Life and Times of a New Father

Feats of Strength, Your First Christmas, and Sad Goodbyes...

2011-01-02T00:23:00.000-06:00

It has been a while since I have posted, so I would like to apologize to you for not providing updates to your progress over the last month. It is certainly not as if there is nothing to post, it is just a question of determining what little tidbits of your early development are worthy of making it on this blog.

As of today, you are just over 4 months old, and you are an absolute joy to be around. Mom has been back at work for just over a month, which has provided us with an abundance of one-on-one time to get better acquainted. You are alert and playful, and although seeing you smile is amazing, watching you laugh has got to be single greatest thing I have ever witnessed.

You have graduated from occasional smiles and noises to a steady stream of laughter and "talking". "Talking" may not be the best word for it, since it is a cross between screaming (the good kind), cooing, and humming. Regardless, you are constantly entertaining us with your "words".

You seem to enjoy our time together, with the exception of bedtime. While I am able to get you to sleep every night, the number of techniques I have developed to get you to sleep is mind blowing. Some nights you just fall asleep on your own (I like those nights), but some nights you are determined to fight it. It is these nights that I feel we bond the most. "Pick me up, put me down, make me laugh, bounce me on your knee;" I feel like you are playing a never-ending game of Simon Says, only I have to guess what button is the correct one to push.

Once I successfully bested every feat of strength you put me through, you sleep peacefully "through the night". Don't be fooled by the term "through the night". Doctors describe "through the night" as a 5 to 6 hour stretch of sleep. I hardly consider sleeping from 8pm to 2am as "through the night", but I can't argue with the doctors. And even though you do wake up around 2am, typically mom feeds you and you go right back to sleep until the morning. So don't read this as me complaining about your sleeping habits, I am simply pointing out a flaw in the Parenting 101 manuals that are all over the internet.

Christmas came and went, and you seemed to enjoy it. You found more entertainment from the paper your gifts were wrapped in then the actual gifts themselves, but after all, you are only 4 months old. You also took very well to what seemed like an endless stream of people who wanted some face time with you.

On a sad note, your Great-Grandfather left this earth on the day after Christmas. While you likely won't remember him, I am happy that you were able to spend some time with him before he passed. We were with him on Christmas Day, and even though he didn't have the energy to even feed himself, he mustered every bit of strength he had left to give you a few tickles just to see you smile a few times. I can only hope that it was your smiling face that helped ease his pain as he left us.

Your Great-Grandfather taught me a lot when I was growing up, and I will make it a point to tell you all about him when you grow up. And every time I teach you something I learned from him, I will make it a point to let you know, so that you can say that you learned something from him as well!

I will post some pics once your aunt finally sends them to me!

Till the next time,

Dad

Giving Thanks...

2010-11-25T23:58:00.001-06:00

Today is Thanksgiving, as well as your 3 month birthday. Now, this holiday holds a special place in my heart, because I was born on Thanksgiving Day 33 years ago. This has always been my favorite of all of the major holidays, and it doesn't hurt that turkey dinner is probably my favorite meal on earth!!!

Today was different. Today, just like every other day over the past three months, was all about you! Aunt Kar doted over you, not to mention that all four grandparents were in the same room with you for the better part of four hours. You were coddled every single minute we were at the Mueller's, and you seemed to eat it up!

The last few weeks with you have been really fantastic. Your personality is starting to really come out, and you spend the better part of your day laughing and trying to talk! Your mom went back to work last week, so I have been spending much more quality time with you than I did in the first couple months. I like getting you to smile and laugh, which is becoming easier to do every day!

I know I haven't posted here in a while, but it isn't for lack of interesting things to discuss. In an effort to save time, I will just post a handful of photos that summarize the last month...

So that sums up the last month in a nutshell! I will try to update this more often, but this is a good start.

Till the next time...

Dad

Happy Birthday!!!

2010-10-26T00:01:00.001-05:00

Two months old today, and getting older by the minute. Today, mom took you to your pediatrician and got you vaccinations for your birthday! I told her we should get you some toys or something fun, but she was pretty adamant that you should celebrate by getting stabbed with a needle until you screamed at the top of your lungs! I told your mom they they must have been tears of joy for such a thoughtful birthday present, and I suggested that we get you a drink to calm you down after such a rough day...

Also at the doctor, we found out that you currently weigh 13 lbs 8 oz. and are 23 inches long. Definitely large for your age, but nothing to write guinness about. The doctor did say that you were in the 99.9999th percentile for hair growth, which is weird. Mom took you out for your first haircut after the doctor, and personally, I think you are lookin pretty good!!!!!

In all seriousness, you did get your vaccinations today, but you have been taking it pretty well. You are a little more cranky then normal, but it is not as bad as some of the horror stories we have heard about getting your shots. Your mom and I are really settling into our roles, and we are pretty good at keeping you calm when you start to get moody. My swaddling technique is still coming in handy, and I have also added the ability to put you to sleep pretty quickly once you are in full swaddle.

I leave for Seattle tomorrow morning (in the middle of the "worst storm in 70 years"). If I do get to fly out tomorrow, I will be gone for three days, returning Thursday night. Mom will likely ave you spend some quality time with Grandpa and Busha Mueller. I will be back Thursday, and we will get you prepped for Halloween on Friday.

I will miss you when I am gone, and I hope you behave for your mom and your grandparents.

Till the next week...

Dad

Smiles and Laughs...

2010-10-16T22:49:00.000-05:00

You are a little over 7 weeks old at this point, and your personality is starting to make an appearance. What started as little giggles and laughs in your sleep, has graduated into full blown smiles and laughs when you are awake. There might be no greater feeling on earth than watching you crack the first of, what I hope are, millions of smiles in your lifetime.

