Today is the day

The last 9(ish) months have been such a blur. Not to sound like I'm speaking cliché but it literally seems like yesterday that Erika was telling me that she's probably pregnant and now as I'm writing this she's in the midsts of the labors that will bring us our son.

It's really hard to form the words to describe all of the emotions, fears, hopes, and thoughts I'm having right now.

So I'll just say this:

Otto,

I hope we do a good job being your parents. We promise to do our best and I hope that you can forgive us when we do the things you don't like but we feel are in your best interest.

You are loved, loved, loved.

see you soon

Daddy

Otto Watch 2011: 38 Week Check Up

This week's update is pretty simple.

Tuesday (8/23) was my 38 week check up. She listened to Otto's heartbeat on the monitor and everything sounds great with him.

I took a 24 hours test on Sunday to make sure I didn't have Preeclampsia... and I DON'T!!!! *Yay!* However, there is some concern with my blood pressure being a little high. So, if Otto doesn't show up before next Tuesday (8/30) then Dr. Rupe will schedule my induction to make sure I don't develop it.

8/30 just so happens to be my birthday. I told Otto if he wanted to have his own birthday he needed to show up before then. So we will see what he choses to do.

If Jef had his way I would go into labor Friday night or Saturday so he could have a full week off of work without having to break it up into 2 weeks. He knows it's a long shot, but here's hoping!!

37 Week Update

Today was my 37 week check up and ultrasound. There are lots of things to update this time.

Over the past week and a half my feet, ankles and legs have completely ballooned up. They are now to an uncomfortable, yet comical size. Jef says it looks like I’m wearing a fat suit because they don’t look real. (Sorry, No pictures) Dr. Rupe is slightly concerned about this so she is having me keep myself on “bed/couch rest” this weekend. I don’t have to stay home from work because I sit at a desk all day and keep my feet propped up on a shipping box. I’ve got to have a test next week to make sure I don’t have Preeclampsia. If I do there is a chance she will want to have me deliver very soon.

Based on the ultrasound measurements she thinks he is weighing in around 7 lbs. This sounds a lot better to me. I don’t want to give birth to a toddler!! 

The biggest news she gave me is that.... I am already 4 cm dilated!!!! The process has started, but we still have NO idea how long it will take him to get here. However, we are sure it will be before September 6.


I was not-so-secretly hoping this would be the case. I'm at the point that I am so tired, large, warm and now swollen that I am ready to have this part over. Plus, we are getting more and more anxious to meet our son.

If life goes on as normal this weekend, then my next Dr appt is Tuesday afternoon.

Making New Friends

So last week I forgot to share a funny conversation that I had. After my Dr appointment I decided to stop by Sonic and get a drink and a little snack (since I was ravenously hungry) on my way back to work.

The conversation went something like this...

Sonic woman (approx 45-50 yrs of age) walks up to the car.

SW: "Oh goodness, you're about to have a baby aren't you?!"
Me: (Look down at my enormous belly taking up the whole driver's seat) "Yep"
SW: "Oh I could tell. How much longer do you have?"
Me: "About 4 weeks"
SW: "Boy or Girl"
Me: "Boy"
SW: "Name?"
Me: "Otto"
SW: (A confused look flashed across her face) "Well congratulations!! You make sure you bring that baby by so I can see him!!"
Me: (smile and equally confused look on my face)

HAHA! WHAT?!? Yeah sure Sonic lady, I'll bring him by.

My current #1

I'm positive that many things will come and go as "my favorite thing about being a dad". Here is my current #1.

So far over the course of Erika's pregnancy I (being a responsible parent-to-be) have been reading different websites trying in vain to "know it all" before Otto's street date. One of the things I read talked about playing games with him while he's still in the womb. So most nights when we would go to bed in the evening I would try tapping on Erika's belly trying to get him to respond by kicking where I would tap. So naturally since he's our son, he decided to be stubborn and I never got a kick in return and Erika would just end up getting beat up on the outside of her tummy as well as Otto abusing her from the inside.

