T is for Tobias

Prepare yourself, this has the possibility to be a rather lengthy post.

This past weekend was not without fun and excitement. Saturday there was a baby shower for us at my in-laws house. It was great hanging out with everyone and talking about Baby Cartwright. The more I talked to people about him, the more anxious for his arrival I became.

Sunday morning came with Mandy having sporadic contractions. After eating breakfast, Mandy's dad asked what he should fix for lunch to which Mandy looked at me and said, "we need to get back to Lawrence". The two hours back home, Mandy was timing her contractions and they were quickly getting closer to 5 minutes apart. Once we got home I went into panic father-to-be mode trying to get the apartment ready for a baby to come home. As Mandy was having contractions, I'm yelling at her from the kitchen, "is that one over now?" as I then set the timer on the microwave while washing dishes. Finally Mandy says we need to go to the hospital. My response being, "are you sure it can't wait a little longer? I still have dishes to wash and an apartment to straighten up."

We get to the hospital a little after 3pm and discover that Mandy's at 6cm. After a 40 minute soak in a bathtub, she's at 9cm. By 6:17pm little Tobias entered our lives. I've always told Mandy I love her, but seeing the amount of strength, determination, and pain she under went during labor rose the word "love" to an entirely new level. Just watching her I was in awe of her and fighting back tears of joy at the sheer inner strength that was embodied in her. Only half a dose of IV drug prevented her from delivering naturally and the reason why she wanted it wasn't helped by the medication. And after he was born, if it was me delivering would've been exhausted and want to sleep, but it was as if delivering was no work for her.

I was enjoying our moments together as a new family with just the three of us, but after about 45 minutes Mandy finally pushed me out to let our families in the waiting room know that he was born and all the details.

It was hard to sleep that night, because I just stood looking over our little Toby as he slept and thought to myself, he is probably the best gift I've ever received.

Warming up under the heat lamp.

Snuggle time with mom.

The new family

Impatient Mommy

I have hit that stage in the pregnancy where I am just ready to meet my baby boy. Part of it is wanting to finally get to see his little face. The bigger part is the fact that his kicks are so strong now they are becoming less cute and more painful. I am not getting much sleep now because of the aches and pains in my back and hips. Not to mention the Braxton Hix contractions are more frequent, intense, and longer in length. I know that after it is all over I'll miss the belly and sweet little kicks, but at the moment lack of sleep is making mommy very irritable.

Last Tuesday (11/23) the belly dropped and the Friday (11/19) before that the doctor and I were impressed with the fact I was already dilated. The last appointment (11/26) she confirmed that baby had dropped and that she hoped baby lasted another week before arriving so that all his organs were well formed and ready to function. This information is probably what has motivated me the most to get all my classwork done as soon as possible, also what has sent me into a nesting frenzy making sure that the apartment is ready before baby arrives.

Yesterday I had to do the hardest thing I think I've ever done. When making the schedule I had to leave my self off. Its happened before when I've asked weeks off but not to the extent that I am perfectly able to be at work and now I just get to go in and make the schedule. Who knows now I may actually go to the theater to watch movies. It may help me to relax and remember what it was like to spend time with Heath before we both became busy.

Heath and I can't wait to meet the little one. Heath continually is making sure that his work travels don't take him too far away in this unsure time as he doesn't want to miss the birth. I find it adorable how often he calls to check in when he's just sitting in the office. I have to keep reminding him that he will be the first to know when I start having contractions. I keep trying to have him write about what he's feeling at the moment, but he claims he has nothing to write about, but I find it difficult to believe. Well break time is over I need to get back to working on course work. Hopefully the next post will introduce our little one.

34 down 6 to go

Its been awhile since the last update, but since I finished my 8 weeks student teaching I've been busy trying to stay caught up on grad courses. Its becoming difficult to stay caught up with how tired I've been feeling lately. I'm just thankful that the earliest class I have is 11am otherwise I'm not sure when I would get my sleep. Heath says I sleep too long, but the doctor tells me to relish the sleep as I'm not going to get any after baby is born.

Since my last vist 2 weeks ago I have gained a total of 30 lbs poor Heath had a lot to deal with when he came home that day. Lets just say the hormones didn't take well to the fact that I weigh more than I've ever weighed before. I've come to terms with it, but I can't help when the hormones take over and Heath has been very understanding about it (at least most the time). My guess is that the stress of classes doesn't help much either.

Almost a month ago we had our first baby shower. A great friend of ours threw it for us, and did a wonderful job. We had a great turn out and got to see friends we hadn't seen in a while. Below are some of the pictures from the event.

Snacking on the patio

Opening gifts. We're all laughing becuase Heath wouldn't sit by me because he was "taking pictures" yet he wasn't taking pictures.