Over the past few weeks, you have been in pretty good spirits. Either that, or your mom and I are starting to figure out what makes you tick. Regardless, the stress of a perpetually crying baby is beginning to wain, and we have started to really settle into our parenting roles. Actually, your mom has really started to settle into her parenting role. I think I still have some work to do...

You have been sleeping really well at night. Not quite all the way through the night, but you have gone for 6 hours straight at one point. Granted, while you slept for 6 hours straight, your mom and I didn't, because we were constantly checking to make sure you were still breathing! We have started to notice that you sleep really well at night after you have a bath, so that has become part of your nighttime routine. You really seem to enjoy the water, and we have even used it as a method to calm you down during some of your fits. The flip-side to your enjoyment of bath time, is that you HATE being taken out of the bath!!!

You are also starting to stand for longer periods of time. Don't get to excited, you have TERRIBLE balance! BUT, you can put all of your weight on your legs for 20-30 seconds at a time. I haven't done any research to see if this is normal or if you are some kind of mutant, but it makes me proud anyway. Next project will be to get you some more tummy time so that you can learn how to crawl. We have probably neglected your tummy time a bit over the past few weeks, but we will make a concerted effort to rectify that in the next few weeks.

Overall, things are still going well. There is a bit of debate of your actual size at this point, but you have a doctor's appointment coming up in the next couple weeks, so that should solve that. Basically, everyone thinks that you are a monster, but the question remains, just how much of a monster are you. The guesses range anywhere from 11 pounds to 14, which is a pretty big range for a 7 week old.

Till the next time...

Dad

6 Weeks...

2010-10-06T22:32:00.004-05:00

FYI, 1 month, 1 week, & 5 days translates into 6 weeks total...

Your mom and I are in our early 30s, and for the past few years, time just seemed to fly by. I was 25 when we met, working at a dead end insurance sales job and slinging cocktails at your mom's bar to make ends meet. It is hard to believe that it has been 7 years since I met your mom. The past 7 years have gone by so fast, but it pales in comparison to the last 6 weeks (literally and figuratively). I have previously mentioned how everyone tells us to enjoy our time with you as a newborn, because in the blink of an eye, you will be a teenager rebelling against everything we say. Its not like I didn't believe these people, but man, the last 6 weeks have FLOWN by! This issue are likely compounded by a number of other changes in our lives (i.e. new jobs and new cars), but you are surely at the center of it all.

In order to help you understand how you will perceive time as you grow up, I have put together the following handy illustration. See below for a more detailed explanation of your life expectancy...

From birth until about 5 years of age, I assumed that time would be passing rather slowly. I may be completely wrong, but it seems like since you really don't know anything and you can't even control even the most fundamental of movements. Seems like some weird form of prison, which is why I assumed that your perception of time has got to be REALLY slow right now.

From 5 to about 15 years of age I assumed that your perception of time would start to pick up for you. You would likely experience times that seem to really drag on (such as school, homework, chores, etc.), but you would also experience times that seem to fly by (like summer and fishing trips with grandpa). Overall, good times should far outweigh the tough times, so I expect your perception of time to pick up a bit.

From 15 to about 18 years of age, things start to get interesting. These are your high school years, and they can either be one of the best times of your life, or it could be one of the worst times. Even if you are just middle of the road in the popularity department, high school will likely be a decent time, making these four years pass rather expeditiously.

Notice a decline in your perception of passing time from 18 to 21. Once you turn 18, many milestones will be behind you. You can vote, serve in the armed forces, purchase cigarettes (I will kill you!!), and you will also likely be away at college. However, the 800-pound gorilla in the room is the fact that you STILL won't be able to have a beer in public. Now, drinking SURELY not the most important aspect of your life during these three years, BUT if you are anything like your mom and dad, you're social life will be an active one, and this milestone will be an important one.

And then you turn 21, and its all downhill from there. With the exception of your wedding day and witnessing the birth of your own children (assuming that you are appealing enough to the opposite sex that the latter of these milestones is feasible), there is likely nothing else significant in your life that will slow your perception of time from here on out. It will likely spiral out of control until you are in a nursing home having someone else change your diapers AGAIN!

There are countless more milestones and important events that you will experience along the way, but most of these important events will be milestones for YOUR children, like their first words, their first steps, their first ANYTHING! But even these events will likely all seem to blur together after a while. You will eventually find yourself reflecting on your child's first words or first steps as you watch them receive their diploma or walk down the aisle. Every day that passes, is a day that you can't get back, so make the most of EVERY day, and you will never live with regret.

I am lucky! I have never taken anything for granted, and I am proud to say that I have enjoyed almost every moment of my life to this point, with the crown jewel accomplishment being your birth 6 weeks ago today. Although I know that you will be a moody 16-year-old in the blink of an eye, I am sure to have a wealth of fantastic, meaningful, proud, fatherly memories of you along the way (along with a handful of bad ones!).

Til the next time...

Dad

What's Wrong?!?!?!?!

2010-09-28T13:55:00.000-05:00

We have passed the one month mark, and we have managed to keep you alive. Not saying that I was concerned at all, but you have made it longer than any fish or plant I have ever been responsible for!

I hoped to have this wealth of fathering knowledge flooding into my brain on a daily basis, but that is just not the case. The only thing I really know is that nothing can calm you down like your mother!!! Although I am a proficient swaddler, sometimes that doesn't even work. There is nothing in life more frustrating to me than when you are having one of your "fits". I run through the usual remedies, like swaddle, shush, rock, glide, walk, bounce, and drive, but sometimes NONE of those work. I really want to be a good father to you, but when the only remedy that seems to work is handing you back to your mom, it kind of makes me feel like I am falling short in the father of the year running. But don't feel bad for me, what I lack in patience with a newborn, I will make up for in math tutoring and sports clinics when you are older...

