Stink Face

Yes, yes, I'm sorry I haven't written for so long. Actually, I probably owe the biggest apology to Lucy- the last three months of your life were wonderful, and I failed to document them properly. Well, I failed to document them on this blog properly. In my head I can still see all of the following very clearly, and I doubt these images will ever fade:

1. Your stink-face when you first tried squash. I would have thought your puckered lips and prune face indicated you'd rather have mashed peas or banana's, but when you immediately opened wide and leaned forward for another mouthful I knew you were in love. You did give another stink-face at the second bite, but leaned in even more quickly for the third bite than you did for the second.

2. Your toothy smile when we first noticed you had two bottom teeth poking through. Five months- just like your pops! Maybe that means you'll need braces someday like your pop too. I just hope you don't need the head gear....

3. Your proud chewing after your little hand with two or three puffs stuck to it finally scooped one successfully into your mouth. Yes, it might have been a fluke, but that puff sure looked like it tasted good. You're now an old pro- you like to to scoop as many cheerios or puffs into your mouth as you can before chewing.

4. Your giggle as you grabbed PuddleDoggy's ear for the first time (yes, you did more than eat the last three months, although you might not know it since you were off the charts in height and weight at your 6-month doctor's appointment.) You do love your puppy, even if he's a little cautious around you still. PuddleDoggy likes to nap next to your crib with you.

5. Your vertical as you jump up and down in your jumper (you're doing it as I write this.) Actually, you prefer side-to-side over up and down, but either way you have more rhythm and dance moves at 6 months than your parents do combined (sorry PuddleMama, it's the truth.) PuddleMama likes to play some good dance music when you're in your jumper.

6. Your babbling. I fell in love with your mama on our first date when she talked for 25 minutes straight uninterrupted after I picked her up. I could listen to your babble and giggles and coo's even longer, and I do.

7. Your love of remote controls. You love them. For awhile you had trouble because your motor skills were limited and you ended up nailing yourself in the head with them. You're much better now, and other than trying to take a bite out of one every now and again, you're pretty adept with them as well.

The fall promises to be as busy as the summer- we're working on a new home for our family, and maybe a new ladybug room for Lucy.....

Roll Over. NOW!

PuddleMama just called me at work and reported that our little Lucky just had a big achievement. She rolled over (from her back to her stomach) three times! She had previously rolled from her stomach to her back, but now she is bi-rollable. Pretty sweet!

And for those of you who were wondering (I should have reported on this a few weeks ago) PuddleMama's first night away from Lucy went very well. PuddleMama did not need too many cocktails, and the only scare was a missed phone call from PuddleGramma who then did not immediately answer her phone. A special thanks to our friend who suggested "Maybe they are on their way to the emergency room!" Apparently, the issue that caused the original phone call had nothing to do with Lucy, but was instead not knowing what to do when the movie she was watching at our house was going to switch off because our DVR insisted two other programs needed to be recorded.

4 Month Monster

Lucy had her four month appointment on Monday and the important stats are:

Weight: 15 lbs. 15 oz. (90+ Percentile)
Height: 26.5" (90+ Percentile)
Head: 16.5" (80+ Percentile)
Cheeks: Chubby (200+ Percentile)

She is doing great! Lucy also received a few more shots which seemed to bother her a little more than last time, but we gave her some baby tylenol and that seemed to help.

PuddleMama and I are staying at a friend's cabin on Saturday- without Lucy. This will mark PuddleMama's first night away from little Lucky. Don't worry, I plan on feeding PuddleMama cocktails at a high rate.

Father's Day/Girls Gone Wild

Father's Day has come and gone. PuddleMama made a great breakfast in bed (although I just can't eat in bed- we had to move out to the loft) and I got to spend the day hanging out with Lucy. My dad asked me on the phone if it felt any different from any other day, and I had to be honest, it didn't really. At first I was sad about that, but then I realized that it didn't feel too different than any other day *with* Lucy. It certainly felt different that the days pre-PuddleBaby. It really does feel like little Lucy has just always been here, and that feels more than good.

We don't think PuddleDoggy feels exactly the same way. PuddleMama remarked that when she arrives home with Lucy in tow PuddleDoggy will run down and meet them at the door. PuddleDoggy will then see Lucy, lower his head a little, and go sulking off to his doggy bed. Poor guy. Add on top of that the fact we're trying to sell our house resulting in a limited supply of doggy toys laying around and the result is a sad puppy. I have been trying to give him some extra belly rubs, and next week he is going to be the happiest dog around when he visits his cousins Brock, Indy, Sophie, and the enigmatic Tommy.

Oh, there was one small event on Father's day that made it feel unusual. I got mooned. I was walking PuddleDoggy by the softball fields and two boys (maybe 12-14 years old) gave me the old Glen Modean. They then yelled "Yeah, you like that a$$!" before riding off on their BMX's. It momentarily made me glad that I had a little girl and not a little boy... But then thoughts of Girls Gone Wild ran through my head and I quickly and forcibly changed my thought pattern to less terrifying things, like picking up PuddleDoggy's poop. And I used to *like* thinking about Girls Gone Wild. Just another unexpected side-effect of having a girl.

Angel Eyes

A few more photos from this weekened courtesy of PuddleAunt Trisa!

Holy Water, Raspberries, and Gas

Lucy is finally catching up on her normal schedule after a wonderfully full weekend. Lucy was baptised on Sunday surrounded by family and close friends.

She cried a bit during the ceremony, but as I have been told and love to repeat, that's just a baby's way of praying. My dad was actually disappointed she didn't cry more. She didn't yell when they finally poured the water over her, but she certainly made a stink face. (PuddleMama just yelled from the other room that Lucy is actually smiling in her bath- that would be a first. Maybe a little holy water and an eccentric priest was all she needed to start loving water.)

