Wednesday, Oui? Toby Toby Toby!

I am so in love.
Painfully, desperately, pathetically in love.

I love being a Mother. I love my husband 10 million times more than I did one week ago. I love my son so much that I won't even try to put meaningless little words to this well of feeling inside my heart.
I have the best, cutest and sweetest baby ever.

Toby's original due date was today. I was induced one week early. I am so glad I got him a week early. I will post his birth story at some point in the near future but, for today, I just want to share some pictures of our son.

Some facts/stats:

• Tobias "Toby" Herbert Molloy came into this world after 8 hours and 24 minutes of labor.
• He was born at 3:54 PM 5/23/12.
• He was 6.4lbs and 19.5 inches long.
• He cried immediately.
• Since we arrived home from the hospital he has had 31 diaper changes.
• He lost a few ounces, his current weight is around 5 lbs 13 oz. (He is tiny!)
• He's beginning to focus on objects a bit better.
• We feed him every three hours so, we sleep in 2 hour intervals.
• He barely cries (fingers crossed).
• Everyone who has met him thinks he's gorgeous. We, of course, agree.
• I NEVER thought I was capable of such love.
• My husband is the BEST father. Aaron is beyond attentive to me and Toby.
• Toby is doing a great job nursing but, unfortunately, I'm not producing enough milk yet, so we're supplementing with formula.
• Aaron read him his first book, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel.
• Mama has lost 16 pounds and I am diabetes free! The first sweet thing I ate was a chocolate chip whoopie pie (thank you McPepe!!) It was delicious.

That's all for now... Mama duties call. But, I'll leave you with pictures of this intoxicating newborn.

 

  More to come but, is he not delicious? I am so in love. Oui?

Wednesday Oui? Planet Alien: The final sneak peek!

So, here is where our precious little son will be sleeping. Toby's crib is actually where a large closet used to be; Aaron gutted that out and rebuilt the area perfect for a crib.

It would be negligent if I didn't publicly thank all the people who put in their time and effort to make my dream nursery a success: McPepe, Uncles Matt & Nelson, Uncle Jason and Papa Dan: thank you for all your help. I love this room and it is EXACTLY what I've been dreaming of.

Lastly, Aaron: You are the best husband in the world. You are so incredibly good to me. Your final little project, totally sums up how you feel about me and your son; our family. I could not ask for a better partner or father for our child. I love you!

Finally, Aaron's gift to Toby. A custom closet with a handmade floor.

And baby makes...8?

I've been snooping and skulking around message boards on a few of the baby sites I frequent (www.thebump.com, www.babycenter.com, www.whattoexpect.com) and something that I've read on a few different sites has caused a mild depression of sorts.

"When you have a child your pets become second class citizens."
"Dogs that were once your children become dogs once baby arrive."

Oh HELL no. That's not happening.

I've been doing a little bit of reading on the subject and I've come to believe that if you do it properly, a baby won't disrupt the life of your dog, thus, your dog won't disrupt the life of your baby. I *really* want everyone to co-exist. I suspect everyone will get along swimmingly simply because both of my dogs currently love children and babies (which, with Manny, took a bit of training.)

Yes, my dogs/animals are accustomed to living a charmed life. Still, I see no reason that has to change, really. I know there will be some changes that are inevitable with the biggest being that Manny will begrudgingly have to relinquish the majority of the time he spends on my lap. Other than that, I still fully intend on walking them often (perhaps more often if I fail to quickly lose my pregnancy weight). They will still be spoiled and loved.

And you know what? I'm SO TIRED of hearing the "just waits" that I seem to get from everyone. If you don't believe this is going to be possible then please let me live in a fantasy world until reality slaps me in the face. Otherwise, don't knock a girl for wanting to try!

I have no concept of "Leisure"

So...

• I've done all the gardening I can do; my annuals have been planted for the summer.
• We cleaned and detailed my car.
• The cats have been groomed.
• The dogs have been bathed/nails clipped.
• I've washed all the floors, windows, sheets, clothes, any/all surfaces in my house.
• I've dusted every nook & cranny.
• I've finished all my paperwork for all of my jobs.
• I've had my hair done.
• My (and Toby's) hospital bags are packed.
• I've done all the "research" regarding elective procedures at the hospital (vaccinations, circumcision, etc.) and we've made OUR decisions.
• I've selected a Pediatrician.
• I've organized our finances and paid our bills until the middle of June(ish).
• I've written all our thank you cards.
• I've filled out what I can (thus far) in Toby's baby book.

What I have left to do:

• Install the car seat and have it inspected.
• We need to get some plants for our veggie garden.
• Finish burning my "Labor Music" to a CD.
• Spend some more time scrap-booking and putting photos into his album.
• Read/Review a bit more in the parenting/newborn books I've been devouring.

This is only Day 3 of my maternity leave...
Toby, HURRY UP!!!  Your efficient (and very pregnant) Mama is bored!

Bathroom Road Test and grenades

I've always wanted to box a person's ears or throw a grenade after ripping out the pin with my teeth. Alas, I don't know that I will ever have the opportunity to do either of the above. These details have nothing to do with the point of this story but, it's just a little fact about me... just for you... free of charge.

So, let me set the scene. It's 4 o'clock in the morning and Aaron gets up to feed the cats (which buys us another hour of undisturbed slumber). As he gets out of bed it stirs me to where I realize I have to pee... and pee with a vengeance. Now, when you're pregnant, you aren't spry in the least. I couldn't win a foot race even if there was a box of munchkins at the end of it for this pathetic diabetic. So, by the time I slither (moaning and groaning and body creaking) out of bed, Aaron is already back upstairs and using the bathroom. Me, having a completely full bladder and a small human sitting on top of it, I'm a bit impatient. So, I'm lurking by the door... waiting for him to be done.

Did I mention I have my eyes closed? Yeah, if I get up in the middle of the night to pee I almost always keep my eyes closed because, naturally, if I open them it's game over and I am up for the rest of the night. It's this weird defect I have.

So, as Aaron is trying to come out of the bathroom, I'm trying to go in... with my eyes closed... in the darkness. Let us also not forget I've swallowed a watermelon so the doorway doesn't accommodate me, my belly and Aaron who was completely unaware I was lurking in the hall like a pervert. So, we smack heads really hard because he spun around (I didn't see it coming, of course, because I had my eyes closed.)

It wasn't a little bump in the night either. It was the kind of smack where it makes that disgusting hammer-like sound and you taste metal.

The only thing I could think to say, fairly loudly, was: "I'M PREGNANT! I HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!"

Amazingly, I was able to get a small bruise in my hairline, pee, and go back to bed without opening my eyes. How's that for talent?