Gavin's most recent bathing experience (aka Mommy swimming with yams)

So it was Brent's idea to put Mom in the big bathtub to be next to Gavin in his little blue bathtub to help facilitate the whole bathing experience, just keep that in mind. We washed his little arms and legs and lathered up his hair with the magic yellow shampoo, and then--as we had been instructed--we took off his diaper to wash everything else. Now the last time we had done this it was really no big deal: a little pee fountain was all there was to speak of, and it didn't even get near my eyes, so we considered it a pretty successful bath. This time, however, when we took off his diaper, it was only a matter of seconds 'til the yam-like poop shot out in the little sling that holds him in his blue bathtub. OK, we thought, so now he's swimming in his own poop, and it's pretty debatable as to how clean he's really getting in this supposed bath. So we decide to let me hold Gavin while Brent dumps the baby bathtub out, and two comical things happen: Gavin poops on my leg, and Brent decides to dump the yams into the big bathtub. And, yes, I'm still sitting in that water myself! Needless to say, Mommy needed her own shower when this whole ordeal was done. The best part of moments like these are Gavin's little, clueless, innocent expressions, as if to say, "What? Is something wrong? You guys look a little flustered."

Introducing...

Here he is: Gavin Elliot Koel!!! Christine just taught me how to upload pictures, so expect some more in the near future. Our son is absolutely precious, and there's just no other way to describe him. He'll be three weeks on Monday, and that seems hard to comprehend. In some ways it seems like it's been an eternity because--as any new parent can attest to--every day at the beginning seems like three days since you're up 'round the clock; but, in other ways, it doesn't seem possible that he's already almost three weeks old! Brent's back to work now (I was spoiled to have him home for the first two weeks), and I'm getting used to being the full time mommy at home. I could spend hours just admiring him...all his tiny features, his super soft skin...that is, if I could stay awake long enough :) No, really, I'm getting more and more used to living with much less sleep, or at least sleep broken into 3-4 hour chunks. I keep telling myself that I should be getting enough sleep in general, but I'm not sure that all of these naps qualify as good sleep :) But, all this said, Gavin is worth all the sleep deprivation I could ever experience. Speaking of the little dude, I need to go feed him now, so hopefully I can get back to this later. Ciao for now...

Waiting...not so patiently anymore

*This picture was taken at Brent's sister's wedding just two days before Gavin was born*

Well, our son's due date was yesterday (Sept 7), and yesterday has come and gone. So, now we just wait...not so patiently I must confess. I've grown weary of the following questions and commentary:
-Wow, you're still here!
-So where's that baby?
-You're really a trooper! OR You're a real champ! (These comments are popular when you make any sort of public appearance in your last weeks of pregnancy.)
-Can you tell us his name?
-Wasn't he due a week or two ago?!

I feel like wearing a t-shirt that just says, "I'm fine, the baby's clearly not here yet, and we'll let you know when things change."

I don't mean to get cynical or too bothered by all of this, but this is a strange time in our lives I must say. I keep reminding us only God truly knows our son's birthday, which sometimes seems comforting and sometimes feels almost unfair. He's only one day late, and I feel like I sound like we've been waiting as long as Brent's aunt waited. (She told me today that she was 29 days overdue with one of her kids!) I'm sure that the next time I post we'll have pictures of our precious son, but for now we wait. This is a good lesson in patience I know. -Tara