Let Us Speak in the Following Vernacular...

As soon as you tell someone (particularly someone with kids), that you are going to have a child, the most common reaction is usually "Congratulations!" (depending on your situation). In my recent experience, the second most common response is "Your life is never going to be the same". Usually, there is not that same sense and tone of optimism you get with the first response. This was vexing at the time.

Change is not a bad thing. Although Carrie and I have a very comfortable life together, we wanted a little change, the change a child brings. We were ready and as prepared as possible. So far, Lily has done nothing to disappoint. Perhaps it was the constant "WARNING" of this change from others who had gone beforeus that had the two of us preparing for the worst. Or, and I hope this is the case, Lily is just an laid-back baby!

One change that both Carrie and I noticed recently, is how quickly our vocabulary and conversations changed. Almost instantly I adopted my new moniker "Daddy", and for reasons unbeknownst to me, I began speaking about myself in the third person. Constantly. "Daddy is going to wrap you up in a blanket.""Daddy is going to try and burp you." "Daddy, now needs to go and change his shirt." etc. Why do I suddenly feel the need to narrarate life around me? Is it for her benefit? Mine? Passers-by?

Furthermore, I was never all that found of the term "Daddy". I have always been a "Dad" sort of guy. Now, "Mommy" on the other hand, is great; "Daddy" not so much. I can't explain it. I know it doesn't make any sense.

Secondly, since Lily's arrival, Carrie and I have focused less time discussing stories we heard on NPR, odd bits of movie/TV trivia, newsworthy scientific discoveries. Instead we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing all manner of bodily functions as it relates to our kid. Things we never discussed in nearly 5 years of marriage, make up about 30% of what we have to say, lately. The rest of the time we talk about when and how we can get a quick nap. Yep, things have definately changed.

I know I'm a parent when...

So, I am trying to get some actual work work done today and out of the corner of my eye, I see something small crawling towards me, with 1 wing. Upon closer inspection it is a winged (in this case, half-winged ant). I absolutely loose it.

First, a little exposition-Last spring, our first spring in this house, we were invaded by 1,000s of winged ants, that lived in our flower bed. Right before a big evening rain, they decide to lay siege to our kitchen, infiltrating our house through our side door. Oddly, once they get in, their wings fall off, and they crawl around for a while and die.

Back to today-upon seeing this ant-spy I knew immediately what was going on. I stopped everything, and ran to the kitchen, shocked and disappointed to see what I was afraid I would see. Ants...hundreds, of winged, half-winged, de-winged ants.

No one would consider me a neat freak. Carrie and I do try to keep a neat house (the kitchen is a particular sore spot for me, so I am fastidious in keeping it decent). I was bit shocked by my initial reaction to this uninvited incursion. While certainly I wanted to get rid of this little army of ants for basic cleanliness, I was most concerned about keeping them away from my daughter ( overwhelmingly so). Within five minutes, I had swept them out of the kitchen and began searching the surrounding rooms for escapees (which I found!). Ten minutes later I had swept most of the first floor, and felt comfortable I got them all, but something was still bothering me. I didn't want a single one of these insect infidels to come near Lily! I immediately started flipping our dinning room chairs upside down on the table (like a restaurant at closing time), kitchen stools where on the counter, and the sink was filling with hot water and Orange-Glo. I mopped nearly the entire first floor of our house (we have all hardwood floors, so this is a feat. Something I haven't done in....a while). All the while repeating to myself "must keep Lily safe! must protect her from..ants?!?!"

Once that was done, I decided to go on the attack, and because of our experience last year we had a reasonable stockpile. I put yard stakes around the landscaping on the side of our house, bait traps in the corners of the doorway, and laid down a thick coat of spray on the steps, stoops, and door sills. I took a strong "scorched earth" policy with these bugs.

While keeping the house clean and insect free were strong motivators, keeping these sixe legged, one winged, threats from Lily was an overpowering feeling. At that moment it clicked that of what it really felt like to be a parent, and do anything to keep your kid safe (even from tiny, near flightless ants). God forbid any real danger ever come her way, who knows what I would try to clean!

Thinking back on today a little, I feel a bit guilty for over 1,000 counts of ant-icide, considering what revelation they triggered. But they did create an un-holy mess, if only for a short while however short lived.

In other news, here is a new set of pics from Lily's first week!

Lily's first data points

I love data. I really love data. During the last nine months I have joked that Lily (at that time "Baby") would be such a rich source of data to measure, collect, track, plot, deviate standardly, etc. Now, I always said this laughingly, but deep down I MEANT EVERY SINGLE WORD!



So far Lily hasn't disappointed in this department. We have been tracking her sleeping times, her feeding times, her diaper details (which actually have been handy due to brief drop in changing frequency) Certainly gives a new meaning to the term P-value.



This has all been very interesting, but we have been lacking any comparative data to measure up against. That all changed today!



We went for Lily's 1-week checkup where among the many things investigated were her length, weight, and head circumference. Her doctor came back with her measurements as well as which percentile she falls in on the growth charts. Finally, we see were our baby stacks up against the pack, where her data meets the road! You may think I am a bit obsessive about her data points, but Carrie was even more excited than me (in her defense, she does run the skeletal dysplasia clinic at work, so this is right in her wheel-house).



This evening I would be formatting her MS Excel charts to match the color scheme of her bedroom, because that's how I roll....

Internets and Cycling=Quality Time

So, Lily and I decided we should get some work done today, and finally upload a few pics for everyone (see previous post). It was at this point, I realized that there was a niche market for 1-handed keyboards for use by internet obsessed parents so they can check their email while holding kid(s). Although uniquely challenging, we were quite efficient transferring all of her recent photos, setting up a web album, uploading and linking the images, and even editing, rendering, and uploading Lily's first short film The Nose Whistler. I appreciate her editing touch. We also discovered that Lily is a big Gnarls Barkley fan. Yay!

Today, Lily watched her first professional bicycling race with me, and not just any race, Paris-Roubaix, the Queen of the Spring Classics, as Phil Ligget says. Not only was it a great race, but Tom Boonen walked away with the sprint for the victory. I think I might have just created TomBoonenFanGirl#1!

Hi there, Baby!

So, Lillian Jane was born on Wednesday. Not knowing what to expect, I'd have to say that things went mostly to plan (not necessarily our plan, but a plan), although I was much more involved in the process than I had originally intended (I am not complaining, as I feel Carrie was really bearing the brunt of the work). I (if not We) was most surprised by how much hair she has. I have been thinking about this kid for months, but never actually considered her having hair. It's a good look.

We have always referred to her (in utero) as simply "baby". Not "the baby" or "our baby", but simply "baby" (sometimes "BABY!"). Now that she is really here, it's been a hard habit to break, and hopefully not too confusing for her. I hope I get with it soon, so as not to end up with a 6mos. old daughter pondering "who am I?". Very philosophic.

The last two days, and consequently her first two days, she has been a little congested, and has what can easily be described as a nose whistle. It's quite cute.
I apologize for the poor lighting. Steven Spielberg, I am not.


So far I feel that we can call our first 48hrs as parents a success. Everyone has eaten, bathed, and taken at least 1 nap. Who can ask for anything more?

Here are some early pics!