1 month old!

Where has the time gone? Luca is already 1 month old, and weighs 10lbs 9oz, so he's 'thriving' and doing well. He's my little milk man, that's for sure. Days are busy feeding, changing, entertaining, cleaning up spills, and bathing this little boy. Notice I didn't say sleeping! He does sleep, but definitly doesn't like going to bed in his own cot. And for all of those wandering how the nights are going....well it's 4am and I'm writing this if that gives you any indication! On average he sleeps for 3 hours at a time - which isn't too bad...it's just the getting him to go down thing that can sometimes be a struggle. It doesn't help that the poor wee little man has a snotty nose and has trouble breathing because of it. All babies are nose breathers, and unlike adults who have blocked noses and resort to breathing out our mouths, little babies will just keep sniffing and snorting out their noses. You'd think we had a little piggy in the house by the sounds of it. I gave him some saline solution up the nose tonight which seemed to help a bit. We hosted a coffee group at my house last week. It was comprised of some women and their babies from our antenatal group. Our group meets 1 or 2 times a week. Thought this picture was pretty cute. Luca's the one in white collered shirt and blue pants. The baby in the stripes is about 1 month older than the other ones...you can tell how much more alert and calm he is than the others. Speaking of alert....Luca has been getting bigger by the day and more alert. His eyes are open wide, and he likes to hold his head up by himself now. The smile comes out every now and then as well. He's got dimples on both sides of his face - just like Mom and Dad.
Another favourite past time of Luca is peeing on his face....or on us! He likes to catch us off guard when his diaper is being changed. Here I am giving him an emergency wipe down after another episode of free willy. Look he fits in our tiny sink basin just perfect. He's got his confused, 'what are doing to me, mom' look on his face here.

This was taken tonight after bedtime routine of bath, storytime, feeding. He's pretty 'drunk' off the milk and has turned all floppy in James' arms as James tries out a new burping technique. He can burp louder than just about anyone I know. He looks like a little bear dosen't he? Of course as soon as his head hit the cot - his eyes popped wide open and the crying began. We don't know how he does it...fast asleep one minute, and then crying the next.

This week is James 29th birthday! Luca has a special gift that he made Dad - can't wait to give it to him. Grandparents Jo and Bruce will be taking Luca on Friday night while we have our first proper night out since he has been born. We've managed to get in the occasional movie while Grandma Cassie was here, and also another one last week with Jo.....but this will be a whole night of no Luca - as he'll be out at the beach. Some of our friends are joining us for dinner and then a cheesy night of kareoke at a local chinese dive in town. Whenever I'm not with Luca I miss him dearly, so not sure how I'll cope being away a whole night! Although an uninterrupted night of sleep does sound pretty good...

Luca - traveling man!

This was week #1 of Mommy and Luca at home by ourselves (James went back to work this week). Every day little Luca does something new that suprises me and being at home with him every day gives me the time to really learn and observe this guys personality - which is definitly starting to emerge. We try to get out of the house each day - which means we are traveling by foot and stroller a lot (I'm still recovering from the war wounds of birth and not allowed to drive....but getting better and will be behind the wheel again in no time!)

We've had lots of visitors this week - include 4 of my co-workers from PNCC! This is a photo of Melissa with Luca - doesn't she look like a natural!? It was good to see some familar faces and hear about what's been happening at work without me, but it didn't tempt me to come back to work early. I'm having way too much fun with Luca!

Luca has already made the papers! Luca and Mommy are mentioned in an article about the super 7's series mentioning that at only 2 weeks old he was probably the youngest participant. Every Tuesday there's a 7km Run/Walk throughout town. Hundred's of people show up and for $3 you participate in the race, get a free sausage at the end, 6-pack of yogurt to take home, and water supplied en route. Last year I somehow managed to run most every Tuesday with my motivator and personal coach James. I usually feel like I'm going to die during the run (7kms....is a long way for a non runner!) BUT at the end the endorphins are sooo worth it. I'm not quite up to running yet, so we walked it this week. Luca usually sleeps in his stroller but was wide awake throughout the whole thing - which meant he was wide awake all night as well. Rule of thumb...if he doesn't sleep well during the day...he doesn't sleep well at night!

We also got Luca's mugshot taken for his NZ and USA passports. What an ordeal that was. Luca had to have eyes open, mouth closed, facing forward with his neck that can just barely support his head...ALL at the same time! We finally got a shot that has Luca looking a bit stunned, but will work for the gov't requirements. And then he peed. All over the white background of the photo shop. ( Lesson learned....Penis down, not up in diaper!) A bit silly to make an infant take a photo for a passport. He will look so different in just a matter of months.

