Welcome ......

So, we wake up Friday morning with no intention of having a baby that day. Well, we were wrong. We started the day with a routine Non-stress test to check the baby's heartrate. Any time Erin had a contraction, the baby's heartrate would dip fairly low prompting concern that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby. They recommended to us that we induce labor that day so that they could control and monitor the contractions and watch the baby's heartrate. Well, when the first real contraction came, the baby's heartrate did the same dive pretty low. This made the doctors very concerned....given that it was a pretty easy contraction. So, they recommended a Ceserean Section. Well, after we came to grips with all of the craziness, we new that the health of the baby was the most important.

Here is my spacesuit that I wore to the operation:


The surgery started and the baby was out 10 minutes later. Actually, the doctors asked me to let Erin know the sex of the baby. So, I watched them pull him out...pretty interesting and not really that gross.

Malcolm Paul Schlomer was born on Friday, February 20th at 9:25pm weighing 7 lbs. 11oz. and measuring 20.5 inches. Erin was awesome throughout it all.

Here is Malcolm only 10 minutes old:

Sorry for the nudey pic for those of faint heart. :)

Here are a couple cuter pictures of him here:



I have changed 3 diapers so far. So, I feel that I am reaching the big leagues of child sanitation quickly.

Thank you again for everyone who has helped us usher in this baby to the world. The next crazy step will be bringing the baby home. We will keep you posted. :)

Waiting

Even though my mom tells me I was born two weeks late from my due date, from that point on, I rather like being on time. Paul on the other hand...so between the two, baby and Paul, I may never be on time again.

So we're still waiting. And as Tom Petty says, "that's the hardest part."



Who doesn't enjoy watching videos from the 80s to help pass the time...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLCJEYLIBQY

Nope, not yet.

Paul's sister Sarah and her husband Dave, whose baby Oscar is 7 months old, accurately informed us that each time we call, email, text, or write a letter (yes, we still write letters sometimes), we have to begin with "nope, not yet," because everyone assumes that the reason for our communication is that we have baby news.

So, I start out this entry with "nope, not yet," because that's the latest news.

And now you know.

The weekend of coaching volleyball was a great distraction from the pregnancy discomfort. Paul's team won the the tournament (1st Gold), and my team took 2nd in the Silver division. We saw some excellent, exciting play from both our teams. I think I made the refs on our court a little nervous because most of them asked if the baby would be born during the match on their court. One ref actually told me that he had assisted with a birth one time. (Didn't expect that.)

Since we're in for some snow between tonight and Thursday, Paul figures that the baby will test us with wanting to be born during the "snow storm." Granted, the snow fall is only predicted to be 3-5 inches so that doesn't seem like such a huge obstacle.

Yep, that's a belly.

Some people have been asking for a glimpse. Well, there you go. More than you bargained for, I'm sure.

VB tournament or Baby

Well, we are getting down to the wire here in "baby-in-waiting" land. Erin and I are heading up to WI Dells to coach in a 3-day tournament over the weekend. I have already had a dream about explaining to a police officer why I was speeding back to Madison. We will see if that dream happens to come true....

Erin tells me that she is fully capable of winning the tournament without the help of an infant assistant coach. So, we will probably be waiting for the baby into next week.

My life as a rock star

I always wanted to be in a band and perform at the Grammy's. Now I know I still can at 9 months pregnant:


I was totally going to wear this outfit to work today. But now that MIA wore her's last night, I can't. But I can still "take your mon-ey."

38 Weeks from my perspective

Honestly, I think Erin is doing great. I have been told by many people that Erin should be surly and throwing things at me on a consistent basis at this point in the pregnancy. However, she has been weathering all the prego-ness with grace......I am sure she would agree. :)

Anyway, it is pretty crazy to feel and actually see the kid moving around in Erin's belly. If it moves half as much once it comes out as it does now, we will be in for years of chasing after it.

I just look forward to meeting this little person. It should be interesting. I think I will learn a lot more about me during this process than anything else.

And one more item of note, when we do decide on what this kid will finally be named, remember that your name was a close second choice. :)

38 weeks from my perspective

What does it feel like to be at 38 weeks?

Since I did a lot of "panic n' prep" in weeks before, I feel pretty calm this week. But, I feel every time I go to the grocery store, it will be the last time, and I buy crazy amounts of food so we're stocked up. It's like a late winter hibernation mindset.

The head colds I've been having the past few weeks have dried up a bit. Sleeping is not so great. Turning over is an ordeal I never anticipated. Dreams are weird. I'm getting more uncomfortable in general, like I can't be in one spot for a long time. I need to move about. But I don't feel terrible.

Wish it was warmer outside so I wouldn't have to zip my coat. It barely fits and the baby always pushes against it. I basically wear four outfits nowadays, which really isn't that far off from the norm for me.

Most of baby's movements are on the left side of my belly as if the baby's trying to kick its way out the side door (someone should tell this kid there is no side door).

Our hospital bag is mostly packed.

And now, waiting we are...

Voila!

Maybe the baby won't be so concerned about the state of the room...but I'm glad it's in better shape.