It has been to long

So as we are settling into our new life, I neglected the blog so there is a lot you might not know! At his two week appointment Liam surpassed his goal weight of 8lbs4oz by 5ounces! His doctor said he is a very robust baby. His cord fell off that same day and he has enjoyed his bath times a bit more now.

Liam is getting to be a pro at lifting his head up. He is also really starting to find his lungs. Still he is a good baby, just more vocal! He is loving his bouncy chair, the singing frog might be his favorite. He enjoys music in general, like his dad, it seems to engage and calm him.

Dad has been able to feed Liam from a bottle! Liam appears to be a little confused by it, because it is still new and very different for him. Mike really enjoys this extra time he gets to spend with him and it gives me a little more freedom. I actually left the house and went to a movie with friends!

Right now Mike is in St. Louis and we are experiencing our first big snow storm of the season. When I say big, I mean HUGE - blizzard conditions! Liam isn't phased by it, I am a little more anxious about everything. Pray that Mike returns to us safely.

What's in a name?

Well there is quite a bit to our son's name, but I think that he will definately live up to all that is in it! Let's take a closer look at what it all includes: Robert William Olson Lancaster.

Robert = Mike's father
William = Mo's grandfather
Olson = Mo's maiden name, the last of our families' little Olson clan
Lancaster = Mike (and Mo's) surname

Where did we get Liam in all of this? Well, if you look closely Liam is contained in WilLIAM! Wow -right? Traditionally Liam is an Irish nickname for William, just like Mo is an traditional Irish nickname for Maureen.

So that is our son's name. We love that there is a connection to each of our families, we wanted to give him a solid foundation on which to build "his own name."

Liam's Birthday

He is here and doing great (This picture was taken less than an hour of his birth!). He came into the world weighing 8lbs 4oz and measuring 20 1/2 inches long. He is beautiful! We both love him more than what we thought possible already. He has picked up breastfeeding pretty well; getting better at a latch with every attempt.

I am doing ok. I feel quite a bit of pain, but focusing on Liam seems to take a lot of it away. Tomorrow they say that I will get my cathader (sp?) taken out and most likely my IV as well - both things I am very excited about!

So This is It!

Mike and I are so excited and anxious at the same time. The anxiety is for the c-section part and the excitement is for Liam. We are having our last quiet evening at home and then hopefully we will get some rest for the big day tomorrow.

We go in tomorrow at 7:45, the c-section is at 10 (over by 11) then it is off to recovery for a couple of hours and I should be back in our hospital room by 1pm. We would appreciate all of your prayers for each member of our little family tomorrow.

Thank you all for being part of our lives and for the roles that you each will play in Liam's life. We will need your support and encouragement!

Friday the 13th it is!

So we found out today that Liam's birthday will be Nov. 13th! We are excited and are kicking some last minute preparations into overdrive; just some loose ends to tie up. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare for this big event.

He is coming sooner than later.

On Wednesday we went in for our final ultrasound to see if it would be possible for me to have a normal delivery and the result was - it is not. Now we are preparing for a C-section. We get to continue our care with the Midwives, but now we choose an OB (that works in conjunction with the Midwives) for the surgery. (We should know by late tomorrow what day the C-section will take place.)

I was told at one time that I would have to transfer my care to an OB, so I was very relieved that things will stay how they are now. Many people may think that I am crazy.....but I am more nervous now, knowing that I will have to have surgery! The things that I am thankful for are that Liam is healthy and this C-section is the safest delivery option for each of us.

Speaking of Liam - check out his profile picture - he sure looks like a Lancaster! He seems to already have chubby cheeks!

One last thing.....my belly is huge and we thought you guys might like a glimpse before it is (mostly) gone in a couple weeks. This is really for my dad who didn't want to miss my biggest stage :)

Hospital Preparations

So today I started packing a bag for the hospital! I have a nice little checklist and I am making my way through it. Even though the end is approaching, it still seems so far away. I am sure it will feel real once Mike is escorting me through the hospital lobby, with bags in tow!

One other thing we hope to do this week or next is get our car seat installed. We have to make an appointment with the police department; they check the seat to ensure it meets safety requirements and teach us to install the car seat. Once we pass the installation check we will be allowed to bring Liam home in the set-up. Meriter requires this before you can leave the hospital with your newborn, so better to do it now than Mike have to scrabble while I wait for him at the hospital.

Practice Time

At 34 weeks my body seems to be practicing for the big event. This past Saturday evening I started having contractions. I have had other Braxton Hicks which only caused slight discomfort, but this past Saturday they were more than just uncomfortable! It felt like the real thing (at least what I think what the real thing will feel like). They started around 4:30 and ended after two baths and a shower around 11. Sunday and Monday have felt like those first couple days after a really hard work out, so I know that my body will probably need more practice!

Mike and I are starting to feel the crunch of time. Mike is finishing the bathroom, I am really just the tool holder, and I can't wait for everyone to see it! The nursery is coming along as we continue to add bits and pieces. We made a big purchase -at least we like to think of it as that- we have Liam's coming home outfit! We will also use it for his first photo shoot. (Knowing his dad, it will be the first of many.) Here it it:

32 Weeks

So technically we only have about 8 weeks left! It is very exciting but overwhelming at the same time. My belly keeps getting bigger; I am starting to make some of my co-workers a little nervous. Many of these younger folks have ever been around pregnant women, so I get the feeling they think I may pop at any second and need to be very careful!

We have so much left to do but it seems as if no matter how much we move forward, there is always more. I am currently in a battle with our insurance company because something was billed incorrectly, our bathroom is still not finished and we have to find a doctor for Liam! Besides those things we have gotten some things finished and into the nursery. I have everything we have so far washed and ready to go. The many wonderful hand-me-down clothes we have are folded nicely in their dresser. Here are some other things that we have gotten new for our little one:

It was a surprise...

When I came home I found a beautiful crib in our nursery! I started to cry because I was a bit overwhelmed and so excited at the same time. Friends have asked if they could also 'order' one, and I get to smile and say, "No, it is one of a kind." Well, I guess Liam can come now because we have a place for him to sleep!

Just rolled out of bed......

I now have a better understanding of this very common saying. Rolling myself out of bed in the middle of night is not fun, but I know I can come right back. The worst is the morning, because I know it will be a long time before I can come back to sleep some more!

As I've grown larger and larger Mike has wanted to take pictures of my belly, but my ever changing shape has made me a little camera shy. Well, as you can see, I finally gave in.

Tomorrow we begin our birthing class, the first of six! We are very eager students and really hope we learn a lot! Off to bed....

Here we go!

Well, here is a new beginning - for a new beginning! We thought this would be a great way to update friends and family with our growing family. At 28 weeks, we are two-thirds of our way to the big day!

We have been working diligently around the house to prepare for Liam's arrival. Our bathroom is getting put back together after being gutted. The nursery has been painted (thanks to one dad), we have a rug, a dresser, and are waiting for our custom made crib (thanks to another dad). Check out the high chair that we have already!