Sunday, July 29, 2012

Twelve weeks, four days

"Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterdays."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson


I feel like the focal point in my posts always revolve around time. My commute is 53 minutes in the morning and a roll-of-the-dice on arrival to 40 North Dock Side. A good trip home from mom & dad's takes just under 85 minutes. Under three minutes with gear donned will get you on the engine. Over two hours on the front nine is the equivalent of an appendectomy with no anesthetics.

Maybe it comes with age. Maybe it comes with fatherhood. Maybe it's a combination.

Time is my most precious commodity. When and if there's a run on the banks, five cars deep at the gas station, or bread lines in the suburbs; I'll be holding my son with my dog by my side and taking the batteries out of the clock.

On one hand, I love nothing more than idling in my recliner, watching a ball game and putting off the next chore that will need repeated in a day anyway. On the other, I look to my best dog friend Lucy and realize that she's aging seven times as quickly as I, and I'll spring to action, tackling the next item on our daily docket.

I've always been an emotional fellow. Shed tears over the little things (i.e. leaving Miami Valley Hospital after Reid was dismissed, watching a slide show with just the right (wrong) music, a three-legged-dog, etc.).

Just this morning, I loaded Reid's laundry into the wash and I realized that if this wasn't the last time I ran some of these through, it was probably close to the last. The cute PJ's and little burp rags will soon be replaced with husky jeans and bulky hoodies.

Someday his skinny butt will get barked at for not pulling his fair share around the house. Someday he'll call mom from college, wanting to know how to get pen ink out of his khaki's. Someday that same kid will be staring into his kid's wash and wondering the same things that his old man did.

It's amazing what a load of laundry can do to a man.

dad

Monday, July 23, 2012

11 weeks, 5 days old

Reid is sleeping so much better these days.  We got him to sleep on his back and in his crib for the first time this weekend.  He's done it the last 3 nights.  Friday and Saturday night he slept nearly 8 hours swaddled in his crib.  It was the first time I have been more than 5 feet away from him (at night) since he was born.  I slept like a champ, too.  Last night he decided 5 hours was enough and woke up at 2am for some food.  We never made it out of the super uncomfortable green chair in the living room.  Now I'm tired.  And Reid's sleeping in the swing.  I should be napping, but here I am blogging.  Priorities.

What we've been up to:

-We went to BGSU this weekend.  Reid met Selner, Leslie (who he'd met already), Melissa, Drunk, Kaiser, Nora, Olivia, Adrienne, Erin, Katie (Leslie's sis).  We ate at Polyeyes and visited the Chi Omega house.  Then we went to SBX and spent too much money on new Falcon gear.  Reid got the cuuuuutest shirt.  It's a 6 month size, so still too big.  Here's a picture of us in front of the house.

-We went to Will McAnaul's 3 year anniversary memorial service at the Northgate church yesterday.  Patcine and Ryan spoke about all that they have learned over the last 3 years.  It was pretty amazing to hear them talk.  I am quite a bit in awe of the strength and bravery they have.  I know it wasn't/isn't easy for them to deal with the loss of their precious boy... they are a true inspiration.

-Everyone wants to know how the cloth diapers are going.  I suspect a lot of people were/are expecting that I hate it and will be quitting soon.  Quite the opposite!!  I was hesitant to travel with them for a while, and it is harder to pack them because they take up a lot more room... but that's probably the only challenge I've had.  I seriously love them.  And I really dislike sposies.  In fact, we had a blowout in a sposie on our trip to BG.  I was trying to use up the size 1's we have, and since we were roadtripping, figured it would make things easier.  I learned my lesson.  I'm even dabbling in wool covers now.  On the blogs and in the diaper forums, everyone raves about wool.  I now have two wool soakers (covers) and a pair of longies (pants).  They are so soft and adorable and breathable.  I am getting ready to go lanolize (waterproof) and wash them for the first time ever as soon as this post goes live.  So to all you haters, keep on hating.  I love fluff!

I have another video to share.  It's hard to see since it was at night and the living room was dark, but it's sweet.

-Here are some pictures of Reid from this weekend. :)




 
Aaaaaand Reid's awake.  Looks like I'll be lanolizing later. Wah wahhh.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Eleven weeks


Reid-meister had a bath tonight. Not his first, but first on video. Just a sample of some of the fun we have here at Conley Manor.

In other news, I (dad) stayed home with him while mama dined with Kiley and Amy down the road yesterday. We had a good night, despite warnings that he was a beast throughout the majority of the day.

Our adventures began shortly before 6:30. We made faces at one another. For about five minutes, I watched him stick his entire fist in his mouth and toward the end, wasn't quite sure if an infant could develop bullimic tendencies.

From there, I fed young'n a bottle. I'm baffled as to how he can nurse on his mother for over an hour, but can down the bottle in fifteen minutes.

We moved from bottle to post-feeding burpage. That was fun.

After burping, we went to some tummy time on the play mat and then flipped him over so he could kick and punch some owls and sheep.

A little fussiness later, papa successfully rocked the lil' man to sleep and remained on the couch watching the Reds game.

A good little evening.

- Dad

Saturday, July 14, 2012

10 weeks, three days

I like being a dad. It's hard to not brag about your kid. Miniscule things: "My kid likes to smile", "You should see my son kick", "He can really pound four ounces of milk", etc.

The first eight weeks did a number on my blood pressure and added multiple specks of grey hairs to the sides of my head. It's really hard knowing there are so many support groups/networks/mommy clubs for the women, but I don't really think I'd try to seek a men's group out. (I believe they do have these and they're called bars)

At ten weeks now, I'm finding that I can cope a little better. The man-child is becoming more bearable, my wife seems (somewhat) happier, and I'm trying to take things in stride.

I was never a baby hater, but know so many people that I've witnessed over the years who turn their noses up at the little ones. I like to acquaint my son with the general public... I want him to know how bad the public sucks at an early age, so he'll want to stay in more in these first few years.

I assumed as a dad, my perspective on my day-to-day life would change, that my already insatiable work ethic would shoot through the roof, when in fact, I've found myself making faces with him at 6:30am, wishing I could stay home all day.

I won't lie to every prospective father out there, it's a bear those first two months. Would I do it all over again? Yes, hopefully two or three more times. However, we were spoiled from the get-go at the hospital and it made that first night at home feel like we'd I'd be lucky if he made it through the first weekend unscathed.

There are endless nights of guilt when the only milk producer has to wake from fifty minutes of sleep, the exhaustion of a full work day and commute home only to put the dad hat on, wondering why he only cries when he's in your arms, wondering if you're loved ones actually love you, etc.

Fatherhood has changed me for the better, I really do like to think this. I don't exhibit it as often as I probably should, but there are no words that describe the _________ you feel when you lock eyes with your son on a changing table, are able to soothe his cry, read him a book even though he doesn't comprehend the words your saying, check his movements in the backseat mirror every ten miles on a long car trip, or just watching him sleep on his belly (oh yeah, we allow that).

Here's to ten weeks down and another ten decades for my dear son!