Nick took one additional day off school (at the urging of a Pediatric Attending) and together we took the baby to his first doctor's appointment. We decided to see a family doctor instead of a pediatrician. Nick and Brigham have both worked with the doctor we chose and have a lot of confidence in him. Although Jo Ellen will not approve of the doctor's full beard, he seemed very nice and the office visit went very smoothly. The doctor, who seems just a few years younger than my parents, mentioned that he had "a 10-month-old, the little surprise in our lives" as well as teenage kids. It's nice that he's just had a refresher course in infants because I'm sure he'll be up to date on everything.
The women at the office fussed over how cute Baby is, and really, how could they not? The most exciting thing going on is that a patient had accidentally locked herself in the bathroom. It turns out she has Alzheimer's and couldn't remember how to move the latch to open it. Her husband was eventually able to talk her through the process. And tomorrow, she probably won't even remember she was stuck.
Nick is already trying to train the baby to perform the Roses' "what does a lizard do?" trick. The idea is you ask the baby what a lizard does, and in response the baby quickly sticks its tongue in and out of its mouth. I think it will take a few months for him to master.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
More Photos!
Follow the link to see more pictures of Henry....
http://picasaweb.google.com/karasjohnson/HenrySFirstDayWebAlbum#
Just for you Dallas, there are a few with just Henry.
http://picasaweb.google.com/karasjohnson/HenrySFirstDayWebAlbum#
Just for you Dallas, there are a few with just Henry.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Update
Nick here.
I thought that while Kara is tied down to monitors and IV's, I would take advantage of my blog adminstrator rights and update all of you loyal readers out there.
And the update is...we are still waiting.
Everything is going well and Kara is relatively comfortable. We are thinking that Baby may not make its debut in the world until tomorrow some time. Although, we are still holding out some hope that Baby will hold true to its genes and claim one of the best nerd birthdays in a long time...well at least since pi day (3/14). Today is 3/27/09, containing a root, a square, and a cube. Here's to hoping for before midnight.
I thought that while Kara is tied down to monitors and IV's, I would take advantage of my blog adminstrator rights and update all of you loyal readers out there.
And the update is...we are still waiting.
Everything is going well and Kara is relatively comfortable. We are thinking that Baby may not make its debut in the world until tomorrow some time. Although, we are still holding out some hope that Baby will hold true to its genes and claim one of the best nerd birthdays in a long time...well at least since pi day (3/14). Today is 3/27/09, containing a root, a square, and a cube. Here's to hoping for before midnight.
Today Should be the Day
Nick and I are up early this morning because we're heading to the hospital for an induction appointment. We have warned this baby repeatedly that it would be served an eviction notice if it would not move out on its own.
I went to the doctor yesterday, but saw a new doctor because mine was out of town. Because I'm a week past my due date, they did a non-stress test and an ultra-sound to measure fluid levels. Everything was fine. They still recommend induction as the safest course. They would have let us go until Monday, but said there was really nothing to gain by waiting (and there are some risks.)
Last night we went out to dinner, knowing it's the last date night without a babysitter for a very long time. We had a wonderful meal at Pho Grand. We hadn't had their food in a long time and were really pleased with it. We even went out for ice cream afterwards. It was a really nice evening.
We expect to be in the hospital until Sunday. We'll be updating our parents, whose job it will be to update all other interested parties. If you have any questions, give them a call. Internet access at the hospital is available in the library, but strongly filtered so I don't think we'll be able to update the blog or facebook until we get home, but we'll try.
I'm going to be really surprised if it's a boy. But I'm going to be really surprised if it is a girl. I can't help but be surprised because I have no idea what gender this baby is. And we can't wait to find out!
I went to the doctor yesterday, but saw a new doctor because mine was out of town. Because I'm a week past my due date, they did a non-stress test and an ultra-sound to measure fluid levels. Everything was fine. They still recommend induction as the safest course. They would have let us go until Monday, but said there was really nothing to gain by waiting (and there are some risks.)
