The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done.

The real reason I didn't get around to blogging before my leave was over was that well, we had a rough start.  Parenthood knocked Joe and I are on our asses.  It was, and still is, the hardest thing we've ever done.

The first two weeks after Miles was born, Joe's mom Sandi was in town from Michigan along with my mom.  First of all, let me just say - we could not have done it without them.  Period.  It was the most emotional either of us have ever been in our lives.  It was the most physically and emotionally exhausted I have ever been.  I truly had moments where I thought I could not do it. Thankfully, we had Sandi and Sammy - the dream team - to pull both Joe and I out of our depressions.

The reasons for our rough start were due to the following:

colic - in. intense. Miles started his colic period during the second week and would just cry and cry.
sleep deprivation - in. tense. Joe & I were more set in our ways than we realized before Miles arrived. Evidently, we need our sleep more than we thought because it rocked our world running off of fumes.
recovery - I had to recover from the delivery.  It took shorter than anticipated but hurt in a different way than I expected. I had to get stitches and was just sore in my muscles, sore in my spine from the epidural.  Just sore in general.
breastfeeding - NIGHTMARE! I have actually grown to really love those moments when I get to nurse him and bond with him.  They are some of my favorite times together.  But at first, it was awful. AWFUL! I was in so much pain, frustrated, crying all of the time, no sleep. Truly, terrible.  After I healed from those first two weeks, we really got the hang of it.
change - Joe & I have been together for 7 years and lived together for 4 years. We are used to each other, our idiosyncracies.  We love our friends. We love our life. We love each other's company.  Even though Miles was not planned, he was a part of the plan.  Or so we think!  But the initial change of our entire lives was a shock to the system and inevitably changed our relationship.  I think our connection is deeper now. We are learning to work as a team.  Every day there is a challenge but it is really a work in progress... a masterpiece in fact.
baby blues - real and terrifying, I felt very depressed after two weeks and having Joe go back to work.  I felt overwhelmed and out of control. Thanks to my friends and mom, I was able to see that it was just a hormonal imbalance that eventually corrected itself and I eventually got back to feeling like myself.  Special thanks to Virginia for texting me back at all hours and being encouraging throughout!

Anyway, after about 5-6 weeks I started to feel like I could get a handle of my emotions finally.  To be sure, it was a rough ride.  But we love him more every day and he of course is so so so worth every awful moment of frustration or pain.

First doctor's appointment. 

Newborn screening at the hospital.

First stroller ride.

guy time.

Joe's chest is perfect for Miles naps.

Love this sleep face.  3 weeks here.

Working through the colic.

Meeting our little boy & leaving the hospital!

Miles was born at 8 pounds 5 ounces and was 20 inches long.  His feet were HUGE, the nurses kept saying so that his feet were like monster-truck baby feet.  

He was so healthy and in such good condition (as was I) that we left the hospital a day early.  Coming home was so exciting/overwhelming.  You think everyone is going to run into you on the drive home!

Elliegirl did SO well with Miles.  She was way excited and kind of losing her mind but she was obedient and listened to us when we said 'okay Ellie, chill out'.  

Bringing him home was so weird, it felt like we were going to sit on him or squish him somehow because he is so tiny and his world is so limited.  His tiny fingers would clutch onto your hand and squeeze as if he was afraid you'd let go forever.  Its so funny how this tiny, tiny human changed everything so quickly!  

Here are some of the photographic memories.  It was so fun to look back at these and see just how much he's grown in just 6 weeks!

first car ride!

home at last and checking on fantasy baseball stats with dad.

love his sleep face.

The Arrival of Miles Oliver

Sorry for the hiatus!  Apparently newborns are a lot of work?

Miles Oliver Cloud Gibb was born on June 22nd at 3:27pm.  After stubbornly waiting until 41 weeks and 4 days to come out, he arrived and he was PERFECT!  We couldn't imagine him being any cuter or looking any more like his pops!

The labor lasted 17 hours and was well, laborious.  They induced me at 7:30 the night before.  We made snacks at home, my parents were at our apartment taking care of Ellie and we headed off to the hospital.  We stopped at Chipotle along the way for Joe to get a burrito (he needed to be prepared for all the hard work he had to do).  When we got to the hospital they gave me meds to start the process of labor.  We watched the NBA Finals while we waited (the Heat won) and tried to sleep.  I got in a few hours of rest but Joe literally didnt sleep a wink :)

Once the contractions hit, it was a whirlwind from there.  My sister showed up right in time when the action started.  She had to run out and get Joe because he was shmoozing in the waiting room with family members and everything started to happen.  My mom, sister and Joe were in the room with me when Miles finally made his debut!  They were a stellar support team!  By the way team, Joe cried... no sobbed... the last 30 minutes.  It was pretty adorable if I do say so myself!

