Baby.Gill.Bloyer

Morning Calisthenics

2011-06-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the orientation of this video; we keep forgetting that we shouldn't take video with the camera in the "long" position because the video can't be rotated for viewing. Still, this is fun to watch.

gordita

2011-06-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

Our little girl is getting so plump! It is amazing to watch her transformation since Rivers was such a skinny baby, and Fern has the same diet from the same source but her body is looking much more filled-out.

These first two months have been challenging but surprisingly do-able for our little family. Fern can be a cranky baby at times, but she also is a pretty good sleeper, so on balance I'd say she's a pretty sweet babe. Most nights she sleeps a five hour stretch, which means one feeding in the wee hours and then another in the early morning, after both of which she usually goes back to sleep, so we're getting pretty good rest. She's also smiling and cooing, so we have little conversations in baby talk, and that is very sweet.

Rivers has had some ups and downs with the transition to being a big brother. He's had his fair share of tantrums and ornery behavior over the past couple months, and it's a challenge to know how to parent him well during some of those. We're trying to find the balance of assuring him that we love him and want to give him plenty of attention with the reality that sometimes he will just have to wait his turn because there are two kids in this family now.

There have been some exciting things happening for Rivers, however. He had his first visit to the dentist (see photo). He would not let her do a cleaning or even much of an exam, but finally after bribing him with the promise of a cookie (oh the irony...) he did allow her to "count" his teeth and thus she was able to see that there were no obvious cavities. An even bigger development is that Rivers has started preschool! We've joined a group of six other families that have created a co-op and use a Waldorf curriculum (Rivers already knew most of the kids). We rent a basement space that they have converted to a cheery preschool space, and the parents take turns teaching on a rotation. He goes two mornings a week, and he loves it. It's nice to have something for him to look forward to that is just for him right now.

Welcome, Fern.

2011-04-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

Rain is falling on my windows, the temps are in the 50s, and the birds are singing spring-- which means, of course, that our little spring babe has arrived at last. Last Thursday evening I started having contractions that would come and go, indicating early labor, which lasted for two days. Usually when I lay down to sleep, they subsided but on Saturday night they stopped letting up and began to intensify. Around midnight our team of three midwives and friend, Cindy, assembled as I rode out the contractions in our bathtub. It was a beautiful and challenging progression through the night-- getting out of the tub and trying different positions to help my body open up and move the baby down. Jason and the women were wonderful supports, and I was able to really focus myself on yielding to my body's rushes and meditating on helpful mantras ("I am opening like a flower" and "breathe the baby down," etc.)

A bit before 4 am the contractions were easing up a bit and my body seemed to want to give me a little break, so I was lying on my bed receiving a massage when my water broke. Things started to build again from there, and soon I had the urge to push. I got up on my hands and knees on the bed, and after 18 minutes (!) of serious work our little girl plopped down on the bed (Jason and I were confused about who was supposed to catch her, so neither of us did! But she didn't have far to fall onto the soft bed). She cried heartily and latched onto my breast almost immediately. It was a great relief to have finished the work and to have our little babe finally with us. It was Sunday morning, April 3 at 4:45 am. She weighed 6 lbs 14 oz, was 18.5 inches long, and we named her Fern Ingrid Gill-Bloyer.

Since then, we've been focused on resting up, nursing, and adjusting to our new life as a family of four. Rivers has been very loving toward his much-anticipated Baby Sister. Always the cautious child, he was hesitant at first to come near or touch her, but has warmed up quickly and now enjoys holding her and looking at her. We have seen some signs of him having difficulty adjusting to the changes in our house, though-- mostly in a few emotional breakdowns over issues that would normally be small frustrations. We're taking special care to keep his daily routine as close to normal as possible and to provide him as much affection and care as we can. It helps a lot that Jason is taking two weeks off from work-- Rivers is loving his special time with Daddy.

And we are also being cared for well by members of our church community and other friends who have been bringing daily meals, offers of practical help, and play dates for Rivers. Thanks to all for the love offered and sent to us.

A note on her name: Last summer Rivers and I watched the movie Charlotte's Web, in which the little girl's name is Fern. I was drawn to it's old-fashioned charm and its evocation of ancient natural beauty (ferns first appear in the fossil record 360 million years ago!). Jason chose Ingrid, which means "Ing's Beauty." Ing is the Norse god of earth's fertility who rides the land each year to prepare it for spring planting.

