Vulcan Neck Pinch

We've had the Smart Start nurse come by the house Wednesday. Gray weighed 8lbs 7ozs meaning she put on another 4ozs in 2 days. Whoa. (Note the Milk face)


About the same time we started to notice that Grayson had some congestion (I was feeling sick in the hospital and must have passed it on. Whoops). The doc said to elevate her bed and irrigate her nose. We've got two thermometers now so I took Mil's labeler so we wouldn't have any confusion.


We got some saline solution to irrigate her nose; we then suck everything back out with a bulb syringe. Grayson wants too sleep so bad but she just can't do it until her nose is clear.


So last night I was up trying to suction out her nose; she was crying and flailing her arms and legs about. I tried and tried to clear her nose and even though she usually welcomes our help draining her nose by keeping her head really still, this time she flailed about knocking my hands out of the way. I finally got a good suction and literally within 1 second she was asleep. Quicker than the Vulcan Neck Pinch.


Highlight of the Week: Date night with my two girls. We watched Grey's Anatomy and I gave Grayson a manicure. Fun times.


Favorite Picture:

Oh the times you will have

Note: I thought I posted this on 9/25 but realized I hadn't. Enjoy.

The last few days have been good. Mil's still hurting from all the pushing and all the surgery and all the putting up with me. Feeding have been good. We tightened up the leash on Grayson; she was feeding for 1hour and still rooting around a lot after; we'd have to resort to a pacifier or her hand because she needed to suckle. We decided to get a bit vigilant and feed her for 30-40 minutes total, but make sure she didn't doze in and out during her feedings. This seemed to work really well; it fills up her belly, she doesn't seem to need to suckle as much after, and she's sleeping well. The only realy downside is that Mil has to be on point while feeding to make sure Grayson doesn't fall asleep at the wheel.

The five of us (Mil, Grayson, Maggie, Susan, and me) took a walk and saw some neighbors. We only went down to the end of the block and back, but it was good to get out.

Grayson got her first bath yesterday. She loved the top half;


not so much on the bottom half.


Grayson's favorite part of the week was getting wrapped up in Mil's woobie. Note: this was only for a few minutes for pictures. Millie wasn't about to let the woobie get poop, pee, and spit up on her favorite blanky.


She isn't much on burping; maybe she's trying to be lady like.


Cutest piture of the last week:


Summary: Mom and Baby are good, Dad is good. My how the hours FLY. We'll write again soon.

wow - 5 days old!

So where were we? I think last time we checked in it was Thursday night. Grayson's been sleeping well (except for the one night in the hospital when we tried to get some extra shut eye and send her back to the nursery to sleep but then she totally got 'returned to sender' but not until we got settled in and were sleeping.)

Friday morning we had the pediatrician, the OB, the regular nurse, and the boob nurse sign off on our departure papers and we were released around 12:00. Millie something to th effect of "what? they're going to let us take this thing (Grayson) home?" Yep.


We packed her up in her car seat (pun intended) and smiled for the obligatory "we're home" picture. Our house had been decorated with ribbons and streamers and a poster was taped to the door to welcome Grayson. The card left at the door was just signed "with love, The Hood".


We've mostly spent the last couple of days figuring out Grayson's and Millie's schedules. I know it's not possible without a flux capacitor, but it seems like she's feeding for 1.5 hours every 1 hour. We're so thankful that Gray is feeding well in terms of technique and interest. She has taken a liking to "The Breast" (which is what all the nurses and OB's call it . . . like there is "One Breast to rule them all" or that it would be crossing some personal boundary to utter "your breast.")

So we've been napping and visiting when we can. Grayson got to take a nap in the back yard yesterday morning snuggled up against Susan. That little stunt was enough to guarantee Susan's housekeeping services here for another few days. Jon Zachary came over in the morning but Mil and I didn't see him till around 11:30. He graced Percy street with melodies such as "Tastes Like Chicken" and "Ballad of the Piper Cub".


Peeps set to washing windows because that's what he did when Ali had Avery and as anyone with siblings will tell you; you must keep things even at all costs.


Hotmomma came over lst night and knocked it out of the park. She had picked up provisions at the Curb Market and fixed Coconut Tuna Steaks (and shrimp for Millie), Pasta with sundried tomatoes (I think), crusty bread, and arugala salad. Gray is blessed with such wonderful Grandparents that love her so much. What a joy to see all of them care for us and her in their own way.