Lucy now has her very own Godmother and Godfather (like she didn't already have enough people doting on her!) They are two people who we know will always be positive forces in her life, and as I said before, I can't wait to see her relationship with them grow.

We were overwhelmed by all the love and support of not only the Godparents, but of all those around us, and we can't possibly thank everyone enough. Lucky truly is lucky, as are Lucky's truly lucky parents. Get that?

For the record, here's a picture of Lucy resting up for the big moment in her Godfather's arms:



On a different note, Lucy belly-laughed tonight harder than we have ever seen. I was giving her raspberries and she was loving it. Then she passed some gas, and was not loving it so much anymore, so I'm thinking it was a combination of gas and raspberries (I know that combination always gets me.) Either way, PuddleMama and I just sat there and laughed with her. I could have given raspberries all night. Too bad Lucy couldn't have had gas all night as well.

Little Lucky's Spirit

Lucy will be baptised on June 14th. PuddleMama and I are very excited. Although my Catholic upbringing didn't produce the most devout Catholic, I do consider my spirituality, soul, and link to God to be very real. For me, it doesn't matter what denomination Lucy will be baptised in (other than some cool points for continuing family traditions) but it does matter that the baptism symbolizes her unique spirituality and the beginning of her relationship to God.

Part of the excitement includes the new special relationship Lucy will have with her Godparents- PuddleUncle (my brother Luke) and PuddleMamaBFF (Kat!) They are two people who we know will always be involved in a very positive way with Lucy's life, and who's values align very closely to our own. Based on my own experiences, I know what a wonderful deal it is to be close to a Godparent. I am closer to God through my relationship with my Godfather and step-Godmother, even if beer, baseball, and bonfires have facilitated that relationship more than rosary beads and bibles. I hope (and am very confident) Lucy will find her own unique relationship to her Godparents that in turn brings her closer to God.

We see more and more of Lucy's spirit everyday. She was very vocal today, appearing to finally realize she is the one making those gurgles, yips, and giggles. We gurgle, yip, and giggle right back at her of course. (In fact, we do it so much I found myself smiling at a coworker today like I do at Lucy when I'm trying to make her smile- in other words, with a wide open mouth and quenched up eyes. The great thing is, the coworker smiled back. I guess it works on all ages of peoples.)

Lucy's spirit is already lighting up my world, and I'm looking forward to watching it grow and bond with the world around her.

Are you feeling Lucky?

Yes!

Exercise for the reader: Get another browser window open and go to http://www.google.com/. Type "Lucy Kleczka" (including the quotation marks) and hit the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button.

Expected Result: I have rigged it so the google "I'm Feeling Lucky" button will take you straight to a blog post about my little Lucky! Have you ever seen anything quite so cool?!

Laugh 1, 2, and 3

Lucy Kleczka laughed for the first time last night! It was amazing. Brief, but amazing. PuddleMama was attending baptism class and my good friend Seriously Dangerous Nick was hanging out with Lucy Kleczka and I (so there was another witness to this feat.) I immediately called up PuddleMama to brag that I just heard Lucy Kleczka laugh for the first, second, and third time. I heard the mixture of excitement and disappointment at not being there from PuddleMama that I expected. I appreciated PuddleMama's Facebook status later that night.

PuddleMama missed her daughter laugh for the first time. Effing baptism class!

Seriously.

I always anticipated that watching "firsts" would be an exciting and rewarding part of parenthood, but there is simply no way to anticipate the joy of watching your little girl start smiling because of gas, then smiling bigger because of gas, then start smiling because of you, then start smiling bigger because of you, then start almost-almost-laughing, then start almost-laughing, and then finally letting out a smiling, gurgling "Heh!" that makes your heart melt. Ridiculously amazing.

PuddleMama asked, as I'm sure most of you would, what I was actually doing to make Lucy Kleczka laugh. Well, I was actually just talking to Seriously Dangerous Nick. We were laughing quite a bit, so Lucy Kleczka just felt like she had to join in. Don't worry Seriously Dangerous Nick, I think she was laughing with us, not at us.

More please Lucy Kleczka!

FYI: I am not going senile. I did a google search on "Lucy Kleczka" and no hits were returned when I used the quotes. Hence I used "Lucy Kleczka" instead of just "Lucy" in this blog post to hopefully create some concrete hits on google. For the record, this blog did return as the 5th link if you did a search on Lucy and Kleczka without the quotes.

Happy Mother's Day PuddleMama!

Today is Mother's Day, and like every Mother's Day at 9:08 a.m. I am smelly, tired, hung-over, and just plain feel like a dirty gym sock. However, my yearly fishing opener weekend tradition doesn't mean that it isn't an absolutely special Mother's Day because it is PuddleMama's first one with Lucy. So, despite feeling like soggy Frosted Flakes left in sour milk on the counter for two weeks, I am writing a very special blog post for PuddleMama to wish her a happy mother's day.

After Lucy came, we decided to tighten our belts and start a stricter budget, so I spent a time thinking of how exactly to give PuddleMama something special (and cheap.) And as I was looking in my closet last week I saw the infamous "Poem Pants." When PuddleMama and I first started dating I used to wear a pair of khaki cargo shorts on some of our dates. I would write a few lines of rhymes, or even a full fledged sonnet, and slip the poem into the cargo pockets. I was usually rewarded with a kiss and smile. (And yes, I realize that I call them the "Poem Pants" even though they are shorts. I am not above a little literary inaccuracy for some cheap and satisfying alliteration.)

