Team Taylor Countdown: 41 days until due date
Family,
And a good evening to you from the Queen City. Officially inside of 6 weeks now, and almost overnight I have felt the adrenaline ratchet up inside me. Perhaps the catalyst for this sudden surge of endorphins was being on a conference call today when a colleague said, "Yeah, my first one came 8 weeks early." I shuddered momentarily at the thought (as the jumperoo is STILL staring at me and there is still no mattress to speak of anywhere), and before I could change the subject the OTHER fella on the phone said, "That's exactly what happened to us! She was a 32 week-er." Um....HOLY MOLY MUST GET TO PARENTING CLASS AND BUY BUY BABY. Ok, whew - that was cathartic.
Not a whole lot new to report today, and as we've plans this evening it will be a short one. But as I stare at the newest gadget for Baby T's room (the Sleep Sheep, courtesy of Old School Cool), I can't help but get so so so so excited for the big day. I'm trying to make a conscious effort to touch Jenny's belly as much as possible, talk to the wee one growing in there, and remember every moment as they whip past. When we lay down at night and Jenny puts her head on my shoulder, I can feel Baby T kicking in there, pounding her womb and my abdomen. It is absolutely amazing - the miracle of life is just beyond words or description.
JT is still feeling good - tired at the end of the day, but who wouldn't after working for 9 hours and then swimming a mile 4 times a week? No snores last night, so we both slept like a baby.
Oh, and for the peanut gallery scoring this contest, it should be noted that my wife read the finalists for Baby T's "I'm leaving the hospital" onesies and promptly said, "Um, yeah. It won't be any of those." When I mentioned if any of the sports gear was even in consideration, she looked at me as though I'd just said, "Alternatively, we could take a 12 year expat assignment, baby in tow, to Outer Mongolia." I mean, those guys/yurts do look pretty toasty- just saying'...
Love,
Sam and Jenny
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Life at 34 weeks...
Team Taylor Countdown: 42 Days until due date
Family,
And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City. That's right, sports fans - Team Taylor is just a scant 6 weeks - the same length as a secondary school grading period - away from becoming parents and welcoming the newest member of the Taylor clan to the planet. Simply unbelievable, but so far I'm still not panicked. It's helping that we've been able to cross a few to-do's off the list each night, as that at least feels like progress is being made. The jumperoo is still staring at me like an arch nemesis, but the days of its life in that cardboard box are limited - mark my words...
How big is Baby T, you ask? Well, according to the "My Pregnancy app" (yes, there IS an app for that), Baby T is now 4.75 pounds (your average cantaloupe) and 18 inches long. He or she is "fattening up each day to regulate his or her body temperature outside of the womb." It should be noted that, over the past 7.5 months, our child's size has been compared to everything from a lentil bean to a jicama (what the hell is a jicama?) to a smelly durian (as if there were any other kind) to an English hothouse cucumber (seriously?) to a prune (how dare they compare my child to a dried plumb!) to a pineapple to finally the cantaloupe. I can't think of many 7 pound fruits, but I'm assuming the 40 week comparison will be a watermelon, pumpkin, or the world's largest eggplant.
So how do we know things are changing? Well, for starters, my wife (who is more beautiful than EVER for the record - check out that photo!), is finally snoring through the night. Last night was the first night that Sammy the Bull was relegated to the spare room (they are still sweet little snores, but I woke up at 5:30 and just couldn't get back down - not your fault, pumpkin!), and I now remember why we went with the latex mattress in our room (CostCo, baby!). Also, I'm finding that I'm making a much more concerted effort to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier (as if prepping my body as best I can for the coming routine).
The biggest challenge so far? FINDING AWAY TO DISPOSE OF ALL THE CARDBOARD IN THIS HOUSE. I mean don't get me wrong, I am LOVING the gifts (and even the challenge of assembling them), but seriously - where do you store/dispose of all the cardboard between recycling runs? I drive a Corolla for crying out loud - it's not like I can haul anything to the bloody dumpster. And so I've been leveraging my tried and true method of taking my $7 Wal-mart hacksaw and sawing each box down into pieces, where they can be stored and thrown away in segments. GC - I know that you said never throw away a good box, but I seriously have enough packing supplies to move the Red Army across the Gobi desert at this point, so you're just gonna have to trust me.
