The nursery is coming along

The walls are painted, the crib is assemled, and we've got an armoire.

I think we're about half way there.

The glider is on order. We bought curtains, but haven't put them up yet. Shaundar wants to put in an area rug. And...we have yet to buy a dresser/changing table.

I'll try to snap some pictures and get them up to see. Shaundar did a great job with the walls. She's going for a garden theme.

Shaundar was worried that the nursery will be "too adult." Some of the decorations we've been selecting fit our styles which is certainly not Elmo or Barney. But, the way I look at it, the nursery was the office. Chances are, in another year or so, it will once again be the office when Starbuck/Desmond gets moved to his big boy room on the third floor. Maybe at that point, we'll tap into Buzz Lightyear or Hot Wheels (do they still make Hot Wheels).

Anyway...I'll snap some pics later and put them up for those interested. But, there's still a long way to go.

Video of the Day

This one is R rated, kinda, maybe...but, it cracks me up every time.

Now, I feel them.

The kicks are coming. And I've gotten to feel a few.

It is a pretty cool, while slightly creepy feeling. At first...it was just a couple taps that could easily have been Shaundar preparing to rip one on me. But, then I got one that didn't feel like a kick as much as Desi sticking his butt up to Shaundar's abdomen and shaking it, just for me to feel.

At night, I am reading to the baby. I'm not sure how much he likes being brought in to Harry Potter at Book 7, but...I've only read that one once and wanted to give it another go. And, since I'm the dad and Starbuck can't even open his eyes, yet...he get's what I say he gets.

He's pretty active at the end of the day. Either that, or he's pissed off because nobody told him Dumbledore died in Book 6.

Baby Video of the Day

This is old, but what's a blog about babies without the famous Kung Fu Baby video?

Baby Video of the Day

"Tell me Baby," by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.



I love the Chili Peppers.

And, the name is...

Rumpelstiltskin!

I mean...how many kids have this name?

For real, though...we've settled. Starbucks real name...the one that will be on his birth certificate, is: Desmond Elijah Aloysius Fredrick Jason John McCain Bradbury Pankow.

But, Desmond Elijah Pankow, for short.

Desmond has been the boy name that's been on the top of our lists for some time. It's a favorite of both of ours, and it's the only one we could both agree on. Shaundar liked Keiran, which I hated. We both like Galen, but decided the kid would be called Gay in school. I liked Biff.

Just kidding on Biff. But, I do really like Aloysius as a middle name. I appear to be the only one in the world, however.

Desmond doesn't mean much. Officially, it means "Man from South Munster." I have also seen, "Man of the World." We picked it because we like the name and it's not popular. Plus, it can easily be shortened to Des or Desi. But, then...when he's a man, it sounds very strong.

Isaiah was the original middle name choice, but that would create DIP. So, it didn't wast long. Aloysius would be DAP...as in DAPPER, but it didn't sell.

Anyway, we reserve the right to alter this at any time until the Birth Certificate is created. If we meet young Starbuck and he looks more like a Joe, we'll adjust.

Did you feel that!? Did you feel that?!

We're at the point in the pregnancy where Shaundar can feel Starbuck moving around. At times, she says she can feel it from the outside, as well. So, there have been many moments of, "Give me your hand!" at which point my hand goes to her abdomen and...nada.

So, I'll sit there with my hand on her belly for a few minutes. During this time, I usually have feelings mixed between, "Man, I really wish I could feel something," and, "Man, I would really like to get back to my book."

I think I read somewhere that you typically can't feel baby from the outside until month 6 or 7. We're at 5, so I figure there is still some time before I'll be able to tell a kick from re-fried beans.

Sleeping at night is getting more and more uncomfortable, crankiness is ensuing, and the belly is getting bigger and bigger.

I think Shaundar is having some problems, too.

Video of the Day

Most likely...this is going to be my kid.

The Breast Feeding Dad

I've mentioned before, Shaundar plans to breastfeed. We've been reading up on pumps and stuff.

Seems like most of what I read talks about exclusively breastfeeding. Now, I know that there are tons of families who feed their kid breast milk from the bottle. Even the Baby Bargains book that Tiffany gave us kept talking about how much money we would be saving on bottles, nipples, etc, if we breast feed.

Is it just me, or does it sound like the world is chock full of lazy dads?

Another book we had, on almost every page, there is a sidebar directed at dads. The one on feeding sounds like it has to convince dad that he need to feed his kid, too.

Dude...feed your damn kid. You are part of this equation, too.

Anyway, I keep reading about how mom will be much more tired than dad because she is the one that has to get up to feed Jr if she is breastfeeding. Buy some bottles, pump into them, and let Dad take his turn.

I have this plan, that I think sounds great. But, I never seem to read about anyone suggesting it. It can't be original, because it seems so obvious, to me. My idea: each parent gets a night of baby duty. That way, instead of you both being constantly awaken only then to determine who's turn it is, just take a full night. Mom gets baby while Dad gets a full night's sleep, and visa versa. Still not ideal as one of you gets a pretty crappy night. But, the other is sleeping like a baby (where did that term come from...everyone I talk to says the keep waking up).

