amazing. The number one contributing factor to my successful transition (thus far) into motherhood: have an awesome partner! Thank you Jeremy, I love you.
So far, everyday Jeremy and Oliver have had story time. This morning”s selection featured, I Like Myself (thanks Alice!) and Mars Needs Moms, by Berkley Breathed of Opus fame (thanks Trevor!).
Thanks again to all the friends and family who contributed to Oliver’s rapidly growing library. Lally, if you’re reading this the book shelf request will be coming soon. We just need to reassemble the room to accommodate shelving. 
Oliver, me, and Mike
We had a wonderful day today. Mom, Oliver, Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Ron, Calle, and I took advantage of the beautiful weather to walk up to the park and play fetch and hang out outside. It was nice to get out and take a walk so soon after coming home from the hospital.
Oliver and I just finished reading Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel—thank you to Carroll for such a wonderful gift of books, and to so many others for the all of the books you haven given us! Oliver was able to stay awake almost to the last page! We’ll let you know as we read more.
J&O
Homeward Bound
It soon will be time to leave our room with a view and head out into the big world that awaits off of the 5th floor of Mt. Auburn Hospital. I cannot imagine what excitement and challenges will be waiting for us when we arrive home, but ready or not it is time to leave this little cocoon and spread our wings!
We have a Bump!
Details to follow, but all is well.
Oliver Michael, born at 9:35 pm. 6 lbs 15.2 oz, and 19.5 inches.
We will add pics later today.
K, J, & O
Hmm…
First thing of note: Daylight savings time never kicked in on the blog. I must reset that.
Second thing: despite the incorrect time it is still pretty darn early. I’m awake enough to notice the time discrepancy on the blog, but not yet awake enough to go rooting around the dashboard to see why daylight savings time never kicked in. If nothing else maybe that means I can still catch a couple of hours before it’s really bright outside. Or perhaps this is a sign that today will be a good day to have a baby! Go lucky 13!
I’ll keep you all posted!
K
Montage
Time goes progressively slower each day you go past your due date. I need a “passing my time until childbirth” montage. Any song suggestions?
40 weeks & 2 days
We walked a very slow 3 miles through the arboretum to VeeVee for a Vee sandwich. Here’s hoping the walk or the tasty egg, bacon, & avocado sandwich will help move things along!
4:45 update: another mile and a half to get home, a bath, and then later off to dinner with Ron and Nancy. This kid apparently likes to be well fed and walked around. I can’t say I blame him. (But, Bump, I promise the same treatment can be arranged in the outside world too!)