In the previous weeks I've found myself pausing outside Baby T's nursery, trying to visualize what life will be like during the nappy changes, feedings, rocking spells, crying spells, play time, and everything in between. Lately, however, I've been quite content to just walk past it, confident that the reality of what actually transpires in that room will BLOW MY MIND and be much more than anything I could have ever imagined. That being said, there is still a changing table to assemble, a mattress to purchase, and sheets to fold (and seriously, HOW MANY LAYERS ARE THERE ON THAT MATTRESS? We have a crib sheet, a waterproof sheet cover, the actual sheet, some other layer, and then the blanket - I think the kid will be 9 feet in the air by the time we're done making that bed...), and I would be lying if I said I didn't glance in there every time I passed by.
As for emotions, today I'm my usual mix of a) so excited I can't stand it, b) already worried about whether or not the child will be bullied in high school, and c) wondering how we're going to pay for college. However, as I had some time on 2 out of those 3, I think my blood pressure will stay within control limits for another day. :-)
Love,
Sam and Jenny
Family,
And a good afternoon to you from the Queen City. That's right, sports fans - Team Taylor is just a scant 6 weeks - the same length as a secondary school grading period - away from becoming parents and welcoming the newest member of the Taylor clan to the planet. Simply unbelievable, but so far I'm still not panicked. It's helping that we've been able to cross a few to-do's off the list each night, as that at least feels like progress is being made. The jumperoo is still staring at me like an arch nemesis, but the days of its life in that cardboard box are limited - mark my words...
How big is Baby T, you ask? Well, according to the "My Pregnancy app" (yes, there IS an app for that), Baby T is now 4.75 pounds (your average cantaloupe) and 18 inches long. He or she is "fattening up each day to regulate his or her body temperature outside of the womb." It should be noted that, over the past 7.5 months, our child's size has been compared to everything from a lentil bean to a jicama (what the hell is a jicama?) to a smelly durian (as if there were any other kind) to an English hothouse cucumber (seriously?) to a prune (how dare they compare my child to a dried plumb!) to a pineapple to finally the cantaloupe. I can't think of many 7 pound fruits, but I'm assuming the 40 week comparison will be a watermelon, pumpkin, or the world's largest eggplant.
 |
| The mommy to be - I can't tell you how much I look forward to and enjoy the weekly Wednesday belly photo - how cute is she? I love you, perfect pumpkin!!!! |
The biggest challenge so far? FINDING AWAY TO DISPOSE OF ALL THE CARDBOARD IN THIS HOUSE. I mean don't get me wrong, I am LOVING the gifts (and even the challenge of assembling them), but seriously - where do you store/dispose of all the cardboard between recycling runs? I drive a Corolla for crying out loud - it's not like I can haul anything to the bloody dumpster. And so I've been leveraging my tried and true method of taking my $7 Wal-mart hacksaw and sawing each box down into pieces, where they can be stored and thrown away in segments. GC - I know that you said never throw away a good box, but I seriously have enough packing supplies to move the Red Army across the Gobi desert at this point, so you're just gonna have to trust me.
In the previous weeks I've found myself pausing outside Baby T's nursery, trying to visualize what life will be like during the nappy changes, feedings, rocking spells, crying spells, play time, and everything in between. Lately, however, I've been quite content to just walk past it, confident that the reality of what actually transpires in that room will BLOW MY MIND and be much more than anything I could have ever imagined. That being said, there is still a changing table to assemble, a mattress to purchase, and sheets to fold (and seriously, HOW MANY LAYERS ARE THERE ON THAT MATTRESS? We have a crib sheet, a waterproof sheet cover, the actual sheet, some other layer, and then the blanket - I think the kid will be 9 feet in the air by the time we're done making that bed...), and I would be lying if I said I didn't glance in there every time I passed by.
As for emotions, today I'm my usual mix of a) so excited I can't stand it, b) already worried about whether or not the child will be bullied in high school, and c) wondering how we're going to pay for college. However, as I had some time on 2 out of those 3, I think my blood pressure will stay within control limits for another day. :-)
Love,
Sam and Jenny
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
All the little things (seriously)...
Team Taylor Countdown: 43 days until due date
Family,
And a good evening to you all from the Queen City. So here I am for round two, feeling much more confident and energized about the blog. I shared the first draft with Jenny last night, and the look in her eyes affirmed for me the need to commit this precious time to the ether. And so, let's get amongst it!
