9 posts tagged “logan”

On Thursday I got a call at work that was really unnerving. Jennifer called and you could tell she was upset. Grace was in the background crying, so I knew something bad had happened. Jennifer told me Grace had burned three of her fingers on the stove and wouldn't stop crying. She told me Grace wouldn't let her do anything to her hand. She wouldn't let her put ice on it, clean it, or anything. She called me wondering what she should do, and I didn't have any idea. She had already called the doctor, and they had pretty much told her to put Grace's hand in some water, but there wasn't much more we could do for her. The burn wasn't too bad, so it was just the pain that was bothering Grace. Jennifer was finally able to get Grace to calm down by giving her a pacifier. It was the same thing we did months ago when she had a procedure to remove a cashew she had inhaled from her lung. Other then that time, she hasn't had a pacifier since she was 1. Occasionally she'll grab Logan's and put it in her mouth, but we always take it from her. She just chews on them anyway. Jennifer said once she got Grace calm and focused on something, she took the pacifier away.

I felt bad for Grace getting hurt, because we had snow on Thursday. Not a lot, but enough that she got excited about it. She saw lots of snow while we were in Michigan, but our schedule while we were there made it all but impossible for her to get to play in it much. Besides, the weather was just WAY to cold up there.

Thursday morning, I went in an picked Grace up and opened her Window to show her the snow. She started screaming, "Snow! Snow!". Then she noticed my car was covered and told me I needed to go clean it off. I went to finish getting ready for work, and when I came back out, Grace was missing. She had put her shoes on and was out on the deck (You see, we used to fuss at her for going outside and told her she had to come in because she didn't have any shoes on. Now she puts on her shoes before she goes outside without us knowing. She's clever, that one.). When I went out on the deck to get her, she looked at me, grinned really big, and started bouncing and giggling in the snow. "I like! I like!" she screamed as only a excited toddler can. It was adorable.

Yesterday was Logan's first birthday. It is hard to believe the kid was born a year ago, but then again it almost is since this year has gone by so quickly. Staying at the hospital with Logan is such a blur, because it went so quickly and smoothly. Grace had difficulty passing her hearing test, had difficulty nursing because of a lump of skin in her mouth that was removed while we were in the hospital, and Jennifer had a much harder recovery. Logan popped out, ate fine, pooped fine, and Jennifer was better overnight. We went home much sooner.

I also recall that Jennifer and I were much more relaxed with Logan. With Grace, Jennifer seemed to have this compulsive thing about keeping Grace in the room with us. With Logan, we didn't have a problem pushing him back to the nursery so we could enjoy our dinner in quiet or get a good nights sleep. We knew we'd get plenty of sleepless nights and screaming at home. Boy did we ever. A year in and he's just now starting to wake up once a night.

The party yesterday was hectic, but fun. We had 12 adults and 6 kids (including ours) in this trailer. It was a little cramped at times, but the kids stayed in other rooms playing for the most part so that helped out. We had this Italian dish that Logan really loves. It is chicken, marinara, and polenta. Most everyone seemed to like it. We knew it was a little bit of a different dish, but we figured that it was only weird in name. The taste is very nice. Basically, it is like eating marinara and chicken on top of a cheese sauce.

Logan got a lot of clothes, because that is what we asked for. With is birthday so close to Christmas, it didn't make much sense to get more toys.

Oh, we also managed to get some games of Wii bowling in during the party and I have big news...I went PRO in bowling!!! Finally. Yep, it only took me a year (good grief). Now if I can maintain it. I woke up early this morning and played a few games. I have my pro status up to about 1,049 for the time being. That should give me some wiggle room.

Show us your favorite photograph.

Logan

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This might not be my favorite of all time, but it definitely my recent favorite.  What can I say?  My boy likes his cake.

Today was a pretty rotten day.  It wasn't the worst day, but there wasn’t much fun about it.  Today I was supposed to get off of work around 12pm so we could leave for a college graduation in West Virginia.  I received a phone call around 11am.  It was Jennifer, and she was obviously upset.  She informed me that she had suddenly been hit with horrible back pain.  After a short conversation, we hung up.  I felt awful about the situation, but she wanted to try and manage it.  It was probably less than 10 minutes before she called back and told me I needed to come home.  She said she could barely move and she wasn’t able to pick our son up off of the chair he was lying in.  I left for home as soon as I got off the phone.

When I got home, Jennifer and Grace were huddled around the recliner Logan was lying in.  Jennifer was standing there, unable to pick him up, but positioned in such a way that he couldn’t role off the chair.  It was remarkably calm.  Both Grace and Logan were quiet, though you could tell Grace didn’t know what to think about everything that was happening.  Jennifer had also called my mom and she arrived at our house not long after I got there.  Once my mom was settled in, I got Jennifer to my car and we left for the Emergency Room.  

