Gifts!

Melissa and I are completely overwhelmed by the love and support we've received from family, friends, and colleagues. Initially I aimed to make this post about all the things we have gotten from other people as gifts for Violet, but I seriously think that it's way too daunting of a task to keep it all straight. Besides, that's what thank-you cards are for.

However, I do want to make specific mention of some of the gifts and well-wishing that our new family has received from readers of the blog and the like. Melissa's father Mitchell's gift for Violet is, in a word, art. It is something that Violet will have for the rest of her life as a reminder of her grandfather. Here it is:


Classic and artistic. Exactly what we want for Violet.

Next is another gift that knocked our socks off. This quilt was made by my aunt Sancy from New York (from the Conroy clan). When I opened up the package that it came in, I got a little choked up:


It's big and comfy. Many thanks to Aunt Sancy.



Another gift that's classic and timeless.
Violet will have this for the rest of her life.

And thirdly, but certainly not last. The crib from Grandma Basha.


Another piece that will be with Violet for a long time to come.

There are myriad other gifts and cards that all contributed to this amazing experience. I was really impressed with the outpouring of support from VHHS. When I visited last week, I received so many gifts and well wishes that it was almost overwhelming. Later during that week, Melissa and I received cards from the English department, the superintendent, and a card from VHHS administration.

Thank you everyone. It's great to know that the new edition to the Conroy name has such wonderful and kind people behind her.

And now... the Violet update.

Violet had a follow up appointment with Dr. Braverman last week to check up on the thrush issue. It has cleared out of her mouth and throat and she is to complete the anti-yeast treatment by the middle of next week. We also discussed immunizations. We have about a month and a half to go through the stack of paperwork that we got from the doc about the shots. Dr. Braverman also gave us a little score card with the following, most current information on the kid:

At two weeks, Violet weighs 8lbs 10.5 oz and is in the 75th percentile.
Violet measures 21 3/4" which puts her into the 95%!
Violet's head is 37.7cm around which puts her in the 90%.

Melissa and I knew she was big, but not nearly as long as she is. Violet has power forward for the WNBA written all over her.

Overall, Violet's feedings are like clockwork. Every three hours she's up and rooting around for food. Melissa and I are waiting for the thrush to clear up before we give nursing another go. At this point, Violet may have become so accustomed to the bottle that we may be at the point of no return. We'll give it a shot. Violet seems to have gotten a lot sloppier with the bottle. It breaks our heart to lose what I call "liquid gold" when she lets it stream out of her mouth, but patience is key. Some feedings are frustrating because it seems as though she's much more entertained by making a mess all over her face instead of getting down to business. We will remain diligent and realize that little Violet isn't being messy on purpose.

Things are coming along swimmingly. We have stretches of 3-4 days when Violet sleeps well during the night. We also have others like last night where her fussiness lasted until 1AM and continued sporadically during the wee hours of the morning thus making for two very tired parents today.

Enough of the verbiage, on to the pics. I've taken the liberty of including some shots that our friend Jennifer (Jef) took of the three of us with her super camera. Enjoy!


This is Jef. She has been of great help to the three of us.
The images below are some that she captured while she was here.


Cute shot of Violet.
I'm pretty sure she's contemplating whether or not to
eliminate while we change her diaper or immediately before.
Little stinker.


Don't let that smile fool you. This grimace is a prelude to a cry. Awesome shot, Jef.


The family.


I can attest to the authenticity of this shot.
Little Violet here expelled some daemons on my lap
and took me a little by surprise.


That's right... Violet gives dad a +5 to pwnage.
Maybe Violet's 1st word will be killtacular?


One of the few moments of downtime for mom.
This is to show that she too uses the Violet attachment for gaming awesomeness.


More to come!

Sleep?

The heading of this blog entry (sure hope I spelled this one right) is a lot like a previous, however the message behind it is a little different.

It's been a few days since my last post. Not much has happened, but here's a quick update: Last weekend, Melissa and I noticed that Violet's tongue looked like she had some left over formula on it. Melissa took a wet cloth to it and it didn't wipe off as expected. By the time our Doctor's appointment with Braverman rolled around, the spots had spread to cover most of her tongue and a little bit of her mouth. One quick Google session later, we discovered that it was thrush. At the appointment with Dr. Braverman, he gave us a prescription to an anti-yeast medication and within 2-3 days of treatment, we all noticed a difference. She's to continue treatment for two weeks taking a dose once a day.

