BUSY BUSY BUSY BUSY

My goal when I started this blog was the attempt to write everyday, but that thought alone shows that I really didn't understand the finer points of having a new born baby. The sleepless nights and crying can drive you UP THE WALL. But you must keep in mind that in the end, it will all be worth it. My mind goes back to the man I ran across in the store who was wondering will he be OK, and I sometimes find myself thinking the same thing, but one smile and a flash of dimple and I am reassured that everything will be fine. Being that I have not made an entry in a while I will try to recap all that has happened since the last entry. First off the nights have gotten better. Josiah will now wake up feed and go back to sleep. We found a pacifier that he will take to and will not toss out of his mouth (shout out to Soothie). Also we no longer need to swaddle, and self soothing is coming along quite nicely. One thing that happened that can be a cause for concern is a babies weight. But what we experienced is that almost all babies will lose weight right after birth and will likely take two to three weeks to reach/exceed birth weight. Bowel consistency/frequency is also another area of concern for some. Breastfed babies should have 1 BM per 2-3 wet diapers and bottle fed babies can go as many as three days between BMs. I wont go into more details about BMs and the like. Hopefully by the next post I'll have some pictures!

Juggling Diapers

Changing a newborn's diaper can be an adventure. Between the crying, kicking legs, and squirming its enough to require a grown man's focus. After yesterdays visit to the doctor we have been keeping a tighter watch on the number of diapers we changed and what was in them (consistency and color as well, but I will spare those details). So with this watchfulness on my mind I went into our room and scooped Jo Jo out of his bed and lay him the changing table. The tale-tale blue stripe was present on the diaper so I knew I was in business. Having been peed on the night before in my sleepy delusion my awareness was peaked. In the fashion as I have always changed a diaper I began; new diaper under old one, diaper cream/A&D/Vaseline placed on changing pad, wipes at the ready, undo old diaper, wipe fold. Except this time before I could close up the new diaper out came a spurt of BM. So slightly stunned I closed up the new diaper in case there was more to come, but no further action I started the process over again, and again Jo Jo soiled the new diaper mere seconds after I placed it under him. By this time (a time frame of about 45 seconds) I had gone through three diapers, and narrowly adverted a BM disaster. Perhaps the old saying should be changed from the early bird catches the worm to the early diaper changer catches the stool...DIAPER CHANGERS BE WARE

First Week In

Several words come to mind when I try to describe the feelings that I have experienced during Josiah's first week of life. Seeing thee faces that he makes and how much they remind me of his big sister. Seeing his version of a smile when he gets excited. While in Burlington my wife, mother, and I came across another couple (man and wife) who were expecting. As the man walked through the baby section looking shell shocked he mumbled to me, "sometimes you want to run don't you". I laughed and told him "its all worth it" and he and his wife walked away. That man's feelings/worries lie at the center of why I am writing this blog. From the time that a little girl can talk, she is handed a baby doll and is taught how to be a mother. While boys on the other hand are given basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and any other sport ball you can think of and the thought of being a parent starts at about the time that the expecting mother tells him "I'm pregnant...." This fact lead me to want to lay down a sort of "road map" of what possibly to expect, be a forum for discussion about parenting and anything else that may come to my mind during this, the first 365, year of Josiah's life.

He's Finally Here

After all of the waiting he is finally here. Josiah has made his entrance, and a grand one it was! The feelings that ran thru me as I watched my son wiggle and squirm in his first moments of life are beyond words. Josiah's first day was filled with family visits, doctors prodding, and eating. Looking at his newborn body you can't help but wonder what greatness he will achieve and what great things he will do.

Induction Eve

The day is finally upon us. Tomorrow we go to the hospital to start the end of this pregnancy and to welcome Josiah into this world. What started off as a guess "due date" is now a more concrete time with the induction scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, resulting in Josiah's birthday likely being January 19, 2012 (which was the date that I guessed months ago). I am not even sure how to explain my emotions right now. I am so excited that Josiah will FINALLY be here after 9 long months of waiting, planing, nursery building, and anticipation. I'm like to take this entry to familiarize anybody who might not be sure exactly what induction is. Labor Induction. Tomorrow's entry will include some pictures and maybe some video from the hospital. See you soon Josiah!

Prologue

As the birth of my second child and first son, Josiah Lassiter Bowman,  is impending I decided that I would track the first year of his life and the life of my family through a daily entry in this blog. As we prepare for Josiah's grand entrance we speculate on what he will be like, who he will look like and his attitude. I have already tested his temperament by pushing him around inside of my wife's growing belly, and from his rolling and kicking reaction I can tell he will not lack any spunk! My wife is convinced that due to the mischief that I caused as a young boy that we are due for some pay back. Stay tuned for more details about the life of young Josiah Lassiter Bowman and the way he will change forever the dynamic of our family.