Grayson and I watched our first football game together. The Wolfpack vs. Clemson. I thought they played like sissies; Grayson thought they really played like something else :


Highlights: Looking on the video monitor and seeing Gray sleeping on her side.


And sharing a lot of laughs with Mil even (and especially) during hard times of crying and pain (note: spitup).


And seeing the way Maggie has taken to Grayson (that's her sleeping behind the rocker.)


Lowlights: Mil's still feeling a lot of pain from the surgery and pushing. Also had a few more issues and bumpy spots that, if blogged about, would guarentee Grayson being an only child. And being a bit embarrassed that my daughter saw me watching a NC State game wearing an ECU shirt . . . even though it does say "Aaaaargh!" And falling asleep breastfeeding (both mother and babe).

Live from Women's Hospital, It's Thursday Night Live!

As you can see from the video:

She's got eyes the color of the deep ocean, hair like a chocolate & black lab mutt puppy, and teeth as numerous as NC STATE's wins against Division 1-A opponents this season.

The First 24 Hours

Last week we watched the Emmy's because Millie is a closet "Pretty People on the Big Screen" stalker (if anyone wants to get her a baby present, she would devour both Maxy B's frozen yogurt and/or a People, US, or other gossip filled magazine.) Anyways, speaking of the first 24 hours; we saw Keifer Southerland (Jack Bauer) and the (then unknown gender) baby starts kicking like crazy. I figured it was because it was a boy and he was hoping Jack Bauer would start shooting people's kneecaps. Millie figured it was more likely that the baby was a girl and has the same crush on Jack Bauer as her mother has ("Not Keifer, just Jack Bauer . . . you understand" - direct quote from Millie). Anyways; I guess she wins.

Speaking of winning. Mil and I bet on 5 catagories a couple of months ago to see who would get to spend the jar of change in our bedroom on the discretionary activity of his/her choosing (golf or spa). Catgories were: height, weight, date of birth, time of birth, sex. We tied on height, Mil won weight, and I won the rest. But if you think I could go play golf with a clear conscience while my wife stays home with a crying baby all because I had the lucky guess as to how soon she would go into excrusiating pain and major surgery . . . well you're wrong. I'm giving up my 'rights to golf' for 'rights to live guilt free'.

We got to sleep a fair amount last night. Grayson sleep in the nursery from 3-5am to give us a chance to sleep worry-free. Mil's eating real food now. Still in a lot of pain when she gets up for the occasional walk to the bathroom and down the hall. Grayson got to have some really special time with Jon (mil's dad):


Susan (mil's mom):


George (susan's husband):


maymay (my mom):


and peeps (my dad):


She also saw an assortment of friends, Sassers:


Mike Fowler:


Whitworths:


Whitney and Ollie Hannam and Brian and Anna May (not pictured . . . oops, my bad)

Highlights today: Mil walked down the hall, we had some Maxy B's frozen yogurt, breastfeeding went really well, we both got to take a showers, this


and this


Lowlight today: I changed my fourth diaper today and Grayson cried for a total of 20 seconds for only one of the changes, the rest she just grunted. It's a 'lowlight' just like if you unloaded the dishwasher your first four times and didn't break a plate . . . guess who gets to unload it the next time? Just kidding. I'm a pro now and enjoy every minute of it.

Tonight I told Grayson the same thing my dad told me everynight when he tucked me into bed: "Grayson, I wouldn't trade you for a truckload of dead rats." (In case you were wondering, version B was always "If I had two dead rats, I'd give you one")

Introducing Ms. Grayson Wynn Smith

She (that's right - she) was born on September 18th, 2007 at 7:33pm. Weighing in at 8lbs and 12.8 oz. She's 21.5 inches long and full head of brown hair.

Mil started having more regular contractions Monday night (while we were watching the Princess Diaries; should have known right then that she was going to be a girl.) We didn't get much sleep that night due to the contractions: me with my timing them, and Mil with her having them. We prank called the OBGYN on call at 2:30am, he said to wait another hour then head to the hospital. At 3:30 we decided no to go because (after packing everything up and taking a shower) the contractions were less frequent. Around 6:45 mil started having contractions 2-5 minutes apart. She didn't think fixing me biscuits and gravy would really help the baby come along and so we left for the hospital around 8:25.



