I know I said that I wouldn’t be posting any pics of me, Kim, or Blaze… but I was on a conf call and thought what better way to pass the time, rather than actually listening to the inane babbling on the call.
But, I found a way around that. You don’t actually “see” Blaze in the Moby… and well, you don’t really “see” me either.
Here’s me and Blaze on a speakerphone conference call.
-D
Does this moby make me look fat?
You like? Let me know in the comments section.
Until next time.
-D
Well, this last week was a couple of firsts…
1) Save vs. Wands, staves, spells – Well, I missed my dodge and saved for half damage on a wand attack, if you know what I mean.
2) Blaze was on his first conference call this week. (Actually, he was on four, but they were all this week.) Someone said, “What if he starts crying?” I said, “Then I’ll just say he’s a developer and mute myself out.” (Ba-zinga!)
3) Gathering items that seem to be needed, but weren’t on the prep list. They will be made available as soon as I have the updates completed.
4) Moved him from the bassinet to the crib full time. (We noticed that he never slept that well in the bassinet, when we put him in the crib during the day, he was knocked out. We think he got used to the crib in the NICU/SCU and now a tiny bassinet just doesn’t cut it for him.)
5) First bath – if you get a chance to do it in the hospital before you check out, I highly recommend. That’s the only skill that I didn’t get to practice, and believe me, you need practice when it comes to cleaning your baby for the first time.
Still working on the used car guide. (It was done, but there was another article in some sort of handyman’s magazine and it had stuff that I was missing… so I need to do an update with the new information.)
Other than that so far, so good. See you next time!
Baby Preparation wouldn’t be complete without some kind of monitoring would there? Well, we’ve been snowed in for the last few days, and haven’t been able to get to a Babies R Us to get one of the high end video monitors, so we just had to make due with a laptop running YAWCAM software and a cheap Safety 1st audio-only baby monitor that we got for around 15 bucks. So now, whenever I want to look in on him while he’s taking a nap, all I have to do is fire up explorer on whatever PC I am next to, (we have 6 around our household,) and point my firefox to our internal IP address, and Boo-yah:
DIY Baby Monitor
Though, I have to be honest, we will probably upgrade the audio-only one to the one that also monitors movement and alarms if he doesn’t move after 20 continuous seconds. (Then we will just have the other one for when he’s in the pack n play and we’re in the kitchen getting something.) But for right now, 15 bucks and an hour’s worth of time setting it up, (I needed to download and install a couple of different applications before settling on YAWCAM,) we have a system that’s as good, if not better than the 160 dollar system.
Anywho, if you guys would like to have links to the downloads or instructions on how I did this, let me know and I’ll post them.
BTW: unless you want to have the kid with you at all times, (which is unsafe with some activities,) you will need to have a baby monitor. And if you do get one, make sure that you have one that you can hear them from whatever distance the transmitter will be at, and trust me, you will want to look at them, so rather than spending the time running back and forth, get one with video. (Or set up a webcam like I did.)
Until next time!
Blaze is now home.
Praised be!
Spent most of the afternoon with him on my chest, (him sleeping, well, like a baby, and me trying not to wake him…) watching all of the shows that Kim and I DVR’ed while we were commuting back and forth to the hospitals. (Kinda figured that if he caused it, he should have to sit though all of our bad TV.)
It was nice having him on my chest, hanging out at the house… though there were a couple of times I could tell that Kim wanted to spend a little more time holding him. (She would make subtle little comments like, “are you tired from holding him? I can take over if you want…” Yeah, subtle like a brick. 🙂
So far, three feedings here at the house, and I haven’t burned the place down, so I’m calling the first day a win.
Blaze was born on the coldest day of the year, and if that wasn’t enough, yesterday was the first “White Christmas” in Georgia in a little over 130 years. We were actually worried about getting stuck there last night. We made it home fine, but more because we left before it started to freeze than my driving ability.
But one thing that really helped a lot of families with Preemies in the SCU was the “Parents Partnered for Preemies” support group had a potluck Christmas late lunch for everyone with kids in the NICU/SCN.