As I type, the thrush is 100% clear from her mouth. With every spit up comes a little more of the material from the back of her throat and tongue. The thrush didn't cause any issues during feeding, but it certainly caused a lot of late night scream sessions that would last for an hour or so. She's feeling a lot better now and we're seeing an improvement in her disposition again. She's very vocal when something isn't right with her and Melissa and I appreciate it.

Little Violet passed the weight requirement at our last visit to Dr. Braverman. She weighed in at just a few ounces under her original birth weight and the doc was pleased. Melissa and I breathed a sigh of relief. Violet chose to defecate on the scale in an act of poopy defiance for having to strip her down and put her naked butt on a cold scale. Let's hope she doesn't have it in her to stage a full scale poo d'etat.

Melissa and I are tired. She has the worse end of things again because of the pumping, but we're slowly trying to get a schedule going where we share the responsibilities of feeding, cleaning, and burping. Most of the day while Violet sleeps, we're either busy cleaning and prepping for the next feeding or we're napping. "Get some rest" indeed.

It was just yesterday that Melissa and I noticed that Violet now knows that she needs to be fed every 3 hours.Like clockwork, Violet alerts us to her feeding times without us having to look at a clock beforehand. Amazing.

Overall, things are running smoothly and Violet is getting healthier and chunkier.

Here are some new pics:


I don't want to ruin this with a snide caption.


1st go at "tummy time"... or as Ryan would put it,
"commando time".


This came out a little dark but I had to post it because
it looks like the plush insect swarm is attacking our child.
Good times!


Violet's favorite time of day.


Any Conroy in there?


Any sign of Howard?


I'm convinced that Violet is a Melissa Clone. She didn't even
need me to produce offspring. If I wasn't there for the birth
I'd say that Violet sprung forth from Melissa's head. If we want a second,
we'll just cut off Melissa's pinkie finger and watch a child grow from the appendage .

Thanks for all the support, comments, and gifts. It's nice to be able to share all this with people who care!

Cleansing

It's the fourth day since we brought Violet home. As of this point I feel as though she's always been here. I think what mostly has to do with this "fitting in" is that Melissa and I have worked to find a solution to our feeding/nursing difficulties.

We had two appointments yesterday. One with the "dude" and the other was with our pediatrician Dr. Braverman. We decided to go with Braverman because of the suggestion given to us by one of the most helpful and kind women on staff at Good Shepherd hospital.

At the visit with Dr. Dan, Melissa explained the level of pain and discomfort she's feeling because of the stitches that were administered postpartum. As stated earlier on in one of my posts, it was as if I was caring for two people instead of just Violet. Her mobility was severely hindered by the ordeal and she consistently would yelp in pain while attempting to sit down or adjusting herself in bed. It broke my heart anytime she would break down and cry out of frustration. Dr. Dan told her that she's going to be in pain for a little while longer as the healing continues. No infections or anything out of the ordinary, but he did prescribe a stool softener to help her cope with the work that was done. I told her any chance that I got that she's stronger than I am. I don't think I would have held together mentally and physically as long as she has.

We then drove to see/meet our pediatrician, Dr. Braverman. He came in and ran us through a gamut of questions and then proceeded to address the issues Melissa and I were having with nursing. He assured us, well me really, that supplementing breast milk with formula is not a bad thing. He said that the most important part of feeding Violet, is feeding Violet. This simple explanation made Melissa and I relax. She and I were driving each other to tears and frustration over the nursing issue. After our chat with Dr. B, we set up an appointment to see him again in three days (in 2 now) to check her weight again. I really don't see this as being a problem. I guess Melissa and I have taken this on as a goal to reach. Dr. Braverman also said that she's a speck jaundiced, but that is to be expected. He said that she's actually less jaundiced that most children who are being nursed. He said she's strong, lean, and mean.

Since then, Melissa and I have hit the ground running with pumping, nursing, and formula and it's amazing how much little Violet's temperament has done a 180. Yesterday we noticed an immediate change in her alertness as well as demeanor once we started feeding her every 2-3 hours. Today has been even better... she's not freaking out like she was previously during changing. A well-fed baby is a happy baby.

