I'm Bored

So today Tina calls me at work to tell me that she is bored! Obviously I am doing a great job as a husband if everything is taken care of and she just sits at home bored. Or, I guess it could be that her parents are here helping out, since they would have more of an impact on her work load while I am at work.

Emilee is well over a week old. As far as I know she is sleeping through the night, but the fact that Tina is always so tired leads me to believe the I have just become a true dad. My dad once gave me the wise council, you aren't a true father until you can sleep through your baby crying, and I have achieved this state. In fact over the past week, many nights Tina would wake me up because she was taking care of Emilee when either Andrew or Maren would come in, and she was unable to take care of all of the children's needs.

This isn't to say that I'm not tired. Emilee seems to think that 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm is awake time, and enjoys looking around, making noises, crying, and filling her diaper. So most nights we don't get to sleep until after 11:00pm, and Maren still comes into our room to wake us up at 6:00 am prompt.

Well, Tina said it is my turn to hold Emilee, so I must go.

One day old

Emilee is one day old and doing well. So far she is a sleeper, a noisy sleeper, but a sleeper. In fact, she has screamed and cried in full volume while sleeping. This tends to make mom's sleep less restful.

Emilee's Grandpa Harding stopped in today on his way to a business meeting in Wyoming. Grandma Harding is not very happy about that because she had been out visiting Andrew and Maren all Memorial weekend, with the hope she could see the new baby. Well, Grandma Harding's flight was leaving at 7:00, so she needed to be at the airport at 5:00 to ensure she would make it to her flight, especially since it was the end of a holiday weekend. She was leaving the house about the time Emilee was born. And it turned out that the lines at the airport were short enough she would have had plenty of time to be one of the first to welcome Emilee. Instead, Grandpa Harding got to hold Emilee today.

Jerusha also flew home today, and was pretty happy she decided to come and visit this weekend since she too could see the new baby.

Hilary and Evan also stopped by to be among the first to hold Emilee.

I went home this evening to spend some time with Andrew and Maren, so they knew they still had parents. It turns out, dad's aren't good enough, in fact I rate behind Mom, AND Emilee. Maren spent most of her time asking for Mom, and when I said, "Mom is still at the hospital, I will bring her home tomorrow." Maren's response would be, "I want Emilee." So if anything, having me home just reminded her that her two favorite people weren't there. A dad's job is a thankless job, I guess ;)

Everything is going well, so now it is time to get some sleep.

Not quick enough

Well, I took too long. Emilee just woke up so I have some time now to fill you in on the experience.

This morning at 3 am, Tina's water broke, she wasn't sure her water had broken, so she went back to bed. (I am grateful for that!) I got up around 6:30 when Andrew got up, and I took him downstairs to allow Tina to get more sleep. I started making a big breakfast of hashbrowns, bacon, eggs, toast, ... Just then Tina came downstairs and said she had talked to the doctor and he suggested she come in to the hospital just to be checked.

Well, sure enough, her water had broke, so now we were stuck in the hospital for the long haul. (There went my breakfast.) The only problem was Tina hadn't had any contractions yet, and didn't think they would be starting anytime soon. Thank goodness for modern medication.

In a few hours she was having contractions, but things were progressing slowly. At 3:30 pm things looked like they were going slow, so I went home to make a few phone calls, and pick up a few things. A few minutes after I got home, Tina called, and said she was having the urge to push, and would like me to return to the hospital. Not even one minute later she called to see if I had left yet, and since I hadn't, she told me she felt like the baby was hanging out. So I jumped in the car, and high tailed it to the hospital.

I pulled into the parking lot at 4:22, and Emilee was born at 4:29. When I got to the room, the doctor, and nurses were all in the room just waiting for me to arrive.

Emilee and Tina are doing really well. Emilee has been sleeping, which has also given Tina the opportunity to get much needed rest. All of the nurses checks have been good, and Tina got to change her first new baby diaper. For those who don't know the first few diapers are full of a tar like substance, and I figured if I did those first few that should absolve me of changing stinky diapers later. It didn't work for Andrew or Maren, so I thought I would let Tina take this one if I was still going to have to change other stinky diapers.

A new addition

Emilee Ann Harding
Born 29-May-06 @ 16:29
7lb. 12oz.
20.5in.

Both Tina and Emilee are doing well, and asleep right now.

Andrew and Maren have already come to see their new sister, and they are pretty excited.




This is my third attempt at this post, and each time it gets shorter and shorter, hopefully this one will take, and I can go to bed. I can't get the picture right, but this will have to do. I will fill you all in on the highlights of today, tomorrow.

Family Reunion

We are getting ready to go to a family reunion up in Washington. This will be our longest drive yet with the kids, Andrew (2) and Maren (1), so we will see how the travelling goes.