I have always been good at solving puzzles, but figuring out what is making you scream at the top of your tiny lungs is a complete mystery to me. Maybe it's gas, but we have all kinds of things that are supposed to make that easier to deal with. Maybe its something that your mom eats that is passing through to your food making you uncomfortable. Maybe you are just like me, and you are only crying to be difficult! Maybe you are pissed that you don't have your own room. Maybe you feel like you got the shaft in the parent lottery (too soon to tell if that is the case). Regardless of why you do what you do, you have been a real handful over the past two weeks or so. Don't get me wrong, you definitely have your good days, but when you are having a bad day...

On a lighter note, we took you downtown for the first time on Sunday, and you REALLY loved the tall buildings!!! Just kidding, you slept the whole time. We came down for Lucas' baptism, and you were well-behaved before church and during church, but after church you got into one of your moods. That is the first time I have had the pleasure of trying to calm a screaming baby in a restaurant (thanks a lot!!). You will be happy to hear that I was able to get you calm (by handing you to your mother after 15 frustrating minutes...).

So as good as the first few weeks started for me, I have been in a daddy slump the last two weeks. Hopefully I am able to get right in the next week or so, because I think your mom is starting to get a bit pissed at my recent ineptitude!

Till the next time...

Dad

4 Weeks Old...

2010-09-22T23:04:00.004-05:00

What a crazy few weeks it has been. You are 4 weeks old today, and growing by the minute. We don't have an exact weight, but based on our scale at home, you are pushing 11 lbs. already. Over the past couple weeks, you have been pretty cranky. Mom and I are getting better at calming you down during one of your fits, but it can still be pretty exhausting listening to you wail.

We tried to feed you with a bottle last night, and it went pretty well... ...for the first few minutes. Then all hell broke loose!!! You screamed for about 30 straight minutes while we tried to get you to finish the entire bottle. The only thing that was able to calm you down was to put you back on the boob. Apparently, your mom is not supposed to be within 20 feet of you when we feed you with the bottle. I guess you, as well as babies in general, prefer milk straight from the tap,. In addition, if you can even smell your mother in the vicinity, you won't enjoy the bottle.

We have some new photos of you that we really like, as you can see from the pics in this post. These pics were taken by Sarah Plourd-Jastre, a really talented friend of ours who is starting her own photography business.

On another side note, I started a new job on Monday. The new position is so close to home, that I can come have lunch with you and mom almost every day. Talk about a sweet perk! Also, you mom and I are looking for a new chariot to cart you, and the wealth of baby supplies that come with you, around.

Pretty boring week in the Thompson household. While we have been thoroughly entertained by you every night, there is nothing really worth noting to the blogosphere. I am sure things will get more interesting as every week passes. But as of right now, I think your attempts at understanding the world around you are likely far more entertaining to you than they are to us.

Till the next time...

Dad

My Personal Little Land Shark...

2010-09-10T22:17:00.008-05:00

Almost from the moment we found out you were going to be a boy, your mother and I decided that Noah and Oliver were the front runners to your name. Now, many names have come and gone from that list since then, but those two always seemed to resonate with us. Through the wonder that is the Interweb, we were able to research almost anything to do with any name anyone has ever been called, including Oliver and Noah. Come to find out that "Noah", in addition to being some guy who allegedly built a carnival cruise line for animals, is also Australian slang for "shark." Now, as you may have already come to find out, I have a slight obsession with sharks, so once I found out that your name is another term for "shark," it instantly became my top pick. Before you freak out thinking that I named you after a fish, we did like the name long before I found learned this little kernel of useless trivia.

So, since we decided to name you Noah, I have always thought of you as my little land shark, and ironically enough, things keep popping up that just make that nickname really stick for me. Here are some examples...

1) You kind of have this "fish-out-of water" thing going on when you are laying on your stomach. I know that you are a baby, and you haven't developed any muscles to walk, crawl, or even hold your own head up for an extended period of time, but that shouldn't change the fact that you do kind look like a fish flopping around on the bottom of a boat every once in a while.

2) Are you familiar with "Tonic", not the mixer for gin, but the natural state of paralysis sharks can experience when flipped upside down? Let's assume, for the sake of this blog, that you aren't. No matter how agitated or restless sharks can become, they can be flipped upside down (in the water) and they will enter a state of natural paralysis. How does this relate to you? Over the past week or so, you have become a bit more cranky from time to time. And by cranky, I mean that you scream at the top of your lungs until your face is red and you are out of breath. Like blood curdling screams of horror that make your mom and I think that someone is tearing your tiny fingernails out one at a time and pouring hot sauce in the open wounds! I am getting to the point, so just keep reading...

Last week, your mom made me rent and watch The Happiest Baby on the Block, which is a documentary about how to calm down a fussy baby. Like most of the baby shows your mom tries to make me watch (thanks TLC), I immediately assumed that the advice of this doctor was probably rubbish, and I would likely just continue to try my own (ineffective) way of calming you when you get in one of your "moods". Basically, a pediatrician named Dr. Karp has a system that should calm down any screaming or colicky (sp?) baby. I begrudgingly watched this documentary, more to score brownie points with your mom than thinking I would really find any pertinent information for how to raise a child.

I watched in amazement as this doctor took violently screaming babies, wrapped them tightly in blankets, turned them on their side, bounced them up and down, and shhh'd in their ears, all until the stopped crying. I mean, this guy was like the baby whisperer! Over and over, he would pick up crying babies and turn them into quiet and calm (i.e. ideal) babies just like David Friggin Copperfield OR just like putting sharks into tonic.