Last night we went out to dinner, knowing it's the last date night without a babysitter for a very long time. We had a wonderful meal at Pho Grand. We hadn't had their food in a long time and were really pleased with it. We even went out for ice cream afterwards. It was a really nice evening.
We expect to be in the hospital until Sunday. We'll be updating our parents, whose job it will be to update all other interested parties. If you have any questions, give them a call. Internet access at the hospital is available in the library, but strongly filtered so I don't think we'll be able to update the blog or facebook until we get home, but we'll try.
I'm going to be really surprised if it's a boy. But I'm going to be really surprised if it is a girl. I can't help but be surprised because I have no idea what gender this baby is. And we can't wait to find out!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
I Have the Best Friends
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Morpho Mania!
The scene of fluttering butterflies was quite beautiful. I would have stayed to look at them longer except the 85 degrees and 80% humidity was a lot to take.
Look Familiar?
Debbie sent me a package of cloth diapers to use as burp clothes. I wanted to make them just a little cuter, which also identifies them as not being used as diapers. I have no interest in using diapers that have to be put in a washing machine, but I hear these are great for spitting-up babies.
Except for the purple, all of these fabrics are scraps from hooter-hider-style lactation covers, which is why they may look familiar to several of you. I think I succeeded in making them look a little cuter. Now we're just waiting for the baby to show up and need to be burped.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Pregnancy Update
I'm one day past my due date and people are getting anxious. I feel like I can't call anyone because when they answer all I hear is disappointment that I'm not calling from the hospital. There are no signs of this baby making an appearance soon, but we all realize it has join us on the outside eventually.
In other news, which there is precious little of, Caesar got his summer haircut. His winter coat had grown quite long, and with the few warm days we had here, he looked quite uncomfortable. As many times as we've taken him to the groomer to be shaved, it never fails to astound me how small of a dog he actually is. Cutting his hair made him about half the size he was. I can't believe how skinny he is or how tiny each leg is.
In other news, which there is precious little of, Caesar got his summer haircut. His winter coat had grown quite long, and with the few warm days we had here, he looked quite uncomfortable. As many times as we've taken him to the groomer to be shaved, it never fails to astound me how small of a dog he actually is. Cutting his hair made him about half the size he was. I can't believe how skinny he is or how tiny each leg is.
On Thursday night while I was at book club, Nick received some surprising company. A car with three teenagers broke down right in front of our place. After tinkering with the car for some time unsuccessfully, they knocked on our door to borrow the phone. Nick looked at the car to see if he could help- he diagnosed the problem as the entire car being a total piece of junk in need of being pushed off a cliff.
He invited the teens in as they waited for their ride. There was definitely a cultural exchange between Nick and three young black kids from North Saint Louis. They tried to talk to him about music, but he didn't know the songs/artists they listened to. They asked him why he didn't listen to the radio. Basically, he doesn't have time. Besides, now his car doesn't have a radio.
One of the teens called Caesar fat. I'm sure that hurt Caesar's feelings. Nick assured them that Caesar was just fluffy. Now that Caesar's received a haircut, we can prove it. We'll show them the skinny dog he really is if they ever come back to retrieve their disabled car, which is still parked out front.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Police Report/ Interrogation
I just returned from filing a police report about our broken car window and stolen radio. We have no false hope of the perpetrator being caught or the radio being recovered. We felt it should be reported to help the crime statistics reflect what is actually happening. The St. Louis Web page's "Safe Neighborhoods" told me their was no crime on our street. Really.
For those already familiar with my anti-"Big Brother" tendencies, the way this went down is no big surprise. I feel like I was slightly interrogated by the police. And the police officer thinks I'm crazy for not wanting to be entered in "the system."