Our new babes

2011-03-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Spring has begun, and we have spring CHICKS to prove it! That's right, our little fam and our friends downstairs, the Peebles, are raising urban chickens. Just yesterday afternoon Rivers and I ran down to a local bird store where a new batch of chicks had just arrived from a hatchery in Michigan. We picked out our six Rhode Island Reds and brought the girls home, cheeping away in a little box. We lovingly placed them in their brooder, where they must stay for about six weeks under a heat lamp until they grow a bit bigger and the weather gets warmer outside. Jason and a friend spent the past Saturday working on constructing their coop, and it will probably take at least another full day to complete the project. Rivers is thrilled about our chicks, but he was very concerned about where their mommy and daddy were and why we weren't bringing them home too. I guess we're their mommy and daddy now.

And oh yes, of course there is still that other babe coming. In fact, now that I have passed the 37 week mark, she could come any day now! I'd still appreciate another week or two before the birth to get a few more things squared away, but we're pretty excited for her arrival. Rivers has decided that we should name her Radiator Gill-Bloyer. He says he just likes that name.

Baby Girl Wish List

2011-02-13T17:24:00.000-08:00

As many of you out there know, another Baby Gill-Bloyer is on the way: a little girl due in early/mid-April. In taking stock of our baby supplies, we are very pleased to find that there is not really too much that we need that we don't already have. If you are of the gift-giving inclination, the few items that we have identified which would be helpful for Baby Sister are:

-girl clothes (preferably second-hand, preferably not too much pink! and we need all sizes, not just newborn)[UPDATE: We've received a lot of clothes as gifts and at this time don't need much more. Please consider one of the items below.]
-money to cover the cost of a second-hand double stroller (already purchased)
-an Ergo Baby carrier or money to purchase one second-hand
-offers of babysitting for one or both of our children

Thanks for thinking of us!

Christmas in our new house!

2010-12-31T10:33:00.001-08:00

On December 18 we moved into our beautiful old two-flat. It was built in 1908 and was most recently owned by three adult siblings from a family that grew up here forty years ago. It had fallen into pretty awful disrepair, so after keeping an eye on the building for several months we approached the owners about selling. It took almost a year, but we bought it in November with our good friends, the Peebles, and began a major rehab that was finished in a remarkable six weeks.

We live upstairs and the Peebles live downstairs. It's just around the corner from the building where we lived before. Rivers loves his new house and his new room. He wants to show all of our visitors his big boy bed and his blue rug. The place feels like a mansion to us with its four bedrooms and spacious living room, dining room, and kitchen. There is plenty of work still to do, and lots of settling in as well, but it has started to feel like home.

We had a wonderful Christmas in our new home. We got a nice snow storm on Christmas Eve and a bit more on Christmas Day, so Rivers and Jason took the opportunity to build a fort out of sticks and branches in the front yard and have a snow ball fight. Rivers dressed up in a pretty hilarious sheep costume for our Christmas Eve service. When we were putting up stockings that evening, he insisted we put one up for his baby sister also. She got clementines and chocolates just like the rest of us. On Christmas morning Rivers found the baby Jesus in his Advent calendar and placed him lovingly in the manger with Mary and Joseph. There was a little bit of confusion for Rivers as to who was born (baby sister? where is she?), but we cleared it up pretty easily. We ate a few of our treats and later went downstairs to the Peebles' for a lovely brunch with a number of friends from church.

Now we continue to celebrate Christmastide, moving the magi and their camels around the living room, each day a little closer to finding the baby Jesus. On Epiphany (January 6) they will discover him and we will celebrate his being revealed to the world.

Halloween

2010-11-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Rivers had a great Halloween with his friends Edie and Calvin, playing at a neighborhood party and trick-or-treating for the first time.

Camping and Drumming

2010-10-29T06:03:00.000-07:00

Jason took Rivers camping last weekend with a few friends.

i love summer in chicago

2010-07-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Last week we enjoyed a free world music concert at Millennium Park with a picnic on the lawn. Here is Riv grooving to the music of the Colombian band La 33.

popsicle

2010-05-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

On one of our first hot days of the year, Rivers and I enjoyed a special treat.

Riv the Rockstar

2010-04-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

OK, so I'm not really blogging anymore, but I wanted to share this video and it's too big a file to email. So here he is, in his musical glory. That's a chopstick that he installed behind the strings to function as his microphone.

Springing

2009-04-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah that the weather is warming and we are going outside daily. This past weekend Rivers, along with some other families from our housing co-op, helped us build a raised bed vegetable garden. He is pictured here with his friend Edie, our upstairs neighbor, working the dirt. We are growing many many vegetables and herbs, which is super exciting. We've also been going out to the playgrounds and the backyard a lot lately.