On Saturday we had our first family picnic to the park. It's nice to enjoy the simple thing (which don't cost any money) and be out in the sunshine with our little man.

This weekend Luca also got to meet some other babies. Saturday night he was introduced to Jaycob - who was just brought home from the hospital this week after 5 1/2 months in neonatal unit. Today our antenatal group had a BBQ and we got to meet the other 11 babies in our group...I don't ever thing I've been in a room with that many babies. It was pretty entertaining and good to swap stories with all the other moms and dads. Reassured us that everything was normal in our household...well as normal as can be with a little newborn!

2.5 weeks old!

Our first walk with the Mountain Buggy. At Foxton Beach with both Grandmas.

It's hard to imagine that we have had Luca for about 2.5 weeks. He's already changed so much - his eyes are begining to focus more and we think he can see further away. He responds to the sound of Mom and Dad's voice, and boy is he strong! He can just about hold up his head, and he likes to look from side to side. He also is fan of kicking his legs around (especially during diaper changes). I expected our newborn to be a bit of a 'blob' for at least a month - but from just about day 1 he was moving around. He must have inherited the strength genes from James :-)

Grandma Cassie with Luca - out enjoying the sunshine at Bruce and Jo's house. We have been venturing out a bit with Luca. He's spent the night at beach and also been on a little road trip to Rotorua with Grandma Cassie and my cousin Jenny - who just flew into NZ a few days ago.

A pit stop in Taupo on our way to Rotorua.
The boys resting at our accomodation in Rotorua.
Jenny, Mom, and I went to a Maori dinner show while in Rotorua. Yes, it was a bit cheesy, but I have to admit it was pretty interesting. Walks through the 'bush', glow worms, wariors in a canoe, and then the typical song/dance/war/haka performances and Hungi feast. The hungi feast was so tasty - definitly the best I had ever had in NZ. There was heaps of food, so it felt like you were sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner.

Grandma Cassie has flown to NZ for the arrival of Luca - she's been great help - but unfortunatly will only be here till Jan 10th.
After 6 days and 5 nights in the hospital, the real journey begins as we take Luca home - the comforts of the hospital, pain medication, and midwives around to help you out will be a distant memory.
Luca at home with Daddy
Our first day home, Luca makes it to one of our friend Duco's BBQ birthday party. We only stayed a little bit, but Luca impressed all the ladies, and was an angel. Our first night at home Shelly and James get very little sleep - but the adventure continues and each day becomes a bit easier.

New Year, New Baby!

Such adorable soft skin, covered in a fine layer of soft downy hair (which will unfortunatly fall out soon).
Grumpy old man face!
" Mommy, I'm tired..."
New Year's Eve was celebrated in our hospital room. Shelly, James and Cassie stayed up to ring in 2008 at midnight, but Luca, the party pooper fell asleep.
" Daddy, there's no milk coming out of there!"

Luca's First Week of life

D Day - December 28, 2007

We are all home safe and sound and with our new bundle of joy, Luca Alexander Deegan. It was a crazy week filled with emotion - I'll try to recap it as best as I can for those of you both near and far away. If you don't want all the details of the actual birth - well just scroll down to look at the photos - for those of you interested....here they are

It all started on the morning of Dec 27th - when I woke up it felt as if the waters had broken. Not a huge amount, and no contractions, but definitly something out of the ordinary. It's hard to know exactly what to expect in this childbirth business, never having been through it before, so you question everything. We started the day of as normal...James went to play golf while Shelly went to swim at the local pool - I was getting stircrazy waiting around at home. Had a lovely swim, and long walk home, but still felt as if something down there wasn't quite right. Luckily we had an appointment already scheduled with our Dr for that afternoon.

Our Dr. confirmed that he suspected the waters had started to leak but was being plugged up with baby's head - or that it was the forewaters I was feeling. We left the Dr's expecting to go into labour that evening and if not we were to be induced the next morning at the hospital (you don't want to risk infection once waters break and contractions don't yet start).

Yay!!! We were over the moon with this news, and did what any reasonable couple would do....run off to the grocery store to stock the house with food, and enjoy our last few moments together before the baby comes into the scene.


Dec 28th
I awoke feeling excited and ready to go after another night of baby filled dreams. We threw our hospital bags into the car and arrived at 7:30am to the Labour and Delivery Suite. This is it....it's all going to happen TODAY!

