Additonal Pictures of Rowen Day 1 to 5

I have attached some additional pictures. One from the hospital right after Rowen's birth. Several of our arrival home on Thanksgiving. It was a beautiful day as you can see from the pictures. Bryan noted 11/27/08 was the first day Rowen had a ray of sunshine on his face. I have also attached a picture of the serpent light cord that has tethered us for the last 2 days.

I remembered a funny story last night after I posted the blog. In the midst of the crying and worry there have been several moments of hilarity. One was on Friday night when the doctor said we should give Rowen formula in addition to breast milk to bring his billirubin down. We prepared a bottle of formula and after a difficult breast feeding session offered it to Rowen. We held him in a straight sitting position to make him "work" to drink the bottle as recommended. As soon as the formula hit his mouth, Rowen sat straight up, opened both his eyes wide, and had a face of exhilaration, pleasure, and amazement. As if to say, "Hey Mom, where you been keeping the good stuff!". I felt like I had just taken my son to McDonald's. I knew it was not as good for him as home cooked meal- but it was easy, I didn't have to do any cooking, it tasted good, and there was a treat in the bottom of the box.

Enjoy the pictures.

Love Myla, Bryan and Rowen

Rowen Rahn Craig- The abridged version of Day 1 to 5

As any parent knows, it is now Day 5 and we are in exhausted bliss. However, I wanted to take a moment to share our brief but amazing journey to date. I also wanted to share a few pictures although of course there are more to come.

So on 11/25/2008 Rowen entered the world at 4:22 pm weighing 7 lbs 8 oz. The labor was certainly memorable. We began after several days of false starts at 8:30 am and by 4:22 pm we had meet our son. Bryan was amazing through the whole thing and always seemed to know the right thing to do. We were very happy to see Rowen for the first time.


Our joy was tempered by a brief concern regarding Rowen's breathing. He was having tacchypnea (rapid breathing). A quick call to Aunt Jordana offered us needed reassurance. After the fist night of observation and frequent suctioning of secretions (saliva), Rowen got a clean bill of health.

Grandma Benz was quick on the scene. Arriving to meet Rowen hours after his birth. She wasted no time helping Bryan learn the basics in baby care - starting with the first diaper change.

The next day (Day 2) was relatively uneventful from our standpoint. Although, were Rowen to be able to encode memory, I am sure this day would live in infamy- as he was circumcised!

On Day 3, we were ready to go home and enjoy Thanksgiving. We have more pictures of the arrival on Grandma Benz camera and I will try to post soon. Here is us leaving the hospital. Day 3, we learned Rowen's bilirubin was high and needed to be rechecked. As we were leaving the hospital we learned the level had climbed again after 6 hours and we would need to go back to the doctor the following day.

It was so great to be home and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. We were thankful for Rowen and that Grandma Benz was with us to share in this important time and to help us learn the new parent ropes. It appeared that Titan was more interested in the Turkey than in the new member of our family.
Day 4, we went back to doctor for follow-up blood work. Rowen was clearly jaundiced, but did not appear to be dehydrated. He had lost some weight, but overall "looked good". A follow-up level came back that night and it was up again. The doctor called on Friday night and wanted us back in the office first thing Saturday morning. Over night, Rowen began to have trouble feeding and seemed more inconsolable. Everyone was worried and tired. But Team Rowen pulled thru the night in shifts. Bryan and Grandma Benz were able to keep things together!

Day 5, (Saturday), we went back to the doctor for another check. He looked about the same in terms of his jaundice, but had gained 1 oz. This is apparently big news when you are 6 lbs 8 oz (weight lost since birth). The follow-up bilirubin level was about the same as Friday- no worse, but not really better. So today we got a "biliblanket". This is a crazy contraption that is a panel of light that we keep on his back. This makes Rowen "glow" and appear to be from a far and distant galaxy....

After 6 hours of the light, we have already seen a change in Rowen's alertness and feeding. I am starting to feel some relief from my overwhelming concern for my little guy.

That is all for now, it is time to make the donuts.... I mean feed the Glow in the Dark Wiggle Worm.

Love to everyone- Myla, Bryan and Rowen

False, Latent, Pre-Labor- A rose by any other name...

Here we are 40 weeks and STILL PREGNANT!!

Today was supposed to be our big day. But it is now approaching 7pm without any sign that Mr. Wiggle is planning to make an entrance. The past week has been one of fits and starts. On Monday, we left work early due to an increase in the intensity of my contractions. After returning home, things seemed to settle down. Tuesday was pretty uneventful. On Wednesday afternoon, I began to have regular contractions every 9 minutes then every 7 minutes over 2 hours. I called my OB and was told to come by the office. By the time we arrived and were examined things had settled down. Had some irregular contractions overnight and then NADA. Not much on Thursday morning, but afternoon and evening- again had some irregular contractions. Friday was a busy day and in my attempts to finish things at work- I worked from 8am to 6:30pm. By the time we got home with pizza in hand, I was having contractions that were more intense than anything I had before. Overnight, things again seemed to settle down.

Finally, on Saturday in an attempt to entice Mr. Wiggle to move on out- we went shopping and walked around for most of the afternoon. We did succeed in bringing on some very intense contractions. However, they never culminated into an organized pattern. Overnight, I was awoken every 2 hours with intense contractions. However, today- OUR BIG DAY, again we got bumkus.

Tomorrow, I will head back to work and try to walk around as much as possible. After my extensive google internet search, I learned there are many terms for this wonderful new aspect of our journey- including False Labor, Latent Labor, and Pre-labor. Pre-labor is my favorite. Sounds like Labor is next!

Wish us luck!!

I think this is what they call "nesting"....

