The Daily Mary!

Hi All,
So it is my turn to finally make an entry on this blog page. It has been a wild ride the last several months growing a baby inside of me and preparing to be a mom and part of my own family. It is amazing how much has changed in such a short amount of time. We left the apartment on a Monday afternoon as a couple and returned three days later as a family. It has been wonderful to have Ryan home this last week and for the next 2. We are taking time to adjust and enjoy being a family. Ryan has been absolutely amazing with getting up with both Mary and I and being an incredible support for me. I could not have asked for a better Dad for Mary or a better partner for me.
Mary has me awestruck much of the time. I can sit for hours and hours, just watching her sleep. She is an absolute beauty, with so many facial expressions. I giggle often watching her.
It is also scary how time is flying. She was born at 6 lbs 14.7 ounces. She left the hospital at 6lbs 12 ounces. Monday she weighed 7 lbs 3 ounces and today.... Well she reached 7 lbs 10 ounces! She will soon be fitting her clothes!
Well Ryan has fallen asleep on the couch and Mary is starting to stir... It is feeding time! So I should go!
I hope that you are all enjoying this blog as much as we are!
All our love,
M, K and R!

One week ago tonight our little Mary was born. A week! When did a whole week find the time to pass? Please, someone, slow time down. I am not ready for my little Mary to be a whole week old. I mean, just this time last week Kate was induced and the contractions were getting to the point where they meant business. No one told us, no one gave us aheads up that the first week would pass the way it has. I wasn't ready. I think there should be a clause somewhere that says "if you miss the first week or any part there of, you get it back." What's next I ask you? Dad Claudia is taking me shopping? Dad can I borrow the car? Dad this is (enter boy name here)? I SAY NO!!! I will not let time have it's way with my child's life. From now on I impose the following conditions on time's impact on my little girls life. 1. Mary will no longer feel the effects of time unless so prescribed by her daddy. 2. Mommy has some say too. 3. Mary is to be 6 days old until further notice.

I expect that time will at least allow me the courtesy of adhereing to these simple conditions.

All that aside, Kate and I took Mary to the hospital today (unfortunatley they could not stop time! Science?? P-SHAW) and she is brilliant. It's true. Her mother and I knew it already but they have to confirm everything those hospital types. Mary now weighs 7lbs. 3.3oz and is officially passed her official birth weight. Most babys don't pass their birth weights until they are 10-15 days old. Also Mary is feeding greatly (evidenced by her brilliant weight gain) and she can recite the alphabet, count to 100 and just the other day was heard reciting from Whitman. Brilliant I tell ya. Takes after her mother she does.

Lots of Love,

R&K&M

PS. Click this sentence to see some of our photos.

Iisn't she cute in Uncle Mike's hands. Aunt Melissa is going to have a baby soon too so Mary will have another playmate.

I am holding Mary... scratch that. Kate is now holding Mary because she is evedently hungry again. Evidenced by the lovely strong cry she is exhibiting. She sure is a lovely little person. I am in heaven.

We went to Dr. Keely's office today for our first pediatrician meeting and it was great. Mary is doing everything she is supposed to be doing by day three. She is a little jaundiced but Dr. Keely says that is normal for breastfed babys. She's not a lot jaundiced just a little and we need to watch that she doesn't get more yellow. Mary's weight is coming up already. She was 6lbs 14.7oz. when she was born and is 6lbs. 12oz. today. Isn't our Mary great!

Kate is sitting with Mary on the couch right now watching Coach Carter. She is at peace holding our Mary. Mary is laying on Mommy's chest sleeping after a great feed dressed in lovely pink flowered shirt.

Today was interesting. We had lots of sleep last night so we were well rested when we left the hospital. It is a strange feeling when you get home for the first time and you are alone for the first time as a family. It's a little scary but it's great to be here trying out what we have learned from the people around us who have been there.

Kate and Mary are doing very well and Pablo is here right now. He is holding the newest of his Grandchildren and it is so much fun to see him enjoying her like this.

This is Mary and her big cousin Tristan. He is one month older than she is and you sure can tell. He's a big boy.

We have our first Pediatrician appointment tomorrow. That should be fun.

Kate and I want to take Mary to work to meet everyone but we don't thin it's such a good idea yet so perhaps soon.

More later...

Kate and I are just back from a walk down to Dow's Lake. A couple of contractions later but nothing of any regularity or consistancy although a couple of them were pretty hard.


This is a photo of Abby our cat that I just took. Although she seems to be crazy fierce she is actually yawning!

Hey,

This morning I got up early and ran for about an hour and felt pretty good. I woke up at about 6am and something was nagging at me to go out and get a run in. I headed back towards the bed and was going to go back but something wouldn't let me crawl back to bed. I think we are getting very close to baby time. Just a feeling that it will be tonight.

I may be wrong and if I am I won't be dissapointed just more anxious.

I don't think I have said in any of these blog entries that I love my wife. Well I do. I don't think I will be able to find the right words to write here that will describe to you just what my wife means to me. Kate's soft smile is all the food my heart needs to keep beating. Those moments when I watch her and she is unaware, when she is calm and quietly reading or watching television with a look of peace on her wonderful face, those are my favorite times. When we are talking about who knows what, those are my favorite times. When we argue and at teh end of it all hold each other and are silent and then saying "I love you", those are my favorite times. When Kate... those are my favorite times.

