First Video

Otis Henry Tootle was born at 9:27pm on Sunday July 19, 2009; 7 lbs. 5 oz. He is a great baby. He is nursing, sleeping, and pooping like a champion. He only gets upset when we are changing him or we have to mess with him for some reason. He is really strong. We have to swaddle him up really tightly if we want to keep his arms under control. He sucked on his hands when he was in the womb--we could see it in almost every ultrasound. Now he tries really hard to keep his hands up by his face. Once we get him wrapped he is happy. We brought him home last night. In his first night at home he went through one rough patch where we had to try a couple of different things before he settled down. Erica is doing well. I am listening to them talk on the baby monitor as I type this. They are having a good chat. I know every parent believes that their child is good looking and I suppose I am no different. He is really handsome.

38 Weeks

Now that I'm 38 weeks along, the "countdown" has begun. My due date is only 13 days away. Last week at my 37-week appointment, our midwife Rita did an ultrasound because she wasn't able to tell by feeling my belly where the baby's head was. (She wanted to be sure he was starting to move into the right position to be born.) When she did the ultrasound, we caught a glimpse of baby Otis's SUPER chubby cheeks. Rita said something like "Woah, look at those cheeks!" Steve is obviously proud to have passed along his trademark facial feature. I'm also pleased, and I hope those cheeks will have Steve's dimples as well.

It's hot here-- 105 plus for the next six or seven days. Our new-ish cat Squirt (or as our nephew Jack calls him, Black Sherman) and I were both tuckered out from the heat tonight:

In other news, a celebrity has stolen our baby name. Thanks, Spider-Man!

35 Weeks

Whew! We've had a busy few weeks. Since my last post, we went to Colorado for Lauren's wedding, we celebrated Steve's birthday and our fifth anniversary, Steve installed a state-of-the-art irrigation system in our front and back yard (He's super excited and would love to tell you about it!), and I had a lovely time at two baby showers.

I have also been working hard to get things ready at home and at work before Otis's arrival. He'll be here before we know it. My due date is exactly a month from today!

Pregnant bridesmaid and dreamy Steve at Lauren and Nick's nuptials. (32 weeks)

Before our anniversary date. (34 weeks)

Week 35
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

31 Weeks

It's week thirty-one and my due date is less than two months away. That seems really soon!

A sweet woman in my networking group has a son who went to the Otis College of Art and Design. Since baby Tootle's name will be Otis, we thought you all might be interesting in some OTIS gear (click here)!

Week 31
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four naval oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

The Visalia

39dollarglasses.com has a new frame style-- the Visalia
You know, right next to the Vegas, Milan, Madrid, and Prague...

29 Weeks and Baby Names

Today Stephen and I went to the coast to escape the Central Valley heat (the high for today was 105 degrees) and to talk about middle names for our son. We went to the small, quiet beach in Los Osos and enjoyed an afternoon of cooler weather, talking about our babe, and a lot of laughing. Who knew naming a baby could be so funny? At one point, we wrote down "Otis Greasy-Nape Tootle" (In case you're wondering, it was a reference to our accidental over-application of sunscreen.) but in the end, it just didn't ring. For those of you who didn't already know, we really are using Otis as a first name. It was Stephen's beloved grandfather's name and it means a lot to him to honor his grandpa. Plus, it's a cool name. If you think it's weird, just wait. It will grow on you! So today, we were working on a name to go between Otis and Tootle. We agreed on four possibilities, and we're waiting until he's born to decide for sure. And we're going to be big meanies and not tell the possibilities until we decide. :)

A New Trick

Baby Tootle has learned a new trick: kicking mom's cervix! It feels like I'm getting a reverse Pap smear 100 times a day! I can't get annoyed, though. I keep telling myself he wants to see me so badly that he's trying to kick down the door. :)