How I miss my baby.....

Thanks to the Pig flu, Greg made the decision that we should "quarantine" Tekla at the ranch for a few days. She has been spending quality time with Greg's mom since Wednesday night.

Greg deals with people with respiratory issues on a daily basis and certainly is at increased risk for being exposed to this flu bug. With Tekla being so young we felt it best to minimize her chance of exposure so we packed her up and took a small moving truck and headed to the ranch on Wednesday. Who would've thought we would have to transport so much stuff!! Clothes, diapers, bottles, baby food, car seat, toys, and we certainly can't forget her favorite bouncey chair!!

I'm sure this is a smart thing to do, but I miss my baby!!!

The return of sweet potato baby!

As many of you may remember, I called Tekla "sweet potato" right after she was born. She was small, orange and wrinkly. 

We have now begun giving her a few vegetables and so far are favorite are...

you guessed it, sweet potatoes! 

Turning of the Tide

As I was perusing CNN today I noticed something unusual, there were a number of articles on GLBT topics. One an editorial on "Don't ask don't tell", one horrific article on the trial of a transgender murder, one about gay tourism in Vermont and another about the "McCain's speaking at the Log Cabin republican convention.

It seems that GLBT topics are the new "hot" topics and most of them are in a positive light. It seems that Gay Equality is becoming "en vogue". Five years ago I would have had to look for weeks to find this many positive articles on GLBT topics.

Slowly, the tide is turning. This time I will say "ROLL TIDE ROLL".

Easter Bunny!

We had a great time this weekend. Greg's mom host an annual Easter gathering the day before Easter every year. Usually a very good collection of family and friends. This year my dad, step mom and niece made the trip, and of course this was Tekla's first year there. She was exhausted by the end of the day with all the different people holding her, but had a great time all in all. 

This is what Tekla thinks of the decision in Iowa

So Long Grandma

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, my grandma passed away last week and we traveled to Alabama for her funeral. Grandma was 92 and lived a rich, full life. She had been ill for sometime and my mom heroically cared for her for the past 6 1/2 years. Their relationship really flourished once Grandma moved in with my mom. Grandma was the happiest I'd ever seen her in the last 6 years. 

Mom was finally able to meet Tekla. Greg and I surprised her the day of the funeral with Tekla's arrival. We figured it would be a great way to cheer my mom. The expression on my mom's face when I walked up to her and said "here, hold this, " and put Tekla in her arms is a look I will not soon forget. 

My dad has also recently completed radiation for throat cancer which prevented him from traveling to see Tekla, he also got to meet her for the first time. 

Despite it being a trip to say goodbye, the trip was filled with "hello's". 

 

Good Morning....

This is what I found this morning....

Bright spot in a sad situation..

Second post for today....

As some of you may know, my mom has yet to see Tekla. She is at home in Alabama caring for my now 94 year old grandmother who has dementia, heart failure and is essentially bedriden. My mother has been her caregiver for about 6 years now. The job is 24 hours a day. She has only taken time off once and that was a visit here for a weekend. I admire my mom for the care she has given my grandma.

Grandma has been on hospice for some time now. Her memory is touch and go, but my mom has shared pictures of Tekla and told my grandmother about her. She often looks at my mom at her most incoherent moments and says "I wish I could see that baby". The last few weeks her health has been declining at a more rapid pace. Very confused and most times not recognizing my mom. She has been talking to long gone family members (when she can speak) and she has lost about 30 pounds because she can no longer swallow properly but has long ago stated that she did not want a feeding tube.

Yesterday was touch and go, her breathing was erratic and she would not rest and was essentially incoherent. They began giving her pain medicine because she was so uncomfortable from her shortness of breath. I called today and my mom was taking a break and showering, so I spoke with the nursing assistant that was there with her. She held the phone to my grandmothers ear so I could talk to her. She said a few things like she always does "I'm still making it" and a few other things that were indecipherable because her speech is so slurred. I told her goodbye and ask her to tell mom I called, she then tried to ask something and I realized she didn't know who I was. I told her "this is Phillip, I love you grandma" her reply was, "how's that baby?" It is amazing that through all of this she remembers about Tekla, I wish there was a way I could let her hold Tekla one time, maybe this is what she is waiting for.....

The exciting world

Tekla has been really becoming more aware of her surroundings in the last week or so. She is "talking" to us, responding with sounds when we talk to her. She has also been very attentive to things and those around her, she even showed the signs of recognizing a stranger over the weekend. The down side is, she becomes easily bored and lets us know this frequently. I find myself searching for ways to entertain her (even though I'm convinced she should be entertaining me). The weather was nice enough yesterday to finally try out her stroller through the neighborhood. She was so attentive checking things out and didn't want to go home even though it was time for her bottle.

I'll have some new pictures up soon.

Baptism

Despite some of the issues I have with the church at the moment, Greg and I wanted to have Tekla baptised and teach her our faith and let her make her own decisions later in life regarding faith and religion. We had a small ceremony yesterday with family and a few friends. Unfortunately my parents were not able to attend, they are in Alabama and have very pressing things going on that didn't allow them to make the trip, but all in all it was a very special day.