ANYWAY, I thought in the spirit of creating something special (and cheap) for PuddleMama this Mother's day I would revive the spirit of the poem pants, and write a special sonnet dedicated to PuddleMama and Lucy. Remember, making it more special, is that it is 9:14 a.m. on Mother's day and I feel like the runny diarrhea Clancy had when PuddleMama was pregnant (see previous blog post for more information on that fun adventure) and yet I am sitting here creating a sonnet on the fly (or should I say on the "bumblebee"?)

So here it is:



Lucky Bumblebees

A pair of gently floating bumblebees,
softly sparks the peering eyes below.
Her smile dances brief before it flees,
but not before igniting cheeks to glow.

The mother's matching pair of eyes above,
illuminate in sync with Lucky's light.
Her smile lingers as she thinks of
another ray of sun from her little sprite.

The mirror of smiles reflects the constant flares
of tender love and bond uniquely theirs.

Pretty good for writing it while feeling like the inside of a clogged garbage disposal, huh?

As I said, I was usually rewarded with a kiss after digging into the poem pants, but as part of my Mother's day gift to PuddleMama I'll postpone that collection of that reward until I've brushed the cigars/booze/potato chips/maybe something grosser out of my mouth. I know, what a guy!

PuddleMama, go look in the leftmost desk drawer. Lucy picked out a card for you. Can you guess what's on it? Oh. And because I'm in danger of feeling too much on the "cheap" side why don't you go get your hair did. On me. I love you and will be home in a few hours! Happy Mother's Day PuddleMama!

Below are Cliff's Notes on the poem for those who need it, but don't worry- there won't be a quiz.

Cliff's Notes:

Form

• This poem is a sonnet, my favorite poetry form
• It follows a typical rhyming scheme, abab cdcd ee
• It is written in iambic pentameter

Symbolism

• Lucy's name means "light", hence all the "light" imagery
• Lucy's initials are L.U.K and I call her "Lucky" as much as I call her "Lucy"
• Lucy loves two bumblebees that hang over her on her play-mat. They are by far her favorite inanimate objects (or maybe semi-animate as the bumblebees have painted faces)
• Lucy has beautiful blue peepers, much like her mother (Cliff is maybe stating a little too much of the obvious here, egh?)
• The card I gave to PuddleMama has two bumblebees on it!

Sex Predictors

No, I am not talking about my special purpose. I am just ready to tie up another loose end and list the tests that were accurate in predicting Lucy would be a girl. When PuddleDeuce really does come along, we will use the tests that were correct again with a bit more confidence (except for the drain-o test- I will never be confident that test would end with anything but an explosion.)

Blog Poll: Final results were 23-22 girl, and although rumours about ballot stuffing from a certain place of business on 6th avenue in Duluth are running rampant, "boy" will concede the election to "girl" with grace and dignity and without a supreme court appeal.

Real Athletes Have Girls: Check.

Fast Heartbeat: PuddleBaby's heartbeat was always on the fast side, which is thought to indicate a girl.

Chinese Lunar Chart: 90% accurate. I'm convinced.

Feet Temperature: No change indicates a girl. PuddleMama's feet were warm and cozy throughout the pregnancy. Maybe this was because she made me massage them so much. That's it! Next time no foot massages, PuddleMama!

Does the mother refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread? Yes = Girl. Great, I'm pretty sure this once is not going to change between now and the day Lucy checks me into the old peoples home.

Is the father gaining weight along with the mother? No = Girl. I better eat breakfast more regularly next time PuddleMama is pregnant if we want a boy. And by breakfast I mean doughnuts and waffles and bacon. Every day.

What is the maternal grandmother's hair color? Not Gray = Girl. Little Lucy's guardian angel has some beautiful hair, and its not gray but more of a shiny golden brilliant color.

Does the mother look particularly good during pregnancy? (Girls steal their mother's looks) No comment.

Has the mother's chest development been dramatic? Yes = Girl. Well if there is ever a reason to make Lucy a sister...

Is the mother's urine bright neon or dull yellow? Dull Yellow = Girl. I can't wait to test this again the second time around... PuddleMama: "PuddleDaddy, come look at my pee!"

Has the mother been craving meats/cheese or fruit more? Meats/Cheese = Boy, Fruit = Girl. Not the most exciting indicator, is it?

Has the mother's nose spread during pregnancy? No = Girl. I wonder if by "nose" they really mean "nose?"

Has the mother been craving orange juice every day? Yes = Girl. This one was particularly hard after the GD diagnosis which greatly limited OJ intake.

Does the mother's abdomen look more like a watermelon or a basketball? Watermelon = Girl. Lame.

Father's Intuition: The last few months in particular I really felt it was going to be a girl. Pat on the back for me.

Well there you have it. My Little Lucky Lucy is dazzling us by growing and smiling and almost laughing. I have more thoughts on this whole having a "girl" business, but I'll save them for another post, to come soon.

PuddleBaby Prediction Contest Winners

Winning Lottery Numbers:

Date: March 2nd
Sex: Girl
Weight: 7 lbs. 12 and 3/4 oz.

This post is long past overdue, but I finally went through the guesses and figured out the winners. Note, all three correctly guessed the date. 1st and 2nd place correctly guessed the sex as well.

First Place: "Puddlegramma in Duluth's co-worker" with a weight guess within 2 and 1/4 oz!
Second Place: "Dan the Man Weaver"
Third Place: "Grandma Duluth's Hawaii Friends"
Consolation: Anyone who is willing to label themselves with a "Puddle" before their relation to Lucy. For example, PuddleGrandma, PuddleUncle, PuddleDaddysFriendFromIBM, etc. You are all winners if you are willing to do that.

While I have had complaints that "Puddlegramma" (aka "Grandma Duluth") stacked the guesses with phantom friends and co-workers, there was no explicit rule against this. I promise to amend rules next time to require contestants to enter their own guesses. For now, however, I might have to ask PuddleMama how we can fit postage to Hawaii into our monthly budget.