Parents Partnered for Preemies Christmas Potluck
These guys really embody the Christmas spirit. At a time when most families in there are really at their wits end, it was nice to see people who had been through it, and see their kids that are now happy and healthy, even though they had a stay in the NICU/SCU. It really shows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Parents Partnered for Preemies crocheted Christmas hats and onesies.
They also provide crocheted hats and onesies for the kids, something that really appealed to me. (In all actuality, I don’t think that they are for the kids, but for the parents…trying to get them into the Christmas spirit.) I asked them if they took donations of hats, (and they do,) and asked if there was any particular pattern that they use, and they said no, just make sure that the cap can fit on the kid’s head. (I’ll look online and see if I can find anything, if not, I’ll check out the pattern books at Micheal’s and JoAnn Frabrics, alter them a bit so as not to violate copywrite, and post them here. I’m looking into putting up a donation button for them, but so far they haven’t gotten back to me with a paypal account to work with.
Well, Kim and I have to get around, since we’re planning on looking for a car today, (if we can get dug out of this winter wonderland,)/this week because we’ve come to the realization that our 2 door Honda Civic and two-seater Mazda truck might not be conducive to hauling Blaze around. I’ll research buying a used car and post the checklist… Until then, I hope that you had a Merry Christmas!
-D
Since I can “work from home” I’ve been working from my new home, the Special Care Unit. Blaze is doing fine, (he’s stable and constantly improving,) but he’s still in SCU. I’ve worked from there, (even though the last few days I’ve had to actually go into work, but I’ve spent the time from I get off work until about ten at night at the SCU.)
One good thing that has come of this, is I’ve gotten pretty good at changing diapers and swaddling Blaze. (I’ve also started holding him and changing his clothes.) All under the supervision of the SCU nurses. They would sit there and give me pointers, tips/tricks, etc. etc. Even if your kid doesn’t get sent to the NICU, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to change diapers, clothes, hold him, etc. Take advantage of their years and years of experience doing this stuff.
Today they moved him from the 2nd floor to the 7th floor. Pretty much a intermediate area between the NICU and HOME. (They said that he would probably not make it home for Christmas, that was kind of a downer, but hey, I would rather him be healthy and happy when he comes home.) The cool thing was when it came time for the nurse to change/swaddle/feed Blaze, she started to change him, and I asked if I could do it, (she of course said yes,) and I proceeded to change him. I was extremely proud when she said, “So, this isn’t your first kid I take it.”
One thing that I talked over with them is diapers. I’m thinking about writing up a small e-book on it because they gave me a lot of info that I’m just too tired to write now. However, one of the things that I do have time to pass on is this, you can calculate how many diapers you will need based on how long you think that they will stay in a particular size, (in days,) and times it by 8 + (1*days.) The reason that they said that was, you are going to start off feeding them every three hours or so, (ergo 8x per day,) and you can pretty much count on about one more for “unanticipated” use. (You get them out of the dirty one, into the clean one and they dump another “load” on you, or you accidentally tear off a tab, or you have to use one as a pee-shield… there will be unforeseen circumstances.)
Therefore, the equation is Td(total diapers) = (D1 x (8)) + (D1) Where D1 is days expected in a particular size of diapers.
Now, they also said that you _can_ figure it out to the nearest package of diapers and then start using the next size up early. You just need to make sure that you can close it up without any gaps.
Also, something I didn’t know is, always point it south on boys, because they _will_ shoot it out the top of the diaper.
And, on that note, I’m going to bed. Have a nice day!
-D
Update: I have my laptop in the room with me tonight, so I’m going to upload this little video, (I don’t think that there was any sound because I tried to keep my voice down. Basically, I show the crib, the monitors, the sitting area for Kim and myself, and the headliner act, Blaze!
For all of the avid readers out there, (both of you…:-) the reason that I haven’t been posting is because Kim delivered Blaze David on the 14th of Dec.
Kim developed complications that made it necessary to c-section him early. He made it to 34.5 weeks before they yanked him out.
For all of you new dad’s reading this, make sure that you get everything done early. (Being a project manager, I’m not used to my resources delivering early, so ‘lo and behold, I’m not ready… I have a lot more things to get done.) Make sure that your classes are taken, your car seat is installed and baby showers are over by week 32. That way, you’re not in the same position I’m currently in. (I had to reschedule two classes and start in on all sorts of home repairs that I was “going to get to” in the last month.) Needless to say, when I’m at home, I’m either sleeping or TCB…
However, most of my time ATM is spent in the NICU because even though Blaze was huge for a preemie, he’s still a preemie. His lungs aren’t fully developed and he’s on a ventilator. (I’m not worried, he’s under the care of one of the best Special Care Units in the country, he’s stable and he seems to be making steady progress. You really can’t ask for any more than that.)
Something that I wasn’t really prepared for… Blaze. It’s funny, but I never really thought that babies were all that interesting; but I’ve found myself just watching him/reading to him/etc, and look up and three hours have passed. Pretty crazy.
Total diaper count: 3
Well, I have to get back to the NICU, it’s about time for his feeding/changing/tests to be run. (I like to be around when they do that stuff since that’s when I get the most information it seems.)
Talk to you all later!
-D
Well, our weekend started on Thursday when Kim went to her OB appointment. She had high blood pressure and a little protein in her urine, so, they checked her into the hospital. Whee! Well, they monitored her and I was freaking out because there is soo much more to be done before the kid gets here, and they were talking like they were going to have him here by Saturday morning.
On a side note, it kind of would have been neat for the kid to have a birthday of 12/11/10…
Anywho, they decided that she was ok enough to go home without taking the baby out early.
We’ve been monitoring her BP with a little portable unit that we got at CVS, but she’s been running a little high. (Even for me…) But she has an appointment with her high-risk OB today and they’ll know what to do. (Still not ready, but hey, if they think that it’s better he be a little early to the party, then I’m going with their opinion.)
Anyways, talk to you later.
-D
Well, the baby showers went off without too much bloodloss, so I’m thinking that we can count them as a success. I was kind of loopy for the second one, as I only got about an hour or so worth of sleep between them.
(One was on Friday at two o’clock, and the other was at two o’clock on Saturday.)
I’m probably one of the only expectant fathers in history that can’t wait until the baby is born so I can get some sleep!
(My theory is, that when the kid gets here, I won’t have time enough to be as worried, therefore, I’ll actually get more sleep than I am now. If not, well, we’ll just consider this as more of a practice run for when he gets here.)
I was kind of disappointed that a few of, (whom I thought were,) Kim’s good friends didn’t show and didn’t call with an excuse or anything. One guy, who Kim used to consider one of her best bud’s, didn’t even RSVP.
But, it all worked out like I said, and it seemed like everyone had a good time. So, I guess that’s all that’s really important.
-D
This is a little off-topic, however, I saw this and had to share. (Cooking is crafty, right?)
First off, look at this:
http://bacn.me/jtm8 – (I’m in heaven!)
Then go to:
http://bacn.me – (Which is a URL shortener, kind of like tinyurl. What I used to cloak the url above.)
Then go to:
http://bacolicio.us/ – (It puts a “hover-over” side of bacon on to any website…)
Lastly, bookmark this site:
http://bacontoday.com/ – (“News” site that covers all things bacon. As well as a bacon store, which sells everything from gourmet bacon to bacon lollipops to bacon dental floss. Check out the turboducken article. Hilarious!)
Some other good ones were:
http://bacn.com
http://blog.bacolicio.us/ – good articles, I liked the one about the bacon recipe book.
I wouldn’t be surprised if these were sponsored by a cardiologist…
I’ve been thinking of a “End of the World as I know it” party. Kind of like a baby shower for guys. Maybe have a registry at one of these places, Home Depot, Fry’s, and Starbucks…
Are there such things as “Guy” baby showers? Anyone have better names out there than EotWaIki?
-D
