Saturday Morning photos

We got up early this morning and took some photos at the beach.

Piola's Friday night

We went with Josh, Meredith, Kristin, James and Iris to Piola's Friday night. Kristin finally got to hold Raina since she was sick earlier this week.

When it rain(a)s it pours

I think I finally understand the expression "when it rains it pours". Yesterday I had to pay $113 get a new tire for the Mazda. The tire just went flat sitting outside. Weird. I also dropped off the van because the check engine light was on. It apparently needs a new transmission. Its going to cost over $300 a month to put Raina on our health insurance. Next week  my doctor wants to perform sinus surgery since they are so badly infected. Raina has not been sleeping so neither have Pam and I. They are jackhammering up the walkway out front. I am not working and therefore have no income source. 

That was my Thursday! But today is a new day and Raina has actually slept for a couple hours.

"I want milk!"

Here is a video of Raina and Daddy. Raina is not really interested is interaction --just "I want milk!"

Our first movie with Raina

We took the Bugaboo stroller up a couple of blocks to the Lincoln Road movie theater. I wasn't sure if this would work. Its a three story movie theater (kinda urban style) so we had to take the elevator to our theater on the third floor. When we got into the theater itself we parked the stroller in the handicap area and sat in the next row. Pam fed her for a good part of the movie and then Raina slept in my arms for most of the film. She did make a couple peeps but nothing too bad. 

Its interesting to change your perspective and be the annoying people with the baby. BTW, we saw  Don't Mess with the Zohan which had some funny scenes but they were all shown in the previews.

Daddy's new role in life - a comfortable bed!

Right now its okay for a  8lb 14 oz baby (she got weighed today) to lie on my chest. We both fell asleep. Speaking of weight, Pam is already down to 166 lbs from a high of 183 ten days ago!

Raina's first trip to Ikea

So we broke down today and bought a HEMNES (typical Ikea name) changing table. We don't have a lot of room but after changing Raina about 80 times a day I think its worth it. Our high dining room table is not so great. 

The good news is Raina doesn't cry a lot and when she does it can be fixed by one of three solutions.

1. change diaper

2. milky

3. pat on back to burp.

funny breastfeeding quote

Pam just said something pretty funny.... While breastfeeding she said, "This breast is bigger than Raina's head!" Yep they are getting ridiculously larger!

Beach Baby

Raina"s hiccups

Raina gets the hiccups a lot.

My first father's day

Raina made me a card and breakfast in bed. She may have had some help from Pam. Our neighbor Serena had her baby Sadie just three days after Raina was born. Here is the babies pic. Yesterday the Rodriguez's came to visit. Violet is holding Raina next to Pam.

Guess what! more Raina pics!

Wendy and Sarah's visit

Wendy and Sarah came to visit on Saturday. The baby was born four days later on Tuesday. Before the baby was born, we took Sarah to the beach, the pool and Wendy and I went dancing at Cameo on Saturday night. Here are some pics. Also here is a great pic of Pam right in  the first stages of labor.

Raina day 2 and 3

This is later the same day when Raina was born. I was able to find a pretty good deal on a flight for my parents to come down the same day. I picked them up at the airport at about the same time James, Iris and Kristin got back into town so we had a meal in Raina's honor.

Wendy and Sarah left to go back to Baltimore today. We had a good time. I will put up some fun pics of Sarah's first time at the beach. She also really enjoyed playing with Sammy and the flamingo park pool.

Where'd we get the name Raina?

We got the name Raina from a Peter Himmelman song called Raina.

Here are the lyrics:

Raina

From the album Flown This Acid World (1992)

Some say the world has gone insane

And some say that God just got up and walked away

Some say dreams have frozen

Like a river that will not thaw

But not me since I've seen Raina

Some say that all is lost

And that innocence can't be restored at any cost

Some say you lose your spirit

If you lose a sense of awe

But not me since I've touched Raina

There's so little in this world that's true

I have boundless dreams for you.

Some say there's no end to the night

And some say the reward just isn't worth the fight

But I'm no stranger to the allure of dispair

I've spent a lifetime inside his jaws

But not since I've seen Raina

Raina Day 2

Raina Skye Johanson Our New Baby!

Well, she's here! Finally! The process was for sure the hardest thing I've ever done. Labor progressed really well up to 9cm. Then we were stuck at 9cm for what seemed like FOREVER! By the time it was time to push, I was almost relieved. The birth turned out the be slightly complicated. Raina's head was coming out slightly sideways. (I didn't know all of this at the time, but I knew something was up when Shari the head midwife showed up and then had a couple other midwives take Steve out of the room to explain what was going on. I could also see the impatient look on Shari's face. So I knew it was time to get down to business.) I did have to have an episiotomy unfortunately. But the decision was made by Shari because it is better than having a brain damaged baby! I had no idea at the time that this was going on. Anyway, Raina is healthy and eating well. (In fact she cried as soon as her head popped out.)

Last night was first poopy! Woo hoo! (Technically her first poop was when she came out of me.) 

She's a good sleeper so far - though it's only been one night. She slept with us in bed. At this point, I highly recommend co-sleeping. It's the best way to monitor and feed the baby. 

Well, I'm going to take a break. I still feel pretty tired and sore. 

Raina Skye Johanson Our New Baby!

We went into the maternity center around 2am since pam was having bad contractions. At 10:30am Raina was born. More on this later when I am not so tired. Here are some pics

cervix and the blob

Yesterday I was informed that my cervix was 1cm dilated and the baby is engaged at about position 1. (I have been recently experiencing what I would call mild menstrual-like cramping off and on. To make myself feel like I wasn't going crazy, I had the midwife do an exam to check these things.)

This morning, well..


...okay, it's gonna be graphic. Parental Discretion Advised:


This morning the mucus plug came out! Ew! This is what it looked like: Think of a snotty-blob about the size of two tablespoons, tinged with a little brown blood.  And, it came out of me! Gross!

Unfortunately, this doesn't necessarily mean that labor is starting. It simply means that things are going along as they should. As the midwife says, it could be tomorrow or two weeks!

Anyway, it's a little freaky. --Pam

John, Julie and Ruby came to visit on Wednesday. We had a great time at Flamingo Park!

Semi-hostage love puppy

okay here's what Sammy and I do on the couch.  She likes to lay with her but in my face --- I prefer her head. So I force her to lay with her head on my chest. Its not quite a hostage situation but  still a semi-hostage situation. But once I make her do it she will stay.