The delicious cake.

Playing games.

After the shower Heath and I finished putting together our "baby corner" adding the new gifts we received.

The main baby wall.

The baby corner

Our make-shift baby closet.

We're counting down the days until baby's arrival, and I'm getting a little impatient, yet at the same time don't feel as if I'm completely ready. Heath and I have a baby care workshop tonight and CPR classes two weeks from now. For now I just have to do my best to get ahead on class assignments so that I'm not behind if something happens. Oh I almost forgot I finally got my spring internship placement! I'll be at a local middle school, making it easier for me as I won't have all the travel far. Plan for Thursday is to go looking at local daycares.

Trust the unseen plan.

When I first found out we were going to have a baby, I was in complete shock. My mind went reeling in trying to figure out how I was going to start supporting a family. Knowing that Mandy would be student teaching and finishing her master's this next year, the majority of our living expenses had to be brought in by me which I couldn't forsee working at Target. But even though it looked pretty bleak and wasn't quite sure how we would be able to provide an environment to raise this little boy. After calculating the projected due date and being validated by the doctor much of the stress dissipated.
It was then that I finally understood what I have heard repeatedly again and again in homilies, conversations with priests, and classes I've taken: that God has plans for us and if we are open to His will rather than what we think is best for us.

The due date is two days after Mandy's finals, so if the baby decides to come on time (which I know isn't likely with the first one) she will have longer to recover and spend time with the baby before school starts back up at the end of January. Had the due date been during school, she would've been stressed out, distracted which could've affected her grades, but God had chosen the best time for her to have the baby. Then a conversation my parents had with a friend at the local fireworks show in town produced a possiblility for a job. I mailed my resume and transcript in hopes of getting in line for an opening, turns out within the week there was a job opening and I was a main candidate. I ended up getting the job, now we have cheaper and better healthcare and a bigger paycheck that I now fel like I can support my family. Also there's different
work schedules I can have to spend time with the baby.

On top of all this we have amazing people in our lives that have helped so much. With the borrowed crib and changing table, endless amounts of clothes and supplies, and even items that can stay at the grandparents' houses, that has allowed us to save large sums of money that we can then use on the numerous things the baby will need once he's here.

If there's one piece of advice I will share from now on is to trust the plan God has for you.  The unseen plan that's there for you is so much more than anything you could come up with yourself and you'll be more happy with the life that you are building in cooperation with God than demanding from Him what you think you deserve.

Heath

Much needed update

It has been longer than I would have liked but since I started student teaching I have been going to sleep very early and in the short time after school and before going to bed I spend my time with Heath as we don't get that much time together. I feel this time for us is important as come December it is no longer just the two of us.

For those who are curious student teaching is going well. I enjoy my students although there are definately a few that would make teaching easier if they weren't in class together. I get along with my cooperating teacher as well, and have been making friends with the other faculty. I'm totally going to miss being there when its all over in a way it remindes me of my own high school. The atmosphere is much like the one I experienced as a student which is probably the reason why I like where I am right now. Part of me wishes they needed another math teacher, but they have a great math department that is very supportive of each other. I can't believe I'm more than half way done :(

When it comes to the baby boy everything is going well. There is no movement I can't feel which can sometimes be awkward when standing in front of the class, but I'm learning to secretly enjoy it with out letting it interfere with my work experience. We recently had our second ultrasound and found out the good news that the placement of my placenta has moved significantly allowing me to continue with my plan of natural birth. Other baby news, about 2-3 weeks ago I noticed my abdomen tight almost like I was tensing my muscles. I came to realize this sensation was practice contractions or Braxton Hix contractions. Nothing to worry about and actually I'm hoping that my uterus gets enough practice to make labor easy when the time comes.

The following are the pictures from the recent sonogram:

Here is the baby's face and body, the item that looks like an arm is actually the umbilical cord.

Here's another profile this time though that is his fist next to his face

Here is one of the baby's feet. It's truly is close to the same size as his head. Let's just say he looks like he's taking on some of my father's family traits.

This is all my pregnancy brain could recall I'll do my best to continue to update at better intervals.

Weekend with Averie

A couple weekends ago we picked up Mandy's cousin who was the flower girl at our wedding to spend a couple days with us. We got back into town right when Ramona & Beezus was starting so we took her to see that, unfortunately I wasn't able to convince her to see Despicable Me again. It was a lot better than I was expecting. Afterwards I had to go to bed and work that night. Meanwhile, they went shopping to make dinner and dessert. I woke up to head to work and was greeted by this sight ...

They made me a delicious meal to take to work along with some amazing brownies with reese's pieces.

