Diaper Changes

I've mentioned before how much Nathaniel hates getting his diaper changed. I thought I should document it so in the future when I'm telling his girlfriends I can pull out my evidence. Now in his defense he is actually getting a little bit better. Here is what a diaper change at the Appelt residence looks like:

Sleeping on the job

Nathaniel agreed to help with laundry yesterday. We had a good time sorting clothes and learning the difference between a shirt and pants. However, Nathaniel quickly tired and decided he would take a cat nap instead:

Favorite Things

In Nathaniel's short time with us he is already developing a list of favorite (and least favorite) things. As you can see from his shirt, his favorites include mommy, kisses, and hugs. Nathaniel ran out of room, but would also like to include food, sleeping, his swing, and naps with daddy.

His least favorite things include: diaper changes, baths, changing clothes, mommy and baby yoga (I haven't given up hope), tummy time, and taking too long to feed him.

Miracle on Bell Ave

Last night was bath night, which is still just a washcloth bath because his umbilical cord has not fallen off yet. Bath night is torture for everyone. Nathaniel screams, cries, kicks, and squirms. Last night was no different. After we got him dressed and settled we gave him is bed time feeding. When he was finished eating he then proceeded to vomit all over his clean clothes (and mommy). Have we ever mentioned that he hates getting is clothes changed too?

Needless to say- when I put him down to sleep I was thinking it was going to be a long night. He barely had any food left in his tummy and was making grumpy faces when I put him down. So, imagine our surprise when we woke up 7 hrs later to find a still sleeping baby! It was indeed a miracle.

Here is just a cute picture of Nathaniel sleeping:

Further Pro-Papa Propaganda

My plan to become the favorite parent in this family seems to be progressing nicely. I am winning over the heart and mind of our newest family member, and when I retrieve him from his crib, I believe he will greet me as a liberator.

He was observed wearing this outfit yesterday, and when he was "forced" to wear an "I Love Mommy" outfit earlier that same day, he spit-up all over it requiring its removal.

Excellent! (Imagine that sounding like Mr. Burns)

Christopher

P.S. - For those of you looking for new pix of Nathaniel (e.g., Francis), bookmark this link. I sometimes put up new pix without mentioning them on the blog.

Peeing Alfresco

Like many little boys, Nathaniel appears to enjoy peeing in the open air. My first hints of this were apparent the day he was born. Apparently, he peed shortly after delivery...though, I did not witness it myself. Later that evening, a nurse took him to the nursery to be weighed. I tagged along, but since I wasn't allowed in the nursery, I watched through the window. The nurse stripped him naked and placed him on the scale. Then she replaced him in his bassinet and started to wipe off the scale...then the floor...and a cabinet...and behind the doors of the cabinet. That's when I became suspicious of what young Nathaniel had done, and the nurse confirmed it. Fortunately, she was amused.

Since we have arrived home, we have relived that event several times. The first was Sunday night when we got home. I was on the phone with my parents when Kristina started making a sound that was a cross between screaming and laughing. He had unloaded and sprayed in all four directions around the changing table. Despite Kristina's precautions (holding the diaper over the line of fire until the last minute), he shot past her defenses.

Our new defense, a washcloth placed over the offending area, only works slightly better. He wiggles a lot in his attempts to free his weapon. Even if we do manage to keep it covered, he'll sometimes fire anyway with a pool of urine forming underneath his bottom...on his clean diaper, the changing pad, his clean clothes, etc.

I won't even get into his other secret weapon, for which we are still trying to establish a successful defense.

One last unrelated thing...today we took Nathaniel for his first doctor's appointment. The doctor asked who he liked best Mommy or Daddy. I think this photo should remove all doubts regarding the correct answer to that question. ;-) Click on the photo if you need a closer look.


Christopher

Coming Home

Today was my first day home with Nathaniel. The last few days have been like no other, and something I don't think you could ever really prepare yourself for. The labor was not what I had envisioned, but I couldn't be happier with my experience. I had an amazing doctor that I totally trusted and who didn't give up on me when I didn't think I could go on. I also cannot express enough gratitude and appreciation for all the nurses at the hospital. I felt they went well beyond just looking after mine and Nathaniel's health, but became friends that motivated and protected us. I admit it was hard to leave their care.


I also had a lot of support from Christopher and my mother. Christopher was exactly what I needed in a coach and I felt safe with him by my side. My mother was here for a week before I went into labor and was cooking up a storm. It is so nice coming home from the hospital with a fridge and freezer full of healthy food. She also took care of Calli while we were in the hospital.

Here is Nathaniel waiting for us to leave:


And we are off:

Flickr problems fixed

I was finally able to upload the pictures of Nathaniel to Flicker. Click here to see them.

Christopher

Now Introducing For the First Time Anywhere...Nathaniel Steven Appelt!

After building up all the suspense he could muster, Nathaniel Steven Appelt has finally graced us with his presence. After 21 hours of induction, labor, and delivery, we were delighted to finally meet the newest member or our family.

For those of you who are interested in the numbers, here they are:


Born: November 7, 2008 at 6:17am
Length: 22.5 inches
Weight: 10 lbs 8.6 oz. No, that's not a typo!

Thanks to all for their love, support and concern.

Christopher and Kristina

p.s. - here are a few photos. We're having troubles with Flickr at the moment. When we get that working again, we'll post more.

Trick Instead of Treat

Well, Halloween has come and gone and still no baby. My cousin, Mary, and her family gave us a cute little Halloween outfit. If a certain "someone" had shown up when he was supposed to, we would have had adorable pictures of him wearing his new duds. So...instead, we did the next best thing. Here's a photo of Kristina's belly wearing the outfit. Still very cute, but not quite the same. :-(

Click here to see a few more pix.

Christopher