I posted Sunday about March of Dimes and by Tuesday afternoon I'd met my fundraising goal of $250--amazing! John also has now registered as a Team Kenyon walker and set a fundraising goal. Since we've met our first goal, we'll see how much we can add. It's a little confusing that he has to have his own page, but that's just how it's set up online. Each walker has his/her own page even if walking with a team like ours. Some teams set collective goals, but since our team is still assembling as we determine who will be able to come to the walk, we'll just be happy to get together on April 29 and celebrate whatever amount we're able to contribute to the important work of the March of Dimes.

As you see from his pictures and video, Edward is strong and healthy. However it is important to remember that his birth, like Will's, was premature. Of course there is an incredible difference between being born five weeks early and being born 15 and a half weeks early. In our case, it's a difference of life and death.

But it only strengthens our resolve to support the work of the March of Dimes, including joining WalkAmerica in Iowa City on Saturday, April 29. We have created a website for Team Kenyon and invite you to join us in whatever way you can--physically (by walking with us or in your own hometown), financially (by making an online pledge toward our fundraising goal) or morally (by encouraging us to get up and get moving in preparation for the 10K walk.)

Clicking on the Team Kenyon link above will take you to our team website where, if you scroll to the bottom, you'll find links to donate and/or to register to walk with us or in your local WalkAmerica event.

We have always been lucky to be surrounded by loving and supportive family and friends, but never has that circle been more vital than in the last year and a half. We can never thank everyone enough for all that you've done and continue to do for us. Participating in WalkAmerica is a way for us to share these blessings.

Today is Edward's three-month birthday, and so we document another month of Ed's life (and eating) with a photo. To compare, here he is at one month and at two months.




I also tried another video, this time taking advantage of better light and the gizmos that came with our new computer. Enjoy, as Edward wakes up from a nice birthday nap.

John and Edward can't believe Duke lost! Too bad John picked them in his bracket. I'm still alive in mine, though I lose points as I had Duke in the Final Four. Oh well...

We're received some good-natured ribbing from people about our St. Patrick's Day photo of Edward, the suggestion being that if given the choice, he probably wouldn't have opted for a shot that showed off so much of his chubby legs. Duly noted. To compensate, here's a photo with which no one could argue. It's my favorite thus far, in no small part because it captures a happy moment between my two favorite people.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2006!

I went back to work today and Edward started daycare. I think we both did OK. It was hard to leave him, but John and I feel that the daycare is a loving and stimulating environment for him and that makes us comfortable. We have friends who have been taking their daughter there since last fall so Edward even has a friend in the room with him and we can check up on each others' kids when we're there.

My supervisors agreed to let me work part time for the next year, 20 hours per week. For now it will be 8 a.m. to noon daily and we'll see how/if that works. I am lucky to have such flexible and cooperative coworkers and doubly lucky that the university provides benefits to part time workers. The key is health insurance--with John working for a small start-up it would be way too expensive to handle on our own!

It was weird to be back. I'd forgotten all my passwords and some of the function of my work computer (a Mac--we have a PC at home) but it slowly came back to me. I already have two projects to work on before the end of the week, so there won't be any problem staying busy!

Edward did fine at daycare, his teachers reported. The only problem is that he doesn't sleep well in a crib during the day, which is weird because he sleeps fine there at night. But daytime he sleeps best in his carseat, bouncy chair, or being held. The daycare has a policy that babies must sleep in cribs-for SIDS protection. So every time he fell asleep today in his bouncy chair, or in his teacher's arms after eating, they put him in the crib where he only lasted 15-20 minutes before waking up and wanting out. We may sign a waiver and get his doctor to write a note saying it's OK for him to sleep in his carseat. We'll have to see how things go for the next few days. He basically fell asleep before I even got him to the car and stayed asleep after we got home until about 2:30. He might have slept longer, but I heard some gastrointestinal production and decided to take him out to change him. Then he realized he hadn't eaten since 11 a.m. and totally chowed down.

All in all, a good day. We hope for many more like it!

Here is an experiment that will help us to share more video of Edward. Just click on the arrow in the middle of the box below, and it'll play a video of Edward playing on his playmat tonight.

Edward slept through the night last night--10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.! I am trying not to get too excited until he demonstrates that he can repeat this trick, but it was quite a treat to get that much sleep all at once. Actually, I must admit I got up to check on him at about 4 a.m.