Rivers has been doing weird stuff with sleep in the past month. He used to nurse until completely asleep and then I'd put him in the crib, but a little while ago he started nursing until sleepy but then finishing up while still awake and so I'd just put him in the crib. He used to protest if that happened, but now he's started just talking and singing to himself for anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes until asleep. In the past few days he started cutting out his second nap and instead going to bed very early in the evening and sleeping later in the morning. Not sure if it will be his new pattern or just a fluke.

Birthday Videos

2009-03-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

the winter in review

2009-03-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

This has been a winter of great growth and exploration for little Rivers, who is now Toddler Gill-Bloyer. We celebrated his first birthday with a small party of friends at our house. Rivers enjoyed his banana bread cupcake and playing with all of his guests, including our upstairs neighbor, Edie. She is about eight months older than Rivers and the two of them have struck up a little friendship, playing together in both of our apartments. Edie refers to him as "Baby Ribbas," and according to her dad, Marc, she stops at our door in hopes of coming in to play every time they go up the stairs to their apartment.

Shortly after Rivers' birthday we flew to Arizona to visit Mom's side of the family for two weeks. Rivers' cousin, Liam, was born at Christmastime, and so the two of them met for the first time. The two of them are, of course, destined for lifelong friendship. Mom and Dad are Liam's godparents, and we were able to be there to celebrate his baptism. He is a very cute, FAT baby (a whopping 15 lbs now at 3 months! This is quite the opposite of Rivers, who now weighs a mere 20 lbs at 14 months). The weather was amazingly warm and beautiful for the entire visit, so we enjoyed hiking, swimming, and outdoor dining. And after many months of cruising along the furniture, on February 4 in Grandma Stephie's kitchen, Rivers took his first independent steps! He hasn't stopped moving since.

The month of February was cold and dreary, as it usually is. Stuck inside, Rivers used the opportunity to get into every nook and cranny of the house. The bathroom has been a favorite place to pull out all the drawers and inspect their contents. But then came March with some warmer days and the promise of the springtime to come. As soon as the temps were in the 50s we started visiting the playgrounds, which Rivers loves. He is very interested in watching all of the other kids playing, and he even tries to interact with them (although this is a bit awkward and funny at this age). Rivers loves digging in the sand.

We now eagerly await even warmer days and even more developmental steps for Rivers. He still has six teeth and he still doesn't talk much. He can say (or really, mumble) "mama" and "dada," but that is about it. He does, however, like to take my cellphone, put it to his ear, and walk around the house 'talking.'

a cute moment

2009-03-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

apologies to all those who have been waiting for 3 months for me to post again. a review of our winter activities will follow soon, but here is a little video to tide you over.

First Birthday Wish List

2008-12-30T15:36:00.001-08:00

As Rivers anticipates the big one year anniversary of that great birth, there are a few things that he needs. If you are one of those people out there who are inclined to give him a gift, please consider the following suggestions (gently used items are preferred):

1. clothes (longs sleeves/long pants), size 18 mos
2. snow boots (not sure the size)
3. socks, size 12-24 mos
4. sippy cup (must say "no BPA" or "no Bisphenol-A" on package)
5. metal child's fork/spoon set
6. target gift card
7. money for cloth diapers
8. money for college fund

Christmas outside the womb

2008-12-29T07:46:00.000-08:00

Last year Rivers played the in-utero baby Jesus for our church's Christmas Eve service. Jason and I traveled around the sanctuary as Joseph and Mary in a version of the traditional Mexican posada, in which the parents of Jesus travel around looking for room in the inn until they find welcome in the stable (and in Mexico, a big welcome party). We then sat down on a bench at the front, which was our little stable, and were handed our friends' baby girl Delaney, who was 8 months old at the time and dressed in a diaper and a pair of white tights. Although I was holding the giant baby girl Jesus, I of course still had a baby in my belly, so the whole scene struck me as pretty strange. This year, Rivers gave an encore Christmas Eve performance as a little lamb with the shepherds who saw the star from the fields. It was close to bedtime, so he was a pretty cranky lamb.

And he was a pretty cranky babe on Christmas morning as well! The videos in this post show just how interested he was in opening his Christmas gift. In response to the hyper-consumerism of Christmas and with a desire to teach our child and ourselves to celebrate the coming of Christ for what it is, we have opted to phase out Christmas gifts from our family's holiday practice. Instead, we have encouraged would-be gift givers to contribute to Rivers' college fund at Christmas time, and then give him gifts on his birthday. We hope to develop some authentic Christmas traditions for our family to practice as the years go on. (We did, however, compromise on a few small stocking-stuffer gifts from the Grandmas, so that's what you see in the video.)