When we got to the hospital, I helped Jennifer through the ER doors.  I offered to get a wheelchair for her to get into as soon as she got out of my car, but she said she wanted me to stay with her.  When we got inside, she wasn’t shy at all about me grabbing the only wheelchair in site.  It made getting around MUCH easier.

At one point, this elderly lady walked in with an older man I assume was her husband.  Though they both moved a little slowly, they didn’t seem to have much trouble getting around.  The elderly woman was making quite a fuss about there not being a wheelchair around for her husband to use.  When Jennifer heard this, she started to try and get out of her wheelchair so I could give it to them.  Though it may have been a kind gesture, it would have been completely unfair.  Besides, I am sure they eventually got the guy a wheelchair.  I wouldn’t know.  As luck would have it, a nurse called us back while this scene was unfolding, and that quickly put an end to Jennifer trying to get out of the chair.  Although, when I slammed the wheelchair into the narrow doorway on the way into the nurse’s office, she probably wished she had given up the chair.  After we finished talking with the nurse, she made it clear that I wasn’t to push her anymore.

No sense of adventure.  Psst…

When Jennifer was examined by the doctor, she explained that she was sure it wasn’t a bone issue, and that an X-Ray would be a waste of time and money.  It was most likely a muscle/tissue issue such as a slipped disc or pinched nerve.  She mentioned that she was going to give Jennifer a shot to provide immediate relief as well as a prescription to help at home.  In the middle of talking to us, there was this dramatic moment where the intercom started blaring some gibberish and a nurse came up to the doctor and said something to her like, “Code red.”   The doctor looked at us and said, “Excuse Me.”  She ran off and I half expected her to rip off her scrubs to reveal she was, in fact, Wonder Woman.

After 20-30 minutes, a nurse finally showed up to discharge us and had the prescription.  She didn’t seem to know anything about the shot the doctor mentioned.  All she said was, “The percocet will last longer.”  Jennifer wasn’t happy about not getting the shot, so after the nurse left, she told me to ask to speak with the doctor.  Long story made short, the nurse came back in after a few minutes and told us the doctor did want Jennifer to have the shot.  Jennifer was happy about that.

When we got home, my mom took Grace home with her to spend the night so it has just been Jennifer, Logan, and myself at home this evening.  Fortunately, Logan has been a very good boy.  Jennifer slept most of the evening, and her drugs are keeping her pretty drowsy, but she is doing better. 

Clearly, there will not be a trip to West Virginia this weekend.  I’m just thankful this didn’t happen up in West Virginia.  I think the scene would have gone something like this:

I can’t believe it has been 6 days since I blogged something.  It doesn’t seem like it has been that long. 

The reason for my absence is pretty simple: family.  Jennifer, Grace, and Logan have been consuming all my time lately.  I am not complaining though, because that’s how it should be.  God forbid I neglect my family to blog.

Our precious little Logan.  As I’ve mentioned, he is a demanding baby.  He has been requiring one of us hold him almost constantly.  It was a bit better yesterday, but up until then, I’ve been doing my part to hold him when I get home.  Jennifer needs the break so she can get stuff done and eat her dinner without him in her lap.

Grace has been a toddler.  She needs a lot of attention and is coming to terms with the fact that we’re not running a freakin’ Burger King!  She can’t have it her way, at least, not all the time.  Lately her thing has been eating a light dinner and wanting her snacks immediately after she finishes.  Of course, she doesn’t like it when we insist she eat her dinner instead of her favorite crackers.  So, there’s been a lot of whaling and gnashing of teeth over that issue. 

Jennifer hasn’t been taking up a lot of time, but I have to make sure I don’t neglect my time with her.  I don’t know why it is so hard to make time to spend with her.  I always feel guilty when I don’t.  Just seems that when I finally have a few moments of time that I can spend on something of my choice, I get wrapped up in it and suddenly an hour or two has flown by.  That's when the guilt sets in.

So, there hasn’t been a lot of time for blogging.  There hasn’t been a lot of time for much of anything.  My Wii is still packed in a bag from where I took it to my parent’s house this weekend.  Between taking care of our two kids and doing the things that life demands, it feels my whole life is on rails and screaming down tracks at break neck speed lately.

Dear Logan Boy, 

What can I say about you?  You came into this world and were so happy.  For 4 weeks, you only cried when you were wet or hungry.  You would sit around and observe your world, stare at your daddy's face, and make cute little noises.  Then, something happened.  This weekend you decided this new world isn't so grand.  That there are places you like.  You like being held, but only if we are holding you right and constantly entertaining you.  You quickly learned the fastest way to get that is to cry.  Oh, and cry you do.  

Now, when you are awake, your mother yearns and cherishes those few moments of silence that you give her.  I have noticed those moments are rare this week, Logan boy.  Still, I am hopeful.  I know that one-day, when you are a grown man, I will have the opportunity to repay you for the acts of brutality you are carrying out on me and your mother.  I'm not quite sure what it will be yet, but I know it will involve me refusing to let you do anything but pay attention to me.  Of course, I must sneak in the very brief moments of letting you think I am actually going to let you accomplish something, right before I crush that hope by grabbing your attention again.  It may seem cruel, but you reap what you sow.

