birthday at last

12/27/10 at 3:07pm. 6 pounds and 15 ounces. i have never felt birthdays were anything worthwhile until yours. you are the most beautiful creature imaginable.

Layne Karin out cold after a good feeding today:

this is it

i am sitting in the room you will be born in. just as we were about to get to sleep for the night, suddenly contractions began like clockwork every 90 seconds to 2 minutes. this was very confusing since we expected to have a long amount of time of consistent but short and well-spaced contractions. just about time that we needed sleep came the realization that this was real labor.

so, i just had a doze, soothed by your little 160 bpm heartbeat. everything is ready for you. heart.... keep it up. you can do it.

the story so far

just under 7 years ago, something strange happened.

january 24, 2004. Someone decided to leave a comment in a stranger's journal. Something she never, ever does. [Certain types of journal-writing creatures only enjoy the writing and also exploring what others have written, but don't really use it for back and forth or collaboration. We keep to ourselves, the introverts we are.]

They got interested in everything written in the other's journal. So they started conversing with instant messaging. A week later, (even more strangely for these introverts) they decided to get together...

On December 1 2004 they got married.

Over 6 years, so much has been accomplished. We have transformed our separate selves, growing together- meeting very significant goals along the way. We have fought for the identity of our partnership, discovering our own intricacies of personality. We have worked for better health. We have secured education & solid income even within what's viewed by most as the most challenging economic climate yet. We've earned the respect & support of others, though not everyone. We've lost friends and support along the way too. We've created a form of unity that is not understood by most.

Now it is time for Layne, the right time. We will fight for you as an essential element of our unity. With purpose we have chosen to bring you in to our life. You transcend everything else we've worked for, you are all that matters now. Life didn't exactly make sense, something necessary wasn't here, before.

dreams of you

i have had several dreams every month since you came along. dreams of caring for you & holding you, dreams of your birth... dreams of intense happiness. i think these dreams formed from internal cognitive pressure building up.... the stress of the questions of whether i am capable of the responsibility necessary to give you all you deserve in life...

all doubt, stress, and worry has re-arranged, hit the exact right mix to create this balanced reaction in my brain chemistry. my attachment to you is immense. all i feel is a brand new, completely real certainty of myself, through you. in my dreams i was so happy. you (& your mom) are just what i need to be content.

just about ready

not much more to write about. you aren't quite here officially yet, but you've been the highlight anyway; we are getting everything ready, spending a lot on special things for you, and taking the time to feel and talk to you, play music for you, and imagine the new life just around the corner with you. Really you've been with us very consciously for 6 months. You exist, just waiting to be thrust into this world that's not as womby as you might like...

I am almost finished reading Heading Home with your Newborn, and I also have the Be Prepared handbook for new dads, so I will have some clue what to do once you are born. I was terrified of making a mistake that could harm you, so now I feel a little more steady. Now armed with some fairly obvious knowledge that was easy to obtain, I wonder how any parent could do some of the things they carelessly do.

Because of how it can impact you, I have a sudden dis-empathy for anyone who feels the need to smoke cigarettes constantly. I don't know how you're ever going to be able to see your grandpa...

A flaw of mine is having a standard that doesn't allow me to stay focused, I get angry at the careless actions of others and start to react to them- I am trying to build up some new mental constitution so I can keep my focus on protecting you and avoid being distracted by the stupidity of others around us.

Retry

Maybe all new parents seek to give their children a chance at what they never realistically had....

The chance to be valued just for who you are, and encouraged to do anything you want to do.

The chance to be loved because you exist, without any complicated pretenses.

I look forward to learning what childhood is like, finally.

Two in clear-minded unity become three.

You have permission to be anything you want to be. I know you can accomplish anything you can imagine.

Hello, baby.

I am 24 weeks pregnant today.

I'm so excited to meet you. I think about you all the time.
I love to look at all of your little clothes, and to imagine your tiny little hands and feet.

Sometimes I worry that we won't have everything ready for you. But, I know that we want you, and that as soon as you get here, we will be able to take care of you.

So, take your time, but don't take too long! We're waiting.

How to name a human

Task: Randomly (or even with purpose) select a label for your new human.

Purpose: What really is the purpose of labels? They help us communicate, perhaps. Throughout this species' history the tradition of labeling has been kept. It seems like a good thing to do.

Additional Details: You actually get to select two- in case they don't like it, there's an alternate. Why not pick only one, and then let the labeled actually pick the other once they are old enough? No one has really challenged the traditional precedent, as far as I know. I often wonder why.

I've also been told that the complete label should also possess a certain rhythm, such that you can use it as a disciplinary tool combined with a certain tone as a means of letting little one know that you are serious. That can be a useful behavioral conditioning once they get old enough to start making mischief.

Mothers' names have been considered as middle names - Kay & Connie.

Other officially considered names thus far:

Molly
Natalie
Rebecca

Charlotte

Olivia

Bethany

Scarlett

Elise

Michelle/Shelly

Laine

Alexandra

Amelia

Vanessa

Kirsten

Chloe

Sofie

It's a human!

• 2 arms
• 2 legs
• 1 head
• very likely female (YESSSS!)
• 23.5 Weeks To Go

Woohoo!

Baby's first movie experience was Despicable Me on Sunday. We also went to toy story a while back but by now the hearing has developed. Baby was making flutters here and there, I'm told, throughout the film! I cried when he finally gave the goodnight kisses (just for one second).

A father's pact

On my first father's day, I have assembled my feelings, my love, and my courage.

I offer this pact as a commitment, contract, and implementation of my will to live and love.

To my child:

A gift I often feel I can never deserve. One that should be treasured. It would be unethical for me not to share such a special kind of gift.

I give to you consciousness.

With what's left of my life, I hope to learn from you.

Who I am will be nurtured and re-shaped by your choices, enthusiasms, interests, and dreams.

I promise to always support the direction you want to go.

I will not be absent from your life.

I will not withhold love and approval that you deserve.

I will not allow anything to be more important to me than your life and happiness.

I will not require of you any standard but simple self-respect and acceptance of me.

Should it ever be required, I will not deny you forgiveness of any error or damage.

I will lay down my life for yours.

happy moms day to my love

To my beautiful wife who is a brand new mom I promise absolute support with every particle of my self. I don't know how to give enough to honor your strength and success. We are flawed creatures. Our love is what allows us to transcend these flaws as we pass down the gift of consciousness to a new member of our species. My plea is for you to accept me & continue in your love for me, allowing it to grow as love for our new one.