Baby Mick

I'm back!

2011-07-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

Surprise! Since my last post - we had another beautiful baby boy, Brady Robert, Ben grew up (2 1/2 now!), we moved out of the city to the burbs (Walnut Creek), and I became a full time mom. Wow, you'd think I would have more time to blog now that I'm a full time mom - not the case.

I have so many stories to remember to tell you boys when you are older, and I'm so afraid I will forget them, so here they are - your 'babybook blog'. I have about 20 draft posts from when Ben was little (before Brady), so those will be finished and posted also. We'll be out of order a bit, but hopefully I won't be too confusing. As I write this now, Ben is 2 1/2, and Brady is 5 months old today!

Coming Home

2009-03-01T17:13:00.000-08:00

Even though being at the hospital was tiring, I was really nervous to go home at first. I was trying to figure out reasons why we would need to stay an extra day or two. I was nervous about walking to the car, getting up our stairs and also being alone (without doctors and nurses) at our house with a newborn baby! But when the time came I started to get really excited about being at home. This was the first time I'd ever stayed in a hospital, and I was getting excited to sleep in my own bed.

Your dad took about 3 or 4 trips to Uncle Steve in the waiting car, with all of the stuff that we had packed, of which we didn't use any of. I had packed a bunch of outfits for you, and for me. What was I thinking? I also had all of the hospital items that they tell you to bring for labor. I think the only thing I used was the chap stick. Why on earth do they tell you to bring magazines? I brought about 10, and didn't have time to even read the covers. Here's your proud papa walking you out of the hospital for the first time.

Uncle Steve flew up from LA for the day to meet you, and he helped us on the drive home from the hospital. Your first ride! You were so little and cute in your plush carseat!

Your dad was so excited to bring you home, and show you your room. He brought you upstairs very carefully, and Alex videotaped your arrival.

Alex and Niky got the house ready for your 'warm welcome' with signs and balloons and a cute gift for you.

You are one lucky boy.

CPMC

2009-02-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

On your birthday after a long long night, with no sleep, we were finally transferred into our hospital room where we could rest. I remember being wheeled to the room while laying down in a bed, I told the nurse I felt like I was in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, and she laughed and said, "kinda, minus Mcdreamy". Your dad was wheeling you in your bed behind us. When we arrived at our room, which was just across the hospital on the same floor, Jennie and Christina went to Pasta Pomodoro in Laurel Village and got us an early dinner. I ordered two dinners, because I was so hungry. Pasta never tasted better. It was true that I got my taste buds back immediately after birth - thank goodness! I was starved.

We had fun getting to know you in the hospital, although we were EXHAUSTED. Watching you sleep, eat, blink, yawn, it was all fascinating to us. You were so strong for a newborn - and did I mention large - with extremely strong neck muscles, already holding your head up.

You even got a nickname in the hospital. One of the nurses said the word 'Tukus". I don't remember whose she was referring to, but we thought it was pretty funny, and started calling you Tukus right away. It has already transformed a bit, to just "Tookie".

When your dad wasn't taking care of me, he was changing all of your diapers, and swaddling you, and taking you to all of your scheduled tests. He was so proud of his little 'Tookie"

After one long night of labor, and two nights of 'resting' we were so tired from the whole hospital experience. Nurses, doctors, pediatricians, birth certificate people, family, friends etc.. were constantly coming in the room. We were usually on the phone telling all of our loved ones about you. During the couple quiet moments, we stayed awake and watched you sleep.

Benjamin William

2009-01-27T15:54:00.000-08:00

The first three months of your life have kept your dad and me extremely busy, which explains why I haven't been keeping this updated with all of your activities. We finally got to meet you and see your sweet face at 2:47pm on October 24th 2008. You were born 8 lbs, 11 oz and 21 inches long. I'll never forget the feeling I had when I first saw you. Through my tears, I felt an instant desire to protect and care for you. You were sooo cute, and tired! It was a long day.

I'll start with a few details about the day you were born. It all started the day before your birth on Thursday, October 23rd. I started to have contractions in the morning , but Dr Yee said not to call until they were 5 mins apart for over an hour, so I kept a pad of paper with me all day and wrote down each contraction. Laurie picked me up that day, and we went to lunch at Blue Barn on Chestnut Street, and we both had the burratta grilled cheese, (my last meal for a while...) During lunch I felt a contraction about every 20-30 minutes. Laurie was nervous that she would be rushing me to the hospital at any minute, because I kept taking my note pad out of my purse to jot down when my contractions were happening. I told her we had time, but what did I know? We then went to Bi-Rite ice cream in the Mission where I got a scoop of snickerdoodle ice cream - YUM. After I got home the contractions started coming closer together. I called your dad to tell him to come home early from work just in case. I was right. At 4:45 they started coming every 5 minutes.