Today's mood is one of peace and tranquility, as I stare at the unassembled jumperoo in front of me and the remaining articles of baby clothing yet to be washed. We managed 3 loads on Sunday, at which point the most recent (but certainly not the first or last!) lesson for new parents occurred to me - baby clothes are IMPOSSIBLE to fold. I mean seriously, we are only talking about 6 millimeters of fabric on these onesies, sleep sacks, beanies, and booties, and there's no good way to wrap them up nicely (I'm sure Jenny would disagree, but since I can't even fold my own boxers, shirts, and pants, I reckon I'm just a lost cause). I mean, if you try and tuck the booties together, the virtually disappear. It's as if David Copperfield has his own line of clothing at Carter's or something. That being said, we now have a drawer full of clothes, all washed in hypo-allergenic, dye and irritant free detergent (thanks to Rice for ensuring our wee one did NOT break out in hives at the first changing).
Which brings me to the next big question (truly an epic decision) - what will be Baby T's hospital departure outfit? Right now it's a death match between a UNC onesie and two Baby Vol onesies, with the "Lake Kid" being just off the podium (sorry Wild Wallaby and Pool shark, but I guarantee it will get plenty of wear!)
Not a whole lot to report today (as I expect will be the case many days), but I do expect to cut through some thank you notes and a bit more tidying up tonight. Soon enough I will tackle my next task - the packing of the hospital bag. Underwear will be a nice to have - my focus is on ensuring I have enough reading material. Yes, yes, I know - the delusions and naiveté of new parents (credit to K-L for that quote). :-)
6 weeks to go when we wake up tomorrow - holy moly!!!!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
Family,
And a good evening to you all from the Queen City. So here I am for round two, feeling much more confident and energized about the blog. I shared the first draft with Jenny last night, and the look in her eyes affirmed for me the need to commit this precious time to the ether. And so, let's get amongst it!
Today's mood is one of peace and tranquility, as I stare at the unassembled jumperoo in front of me and the remaining articles of baby clothing yet to be washed. We managed 3 loads on Sunday, at which point the most recent (but certainly not the first or last!) lesson for new parents occurred to me - baby clothes are IMPOSSIBLE to fold. I mean seriously, we are only talking about 6 millimeters of fabric on these onesies, sleep sacks, beanies, and booties, and there's no good way to wrap them up nicely (I'm sure Jenny would disagree, but since I can't even fold my own boxers, shirts, and pants, I reckon I'm just a lost cause). I mean, if you try and tuck the booties together, the virtually disappear. It's as if David Copperfield has his own line of clothing at Carter's or something. That being said, we now have a drawer full of clothes, all washed in hypo-allergenic, dye and irritant free detergent (thanks to Rice for ensuring our wee one did NOT break out in hives at the first changing).
 |
| Note the stylish IKEA dresser - which has about 4 basquillion nuts, bolts, pins, nails, and screws. And no - we did NOT bolt it into the wall - but we will load down the bottom... juuuuuuuuuust to be safe. |
Which brings me to the next big question (truly an epic decision) - what will be Baby T's hospital departure outfit? Right now it's a death match between a UNC onesie and two Baby Vol onesies, with the "Lake Kid" being just off the podium (sorry Wild Wallaby and Pool shark, but I guarantee it will get plenty of wear!)
Not a whole lot to report today (as I expect will be the case many days), but I do expect to cut through some thank you notes and a bit more tidying up tonight. Soon enough I will tackle my next task - the packing of the hospital bag. Underwear will be a nice to have - my focus is on ensuring I have enough reading material. Yes, yes, I know - the delusions and naiveté of new parents (credit to K-L for that quote). :-)
6 weeks to go when we wake up tomorrow - holy moly!!!!
Love,
Sam and Jenny
Monday, February 25, 2013
Remember this moment - it is your life...
Family,
And a good evening to you from the Queen City. So first off, as I type this, I'm 100% unsure what I'm getting into (in so, so, so many ways). I will be honest and say that, for more than a year, I've resisted the temptation (a fleeting one, but still there) to return to blogging. The reasons for this are many - the amount of time involved, the things you have to give up in order to keep it current, the expectations from friends and family about frequency (i.e. C-Web keeping a performance tracker on me :-)) and quality (i.e. "I worked and then ate a pineapple"), and the fact that, once you share certain portions of your life in this forum, perceptions can (and often do) change about you - how you live, how you behave, and what you think. That being said, I can truly say that the first blogging experiment whilst I was overseas did save my life, and I would be errant on a scale of Galcian proportions if I thought of those writings as anything other than a blessing.