Perhaps he was just exhausted from a busy weekend. On Saturday he was baptized and we were lucky to have many family members with us to celebrate. My sister Nora and brother Joe are his godparents and both were able to be here, traveling from Michigan and Tennessee, respectively. Also my sister Ann and her husband and daughter came from Milwaukee. And of course all four grandparents wouldn't miss Ed's big day. Our group gathered Saturday morning at the church for the sacrament. Edward slept through the whole event, including having water poured over his head. He also slept most of the afternoon as he was passed from one adoring relative to another. We have plenty of pictures to document the day though. We'll have to fill him in later.

We've had a busy week since the last update. I felt like Edward was still having eating/stomach problems and discomfort on Thursday so we went back to the doctor where they suggested he might have a touch of reflux. However, they did not feel it was serious enough to medicate given that he didn't have the primary symptom, which is weight loss or lack of weight gain. He had gained another three ounces since his Tuesday appt! They recommended holding him more upright for eating and then for 30 minutes afterward. That seems to be working as he has much less spit up now and seems to be more comfortable.

But before I get too confident that I have him figured out, I must remind myself that I left notes for Edward's first non-family babysitter Monday night that claimed that "evening is his most predictable time." He almost always eats around 6, has some awake time then sleeps a bit and wakes up to eat between 9 and 10 for his final pre-bedtime meal. John and I had separate obligations so he was home feeding Ed when the babysitter arrived (the daughter of a friend, neighbor and coworker) and I was expecting to be home by 8:30 or so. We didn't think she'd have to feed him, but left a bottle just in case. Well, he apparently got hungry early and was screaming when I got home at 8:40. I'm not sure how long he'd been this way. She said "just a little while" but definitely was not eager to linger. I hope we didn't scare her away! He ate, calmed down and went to bed.

But then last night (Tuesday) he had a similar evening pattern. I went to visit a friend in the hospital and then a quick trip to the mall for some clothes for going back to work next week. I called John on my way home at 8:30 and Ed was screaming again and had been for most of the time I was away, John reported. He wasn't burping after eating, which probably led to his discomfort, but John tried every position and tons of back patting and rubbing and still Ed would not burp. It's so hard when he's uncomfortable and you can't do anything to fix it! I fed him when I got home and after about five minutes sat him up and he let out two shockingly loud burps. Sometimes when Ed burps it actually startles me, even though I'm sitting there patting him and should be expecting it!

So we hope this is not a new pattern of evening fussiness and discomfort. That would be bad for all of us, but especially Ed. We'll see. We just need to stop expecting any two days to be alike!

He had very little fussiness and was in excellent spirits for our weekend trip to Evanston to visit family and friends. He slept the whole time in the car both ways. We stopped at about the three-hour point each way to feed him (and ourselves) and he woke right up, ate, got changed and went back to sleep once the car got going again. What a great traveler! Friday night he got to meet three grand-aunts and -uncles, four of my first cousins, and one of his first cousins. He'd already met his Aunt Ann, who was also there. That's a lot of family!

Then on Saturday, the moment we thought might never happen--he got to meet my Grandma Ganey. She has been in a nursing home for a while now following a stroke, and in December there was good reason to believe she would not live to see 2006. But she rallied and though she is still approaching the end of her life, she has been waiting patiently to meet Edward, having had his picture posted next to her bed since he was born. It was a great visit! We didn't know what to expect from her or from Ed, but both were at the top of their games. He was awake long enough for her to see his eyes and his animation but then also asleep and still enough that she could hold him for quite a long time in her lap. She can't speak very well, but kept waving us away saying she'd babysit him. At one point while he was awake, I opened his suit so she could touch his foot and see his fat little leg. She loved that but then she got worried that he'd get cold so she had me button him back up. As if anyone could get cold there! Now we have pictures and memories to cherish forever.

When we got home we had the greatest surprise waiting for us--my sister Bridget came home from school for the weekend! She didn't tell anyone she was coming and it took waking up at the crack of dawn and then I think three van/bus connections and a train to get her there. We were all floored but so excited to see her.

In the afternoon many of our Chicago-area friends and friends of my parents came to meet Edward, which was a lot of fun. Of course we wished we had more time to catch up with everyone, but babies and long conversations don't mix very well, so we'll just have to save that for the next trip. Gram and PopPop are eager babysitters so we'll have opportunities to go out with those friends when we visit again. Actually, they babysat that night while John and I went to a movie. We hadn't been since Christmas Eve when we unknowingly went on our final pre-parenthood date to lunch and a matinee (Good Night and Good Luck.) This time we saw Capote, which was excellent, though quiet enough at points that I had to fight my nodding head and drooping eyes. There's just no such thing as enough sleep when you're caring for an infant I guess!