So here we are today, and I have almost perfected the ability to put you into tonic! Swaddle tight, on your side, bounce the knees, shhh in the ear... ...and BOOM, quiet and calm Noah!!!!! So, to sum up the last few paragraphs, I have figured out that there is a way to naturally paralyze you into calmness, IT WORKS, and I intend to use it as often as possible (please don't judge me, it was recommended by a REAL pediatrician)

3) When you get hungry, anything close to your mouth is likely going to get bitten. Shirts, blankets, hands, fingers, hair, arms, knuckles... Basically, anything close to your mouth when you are hungry is going to get attacked, just like sharks!

So there you have it. Just three reasons why I think of you as my little land shark. You have been pretty cranky this week, and while I have gotten the hang of the whole baby whisperer thing, it is still a bit foreign to your mom.

Also, we had another doctor's appointment this week, and you are already 9 lbs 8 oz. and still growing like a champ. Doc thinks you are going to be a monster (offensive lineman? next Bobby Jenks?)! I asked him to make a sling for you that will keep your right hand tied behind your back (better chance of becoming a left handed reliever or quarterback), and he said no! Looks like I will have to keep my original plan of using duct tape!

Till the next time...

Dad

Labor Day and Anniversaries...

2010-09-07T01:16:00.017-05:00

Although there is plenty to talk about this week, I just wanted to take the time to wish your mother a Happy 1st Anniversary!!!! Once you get older, you will likely say, "Why do I care about your anniversary, I wasn't even there when you got married," but in this case, without the events of one-year ago today, you would surely not be here today! So no matter how many siblings you end up having, YOU should be the one child that goes out of his way to wish us a Happy Anniversary every September 6th!

Back to you and everything we learned this week...

What a fantastic weekend! Aunt Amy, Uncle Mark, and your cousins Allie and Ryan came in from Atlanta to meet you. While it was nice to introduce you to them, this was also the weekend we introduced you to the rest of the world. We broke in the stroller this weekend and decided you were old enough, and mature enough, to handle the outside world. You had many firsts this weekend, we took you to Portillos, Pepe's, Baby's-R-Us, Target, McCullom Park, as well as both sets of Grandparent's homes AND on of your Great-Grandparent's home. You met two aunts, three uncles, two cousins, a great-uncle, a second cousin, two psuedo cousins, a great grandpa, a great grandma, the Zvoneks, and the Ohdes. Non-stop action all weekend, and I don't think I will ever stop beaming with pride when I introduce you to new people.

So Saturday morning we met with our second photographer. We have been blessed with a couple of budding photographers as friends, who were more than willing to photograph you as a newborn. We first sat down with JR Photography (Jeff Lintz) last Saturday (The pics in this post are courtesy of him). This Saturday we met with Sarah Plourd-Jastre (samples of her pics will be available later this week). So one of the primary differences between these two photographers, was that Sarah wanted to take some pics with you "au natural". We were expecting you to have finished eating, and fallen into a DEEP milk coma, but, of course, that just wasn't the case. You were wide awake through the entire shoot!

After about an hour with Sarah by ourselves, Aunt Amy came by with Grandma T and your cousins Allie and Ryan. You had just finished one of your "au natural" poses, and you were starting to get a little fussy. Now, handling a 10-day-old child sans diaper, as you can imagine, is a bit like playing Russian roulette. You started to get a little fussy, and Grandma T felt like she knew how to calm you down. She proceeded to pick up the loaded pistol (that would be you!). Grandma swooped you off the blanket and began to coddle you like only a grandma can. Aunt Amy made sure to comment about how funny it would be if you peed on grandma, and sure enough, about 3.8 seconds later, you proceeded to piss all over your grandmother! Grandma, to her credit, took it like a champ and we all had a pretty good laugh.

Life Lesson #1 - Pissing on other people is MUCH more entertaining that pissing on oneself (you must be preparing for a life in politics)!

We spent a lot of time with your Aunt and cousins this weekend, and it was great to see them interact with you. They were so excited to meet you this weekend, and they were more than willing to lend helping hands, as long as it didn't mean changing a diaper. I hope the fact that they live in Atlanta doesn't deter you from becoming close to them, but knowing my sister (your Aunt), she will do anything possible to make sure we get quality family time a few times a year. Between their visits to Chicago, our visits to Atlanta, a little bit of Skype, and a few family vacations sprinkled in, I don't think you and your cousins will have a problem hitting it off! Worst part is, this is only ONE set of cousins. While Atlanta makes visits more manageable, you have another set of cousins that live in Sweden. That will be an entirely different hurdle to overcome!

All in all, this weekend was really the perfect way to introduce you to the world. Good food, good family, good weather, and good (well-behaved) baby made for a perfect weekend. We are now a lot more comfortable taking you outside of our cave. Not sure if we are supposed to be taking you all over the place with us, but our condo is SO small, that cabin fever sets in pretty fast. It is best for everyone's sanity if we get out once in a while.

Oh, and by the way, I am working on our current living situation. There are some life changing events in the works right now and I will update you once more things are finalized, but it will definitely impact where will may be living 6 to 9 months from now.

Till the next time...

Dad

To anyone reading this, feel free to contact me to inquire about any photos you see in my blog. Our friends have been kind enough to help document Noah's early days, so if you like what you see, I would be glad to put you in touch with our photographers.

Potty Trained After 7 Days...

2010-09-02T09:39:00.001-05:00

Well, one week down and approximately 987 weeks more until we send you off to college. Time sure flies!!

I have been back at work all week, and I must say, I would much rather be at home with you and mom. You have been pretty well behaved all week, but for some reason, you were really fussy all night last night. I hope that is a one-off occurrence, but I have a feeling that we will have plenty more nights like this over time.