Your Dad and I quickly and calmly packed, showered and ate a snack (chicken noodle soup and toast). We got to the hospital at about 7:30pm. They told me that I was in fact in the early stages of labor, but that the hospital was full at the moment. Whaaaat? That happens?
It wasn't even a full moon! The triage nurse said I should probably go home anyway since it seemed like I had some time, although they told me that my water had broken already, so they knew we'd be back soon. We went home, and tried to get some sleep, and at about 2am after NOT sleeping myself, I woke up your dad, and said "It's TIME!" He wrote down the timing of my contractions for about 20 minutes, and wanted to wait for the full hour so we wouldn't get sent home again. After I shouted that I was going to the hospital without him, he realized this was not like before, and we raced to the car. Luckily the car was already packed and we knew exactly where we were going. At this time, I was IN PAIN, and I made your dad stop the car with each contraction, which was about every 2 minutes at that point. Good thing it was 3 in the morning, no other cars on the road... When we got to the hospital, they were expecting us, and all our paperwork was out, and they were ready for us to get checked in. I was progressing so quickly that I thought I might try to do it without without meds (epidural). I'm very glad I didn't do that, because you were in a sideways position, which is not ideal for labor, and after many failed attempts to encourage you to move, you never did - and you were to big for the Dr to be able to move you, which means I would have gotten the meds at the end either way.

After 2 1/2 hopeful hours of trying to push you out calmly with just the nurse and your dad and I in the room, the on-call Dr came in (Dr Green), and she said, "we need to get him out, NOW". Apparently you were getting pretty tired and we weren't progressing. All of a sudden our calm anticipation turned into the middle of an episode of ER. The head nurse came in, the anesthesiologist came back, the bright lights turned on. Because of the fact that you were quite large, and not moving into the correct position, they mentioned needing a C-Section. At which point I felt completely defeated, and burst into tears, drained of all of my energy. FINALLY Dr Yee arrived, and assessed the situation. She told your dad she was going to try forceps, and if it didn't work we'd be going to the OR. When I heard this, I gained my composure back, and knowing this was our only shot, I used all the energy I could possibly muster. Everyone in the room was involved. It worked.

Seeing you for the first time was surreal. I was completely overcome with emotion. Nothing else mattered in the world. You didn't exactly come out gracefully, so they didn't give you to me right away it seemed like hours while they cleaned you off, your dad cut the umbilical cord, they weighed and measured you, etc. Finally you were in my arms, and I never wanted to let you go. I didn't expect you to be so cute on the first day. I couldn't stop staring at your adorable face. So tiny and so precious, with HUGE cheeks. Your eyes opened, and I fell madly in love with you.

Alex and both of your grandmas were waiting patiently outside the delivery room to meet you. We finally called them in, after we gained some composure and while you were eating for the first time. We loved the fact that they were there to greet you so soon after your birth, and they were so thrilled to see you. No one could take their eyes off of you.

Your dad was amazing that day. He was such a strong support, and made the whole thing a lot easier for us. We were really in it together, and I felt much stronger and able to get through it all with him by my side. It was an exhausting night/day for all of us, but we were so happy to meet you!

Our first family photo :)

Your Room

2008-10-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

We hope you like it!

Past Due!

2008-10-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

You are officially past due. Your dad and I were at Dr. Yee's office the other day, and her exact words were something like.. "You are going to have a BIG baby!" as she was measuring my stomach. Yesterday was your 'due date' - Oct 22nd, which was your Great Grandpa Howard Stilwell's birthday. Looks like you are getting your own day. When will you come??

7 years!

2008-10-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Today is the 7th anniversary of your dad's and my first date. I can't believe how time has flown by, I'm only 31! I was thinking that it would be really cute if you were born today, but so far, I think you've got your own plans, and you are going to wait until you are ready. It makes me feel old to think it's been 7 years since our first date at Godzilla Sushi on Divisadero and Bush street in San Francisco. The receipt from that date is framed in our bedroom. Your dad kept it in his wallet, and gave it to me a year later. The ironic thing is that behind that receipt in the frame is the receipt from our first anniversary - at Jardiniere on Franklin and Grove, for about 6 times the price. Our dates started stepping up a bit.. especially the 'special occasions'.

Your dad is the smartest, kindest and funniest person I know. He loves his family more than anything and it is such an honor for me to wake up next to him everyday. I know he is going to be such a great father to you, and you are one lucky little guy. He already has so many plans for the two of you, like Sunday morning coffee runs while mommy gets to sleep in (that's my favorite), walking on Crissy Field with you in the Baby Bjorn, taking you to baseball games, and 'guys time', watching the 49ers. You two are going to have so much fun together.