Tekla continues to amaze me on a daily basis. It seems like she gets bigger each time I look at her. This morning she weighed 8 pounds 8 ozs. 

ALso her physical abilities are really improving. She can now almost turn herself over. She has gained a lot of control of her head and neck and she is paying more attention to the world around her. All seems pretty amazing considering her adjusted age is just 3 weeks. 

When Greg came home from work yesterday he went to her and said hello, she immediately smiled. Seems like she is beginning to recognize us. All pretty exciting stuff as far as parents are concerned. 

Baby bath!!

Just a couple of pics we took after Tekla's bath last night.

Smile!

My morning as Dad

Everyday I find it amazing that something so small takes up so much time. So here is how my day has gone so far. 

• 2 am. Time for feeding, whew.. good I can now sleep until 6 am. 
  
• 4:30 am. I awoke to crying... someone has a dirty diaper and thinks it is time to eat... change diaper, try to get her back to sleep, finally at 5 am, I'm back to sleep, but in the chair in her room. 
  
• 5:45 am. Yep awake again, this time really time for her bottle. 
  
• 6:15 am. Time for a quick nap. 
  
• 8:30 am. Awake again, time to get her ready for 9am bottle, warn bottle, find bib. Turn on dishwasher to wash bottles, oops, diaper bucket is full. I learned a long time ago, don't open this thing in the house! It is like a WMD (maybe this is what GW was looking for). I'm gonna save all of these and propose we drop them on the Taliban. 
• 9:10 am- 10 am. A little time to hang the new decoration for her room. Oops.. gotta mix formula and prepare bottles, but first I have to empty the dishwasher. 
• 10 am - 10:30 am. Time for her bath. 
• 10:35 am. Finished bath, she spit up immediately and had to have another bath. 
• 10:45 am. Start her laundry, Change her clothes again because she spit up. 
• 10:50 am. Find more dirty laundry. Run around quickly, because I just realized I haven't peed all day long!
• 11:00 am. She is sleeping in her car seat... I can finally have some coffee.
• 11:10 am.  Greg is home for lunch and he brought more baby gifts, more clothes, which means more laundry!
• 11:20 am. YUCK, forgot about my coffee and took a sip, COLD! 
• 11:30 am. Start typing this....
• 11:45 am. She's awake again and wanting her noon bottle.  

and just think we want another one. 

Couldn't resist

I know... I've posted two times today, but I finally have some new pics to share. 

Freedom to Marry Week

This week is "Freedom to Marry" week. One week dedicated to education about why everyone should be allowed to Marry in this country, not just the Heterosexuals.

I could type a lot of reasons why we should all have the Freedom to Marry, but the take home point is simply that as Americans we should not have certain laws and privileges withheld from us simply because we are gay or lesbian. This is not a change in the definition of marriage, but the removal of a discrimatory barrier.

If you read back in my blog far enough, you will see where Greg and I traveled to Toronto this past year in order to get Married before Tekla was born. We wanted to set an example for her showing that we are in a committed, loving relationship and fully accept the responsibilities for that.

Spread the love, not the hate.

Shame on me...

I can't believe that I'm posting here without adding any new pictures....

Tekla continues to grow like crazy. She weighed in at 7 1/2 pounds Tuesday.

Our Nanny started on Monday. Hope is awesome. She is so patient with Tekla it is simply amazing. She is actually watching Tekla a little while on Saturday night so we can enjoy valentines day. Kind of odd going out to dinner with a "babysitter" at home for the first time.

We continue to talk with Melinda about a sibling project. She found a great RE in Sacramento that we are going to use. I'm not sure how he would feel about us asking to implant 6 embryos....LOL.

Currently we are just waiting for our egg donor to get things rolling again. Who would have thought that after the early arrival of Tekla we would be anxious to start all over again.

Perhaps be summertime we will be pregnant all over again!!

Unbelievable

Living here in Houston we've been bombarded every time the TV comes on with the "Baby Grace" story.  It is unfathomable to me how a parent could purposely injure a child, must less do what happened to baby grace. 

I admit it, some nights or days when she appears uncomfortable or stressed or can't sleep, I get very frustrated, mainly because I feel powerless to help, but for someone to feel the emotion necessary to harm a child I can not comprehend. 

back to work

I returned to work today after spending 2 weeks at home with Tekla. I missed her horribly (and Greg) while I was working. The pictures above is what I found when I got home.....  

Tekla is our first baby, so we have been learning on our feet. We've been reading and listening as much as possible. One book I've been reading is "The Baby Whisperer".  Great book. I recommend it to all new parents. While some of the authors tips are great, you have to apply them to your situation. We find ourselves having to take into account that Tekla is premature and shouldn't be here yet, but she is acting much like a normal 2 month old. 

Nothing..

...to post about today, just had to share this picture.