We still can't quite get the hang of this diaper thing. While neither your mom or I have a problem getting you changed, it appears that some of the diapers we have been using don't do a good job of keeping all of your pee in the diaper. I mean, god forbid a diaper actually be able to perform the ONE task it is meant to perform. Oh, and while I am on the subject, you totally peed in your own face yesterday! I had the towel down covering your bits, but evidently you felt the need to remove the towel so that you had a clear shot. I found it quite hilarious. You, however, were not amused once the pee hit your face...

Your ability to time your urination so that it happens exactly 3 seconds after your diaper is removed is uncanny. With that kind of self control, you should already be potty trained! So in an effort to counteract your ability to piss all over everything in a 3 foot radius from you, I came up with a brilliant plan. I went out and bought multiple packages of puppy pads...

In theory, this should be the perfect counteraction to your pension for pissing all over everything. Your mother, while extremely amused by my sudden flash of brilliance, was not so enthusiastic about my solution. Apparently puppy pads have all kinds of chemicals in them to make dogs want to pee on them. Ergo, no puppy pads for newborn babies...

All in all, it has been an eventful first week. With you, we are officially a family. With all of the setbacks we have had over the past few years, every facet of our lives seems to be just a little bit brighter now that you are here. Good things are happening for our family, and you seem to be the catalyst that is bringing it all to the forefront!

Till the next time...

Dad

On The 7th Day, We Rested...

2010-08-31T08:56:00.000-05:00

Here I sit, back at work a mere 6 days after your arrival. I have been away from you for almost 2 hours, and I don't think I will be able to make it through the rest of my day!

Everything has been going well since we brought you home on Friday. You have been pretty well behaved, save for diaper changing, which you absolutely abhor! Most of your day is spent sleeping, eating, or pooping, all of which you really seem to have taken a liking to. In the few hours that you are awake, you seem to stare off into space. I know that you can't really see anything outside of 8-10 inches right now, but you do have a tendency to go a bit cross-eyed as you try to focus on mine or your mom's face (one of the many things we already find endearing about you).

I have been able to get a little sleep over the past week, but you seem to be draining the energy from mom. Although you are typically on a 3 hour cycle (1 hour eating and 2 hours sleeping), mom is finding it hard to close her eyes to rest in the downtime. She says it is because you are too cute to stop staring at...

You met your pediatrician yesterday, and your progress reports are all stellar. You are still a few ounces under your birth weight, but doc said that most newborns don't return to their birth weight for a couple weeks. You are on track to hit that mark in about 8 or 9 days.

It has been a whirlwind week for our family, all in thanks to your early arrival last Tuesday. It is a bit scary to know that you are already a week old. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy these days with you, because I will never get them back. I am starting to realize that you are going to grow up in the blink of an eye, and I don't want to miss a single moment of it! I will see you tonight at 6:08pm, and I am already counting the minutes...

Till the next time...

Dad

Day 2...

2010-08-26T23:10:00.000-05:00

I don't even know where to start. I had no idea how I would react once you were actually a tangible person lying in front of me. I mean, I didn't think I would harbour any ill will toward you, but I wasn't sure how I would handle this new responsibility thrust upon me. Turns out I have, what some people consider to be, a knack for taking care of you! Diapers, swaddling, soothing, cleaning fresh wounds (circumcision is not a petty sight), etc. About the only thing I am not responsible for is feeding you, since your mom has cornered the family market on milk producing mammories!!

Lots of friends and family have already stopped by to see you, including your Great Grandpa Kula. There are many people that will influence your life as you grow up, but I fear his health will not hold up long enough to be one of them. Why do I bring up such a sensitive topic right now? Because I wanted to point out, that although his time in your life is likely more limited than ANY other family member, the smile on his face when he got to hold you was BY FAR the largest of anyone that has had the pleasure!

Its little moments like the one above that let me know how special you are to us. You have been in this world for all of 47.5 hours as I type this, but you have already left an indelible mark on everyone you have been around. Relatively easy for almost any baby to do, yet, as your father, I am inclined to tell you that you do it better than anyone else has ever done it!! Your progress really has been above average since yesterday morning (this is according to a objective third-party nurse opinion). You have already taken to the boob, which has a tendency to settle you down if you do get a bit cranky because you're hungry.

I am learing more about you every day; a topic that I look forward to exploring more as you get older. You come home from the hospital tomorrow, and the real journey will begin. No more nurses and no more doctors; it will be just me, you, and your mom. This is when things get interesting...

Till the next time...

Dad

August 25th 12:28am...

2010-08-25T07:32:00.002-05:00

What a crazy night! You finally came out of hiding at 12:28am this morning. Mom went into labor at about 5:30pm on the 24th. About 7 hours later, you came out with a full cone head of hair at 8 lbs 9 oz and 21.5 inches long. I have to admit, you really looked like an alien when you first came out, but knowing that you were our little alien made you the cutest alien I had ever seen!

I had just sat down on the train for my daily 35 minute commute to Shangri-Lisle when I got a call from mom (I always assumed I would get a frantic call from your mom, freaking out about being in labor, but when push came to shove, she was pretty calm and subdued.). So your mom proceeds to tell me that her water broke, and she was wondering if I could "hurry home!!!!" Now, I have taken public transportation to work for the better part of two years and the term "hurry home" is no where in my vocabulary!

One train ride and one cab ride later, I made it home to find you mom calmly doing her hair before she went into labor (mom must have wanted to look her best for you). Her contractions didn't really start until about 6:10, but once they started HOLY COW!!! We left the house at 6:30 for the hospital, and contractions were only 2 minutes apart and almost a minute in duration. I seriously thought I was going to have to deliver you myself on the side of Butterfield Road! We made it to the hospital around 6:50 and went right into the delivery room. Contractions were still coming pretty hard and fast, but mom's epidural started to kick in around 8:30, so things settled down for a bit.