The first due date that Dr Yee gave us was October 20th. After your first ultrasound, they changed it to Oct 22nd, and that's been the 'official' date ever since. It's a special date because your Great-Grandpa Howard Latham Stilwell was born on Oct 22nd in 1887! That's 121 years ago, wow. I never met my Grandpa Howard, because he had my dad later in life (age 43), and my dad had me later in life (age 47), so that made for some large generation gaps. He was a very special man, and I'd be very proud for you to share a birthday with him.

Some other special dates you may be born on; Oct 19th - our first date (2001). Oct 25th, the day your dad proposed to your mom in Paris (2003).

Some vintage mom and dad pics from our trip to France when we got engaged..

Paris

Wine tasting in Provence

St Tropez

Villefranche

Your Name

2008-10-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

Your Dad and I have a name for you. This doesn't stop us from continuing to look through name books - just in case, but it's pretty inevitable what your name will be. It's a name that we thought of pretty early on and loved for you, and it has stuck out as our favorite and although we've done some extensive research, we just can't imagine you with another name.

By extensive research, I mean we've found all of the things that are important in a name for our little man. A strong, powerful, respectful name. A poetic name with a proper syllable count that matched your last name, it even has a 'mirrored' sound which is an added bonus. We wanted a sentimental aspect with a bit of family history, but most of all we wanted to give you a 'cool' name. Your dad actually came up with this name in the first place, which makes me like it even more. We are waiting to meet you in the hospital before we make it official, and of course, until we sign your birth certificate, we could still change our minds.. but I don't think we will.

Getting Ready for Baby

2008-10-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

Over the last several months, we've learned that there is definitely a lot that goes into preparing for a baby, and your dad and I have been participating in all of it. We're having so much fun getting ready for you. Setting up the nursery, reading all the pregnancy and childcare books, labor and baby classes and getting flu shots to keep you healthy. I'm even watching the tv show documentary "Bringing Home Baby' on TLC as I'm writing this.. We've also been spending a lot of time in baby stores, trying to figure out exactly what the heck you are going to need. Of course, once we figure out something that we need for you, there are about 10 options, so figuring out which one is a challenge also. I'm pretty sure we are just going to have to learn along the way with you.. sorry about that.

As you can see your dad is quite a handy man - lucky for us. Hopefully he will teach you to be handy too, and I'll never have to go to a hardware store with your dad again... Here he is putting together your crib (without instructions!). I love your crib, it's a hand-me-down (one of many) from your older twin cousins Aidan and Brendan. Baby Conor doesn't need 2 cribs, so basically you and Conor get to be the recipients of lots of their cool stuff. I can't wait for you to meet them and play with them. They are going to teach you all kinds of things like how to knock stuff over and how to run around in circles screaming and laughing. I'm pretty sure you'll have fun.

Here are some pictures of your dad and I on the last of our McMoyler Method baby classes. We brought lots of snacks and big pillows for mom to sit on. You are awfully big, so sitting for any length of time is a challenge. We now feel confident that we are armed with all of the knowledge we need to keep you safe and healthy. Hopefully we'll never have to use the 'Infant CPR' that we learned at class.

Here's your dad carrying the heavy stuff up the hill to the car.. Mom is a slow walker these days, and the hills in SF make getting around a bit more challenging.

Labor Day 2008

2008-09-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

As part of our planning for a larger family, we needed to get a bigger car, and of course, your Uncle Chris, the family car expert, found us the perfect one at his dealership in Salt Lake City. Coupled with the fact that your Aunt Mia sent your dad and I a bunch of baby boy gear (including your crib!) to Utah for us to pick up, we decided to fly out and pack up the new car and take all your gear home. Labor Day was the last official weekend we were allowed to travel before you were expected to arrive.

Your Dad and I took advantage of the long weekend to see some family. Bobi and Chris were extremely hospitable and let us stay at their house. Their backyard is filled with fun games like horseshoes, croquet and lots of really big trees. It's a huge hit with your cousins and you are going to love to visit when you get older.

We got to spend some time with Uncle David and Aunt Alena and your two adorable cousin's Ava and Gracie, and had a fun BBQ at their house. We also got to hang out with Uncle Brian and Aunt Janese and their fun brood. Aunt Janese is preggo also, 4 months!, so their baby (gender unknown) will be your closest-in-age cousin. Conor is the next closest at 1 1/2. Here is a pic of the preggo Mommy's.

We also spent some time with your Great Grandparents. A highlight of our trip was our visit with your Great-Grandma Elaine and Great-Grandpa Don. Grandma Ruth's parents are very special to us all, so we were very excited to spend some time with them. They are an example of one of the most precious love stories that I've ever heard, and are a very inspiring example of a long lasting marriage, and a very happy life together.