Funniest thing I read about dad's feeding the infant is that dad should do it with his shirt off, to simulate the feel of breast feeding. It will make baby feel more secure, or something.

Dude...if I take my shirt off to feed Starbuck, he's not going to feel more secure. He's gonna wonder where the grass came from. He's gonna wonder he's against a wool sweater.

Baby video of the day

S'not funneeeeee.

A slight redemtion for the ultrasound people, but I still hate them.

I don't remember how much I have complained about them on blogger, but I know I have been complaining about them in person.

In a nutshell...I really don't like the Obstetrix Seattle Ultrasound. We've been there 4 times. 1 was good (yesterday's), 1 was fine, and 2 were bad.

I think the job off all these baby people must become routine. I think they forget what an important role they are playing in our lives and in the life of our baby.

I blogged about our first visit a while back ("How long ago was your first miscarriage?") The 2nd visit was the one I say was fine. In and out. Nothing bad, but nothing exciting, either. The 3rd visit was the worst one. Talk about bad bedside manner. And, the moment we found out the sex was ridiculously unfulfilling, as well. Perhaps the moment was dull by the fact that the tech (the tech, mind you...not the doctor) made a comment that had us wondering if she just noticed a tumor on Shaundar's ovary (it wasn't, by the way). Or, perhaps it was the fact that it came and went to quickly that we barely noticed it ourselves. I don't know.

Regardless, until the rockin' lady we had yesterday, I've hated this place.

I've heard great things about Overlake. For example...I hear they give you tons of pictures. At Seattle Obstetrix, we've gotten 2 each time. And, at the 3rd visit, the pics were so bad that I didn't even scan them. You can get more, if you want (4-6) but you have to pay $15 for the CD.

Also, a friend who is pregnant with her second, has had her ultrasounds through Overlake. Said the guy walked her through everything he was doing and everything he was looking at. We didn't get that until the last lady, as well. Basically, they just poke around and take pictures and we wait for the doctor to pop in and say, "All Clear."

Anyway...I could go on forever. But, if you're reading this and you are planning to have a baby at Swedish (everything else about Swedish is great), avoid their Seattle ultrasound place. Is bites.


PS: Obstetrix came up both times on spell check. But, this is how the place spells it. Maybe they're trying to be creative, or something.

Baby Video of the Day

I wish all kids had British accents.



UPDATE - Looks like the parents disabled the embeding for their video (probably smart). But, you can still see it, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

What is wrong with celebrities?

Nicole Kidman gives birth to a daughter named Sunday.

WTF?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080707/ap_en_ce/people_kidman_baby

10 Big Mistakes Parents Make - from MSN

You can find the full article here.

Also, look through my own commentary throughout the pasted version, below.


10 Big Mistakes Parents Make
While we all love our kids, in this day and age of two working parents and insane schedules, we tend to cut corners and neglect important things. That being said, here are 10 big mistakes parents make.
By Craig Playstead

1) Spoiling kids
There is no doubt that parents love their kids and want them to have all the things they didn't. However, this comes at a price. A ton of well-intentioned parents have ended up spoiling their kids to such a degree that the kids aren't even happy with all the stuff they have. This causes them to never be satisfied and always want more. Junior doesn't need one more piece of crap, what he needs is some special time with his parents. Think of it this way: How will they ever be prepared for disappointment throughout their life—or learn to be thankful for anything?

(Jason: I hate spoiling. I am confident that there will be no spoiling in my house! Take my pets, for example. Are they spoiled? Okay...on second thought...let's not look at my pets.)

2) Inadequate discipline
When you're too lazy to adequately discipline your kids, you pass the little devil you've created on to your relatives, coaches, teachers, and his friends' parents. It's not OK to let your kids treat your house like it was a Jump Planet because that's exactly how they'll treat other people's homes. They should also be much better behaved when they leave the house and visit elsewhere. I've lived through this nightmare first-hand, with the same kid at my house treating my $1,500 couch like a trampoline, and then calling my daughter "ugly" while the kids were eating dinner. All within a 15-minute span. If you don't discipline your kid, someone else will—and you won't like it.

(Jason: You misbehave at my house, you spend the evening in your room. You misbehave at someone else's house...you spend the evening at the Police Station.)

3) Failing to get involved at school
School is where your kids will spend more time than any place besides your home. It's also the place that will have the most responsibility for shaping their life—from teachers and their peers. That being said, how can you not want to be involved in what's going on there? It doesn't matter if it's you or your spouse: Your family needs to have a presence at that school. And don't use work as an excuse—take a vacation day if you need to. You'll see immediately that it's time well spent. You should also have at least an e-mail relationship with their teacher. It's a great way for that teacher to see that you're interested in your child's development, and the teacher can alert you to anything concerning that may be going on with your son or daughter. Your kid's teacher may take a much more active role with your child if they know you're keeping close tabs.