After a couple hours of "relaxing" (if you can call intense contractions masked by a nerve inhibitor relaxing), mom was ready to start pushing. Not so much becuase you were ready to come out, but because it actually made her feel better to push during her contractions. At this point, it was just your mom, me, Grandma Mueller, and one nurse. For the next hour and a half or so, the four of us coached mom through every contraction. By midnight, more people started to come into the room, which let me know that you must have been getting close! 28 minutes, 1 doctor, 4 more nurses, and a few contractions later, you graced us with your presence.

So that is our story to this point! Since you have come out, you have only had a few bursts of crying, but for the most part, you have been really well behaved. As I sit here typing this post, you are peacefully sleeping next to me (see below). I can't believe how perfect you turned out to be. Sure, that is easy to say now. I am sure in about 10 or 15 years I will be rethinking that last comment, but for now I just want to revel in your perfectness!

Noah James Thompson

August 25th, 2010

Till the next time...

Dad

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are...

2010-08-20T09:02:00.000-05:00

No changes or updates to announce. However, the debate over your name is starting to get interesting. For the last 6 months, we have had just a few names that we both liked, and the conversation never really varied from that group. Well, recently, we have started to throw more names out that we like, so the act of naming you has become a bit murky. The good news is that we both agree on everything we like, so there won't be an animosity towards picking one name over the other. I wish we could just ask you what you prefer. That way, in your awkward teenage years, you wouldn't be pissed at us for choosing for you!

On a lighter note, according to various websites, you are "fully cooked" and ready to come any day (Gee, thanks for the heads up...). This is what you may look like right now. I should point out, this is the "3D" version of what you are supposed to look like right now. Want to see the 2D version?

40 weeks in "2D"...

Seriously? Although I am sure that some babies may come out looking like this, this picture is absolutely ridiculous. I have always stood by my opinion that new born babies, in general, look like aliens, and this only supports my point. It looks like some website just hired a bunch of 3rd graders to draw their rendition of their younger siblings!! I hope you look more like the former, as opposed to the latter...

Other than that, we are still just waiting anxiously. Mom is still walking every day, with the hope that all of her moving around will coax you out of your hiding place. Obviously, that isn't working.

Till the next time...

Dad

Christmas Eve Syndrome...

2010-08-17T11:22:00.001-05:00

Once you get a bit older, you will most likely realize what happens on your birthday and on Christmas. All of your family members will be showering you with gifts; toys, clothes, books, more toys, games, and more toys. Once you start to catch on, you will know that at the end of EVERY August and at the end of EVERY December, you will be handed almost everything in your wildest dreams.

For a kid, the anticipation leading up to those days is almost unbearable. When I was young, I used to scour the house looking for all of my presents. I knew every hiding spot in our house. So much so, that your grandparents had to hide my presents at other people's houses or in the trunks of their car! I simply couldn't deal with the anticipation of the pending barrage of gifts. I just HAD to see what I was getting.

Fast forward about 20 years to today, and I have the same feeling in my stomach! The only problem now is that I have no idea when my grownup version of Christmas is going to happen. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, or it could be any time in the next 25 days. For someone that has historically not been good at dealing with anticipation, this is pure torture for me!

So here is what I propose (because I am sure you are reading this from inside your mother's womb)...

If you make your appearance by the 22nd, I will let you have your birthday and Christmas celebrations on their respective dates. HOWEVER, if you make me wait much longer, I will make sure that you NEVER know when we will celebrate your birthday or Christmas. All you will know is that it could be 4 weeks BEFORE these dates or 2 weeks after. That's right, 6 weeks of torture!

Don't get upset. This hurts me more than it hurts you (gotta get used to saying that). You are just to young to understand (another gem). Why, you ask? Because I said so (jackpot!). The trifecta of parenting, and I just nailed it!

Till the next time...

Dad

P.S. Trust me, this is for your own good (BOO YAH!!!)

12 days...

2010-08-16T09:02:00.000-05:00

One thing is for sure, you definitely know how to make an entrance. Anticipation is really starting to peak, not just for me and mom, but for our friends and family as well. I really don't have any updates for you at this point. We think we are ready to go once you come home from the hospital. We have likely forgotten a few things, but we won't really know until you come home. You are now the size of a watermelon (bigger than a jicama and a honeydew now!!). You should be over 20" long and weigh more than 7 pounds at this point, but we actually think you are a bit bigger than that.

THAT--------------->

<-------IS IN THERE

If you wouldn't mind coming out soon, mom and I would greatly appreciate it. Our anniversary is on September 6th, and we would really prefer to celebrate our anniversary without having blow up jumpy castles and petting zoos every year! So if you are coming late, you best be REALLY late so your birthday is around Sept. 12th. Just a suggestion...

Till the next time...

Dad

On Baby Watch...

2010-08-09T07:30:00.000-05:00

According to doctors, your due date is 19 days from today. However, everyone is on baited breath assuming that you can make your grand arrival any minute. I have officially told your mother that she is not allowed to call me unless she is in labor. If she just has a question, or wants to talk, she has to text me to call her back. You can't imagine what goes through my mind when I see her name pop up on my caller ID, so I don't want any more false alarms.

Other than that, we are still ready for your pending arrival. Grandpa T still insist on calling you "Bubba," and it seems like the more I tell him I don't care for that nickname, the more he wants to tell EVERYONE that is what you are going to be called. So I apologize ahead of time for whatever psychological problems you may have because of that.