I drove while she winced. They checked us in and after filling in the paperwork, they moved her to triage ("Is that better than a nurse, Focker?") and they checked Mil's oil - she was at 5cm. It took them a while to move her to her delivery room and by the time the epidural kicked in, she had been feeling really rough pains for about 2-3 hours. They broke her water (eww) and she went to 7cm. She was quickly at 9-10 and almost ready to push. the baby was face up (not the way to go) and the doc and nurse tried a number of things to flip her over. No luck. Mil still pushed (like she was squat thrusting a IH Scout II) for about 3.5 hours over a 4 hour period. At one point during that time, she shifted positions and the monitor wouldn't pick up. The nurse couldn't find a heartbeat, then she tried another way and that wouldn't work either. It was five minuted before she was able to find a heartbeat. Ugh. Longest 5 minutes of our lives.

We finally had to decide to do a c-section. I put on a all white paper suit (that had a dress shirt collar for some reason), shower cap, and face mask with eye shield. They wheeled Mil in the room and it was another 20 minutes before I could go in. We sat behind the curtain while they tugged and pulled at Mil's belly. they had to push the babe back up to the stomach because she was so close to coming out door #1 already. Finally they held up our little baby girl: Grayson Wynn Smith. I've never seen a cuter smurf.


I whisked Gray off to the nursery and along the way she got to meet her grandparents (all four had been waiting patiently). Mil was still getting stitched up and wasn't going to be able to see Grayson (or anybody for that matter) for about 3 hours after delivery. Well Millie the overachiever showed signs of progress so quick that they let her out of recovery and into our room in 30 minutes. She go to see Grayson around 9:00. What a treat!



We've slept little and Mil is still recovering from her run-in with the Mac Truck yesterday, but we're doing well. I changed my first diaper this morning and Gray didn't cry a bit; Mil was impressed and told me I was great (and told me she had a fence I could whitewash too).

Thanks for all your prayer for us. We'll need more of them, but we're doing well and are thankful as we can be.

Bum Bum Bum

Mil hit the 38 week mark today and saw the Doc. She said our baby is measuring about 39 weeks; Mil asked if that meant we were going to have it a week earlier, she said not necessarily, but a BIG baby is almost guaranteed. Sweet.

Here's today:

Sparing you the details ("ewww"), the Doc said she wouldn't be terribly surprised if we had the baby this weekend. What!?!?

To quote Charlie Heritage: "Girlyougonnahavedatbabyd'night!"

Here's Mil at ~37 weeks, cute stuff, huh?

Pass the Pigs

Mil and I grabbed a quick game of Pass the Pigs: Best 3 out of 5.

Since the US Open was on this weekend I'll report in tennis fashion:
104-25, 103-0, 85-107, 92-119, 108-0

16 days to due date (and to the next full moon.)

Curb Market

Mil and I drove down to the curb market on Yanceyville St. today. Al Gore would have frowned upon us if he knew we only lived a couple blocks away and drove, but Millie would leave her "carbon footprint" on my butt if I made her walk down there in "this heat!" (direct quote)

While walking the aisles . . .

Old guy to Millie: "Want a watermelon?"

Millie to Old Guy: "Already got one right here" (points to belly)

Old guy to Millie: (apparently having not noticed the huge 8.5 month belly) "Oh wow, you do don't you? When's it going to be ripe?"

Millie to Old Guy: "About two and a half weeks"

Then we walked out and there was a band playing and there were some tents set up. I think it was farmer appreciation day. Great Harvest Bread Co. was out there giving away rolls. The guy offered us one then said "Hey, you're pregnant, take a whole loaf." We came back and fixed up PB&Js to die for . . . well, maybe not to die for, but they were really good. Mmmmm.

"It's the final countdown (be ne ne ne, de ne ne ne ne)"

Week 35 - Some friends from college threw us a shower, fun times. We had a "Hands on a Hard Belly" competition where the last one to take his/her hand off the belly didn't have to pay for the first year of college. Nick - you're off the hook, Everyone Else - you've been put on notice. Start saving.


Mil - week 35. As the checkout girl in the Wal-Mart said today "Girl, you 'bout to drop that baby aren't you!"


Mil - week 36. Still keeping the Swedish Bikini Team dream alive.