First, the cop asked why I didn't call when it happened. I had looked on their web page and there was no contact information other than their address. I knew 9-1-1 wasn't a great option. From my previous experiences calling emergency services (for actual emergencies) I knew that you have to wait a long time on hold before you get to talk to anyone. And if they're already overwhelmed with actual emergencies, I'd hate to bother them with a call about a partially-broken stolen radio and a broken car window. Seriously, they should take the calls about people being shot first.
Also, when someone stole the whole 1992 Accord belonging to our friends, the police were anything but helpful. They told our friends to drive around downtown for a while and see if they could spot it (because the police knew they wouldn't be looking for it.) How could our friends drive around looking for it? Someone had stolen their car. If you get no help with a car, what makes me believe you're going to help me with a car radio?
Then the cop gave me a hard time about not disclosing my social security number, which I never do without being legally required to. Did I steal the radio? Why are you trying to track me? He told me that I needed to be "entered into the system" justifying it with a poorly thought-out argument culminating in "this week you're reporting destruction of property, but then next week if you decided to kill somebody, your info would be in the system." No joke. That was the persuasive argument for me to disclose additional unnecessary information. Just in case I decide to kill someone, this information would make it easier on them.
Why distrust the police department? First of all, I feel that anyone should be able to report a crime without fear of repercussion or harassment from the police. But as he's talking about "the system" I'm thinking, "Isn't this the same police department that just had its Chief resign after an FBI investigation? And didn't one of two officers charged with stealing drugs and planting evidence just get sentenced in federal court? And wasn't there just an article in the paper about the police department spending money it had wrongfully confiscated? Should I trust this police department?"
Anyway, the officer wouldn't file the report without the vehicle ID#. So all the information was filed about the car, its color, its VIN, its body type, etc, and for some reason, my marital status was a key piece of information. When he was wrapping it up, I asked why he wasn't asking about the radio. The car isn't the problem. They didn't steal the car- I know where it is. Following the car will only lead you back to me. What about the radio? That's the stolen property. He reluctantly added the brand of radio to the police report. That tells you that he knows the police are not going to do a single thing about it, so why did he have to lecture me for not reporting it on Friday?
For those already familiar with my anti-"Big Brother" tendencies, the way this went down is no big surprise. I feel like I was slightly interrogated by the police. And the police officer thinks I'm crazy for not wanting to be entered in "the system."
First, the cop asked why I didn't call when it happened. I had looked on their web page and there was no contact information other than their address. I knew 9-1-1 wasn't a great option. From my previous experiences calling emergency services (for actual emergencies) I knew that you have to wait a long time on hold before you get to talk to anyone. And if they're already overwhelmed with actual emergencies, I'd hate to bother them with a call about a partially-broken stolen radio and a broken car window. Seriously, they should take the calls about people being shot first.
Also, when someone stole the whole 1992 Accord belonging to our friends, the police were anything but helpful. They told our friends to drive around downtown for a while and see if they could spot it (because the police knew they wouldn't be looking for it.) How could our friends drive around looking for it? Someone had stolen their car. If you get no help with a car, what makes me believe you're going to help me with a car radio?
Then the cop gave me a hard time about not disclosing my social security number, which I never do without being legally required to. Did I steal the radio? Why are you trying to track me? He told me that I needed to be "entered into the system" justifying it with a poorly thought-out argument culminating in "this week you're reporting destruction of property, but then next week if you decided to kill somebody, your info would be in the system." No joke. That was the persuasive argument for me to disclose additional unnecessary information. Just in case I decide to kill someone, this information would make it easier on them.
Why distrust the police department? First of all, I feel that anyone should be able to report a crime without fear of repercussion or harassment from the police. But as he's talking about "the system" I'm thinking, "Isn't this the same police department that just had its Chief resign after an FBI investigation? And didn't one of two officers charged with stealing drugs and planting evidence just get sentenced in federal court? And wasn't there just an article in the paper about the police department spending money it had wrongfully confiscated? Should I trust this police department?"