Melissa is doing much better today as well. She's much more mobile and ambulatory. I can tell she's well-rested because she's finding fault with me again, a trait that long since disappeared when she started labor.

Things are looking up and it's good that Melissa and I work so well together. I can totally understand how sometimes having a kid can really put a strain on a marriage. When confronted with this initial problem of Violet's weight and feedings she and I tackled it head on and are now reaping the benefits of a happier and more content Violet.

Today was Violet's first bath day. Melissa and I decided to give this a whirl as she began to smell of spit-up and formula instead of flowers. Here are some images to commemorate the occasion:


Our knees buckled when we saw this pic.
Check out the monkey feet!


Violet down with the frog style.


Do we have a future cosplayer in our midst?


Melissa swears that she didn't pose these two.
Cute nonetheless. I was wrong about Aerith needing therapy.
She's been really brave and sweet with Violet.
Cloud, I think, is jealous.

More to come, and don't forget to vote on Violet's eye color. It's not going to solidify for a while. Give it a shot.

Impact

I haven't updated in a couple of afternoons because Melissa and I have been on quite a trip. Upon bringing her home, My sister Erin and her husband Sean offered to bring us dinner so we wouldn't have to worry about it. We ordered pizza and relaxed a bit. Erin got her first chance to hold Violet, Maddie (my niece) got to meet her well. After our visitors left, Melissa and I had no idea what lay in store for us.

Long story short: Violet refused to nurse all night. Between the both of us, we averaged about 4 hours of sleep. Violet was wound up, fussy and SCREAMING the entire night. We got really freaked out and worried, so we dialed up some support lines for breastfeeding as well as making an emergency appointment to a pediatrician the next day to ask questions about nutrition.

After our visit to the pediatrician both Melissa and I ended up breaking down and crying because Violet was not nursing as she should. Melissa put in a call to La Leche (the nursing Nazis) and she spoke to a consultant who gave Melissa some really sound advice. Sure enough the next feeding was a success. Violet has been continuing to nurse fairly regularly. I stress out way too much about feeding schedules and whether or not she's getting what she needs. I know that Melissa is doing her best and if the docs don't see a problem, then we're right as rain. I sometimes think I need to be told to stop worrying about stuff like this. We have a fantastic support team behind us every step of the way.

Speaking of support and advice, special thanks goes to my sister and our friend Jef. Without their willingness and eagerness to help answer our questions and reassure us, we would still be in panic mode.

I've heard it said to me time and time again that raising a child is "life changing" and "wonderful". I can say after the first night with Violet that this is really. hard. work.... really. But so far, the reward of having Violet hold onto my finger while she's working on a pacifier, laughing at her freak outs when I change her, and gazing into eyes that don't focus so well is worth any amount of sleep lost over fear, uncertainty, and change.

I'm glad I have this time to spend with my daughter. With the shape Melissa is in postpartum (the delivery was a little unkind to her), it's as if I have two people depending on me at once. Instead of getting irritated or stressed out about it, I'm focused, cool, calm, and collected. I made Melissa breakfast in bed as walking up and down the stairs is really difficult for her to do. Seems like the more I look around the house, the more I see that I can do to help. Melissa is really appreciative of the things I'm doing... it's hard for an independent person to depend on someone. I would have a difficult time with it too.

We have two scheduled doctor appointments tomorrow. One with the dude, and the other with our pediatrician. I'll keep everyone posted.

Also, one quick note. I want to apologize for those of you who have called to speak to us and we have failed to return your call. Your calls will be answered in a timely manner in the order in which they were received (I've always wanted to say that. Now I know why credit card companies and businesses always have that on their automated call waiting system. Something really potent in those words). In all seriousness, we will get back to you as soon as we find some down time that's not being spent on picking up the house, nursing, changing diapers, going shopping, etc.

More to follow.


Aunt Erin (Conroy) with Violet.



While not the best picture in the world, I posted this because it is a fact:
They do come with a manual.
I laughed really hard when I saw this in the folder we got when we left the hospital.
It kinda reads like stereo instructions.


This is my view when I pick Violet up.
She's huuuge now.
I snapped this on a whim and the pacifier looks like
we've installed an entry port in her face.
Feeding is a breeze! Snap the top off any bottle,
and it really, really works!

Home

Violet has landed.

We managed to escape the hospital today at about 3PM. Violet has been pretty fussy today. Melissa and I are inclined to believe that she's gassy as she has been farting since I got to the hospital about 7AM.

