Robin Arrives

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It Was Brought

Woot!

Robin June Miller McFeely
8 pounds
21 inches
Born 8:09pm, February 24th, 2010
Apgars: 9 and 9

We had to drive like bats out of hell to get to the hospital before she was born -- drove on the shoulder of the gridlocked highway with the hazards on flashing my high beams with Ash yelling, trying not to push the baby out.

We did the whole "running a pregnant woman in a wheelchair through the hospital" thing, Ash yelling like the building was on fire.  It was an excellent entrance.

We got Ash into a bed, and started pushing immediately -- Ash had arrived complete.  All went well -- 59 minutes of pushing and one suction cup later, Robin arrived.  Mom and baby are doing extremely well.

I wish I had a picture for you, but I forgot the little cord that hooks the camera up to the computer.

Bring it!

Fairly regular contractions since 1am.
Saw the OB at a regularly-scheduled appointment at 11am: 3cms, 90% effaced.
Uncle Jim to pick up E from school.
Laboring at home, ready to head in to the hospital if this keeps up.
More news as it happens.

See these internet sleuths.

Here's us heading in to the OB this morning:

Here's us with our stuff all packed:

A Father's Loving Message To His Unborn Child

Get out.

You have three days.  Consider yourself notified.

And Now in Hair Washing News. . . .

Tonight, apropos of nothing, Erin decides she wants to wash her own hair.  All. By. Her. Self.

Up until this point, hair washing involved major trauma - full-on screaming, shrieking, and sobbing.  So it was only done about once per month.

Tonight, miraculously, not only has she spent the last 15 minutes washing and rinsing her hair by herself, she claims she wants to "make her hair shiny every bubble bath.  Every time."

1 dough, 2 meals

This is quickly becoming a McMiller family tradition:
Make one batch of America's Test Kitchen pizza dough on Friday afternoon. Make 1 big pizza for dinner; everyone gets to choose toppings on his/her side. Make overnight rise cinnamon sticky buns for breakfast.

Wordless Wednesday - Gratuitous Cuteness

Cute, soft, cuddly

OK, we're really ready now.  I just finished knitting a little teeny sweater.  It's knitting project #3 and, other than a few wonky bits, I feel it turned out just fine.  And it was fast, thanks to the small size and easy pattern.  It was actually done all in one piece, leaving no seams.   Thanks, Sharon and Matt, for the yarn and circular needles.  Thanks, Upper Orinda Mc's for the double-pointed needles.

Toilets A-Flushin'!

We're back in, uh, business, so to speak. Yay!

A small army of people arrived this morning, dug out a hole on the house side, finished digging out the hole by the street, then pulled a new semi-rigid plastic pipe through the existing clay pipe, expanding and breaking up the old pipe as it went. Magic.

Here's the giant hole of poo that I dug out on Saturday (I blurred the worker's face):


Here's the hole they dug by the front porch, with the new pipe part-way through:


Here's the 65-foot pipe on its way in.


Here's me and Erin reveling in the awesomeness that is indoor plumbing:

PDX Domination

Finally getting to post this: McMillers were back in PDX! It was a long weekend trip, capped by Brian's company party (a holiday party in January on a Tuesday, but who is complaining?)

We packed much adventure into 4 days including:

Girls night out (where we learned that 4 month old babies are not always welcome at bars)

Guys and Kids night of Wii

Sledding on Mt. Hood - snow included

Pizza dinner followed by ice cream cones

Ladies' brunch

Viewing of our old house

A scrumptious dinner at the Condo

The Children's museum

annnnd.... the company party.

There were pictures, but not nearly enough to tell the whole tale. Maybe that's for the best.

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Sewer Update

Neighborhood: still stinky

Water: still off

Landscaping: receiving a lot of pee.  Sorry, daffodils

Contractors: bids received, one chosen, work to begin Thursday morning

First shower scheduled for: Thursday evening.  Wahooty!

Here's a shot of me from Saturday, two hours into my five hour effort, repairing a tear in my suit.  If that looks like a lot of sewage, imagine what hour five looked like.  Imagine what it smelled like.  Or, probably better, don't.

New Job

Today, Dr. A embarks on a new career. Starting today, I am a Full Time Mom. Last Friday was the last day at the lab. I tucked the cells into the -80 freezer, tidied the boxes of plasmids and primers, double checked the labeling on the patient slides, and turned in my ID badge and key.

Today, the first time as a Domestic Engineer, I have such tasks as getting 3 bids for fixing the sewer line, looking up life insurance quotes, locating and sorting the newborn clothes, starting a new blog, scheduling a much-needed haircut, and entertaining a 2 year old. Erin will still go to pre-school 4 days a week, but Mondays will be Mommy and Girl time.

The contract on this position is expected to run 2 years, by which time Baby Girl 2 will be in preschool. There were myriad reasons leading to the opening of this role, and I hope to do it justice. I am open to all suggestions, hints, tips, and ideas for how to be successful.