Anyway, the officer wouldn't file the report without the vehicle ID#. So all the information was filed about the car, its color, its VIN, its body type, etc, and for some reason, my marital status was a key piece of information. When he was wrapping it up, I asked why he wasn't asking about the radio. The car isn't the problem. They didn't steal the car- I know where it is. Following the car will only lead you back to me. What about the radio? That's the stolen property. He reluctantly added the brand of radio to the police report. That tells you that he knows the police are not going to do a single thing about it, so why did he have to lecture me for not reporting it on Friday?
Friday, March 13, 2009
Happy Friday the Thirteenth!
This is the sight that greeted me this morning. Well, what actually woke me up was my neighbor stopping by let me know that our car had been broken into- then I saw the car.
Who ever did this should be totally ashamed of themselves: not only because they are a thieving vandal, but because this is totally an amateur job. I'm sick of people not taking the time to a job right. Whatever you do, take some pride in it. Seriously, breaking a window to get into a 1992 Honda? Totally overkill. These cars are known for their ease of stealing the whole car, let alone the swiftness with which you can unlock the manual locks with a coat hanger. Come on! Try a little. Why not take the entire car? If you settle for this level of amateur smash-and-grab you're never going to get anywhere.
Also, they totally need to learn how to target a better radio if that's what they are after. We had a cheap after-market radio in the car. The brand was Kenwood, I think. Ever heard of Kenwood? Didn't think so. Next time, steal a Sony. Did a 1992 Honda strike you as likely to have a particularly nice sound system? Actually, the cheap Kenwood radio didn't work properly. Once you turned it off, you probably can't get it back on again, which means you stole a box of useless wires, so I guess the joke's on you. The front speakers in the car don't work either, but you courteously left them in place.
If you were going to be truly courteous, you would have broken the windshield. It costs much less to replace and is easier to install too.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thanks, Katie!
Although Katie was in town for less than 48 hours, I think she did the work that would take most people a week. We cleaned up and set up the crib, organized the baby stuff (which we've accumulated quite a bit of), and did lots and lots of laundry. I wish we would have counted the number of loads, but we lost track. With my tiny stacking washing machine, the number of loads it takes to wash baby stuff would be particularly impressive. We washed all the baby clothes, bedding and blankets, as well as our regular laundry.
On Monday, we also did a lot of shopping for odds and ends that were needed for the baby or just the house. This included finally purchasing a crib mattress. In one day we went to Target, Costco, the grocery store, Sam's Club, and Wal-mart. We also found a few minutes to run to the Galleria and get our eye brows threaded.
On Tuesday, I went to the doctor while Katie worked on preparing a few meals for the freezer. While she had enchiladas in the oven, she also cleaned my bathroom. We left for the airport a little early so we could visit Janette and her girls on the way.
Katie got home in time for her cooking class at Ace Hardware. Megan and Liz also went to the cooking class, and I was a little sad to miss the party. The class was on vegetable and fruit carving, so I'm anxious to see Katie's pictures.
So, now that Katie's been here and whipped us into shape, we're ready for the baby to show up, whenever it decides it's ready.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Adventures in Pastries
Sarah took me on a little adventure this morning. Really, it was more of a quest. Last week we discussed the need in our life for some delicious pastries. Nate and Sarah made some excellent eclairs a couple of weeks ago, probably the best I've ever had. Since then I've been wanting some other delicious French thing to come into my life.
We went to a bakery in Creve Cour, complete with an actual French baker. The most difficult decision was which of the many fine and beautiful things they offer would come home with me. I selected the raspberry tart (pictured) and a chocolate eclair. Nick and I shared them after dinner tonight. The tart tasted as good as it looked (quite a feat) and the eclair, while not topping Nate's creation, was very delicious.
Monday, March 9, 2009
A Nice Place to Sleep
Katie came to visit me here in St. Louis. As usual, she'll be staying for less than 48 hours because she has people to see and cooking classes to attend. I'm so glad she's here. Not only is it fun to see her, but she's helping me get everything ready for the baby. We've washed all the baby things, including the crib bedding, set up the crib including the mattress we went and purchased, and next we're going to work on the shelves in the baby's room.