Though we spent Christmas without family here in Chicago, we did enjoy much fun and relaxation with many members of our surrogate family, feasting and playing games on Christmas Eve and Day with the Taubers, Selphs/Blackwoods, Peebles, and Auntie Peju. We look forward to a short visit from Grandpa Clyde and Grandma Debbie around New Years and a visit to Arizona to meet Rivers' first cousin, Liam Isaac Roche, born last week on December 23! We'll spend two weeks with family there.

moving moving

2008-12-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

Winter is here :(

2008-11-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

November and early December have brought chilly days and more mobility for ten-month-old Rivers. He has now gotten up on all fours to crawl with great speed, and pulls himself up to walk along while holding onto furniture. He is intensely curious about the world around him and is in constant motion. His greatest desire is to play with the house plants and taste their potting soil, but we have made this a no-no and are trying to teach him this new concept of "off-limits."

Riv spent Thanksgiving in Minnesota with grandparents, aunts, uncle, and many extended family members and friends. He enjoyed their adoring attention and playing in a new house with many nooks and crannies to explore. Uncle Josh's girlfriend, Joby, brought along her dog, Bob Marley, for the week, so Rivers had a great time playing with and avoiding her, at turns. He loved when she licked his hands, but when she went for his face he was a little overwhelmed. Marley is just two days younger than Rivers and they are about the same size, so they were great friends.

Now that we are home and back into our routine, Rivers has been rather cranky and clingy. I thought at first it was a little post-vacation blues, but then I discovered one or maybe two new teeth coming in on top, so maybe that is part of his disposition as well. Rivers is now sleeping pretty consistently through the night, from 8 pm until 5 am, at which time mom gets up and nurses him and then hands him off to dad for the early morning playtime shift before work.

Rivers loves apples

2008-11-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

TEETH!

2008-10-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

That's right, my friends. After five months of gnawing and periodic bouts of profuse drooling, Rivers Kjell had four teeth all come in during a three week period! Needless to say, this has been a month of fitful sleep and much "experimenting" with these new oral features-- not infrequently on mom's shoulders, arms, legs, and well, other body parts (those used for nursing). Rivers has also been using his teeth to eat new foods, namely Cheerios, scrambled eggs, tofu and a variety of other table foods. As he gets to know these new body parts, he tends to grind his teeth together, which we are trying to discourage.

So, the new stats are:
Length: 27"
Weight: 18 lbs 4 oz
Teeth: 4

In late September, Rivers enjoyed a weekend trip down to Bloomington, IL to visit his girlfriend, Delaney, and her parents Katie and Eric, who moved down there in June. We had a great time with these wonderful friends, and found ourselves saying things like, "well, after the kids go to bed, we can..." which means we are definitely parents. Delaney is about 8 months older than Rivers, so she has usually been much less interested in him than he has been in her, but on this trip she was willing to play with him a little more.

In mid-October, Rivers had a week-long visit from Grandma Stephie. He had a great time playing and cuddling with her, and even took the bus downtown one day with her and mom to take an architectural boat tour. But when we got there, all the rest of the tours for the day had been cancelled! So we went to the park and ate cheerios instead. Auntie Lola also came to visit in October, and she is one of the few other people than mom that he cried about when she left.

Rivers is crawling with more coordination and efficiency, but he hasn't gotten up on all fours. He is instead content to "army crawl" on his elbows and knees. I read that some babies never get up on all fours, and then they just start walking. He can now pull himself up on furniture to a standing position, and has started "cruising" along a bit. I imagine that walking is just down the road, for which I'm not entirely prepared.

Over the last couple weeks our family has also experienced a massive change in that Jason and I have moved out of our "nest" where we all slept together, and have transitioned Rivers into having his own room. He has never slept through the night, and his sleeping patterns had gotten much worse, to the point of waking up 3-5 times per night and often not wanting to go back to sleep for a long time. We were trying to use more gradual methods to help him sleep better, but things were getting worse and we reached a point of near desperation where we realized that our approach simply wasn't working any more. In order to teach him to go back to sleep on his own, we had to move out. It has been a difficult and emotional few weeks, but things have been slowly improving, so we pray that they will continue to do so.

scoot scoot

2008-09-17T07:09:00.001-07:00

I marvel at how big Rivers is getting to be so quickly. At eight months, he looks like a miniature toddler to me. He has even started wearing shoes, which is a sure sign of bigness. And he can crawl, or do some version of crawling-- more of a scoot where he propels the front of his body forward and then drags the bottom half along, with one leg straight out and the other helping to push from behind. This has meant the acceleration of our household baby-proofing. Having never done this before, and having grown up in the desert, I have one major question: anyone know how to baby-proof a radiator?