And so here I sit again, typing on a Mac this time instead of a PC (iPhoto, seriously - there has GOT be be an easier way to upload, and don't say "there's an app for that"), contemplating taking the plunge again. It is a choice fraught with trepidation - will I burn out in 3 weeks? Can this blog be as big a success as my previous one? Will what I commit to this server affect how people view me or any member of my family?
The reality is that I don't and can't know the answer to all of the above questions, but I do know this - I am about to embark on the most exciting, terrifying, unique adventure of my life, and regardless of whether anyone else ever reads these words (or critiques them and by extension me), the reality is that I simply feel I must return to the written word to try and capture these moments, the end of one era and the start of something greater. It is with that in mind that I have decided to start writing again, and I hope I can be true to that aim.
We are just under 34 weeks at present, and I am now firmly convinced that if I don't start writing down my emotions, my experiences, and my activities, they (like so many other things) will be lost in the vast ocean of time that we now call the hustle and bustle of daily life. So much is happening EVERY DAY - Jenny is getting bigger, we are adding a new piece of furniture or assembling some new toy, and I am thinking about what fairy tale I will read first to Baby T. Add in the harsh realities that a) life only gets faster from here on out, b) this year is a huge one for so many folks - new houses, new babies, marriages, you name it, and c) try as I may I know that I won't be able to remember all of this without committing it to paper, and you have the set of multipliers that have served as the necessary catalyst to spark my writing again.
The last blog started as a way to connect with my family across the miles, and it was never meant to be more than a weekly 1 paragraph post of what we'd done and where we were headed next. It morphed into more than I could ever have imagined, and the fun I had sparring with all my friends and family for those 600+ posts helped to make my time abroad even richer than I thought possible. I begin this blog with even smaller expectations: all I want is a place where I can go to reflect on how amazing, exciting, and terrifying this process is, and to provide a vessel for memories that, if I cannot always retain, will at least be accessible at the click of a button. Longer term I have grandiose ideas that I'll share this link with Baby T when he/she is 30 and expecting his/her first child, but that's 3 decades down the road, and whether or not I'll have the stamina to continue this writing is very much TBD (at least based on the feeding schedule I just read in Babywise).
And so this little experiment and side journey (part of an admittedly much greater journey) begins in earnest. On this day, just over 6 weeks from the due date, I feel as though I am the most blessed man on the planet. I have a wife who is my soul mate, best friend, and still feeling great heading into the home stretch. My parents and in-laws are heathly (knock on wood), and soon I will be fortunate enough to have 4 generations of family together on this earth. I am blessed with some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for - a group of work friends who have grown from colleagues to family, a group of college friends who are constantly in my thoughts, and a best friend from home who truly is a brother to me. I love my job, my city, and my home. Oh, and of course - I'm still in love with Katie the Corolla. :-) And perhaps that's the essence of why I'm writing this - this is without a doubt the best, happiest time of my life, and I want to try and preserve that so I can remember this time always: the expectation, the excitement, the promise of the unknown. I know that having Baby T in our lives will raise my happiness further to even greater heights. But since I have no basis for comparison, I need to at least have this moment for reflection.
I'm not sure if I'll share this link, but if you're reading this I've either made that decision or you've found me some other way. I will make no promises about frequency, quality, or the amount of sappiness you'll have to endure should you take this journey with me. However, I will promise you that, should you walk with me down this path, you'll see Sammy the Bull as you've never seen him before - as a parent, disciplinarian, and role model (please insert the "here's this week's sign the zombie apocalypse is upon us" here).
