A Warm Day in January

Day 49:

Day One of Operation Conor Nursery saw mixed results. You slept better in 2 hour spurts, but also woke up ready to raise Cain! Mommy and I worked like a tag team to get you settled throughout the night, and quite frankly we're both pretty tired now. It's been great having this time off, Conor. Given me the opportunity to get into every aspect of your young life and really understand what a day in the life of the Lion Heart is all about. Though I'm headed back to work next Wednesday and so I'm really hoping Mommy and me can get your sleep habits wired. In all I've read I'm beginning to wonder if you don't have a bit of colic, Son. It seems infants with colic display this behavior around a specific time of day, and yours seems to be the witching hour... Never the less, I'm sure it'll dissapate soon enough... I hope so anyway!

Today while you and Mommy went to see Aunt Jen, I fired up Willamena and went for a ride. Met a friend for lunch in Reston and then headed to points West. Namely Sterling and Leesburg... Unfortunately however, the bike broke down mid ride and saw me doing some quick work on the side of the road... And who better to break down DIRECTLY in front of than a Loudon County Sherriff? He actually saw the bike's power die when my tail lights blinked out... And all due to a terminal cable coming loose on my new battery. Definitely user error, Son. If you recall, it was me who dropped the new battery into the bike only yesterday! Guess I should have cranked that negative cable over a few more times...

To have such warm and comfortable weather as today's in late January is certainly a treat. I just had to go for a ride! My mind is never more focussed than when I'm riding my Harley, Boy'O. Registering the traffic around me and moving evasively while looking for a patch of open road... The sense of self awareness while registering consequential, actionable thoughts is aerobics for the mind... And then, when I find that stretch of open road as I did today, it all falls away. And as I rode into Virginia's wide open country side, Neil Young's "Old Man" blared into my headphones, and I thought about you... I wondered when you would one day have a similar experience. And I hoped to myself that I'd be right there with you when you do...

The World is yours, Conor an Chroí Lion. I want you to see as much of it as possible. But more than that I want to show you. And I'm looking forward to all you'll show me.

Love you, Boy.
-Dad

Big Boys Dream Big

Day 48:

Well Conor, your pediatrician couldn't be happier with your growth. 18 1/4 inches and 5 lbs, 13 oz. In essence you're gaining an ounce a day! That's pretty significant considering your humble little beginnings...

So with that, the rules are changing, Son. Time to get better use out of your nursery... As it stands you've been spending your nights in Mommy and Daddy's room in your cradle at the foot of the bed. Though now that you're pushing weight and have finally reached your full gestational age (Thursday, 02/02/12), we're taking the bold step to move you to sleeping in your crib at night per the recommendation of Dr. Banta. Following the appointment I finally set up the ever impressive baby monitor. (I'm pretty sure the design and optics for this thing came out of Lockheed-Martin. WiFi, Night vision, high resolution camera with super sensitive noise sensors. The thing even tells you the temperature of the room AND it'll play lullabies! Our men and women in theater should be so lucky to have such advanced gear- but I digress...) With such fabulous, easy to use technology, we got you covered from just about anywhere!

After mounting the Super-Duper-Nanny-Cam I was off to work through some other pressing matters - namely replacing the battery in my Harley-Davidson. Or should I say YOUR Harley-Davidson? The fact is she'll one day be yours, Son. Not to get off topic again, but once you've logged at least 15,000 miles on a bike with 10,000 of those miles off my wing, Willamena (that's her name) will be yours. And if you want to, we will ride, ride, ride, Son... Anyhow, back to swapping out Willamena's battery- So I got the new battery, popped it in, checked all the fuses, looked at the tire pressures, and fired the machine to insure a smooth start. For tomorrow it will be 65 degrees and sunny, and Daddy has a date with the wind... Gotta take advantage of a day in late January with that kind of weather, Conor... It's the little things in this life. You'll see.

What's that? Do I hear you fussing? Ready for a bottle? Coming right up! The Lion Heart got some more growing to do and it's my job to make it happen... I got you covered, Son.