Grandma Elaine told us some funny stories about your Dad as a little kid and also about the day his brother Steven was born. Apparently the fact that an ambulance came to the house to take his mom to the hospital didn't concern him much, while uncle Brian was running around the house very worried and scared, little Jonny was only interested in the tuna sandwich that he was eating. Even at age 3, your dad was quite the little foodie ;) They are so excited for your arrival, and we promised to bring you out there very soon to meet them.

Your aunt Bobi and I decided to take some preggo pictures in their backyard..

8 Months!

2008-09-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm now 8 1/2 months pregnant and can't believe you are coming so soon. It's also hard to imagine my belly getting any bigger than it is right now. Here is a preggo pic of mom that your dad took to mark the 8 months. So far the pregnancy has been relatively good, and as excited as I am to meet you, I'm really going to miss being pregnant. Strangers are always smiling at me, people fight to take my bag down on airplanes, if someone spills in a coffee shop, they run over to clean it up, so I won't fall. I'm going to miss the extra attention and kindness for sure. I also love feeling you wiggle around all day. You continue to move around like crazy, causing your dad to always ask "what is he working on in there?" I love to sit down and watch my stomach move from side to side. Your dad said that I have a new habit of grunting a lot. Walking up the stairs, flipping over in bed and getting out of chairs are all things that used to be a lot easier for me.

Your dad and I went to see Dr Yee today and she said you are progressing perfectly and are now in the 'head down' position and ready to eject. Your heart sounded as strong as ever and your growth is on track. We talked about all the hospital logistics and got the phone number to call when labor starts and we are on our way! We then headed over to the presidio to do a little photo shoot of you in my belly.

I get asked by pretty much everyone I know or meet what my food 'craving' is since I've been pregnant, and honestly there are more aversions than cravings. I used to be a big fan of eating, and now it's more of a necessity rather than a luxury. I've heard that changes right after birth, so I'm excited for my appetite back. Nectarines have been my craving for sure. I can't pass one at a farmers market or an outdoor grocery display without buying one. They seem to taste better this season than ever. Your Grandma Marci brought me a huge box of them a couple weeks ago and they went alarmingly fast. Your Grandma Marci had the exact same craving when she was pregnant with me, which I thought that was pretty ironic.

In other news, I bought you another pair of shoes yesterday. I've temporarily forgotten about my own shoe obsession, and am focusing on shoes for you. They are so cute, and so small. My favorite are the ones that look like Daddy's shoes, and I can just imagine you guys together. I realize that most of your shoes will never be walked on, but I really can't resist.

Baby Showers

2008-08-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

The excitement for your arrival is contagious. There are so many people that can't wait to meet you, and it's very evident in the love that they've shown you at your baby showers. You've officially had 4 showers, 2 of which were surprises. The first was the family shower at your 'cousin' Alex's house in Davis where she goes to school. I highlight cousin, because she'll be more like an aunt to you, as she's more like my little sister than a niece since we're only 10 yrs apart. She'll be your favorite babysitter, cause she's a pro. In fact, I need to take some lessons from her.

Here we are with cousins Madison, Gabby and Alex, Auntie Bobi and Auntie Mia

The tea party was hosted by Alex, your Grandma Marci and aunties Mia and Bobi. We even used your Great-Grandma Helen Stilwell's beautiful china for the tea party, which was such an honor. It was a great opportunity to have the family and close friends get together to celebrate you.

Here we are with both of your grandma's :)

The extended Hinchey family was there (aka the Griswalds when in combo with the Stilwell's). Above is Bobi, Shannon, Nancy, Maddie and Bev.

Your Grandma Ruth and her best friends were able to come, and we were so honored to have them. Everyone had fun guessing how big my belly was so far. Pictured here with Grandma Ruth are her best buds Debbie, Ginger and Annette.

We have to give a big thanks to Alex's roommates Kendall and Lauren (pictured above) for letting us invade their house not only for the weekend, but more like the whole week, and also for being such good friends to Al.

It was very exciting to celebrate with your aunt Mia and cousin's Madison and Gabriella since they moved to England the next week! Even your little cousin Conor was there and had a great time with all the girls. Here we are with your cousins, aunties and extended aunties Lisa and Jennie.

The second 'shower' was a surprise all-girls day that kicked off with lunch in Santa Cruz with your Mickelson aunties; Janese, Mindy and Alena & Grandma Ruth. The day was super fun and filled with lots of advice from these experienced ladies. They love you already and are so excited to meet you. I'm so thrilled for you to be joining us all at the Mickelson get together next summer.