Rivers continues to enjoy refining his palate. He has munched happily on green beans and sweet potatoes, but there has been less enthusiasm for brown rice, quinoa, and plain yogurt. We'll likely start letting him eat more mashed up table food soon, rather than just his special starter foods, but he still has NO teeth! He does, however, continue to mouth everything in sight.

Rivers also spent an afternoon earlier this month donating his brain waves to science. He participated in a study on babies' hearing at Northwestern University. He had to sit on my lap for 20 minutes and play with toys or watch a video while a little bud in his ear played clicks and other sounds, and electrodes on his forehead and the top of his head recorded his brain activity. Apparently only about half of all babies can make it through the test because it is bothersome to be hooked up by all these wires and it is a strange environment. It was really difficult to keep him from getting too fussy, but in the end he was pacified by sucking on his little leather shoe and made it through. The University paid him $10 for his contribution. Perhaps when it comes time for college he can mention this in his applications and find favor in the academie.

Laughing

2008-08-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Food!

2008-08-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hitting the half-year mark meant exciting new developments in Rivers' life. On his six-month birthday he had his first solid food: mashed avocados. Which he seemed to like. Or he was at least curious about eating. He's also had cooked carrots, mashed bananas, pureed potatoes, and mashed soybeans. Only soft foods of course because, well, he still has no teeth. Bananas are by far the favorite-- he ate them enthusiastically and was eager for more. Potatoes are the least liked-- he made the icky face with each bite and spit most of it out. We've decided not to give him any more fruit for a while so that he doesn't expect all food to be sweet. Also right around six months he started sitting up on his own. He can now perform this feat for long lengths of time, only rarely toppling over. This means he's gotten much more into independent play with toys. In the mornings we let him have a little diaperless play time on his "piss towel" so that his bum gets a chance to air out.

Riv also enjoyed a big adventure at Wisconsin Dells with Jason's side of the family. He soaked up the sun, but he's still not quite sure what he thinks about swimming, and he still definitely hates riding in the car for more than 15 minutes or so.

Developmental Updates

2008-07-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

For anyone who is keeping track, Rivers still has no teeth. Months of slobber, gnawing, and some restless nights, but no sign of teeth. Go figure.

He is desperate to move of his own volition. He can roll over from front to back and vice versa, and he belly crawls all over the place, mostly backward. We always put him in the crib to sleep now and not on our bed, for fear that he'll squirm off after waking from a nap. He can almost sit up unassisted, and this is a lot of fun until he topples over, sometimes forward on his face. :) Perhaps once he can do this well we'll experiment with solid foods.

He weighs about 18 pounds now-- tripling his birth weight! He still wakes up about twice a night to nurse. :(

The First Big Scare

2008-07-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

So, it happened. The day every new parent dreads, which nearly found us in the emergency room. I was on a walk with Rivers, heading to our frequent destination, the dollar store. I had him in the wrap on the front of my torso, snug and secure and loving the view of the world. Then all of a sudden there was uneven concrete, and I didn't see it, and my the toe of my flip-flop caught it. Suddenly were hurtling forward and in the split seconds that were passing all I kept thinking was "he's going to smash his head, he's going to smash his head." Well, mostly what got smashed was my knee and hands, but I couldn't avoid him getting his face, knee, and knuckles scraped a bit. He was screaming and crying and I was flipping out. I quickly got him inside, cleaned his scrapes, and called a neighbor friend who is a nurse. She came over immediately and assured me that he was responding fine, neurologically, and helped me calm him down. He then took a long nap and was no worse for wear. I, on the other hand, was total shaken and had trouble sleeping for a couple days. But his scabs were gone within a few days, and I am grateful we're both ok. The photo in the wrap is one day later, and the one in the jumperoo is two days later.

Growling with Great-Grandma Heinicke

2008-07-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

The Rivers Summer Tour

2008-06-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

The season is in full swing for little almost-six-month-old Rivers, who a few weeks ago returned from his big tour of mom's side of the family. We spent two weeks in Arizona visiting grandparents, great-grandparents, and aunt and uncles, and then a week in Nebraska to see more great-grandparents and other extended family. Everyone found the little dude to be delightful, and he soaked up the sun as well as the attention. While in Arizona, Rivers took his first dip in a swimming pool, and was not really sure if he liked it. His entire body remained clenched throughout the first swim, and became gradually more relaxed each day we went back in, but he never really smiled or gave much of an indication he was enjoying the activity. In small-town Seward, NE Rivers took in the thrift stores and garage sales. The trip also entailed Rivers' first plane rides, which he handled pretty well-- sleeping and fussing some but never totally losing it in a screaming and crying scene.