Love you, Boy.
-Dad

Rough Start to an Easy Day

Day 47:

Given how the day began today was as easy a day as one could ask for. After getting you to sleep around 2:30am my head hit the pillow and away I went. When I awoke Mommy had you in the nursery and Mom-Mom was already getting set to leave. It was around 8:00am... A bit foggy from the mere 5 hours of sleep, I awoke because I heard you crying; And it was everything anybody could do to help you to stop crying! You were clearly uncomfortable, undoubtedly because your belly was aching, so we all took turns trying to console, feed, and burp you. Soon after you began to calm a bit and I thought we might be out of the woods, Mommy went to lunch with some friends - and for a great cause, I might add. Mommy belongs to a group called "The Giving Circle" who meets now and again to discuss how to raise awareness to things like Pediatric Cancer and Premature Birth Awareness, but that's another story. Anyway, right after your Mother left, so did Mom-Mom to head home back to New Jersey. It was just me and you now! And what do you suppose happened then??

You fussed and cried so hard for so long that I began to run out of solutions and so was forced to get creative! I began dancing around and singing you songs I would make up on the fly, of which if anybody'd seen me or heard me they may well have thought I'd gone mad! I gave you a bath, changed you, dressed you, sang to you, danced with you, and fed you again... Still, the Lion Heart ROARED!! In a last ditch effort to help make you more comfortable, I took to trying to burp you again... Somewhere on the edge of concern for hurting you and helping to make you more comfortable, I began to give you some pretty good thumps on your back. THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP!!! And finally you let out a massive belch! It was exactly what needed to happen. In literally seconds you were sound asleep in my arms. No doubt exhausted from the whole ordeal. It was now 12:30pm and you wouldn't so much as blink again until 4:30pm; some four hours later.

After that, the day was just fine. An easy, relaxing day resting on the couch and watching a bit of television while you snoozed the day away. And tomorrow morning, a visit to the Pediatrician. Mommy and me have a bet as to how much you'll weigh. I said 6 lb. 2 oz. Mommy thinks 5 lb. 11 oz. I'll of course let you know how it turns out! As for the night my Conor an Chroí Lion, get your rest, Son. You've got some growing to do.

I love you, Boy'O.
-Dad

Calling in Reinforcements...

Day 46:

As mentioned in the previous post, your Mom-Mom is in town, Conor. It's been both big fun and a big help. Your Mom-Mom said she'd take care of you for the day while Mommy and me ran around to get some things done. Basic errands that you would otherwise be apart of, but because of your being born prematurly and the risks involved in having you around a bunch of people in a place like say, Costco for example, erring on the side of caution it was helpful to leave you with your Grandmother. So off we went.

Got some things done, ran around all over NoVA, then back to the house to cook a big dinner for your Uncle Justin and Aunt Marti, me and Mommy, and of course, Mom-Mom. See Boy'O, your Mom-Mom has known your Uncle Justin for 23 years! She's basically adopted him as one her own kids, just like his parents have adopted me! It's said that close friends are the family you choose. And that's certainly true in your case, Boy'O. You have such a great support system. Both here in the DC area and throughout the country. Conor the Lion Heart is love by those near and far. People who love you in New Jersey, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, and Pennsylvania... And that's just a start! Close friends in Hawaii, California, Delaware... We got you covered, Son! It's a blessing to be sure.

We had an easy day, nice dinner, and now it's time to (attempt to) put you down for the night... I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

I love you, Conor an Chroí Lion...
-Dad

Conor the Lion Heart and the Big Picture Show...

Day 45:

Just another day in paradise with you, Conor... You spent the day in my lap while I worked away on, well, whatever it was I was working on! The morning started out with a roar. At around 5:00am you were awake because it was just simply time to eat, but moments after I walked you into the nursery we saw torrential downpours... The kind of storms you would see in May and June. High winds, thunder, lightning, driving rain... The works. We stood in the window watching the sky lighten from dark and fierce to a faint morning blue while the rain poured down and the thunder cracked. In my mind, I playfully thought it was the Gods beckoning the Lion Heart, and the only thing between you and them, was me. And I felt both empowered and blessed...
Corny? Maybe... But I thought it none the less... And I thought it justified considering it's the only place you could've come from... At least for me.

