The Night-time is the Right-Time

Okay - I've told you he doesn't sleep well after midnight right?  I mean, during the day, the kid can't even stay awake long enough to taunt the dog regarding the disproportionate number of feedings he gets in comparision to the Beagle.  But during the night?  He's not interested in sleeping.  Just opts out of the exercise.  Thinks we're silly for even trying to get him to sleep during the hours of midnight and 6am in fact.  You don't believe me?  Check this video out - literally, this is what the kid does.  For hours. 

Okay, can't get that mad - pretty big eyes you have my love!

dwt.

Parker loves the People!!

We've had the little man for two full weeks now and after careful deliberation and some international (via the interweb) research, he is still the most beautiful baby boy in the entire world.  He's running out of shelf-space for all the "best looking" trophies he continues to receive. 

I've decided he's the Queen Anne version of Justin Timberlake.  I mean, I don't know that he can sing or dance, or act (sort-of....have you seen The Social Network?!), BUT, he gets all the best looking women (and Lars) to flock to him just like JT does!   We've had some fun-filled visits from a lot of family and friends - Parker and I discussed, we've picked a couple of our favorites:

 

• Shannon Johnson's zucchini bread.  I mean, seeing Shannon was fun too, but the bread was ridiculous.  Thank YOU Local Roots for that zucchini..and YOU Shannon Johnson for the magic that you and your kitchen creates!
• The visit from Donna in the hospital, middle of the workday (though we wouldn't have known either way!), and with a gift basket for....well, it was for Treva.  But I LOVE US Weekly too!
• Great Aunt Carol Bettesworth - yep, babies love Great Aunts!
• Grandpa Totten even got into the act! 
• Parker got to hang out with the ladies (and Erich) at wine night - which yet again proved that a) our friends are amazing people...and b) the Totten investment in Wapato Point Cellars is a sentimental one, clearly not a quality play.
• Aunt Tiffany came over, she's a ton of fun according to Parker.  She remembers when Roark was that small - soon enough, Parker will be running around with a Windows Mobile Phone soccer ball too :(
• Ernie came over recently as well - I didn't get the chance to snap any pictures with the two of them, but I do know that Parker felt some camaraderie with Ernie over the difficulties in eating corn on the cob.   
• Bigelow Johnsons swung by too - I think Parker has eyes for Paige already, watch out now!!

Aunt Sarah was nice enough to spend several days with Master Parker, so she's a crowd favorite.  But, after all the fun visits, all the kisses and hand-holds...it turns out, Mom is still the favorite.  He's soft - but he knows where the goods are :). 



dwt.

The Routine has been set!

Camp Totten is in full swing here at The 418.  I will be the first to complain about how ticked off I was that our old couch from the Bellevue house didn't fit down the staircase when we finished the basement out.  Believe me, we tried - i have dents in the hardwoods and I had to spackle the entire wall of the stairwell as a result.  Then I had to hock it on Craiglist to some tattooed teenage rockstar chick for, and I mean literally...pennies on the dollar.  So yeah, couches apparently aren't investment properties. 
Anyway, I sat on a camping chair for awhile, until finally caving and buying this sectional - actually, Treva bought it and one day last year I came back in town from...who knows...and it was all setup.  Anyway, it fits in the basement.  And it sleeps two (plus one dog) quite comfortably.  We're been living down here - it's cooler than upstairs, there's a mini-fridge, a snack table, cable TV (with DVR), and Treva doesn't have to climb into the clawfoot to cleanse.  Feels like a strong hand we're playing with.

The routine is what it is - every 2.5 hours, the alarm goes off (even during the day) and the first step is waking Treva up.  I won't comment any further on that Mission Impossible.  Then, Parker gets the goods - which involves a quick unswaddle and stripping, me poking at his belly and blowing on his face, finally cranking the lights and a fan to circulate some fresh air.  If waking Treva is a challenge, keeping Parker awake for feeding is an Olympic sport.  And I'm basically world-class at this point.  There's burping and rotating involved, then a diaper change and re-swaddle.  That's if I can paw Parker Tots away from his mother, who by that point in the exercise has a goofy grin on her face and starts making gooey eyes at the kid.   

He's usually a pretty good eater though - always gets a little milk-drunk afterward, which is kind of funny.  That's followed by some pretty cute facial expressions where he literally falls asleep sitting up.  He would NOT do well in a Fraternity House at this point in time - lord know what his "brothers" would do to him in this state.  In any case, we have figured out he's a bit of a night-owl, clearly sleeping better during the day than at night.  Which makes the graveyard shift pretty miserable - yet the time seems to just fly by, and I can fall asleep faster now than I ever have before. 

But, when he's awake, we get the chance to give him his first bath....

Until next time, keep it clean...

dwt.

One Week Down!

We made it - one week!  He's kind of camera shy....

Hospitals are fine, except for the sleep thing...

The staff at Swedish was ridiculous, they were all so very helpful and encouraging.  From our little "kitchen surprise" to baby in hand, it was just under two hours, so everybody had to know their role and execute flawlessly to ensure Parker and Mom were healthy and happy last Wednesday. 