Here are the initial pictures from Miles' birthday:

this is what 41 weeks & 4 days looks like

last time at home with just the two of us

heading into the hospital with all our gear

Joe's zone

after-induction waiting picture

proud papa

sad Joe haha.

pissed!

in awe

happy grandpas

much ado about such a tiny human

Auntie B!

Grammie Sammy!

G!

10 months pregnant!

Baby's due date has come and gone at this point.  Now we are just waiting and watching to see when he will make his big debut!  Went in for my ultrasound and the doctor said that his fluids and vitals got an 8 out of 8 (meaning that he is healthy)!  So we set up a date with the hospital and our doctors that I will be induced next Thursday night if baby does not come beforehand.

I hope that he comes naturally and I do not have to be induced medically.  But I will just stay positive and go with the flow for whatever comes our way.

Please send us positive thoughts for baby's safe delivery into the world.  Can't wait to meet him :)

The Final Countdown

Winding down from a beautiful weekend.  Took a long bath, double checked my hospital bag against my checklist and gave myself a nice foot rub.

Weekends like these will be few and far between so we enjoyed ourselves.  We laid by the pool. Strolled around the outdoor festival in the Highlands. We went to dinner. To the mall. Met friends out for Jenni's summer send off on a rooftop patio on Broadway.  Great friends! Great food! Soooo relaxing.  

Joe has really been taking good care of me.  He has been ultra attentive to me the past two weeks! I can't see my feet and tend to not take it as easy as I should.  So he has been making me take it slow, watching where I walk, opening car doors, cooking me breakfast.... I could get used to this :)

I put together all of the baby's gadgets (baby monitor; thermometer; stroller adapter, etc) and put the finishing touches on the baby's room.

The final touch to the room in terms of decorations came in the mail last week from our dear dear friends, Geoff and Kristine.  This was in the form of a Kristine Rogers original  drawing (most of you know that our apartment has Kristine's artwork up in every room).  The drawing is below and is personal not just this blog and his nursery but it has the imagination, love and thoughtfulness that only Kristine can bring.  

LOVE how 'us' it is:

It has Joe's 'childbirth' drawing from an earlier blog; the Little Cloud book; baby's onesies on clothespins along the wall; and the baby's giraffe and elephant theme.

Enjoy the Misadventures :)

The drawing sits right above his crib to remind him of how loved he is!

Diaper Party (man fun)

Two weekends ago, Nick threw Joe a 'diaper party' as kind of a last hurrah and celebration on the eave of becoming a dad.  The guys were asked to bring over any kind of diaper pack and a 6-pack of their choice.  Nick, David, Dave, Brock, Michael Delue, Chad, Brad, Aaron & Peter all came over to our apartment and then took the papa-to-be out on the town.

I went out for a girl's night: sushi (tempura) and chick flicks.  When I got home, the scene in the house was too funny not to take pictures.  Amongst the beer/whiskey bottles and shot glasses, there were diapers and baby wipes.  Next to the empty pizza boxes and wings were infant Huggies and sensitive butt wipes. Too funny!!!!

The boys then came home from a long night of drankin' and had what appeared to be the equivalent of a 13-year-olds sleepover party in the living room with chicken nuggets and a movie on as loud as possible.  I came out and put blankets on the boys and turned the tv off..... all in all successful man-night!   Here are some of the pictures:

Pampers next to empty Knob Creek bottle.

Empty bottles. Full bags of diapers.

Lots of diapers for Little Man!

Joe's daddy duty was stockpiling diapers.  Apart from being slightly OCD about it, he's reached his diaper-goal successfully :)

Nursery Complete!

Joe walked into the nursery this week and said 'I can't believe my SON'S room is done'.  :)

It is looking pretty good thanks to all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!  There is a piece of each person in our lives in the baby's room represented through various pieces of furniture, clothes, toys, love.  I can't wait to bring him home to his new room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Step 1: Moved the couch out of the room when we got the crib in the mail.

Step 2: Joe puts crib together.

Step 3: Clustered baby clothes and baby toys.

Step 4: Crib put together. Other items purchased (rug included).

Step 5: Rug doctor rented.

Step 6: Everything removed from room. Carpets cleaned.

Step 7: Mom cleans top to bottom!

Step 8: Get more gifts! Joe pulls out his drills/tools and rolls up his sleeves.

Step 9: Put together changing table & swing.

Step 10: Taunt Ellie with new toys and swing that moves on its own!

Step 11: Take a quick break from all of the building and organizing.  

Step 12: Bring shower clothes home.  Ellie 'helps' organize baby bro's swag.

Step 13: All is constructed.  Everything put away. Bets & mom put up garland and set up the changing station. Clean the crib sheets and put the finishing touches.

Step 14: Make it feel like home :)