A couple of nights ago we we're watching some TV after a long day at work and I was mindlessly touching her belly and felt him move around so I leaned over and gave a loud kiss right on the area where he was moving and he responded, made another loud kiss, he responded again we did this back and forth for a few minutes and it was seriously one of the happiest most fun times of my life. It kind of made it feel more real that our child was in there and soon going to make his grand arrival in our lives and to the outside world.

I don't want to rush my son to grow up I want us to enjoy him in every age and every stage of development, but I can not wait until he's old enough for he and I to play more silly games. And overtime as he learns a new one, I'm sure that one will be my new #1.

36 Week Check Up

Today marks 36 out of 40 weeks. I will now begin seeing the doctors once a week until Otto arrives. They still think he is measuring big, maybe around 7 lbs. In the past couple of weeks I have really started to puff up in my hands and feet, so that has added to the weight gain. Also, as of today there is no sign that he will be making an early appearance. This early arrival idea seems to be shared by family, friends and co-workers so we will see who ends up being right. 

*Don't forget, if you came to the Baby Bash and wrote your name on the calendar you will have a chance to win the Baby Pool*

Next week's appointment is Friday at 3p. I will have another ultrasound to get new measurements and see how things are progressing. I'm hoping we get to stick to this schedule since Jef and I have tickets to see Hillsong United on Thursday night. Yipee!!

A few of our favorite things... so far!

I feel like our countdown clock is quickly running out of time until it hits 00:00 and Otto finally arrives. We have had so much fun gathering and collecting things to prepare us to welcome him home. The normal basic needs of coarse, crib, clothes, bottles, etc. However, there are things we have received that we didn't plan on and are special to us for one reason or another. I thought I would share some of those things with you. These are in no particular order. 


Starting with the homemade items....


 This blanket was made by my Aunt Maggie. It's hard to tell from the photo, but it is a light blue and light green. It matched Otto's Baby Bash colors perfectly. I can't wait to snuggle him in it.




These burp clothes were made by Jef's Aunt Yvonne. How cute are they? They are so nice I almost don't want to mess them up by using them!



 We received this from the Finance Dept at my work. The blanket technically isn't homemade, but they did have his name embroidered on there. It is so soft that I wanted to crawl under my desk and take a nap with it after they gave it to me.
*Uh, boss if you are reading this... I didn't actually take a nap!  :)

Other gifts we've received....



Skip Hop Mod Dot Collection Bedding


Some of you know how much I have HATED the bedding out there for little boys and could not make up my mind on what we wanted for his room. I was even crazy enough to try to talk my sister into making the bedding for me if I found a fabric I liked. Then I realized that was insane. She has 2 kids of her own that she didn't do that for, plus she was busy planning a giant party for her nephew. After buying and trying out other crib & nursery items we realized we hated all of it. It didn't give the right feel to his room. I had seen the Skip Hop bedding in my searches and had really liked it. We were fortunate enough to be given this as a gift from my co-workers. We LOVE it!!!

We received this amazing onesie from Seth & Casey Hester (I work with Seth). Let's be honest it was probably more Casey then it was Seth who thought of this, because she is a very thoughtful person! John Cusack is one of my all-time favorite actors and 'Say Anything' is such a great movie. I've even got the movie poster hanging on my wall at work.

Skip Hop Zoo Packs Little Kid Backpacks

We purchased this awesome Skip Hop backpack with some gift cards we had. There are the cutest owl things out there for kids right now and I fell in love with this one. There is also a matching tableware set that we received this weekend from our friend Meghan. I don't have a picture of it, but it is SUPER cute too.


And the last thing on the list isn't technically a baby gift so much as it is "Daddy's Work Schedule with a Newborn Survival Kit"

 When Jef used to tour, the band had met some guys who worked for a new company called Roaring Lion Energy Drink. Since most bands drink Red Bull, Monster, etc. while on the road they were all about trying something new and especially having an endorsement to get the stuff free. Matt was nice enough to have a case sent to the house. Jef plans on using these only when he goes back to work after Otto is born. I can't stand the smell of kind of drinks, so the more for him!


**I'm posting this now knowing that there is more to come. Aunt Ashley is currently in the process of turning the fabric from Otto's Baby Bash into a blanket for him. Once she is done I will post pictures. Also, Grandma Etta is working on a special blanket for Otto as well. He is going to be one snuggled little boy!