Prizes to be distributed at the convenience of issuer, but all contestant winners can immediately brag to their friends and be filled with a sense of achievement and satisfaction that they are the brightest baby predictors to read this blog. Congratulations!

Slacking

I woke up one day last week, looked at Lucy, and swore she grew about 4 inches and 2 pounds overnight. It is amazing how much bigger she is already. She had her one month checkup two weeks ago and weighed in at a solid 9 lbs. 12 oz. I know she is well over 10 lbs now. Hurray for chubby baby!

The last month and a half has been exhausting, as evidenced by the lack of posts. Take heart, however, in the fact that I do have a list of topics I want to blog about (yes, it's a bullet pointed list.) Lucy's arrival was not the only reason for this physical and mental exhaustion. PuddleMama and I have decided now is the time to try to move to our next home, and we have been preparing our townhouse for sale (note, in going through the entire house we did find several unsent wedding present thank yous- if you didn't get one yet it may still be on its way...) Today was the first day our fabulous townhouse is officially on the market.

http://www.edinarealty.com/Listing/ListingDetail.aspx?listing=39995973&Popup=1

We want to get Lucy and PuddleDoggy a nice big yard to play in, a room for just Lucy so she doesn't have to try to sleep through my blogging, and a house we can feel good about raising our family in.

I know Mom- not enough about LUCY. You don't have to remind me the name of this blog. Lucy is doing wonderful. She is beautiful and hungry and she even smiles at her mom sometimes. I have been trying to imitate PuddleMama's voice to earn a Lucy smile, but haven't hit the jackpot yet (for the record, Grover's voice gives the opposite of a smile.)

I am going to bed, but before I do I want to give a shout-out to a few loyal readers.

Brian and Kristin- congratulations! Lucy can't wait to meet her new friend.

PuddleDeuce

Well, I know I haven't posted for awhile and I'm probably losing my core readers. I promise to post more soon. Lucy is doing awesome, and so are Mama and Papa.

Actually, we've been quite busy. I know its a little early to tell everyone, but I'm so excited I can't hold it in. PuddleMama is pregnant again! Lucy is going to be a big sister.

We call him.... PuddleDeuce!

UPDATE: April Fools! I got you (you know who you are!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Lucy weighed in at a healthy 7 lbs. 12 oz. at the doctor yesterday, meaning she gained back her birth weight in two weeks. Yay! However, we still are supplementing with a bit of formula, so our next goal is to try to wean her off as much of that as possible while maintaining healthy weight gain.

Being St. Patrick's day, I tried to find some green formula for Lucy, but my search turned up empty. I figured I could settle for corned-beef and cabbage flavored formula, but I couldn't find any of that either. Weird.


Well, if PuddleMama has a green beer or two maybe the breast milk will be green too. Maybe Lucy will even dig the breast more than usual and it'll help the formula weaning! Worth a shot.

Here are some photo's of my little Lucky:

Big Big Day

Lucy lost her umbilical cord today. Actually, PuddleMama and I lost it too. PuddleMama finally found it in the couch though, so all you potential visitors don't be worried about stepping on it. We decided not to keep it, but don't worry Lucy- this blog post will serve as the sentimental reminder of the day you went from being a poo'ing, pee'ing, crying, sleeping beauty with an umbilical cord stump to a poo'ing, pee'ing, crying, sleeping beauty without an umbilical cord stump.

Lucy Update

Lucy is 10 days old today. We have been home 8 days with her and we already can't imagine life without her. Pooping, peeing, eating, and sleeping are, as expected, among her favorite activities. She also likes to make faces at us (the best ones come as she works out a poo.) I swear she is going through the whole gambit of facial expressions just for practice (or maybe to see which one works out the poo the easiest.)

We are amazed by her strength already. We put her down in the middle of her crib, and invariable find that she scooches all the way to the side and lets her hands and legs hang out the bars. She seems to like PuddleDoggy coming up and sniffing her (PuddleDoggy has learned not to lick her, but you should see him come lick PuddleMama or myself after he sniffs Lucy for awhile- he gets something all pent up and he has to come let it out on us.)

Unfortunately, Lucy is not gaining enough weight so we are having to supplement with formula a bit. Breastfeeding has been our biggest struggle so far, but we are working very hard to get it working efficiently and pain-free for everyone. Personally (selfishly) I have enjoyed being able to feed Lucky a bottle here and there.

We've had quite a few visitors, and appreciate all the gifts and cuddles and food (especially the food.) All the emails, phone calls, and visits are quite amazing and overwhelming. We are so blessed that we have so many caring people in our lives.

More soon...

Our Little Bundle of LUK

Lucy Una Kleczka.

PuddleMama and I agreed very early on a girl name. We both just really liked Lucy (note, it is just Lucy, not Lucille or Luciana.) It means "Light" which is appropriate in many obvious ways that need no in-depth explanation.

Lucy was also born "sunny-side up." She was looking up as she shot out of the birth canal (which is not ideal, and makes for a more difficult birth.) I say my little angel wanted to be looking up towards the "light" of heaven from the moment she was born. I guess you could also argue she just didn't want to be looking (smelling) towards well.... the other direction. The little angel is no doubt the light of my life.

After being pretty sure Lucy would be named Lucy we thought about a middle name. I really liked the idea of Lucy having the initials "LUK." I have been calling her Lucky about 40% of the time now (Lucy 40% and random sweet names like "sweetheart" the remaining 20%.) "Lucky" is also appropriate for being born around St. Patrick's Day. Lucy has some Irish blood as well, and "Una" is an Irish name meaning "One." It has been pointed out we are numbering our children. If we have a boy next, odds-on-favorite for middle name is "Deuce." Have you ever known a Deuce you didn't like?! This system works out well the more kids we end up having- One, drive Four and Five to school please. Three is sick and two went all the way to the market for roast beef (wheeeeee!)