The third was another surprise and was from all of my friends at Barclays, where mom works. They tricked me and asked me to participate in a meeting, that ended up being a fun celebration with delicious Kara's Cupcakes and lots of talk about how much fun we are going to have with you, and how sleep deprived your dad and I will be :) They gave you your first high chair, that is all set up and waiting for you in our dining room.

The fourth was hosted by your mom's friends Christina, Meg and Jennie. They completely outdid themselves with a beautiful party at Pres a Vis in the Presidio in SF. They are such good friends to us, and we are so blessed to know them.

The long table was set beautifully, with special menus and adorable chocolate bars celebrating "Baby Mick". I was very impressed with their amazing creativity! It was such a gorgeous room on a lovely foggy day in San Francisco. A fun tid-bit and piece of history is that when your Grandma Marci was pregnant with me, and Meg's mom was pregnant with her, a mutual friend threw them a joint baby shower (we were born 2 weeks apart). The guests all came with double gifts, so Meg and I wore matching outfits for a long time as babies. The fact that she is now hosting a shower for us is really special, and kinda ironic.

Many guests commented on how the girls missed their calling in the party planning business.. We were in a beautiful room for the afternoon enjoying a delicious lunch at a long table with all of your mom's best friends. The food was amazing, and the girls did a great job picking out the menu! I couldn't believe how much you were showered with love that day, and gifts! Here we are opening some of the loot!

Everyone had so much fun catching up and it made me realize how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends around us, and how blessed you are to be able to grow up with amazing role models that care so much about you.

Christina, Lisa and Allegra

Eva, Laurie, Mom, Katie and Jennie

Allegra and Danielle

The college roomies, Jen, Heidi, Mom and Ashley

Katie, Michele (who came all the way from Kingsburg!), Alysen (who came all the way from LA!) & Kristin.

Here's the whole group :)

Your dad even snuck by and left a big package for you and I. Here I am checking out Daddy's gift. He really is such a sweetie and I hope you grow up to be as sweet and thoughtful as he is. He really loves us a lot, and we are so lucky.

Your Room

2008-08-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

Your room is starting to come together. Getting new carpet in the house forced us to start moving furniture around and setting up your new room. I can't believe how much stuff you have already! Here is a 'before' pic of your room: I think you'll be happy with the result when we're done, I just hope you like lime green and navy blue!

Seeing the baby gear starting to fill up the house is making us really excited for your arrival. You'll be happy to know that you will be quite the stylish baby boy. I'm excited for you to see all of your cool stuff. If your dad and I can't decide on a color for something, I've been known to ask you, I know you can hear me, so I'm hoping a little kick will help us decide what you like. So far you're quite the kicker, so I'm pretty sure you agree with us.

Santa Cruz

2008-08-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Every summer, the Mickelson's get together for a week during the 4th of July holiday at a beach house in Santa Cruz. This year was no exception. The whole family got together including the 3 of us ;), 3 aunts, 3 uncles, your grandparents, and 9 of your cousins! We always have a lot of fun, and some years it is the only time all year that everyone gets together in the same place, so we definitely look forward to it! Brian is the official family photographer, because he's the best at it, but this year your dad got in the action with his new dad camera and took some pics too. Here is a shot he took of everyone trying to get all your cousins to smile.

The week was filled with hanging out at the beach, bocce ball, basketball, rides at the boardwalk, making fun dinners, rocky road milkshakes and the tradition - taking a family picture. The family seems to get bigger every year, so an update is necessary and Grandma usually uses this as the Mickelson Christmas card.

During the week your Grandma Ruth set up a baby shower luncheon for you for all the girls one day (more spoiling..) and we had a great time. We decided we should have a girls lunch every year, because it was really fun for us and it's funny to hear about what the guys decided to do with the kids all day.

Here is a preggo pic of mom, you are getting big!

The Places You've Been

2008-07-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

I was looking through my calendar the other day and realized that you've been quite the traveler in your short time of being in my tummy. I always hear stories about my family's trip to Brazil when I was in my mom's tum, and I consider myself as being there along with everyone else, so I thought it would be fun for you to know all of the places you've been so far as well.