Uncle Cameron came back to Chicago with mom and Rivers to spend a week with us here, so Rivers took his first adventures downtown to see the Museum of Contemporary Art and have a picnic at Millennium Park, and to Chinatown for bubble tea and a look in the shops. Now that he is getting bigger, we're trying to get him used to riding in a stroller for longer events like that (up until now he's been worn in a sling or wrap most of the time).

Over the 4th of July weekend, Rivers enjoyed a visit from his Grandma and Grandpa Bloyer and Aunt Vika. We celebrated with trips to the beach, Italian food, and ice cream downtown. (Well, no ice cream for Riv. Not eating solids yet.)

Teething

2008-05-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

Who knew that such a small creature could be getting teeth? Well I sure didn't. I didn't put all the tell-tale signs together. He has been drooling profusely, chomping on his hands, and waking up frequently throughout the night for the last couple weeks. But it wasn't until he woke up from a nap one day last week and refused to nurse although it was clear he was starving. He always wants to nurse immediately after waking up, but that day he was crying and upset yet refused the breast. After about half an hour of screaming, I finally thawed a bottle of breastmilk from the supply I keep in the freezer and he sucked it down like nobody's business and then was happy as a clam. Jason did a little research on WebMD and put it all together that he is teething. Babies sometimes refuse food when teething, and it would seem that is especially true of breastfeeding babes because nursing is more work than sucking from a bottle. So anyway, he has been nursing fine since then, and we've been utilizing a little baby tylenol, teething gel, and one of those frozen rings. Still, the nights continue to be ROUGH.

In other news, he has gotten big enough to enjoy the jumperoo, which means he can play by himself in this bouncy contraption for 20 minutes or so, so that I can get a few things done. And we moved to a bigger place a couple weeks ago, so now we have plenty of room for this kid's stuff.

Eleven Week Birthday

2008-04-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

That's a milestone, right? By now, Rivers has established something of a routine, making life a little less chaotic for him and mom. Breakfast and a morning nap are followed by lunch and play time, then an afternoon nap before his favorite event: the afternoon constitutional. About 15 minutes into which he usually falls asleep. Then dad comes home for more playtime, and then bed. He has established the striped bathroom rug as his favorite place to hang out (he'll stay there for upwards of 10-15 minutes by himself before getting too lonely, and I'll often lie him there and then sit on the lid of the toilet talking to him while I eat breakfast). And though he can't sit up yet, he can be propped up on pillows and blankets to watch me clean up the living room. (And yes, he loves his Auntie Lola.)

Red Hoodies!

2008-03-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

A mid-March thaw made possible by a few beautiful days in the 40s and 50s has allowed me and Rivers to take some exciting and much-needed walks around the neighborhood.

Short Man Syndrome

2008-02-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

It would seem that entering the world at 6 lbs 1 oz affected the psyche of our little Rivers, because he has since committed himself to the ambitious task of gaining over an ounce a day on the liquid gold that is breast milk. We visited his pediatrician on Thursday and learned that he now weighs in at 8 lbs 5 oz and is 21.5 inches long! He also has a remarkably strong neck, and he likes to do push-ups when lying on mom's and dad's chests.

His first five weeks have been full of exciting activities such as visiting with grandparents and aunts and uncles, and riding in a sling to church and to coffee shops. Sadly, Rivers was born during a particularly cold and snowy Chicago winter, so we have not been able to go on as many walks as he and mom would like. His favorite activity seems to be being held by dad while dad is bouncing on an exercise ball. (Jason also seems to think that Rivers likes this activity even more if he is simultaneously singing along to late-1990s Christian rock CDs, but I think that part is more for Jason's benefit.)

Kjell is pronounced like "Chell"

2008-01-27T19:38:00.000-08:00

Rivers has been home with us for just over a week, and it is going great. We are so grateful to have him, and he is a very sweet baby. He pretty much does normal baby things, like eat, sleep, and soil diapers. He wakes every few hours to eat at night but then goes right back to sleep, so we're getting enough rest.

A note on his name: "Rivers" was inspired by the lead singer of the rock band Weezer, of which I was a huge fan in Jr. High and High School. (If you too have been rocking the Blue Album since 6th grade, you know what I'm talking about.) Our Rivers was not named in honor of Rivers Cuomo per se (I'm not sure that he is really the kind of person to whom I'd give that sort of homage), but I've always thought he had a sweet name. And the imagery of water has been of great spiritual significance to me for many years. I proposed the idea to Jason and he loved it immediately. Kjell is a traditional Norwegian name that Jason selected to honor his mother's family's heritage. We just learned a few days ago that it means "kettle or cauldron." So he's a vessel for living water. Clever, huh?