Unfortunately (and we actually realized this might be an issue a few weeks ago) Lucy sounds an awful lot like "Clancy" (PuddleDoggy.) Earlier tonight Lucy was on a blanket on the floor for tummy-time and I was saying "Lucy look over here!" Clancy ran back and fourth between every window in the house. "Lucy look over here!" = "Clancy, who's here?" in dog speak. Using "Lucky" helps alleviate this problem a little bit anyway. (I'll write another blog post soon on PuddleDoggy's reaction to all of this, which has been surprising in good ways.)

All this writing about Lucky makes me want to go pick her up and stare at her for awhile. More soon...

Birth Day

PuddleMama and Lucy are both sleeping, and I'm surprisingly not exhausted (well, not exhausted to the point where I can't take a few minutes for a blog post.) The birth day was quite an epic day in my life, and the details are certainly not as exciting as the payout, but I thought I would put a timeline up for the sake of historical accuracy.

Sunday, March 1st

6:30 p.m. PuddleMama and I drop off PuddleDoggy at Resort Steve. PuddleDoggy is distracted by a rawhide and PuddleMama and I sneak off.

7:00 p.m. PuddleMama and I arrive at the hospital. We get checked into a decent-sized room where Lucy will eventually be born.

9:00 p.m. PuddleMama is given Cervidil. We found out later Cervidil has an awe-inspiring 50% success rate. I'm glad I didn't know this before.

Monday, March 2nd

Early Morning Hours: Cervidil works. PuddleMama starts feeling some contractions.

8:30 a.m. PuddleMama is dilated to 2 cm and given Pitocen to really start the ball rolling

10:30 a.m. Contractions start getting strong. PuddleMama's water breaks. It really gushes.

10:45 a.m. Two people hit $1.00 on the nuts on the Price is Right. Lucky.

11:00 a.m. Epidural is given to PuddleMama.

1:00 p.m. Puddlemama is dilated to 4 cm. After discussion with Nurse and some quick math I determine that PuddleBaby's arrival time should be between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.

1:30 p.m. Nurse can't get a good reading on the contractions. A device is inserted into PuddleMama to better track contractions. We are told that on a contraction we want the number to hit 65 on the monitor. I am reminded of the fair game where you swing the giant sledgehammer and try to ring the bell.

2:00 p.m. PuddleMama is hitting 65-70 like a champ (she totally would have won the giant stuffed bear.) Nurse says she will examine PuddleMama again between 3:00 and 3:30.

2:40 p.m. PuddleMama really wants to push. I call the nurse in.

2:45 p.m. PuddleMama is dilated to a full 10 cm (yes, a half hour before she was even scheduled to get checked again.) Time to push!

3:40 p.m. Our doctor is no where to be found. A random doctor is called in.

3:45 p.m. Lucy Una Kleczka is born.

3:46 p.m. I determine the sex of the baby and get to tell PuddleMama personally she has a baby daughter.

3:47 p.m. I snip the umbilical cord.

4:15 p.m. Grandparents are notified.

5:00 p.m. We move to post-partum room.

Wednesday, March 4th

3:00 p.m. We check out of the hospital and are unbelievably glad to be home. I go pick up PuddleDoggy and our little family is all home and together.

I know that the above is a little disappointing in that I didn't give a bit more personal take on the events, but I don't even know where to start (not to mention some of it actually is TMI, even for this blog.) In the days (years) to come I know I'll swing back and write a bit more about the actual day and my thoughts and observations, but if there is anything truly indescribable it is the birth of a child.

Agh, how sweet!

I have so much to write about I could write a blog post just on Lucy blog topics. However, I'm finding I can't even remember what web page I want to go to after opening the browser, so I'm going to wait till I'm a bit more rested before attemping any more in-depth posts (insert joke about how you won't see any blog updates for about 18 years here.)

I will throw up a few pictures though, as promised, to hold everyone over. The first one was taken from my iPhone when Lucy was only about an hour old.

The next picture was taken at just over a day old by our good friend (and photographer extraordiaire) Molly:

Lucy Una Kleczka

PuddleMama and I are exhausted, but I have a feeling you want to know more about Lucy, not us.

Lucy burst onto the scene at 3:45 p.m. 7 lbs. 13 oz. 20" long and a 13.5" head.

I can't figure out how to add a picture on my iPhone, but I promise lots to come. I need to shut my eyes for a bit.

hospital update #2

PuddleMama started having contractions overnight. Pitocin kicked them into high gear this morning. Her water broke (gushed) and she is now dialated 4 cm. An epidural really took a lot of the pain away. ETA for PuddleBaby is sometime this evening.

Ripening

We're checked into the hospital and PuddleMama is all set to be ripened. I'm posting from my iPhone so if this post and any more I do while in the hospital lack the normal wit and detail it's because its a bit tougher to type. So short and sweet. It's surprisingly calm right now, but I feel the storm a brewing.... Brewing... Dang. Why didn't I bring a four pack of Surly coffee bender?! Note to self for next time: don't forget beer. Note to potential hospital visitors: sneak me in a beer.

Woo-K, here we go.

PuddleMama will be induced on Monday. We go in on Sunday night for "softening" and then the real fun begins Monday morning. Dr. Woo will be on call on Monday, so "Woo Kleczka" (Woo-K for short) just may be a dark-horse in the name race.

