December

Today FIN is 11 weeks old. The past 11 weeks have been an amazing transformation. On November 26, he weighed in at 11 lbs 8 oz. He was in the 55th percentile for height/weight, and 75th for head size... yeah, he's a smart cookie. Despite having a good size melon on those shoulders, he can control it on his own. He laughs, coos, and smiles... oh his smile is so beautiful!

FIN will be celebrating his first Christmas with his mom & dad, auntie Sara & uncle Henry, at his grandma/pa Dahlke's house this year. He will in the spring be spiritually christened - and welcome his new spiritual parents Sara & Henry Yu. FIN will share more after his first experience with Santa Claus!

November

This week FIN turned 5 weeks old. At his 1 month doctor appointment, he measured in the 75th percentile for height, weight, and head measurements. He weighed in at 9lbs 7 oz. Almost 1 pound in 1 month since birth. I'm so proud. I look at his chubby legs, arms, and cheeks and know that I did that.

I look at him in wonderment and find something new about him everyday. He has his grandpa Pancho's detached ear lobes, the Nunez's hanging pinky toe, and well everything else you'd swear came from his grandpa Rich (my dad). His head shape, the wrinkling of his forehead, the eyes, even his yawn is dad.

This past weekend, his aunties Saralyn and Alanna visited. I marvel at what a calm wonderful mother Alanna is. Even though her daughter Sophia wasn't with her, you could see the mother in her when she held FIN. Saralyn is a natural. Watching her just hold FIN and talk to him, I can only try to mimic. Its as if she had a past life with lots of children that gave her the experienced mother feel.

FIN is definately learning lots from his surroundings. He follows my voice, will follow my eyes, and keeps a close eye on his toys (aka his friends). His older brother Winston mostly keeps his eyes on FIN's pacifiers. Its tough to be the older sibling and not have the new toys.

Here is a picture of FIN dressed for Halloween 2007.

FIN is here!

Its been 13 days of a new life in the Nunez household. FIN has finally come to see what the world is all about instead of hanging out making me look like basketball swallowing is the newest rage. It all started on Tuesday, September 25th. I went to see the doctor and get a non-stress test to make sure FIN was in good shape, along with my placenta and amniotic fluid. Come to find out, he had a little skip in his heart beat, and the doc suggested we induce immediately. We asked for an hour to run home, get bags, drop off a car, and well get something to eat. At noon, we arrived at the hospital to begin the induction of birth.





The induction is not what I had expected, not that I had expectations, but nonetheless, a catheder bulb was inserted into my cervix to help with dialating, with a small pitocin drip. For the next 4 hours, I just stood around, literally because it hurt to sit on the bulb, waiting for the "ball to drop". When it did, the nurse up'd my pitocin drip, and I made it to about midnight before asking for pain meds. I wouldn't say the rest of the night was a blur, but it was. I hung out with my parents, Francisco, and his parents, waiting to hear that my cervix was dialated enough to start pushing. At 10:30 - 11:00am on September 26th, it was time. Pushing was not what I expected. Keep in mind, I did millions of core crunches in pilates preparing for this moment, pushing was more of a crunch to poo than anything.





After an hour of crunches, FIN was caught on my pubic bone, and the doctor, ever so calmly states, "You can push for another hour, OR, you can push 2 - 3 more times and get him out with the assistance of a vaccum". I stated, "this kid is going to learn to clean early!". He came out with gusto, mostly because of the doctor pulling on his head, and it wasn't till my mom told me to look up and see my baby did I open my eyes and see him for the first time. I cried. He was beautiful.
So the past 13 days have been a blur of tirelessly being at his side, with the calm loving hands, and a warm place for him to rest his head on my chest.

Sure, i'll become nostalgic for work on some days (yet to come), but until then, I'm in love with my new family.

I'll just wear a smile...

***Disclaimer: Please note the satirical tone of the following thoughts. At no time did any one particular person(s) advice leave me with a bad taste for impending motherhood. If anything, I have been made aware of what to expect, and/or how to solve parental related issues. My hopes is that you will find the irony in this situation as it relates to others. Enjoy. - Beck

These days, I'm often told that my life will never be the same. People look at my burgeoning belly assuming I don't know what I'm in for - and to be honest, I may not have the slightest clue of what Kiko (my lovely spouse) and I are in for with a baby coming in only days.

Why such unsolicited advice with a baby?! No one stopped me as I wore a cap and gown, gathered a piece of paper to represent 4 years of cramming and drinking to rush off into the big world to start a new job - only to realize, I will change jobs (note the word JOB) every 2 years that have nothing to do with my area of studying.... OR on the day I wore a tiara and veil and sipped from penis straws on the eve of a wedding to say "1 in 3 marriages don't make it these days". I could even go into the unsolicited advice of co-workers that suggest how to manage a life that will cease to exist post baby... best that I just summarize some key points - (ALL from the male perspective), A. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, B. Giving birth is excruciating, C. If you go the natural route, ask for a "courtesy stitch", D. Get the double pumper!, E. You are going to be so bored, F. Get the Diaper Genie, G. Get the diaper Champ, H. Make food for your man before hand... I'll stop there.

During all the preparation, filled with excitement and hormones, I've just accepted the advice. Of course I run right home and share it with Kiko where we become two hens scrutinizing all the advice, because we know better... right? Like any other marked life moment, where you wear a cap/gown, or a white dress, or a fresh suit, or a belly, anything that denotes a life milestone... I'm going to wear a smile for this one. It really drives a point that like any other life milestone I really don't know what to expect. Unlike Winston here, he smiles just because.

(This blog is dedicated to the life and times of baby FIN. Please look for periodic updates and pictures that describe his new little life and our (ended) changing lives!