When I got home from work it wasn't too hard to get them out of bed because we were going to the zoo. Last summer we took Averie to the Wichita Zoo and after seeing how she enjoyed it, told her we would take her to the KC Zoo. Unfortunately they didn't have the polar bear exhibit finished. I told her we had to take her everywhere we went with animals because they would all come pretty close to let us see them and take their picture.

Hippo pops up for a picture.

Cheetah lounging in the shade.

Up close and personal with a sleeping lion.

Tired legs at the end of the day.

It was a hot, long day that wore all of us out. But that wasn't the end ... that night happened to be Cinderella at Theatre in the Park in Shawnee Mission Park. I didn't quite enjoy it as much as I would've liked because by that point I had been awake for 24 hours. However, it was a lot of fun and we thoroughly tired out the little girl. That night she slept with Mandy and I and I'm not sure how, but Averie ended up moving in the middle of the night to sleep horizontally between us. Although I guess that's better than Mandy's experience the night before when she was kicked all night.

Sunday morning after chuch we went to campus because she is in love with KU so we wanted to show her all the cool places around the college.

                                                                 

 

All in all it was a great weekend and by the time we returned her home she was tired. Her little brother wanted to come with us but he doesn't like being away from his mom so we told him we'd take him for a weekend of fun when he gets older.

Needing to Play Blog Catch Up

To begin with, the last weekend in July my cousin Averie (our flower girl) came up to spend time with us. I'd say more but I know Heath was working on a post with plenty of pictures so I'll let him continue that story. We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend with her!

More recently, specifically last weekend Heath and I started our baby registries. We spent a good 4-5 hours deciding on things to put on our registry we only visited two stores. It was a somewhat surreal experience going through and picking items. Although with the almost constant kicking I don't think I could ever forget that I am pregnant, registering for items made it seem even more real. It was also a little daunting because there are so many items from which to choose! We still have to add a few more items and go through and make sure we don't have any duplicate "big" items, but at least I was able to finally get Heath to agree to begin our registries.

Heath and I have also started our baby classes mostly because closer to our due date I'll be taking night classes making it harder to go to weekly classes like we want. I believe my favorite part is the relaxation techniques at the end of class they make it easier to fall asleep especially when baby doesn't want me to sleep. Mostly I hope we are able to remember some of the techniques when December comes around.

More about baby himself, I've been able to feel him move since week 18 which was sometimes hard to tell if it was baby or if it was just my body. Now at week 21 I am surprised Heath still can't feel baby because there have been many times that when baby kicks I see my belly move. He claims I'm keeping him from feeling the baby, but I've informed him maybe if he talked to the baby it would kick for him. I have also realized that baby likes to be active mostly at random times, but more active at 1 am. Making it hard for me to sleep.

In other news I start student teaching in two weeks and am slightly nervous yet excited at the same time. It is defiantly going to be interesting that is for sure. I met my cooperating teacher last week and I'm sure I'm going to enjoy my 8 weeks at Perry-Lecompton High. I'll be teaching Geometry, Trig, and Consumer Math; all subjects of interest. After meeting many people I can already tell that I'll miss being there when I have to leave. What I need to do is sit down and go through the text books to prep myself for the weeks to come.

Mandy

Reflections of a father in-waiting.

Up until this point I wasn't really invested in the pregnancy. It's been kind of like the wedding, all this planning for a day that seems so far away.  But at least a wedding you see it coming together ... the invitations, cake, flowers, etc ... is something tangible to see and feel involved. With a baby I'm not experiencing any flux in emotions, any change in hunger, or feeling sick, I don't notice anything different other than my wife's belly growing bigger as the baby develops. Sitting in the ultrasound room and seeing the baby finally made this whole thing real to me. I was not prepared to be able to see the individual chambers of the heart and see all the muscles pumping blood. When I saw him my heart skipped a beat. Now I want to start buying things and getting the apartment ready for his arrival. The day of the ultrasound was the sidewalk sell on Mass. Street so we made sure to hit the handful of baby stores to see what they had on sale. Unfortunately they only had clothes on sale and none of them were for newborns. But that's okay we have a lot of clothes coming from other parents that no longer fit their children.

Heath

*Spoiler Alert!* Gender of baby revealed below

Today we got to see our baby for the first time! I'm not going to lie I teared up a little I couldn't help myself I was just amazing! The pictures were very clear I was surprised at how easy it was for me to see what she was describing to us. Maybe it was because this time it was my baby and not someone else's. Baby was very active which made looking at the pictures that more special. We were able to see his heart actually pumping, his big head, his arms, legs, hands and feet. They were all adorable. Oh and yes we say boy parts, it was hard to miss them as he was flashing them often. While looking at his face we saw him rub his eyes and and open his mouth. It was so adorable! We are just happy that he is a very healthy baby. His growth is on track so the doctor says our due date hasn't changed which is good because where it is in the perfect spot now.