We had a bit of a scare last night as PuddleMama took a spill on some ice walking out of Target. We went in to get her checked out to make sure everything was okay. They monitored PuddleBaby for a few hours and the little bugger checked out good as far as they can tell. You hear that PuddleBaby? When you read this 18-20 years from now you can blame all your troubles on being dropped before you were even out of the womb! You knew it! PuddleMama is a little sore in the groin area (that's what got us into this mess!) but otherwise okay.

Since its so close to the the big birth-day, I thought I'd give everyone a little hint on the name. For both boy and girl, the leading names would result in the following initials:

F.U.K.

Can't you just picture the 2nd grade grade make-your-initials-out-of-macaroni art project?

Okay seriously, the leading contenders for names are:

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PuddleBaby BETTER be able to read at six months!

Haven't used bullet points in awhile, so here is one of those lazily thrown together posts without a central theme, but some fun points nonetheless:

• PuddleMama had her weekly appointment today and, yes, the cervix is indeed thinning.
• Doc is going to schedule the inducement for March 1st, which puts the likely birth date as March 1st or 2nd.
• "Oh crap" continues to make up the majority of my thoughts these days.
• We have tried some inducement methods.
• Yes, even the ones you're thinking of- it was Valentines day for Pete's sake.
• That's what got us into this mess! *rim-shot*
• We went to a pediatricians informational session tonight, which was very close to useless.
• The most interesting part was when a father-to-be (who looked to be about 21) starting rambling about some teach your baby to read system that he was going to start using at three months old. The system is supposed to guarantee your baby becomes the next Einstein. He was quite convinced in the value of the system, as he had "read many good things about it online."
• PuddleMama's belly button has still not popped... I'm already looking forward to pregnancy number two for another shot at this achievement.
• It is an extremely weird feeling to know that a day in the next two weeks will change my life forever. FOR-EV-ER.
• We continue to feel blessed with all our family and friends supporting us.
• "Boy" has made quite a comeback and passed "Girl" on the gender poll. Race isn't over yet though.
• No Mom, I am not giving you a hint what names are the front-runners for boy and girl.

I hope at this point "Stay tuned for news" doesn't need to be said, but its a good way to end a post anyway, so.... Stay tuned!

Oh Crap! Oh Crap! Oh Crap Crap Crap Crap Crap!

The baby comes when the baby is ready right? Well, maybe. At PuddleMama's appointment today the doctor mentioned that if PuddleMama does not go into labor naturally they would induce by week 39 because of the gestational diabetes. By my Minnesota math this means the baby will be here by March 2nd (Jill, if you're reading this please make this an exercise in your algebra class today to double-check the figure.) Go ahead and read the title of this blog again. By far 90% of my thoughts since I heard this news today have consisted of some variation of those words.

I know what you're all thinking right now. "But I guessed [date after March 2nd] for the birth date!" Well, so did I. Luckily, according to the official sweepstakes rules you can change your answer up until the 15th. If you're reading this post after the 15th- lesson learned, check the blog for updates more often.

The next question I know everyone will ask is: "Are you ready?"

I would be crazy to think we are, but at least the things we have some control over are ready. The office is now half-office, half-nursery. The car seat is installed. We have had a talk with PuddleDoggy about his new role as big brother. Our hospital bags are packed. Our birth plan is written (thanks for the suggestions!) We have lots and lots of books waiting to be read, and (corniness warning) all the love in the entire world ready to give PuddleBaby.

Oh Crap! Oh..... crap..... Oh crap crap crap crap crap crap crap....

Birth Plan

PuddleMama and I came up with a "birth plan" like any pair of goody-two-shoes first-time parents to be should. We tried to consolidate our plan with items that we thought either may not be provided in the standard hospital setting and/or were very important to us.

I'm attaching a link to the birth plan more as a matter of record- I don't expect anyone to have any serious interest in it. That said, if any of the more experienced readers have any advice on items to add (because either they worked out very well for them or because they wish they would have had them) then let me know.

Best. Birth. Plan. Ever.

Oh, and I'm disappointed in the lack of responses for the PuddleBaby Prediction Contest. Get on it folks!

PuddleBaby Prediction Contest!

As promised, I am officially starting a PuddleBaby Prediction Contest (in other words, here is the obligatory baby pool.)

Entry:

Post a comment on this blog post with the following predictions:

1. Date of PuddleBaby's Birth
2. Sex of PuddleBaby
3. Weight of PuddleBaby

Prizes:

1. FIRST: A framed 5x7 photograph of PuddleDaddy holding PuddleBaby (autographed on request only) and a guaranteed invite to PuddleBaby's wedding where a "shout-out" will be given to the winner of this contest (who knows, it may be a destination wedding in Hawaii!)
2. SECOND: An unframed 4x6 photograph of PuddleDaddy holding PuddleBaby (autographed on request only)
3. THIRD: A wallet sized photograph of PuddleDaddy holding PuddleBaby (no autographs please)
4. CONSOLATION: Entries will be randomly selected from all non-winning comments to receive a free night with PuddleBaby while PuddleDaddy and PuddleMama go out on the town.


Official Rules:

1. All entry comments must be posted by February 15th.
2. Winner will be determined by correct prediction of birth date.
3. Should two or more contestants pick the same correct date, sex of PuddleBaby will be first tie-breaker.
4. Should two or more contestants pick the same correct date and sex, weight of PuddleBaby will the next tie-breaker.
5. Should two or more contestant pick the same correct date, sex, and weight of PuddleBaby, a tie will be declared.
6. You may change your predictions up until February 15th by editing your own comment on this blog post.
7. No purchase necessary to play, but buying me a beer or two may get you an insider tip or two on potential date, sex, weight.