I know you are still very young, and they say you don't know what you are doing.  Still, I can't help but feel this is a deliberate and coordinated attempt at driving your mother and I insane.  Alas, your efforts will fail.  Your mother and I are already adjusting to your new demeanor.  Just yesterday, I observed your mother cleaning as you lie in your sister's bed and continued to scream.  This was something she wouldn't have done with your sister, but this time, we are learning that we are going to have to let you cry sometimes to get anything accomplished.  So, it was a valiant attempt, little Logan, but your efforts will fail.  

I do want to thank you for still sleeping good and only waking up once a night.  That at least gives us the time to get mentally recharged for another day of the screaming.  You're still a good baby, Logan.  Your mother and I still love you.  Ignore the moans.  Ignore the tears.  Ignore the sighs of frustration.   You are still our angel, and we wouldn't trade you for any other kid in the world.

With love,
Your Father

OK, so I am starting to get an idea of what this parent of two thing is going to be like:

Grace asks to have her AquaDoodle pen filled for the 700th time and cries for me to color with her.  She then cries for us to switch pens because mine is obviously better.  Two minutes after that she cries again because, alas, my pen is better.  Two minutes later she cries AGAIN because…you get the idea.  Suddenly, Logan screams because he can't figure out why his own hand keeps smacking him in the face.  I rush to help the poor boy only to have my daughter whine at me for not promptly exchanging my pen with her.

There is a lot of nudity around here at the moment.  I'll be sitting on the couch and glance over at my wife only to see her boob hanging out of the nursing bra yet again.  Whether it is feeding time or pumping time, I am seeing a lot of her boob lately.  Usually this would be a good thing, but as any man can tell you, there is something mortifyingly creepy about watching a woman put a device on her breast and having it suck milk from her like she is a cow.  I actually called my wife "Cow Girl" and lived to tell the tale.  

Time to go.  Grace has taken her pants off and Logan is ready for Cow Girl to come into the homestead. 

The third night at home with Logan has come and gone. So far he is sleeping better than I am. Last night he only woke up at 2AM and 6AM. Unfortunately, I only slept an hour between those times. Part of the problem is he is a noisy baby. Not noisy in a fussy sense, but he makes some weird noises that my daughter did not. First, he occasionally snorts (or does something that sounds like a snort) when he is breathing. We ask the people at the hospital about this and they said it was normal. It occurs randomly, so it tends to startle someone who is trying to fall asleep. I am still getting used to it. Second, he squeaks. Apparently this is a family thing. My mom said I did the same thing. She said a woman heard me at the hospital and said I sounded like a mouse.

Noisy Logan wasn’t the only issue though. I got worked up because I had to go back to work today. Honestly, I was so stressed out last night about not getting enough sleep and being tired at work that I didn’t get enough sleep and will be tired at work. How’s that for irony? I remember the exhaustion we experienced with Grace. Our bed time was around 8:30 or 9:00 PM when our daughter was a newborn. You had to go to bed that early to assure you got a decent sleep between the feedings and changings. Even though my wife breast feeds (which makes me pretty useless come feeding time), I still wake up when the baby cries. With Grace I eventually got to a point where I would sleep through entire feedings, which isn’t a fact I am necessarily proud of, but it happened. I remember one morning I was excited because I thought Grace had slept through the night. Apparently the only person that slept through the night was me.

Hopefully this won’t make me sound horrible. I am a lucky man. Jennifer wants me to sleep because she knows I have to go to work the next morning, but I am not so sure this is the best way to handle things this time around. When Grace was our only kid, I knew Jennifer could just stay in bed and sleep while I got up and went to work, and she did. Grace slept fairly well as a newborn, so it worked. Having two kids makes this situation trickier. Grace is going to wake up between 7 and 8 AM no matter what Logan does the night before. We are going to have to get into a new rhythm this time around, because we need to make sure both of us are getting the rest we need. The trick will be finding the balance so that neither one of us is constantly exhausted.

We can’t really work on this yet, because we only ordered a breast pump the day before we went to the hospital.  Since my boobs don’t produce milk (last time I checked), Jennifer is flying solo with feedings until that gets here.  Hopefully Logan will have settled into a routine by the time the pump is here.

I've finally got around to posting some pictures of Logan.  The last few days have been crazy, as you can imagine.  The story of the birth will be forthcoming.  I find typing up events like this helps me move the details into my long term memory.  So it is likely to be long and sappy.  For now, here are the pictures:

Hello everyone.  I am typing this message from a public computer in a library, because last night around 1:30 AM, my wife's water broke.  Logan was born this morning at 4:34 AM, weighted 7 lbs 11.5 oz and was 19 1/4 in long.  Both mother and baby are doing great.  I'll post pictures of the baby and more details when I have more time.  Just wanted to make this annoucement to the world.  MY SON IS HERE!!!