Love,
Sam (and Jenny) - the former Mr. and Mrs. Assignee 47
And a good evening to you from the Queen City. So first off, as I type this, I'm 100% unsure what I'm getting into (in so, so, so many ways). I will be honest and say that, for more than a year, I've resisted the temptation (a fleeting one, but still there) to return to blogging. The reasons for this are many - the amount of time involved, the things you have to give up in order to keep it current, the expectations from friends and family about frequency (i.e. C-Web keeping a performance tracker on me :-)) and quality (i.e. "I worked and then ate a pineapple"), and the fact that, once you share certain portions of your life in this forum, perceptions can (and often do) change about you - how you live, how you behave, and what you think. That being said, I can truly say that the first blogging experiment whilst I was overseas did save my life, and I would be errant on a scale of Galcian proportions if I thought of those writings as anything other than a blessing.
 |
| Baby T's first home - the handmade Wilson bassinet. This was my first bed as well, along with my cousin, uncle, mother and even grandfather (handmade by my great grandfather). |
And so here I sit again, typing on a Mac this time instead of a PC (iPhoto, seriously - there has GOT be be an easier way to upload, and don't say "there's an app for that"), contemplating taking the plunge again. It is a choice fraught with trepidation - will I burn out in 3 weeks? Can this blog be as big a success as my previous one? Will what I commit to this server affect how people view me or any member of my family?
The reality is that I don't and can't know the answer to all of the above questions, but I do know this - I am about to embark on the most exciting, terrifying, unique adventure of my life, and regardless of whether anyone else ever reads these words (or critiques them and by extension me), the reality is that I simply feel I must return to the written word to try and capture these moments, the end of one era and the start of something greater. It is with that in mind that I have decided to start writing again, and I hope I can be true to that aim.
We are just under 34 weeks at present, and I am now firmly convinced that if I don't start writing down my emotions, my experiences, and my activities, they (like so many other things) will be lost in the vast ocean of time that we now call the hustle and bustle of daily life. So much is happening EVERY DAY - Jenny is getting bigger, we are adding a new piece of furniture or assembling some new toy, and I am thinking about what fairy tale I will read first to Baby T. Add in the harsh realities that a) life only gets faster from here on out, b) this year is a huge one for so many folks - new houses, new babies, marriages, you name it, and c) try as I may I know that I won't be able to remember all of this without committing it to paper, and you have the set of multipliers that have served as the necessary catalyst to spark my writing again.
The last blog started as a way to connect with my family across the miles, and it was never meant to be more than a weekly 1 paragraph post of what we'd done and where we were headed next. It morphed into more than I could ever have imagined, and the fun I had sparring with all my friends and family for those 600+ posts helped to make my time abroad even richer than I thought possible. I begin this blog with even smaller expectations: all I want is a place where I can go to reflect on how amazing, exciting, and terrifying this process is, and to provide a vessel for memories that, if I cannot always retain, will at least be accessible at the click of a button. Longer term I have grandiose ideas that I'll share this link with Baby T when he/she is 30 and expecting his/her first child, but that's 3 decades down the road, and whether or not I'll have the stamina to continue this writing is very much TBD (at least based on the feeding schedule I just read in Babywise).
 |
| My favorite decoration from the shower - hard to believe this is really happening! |
And so this little experiment and side journey (part of an admittedly much greater journey) begins in earnest. On this day, just over 6 weeks from the due date, I feel as though I am the most blessed man on the planet. I have a wife who is my soul mate, best friend, and still feeling great heading into the home stretch. My parents and in-laws are heathly (knock on wood), and soon I will be fortunate enough to have 4 generations of family together on this earth. I am blessed with some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for - a group of work friends who have grown from colleagues to family, a group of college friends who are constantly in my thoughts, and a best friend from home who truly is a brother to me. I love my job, my city, and my home. Oh, and of course - I'm still in love with Katie the Corolla. :-) And perhaps that's the essence of why I'm writing this - this is without a doubt the best, happiest time of my life, and I want to try and preserve that so I can remember this time always: the expectation, the excitement, the promise of the unknown. I know that having Baby T in our lives will raise my happiness further to even greater heights. But since I have no basis for comparison, I need to at least have this moment for reflection.
I'm not sure if I'll share this link, but if you're reading this I've either made that decision or you've found me some other way. I will make no promises about frequency, quality, or the amount of sappiness you'll have to endure should you take this journey with me. However, I will promise you that, should you walk with me down this path, you'll see Sammy the Bull as you've never seen him before - as a parent, disciplinarian, and role model (please insert the "here's this week's sign the zombie apocalypse is upon us" here).
Love,
Sam (and Jenny) - the former Mr. and Mrs. Assignee 47
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