Skin to Skin

Breast-feeding class is in the books, and PuddleMama and I feel we are as informed and prepared as any new parents could be in this area. We are ready to experience and participate in the breast-feeding phenomenon (PuddleMama just a breast or two more ready than myself.)

Let me tell you one thing- if I thought breasts were pretty amazing before this class, when I think about (i.e. stare at) them now I can only think about thanking the all-knowing deity that created them. So ladies, remember this, when your guy is staring at a stranger's breasts its not necessarily a dirty, chauvinistic, ape-like response. He could, like me, be thinking of how those amazing milk factories know how to produce the exact right milk for the respective baby, or about how the breast will actually get warmer if it senses a baby is cold. So don't slap him, or throw a jealous fit, but instead *thank* him for being a sensitive, intelligent, and appreciative man. You're welcome.

Among other good "tips" (punny) we learned that skin-to-skin contact is critical for a newborn, in regards to breast-feeding, but also in regards to other health factors such as blood pressure, temperature, stress, and blood-sugar. The last is particularly important for us because of the GD. Skin-to-skin contact has been proven to help regulate baby levels. I'm fully prepared and willing to whip of my shirt when needed (although it is still up in the air whether the photo of this will be uploaded to Facebook as my profile picture.)

On a related note, I've discovered the pregnancy version of the catch-all punch-line "That's what she said." It is: "That's what got us into this mess." Examples below:

Breast Feeding Instructor: "Skin-to-skin contact is very important."
PuddleDaddy: "That's what got us into this mess."

Breast Feeding Instructor: "... take out a breast and start massaging it."
PuddleDaddy: "That's what got us into this mess."

Breast Feeding Instructor: "The sucking should be comfortable. If it's not, detach and try a new position."
PuddleDaddy: "That's what got us into this mess."

Labor Instructor: "Moms get down on all fours and dads get behind them." (this is for labor comfort positioning)
PuddleDaddy: "That's what got us into this mess."

Inquisitive Friend (to PuddleMama): "You look so amazing! Do you mind if I feel?"
PuddleDaddy: "That's what got us into this mess."

Experienced Mother: "You guys are going to be up all night long!"
PuddleDaddy: "That's what got us into this mess."

I'll end with a historical note. I was breastfed for about six months, and PuddleMama was breastfed for almost a year and a half. The world average is 4.2 years. Think how much money we could save on food. PuddleMama, if you're up for it I am!

Hand Massage and Snickers, Please.

Baby weekend, involving 2 days, 3 live birth videos, 30 snack-demanding pregnant ladies, and 30 stunned and lost looking dads, is over. I expected plenty of blog-fodder from the weekend, but was mildly disappointed when I wasn't immediately clunked over the head by a pregnancy-class muse. There were definitely some highlights (for lack of better word) but for the most part we simply learned some valuable information about what to expect- mostly dealing directly with the labor process.


The first lesson we learned was what PuddleBaby would and would not look like after the great escape. PuddleMama and I had a fairly heated debate (although we were whispering not to disturb the rest of the class) over which new-born appearance "traits" we would like the least. They range from unshaped flat-heads to extreme-cone shaped heads, from blotchy red skin to peeling gray skin, from inflamed family jewels to inflamed girly parts. You get the idea. (FYI, for those loyal readers who know, yes, I did have "We da same!" running through my head when we discussed the cone-head shaped trait.) PuddleMama and I agreed we'll just pick "none of the above." Is that an option?


The second lesson I learned was a little more indirect. It was never directly discussed as a subject, but whenever I thought about the labor process, even knowing some labors last many hours or even days, I still pictured it a fairly fast process surrounded by nurses and doctors and maybe even a comic janitor a la Scrubs. What I didn't picture, but was really presented with over the course of the weekend, was the number of hours (days?!) I will spend with PuddleMama alone in our hospital room dealing with contraction after contraction after contraction with only a nurse checking up on us every once in awhile.


Yes, I am trying to say that I didn't realize how difficult this process would be for ME. I realize I am risking the wrath and scorn of every female reader I have, but this blog is, after-all, called "PuddleDaddy" and not "PuddleMama." And I am not comparing my pain to what PuddleMama's pain will be (although seriously, they don't offer me any stinking epidural) but in my mind I always pictured myself having a pretty damn good time during labor knowing it's my kid's birthday. I didn't picture myself hour after hour pressing PuddleMama's butt-cheeks together or watching her in extreme pain with no option to take any of the (physical) pain away. Hey, the old "it hurts me more than it hurts you" saying definitely applies here.


We did learn that if PuddleMama has a c-section I get my very own nurse to attend to just me! I am pretty excited about this. I have made a mental list in my head of all the requests I would have just in case. I've probably angered all my female readers enough, so I'll keep those requests to myself, but hand-massages and Snickers are near the top.


Shaken Baby Syndrome (and how to avoid it) was another "lesson," although I'm not quite sure how they stretched the three second lesson "don't shake you're baby" into an hour long topic. Most of this time PuddleMama and I engaged in a classic ""If you shake my baby, I will *insert extremely inappropriate, rude, and painful action here* you!" I declared myself the winner after PuddleMama retorted "If you shake my baby, I will kill you!" Although where PuddleMama lost points for creativity, she certainly made up for it in conciseness (which, as exampled from this blog post, I could learn a thing or two from.)


More lessons followed, but those were the most blog-notable. At the end of the class, the nurse-teacher asked who was more nervous after the class than they were before. Surprisingly, I was the only one (of 30 couples) who raised my hand. I'm pretty sure this means that I was the only daddy in the whole class who paid attention, but who knows. The next question was "Who is more excited?" which was answered by 30 mommy's (including PuddleMama) immediately shooting their hand's into the air (the other hand resting protectively on their respective belly.) At risk of starting a whole mars/venus discussion, I think my jaw dropped nearly as much at that response as at the live birth videos. How could all that class information not have scared the baby out of them?!


