Finding a home and a growing baby

Hello all! I know it's been a while, but I finally have a few moments to update the blog while the munchkin is sleeping.

Well, we spent a few weeks in WI with the dual purposes of spending time with family and trying to find a new house. We succeeded in both areas. We had a great time with both sides of the family. We also bought a house! It's in Oshkosh, about 5 minutes from campus. It has a wooded back yard, even though the house is in the city. The lot is naturally fenced with woods in the back and large cedar trees in the front and on each side. It's very private and green. The 3BR, 2 1/2 BA home is only 4 years old, and is covered in light hardwood and cherry colored accents. It's two story and has a 3 car heated garage. We're very excited!

CJ is growing like a weed and is finally getting chubby. He's doing well, sleeping 4-6 hours a stretch at night. He coos and smiles now, which is so much fun! He rolled over once already, but has yet to repeat the performance. We have his 2 month check up next week, and I am sure he's going to weigh close to 11 pounds. Dana is still off on maternity leave and enjoying her time with him.

Hope all is well with everyone! Gotta go, it's time to feed the baby!

3 weeks

Hello all! Just an update and some new pictures. . .

All is well. Baby Cliff is doing well and growing well. He's still tall and skinny, but is visibly gaining weight. He has his fussy times, but is increasingly awake and alert without crying. He's a good boy.

My parents were here with my sister and neice for a week to help me with cooking and cleaning and visit the new baby. We had a great time and it was very nice to have the help after coming home from the hospital. McKynzie is a very cute little girl and Cliff had fun running around with her.

Jan and Lori (Cliff's parents) are here now to help also. We spent a few days with them in Orlando at the time share (just relaxing and eating) and then Cliff and I came home and they stayed in Orlando for the remainder of the week. Now they're here at our home for a few days helping out.

We're still waiting for our home loan to be approved so we can plan our trip home for house hunting.

Well, that's it for now. Hope all is well with everyone. Miss you all!

It's a Boy, continued. . .

Well, we've spent one night at home and so far so good. CJ kept momma up a lot, but that's to be expected. We are having some feeding issues, so nights are a little long right now. Hopefully they will be resolved soon and we can go back to breastfeeding. Right at this moment, Cliff, CJ & Ruby are all sacked out on the recliner napping. I actually had time for a shower!

I think some people wanted labor and delivery info, so skip this paragrah if you don't want details. . .I went into active labor wednesday around 4pm, after having irregular contractions since the evening before. I actually started "early labor" at work but didn't tell anyone. Walking and being active is good for you at that time anyway. I stayed home until about 10pm when we went to the hospital becuase I couldn't take the intense pain of my back labor any longer. I was 4cm at that time so they admitted me. I didn't want an epidural at first, so I did the tub thing and tried to hang in there. I ended up asking for my epidural around 2 or 3 am when I was 7cm, but couldn't get it for another hour because they had just called an emergency c-section on someone else and anesthesia was not available for me. I got a little crazy, but had lots of support. Cliff did really well with me and didn't take it personally when I yelled at him to stop touching me a lot. I was very impressed with him. After I finally had my epidural I was happy and slept off and on until it was time. I only pushed about 40 minutes, for which I am very thankful. I think that was actually the hardest part for me.

CJ and I are both doing well. I am feeling a little more like myself, though still a little sore. CJ is a good baby, but has had a temper like his dad from the very start. When he wants something his wants it NOW, so he goes from sleeping soundly to screaming and impatient to be fed. There's no "quiet alert" phase for my little man! That's part of our feeding problem because he won't calm down enough to concentrate on breastfeeding. I am working with some lactation nurses so we hopefully won't have to bottle feed for long.

Well, I better get going. Maybe I can catch a nap before the boys wake up!

Love you all and wish all is well with each and every one of you! Enjoy the pics! Hope naked baby pictures don't offend anyone!

It's a Boy!

Pictures to come. . .no time at the moment. . .

Cliff Randall Moll, Jr "CJ" was born 4/2/09 at 11:14am. He was 7lb 15 oz and 21 inches long.

Mom and Baby are doing well.

More to come tonight or tomorrow!

Love, Dana

38 weeks

Well, Baby CJ has finally decided to do the right thing. . .he has flipped into the head down position! He did it on his own, so we didn't have to have the version. Yay!

The ultrasound pictures are of the bottom half of his face and his foot. He's got chubby cheeks and big lips. . .we also know from the previous ultrasound that he has lots of hair. I can't wait to see him in person!

Nothing else new. . .Hope all is well with everyone!

Dana

36 1/2 weeks

Hello all. Here's a few pictures. Sorry it's been so long. . .

Everything is still going well but CJ is still breech, despite the MANY MANY MANY things a I have tried. I have an appointment with my doctor in about a week and he says we'll talk version at that time. Oh, well. The pregnancy has been so easy in all other ways, so I can't complain too much! CJ is already a big boy, weighing in at 6 1/2 pounds by ultrasound. I wouldn't have thought any different from a Bavlnka baby!

Cliff and I are busy with house hunting duties. It's a lot of work to buy your first home and is difficult to do when you live across the country! Thank goodness for the internet!

Hope all is well with everybody! Miss you all!

32 weeks

Hey, y'all. Here's a new belly pic. . . I am 32 1/2 weeks now. Everything is going well so far. So far, CJ is still in a breech position. By 34 weeks, 90% of babies will have moved to head down, so he's got 2 more weeks to go before we get worried. If he has not flipped, I'll be seeing an acupucturist for "moxabustion" which is supposed to encourage breech babies to flip. If he STILL doesn't flip, we'll be talking with my OB to schedule a version (where the doctor tries to flip the baby from the outside). It's not pleasant for the mommy, so I hope he just flips on his own.

No other news. Cliff is still working hard on his dissertation and is teaching this semester. Ruby is doing well and has fit in well with our little family.

Hope all is well with everyone!