TATERTOT REVEALED: BOY!

2008-01-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

Flashing us a peace sign, minutes after birth.

May I introduce Rivers Kjell Gill-Bloyer! The standard info: 6 lbs, 1oz; 19 inches; born 1/17/08 11:14 pm. The important info: after laboring like a rock star at home all day Thursday, Annie and I make a move to the hospital with the assistance of trusted accomplice/doula Susan Smartt. We arrive at Evanston Hospital at 10pm, Annie fully dialated and ready to go. With indispensable help from our midwife Debbie Lesnick and Susan, Annie pushes for one hour, and then we were parents! This whole thing was great, great, great, and we feel amazingly blessed by the Lord. Drawing on her own strength and support from the rest of us, Annie was able to have the natural, unmedicated birth we worked for over the last few months, with no complications. Rivers took to the breast right away like the champ he is, and his father has eagerly been changing dirty diapers since (never thought I would get so excited about poop). A full head of hair suggests his mother's influence, but strong thighs, large feet, and lightning quick reflexes indicate the standard athletic build of the Bloyer stock. We spent a very nice day and half at Evanston, who did their best to accomodate our wishes to not be separated from our child at any point. Looking forward to the next few weeks, more than I can say.

love from Jason.

Updated Wish List

2008-01-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

So now that we've had a shower and have otherwise been accumulating many of the items that we will need for the Tater Tot, I thought that I might update the wish list for anyone who would still like to give a gift but wonders what we still need.

Books

Dr. Mendelsohn's How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor
vegetarian baby/kid cookbook like this one

Baby Transport

Lightly Padded Baby Sling in Size Medium or similar sling (these can be found at Be-By-Baby in Chicago and many places online, including second-hand)

Clothing (prefer used and handmade, and bright colors), sizes newborn and up:

socks/booties
warm clothes
outerwear
sleepers

Baby Care

baby shampoo, soap, lotion, etc (natural/organic products, found at any health food store)

Please keep in mind these guidelines when selecting a gift for the Tot:

USED and HANDMADE are best. We would prefer as much as possible for clothing, furniture, and other items to be found from second-hand stores, yard sales, and other used sources, or made by hand.
SUSTAINABLE and NATURAL. We prefer items that are NOT disposable (diapers, wipes, etc) and that are made with natural and/or organic ingredients (such as lotions and other body products).
NON-GENDER-SPECIFIC. Since we won't know the sex of the tot until it arrives, it would be best not to have a lot of clothing and other items which scream BOY or GIRL. More gender-neutral colors (yellow, green, red, etc.) are encouraged.

Shower!

2008-01-02T18:24:00.001-08:00

Some wonderful friends of ours are helping us celebrate and prepare for the Tater Tot's arrival by throwing us a baby shower on Saturday, January 12, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. It will take place at Living Water Community Church's Meeting House at 6808 N. Ashland in Chicago. The event will be co-ed, and all are welcome! Please bring a snack to share, and contact Lola Olateju at lola.olateju@gmail.com with any questions. If you'd like to bring a gift, please scroll down and see the Tater Tot's wish list posted in Oct 2006 (items have been updated).

Hope to see you there!

A Blast From the Past

2007-12-31T06:14:00.000-08:00

I was reminiscing a few days ago about how at Christmastime 18 years ago my own mother was pregnant with my little brother, Cameron, whose birthday happens to be the Tater Tot's due date, January 25. I was thinking about a favorite childhood memory of my mom with her big pregnant belly, wearing my step-dad's long-underwear, which we affectionately called the Red Suit. I wondered, What ever happened to the Red Suit?

Turns out, the Red Suit lives! And by the miracle of modern technology, here we are together, both in the Red Suit, wishing you all a...

Happy New Year!

Preparing to welcome that Other baby

2007-12-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

(The One from Nazareth.) Mom and Dad spent a Saturday night cheerily decorating Fetus's First Christmas Tree! (We know that Christmas trees come from a pagan tradition, but we still think they look and smell festive.) In fact, Mom spent about three hours stringing up popcorn for this tree, and the homemade garland nicely complements the six Christmas ornaments that we have to our Gill-Bloyer name. Meanwhile, Dad expressed his ingenuity by building us a tree stand from some left-over wood planks and an old tub of Country Crock. Check out the action shot with his drill. You can see in Mom's profile shot just how BIG this Tater Tot is getting! With only six weeks to go, the Tot seems to be enjoying all the hot cocoa and sugar cookies that Mom will allow him/her.