Nick won't be home until 10:00 or so tonight, so we're hoping we can meet him at the hospital cafeteria for dinner. Fortunately the cafeteria is an OK place to eat.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
More Lactation Covers
The lactation cover I made for myself.
The lactation cover I made for Tooele Sara and her new, very tiny baby boy. (He's doing great by the way.)
The lactation cover I made for Tooele Sara and her new, very tiny baby boy. (He's doing great by the way.) The newer versions I've been making have included some important upgrades. They now feature pockets in the bottom corners.
Also, the corners are now beautifully mitered. I thought it would be really hard to do, so I didn't do them before. Now that I've figured out how to do it, it's actually quite easy. For as much origami as I did in elementary school I should have figured it out a lot sooner.
Also, the corners are now beautifully mitered. I thought it would be really hard to do, so I didn't do them before. Now that I've figured out how to do it, it's actually quite easy. For as much origami as I did in elementary school I should have figured it out a lot sooner.Sara's has an impressive feature that I was totally unaware of: she just told me the butterflies glow in the dark. I never saw that coming.
Disaster of Hugo Proportions
Yesterday Sarah Page stopped in and then we went to the Gardens to walk around in this long-anticipated spring weather. When she initially came over, she came in bringing a surprise: a very large drink from McDonald's. Here in Saint Louis, we have the "Hugo" drink at McDonald's. The Hugo is an extra-large drink, but it's cheaper than a small. Too bad it hasn't found a home in the Utah market.
Anyway, I was delighted with the surprise, for about 15 seconds. Sarah handed me the drink. I set it on the desk, then immediately bumped it. With its cup-holder-friendly shape giving it a high center of gravity, it didn't stand a chance. It went crashing to the floor, the lid popped off and all the beautiful brown liquid rushed onto the floor. It was so young. I didn't even have a sip. I cried on the inside, just a little bit. At least it was on wood flooring and not carpeting.
Anyway, I was delighted with the surprise, for about 15 seconds. Sarah handed me the drink. I set it on the desk, then immediately bumped it. With its cup-holder-friendly shape giving it a high center of gravity, it didn't stand a chance. It went crashing to the floor, the lid popped off and all the beautiful brown liquid rushed onto the floor. It was so young. I didn't even have a sip. I cried on the inside, just a little bit. At least it was on wood flooring and not carpeting.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Baby Shower in Review
Debbie Jacobs, left, and Janet Amodt at the baby shower.
Has it been more than a week already? I have really become behind here. February 21, 2009 my Aunt Patti hosted a baby shower for me (and of course, the much-anticipated baby.) Anyone who has been to a Patti-hosted event knows not to miss one- the food is just too good. What was surprising was our out-of-town company that came. Nick's mom decided just a few days beforehand that she could come and visit us and attend the shower. Then Friday my mom got her haircut in the morning, and in talking to her longtime stylist and friend Janet, decided that Janet should definitely take this opportunity to see St. Louis and Nauvoo. I think they were on a plane about three hours after the haircut. I've known Janet since my birth, but it was still quite a surprise to have her visit us in St. Louis. Incidentally, Janet hosted my bridal shower.
Patti at the buffet of goodness she provided. Too bad you can't taste it. Also a shout-out to Jessica and the others Smiths who assisted. It was wonderful. Thank you!
My sister Katie also hopped aboard the trip at the last minute. We were so blessed to get a visit from so many people we love. But, we know who the real star is here- baby. This baby will have so many people that love and care for it.
The shower was a lot of fun. There was great turn-out. In fact, I need to call several people that I didn't get to visit with enough at the shower. I was overwhelmed with how generous people were to me and baby. We received lots of wonderful gifts, including many baby essentials. With these wonderful gifts, we have virtually everything we need to be ready for the baby.
I'm counting the sock monkey in the essentials category. It's too cute not to have. It's sure to be one of baby's favorites.
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