More when there is more,

Ryan.

Hello All,

Today is Saturday and we still don't have a baby we can both hold. Now, I've never been accused (at least I don't think so) of being impatient, however, even I cannot go on much longer. Kate's, or more accurately, the baby's due date was on Wednesday and we are now 3 days overdue. I hope this is not evidence of things to come. It is bad enough that the child's parents are late for almost every occasion. In fact it is an occasion in itself when we are on time! Oh well who knows.

Kate and I were at my work yesterday and to our complete surprise we were handed an envelope with a very nice card that everyone had signed and put money in. It was a very nice thing to have happen. We are very thankfull. There is also a pool going on at work and we should know who wins that soon.

Nancy was in town this week and it has been wonderful seeing her and talking about the so many different goings on in the family out west. Thanks to Diana and Dave for all the clothes and other baby stuff.

Hopefully the next time I post there will be a baby.

R.

Hey Everyone,

Katie had what we hope was her last pre-baby Dr.s visit today. The baby's heart rate was 130bpm and he/she is head down and facing the rear (hehehe). So everything is going well and although Katie is getting more and more uncomfortable by the day she is still all smiles and excitment. As for me, I am nervous. Nervous I tell ya! I don't know nothin' about birthin' no baby's and I know less about raisin' em. DAD I KNOW IT'S BEEN HARD FOR ME TO TAKE ADVICE FOR THE LAST 34 YEARS BUT I WILL OPENLY TAKE SOME NOW!

We went for the big walk around IKEA today and bought the curtains for the baby's room. They are lovely and now we only need a blind for the window to keep out the light. Not that Ottawa is famous for the amount of light it gets during winter (just a little more than GG, Star and family in Yellowknife are used to) but they will help.

We are sitting down to supper now.

PC macaroni and white cheese (don't blame me it's Kate's favorite).

Love to all,

R&K

Hey how about Kerr for a first name?

Hey,

It's Saturday and we are jsut relaxing. We went to the baby boom show today (trade show like any other) and now we are just bumming around.

Not much to say right now. Felt baby's bum sticking out of mommies tummy today. Very cool.

More later,

R.

Hey Y'all,

Above is my darling wifey Kate preparing the suitcases for our trip to the hospital (which may be sooner than later). I think our cat Abby is trying to help fill the bag.

The prenatal classes provided us with a pretty extensive list of things to bring and like a vacation we'll be coming home with more than we went with. Does anyone know where you claim a baby on the customs forms?

Thanks to "the sisters west" for the labor-aide recipe. We picked up the ingredients today.

I am still painting the room and it's starting to look really great. I'll post a picture of it later. Hopefully it's going to be done before the big trip. My thanks to Chris for your help painting on Saturday. It was a great start.

Time to paint the other 2 walls now.

Seee yaaa....

Hey All,

It was an interesting day today. We woke up and everything was fine and after breakfast we went into the baby's room to start taping the walls for the other color that we are using and Katie had a head rush of sorts. Kate was holding the measuring tape and looking down and when she looked up she felt really light headed. Kate's mom Paddy said we should have her blood pressure checked and sure enough when we did it was a little high. We called the hospital and they said that the level was still within normal levels but if any other light headed-ness happens or anything out of the ordinary occurs, to go in and get Katie looked at.

Then it was Tina and Mike's wedding (from my work). That was fun and Katie was looking lovely in her dress. I shot their wedding video and I think it might actually turn out pretty well. We are both kind of tired now so we are going to bed. Oh and I have felt the baby's foot (I think) poking out of the belly. Very cool.

Katie's belly has dropped so Grand Mammys and Grand Pappys get ready to spoil.

Lots O' Love,

Ryan (and Katie)

Hey,

It is getting late so just a quick note prior to bed.

Will, Marcy,Tristan (Their Son), Katie and I were at Pablo and Marcella's house tonight for dinner. It was a great time and as usual we spent the night laughing and teasing each other. Pablo and Marcella are almost unpacked (I think) and the house is looking more and more together all the time.

I got to hold Tristan for the first time tonight and it was a great moment in my life. He didn't even barf on me. Good boy. He is a beautiful baby and very quiet. We don't have a picture of him yet but I will post one as soon as I get it. My hands are almost as long as his whole body. He is only about 2 weeks old (although I might be a little off give or take) and he makes the best sounds in the world. Sure is cute.

Gotta sleep now.
Ryan.

It is now 11PM. I think the time on the blog is not set up right. Fix tomorrow if time.

Hey Everyone,

While I write this my ever so prego wife is in what is to become the baby's room cleaning so I better be quick.

Today was Kate's last day at work and she is very excited. They ordered pizza for her at the office and Kate brought home some for me. I can't seem to work up the hunger to eat almost two full pies but I will try.

So all thet is left is the readying of the room (we go to the paint store tonight and paint tomorrow) and buying the cloth diapers and some more clothes and having the baby and and and and...

More soon...
Ryan.

This photo is the before!