6 months!

Happy half-birthday Zoe! Can you believe she's already 6 months old?!?! Once again to celebrate, mom and dad had cake while Zoe fought every temptation not to dive into the cake head first.

3 month birthday.

Zoe makes a wish and mom and dad enjoy a tasty cupcake.

Introducing Zoe!

Zoe Leif to be specific. She was born on March 24th at 8:36pm, weighing 7lbs and measuring 20 inches long. She's beautiful, perfect, awesome and is everything we hoped she would be. 

After being 12 days late, Sally was scheduled to be induced Tuesday morning at 6am. Instead, Zoe decided she was going to take charge and Sally's water broke at 4am. Lucky she did too as it was busy, busy at the hospital and all inductions had to wait until a room became available. Since Sally was already in labor, we moved to the head of the line and got a room right away. We were in the room by 6:30 and our doula, Majbritt, arrived soon thereafter. Mary Ann and Julie also provided backup and were really a great help.

Sally was amazing. She was 3cm for 11 hours, then things started really moving along. Two hours later, she was at 5cm. Another two hours at 8cm, then 10cm and pushing another hour later. 30 minutes after pushing, Zoe introduced herself to the world. Simply incredible.

So far, she's a champion eater and a good sleeper. She's now four days old and frankly, I don't remember what it's like not to have her. That's a memory I'll gladly forget.

Here's a slide show of all the pictures so far, from bump to birth. Lots more to come too! http://gallery.me.com/ryan_rumsey#100022

Busy weekend

  Last night was my 30th birthday bash.  There were caramel apples, sloppy joes, and some serious pumpkin carving.  Thanks to everyone who helped make it a fun and exhausting night.

  On the baby front, Hoagie has been kicking and somersaulting all day long.  I think she (or he) got pretty excited about our new dishwasher (which is still sitting in the garage but will soon enough make my life so much easier and stainless-steelier).  We hit up the Home Depot near our house that is closing and got a wicked deal on it.  If only we had a truck, we may have come home with a kitchen full of new appliances.  

   For those of you waiting patiently or not so patiently for news on the baby's sex, we will probably find out this Thursday and we will be sure to post news and lurid pictures as soon as we can.   (As we speak Hoagie is flipping and kicking. I think she likes the feel of her dad's 17" state of the art laptop as opposed to mom's hunk-o-junk.)  Here's a pic of my cutie pie pumpkin as well as my sister and brother-in-law's tribute to thug life.

Almost 30, almost mom

Dear Baby Hoagie,

   It's the night before my 3oth birthday and almost midway through my pregnancy with you.  Just wanted to say thanks for the kicks the other night, and I forgive you for not performing acrobatics on demand just to please the in-laws. Also, sorry about your (temporary) name.  As happens in a family the size of mine, my story about carrying a 14" hoagie to my sister-in-law's wedding somehow transformed into you being called Baby Hoagie.  It doesn't mean we love you any less, and at the moment I do sort of look like I ate a foot long meatball sub.  Love you!

Mom