1) Feb 08 - Santa Barbara - You were tiny, but it counts!
2) Mar 08 - Maui, Hawaii - Your dad and I had a planned trip to Hawaii before we found out about you, and we thought about canceling because we didn't know what to expect. The pregnancy was very new, and we obviously didn't have any experience, so we thought I might be sick the entire time, and have no fun. At the last minute, we decided to brave it and go. Besides, it was an all expense paid trip (from your dad's work). When we got there it was fine, aside from me being a bit tired. The island air made me feel great, and it was really relaxing. Except for us having to keep you a secret - and the sushi that I was newly required to avoid never looked better - darn it!
3) Mar 08 - LA, CA - This was the weekend your dad and I spent in LA with the fam finally announcing to our siblings that you were on your way! Most of the siblings had to be called. However, at dinner at the Jonathan Club with your Grandpa Stilwell, Aunt Bobi, Uncle Steve, Meg, Mike and the Considines, your dad announced that he had 'some pictures' he wanted to share from our trip to Hawaii the week before. It was a trick and he was actually passing out pictures of you (although slightly indistinguishable in your small state). Steve was sitting next to Sally Considine, and they were looking at you upside down asking us if you were a picture of Molakini (we all got a big kick out of that).. Bobi knew right away, and shouted loudly "I knew it!" Apparently she had been suspicious after spending the day with me, and had already sent text messages to uncle Chris and aunt Mia about her suspicions... One of her clues was the fact that I actually ate breakfast - which I never do, and skipped a morning coffee, even though we were up pretty early. Can't get anything past her..
4) Mar 08 - Chicago, IL - A place I go often for work. I was a little nervous for a full fledged work trip with you, but luckily I felt great. The hotel I stay at (The Peninsula Chicago) is right by some super cute baby shops and department strores, so I browsed by them and looked for stuff for you.
5) Apr 08 - Austin, TX - Your dad and I went to visit your Uncle Steven & Aunt Mindy and your cousins, Bradley, Emmy and Olivia. They moved there last year, and it was the first time we'd been there to visit them. They showed us all around and we had some really fabulous BBQ! It was really fun to see your cousin's getting so big! Your dad left after the long weekend, and I stayed and did some work for the rest of the week after checking into the Four Seasons in downtown Austin.
6) Apr 08 - LA, CA - You and I headed back to LA for a really quick trip (24hrs) to meet little Grace Wolpert, who was 4 days old. We stayed at uncle Steve's, and Jennie and Christina joined. Being around a newborn baby was so fun, it made me so excited for you to come. Hurry up!
7) May 08 - Chicago, IL, - Back to Chicago. This time the cat was out of the bag about you, which made it easier for me to skip work dinners if I was too tired.. I stayed at the Ritz Carlton downtown, the Peninsula was booked :( but it was still close enough to my favorite restaurant, RL.. so that was ok.
8) May 08 - Portland, OR, - Another work trip, we stayed at the Governor Hotel in downtown Portland, which is really adorable. This trip was fun, and was topped off by a big yacht ride down the Willamette River with dinner and casino night.
9) Jun 08 - Minneapolis, MN - Work trip, the weather was great and I got to see the Mississippi River for the first time (that I can remember), which was very exciting. We stayed at the Grand Hotel downtown. Because you are getting bigger, FAST, it's getting a bit more difficult to travel, so I think I'm going to stay in San Francisco for a while.. except for a quick trip to LA soon and then to Utah. At some point soon the airlines aren't going to allow me on a plane, so I need to make it fast.

We are already planning all of the places we're going to take you after you arrive, and we can't wait. Your dad and I are hoping that you like traveling as much as we do (time will tell). So far, we're planning on taking you to Utah for Christmas, London in February to see the Hinchey's, Hawaii in March and then Yellowstone with the Mickelson's next summer. We'll see how much you enjoy sitting on an airplane, that may determine how many trips we take.

25 Weeks!

2008-07-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

We got a good look at you today, and you are TOO CUTE! We had a fetal echocardiogram untrasound (basically a good look at your heart) today. The Doctor said you are normal and healthy, so we were very glad to hear that.

You are now 1 lb 14 oz already, and are in the 58th percentile for your age (normal),
however, the length of your femur bone measured in the 70th percentile! So they think you may be tall, or at least have long legs. Maybe you got some of uncle David's genes..

The Dr thought you looked a lot like your Daddy, and we both think you have my nose. You weren't being very cooperative for pictures because you kept putting your hands over your face, so I think you were hiding from us, but we did get a couple cutes ones that the Dr printed out for us.

Your Dad

2008-06-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Your dad is so excited for you to come, and he's been preparing for you. Planting grass and ferns in our limited gardening space and planter boxes, replacing our carpet to something soft for you to crawl around on, cleaning out his closet to make room for your clothes, and searching for a new, safe car that's big enough for our newly larger family. He goes to every doctors appt to find out about your progress and watch you grow.

Your dad has been taking very good care of me also. He takes care of dinners and breakfasts at home, and caters to my limited tastes in foods. Every day when he gets home from work, he forgoes his regular gym workout, and we go on a walk together around the city. He already loves you so much and shows it by constantly rubbing my belly, and talking to you because he knows you can hear him now. He's already trying to gang up on me with you, and not let me hear what he's telling you. I have a feeling that's going to continue.. You are so lucky to have such a great daddy.