On a less pagan note, this time of waiting during the season of Advent for our little Tot to arrive has been a beautiful, tangible way of experiencing our anticipation of the Christ child, the Hope of Redemption. As my belly swells, so do our hearts, with longing for the One who, as Mary proclaims in her Magnificat,

"has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty." Luke 1: 52-53

Clearance Sale on Fuzzi Bunz

2007-11-30T14:01:00.001-08:00

This is not meant to be a shameless plea for you to give gifts to Baby GB, but if you were planning to do so anyway, this is an FYI that the store Be By Baby in Chicago (1654 W Roscoe) is clearing out their stock of Fuzzi Bunz diapers (they kind on the tater tot's wish list) to make room for a new model. The email I received says:

"Fuzzi Bunz has requested that all retailers clear out their current stock of Fuzzi Bunz. Limited quantities still available! $13.95 each! In mid December, Fuzzi Bunz will be launching a new and improved Fuzzi Bunz diaper. Be sure to come in later this month for a full selection of the new Fuzzi Bunz when we will be able to provide you with a more robust choice of colors and sizes at regular prices ($17.95). All clearance fuzzi bunz final sale."

The Alien Within

2007-11-27T09:26:00.001-08:00

Baby Gill-Bloyer sure did seem to enjoy Thanksgiving. S/he ate a lot of food at the home of the paternal grandparents. S/he is moving around so much now that it really seems as if there is a six pound alien slithering inside my belly. It's as if s/he can't get comfortable and keeps switching positions. The effect on mom is that I have more and more trouble getting comfortable, particularly since the little alien's favorite time to move around is after I've eaten and am sitting or lying down. Our bus ride home from Minneapolis yesterday was a fun-filled eight hours of alien punches, kicks, and shifts of flank.

Just eight weeks to go!

Fetus's First Halloween

2007-11-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

Baby Gill-Bloyer enjoyed a fun-filled Halloween whilst riding along inside his/her mom, Super-Preggie! She was equipped with her super-pregnant tool belt, giving her easy access to such essentials as prenatal vitamins, antacids, and stretch mark lotion. Other key accessories included the cloth diaper helmet, the armband barf-bag, and the convenient list of FAQs (how far along are you? is it a boy or girl? etc).

20 Week Sonogram

2007-10-30T19:17:00.001-07:00

Wish List

2007-10-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

So, there are a few things that the Tater Tot will need when it arrives. We have done our best to discern what items are actually necessary/useful and what things people buy for babies and later realize are really silly.

We also have some guidelines that we would like to be followed as much as possible if you would like to give a gift to us and our tot:

USED and HANDMADE are best. We would prefer as much as possible for clothing, furniture, and other items to be found from second-hand stores, yard sales, and other used sources, or made by hand.
SUSTAINABLE and NATURAL. We prefer items that are NOT disposable (diapers, wipes, etc) and that are made with natural and/or organic ingredients (such as lotions and other body products).
NON-GENDER-SPECIFIC. Since we won't know the sex of the tot until it arrives, it would be best not to have a lot of clothing and other items which scream BOY or GIRL. More gender-neutral colors (yellow, green, red, etc.) are encouraged.

That said, here is our best shot at what we will need to outfit our little one

Bedding

waterproof crib mattress pad(s)
fitted crib sheets
quilts/receiving blankets

Clothing (prefer used and handmade), sizes newborn and up:

onesies
socks/booties
warm clothes
outerwear
sleepers

Diapering

Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers with inserts (there are lots of these on ebay and I have also found some on Craig's List-- there they can cost half as much as retail. You can also get them at Be By Baby in Chicago). We need about 18 more size Small and about 24 size Medium.

Diaper pail liner (like this one)

Wet diaper tote (like this one)

Baby Care

baby bathtub, washcloths, and hooded towels
baby shampoo, soap, lotion, etc (natural/organic products, found at any health food store)
bibs and burp cloths
baby nail clippers

Books

Dr. Mendelsohn's How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor
vegetarian baby/kid cookbook like this one

Other

Lightly Padded Baby Sling in Size Medium (these can be found at Be-By-Baby in Chicago and many places online, including second-hand)

Welcome to Baby Gill-Bloyer's blog!

2007-10-16T09:58:00.001-07:00

This is Annie, the baby's mom, writing on behalf of the tater tot because of the tot's current limitations. This blog will be a good location to get updates on the tot's progress during its final three months in utero. You will also be able to find the tot's wish list and other bits of info that might be of interest. Thanks for visiting!