Very specifically, a nurse named Jelaine - strange name, but she was impressive!  She's the one who got to deal with me after the baby was born, Treva was a little woozy, and I'm standing with something that weighs less than the amount of pork I just purchased for a DP dinner on Sunday saying, "Okay, let's do this - skin to skin, I'm in on this."  She was informative and very sweet - and she was able to keep my shirt on.  Cheryl was a second nurse - she was almost as good as Jelaine...and I only say almost because she had a University of Washington hair cap on the entire time.  Disgusting.  Beyond that, she was good - but a bad first impression cannot be cured.  And then at night, Mary and Sharon kept the lights on for us.  And by that, I mean very directly...kept the lights on.  All night long, in and out, in and out.  They pricked Parker's feet fifteen times to test his blood sugar, and Treva's blood pressure has never been through so many tribulations in her glorious 32 years.  Both Parker and Treva are good studies though - they passed most of the time.  Parker had a nasty fever on Day 2, so we got to play with more needles and formula then.  He knows enough to know the difference now. 

For those who do not have kids, or haven't had kids in since the interweb was invented, the hospital lodging experience is a trip.  They have free meals for patients - but guests have to pay.  Nobody questioned Treva's request for some Rigatoni Bolognese, Ceasar Salad with Chicken, Reuben Sandwich, and three ice cream sundays.  She's a big eater.  In truth, she was on a cracker diet on Day 1.  The things I will remember from the hospital stay:

• Had I to do it all over again, I would have figured out how the hide-a-bed worked before 4am on the first night.
• There's a distinct difference in training and pay (I'm assuming on the latter) from the doctors and nurses to the "Transport Team." 
• The food service really is remarkable - not of the highest quality, but sustenance none the less.  And they bring it directly to your room!  And they don't take tips!  It's basically what normal restaurants look like in a place like Greenland, I'm guessing. 
• The wireless internet was reliable.  That says it all right there.
• If you're a pillow company - you should attempt to create a "single-sourcing" contract with Swedish.  More pillows there than an Arabian Prince's love shack.
• They have free apple juice and graham crackers.  Yes, Parker is the kid - but how often can I feel like I'm back in Preschool?!  When was the last time you tried to eat as many graham crackers as you could in a 10 minute stretch?!  You do when they are free.  And delicious.
• We were "Charlie Sheen Winning" when Treva could get up and go to the bathroom without calling the nurses in.  That's a nice perspective to put things in.

Aunt Sarah and both Grandmas came up and visited the hospital immediately - all initially concerned for Treva's health, then shifting to meeting Parker.  They were a lot of fun and very comforting for me to have each of them there and sharing in those priorities.  We got some cute pics out of the deal too!

Birth Announcement Post

Oh, I do want to remember the birth announcement I sent to some friends and family the night of July 27th.  That's when we introduced the little man to the world...I want to remember that exact moment, forever! 

Friends, Family – it’s a long story. 

Yes, we are indeed a few weeks early and a bit of a hectic process actually….Tiny Tots just felt like today is the day.  So after some minor complications at “the house that has no roof” (AKA, our ‘home’) this morning, a quick aggressive and law-bending car commute to Swedish Medical Center, and some darn good medical attention from an unbelievable staff here….we couldn’t be happier to present Parker Jackson Totten!  We’re calling him “Taco” for short © Mollie Verhasselt.

Mom is amazing and in complete control – she’s unbreakable, this woman; baby boy is healthy – ten fingers, ten toes, two nipples, all that good stuff.  Special thanks to both Grandmas and Sarah Dawn for racing up here to help with mom (and the mess that is me).  We love you all – your thoughts and prayers today were felt and so greatly appreciated. 

19 inches, 6 lbs and .05 ounces, 10:48 am…handsome as all get-out!

Love you all –

Treva and David

Well, we can change the tagline...

It appears it has been a few days since my last post - my apologies.  A few things have changed since we last checked in:

• The tagline of the blog has changed.  Which is kind of a big deal.
• We have the carseat officially installed in the backseat.  And not by some clown in Ballard either - by Gregory Huey.  Feels pretty official to me.
• Treva lost some weight.  Normally, with three weeks to go, that's not a good thing.  But...
• Tiny Tots IS HERE!! 

I created this blog so that I could remember all the things I wanted to remember about this entire experience, this process.  Well that, and to post a bunch of pics for the grandmas to celebrate the beauty that is their genetic lineage.  I'm not going to recap the story of how Tiny Tots got here because I'm pretty sure those memories won't ever let me down, and I still do not know the medical or theological reason why he decided to come so early.  But I do know that he's perfect.  I mean, to the millimeter...perfect.  If you haven't seen this kid yet....buckle up.  He's...amazing.  And The Wife?  You gotta be kidding me - talk about special.  Where panic and pain could have set in, she stayed strong, dedicated her love and energy to Tiny Tots, and was unbelievably peaceful and had that euphoric smile we're both getting used to seeing in the mirror throughout it all.  And I don't think it was the meds.  She's an amazing woman - and is already an exceptional mother. 


Last update, then more later:  Tiny Tots is Parker.  Parker Jackson Totten, formally.  "Master Parker" is here....


dwt.