Stilwell Family Visit

2008-06-18T23:27:00.000-07:00

Anticipating the Hinchey family's move to England, the Stilwells all got together for a week in Davis/Granite Bay to celebrate some holidays before the move: Alex's 21st B-day (and 2-part party), Conor's baptism, Fathers Day and my family baby shower. We really know how to cram all the holidays in, and take advantage of the family being in one place. Here are some highlights from the eventful week:

1) The baby shower was really fun, and it's always great to get the Mickelson's and Stilwell's together. You are definitely spoiled already, I'm already starting to call you 'the little prince', because so far 'only the best for little baby Mick' is starting to become a theme. Your fancy crib bedding was only the beginning. During the shower, a very fancy stroller rolled in with a big bow on it from your aunties, Alex and uncle Steve. Let's just say it's the rolls royce of strollers, so they've ensured that you'll be riding around in style. We're feeling more and more prepared for you all the time, and now that our house is filling up with baby gear, the anticipation is getting stronger and stronger, and I can't wait for you to be here.

2) Your cousin Conor was quite a ham at his baptism. He's definitely a comedian already at age one, so I'm sure you guys are going to have so much fun together. He was the only one in church that was baptized that day, and having the whole audience looking at him, and clapping and cheering, was his favorite part. He was very excited and laughed and enjoyed himself very much.

3) Joining the ranks of Fathers was pretty exciting for your dad on his first fathers day. We had a really nice brunch at the Granite Bay CC to celebrate your grandfather and the Hinchey dads. Your dad was really excited about getting a new camera in anticipation of being a dad, and getting some good, quality pics of you. Here is a picture of the card that I got your dad for his first fathers day.

4) Al's b-day was fabulous as expected. Part 1 consisted of a dinner party at Piatti's in Granite Bay, where she requested cocktail attire and even had a signature cocktail 'The Al-Tini'. Can't believe that your big cousin and my little niece is 21. She's so grown up and I'm so proud of her. Part 2 was an all day wine tasting trip to Napa with 14 people including a bunch of her friends, myself and her parents. It was a beautiful summer day in Napa and such a perfect way to celebrate. Your cousin Aiden who is right now obsessed with Alex at the age of 3, came over to her during the week and sqeezed her cheeks and said "Alex, I'm so proud of you" How cute is he?

Your aunt Mia had her movers pack a large number of boxes (too many to count apparently) of baby boy gear for you that your cousins are no longer using or taking to England. They moved it along with many other items for storage and for Bobi's house to Utah, so your dad and I are planning a trip soon to pick it up. We've been told we may need two cars. I'm a little scared because our house isn't that big, and already you are taking over. As a joke, your dad and sing the song "It's the end of the world as we know it" pretty often..

I've been feeling you move around every day for about 3 weeks now. The first time your dad felt you was pretty incredible. Every night when I lay down in bed, you start getting quite active. I think I lull you to sleep during the day when I'm up and around, so you are probably wondering what the heck is going on when I stop moving. I love to feel you move around. You gave your Aunt Mia a nice big kick the other day, and she was so thrilled to feel her little nephew.

Mothers Day

2008-05-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

It's pretty cool that we get to celebrate more holidays every year now. Not only your birthday, but Mothers and Fathers day also! Your dad and I love holidays and we love to celebrate, so this is going to be fun. Plus, your birthday is going to be right around Halloween, which happens to be one of my favorite holidays, so you couldn't have planned it better.

Mothers Day was really special this year. We were in Visalia with my mom (Grandma Marci, she's requested that you call her "Glamma", however). Bobi & Chris, Alex and your dad and I went for a long weekend to visit your Grandma and Grandpa. I was pretty surprised that there were gifts and cards for me too.. Your dad gave me a really sweet card, and I put it in a baby book that I'm making for you, he also got me a pre-natal massage at Nob Hill Spa (my fave!).

It's pretty exciting for me to be joining the ranks of mothers this year. The family you are coming into has some pretty incredible mothers, so there is definitely a lot to live up to. I'm sure I'll have access to a ton of advice, which I'm very thankful for.

It's a Boy!

2008-05-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, before I was pregnant I thought I would have a house full of daughters some day. I saw lot of pink in my future and imagined lots of ballet classes and hair braiding. However, as soon as we found out about you, we knew that a little baby boy was on his way. I'm not sure why, but we only thought about boys names and looked at boy specific baby gear.
So, on May 23rd, at the ultrasound technician offices in San Francisco, off Van Ness St, when the technician blurted out "It's a boy!", we weren't surprised at all.