Here are some our pictures, Heath won't let me post the one showing his boy parts.

This is our baby boys face, chest, and elbows

Here you see the baby from head to toe.

Finally the baby's heart beat. 153 beats/minute which is perfect!

I'm more excited now we just have to pick out boy names that we like that will be the hard part as we had girl names picked, but couldn't decide on any boy names. Well mommy has to start cleaning as we will be having a special guest come visit us in two weeks.

~Mandy

Out with the old in with the new

17 weeks!! The following isn't a great picture of me but it was the best out of what Heath took. I know I barely have a bump but as Heath tells me everyday "Its just keeps getting bigger!!"

On Friday we cleaned the bedroom in order to finally put up the crib that has been setting against the wall. We had to go through a lot of little trinkets that we had collected throughout the years this meant a few packed up boxes to go to my bedroom at my parents house that we are currently using as a storage facilty, thanks mom and dad! Heath's sister Ashley joined us and took pictures as Heath and I put the crib together. Here are some of those pictures.

As this was a borrowed crib Heath had to be retaught how it went together because he was playing with my little cousins at the time.

Mommy and Daddy fit in the crib!

Here is the finished product!!!

Yesterday my mother and aunt took me out shopping for some new clothes. We were looking for mostly professional outfits as that's what I need for student teaching next semester. The plan was just to get a few items well we did not realize that stores were going to have so many clearance items that would work for my ever growing belly.

We spent over 3 hours shopping most of this time I spent in the dressing rooms being handed clothing with the instructions to try it on and then decide if you like it or not (something that Heath normally tells me when he takes me shopping). We saved over $500 in our thrifty shopping, of which I was happy about because I dislike someone spending lots of money on me.

I came home with three big bags full of new clothes which meant that today I needed to make room for these new items. I spent my mid afternoon today clearing out my closet and dresser drawers filling three boxes full of clothes I won't be able to wear for a while. I also have a good pile of clothes that I plan on donating as I haven't worn them in at least a year. This process is making things seem surreal I can't believe I'm having to put all these clothes away for a later time.

More on the baby we go in for a sonogram on Thursday! I'm so excited I get giddy everytime I think about it. Heath has started reading a baby book called Dad's Pregnant Too! I find the tips hilarious at least the ones Heath has shared with me. The author takes true stories from parents who have written him and then writes a little of his own advice to tie up the chapters. I would much rather read a book like his than the fact laden books I've found.

A baby, a canoe, and a chapel.

A lot of has happened since the last post. Sorry for the long post.

First I'll address the most important event. Last week was our second doctor's appointment in which we were able to hear the baby's heart beat. I don't know how to even explain what my emotions were at the time. But hearing that rhythmic throbbing on the speaker of that little heart beat was one of the awe-some moments I will have in my life. I can't wait to meet this little person and hold them in my arms. Along with this is watching Mandy grow every week as our little angel is growing.

This is 12 weeks along.

This is 15 weeks along.


















We were able to move three more pieces of furniture from the bedroom, making the grand total of 14 pieces of furniture in our tiny living room. Now we have space in the bedroom to set up the crib and decide what other things we need/have room for such as dresser, changing table or whatever. The plan is to put the crib together this weekend once Mandy's summer class is over.

Also last weekend my family went on their annual canoe trip down on the Elk River. We figured out that we've been going on this trip for 15 years now. We hang out on the river bed for two days then on Sunday when everyone leaves, our group floats down the river for 8 miles. This year I think the group had almost 35 people! It was a munch needed break from reality. There's something rejuvenating about spending evenings around a campfire telling stories, playing games, looking at the stars, and eating s'mores. Thankfully I didn't get burned like last year, unfortunately Mandy wasn't quite so lucky. Here's a couple pics of the weekend.

On our way to vacation!

We float to our camp from the low water bridge.

Setting up camp.

Calm, quiet river from our "beach".

As tradition, on Monday of the trip when we are heading back home, we make a stop at the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, MO. If anyone has been to my parents' house or knows my mom you will understand why. Here is a very small sampling of the numerous pictures from the grounds of the chapel.

Walking path towards the chapel. There's a fountain at the end and the pathway is flanked by trumpeting angels.

Outside the chapel.

   

Main mural of the chapel,

"Halleluiah Square".

Parable of the sower.

                

Parable of the pearl.

Reminds me of my grandparents.

 Stained glass window of the psalm verse:

 Ye though I walk
 in the shadow of
 the valley of death
 I fear no evil for you
 are at my side.

Two of my favorite paintings: The traveling magi and the Nativity.

Picture taken from entry way of the chapel.

Island and castle he built as a place for his grandchildren to play.