Almost three weeks old!

This is Josh at five days old, in his fancy crib that he chooses not to sleep in!



With his adoring Mommy!

Wow, how the time flies... we are almost at three weeks since Josh was born, and it seems like he has been with us months already. We are slowly developing a "schedule", though I use the term loosely, as he has his own ideas about how the schedule will go. Mostly, Mom and Joshua have a VERY leisurely morning, dozing and eating at his will, watching TLC and enjoying each other's company. We have made a couple of excursions - once to my office to be adored by the women in the Music Department office, and twice to the Health Clinic to be weighed. He had dropped to 6lbs 2 and 3/4ozs at a week and a half, and this week was up to 6lbs 10 oz - a growing boy!

We took a surprise visit to the emergency department last night, as Josh was sounding very congested and was wheezing and having difficulty breathing while eating. The doc told us this was going around a lot, and to watch him for any increase to temperature or to the rapidity of his breathing. He has been fine today - a little wheezing but not consistently, and eating just fine. They weighed him again last night, and he was just under 7lbs...with all the eating he is doing I guess I am not surprised!!!

We have Geoffrey's parents here for a visit from Iowa, and as you can imagine Grandma is loving every minute of Joshua time she has! They are already bestest friends, and mommy is watching and taking notes on just how Grandma does it. This was also the case with Grandma Valdine, who could soothe him with a lullaby and cuddle unlike anybody else! Sigh, the knack of Grandmas - they just have it!

This is Joshua on Inauguration Day - we celebrated Barack taking office by peeing all over our fancy Obama onesie!



We will post some more photos here soon - there are LOTS to sort through, as you can imagine. Can't wait for all of you to meet him!!!

He's Here!

Joshua Gerhardt Charles Pagel was born on January 6th, 2009 at 5:05pm, 6lbs 4oz via c-section.

The story: (I'll try to be brief!)

I went for my checkup with the obstetrician on Tuesday morning, and discovered that my blood pressure was quite high, that there were elevated levels of protein in my urine, and that I was dilated 1 cm. They had already scheduled me for another ultrasound for the Friday before my due date, but decided to send me straigt to the hospital that day to do a non-stress test on baby and to run some blood work on me. So, off I went - parking in the 2 hour zone no less - to the obstetrical testing clinic. They hooked me up to the fetal monitor and discovered quickly that baby was doing just fine. They took my blood and I lay there waiting and waiting. They came back and told me the numbers were no good - my platelet levels were dangerously low, and my blood pressure continued to rise into the 150's (I am usually very low, like 100/60 or lower). I peaked at 168/80 later in the day...crazy! I was scheduled for a c-section 2 hours later - was I terrified! I had the car, and Geoffrey was at home (luckily working from home that day) so he had to call a taxi and get all my things together to bring to the hospital. He got there in record time, and held my hand all the way into surgery, which kept getting more and more delayed - a busy day for giving birth, I guess! I was shaking uncontrollably all afternoon as I waited - having never been in hospital or surgery this was a pretty big deal to me, you can imagine. I was really surprised at how easy it all went - the spinal was my biggest fear, I think, and it was really easy, in fact. Weird to lose all sensation of pain without losing all feeling in my legs - the strangest feeling was when they moved me off the table at the end, I felt like I was floating suspended in the air. Anyways, they put up the screen so I couldn't see anything and went to it, and it couldn't have been 10 minutes and Josh was out. I creid and cried and cried - he looked so beautiful and tiny, we STILL can't get over how small he is after how big I was! Geoffrey cut the cord, they washed him up and brought him over to mommy. At this point, mommy expereinced the WORST headache of her life, it just kind of hit like a brick - they tell me it was the meds in my IV. But Geoffrey held on to the baby from that point until we got to our private room where it was "game on" parenting from the get-go. Geoffrey was able to stay 24 hours and did, going home a couple of times for naps, but other than that they had me holding and feeding right away, which was wonderful. Some of the best bonding time ever, I'll never forget it. He is a momma's boy, I'll tell you that! My mom and Arnold arrived later that evening and were able to come in and visit until very late - SO much better here than in Calgary, from what I understand, grandparents could also stay 24/7 if they wanted. My nurses were fantastic, and my recovery has been relatively easy. Intense swelling in my hips, thighs, legs and feet, but that is going away slowly, which is good.We came home on Friday afternoon - I had a bit of an emotional breakdown on the carride home - hooray hormones - and have had many cries since, but am getting much more stable that way too. Just an extension of "Ange the crier" - i am overwhelmed by love for this little man and have to let it out! He is an angel - covered in baby"fur" which makes him look a little like a baby chimp - so adorable! He is a pretty easy baby so far - as long as I feed him often we get along great! Our first night home was a long one - he wanted to eat all night long, whcih took its toll by 6am. However, we are learning his needs and are managing to get some sleep into the nights in creative ways. (The couch and I are very close these days!)

So, I will attach a few photos and include a link to a video and other photos - I will post this exact e-mail up on our blog too.

Can't wait for you all to meet him - there is ALWAYS an open invite to come to Edmonton!