I am truly and honestly excited about PuddleBaby (if you don't believe me you haven't been reading this blog.) The class did not lessen this excitement- it did not however, increase any level even remotely related to excitement. Nervous and nervous-related levels went through the roof. Maybe I was already maxed out on excitement and this was just what I needed. PuddleMama, you want to practice those butt-cheek counter-pressure squeezes?

Woo Woo!

PuddleMamam went in for her now bi-weekly baby appointment today. Without giving TMI (although based on the rest of my blog I'm way past the point of restraint) we discussed some "concerns" with my favorite doctor so far, Dr. Woo (woo woo!)

Dr. Woo inspired confidence that everything was healthy and normal. He also was more vocal about what he was doing and why, which was comforting to me (or I would think to anyone who is watching another man feel around his wife in places that are usually off-limits, even to the best of friends.) Dr. Woo warned us that he "measures larger than his colleagues" (which can be taken a couple of ways, but if taken in the "size doesn't matter" way is still not all that impressive since all of his colleagues at our clinic are female.) He was referring to measuring a part of PuddleMama's belly of course, which he measured at 36 cm (right about where it should be.) This was a whopping 8cm larger than two weeks ago (but like I said he did warn us about being larger.) And it's not all that surprising since I hear on a daily basis from PuddleMama "I think I'm way bigger today than yesterday."

The heartbeat was in the 140's, and I also appreciated Dr. Woo letting use hear the heartbeat for probably longer than medically necessary, and even holding the speaker over his shoulder so I could hear it better (woo woo!) As always, that was amazing!

One more note, up to this point I have been telling people "the first week of March" as the due date because using the calendar menstruational period method we arrive at March 1, and using the ultrasound method we arrive at March 9th. Dr. Woo explained the ultrasound method is much more accurate, and because of PuddleMama's longer cycle length (okay, if I was trying to avoid TMI in this post I just failed miserably) March 9th is a much better target. So instead of launching into an rambling explanation every time I hear the question "When is PuddleMama due?" I'm just going to say "March 9th." It's official.

And finally- a teaser. Check back soon as a user-involved competition will be going up soon. And I promise prizes for the winners and excitement for all!

January Showers Bring March Babies

Our wonerful family and friends are throwing PuddleBaby a number of showers over the next month or so. There is even rumour of a beer tasting baby shower, which is one of the more brilliant ideas I've ever heard with regards to baby showers.

The first shower is scheduled in Duluth in a few weeks. I wanted to share the invite to the shower, because I thought it was great! And don't you think it will be fun for PuddleBaby to someday see the original invite to their very own shower?

GD, we're going to kick your a$$!

PuddleMama and I went to see the specialist on GD last Thursday. The Doc actually had quite a good bed-side manner and provided a plethora of good information. Here is what PuddleMama has to do everyday:

1. Take a pee test in the morning: This is to make sure she is getting *enough* carbohydrates and the body doesn't begin to break down protein. This is kinda like a HPT (see previous blog rant) but even worse in that you have to expose the stick for *exactly* 15 seconds. Also, unlike an HPT a positive result is not cause to jump up and down and scream "We're going to have a baby!" Instead, you get a sad frown on your face and worry about proteins breaking down. Both positive tests do, however, result in a trip to the doctor.

2. Test blood sugar levels four times a day: PuddleMama has a little machine that pricks her finger and then tests the blood sugar level. In the morning, PuddleMama needs to be under 95. One hour after breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she has to be under 130. So far so good, with only one morning test coming in slightly above where it should be. PuddleMama is getting better at pricking her finger already. The second time she was doing it she was replacing the "lancet" and didn't even get the lancet into the machine before accidentally pricking herself. Who needs a machine to bleed?!

3. Watch the diet: PuddleMama has to watch carbohydrates intake. She is doing an unbelievable job with this, and I am very impressed with her discipline. On a related note, PuddleDaddy hates wheat spaghetti. Eick.

We go back in about two weeks to discuss her progress with the doctor, and are hoping the above three steps are enough to control the condition.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone, with the emphasis on "new!" PuddleMama and I are going to have may new experiences this year, and if you haven't noticed we are so excited to meet the new little Puddle (have I said that before?)

The holidays were fabulous, and filled with family and friendships and all the kinds of experiences that make us truly happy. As great as it was, I kept thinking about having all those experiences with a little dude or dudette running around! Spending time with our parents really emphasized the change of roles ahead, and I know it will be difficult but that will never (nor should it) temper my excitement!

I'm already looking forward to the sausage and beer that will be left for Santa (that's how the Kleczka's do it- forget milk and cookies.) PuddleMama says we have to leave carrots for the reindeer too. "Tradition" this holiday season means not only the meaningful history in our families, but also thinking about the new traditions we will start with our growing family.

Anyway, enough of that gobbley-gook- on to the important question. PuddleMama's belly-button is *still* an innie. It has been stretching a bit lately, and I have been threatening to attempt to pop it out while PuddleMama is sleeping. I don't think it would take that much. I really want to see it pop.

PuddleMama is going in to the "specialist" on GD on Thursday. We hopefully will learn a little more information on how to manage the condition and keep everyone as healthy as can be. PuddleMama has been doing absolutely awesome watching what she eats, and even lost 3 pounds last month (which to her chagrin the nurse blamed on being weighed on a different scale at the doctor's office.) PuddleBaby has grown though and is right where he/she should be, so don't worry about that.

A final note- my pop offered a name suggestion tonight: Seamus. Thanks dad, did you happen to read the FAQ? Really- Seamus? Seamus The Kleczka. Actually...... not.... too.... bad.