Your Mom-Mom, my Mom, is here for the weekend. She's a typical Grandmother, Son. Typical in the sense that she, like me, thinks you're as beautiful as anything she's ever seen. Doting on you and loving you and just so, so proud... As we all are, Son. Conor an Chroí Lion... Conor the Lion Heart.

Rather than go on and on about how everybody feels about you, how about I just post some pictures... Starting with the picture from your visit with Dr. Lashgari and Dr. Elliott yesterday.

Love you, Boy'O.
-Dad

Back to See the Doctors

Day 44:

Well Conor, today we had the wonderful opportunity to head back to the Virginia Hospital Center NICU and say hello to a few of your favorite nurses. Of course they were so impressed. It's such a joy for them to see the little child they helped get home. And so of course it was our pleasure to bring you down and show you off...

As well, Mommy's long time OBGYN who, quite frankly I feel has become a friend to this family, Dr. Sue Lashgari, wanted to see you also. We snapped a picture with her and her colleague, Dr. Elliot but I haven't gotten a chance to load it... I'll be sure to use that picture in the blog-post tomorrow. And what's more, Mommy got a clean bill of health from her Doctor and so right now, everyone seems to be in the clear!

Anyhow, short post tonight... The Lion Heart is busy testing the strength of his lungs to express his hunger - i.e. YOU. Going to get a bottle for you, Son... But to be sure I'll have more to say tomorrow...

Love you, Buddy.
-Dad

Here, There, Everywhere, and You're Always On My Mind

Day 43:

I had much to do today, Conor, and unfortunately much of it wasn't with you... Today was a day filled with meetings and running around from place to place. Driving through Northwest Washington DC I passed right by the hospital I was born and of course, I thought of you...

In many respects having gotten to know you these last six weeks feels a bit like you've been here all along... It's comfortable and it feels right. You're no doubt a part of me just as you're no doubt a part of your Mother. And realizing there have been, literally, hundreds of millions of parents ahead of me who've found they're way, it feels as though this experience is totally unique, all my own, and only I could ever know what it's like to have such a beautiful little boy - one who'd I'd prefer to spend all my time with always...

Then there are times when the realization sets in you've only just arrived. That this journey is just getting started. Real life. Truth... The World keeps spinning and people go on about their business. Careers move forward, life's experiences shape us all, and parenting becomes a part of the norm. How new this all is and how absolutely comfortable you are to me. The concepts are diametrically opposing. In any other of life's scenarios, nothing as new and as life altering should be so easy to adjust to, and yet the birth of a child, the birth of my Son, feels as though I know just what to do no matter the situation. I also realize that won't always be the case. That there'll be times when I just don't know what to do. But I know I'll figure it out. I believe it'll all work out because it has to. I believe that in the end, it'll all be okay. If it's not okay, it's not the end...

Yes Conor, from time to time life feels as though it can get away from us. You get overwhelmed. Think about all the stresses of anything from a list of chores to how to approach your career and how to provide for your family. In those times, I call my Dad - your Pops. A man who's been there. A man who I trust implicitly. In this life he's the only one who gives it to me straight, come what may. No sugar. Whatever comes out of his mouth is what he thinks. There was a time in my life when this approach felt abrasive and inconsiderate. As if he could never understand what I was going through or how to manage it. Though what I've come to realize is, a strong dose of truth followed by a bit of criticism and topped with some Fatherly advice is exactly what a Father is supposed to do. And for that I respect him and I love him and I take every opportunity to let him know... My Dad, your Pops, is both my Father and my Friend. And if that's all I ever am in this life for you, I will have lived a good life.

Conor an Chroí Lion. Conor an múinteoir. Is breá liom tú i gcónaí.
Translated from Irish -
Conor the Lion Heart. Conor the teacher. I love you always.

Goodnight Son.
-Dad