So, it began like a typical Sunday, pre-partum. Awake at 8:30 or so, strip the bed and gather some laundry. Seems simple enough. However, this is not something I have had the energy or desire to do for some time. We come downstairs and begin breakfast. "Wow, Bryan- I am feeling much better. Must be over my terrible cold". Lets organize the baby room. After breakfast, back to Mr. Wiggle's room for organization. We finish putting the clothes away and identifying what needs to be washed. Bryan, I want to organize the bookshelf by age-appropriate reading. Youngest books on the first shelf moving thru to the more mature on the last shelf. (If I were not married to a librarian, this may have been the first sign....) Bryan, I want to sort thru the box "Myla's childhood mementos" that is in the basement. Can you bring it up. Too bad we are not having a girl- so many cute little porcelain dolls. We will have to pack these back away, for now.

OK, done with that. Lets pay bills, including those due in Mid-December. That way, when the baby comes we do not have to worry. OK, I am just going to sort thru these desk files and see what can be streamlined. Ya, know to make more room..... (hmm..getting a little suspicious). Bryan, lets go to Target and buy those last few items I may need. On the way, lets check the air in the car tires and make sure they are just right.....

Back from Target. This is the point in the day where I would typically take a nap. But instead, "Honey, I am going to clean the bathroom sink... and the toilet". Hmm... this is not clean enough, I need some Q-tips to clean along the grooves of the toilet and in the hinges of the toilet seat. Bryan, I want to clean the floor in the bathroom. With a raised eyebrow Bryan brings me a bucket and a mop. Oh NO honey, I don't want a mop- I need a sponge and something to kneel on- I need to clean this on my hands and knees. Look at those baseboards. OH MY! Honey, more Q-tips so I can clean the grooves of each one of these baseboards.

OK...done with that. Have you noticed how dirty this carpet is (on the whole second floor). Quick, Bryan get me the Resolve Carpet Cleaner. For the next hour, I am crawling around on the floor spot cleaning every small area of dirt I can see. Moving a large florescent floor lamp from room to room- to ensure I do not miss a spot.

Wow........ Not sure what is next. But, I think the linen closet is calling my name.

Here we are, getting bigger and apparently approaching our final destination- Labor.

Love to everyone- Myla

ps. It was not the linen closet calling my name. It was the kitchen. How did we ever clean before Q-tips. I never realized how much dirt can build up in the vents above the microwave. Not even mentioning the unseen areas of the dish drying rack! Oh My Goodness......

The Shoe Fiasco

OK...So little toe is on the mend. Feeling better and learned that Bryan is a professional toe taper. Who knew? Of course, there is no FREE lunch. My lovely black shoe boot for my broken toe is exactly too short or too tall to match any other shoe that fits me. As a result, I have been lopsided for 3 days.

Monday, I was in a fair amount of hip/back pain, so off to the shoe store we went. After Bryan watched me on the "cat walk" with 6 pairs, we settled on a black low flat and thought we had fixed the problem. However, several hours into my busy clinic day- it was clear we had missed the mark. My clinic physical therapist gave me a shoe lift. But alas, this did not fix the problem.

After another 2 hours and increasingly unbearable pain- I called the doctor and asked if I could purchase a matching black boot for the left foot. A strange request, I am sure- but a solution none the less.

Here we are.... Finally a perfect match!


I know, many of you are very jealous. I am sure this is the new spring fashion!!

Here is another pic of my growing belly. Wiggle is still very "high" and I think is planning to stay in there as long as possible.

I am sure this will pass....

OK- so just when I thought it could not get worse- it did. I thought -- 9 months, bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome, terrible head cold, back pain, nighttime bathroom trips every 2-3 hours and increasing braxton hicks contractions-- I have reached the pinnacle of my pregnancy trials.....

And then WHAM!!! right foot into door frame at 3 am returning from another bathroom trip in the dark. WOW that really hurt. Too tired to do anything about that right now. I am sure this will pass. Back to bed.... Throbbing pain... I am sure this will pass. Limping during 6am bathroom break. I am sure this will pass.

Wake up and get ready for a full day of work on Saturday to finish my grant which needs to be done by Monday. Hmm...that foot really hurts and seems a little swollen. I am sure this will pass. Not able to bear weight on that foot. I am sure this will pass. Not able to put on any shoes in the house due to swollen right foot. OK- I guess this is not going to pass.

Off to urgent care clinic.... Yes folks, I managed to break my little piggy toe. This turns out to be incredibly painful. Nothing to do but tape it, ice it, rest it, and wear a lovely little black boot.

Should take 4-6 weeks to heal. Which it turns out is longer then the time Mr. Wiggle has left in the oven. So, I guess I will be laboring in my fancy black boot and not using the whirlpool I heard so much about in my birth class.

I am sure this will pass.....

37 weeks and sick again

I tell you this pregnancy thing is hard work! I am sick again with a head cold. Fortunately this happened after my baby shower- which was on Sunday. It was a perfect day. Amie and Mom planned a wonderful party. I will post some pictures as soon as Amie sends them to me. The food, company, onesy painting, and cake were great. I think everyone had a wonderful time and it meant so much to me to have everyone together. After the party- we came back to the house and Melinda made yummy yummy soup.

Monday, I woke up with a sore throat and by the end of the day- I knew I was sick again. Up most of the night with runny nose and coughing. Called in sick today. First time I have ever missed a clinic day due to illness. Spent the rest of the day in bed. Amazingly- Wiggle seems to be unaffected. He is moving around like a champ. He did have what appeared to hiccups today and hopefully is not also battling a cough!

Here are some less glamorous, stuffy head, picture updates to show you our progress.

Love to everyone- Myla