Saturday, March 15, 2008

Tired people

Well I'm back...sort of. I've got better access to the internet, but getting downstairs to it, is still a challenge I am trying to overcome. I figured though, since I'm my best to fatten Claire up, that I should post some more pictures as evidence. She's growing (at least it seems that way to me) like crazy. I don't want her to grow up, but I am looking forward to the day of a little more sleep. She is serious about getting her food, so she's a very good alarm clock. I used to think that 6 hours of consecutive sleep wasn't that much, but oh how I would LOVE that now. Oh well, one day! I wouldn't trade it though. I love seeing how she calms right down when she knows I'm about to feed her. She'll be patient for me, but not so much for anyone else. She knows her mom and that is the GREATEST feeling in the entire world I think. I just love her so much already. Anyway, I've overstayed my visit to the computer, and now it's time for her to eat, so I'll just leave you with some more pictures. That's all that really matters anyway!

Here are my 2 favorites!
We're all pretty tired
I just LOVE it when she sleeps like this, it's just like her dad, and she wiggles her little arms out of her blanket just so she can do it!

Some more



Daily Life


See, the proof that she sleeps just like her dad. I love it!
And, still some more proof!

Saturday, March 08, 2008

A few words from Michael

It's Michael again.

I hope Melinda won't mind me taking just a minute on her blog (yes I've hacked in without her knowing) but I feel compelled to write just a few words today.

Just over a week ago I watched the love of my life endure the most painful experience she's ever faced. Since she was high on laughing gas she didn't have the headspace to call for me as she labored into the morning on the 27th of February. I slept peacefully until about 6:30am. I must have been awakened by angels because moments later she began to feel the profound pain that only you mothers have felt. The baby was coming.

It seemed like an instant later Melinda was in excrutiating pain and the only relief was to push. The hospital staff were insistant on not going forward with an epidural, and even removed the only pain relief she actually had (this was probably the one time in my adult life I wanted to strike a woman). There are no words that can properly describe my own anguish as my wife, and best friend cried out "Help me, please help me." Tears washed down my face as I relized that although I was at her side, she bore the pain unavoidably alone. Seemingly an instant later this beautful, living, breathing baby was in our arms.

This video is a compilation of some of the moments I've captured within the first 3 days of Claire's life, and is a tribute to Melinda and Claire. Thank you to Kandice, who recommended the song, it is perfect for how I know Melinda feels about our daughter.

I have an entirely new respect for all of you mothers who selflessly bare, and nurture your children. You're nothing less than heroes.

It may take quite a while to load, so if you care to see it please be patient.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Finally some pictures!

Sorry this took soooo long. I've been working on it. Michael is also done the full length movie, but it's taking so long to upload that we have to go home before it's done, but trust me, it's worth the wait. Let these tide you over until tomorrow when we get the internet at home! Yay!



More pictures





Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Claire Cynthia Palmer

I can't believe it's taken me this long to get on here and announce her name. I'm sure by now, most of you had already heard it somewhere else. Sorry for the delay, but we don't really have the internet at the moment (the Shaw guy was coming on the 28th, but we were in the hospital still). Other than that, I've been totally wiped. Anyway, her name is Claire Cynthia (Cynthia after Michael's mom). She was 5 pounds 12 ounces, and just over 3 weeks early. They did all they could to keep my blood pressure down, but it didn't work so last Tuesday, after my regular checkup, my doctor told me I'd won myself a trip to the hospital. I went home to get Michael and my things together just in case we needed to stay for a while. We spent about 12 hours in triage before they could decide what to do. Finally, they decided to induce me. They were going to use a foley (essentially a catheter for your cervix, which helps move everything along). I was more nervous about this than anything else I think. It was supposed to take about 4-6 hours to get me to about a 3 so I could offically be in labour. Well they ruptured my membranes by accident instead, and I was off to my own room for delivery. It seemed like a total palace compared to the cot in triage. They started me on a IV of cyntosomething to get me going at about 1 in the morning. I was fully expecting to labour for a while, get my epidural (as you all know I was fully expecting to do), and then have the baby. Well, instead I progressed was faster than the doctor expected and the next time she came into check me, I was at a 10. They were all so excited that I could just go ahead and have the baby. I had had a shot of morphine (which did NOTHING for pain, but made me totally out of it). I also had the gas which saved me totally! I asked at that point if I could have the epidural now, and they said I didn't need one since I'd done all of the really hard stuff already. Michael tried to argue for me and I tried too while I was totally delirious. They said I should try pushing for 30 min, and if I wasn't progressing, we could do the epidural. Well 37 minutes later Claire was here, and I just given birth without the epidural I had planned on my whole life I think. It wasn't fun, but shockingly better than I had imagined. And, I can now say that my recovery was better without it, and next time I'm insisting right away that I get the epidural. I don't really want to do that again.

She was so beautiful to us right away, and we spent forever trying to pick her name. We picked just before we left the hospital (which I was in for 3 days). We love the name now that it's picked, and she's such a Claire to me. We're now at home and exhausted, and completely in love with our girl. I can't wait to watch her grow. She's so tiny that none of the clothes I had fit her.

Anyway, Michael's got the camera at work and I think he's going to try and post some pictures right away. We have some good ones. Sorry it's taken so long, but once I get my internet hooked up, I'll get a bunch more up. Thank you for all of your wonderful comments. We are so blessed to have so many people who care about us!