Love you all and see you soon,

Ange and Geoffrey

http://www.ualberta.ca/~pagel/MVI_2288.AVI
http://www.ualberta.ca/~pagel/joshua/

Post Christmas/Pre New Years

Greetings all - just a quick update to let you all know that we had a wonderful Christmas and are now back in Edmonton. We spent about five days in Calgary mostly with the family, eating and sleeping and relaxing as much as possible. Mom went way above and beyond with the food prep, and there was MUCH great feasting and visiting. We had a lovely time, but since coming home have already spent four hours in the emergency department - not for me or baby but for Geoffrey, who has developed a terrible throat infection that progressed to a high fever and chills late last night. We went in to the hospital at about 11:45, and spent until almost 4 in the morning getting him looked at and re-hydrated with some IV fluids. His fever broke while we were there, and we came home and got some much needed sleep. He is a little better today, but still fighting a terribly painful throat. SO, we are grateful that Baby Pagel is not making an early "New Years" appearance - we need a little time to get daddy feeling better so he will be well enough to coach me through MY hospital time!
I saw the Dr. yeasterday, and she let me know that I am still "closed" at this point, so my due date is still looking like it might be pretty accurate. Time will tell - I wouldn't be sorry to be wrong and to get this little boy out as soon as possible - I just want so much to meet him and hold him and enjoy being mom to him. The best Christmas present that is still to come...!!!

3 weeks to go!

This post has been a LONG time coming...our home computer has not be plugged in for about a month as we did our renovations to the baby's room, and we are JUST getting back to normal. Therefore, an actual tummy picture for the "tummy tales" has not emerged until now. It has changed a little...we think we have a future NFL linebacker or "Baby Beckham" soccer player in my belly - he is feeling rather HUGE! And I am looking rather huge, too, but mostly happily so! I have had a few issues of late - some upper abdominal and back pain that comes out at night and makes me very nauseous and mimics a flu-like feeling. They are checking me for gallbladder problems that are likely being exacerbated by the extra squishing that this little guy is doing to all my internal organs. I get very short of breath - playing the trumpet lately has been disappointing as I cannot for the life of me take a deep breath and sustain any long or high notes! (You wind players out there will understand my frustration). Continued swelling of my feet and ankles and legs goes on, I find time every day with my legs up in the air to alleviate this, but they are mostly in a perpetual state of "puffy". SO attractive!

School is now finished for me, and I know it will be difficult to stay away. However, I know once the baby is here that it will probably be the furthest place from my mind as I get to spend my days with him at home. In this weather, I will be glad to stay in - I can't imagine taking a little one outside in these horribly cold temperatures anyways. I can barely get MYSELF to get dressed and out the door!

Geoffrey worked his heart out to finish the baby's room, and I have to commend him on a job well done. But for a couple of finishing touches, we should have a very "zen" place for our little man. There is a crib waiting for us in Calgary that we hope will get here to Edmonton in the next week or so - not sure how or when, but we'll get it here sometime soon. It will really feel like it is "time" once that final piece of furniture is in place. Geoffrey's parents are coming for a visit at the end of January - they found an excellent seat sale and will be here for a little over a week. We can't wait to have them here! My mom is planning to drop everything and drive to Edmonton once I go into labour, so she may be with us when he is born (though not in the room - some things are sacred even to moms!) So, we'll have some good help and advice in the early days when I am sure to be a little overwhelmed. Nothing like grandparents to ease the transition!

I am on weekly Dr. visits, and will probably follow this up MUCH more regularly, so check back for more emerging news. I really think he is a good three weeks away yet - but we are still hoping he might come just a LITTLE early. We'll try all the old wives tale tricks to see what we can "encourage", but it really comes down to him!

Our little man!!!

There he is, the sleeping little man! We were SO thrilled to finally get the 3D ultrasound done yesterday, and here is the result. I cannot get over the clarity that you can see, it's just amazing!

The "little" man is weighing in about 5lbs 5ozs (!) already, which puts him a week earlier that his due date (not that you can count on that, but I suspect an early delivery myself...) So he really might be a New Years Baby after all!

Oh, and the real reason for the ultrasound was to see if my placenta had actually moved up - and it has, apparently, so we are all good to go as far as delivery. I see my Ob/Gyn this morning, but doubt there will be much to report. She always listens to his heartbeat, which is nice to hear. I imagine I'll be seeing her more regularly now - no more once a month, time to keep close tabs on this little one! A tummy photo is coming this week, Geoffrey says he thinks it has changed shape. All I see is BIG! : )

Greetings from preggo land...not having the best week of all time - both Geoffrey and I have been very sick with head colds/sinus infections, and I am worn OUT! I am finding that my energy is fading quickly each day, just getting showered and dressed in the morning is a real effort that tires me out. Most recently the heartburn/acid reflux is at a new high, and I find I wake up in the night from acid in my mouth - disgusting, and too much info, I know. Just ranting a little...on the up side, the baby is kicking like a mad-man, which I love as it is very reassuring that all is going well on the inside. He gets calm when his daddy talks to him, which is a good sign of who will be taking him when he screams!
Only another 4 weeks of work to go - lots to do in that short amount of time, but then I will do my best to stay away from the office and leave it in capable hands. I'm realizing just how hard that is going to be for me - who knew I was such a control freak? (Oh, all of you? Hmmm...) However, I will certainly be consumed with my new job as full time mommy, which I am really looking forward to.
Our friends Scott and Sara just had their second child this week - a daughter named Kaitlyn. We are so happy for them and can't wait to get the two babies together for some playtime in the New Year! Congrats, guys!
Photos to come - amidst the renos to the baby's room is our camera, which I have not fished out for a while. You can only imagine how big I am...but it's worth every pound! : )

New Poll!

My students are going to use my pregnancy as a fundraiser...they will ask people to pay for a vote on the date and time that the baby will be born. I thought that I should put a poll up here as well - but a free one! So watch for it and be sure to get in on the action.