There is actually a little more to the story. In the middle of the ultrasound, as we were admiring your cuteness and how perfectly you were growing and developing, I started to feel nauseous. I asked to take a break and get up to use the restroom, and as I was trying to stand up, everything went black and I passed out. Luckily your dad was right there to catch me. I'd never fainted before, so neither of us knew what was happening. I woke up a couple seconds later laying down again, the lights were on and several doctors/nurses were coming into the room with big blood pressure machines and worried looks on their faces. Anyway, I ended up being fine, but I have pregnancy related low blood pressure/low blood sugar (it's the worst around this time of pregnancy 18-22 weeks), and I need to make it my habit of turning my purse into a lunch box at ALL times. I can't go an hour without a snack. Of course, there was no harm to you, although it scared your dad pretty bad. It was actually a lot scarier for him than it was for me, I think for a second he thought he may be taking care of me in this state forever.

That night, after calling all of the family to let them know the good news that a baby boy was on his way. We invited some friends over to celebrate. They had to wait to get here to find out the news, and so we tricked them as they walked in.

Telling the Fam

2008-02-26T22:06:00.000-08:00

Keeping you a secret was hard. Your Aunt Bobi called me one morning while I was still in bed, and she said enthusiastically "I had a dream you announced you were pregnant, anyway, it was funny, we were all really excited!". All I could respond was, "Huh, how weird". I was in shock. We hadn't told a soul. I was still processing the information myself, and here she was already anticipating your arrival.

After our first 'ultrasound' of you - which was more like us looking at a screen of a kidney bean with a beating heart, we felt a lot more comfortable with the situation and decided to make plans with your grandparents to tell them the news. Grandma and Grandpa Stilwell were so excited they could hardly believe it. We spent a fun weekend with them planning and getting advice. Grandma and Grandpa Mickelson were equally excited, and glad that they were finally going to have a grandchild close by to them!

Knowing that you'll be born with 15 cousins guarantees that your life will be filled with entertainment. They are all of course eagerly awaiting your arrival.

Shortly after I found out about you, I decided to make this video.

Baby Video

I thought it would be a cute way to tell the family we were 'expecting'. Your dad talked me out of it, he was excited and wanted to tell everyone in person/on the phone. You'll notice soon that your dad likes to shoot down all of my best ideas..

We're Pregnant!

2008-02-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend celebrating the upcoming birth of your future friend Baby Wolpert. The shower/party was a hit, and everyone had lots of fun buying pink frilly things for Baby Grace.

Auntie Meg told me a couple times that weekend that she 'had a feeling' I was pregnant. I told her about our negative test the weekend before and (always the optimist) she told me to try again. I resisted because I didn't want to be disappointed. Finally, after all the dust had settled and your Dad and I were relaxing on the couch after the fun weekend, I got up and went to the restroom. I opened the drawer and the extra test from Santa Barbara was staring at me. I figured I might as well take it, it's sitting there.. but had no expectations.

I took the test and two lines appeared!! It was telling me that I was pregnant! I can't really remember what happened next - all I know was I was screaming your Dad's name over and over from the bathroom. He was on the phone with your uncle Brian. After hearing me scream, he quickly told Brian that he had to go - NOW. Your dad knew before I even told him. He came into the bathroom, closed the door, looked at the test, and we both cried.

I can't tell you how incredibly excited we were (and scared!). After our moment of disbelief and joy, we quickly put ourselves together, threw on sweatshirts and raced two blocks away to our local Walgreens and bought more tests-just to make sure. All different brands, with all different ways of telling us the good news 'pink circle' on one, the word 'pregnant' on another, etc.. After that, we were sure. We were going to be parents. A little mini-me would be running around in 9 months, and we loved you already.

Love,
Mom

Our Poppy Seed

2008-02-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

To our little poppy seed before we even knew you were there! I'm obviously writing this in retrospect, but I want to tell you a little story, before we even knew about you. Your Dad had just finished a great year at Salesforce (the year ends 1/31), and we went down to Santa Barbara in early Feb to get a little rest and relaxation before the next year started..

We were having a great time at the Biltmore, but I started to get a little suspicious that I might be pregnant when the Billecart Salmon champagne (my fave) that we brought to celebrate our weekend tasted a little funny. When your Dad didn't agree with me, we decided maybe I should take a pregnancy test - he has a nose for bad champagne, I'm sure he'll be teaching you all about it some day. We drove down to the little town of Montecito the next day, and we inspected every pregnancy test at both Safeway and nearby Walgreens for the best one (another Dad trait you'll learn about...)

We were both bursting with enthusiasm as we drove back to the hotel. I wanted to wait a day just to make sure it was more accurate, but we couldn't wait. I took it and it was negative. We were both really sad, and thought 'It's not time yet'.. but we were wrong, we found out the next week that you were only the size of a poppy seed in Santa Barbara - too small to show up on the test, but still very cute I'm sure :)

Love,
Mom