(Jason: Until the bring back corporal punishment, I don't trust the schools enough to not be involved.)

4) Praising mediocrity
While we all want to encourage our kids to do well and build their self-esteem, there is a point of going too far. Building a child's self-esteem is great, but having a big party for a mediocre accomplishment skews what they view as a real achievement. One big place I see this is in sports. A participation trophy for anyone over the age of 6 just ends up devaluing the meaning of a real trophy. It's happening in my own household. While I was against trophies for my 7-year-old son's basketball team, a few moms overruled. My son has played exactly four seasons of sports and has earned more trophies than I did in my 40 seasons growing up. Something is out of whack.

(Jason: OMG! I hate this. Not only does every kid get a trophy, but they don't even keep score, anymore. It's a competetive world, out there. Learn to compete!)

5) Not giving kids enough responsibility
Your kids shouldn't be expecting any payment for doing chores around the house. It's a home, not a hotel. That being said, an allowance is a great idea … for extra work. They should be pulling their weight as part of the family. If they grow up without enough responsibility, how in the world do you expect them to hold down a job, or get through college? When they get "of age," make sure they're taking some of the burden off you around the house—from unloading the dishwasher to picking up dog poop in the backyard. While they're not your slaves, they sure aren't on vacation, either.

(Jason: Hey...this guy is pretty smart. Except that part about kids not being our slaves.)

6) Not being a good spouse
How you treat your husband or wife is very important to the way your kids will develop relationships, especially as adults. If you treat your spouse poorly, or if your only way to settle any kind of dispute is to yell and scream at each other, you're teaching your kids to handle themselves the same way. Kids learn from watching you much more than they learn from listening to you. If you treat your spouse with love and respect, it will also show your kids the value of their family. It will also make them feel their family is a safe haven in what can be a dark, scary world.

(Jason: Once Starbuck is doing all the chores, we won't need to yell and scream at each other, anymore, when they're not done.)

7) Setting unreal expectations
When dealing with kids, you need to set reasonable expectations for them—especially the little ones. If you want to go out to a nice dinner and expect your 2-year-old to sit there like a little prince, you are setting yourself up for major disappointment. Also, if you have visions of a football star and your son weighs 80 pounds and likes to play the clarinet, you need to reset those expectations. Don't have unreal expectations for your kids: The expectation you should have is for them to be happy.

(Jason: As long as my kid gets good grades, participates in extracurricular activities, attends Gonzaga, and cures Cancer, we're good.)

8) Not teaching kids to fend for themselves
Many parents tend to baby kids these days and cater to their every need, and that eliminates the value of hard work and becoming independent as they grow into adults. I fear that we're raising a generations of wimps. Kids nowadays expect everything to be done for them, from cleaning their room to band-aids for hurt feelings. Teaching them to toughen up and do things on their own doesn't mean that you love them less; it means you love them more.

(Jason: There will be no wimps in my house. Wimps sleep in the garage.)

9) Pushing trends on kids
Let kids be kids. Parents shouldn't push their trends or adult outlook on life on their kids. Just because it was your life's dream to marry a rich guy doesn't mean we need to see your 4-year-old daughter in a "Future Trophy Wife" t-shirt. The same goes for the double ear piercing—that's what you want, not them. Teaching kids about your passions is great, but let them grow up to be who they are. And yes, this goes for you pathetic stage parents as well. It's hard enough for kids to figure out who they are in the world without you trying to turn them into what you couldn't be.

(Jason: Once he cures cancer, he'll be better off than I ever dreamed of being...so, I don't think this one will be a problem.)

10) Not following through
I have trouble with this one sometimes. If you're telling your kids that they'll be grounded if they paint the neighbor's dog one more time, you'd better follow through. Unfortunately, following though on punishments or promises makes your life a little more difficult, but building trust is what's most important. If you're not true to your word, your kids will assume anything you say is just talk. Then you have a real problem on your hands. You'll also end up with kids who don't trust their parents.

(Jason: This is in line with #7. Don't set unreal expectations. "Don't do that again or I will tell you not to do it again one more time!")

Baby Picture of the Day

Someone else who wants Obama to shut up. (Oops...did I just slip into politics?)

When I'm a Dad, I promise not to...

...show off 10 versions of the same picture of my kid.

You ever meet one of those new parents who just LOVE to show off pictures of their newborn. This is all fine and good. Who doesn't like to see pictures of their buddy's new tax deduction?

Here's the rub. Some people will take a million pictures of their kid in a one minute span. Oh, look...here he's making a face. Oooh, here he's making the same face, only he's looking to the left. Ooh, here he's making a different face, even though it looks almost identical to the last two, it's really not.

I won't be this dad. It's okay to take a bunch of different pictures of the same event. I mean, you want to get the best one, right? What you should do, however, is figure out which one is the best one and get rid of the others. Or, at least refrain from showing off the others. People don't need to see the same face over and over again.

Oh...and, we started on the nursery, today. It's been emptied for a while. My cousin, Kelley, came over to help us paint. Here's a couple pictures.