Here's a post from the hospital when Cullen first met his baby sister.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Settling In....
We are settling into life as a family of four. Chasing a two-year-old and caring for an infant is busy, but so much fun. We are learning how to balance our time, learning that two is better than one and learning that the parents hardly have a minute to eat! We are so much more confident in our parenting skills. We find it amusing when Simone is up at 3 am because we know this tiny infant cuddle stage won't last long. We have learned that baby girls also pee when their diaper is taken off and potty training is a long process. We have learned that Cullen loves to play with anything related to Simone - the infant car seat, the swing and her pacifiers. We are blessed to have the help and support of our family and friends (thanks for all of the babysitting help with Cullen and the delicious food!). We are trying to do a good job of taking pics of our beautiful #2, but I think we are already behind. Enjoy the new ones.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Hello Simone!
Team Swanson has achieved balance. Simone Elizabeth blessed us with her presence at 6:17 a.m. yesterday. It is hard to explain, but there is no other feeling like picking up your baby daughter for the first time.
May 17th started out as your typical day, but as I arrived home from work, change was on the horizon. Lisa was complaining that she had been having contractions all afternoon. We went for a walk and the frequency seemed to subside. Lisa suggested that we get prepared, pack some bags for the hospital, etc. So like any responsible husband, I sat down and got caught up on "Treme." I went to bed at 10:30 and drifted off to sleep. One hour later, I was awoken to "Dirk, DIRK, my water broke", to which I replied "oh shit." As my uber prepared pregnant wife waited by the door, I scrambled around the bedroom throwing whatever I could find in a backpack. As Mimi rushed in the door, we headed out and were off to the hospital for round two.
Our first trip to the Labor and Delivery unit was filled with questions. How was this going to go? What was going to happen? This time, we strolled into the emergency entrance like the crafty veterans we were. I spent the next six hours hanging out, watching some tv, and napping. Lisa spent the next six hours hooked up to various machines, being poked with various needles and being visited by various doctors and nurses. At 6am the cart was set up and the push began. At 6:17, that's right, 17 minutes, my wife is a rockstar, baby was born. The umbilical cord had conveniently placed it's self right over the ......after some adjustment, Dr Benden announced "it's a GIRL". A 6lb 3oz, 20 inch girl.
I suppose you are wondering how Cullen took this. Well to start things off, he thought Mom was having a duck. That is what he was telling all his friends at daycare. I picked him up from daycare and we headed to the hospital. The whole trip I talked to him about the baby and he just kind of stared back at me with a look that said, "what the hell is he talking about, baby?" He ran into the hospital room and just stopped and stared. Then a huge smile came over his face. He ran up to the bed and yelled "baby". I lifted him up and slowly brought him down to Simone's side. He immediately got in Simone's face and yelled "Hi Baby, Hi." He then went in and gave her a kiss and told her to "Wake up baby". She didn't comply to his order. The rest of the afternoon was filled with him poking and prodding Simone and getting into things he shouldn't be. He was real excited to hear that Grandma Yiz was coming down to stay with him for a couple of days while we are in the hospital.
Mom and Simone are doing great. Simone has spent the last 24hrs sleeping, with the occasional diaper change and feeding. Lisa and I are relaxing before the jump into a two child household.
May 17th started out as your typical day, but as I arrived home from work, change was on the horizon. Lisa was complaining that she had been having contractions all afternoon. We went for a walk and the frequency seemed to subside. Lisa suggested that we get prepared, pack some bags for the hospital, etc. So like any responsible husband, I sat down and got caught up on "Treme." I went to bed at 10:30 and drifted off to sleep. One hour later, I was awoken to "Dirk, DIRK, my water broke", to which I replied "oh shit." As my uber prepared pregnant wife waited by the door, I scrambled around the bedroom throwing whatever I could find in a backpack. As Mimi rushed in the door, we headed out and were off to the hospital for round two.
Our first trip to the Labor and Delivery unit was filled with questions. How was this going to go? What was going to happen? This time, we strolled into the emergency entrance like the crafty veterans we were. I spent the next six hours hanging out, watching some tv, and napping. Lisa spent the next six hours hooked up to various machines, being poked with various needles and being visited by various doctors and nurses. At 6am the cart was set up and the push began. At 6:17, that's right, 17 minutes, my wife is a rockstar, baby was born. The umbilical cord had conveniently placed it's self right over the ......after some adjustment, Dr Benden announced "it's a GIRL". A 6lb 3oz, 20 inch girl.
I suppose you are wondering how Cullen took this. Well to start things off, he thought Mom was having a duck. That is what he was telling all his friends at daycare. I picked him up from daycare and we headed to the hospital. The whole trip I talked to him about the baby and he just kind of stared back at me with a look that said, "what the hell is he talking about, baby?" He ran into the hospital room and just stopped and stared. Then a huge smile came over his face. He ran up to the bed and yelled "baby". I lifted him up and slowly brought him down to Simone's side. He immediately got in Simone's face and yelled "Hi Baby, Hi." He then went in and gave her a kiss and told her to "Wake up baby". She didn't comply to his order. The rest of the afternoon was filled with him poking and prodding Simone and getting into things he shouldn't be. He was real excited to hear that Grandma Yiz was coming down to stay with him for a couple of days while we are in the hospital.
Mom and Simone are doing great. Simone has spent the last 24hrs sleeping, with the occasional diaper change and feeding. Lisa and I are relaxing before the jump into a two child household.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Streaker.
Each day I wake up with the curiosity of what is going to come out of Cullen's mouth today. It is an absolute joy listening to his vocabulary grow. It has just exploded in the last few weeks. For example, Saturday morning, he was in bed with Lisa and I. He proceeded to point at our bathroom and instructed me to "get in the shower Do-Do." Yes, if you weren't aware, my son calls me Do-Do. Further testament to how intelligent he is. It usually takes people years to figure that out, Cullen had it down in a fraction of that. In addition to his new found vocabulary he has also developed a few new habits. An aversion to baths for one. It is quite the fun production to get him in the water. After we have him stripped down, he usually bolts out of the bedroom and a game of chase ensues. I imagine the neighbors must get quite the kick out of the little flash of pale skin that speeds past the front door each night at 6:30pm. Eventually, after much giggling he is tracked down and a quick dunking in the tub ensues. He also now demands that he walk along side us on our nightly walks. What used to be long walks with Cullen in the stroller are now two block walks, with Cullen stopping to yell "Big dogs" at the labs next door and telling us "I do, I do, I walk Camp"
Such a great age. An independent streak growing along side a burgeoning vocabulary.
Thirty days until the estimated arrival of the new addition to our family (or sooner). I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting a bit nervous. I have a feeling that my days of being able to pass the restless child over to Lisa are coming to and end.
Such a great age. An independent streak growing along side a burgeoning vocabulary.
Thirty days until the estimated arrival of the new addition to our family (or sooner). I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting a bit nervous. I have a feeling that my days of being able to pass the restless child over to Lisa are coming to and end.
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