7:45 am
We settle into the room we'd spend a lot of time in - we are happy to find out that our room is also one of the ones with a big spa in it! This is also the time I hear a horrible crying and yelling sound down the hallway. I thought it was a newborn baby that had just been born - how sweet....that will be us by the end of tonight! James, goes on to tell me that's not a baby...it's a women in pain. I feel sick, and can't seem to drown out the screams from the hallway. What am I getting my self into?!

8:50 am
Prostogen Gel applied and drip line inserted - The gel makes the contractions start but sometimes can take up to 6 hours to start working. Sometimes it doesn't work at all. We are told not to leave the hospital during the waiting period

We kill time by visiting the cafeteria, making phone calls and texts, visiting Karlyn and Jaycob in baby intensive care unit, and walking around the hospital. I'm feeling a bit too good, and nothing seems to be happening. I bounce around on the birthing ball but still nothing seems to happen.

1:15pm
Dr. comes back for visit and assesment and deciedes to do second dose of gel - goes out and tells me next dose will be available by 2pm

1:30pm
Begin to get cramps - typical....just AFTER the Dr. leaves! I text James and tell him to come back to hospital as I'm feeling some pains

2:30pm
Holy Hell! Is it suppose to feel like this!? Contracts are hard and very painful...very close to each other, and like nothing I've felt in my life!

3:00pm
Midwife suggests a spa bath. I get in the bath, but feel like I'm going to pass out from the pain. I demand an epideral.....NOW! This is nuts!!!

3:45pm
Epideral arrives - God bless the anestiologist! What a world of difference it makes. I'm happy and content now, and am sucking on the gas happily. Upon further examination it's discoverd my labour was fast, quick, and painful (duh!) I had recieved epideral just in the nick of time. Thank goodness I was persistant to get it...

4:40pm
Fetal heartrate monitor inserted - fully dialated

5:45pm
Begin pushing, but after 2 pushes discovers baby heartrate has dropped to 50bpm - not good at all! He's not liking the pushing. The next bit is a bit fuzzy, and James has to help remind me of what happens....

Drs and specialists rush in, baby's head is looking up, not down, and in complete distress. C section is only option and we have to do it NOW. I'm rushed off to theatre, pumped up with more drugs, and scared out of my mind...mainly b/c while all this is happening, I'm not sure what the baby's heartrate is doing.

James joins me in theatre, and we are both pretty scared. I'm shaking, and chattering my teeth from the drugs, and gripping James hand for dear life.

6:31pm
I won't go into all the other details but to cut to the chase, Luca is born completly healthy, and mom loses a lot of blood in the process! The moment he gets pulled out I don't hear a cry, and it was the longest few seconds of my life. What a relief to hear his cries just a few seconds later. He gets checked over and cleaned up and given to Daddy after being weighing in at 8lbs 9oz. I wasn't able to hold him for about 45 mins until they finished working on me. Lots of happy tears are shed, and this is undeniably the most amazing moment of our lives. In fact I'm tearing up just remembering it now.

There's no way I could have done this without James unconditional love and support. He was a rock, and has helped and encouraged me the past 9 months - but his role during the birth was amazing. We're whisked off to the recovery room where I finally get to hold Luca - I'm still fuzzy from all the drugs, and overjoyed with emotion.

We get to the post natal ward, where we will end up spending the next five days. We are in complete awe at how perfect and beautiful Luca is, and can't stop looking at him, or touching his soft head, fuzzy shoulders, and fat cheeks....it really is the most amazing thing in the world.

Here's a few photos from Dec 28 2007 (a bit out of order though)


In the theatre mins after he is born...

Luca loves looking at Daddy! Luca was immediatly calm after the birth when Dad was holding him. This photo was taken in the post natal ward after all the chaos of the birth.

Seconds after the birth! Look how tiny he is....Luca's first moments of air and light....

My first hold while in the recovery room


Was it a bad birth? No, definity not. It didn't go as expected, but then again, what can you really expect!? Didn't plan to have a c-section, or be in so much pain afterwards, or stay in hospital so long, but that's okay - we had always just planned to go with the flow, and do whatever was in best interest of the baby. Would I do it again? DEFINITLY. I will never look at a baby again the same, it's like my whole perspective on life has changed, and bringing someone into this life (going from one fertilized cell to over a 2 billion complex human being has to be the most incredible miracal of life)