Saints Win and a lot of snow!!!

Im not really sure how to interpret the fact that Patrick was born just before the Saints win the Super Bowl for the first time in history and DC get 36 plus inches of snow in a few days from back to back blizzards.

Some have said that its all signs of hell freezing over. Im not sure! Jury still out on that.

But what a game it was!!!! The Saints for the first time in 42 years (and my life) not only went to the Super Bowl but played an near perfect game and brought it all home! Needless to say, the city has been electric with all the excitement.

A guy I went to college with posted on his facebook "I'm going to New Orleans for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras." Someone responded " You know the Super Bowl is in Miami" To which he replied: "Wanna bet"

Perfect!

They had a big parade for the team (win or lose) on Tuesday after the game and the whole city came out to see the team. It would have been great to see it but I will settle for pictures and stories.

Geaux Saints!!!!

BTW, Patrick isn't very good a shoveling snow yet. If it keep going this way, he will be good by the end of the week. 36 inches and counting....more snow expected tomorrow.

Cheers, N&K&P

Holy Crap!!!! Its been almost 4 weeks already????

We they always say "Time flies when youre having fun" We can now safely say it also flies when youre sleep deprived. So to catch everyone up on the first (nearly a) month here is what we have been up to.

We brought Patrick home on a Thursday and spent the next several days getting to know him, getting into a routine (us, not him) trying to figure out the sleep thing, staring at him in amazement, and introducing him to the pups.

It has been going quite well, we have managed to get onto his schedule of eating, sleeping and pooping. It's great when people ask "is he on a schedule yet?" We say "Yep, his"

He sleeps when he is tired, wakes up when he is hungry, cries when he is gassy (or hungry, or tired, or wet, or dry, or unsure what else to do). We spring into action to fix whatever is out of whack and restoring him to homeostasis. It is a bit of a balancing act for sure.

He can get some great distance with his pee!!

So, I was changing him and we had yet to have any pee incidents... Changing diapers? No problem! Clearly I had been lulled into a false sense of security. The changing pad sits on a dresser and we keep the diapers and stuff in the top drawer. Easy and convenient right??? Except when the top on the wipes keeps popping open and prevents the drawer from opening. No big deal...until he decides to pee mid change and is covering the wall. Kate was napping and I was changing Patrick when Kate awoke to me saying "oh no.h no, oh no" I wasnt yelling but I was definitely anxious. Why? Patrick had decided the mood was right for a nice pee mid change and was peeing all over himself, the changing table and (most notably) the wall. Not a huge deal but the anxiety came from not being able to open the drawer because the lid to the wies had popped open and was keeping the drawer closed. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Easy clean up and a funny story. It was made even funnier a few days later when the exact same thing happened to Kate. We now employ the pee-pee-tee-pee's that Tracey and Tracy got us. they are never far away now and have saved us a few times (including today)!!! Thanks guys!!!

N&K&P

Crib? check! Changing Table? Check! Baby? ...........check??

Wow! five words that will stun a full grown man like a stunned mullet......."I Think My Water Broke"..............and the best response I could muster:"really?" Only to have the response come:"Maybe?" To which the best response is "Huh! OK. I guess we should call the doc."

"Come on in" she says so we take a little time wrapping a few things up like: packing the "GO BAG", calling Kim for the puppies, writing down notes for anyone who might need em, Putting keys under the doormat (they are not there now, dont worry) final treats for the dogs, putting our leave in for the rest of the week, emptying the dishwasher, filling the dog food container and making sure we "have everything".

We hop in the car around 10pm or so and head off. Not sure if this is a "practice run" or the real thing. Good thing we practiced all those alternate routes to the hospital. We just hopped in the interstate and were here in no time. Although I'm sure that had we not practiced it would have happened at the height of rush hour during a snowstorm with accidents everywhere that would have eventually necessitated the use of four wheel drive and a good stint of off road driving. However, no such luck(?). Trip took maybe 15 uneventful minutes.

We walked to the front desk and checked in and got sent upstairs for evaluation. Upon arrival we were asked "are you scheduled?"

Huh, is it just me or are we just really calm about this so far?

Are you having contractions? "Hmmm, I dunno" Kate says. She gets hooked up on a couple of onitors and hey, look at that........what are those waves? The nurse" Those are your contractions; about four minutes apart." Ok; I almost laughed out loud. Dilated 1-2 cm.

So up the the delivery suite we go. a bed for her and a chair that turns into a bed for me. Its about midnight now. Looks like we are going to be a while.

We get read into the protocol of the L&D suite and get settled in. By about 230am she was dilated to about 2cm and contraction every 3-4 minutes and getting strong.

"I think Im gonna have the epidural.... This might be a long party" Doc comes in a few minutes later and a few minutes later Kate is all set. Bye bye pain! We watch as the contractions get stronger and stronger over the next hour and the nurse come in to check around 4am. 7cm!!! Yes!!! Kate decide to take a nap and I think thats a really good idea. The nurses come in around 5 or so to let us know Kate is just about ready and the doc is ready to go. Everyone assumes their positions and the pushing commences around 5:30. Now, not having been here before (and really only hearing the horror stories of 29 hour labors and pushing for 8 hours) I figured we would be here for a while..........26 minutes later Patrick James Morse came into this world and changed our lives forever.

19 inches. 6lbs 1 ounce. ten, ten, two and one. WOW!

Mom and baby are doing grat and recovering well. Home in a few days. lots of on the job training for the next few weeks. Lots more to come.

A few pics for now

BUSTED!!!!!!

Its a couple weeks old but still a great story. So as most of you know, the DC area was blanketed with snow just before Christmas. We got about 20 inches without the drifting.

So I go out to shovel, for the third time, to clear pathways and sidewalks and catchup with the neighbors outside doing the same. Holy crap! Thats a lotta snow!

After clearing the front steps, the sidewalk and shoveling out most of the car, I wander around back to start on that. And what do I find?????????...... anyone????????



There she is with a snow shovel in her hands and a big grin on her face. Thankfully I had cleared the back pathway the day before so there was only a little snow AND it was all powder. I guess its true, you can take the girl out of New England but you cant take New England out of the girl.

I guess sitting on the sofa eating bon-bons just isn't her thing.

Cheers, N

Brrrrr,its chilly out there

OK, so it is down right wicked cold outside. Kate is off to Prenatal Yoga. We are about 3 1/2 weeks away from the new addition and things may "go at any time" according to Dr Wolf. You hear about women going into labor when temps drop due to the change in barometric pressure. Nothing like that here (yet).

The baby's room is almost ready. Waiting on the crib to arrive and we got notified the other day that it was ready to be shipped. Yaaay! Baby might not have to sleep in the dresser drawer (although I don't know whats wrong with that)

Thanks to everyone asking how things are going. Lots more to come!

Cheers, Nelson

so this is kinda funny

Here I am on the sofa hanging out with Kate, Pam and Greg. and the question (speculation)came up of when Baby Morse will arrive. Kate says "I'm due the 27th. Baby will be here the 27th". Pam on the other hand says "Closer to February 2nd". Kate's face said it all: "NO! The Baby will be here on the 27th. Ill go get a pedicure or jump up and down on a trampoline or walk up and down the stairs but the baby is coming on the 27th." Im pretty sure she was joking.....Pretty sure. NM

Check it out, go fill out your best guesses

http://bebepool.com/nmorse