We are on pins and needles waiting for you to show your face, so the sooner you can come out the better. It is getting more difficult to concentrate at work thinking that I could get the call at any minute, but I am trying to make due. We have another doctors appointment tomorrow, but I won't be able to make it, so be on your best behavior for your mother. She is now stressing more than ever. On top of the fact that you are making her life pretty uncomfortable lately, she is terrified of the entire birthing process, so try to go easy on her.

Hopefully the next time I post we will have actual pictures of you instead of tropical fruits and cartoon caricatures, but no one knows what this week will bring. Just in case this is my last chance, here is another artist's rendition of what you currently look like.

Till the next time...

Dad

Home Stretch...

2010-08-02T08:51:00.001-05:00

We are officially on the homestretch now. Today is August 2nd, and your due date it August 28th. Not much new news here, as it seems this period is the calm before the storm. You are not as active in mom's belly, but I think that is more because you have run out of room than anything else. Our home is now ready for your arrival. We have toys and books and cribs and bassinets and changing pads and bottles and a whole host of things that you MAY or MAY NOT like. What is comes down to is that your mother is already starting to spoil you rotten, and she has not even met you face to face yet!

We met with doctor's late last week, and we now have appointments on a weekly basis until your arrival. As of last Tuesday, mom was starting to show early signs of delivery, but we still don't have a definitive date of your arrival. Based on how your mom feels right now, we think you might look something like the following picture below. Now maybe you have a better idea of why you can't really move around like you used to!!

I went up to Coloma this weekend and spent some time with your buddy Lucas. I don't want to alarm you, but he is getting bigger every day, so you will have some catching up to do when you come out. Although he will technically be 6 months old when you are born, he will really only have a 4 month head start on you. We will have to get you started on ping pong, bags, golf, and poker early so we can have father/son tournaments at the cabin with the Solines and Grandes.

We have another Doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I may have another post this week to give you more progress updates, but I won't know until tomorrow. Don't worry, I will keep you in the loop!

Till the next time...

Dad

33 days...

2010-07-26T08:17:00.000-05:00

Anticipation is really starting to build now, as we are getting closer to your due date. Not only is your mom ready for you to arrive, but I am astonished at the number of people in our lives that are also excited to meet you. We do have amazing friends and family, as you will surely find out in the near future.

Speaking of friends, I got to meet your buddy Lil' Carm this weekend. Your mom had to work, but I got to hang out with the Grandes and the Solines on Saturday. In addition to Lil' Carm, Lucas is also getting bigger every day. Although neither of the boys can speak, I am pretty sure they are excited to meet their third musketeer.

You are really starting to make your mom's life miserable. Don't feel too bad about it, there is really nothing you can do about it. The longer you stay in the oven, the better the chance that you will come out happy and healthy. She is definitely taking it one day at a time now, but if you felt like coming out a few days early, I am sure she would be grateful! FYI, my guess is August 18th...

Your nursery/master bedroom is almost complete. You crib is finally put together, and we only have a few minor details to tend to before you come. But overall, we are pretty much ready for your arrival. You seem to be running out of room in your current accommodations, which limits your ability to throw those punches and kicks that your mom and I have come to enjoy. You are also starting to settle a little bit lower in mom's belly, which indicates that you may be making an appearance sooner than expected.

You are now the size of a crenchaw melon (seriously who determines these comparisons?). You are almost 6 pounds, and still growing at about an ounce a day. At the end of this week, you will be considered “full-term,” and you should be starting to make your way into a head-down position (which we think you already are).Till the next time...

Dad

Baby Class...

2010-07-19T08:11:00.000-05:00

So this weekend was our "Childhood Development" class, or "New Parent" class, whatever you want to call it. We learned all about the hell that you will be putting your mother through in the coming weeks. But not to worry, she has learned how to breath just right, so that ALL of the pain will subside and you will simply walk right out. The class did have quite a bit of useful information about your pending arrival, as well as what to expect in the first few days after you are here. It all seems a little overwhelming, but I have a feeling that taking care of you will be so rewarding that we will forget what a pain in the ass you are!

I think you are starting to run out of room in your current home, because its seems as if you are starting to get annoyed at the lack of space nature has provided you inside the womb. Most of the time (maybe when you are sleeping), your mom's pregnant belly is symmetrical and nice to look at. However, when you get frustrated with your current living situation, you tend to use any body part you can to let her know you are ready for some additional space, which makes her stomach look distended and weird (think Rocky from the movie Mask). I am pretty sure we are just as anxious as you are, except we aren't punching and kicking anyone or anything to express our restlessness. And don't get to excited to get out and stretch your legs, once you see our family's living arrangement, you may be begging for another upgrade sooner than you think!

Overall, things are going well. Doctor says you are doing good, and so far we are not expecting any complications. As of today, you are 40 days from arrival. Personally, I think you will be here in the next 30 days, but that is mere speculation than actual science. That picture above is about what some website thinks you look like right now. Can't wait to meet you!

Til the next time...

Dad

Nursery/Master Bedroom...

2010-07-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

Your new home is starting to take shape. Mom and I spent the better part of yesterday clearing out some of our clutter to make room for your clutter. Almost everything is complete, save for the crib, which I found out was broken while I was in the middle of putting it together. A replacement part should be here within a week and we will then be able to finish of your section of our family bedroom!

I bought your headphones on Saturday and you have been listening to music all weekend. Mom says that some songs make you move a lot more than others, but we are not sure if that means you like it or you are trying to get away from it. We picked a lot of songs that your mom and I really like, and overall it should expose you to a nice eclectic mix of music. I just wish I knew what you liked and what you didn't. I guess we will find out after we meet.

With less than 7 weeks left, we are almost in "any day" territory. I am still mentally prepared for August 28th, but for some reason, lots of people think you will be early. Mom has a pool at her work to guess your due date, and lots of people are picking early dates.