We packed up and put her into her "take home" outfit. Get ready kiddo, anything with ears, or anything that makes you look like an animal or moogle, you're going to wear it.

This feels really bizarre. I feel like I'm coming back from a quick 3 day vacation; Melissa got mugged and ended up in the hospital, and she and I found a kid on the way home. I guess the reality hasn't sunken in yet. I imagine it will when 10PM rolls around and we can't get to sleep because Violet demands attention. However, the sense of impending doom of having a child to call my own has lifted. I think I can identify the precise moment when it did:

watching her come into the world.

I think some of the images I took with the digital camera captured the moment pretty well, but as soon as Violet came into being, the room was electrified. Adrenaline surged in everyone, including the doc. Smiles came out, tears were shed, and lives changed.

Here are some pics I took on the way home. As of right now, Melissa is feeding Violet after we changed her diaper. Cloud and Aerith (our cats) are a little freaked out about the noise she makes. I'm sure in a couple of days they'll get acclimated to the noise of our new permanent guest. Cloud will be fine as long as I keep cuddling him when I sleep. Aerith, on the other hand, might need therapy.



I made this. (I'm not this googly-eyed in real life, am I?)



Stuffed dog courtesy of Aunt Vick.
Violet seems transfixed and horribly confused.
Just the way we want her.


Shot of the baby mobile and one of the nursing staff reluctantly helping us in.
can't wait until Violet get old enough for me to talk to her about the wonders of all wheel drive
and the fun of owing and driving a car with a turbo.


Violet has no idea of the outfits and costumes she's in store for.
Mwa-ha-ha-ha! Coolest thing about kids is that you can accessorize them.


Took this while Melissa was walking up the walkway to our home.
Violet has a +10 to adorable and +5 to heart melting when she sleeps.


They both deserve a rest. I'm sure they both feel like they went
10 rounds with Haystack Calhoon in the squared circle. I'm thinking of
changing Violet's middle name to "turnbuckle". What do you think?

Off to build a pack and play.

Visitors

What a complete whirlwind. I managed to get some decent sleep overnight. I came home at about 1:30 AM and slept until Melissa called me at about 9:45AM. She, on the other hand has had everyone in the entire hospital in and out of her room since Violet was born. It's been a circus.


Speaking of which. Here's the visiting information for the hospital so you too can join the menagerie:

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
450 West Highway 22
Barrington, IL 60010

Website: http://www.advocatehealth.com/gshp/

Walk into the main entrance and head to the front desk and get a visitor's pass. They're pretty militant about the whole thing so make sure you talk to the staff there. Frankly, the only people I've seen at the desk are older women... so if you got a good sprint going, you should be able to breeze right past them.

Visiting hours for non-family are 11AM to 8PM.
Melissa and I want to be able to share her with you all, so if you have the time, please don't hesitate to contact us before you pop in to make sure to we have some time available.

I'll update this post with pictures of Violet with family and friends on this post when I take them.

Another thanks for all of the positive comments and well wishes for those who have been checking the blog. You all have made a great impact on the whole experience. Lots of smiles and lots of laughter.

More to follow.

Update: 11:03 AM 4/4/08 Sorry for not updating sooner. With all of the people in and out of the room, Melissa and I got really exhausted. Thank you to all who visited us. We all enjoyed the company. There are a series of shots of people not holding Violet. This is because her temperature dropped a little too low and she was given orders to stay on Melissa's skin, froggy style. Here's who came by (My sister, my niece, Maddie Rose, and Melissa's mother and brother Alex aren't pictured, but were here).



Grandma Jean (My mother)


Grandma Jean and Grandpa John Conroy



Grandpa Mitchell Wojnarowicz



Grandpa Steve (Melissa's Stepfather or Egon from the Ghostbusters cartoon)


Aunt Vicky


Some guy named "Chaz" (I have no idea who this guy is. He came in our room, sat down and smiled at everyone, drank my apple juice and left. Seriously creepy)


Ryan (our friend. Could be the reason for Violet's full head of hair. Creator of Wombstone. Don't believe his lies).


Oh.. and Violet was here too.

Life

Into the world came a soul named Violet.

10:43 PM

8lbs 10oz

21.5 inches

1:23 pushing time

No more words.
Just These: