I guess that's why they call it the blues

Elton John nailed it with the title of this song...maybe he was referring to the early days of pregnancy and the baby blues. I knew I'd be a little weepy, but when movie night came around, I thought a light-hearted movie called "Sex and the City" might be fun. Instead I cried all the way through it. The happy funny parts I cried and of course the sad men-bashing sections I cried. Will shook his head in awe and said "Baby, its Sex and the City - this is funny" - but of course he gave me a hug and told me it was okay. Wow - hormones make you goofy. Or goofier in my case.

In general things have been going well but I usually have a cry for no reason between 5-6pm. Well I shouldn't say for no reason. Who knew watching Larry King could have the same effect as Sex and the City - then again, with the state of the economy, who wouldn't cry. :) Last night was a little rough - the kid must be going through a growth spurt because he was eating pretty much non-stop yesterday and wouldn't take longer than a 40 minute nap. Since I usually do night duty and with sleep deprivation in full swing I kept thinking I was doing something wrong. So we called Patty to come over to remind us of simple things -like the kid needs to eat and it is okay and it is ok to give him a bottle of breastmilk. The realization that every baby is different and there are no set rules or right or wrong and I can't do everything became very clear this morning after a good night's sleep (Will did night duty last night and agreed it was tough!) Wow I'm glad I have him around to help.

I also realize that I need to start getting out a little more - we have been doing short morning walks, but I think an afternoon walk might help as well...I don't know how the Chinese do it staying inside for 30 days. Its only been 11 and we've been out several times already and it feels good and Finn LOVES his stroller - or should I say that we LOVE this stroller - he usually falls asleep with in a few minutes of us going out, it's lightweight, can steer it with one hand and it turns on a dime! Will and I actually have to "call dibs" on who will be the one pushing the stroller.

Ok - Count Poopypants is waking up - so need to go. :)

Next up - first doctor's appointment later today to see how big he has gotten!

Finn has applied for his passport!

It is weird to think this kid will have a passport in a couple of weeks and then a Chinese visa and then a Japanese visa all before he is 6 months old! Our first "outing" was successful to the US Consulate in Shanghai. We did a quick diaper change before going in and then he SLEPT the entire time... and then we decided to be brave and go out to lunch....he SLEPT the entire time. I'm sure Finn has something up his sleeve as I don't expect this behavior to last but it was nice and so we'll take what we can get when we can get it!

More pictures...
"SunTime" - Finn had some very mild jaundice on his face so doc said give about 10 minutes of sun time for a few days...and since he also has a mild rash on his bum Will wanted sans diaper time - so he perches Finn on our patio table for a few minutes the last couple of days. As I told my mom - Finn doesn't seem to mind now - maybe in 18 years when we show this pic at his high school graduation party!
"Bouncy Chair"
"Wrinkly Feet" - you could tell this little guy was overdue - look at those feet!

I get it, I get it, I don't get it, ah eureka!

Well I know for seasoned parents out there these stories will be a bore but for me they are hilarious and a good way to laugh at myself for realizing I don't have to be super parent, perfect parent or have things figured out in a week.... Although I *thought* I understood that being a parent makes your ontime early schedule a thing of the past, I really had no idea.....

I was feeling pretty good yesterday - shower and dressed and a little bit of make-up. Was going to go for a walk with my new stroller - I decided this at 9am and by 11:30am I still had no idea when I was going to go for this first "outing" - I had so many things to do. Then after eating a PB&J it was 12:30p and I decided that instead of a walk my first outing would be to load Finn up in my sling and walk across the parking lot to Patty's apartment to hang out there for a couple hours and see what kinds of things I forgot to pack in the diaper bag.

Finn was asleep so I thought the perfect opportunity to get him in the sling and walk him over - WRONG. I'm kissing my husband goodbye and load him up and the sling is really kind of small for him and of course me trying to get him in it the first time was interesting and woke him up and so he started screaming bloody murder. I'm talking I"M ALMOST OUT THE DOOR (uh, door was actually open, but never crossed the threshold I was that close!). So instead of walking across the parking lot, I ended up closing the door, removing the sling, feeding him, then changing his diaper and at that point it was close to 2pm and I was exhausted! So much for the big outing! I took a nap instead and apologized to Patty - who being a parent naturally understood. :)

Well - in the end we did end up making our first outing downstairs to the Japanese restaurant to treat Patty to dinner for helping us out cooked meals our first two nights home and just being there for questions- this outing of course with the help of Will and our new stroller! Can I just say the kid was a gem. I had feed and changed him into a cute outfit - I had on a cute outfit - and we brought a bottle of breastmilk along just in case. He slept the entire time! About 10 minutes after we returned he got cranky so I feed him and THEN we even gave him his first bath. I of course cried because he screamed non-stop for all of the 5 minutes we took to bath him. Geez - hormones make me goofy!

Well - tomorrow's challenging outing - car ride to the US Consulate to apply for this kiddo's passport! I hope the line is short!

Finn at 3 days old

Well Finn is almost done with the newborn diaper size - more because of his linebacker legs versus his bottom, but still!! And all those newborn onesies??? Well, we are trying to go through them quickly because they are not going to fit soon if at all even now! All is well - still exhausted and will be for a while I'm sure...but having a good time and so glad he is here! Thank you for all of your emails and congratulations we are very blessed to have lots of love from friends and family.

Phineas Richmond Claxton

IS HERE!

Birth Stats:
Who: Phineas (Finn) Richmond Claxton
(Richmond comes from new grandpas RICHard Lebel and rayMOND Claxton)
When: Saturday September 20, 2008 at 3:43pm
Where: Parkway Health Inpatient Center in Shanghai, PRC
Weight: 4095 gms or a hair over 9lbs
Length: 53.5cm or 21 inches
Chinese Nickname: Peng Peng ("pahng pahng") : which means chubby
Sign: Virgo
Chinese Astrology: year of the Mouse
Dark auburn hair with we think are dark blue eyes. :)

We got home Monday late afternoon and now have access to the internet. So inbetween breastfeeding, changing diapers and not going crazy with insanely little sleep, I'm trying to get pictures uploaded and new ones taken so be patient with the new mom!

40 weeks and 1 day

We continue to do a little nesting here and there and Will even admitted he has a little womb envy? Say what? I told him I'd be happy to find a strap-on 20lb belly for him if he really wanted to try it, but he of course means the whole baby development process is pretty cool which I have to agree....he did say he would prefer not to have the back ache and constipation however. Hmmm selective motherhood - but I told him it is all or nothing and so he agreed I was doing a great job.

We went to see the doctor today and things are all normal. Just for the record - I'm not overdue and I *promise* to let you all know when this kid makes his appearance. Although I do have to admit I secretly put our suitcase in the car today in hopes the doctor would miraculously say I was 3-4 cm and I could stay - but since my contractions are really not that strong it was of course, wishful thinking. I'm making slow and steady progress and will go back on Friday. In the meantime I still get to enjoy whatever I want to eat, my maternity naps and more walks around the block. Oh yeah and giving my husband the puppy dog eyes and tell him that my feet hurt, can you rub them for me *again*? ;-)

Major Nesting Mode

Well since last week my doctor gave us the news that I was 1cm dilated and it could be any time, this put at least one of us is in major nesting mode this past weekend and it was not me! It was my darling husband. His last project was setting up and reinforcing Finn's crib and boy was he excited. He had planned this "project" for several weeks prior to his trip to Austin because he was going to be able to get his Home Depot fix and come back with a few power tools! Not sure if he was more excited about fixing the crib or buying the power tools to begin with. Okay - that is a trick question - he was excited about both!

After spending the day putting the crib together we then moved on to cleaning out closets, rearranging furniture, organizing his office space and doing more laundry we were pooped! Will was hoping for a nice birthday present on Sunday in the form of Finn's delivery, but thank goodness I got him a back-up gift because Finn decided to wait a bit longer.

So after some disappointing news on Monday that I am STILL 1cm, we figured that he is not coming any earlier than his due date - why I thought otherwise is beyond me. So since there are no bumpy gravel roads to drive on and dare I take a bicycle for a spin in this crazy town, I'm left with walking around town and my maternity naps. On the bright side - there is a full moon on Sunday! :)

Happy Anniversary #3

Well we have made it 3 years today and we agree as cheesy as it may sound we love each other more today than when we met - isn't that how it is supposed to be though?

Anyway - I don't think Finn is going to be an anniversary baby - although I seem to be having more regular contractions lately, he is still pretty comfortable. We are actually glad on this point since we both JUST got over a nasty 36 hour stomach flu which put me in the hospital for a few hours getting 2L of IV fluids! We are definitely on the mend today, but doubtful we will make it out for a romantic dinner. For one, our stomach's are probably not up for it and for me doubly so - don't know how much I could actually fit in my belly at this point anyway. So instead Will arranged for 2-hour massages later this afternoon! Ah, that will be nice.... and maybe I'll be up for a few sips of wine when we get home.

My Chinese American baby shower

Well for the record, I knew the lovely OB team at work wanted to get me (well should I say Finn) a baby gift. But for the last month or so I've heard NOTHING. I honestly didn't think anything of it until Rosie (our most outgoing and dare I say eccentric midwife) spilled a little bit of the beans a week so ago and announced via whisper in my ear they were planning a surprise baby shower for me (to know her is to love her). All I could think of were gifts of split-crotched pants and them force feeding me fish soup so I could build up my breast milk supply. But it is definitely the thought that counted and I was flattered...although how were they possibly going to surprise me, right?

Well, in comes my lovely American friends Patty and Amy - those sneaky ladies! As I'm telling them all week that I don't know how the group is going to get me anywhere on Saturday - they were in on the whole thing! Well...the day comes that I thought the shower was coming and I hear nothing, NOTHING! So I give up thinking they switched days on me. I'm sitting in my sweatpants and unwashed hair and Will (who is recently back from the US) said he was going to Patty's to pick up my glider chair that she had re-upholstered for me (Oldest trick in the book). For some odd reason (baby brain) I agreed to go with him to say hi. As we are walking next door I see one of the nurses go in to Patty's building. I burst into hormonal tears and turned to my betraying husband and said "YOU WERE IN ON IT TOO!" - I feel so loved by this betrayal but only slightly angry enough to say - you were going to let me walk over in dirty sweatpants, no make-up and greasy hair and I'm going to have pictures of this?? YOU ARE MAD! :)

So needless to say I only had time to change pants, put on some mascara and most importantly a lot more deodorant! I walked over and was overwhelmingly surprised by my lovely co-workers and friends that showed up - close to 30 people!! They wanted to throw me an American baby shower and it was fabulous! I even gave in and let them play shower games and let them measure my very pregnant belly. This shower lasted for about 3 hours!! It was crazy and I didn't even receive one pair of split-crotched pants....I do have to say I was a bit disappointed!

I'm so very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of ladies that I work with as well as just great friends (and husband) that are willing to go out on a limb and LIE to my face in the name of love.