I think I am getting better at picking out what body part you are pushing with inside of mom. You are starting to get too big to move around freely, and mom's belly is starting to flex in some really weird shapes. While it is good to know that you are active, it is really starting to freak mom out. I find it amusing, but I must admit, sometimes it is a bit bizarre. But let's be honest, this whole 9 month process is REALLY surreal to go through.

Can't wait to meet you.

Till the next time...

Dad

50 Days To Go (Give or Take)...

2010-07-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

7 weeks and 1 day is what I have settled in to. Although there is a good chance that you may be here sooner, I am going to try to assume that I am still 50 days from meeting you. You have really been moving quite a bit lately, so I think you may be here earlier than expected, but 50 days is what I am preparing myself for.

Mom is currently working on a putting together some music that she thinks you might like. We will also be investing in some headphones so we can pipe that music into you while you are still inside. Hopefully you like what you hear, because some of it will be the same music that I can play on my guitar for you when you are out. As long as you are not into country or death metal, I think you will like what you hear. The playlist will probably be a work in progress, since mom will have to try to determine what you like by your reactions. Did I mention that you are not allowed to like country or death metal? Just checking...

We are going to try and make some more progress on your nursery/our master bedroom this weekend. We have all the pieces, we just need to put them in a suitable arrangement that works for all three of us. I will keep you updated on our progress, and maybe even post a pic or two once we are done.

By the way, you are now the size of a Honeydew Melon and still growing. You better thank mom as soon as you come out (I would suggest flowers, but I don't think that would be enough)!!!!

Till the next time...

Dad

4th of July Weekend...

2010-07-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

What a fantastic weekend. Mom was off all weekend, and we got to spend some time with friends and family. In addition, we were surrounded by kids all weekend, ranging in age from 4 months to 6 years old. Our parenting skills must be starting to kick in, because I only got annoyed by the kids a few times...

This was also your first exposure to fireworks, or so we think, since your mother claims that you were wide awake and kicking like crazy during the shows on Saturday and Sunday night. It was either that, or the sheer enjoyment of the sugar rush caused by an enormous funnel cake doused with apple pie filling and cinnamon and sugar. This time next year, you will be 10 months old, and may actually be able to enjoy them OUT of the womb.

As of today, you are 53 days away from our due date. Time is definitely flying by at this point. Mom met with a pediatrician this morning that she felt very comfortable with, so it looks like Dr. Charles Friedel will be our new "family" doctor. Kind of sounds weird to think that I will soon have a full blown "family," let alone an actual "family" doctor, but this is just ONE more thing that I will have to get used to.

Spent time yesterday with Grandma and Grandpa T, as well as some of our family friends that we grew up with in the Hills. We sat around watching old family movies of me, your Aunt Amy, Barbie, and bunch of other neighborhood kids playing tee ball, and I must admit, I am already proud of the potential you have, even though you are only the size of a large jicama, whatever the hell that is (see pic to below). I will have to wait a bit longer to test your throwing, catching, setting, and hitting prowess, but I already know that you can kick the inside of a womb!!!
That will do for today. I did get in a few holes of golf over the weekend, a luxury that will surely be cut back once you make your grand entrance. I am still feverishly trying to cram in as many "non-family-related" good times as possible. My fear is that this will cause me to go through much worse golf withdrawal than I anticipated, but regardless, I am sure enjoying it now!!

Till the next time

Dad

Blankets and Bottles and Cribs, Oh My...

2010-06-28T08:05:00.000-05:00

Another weekend has come and gone, and you are expected to be here in 61 days (give or take). Well, mom is technically 32 weeks and 3 days today; however, doc says that you are not due until August 28th (61 days from now). I don't try to understand any of that, so I just go with what the doc tells us.

I spent all day Sunday with Grandma, buying car seats, cribs, strollers, and changing tables. Over the next couple weeks, I will not only have to put all of these things together, but I will also have to determine a suitable configuration of our one-bedroom condo that will work best (think 10 pounds of meconium in a 5-pound bag!).

Mom is starting to get pretty cranky, since you are already making it difficult for her to get a good night sleep. But all in all, she still looks amazing, which is nice! No real surprises as of yet. Getting your "nursery" up and running is really priority number one right now. Once that is complete, mom and I have our birthing class on the 17th of July, and then we just wait.

Time surely is just flying by now, and with only 61 days left, you will be here before we know it. Still brimming with nervous anticipation, and I really can't wait to meet you.

Till the next time...

Dad

First Post...

2010-06-24T07:37:00.000-05:00

9 weeks to go until I meet you. It is quite difficult to determine if that feeling in the pit of my stomach is nerves or excitement, but the anticipation is surely building as each day passes.

Living in a 1-bedroom condo, which is currently worth much less than what we owe, will surely be a difficult task (even more difficult for a borderline OCD wife that HATES clutter). Our baby shower was this past weekend, and we have a condo full of onesies, strollers, diapers, bottles, blankets, and pacifiers, in addition to a mountain of baby clothes (both new and handed down). We have already run out of space, and you are not even here yet (which does not alleviate the nervous tension surrounding your pending arrival)!!

Although many of our friends and family have traveled down this road in their lives, I'm sure that no advice will be as valuable as first hand experience. While noone may ever read this blog, my goal is to chronicle the "Life and Times of a New Father." If anything, it may just give me an outlet to vent or it could prove to be a nice way to document the amazing experience I am about to undertake.

I would wish for luck, but I think I am going to need a hell of a lot more than that in the next few months! So instead, I am going to wish for you to be a happy and healthy baby, and save the luck wishes for when you are a teenager!

Till the next time...

Dad