Summer is Here!

Since I last updated this blog, I had a birthday, Keelie had her third birthday, and my nephew Macon graduated from my alma mater. On a sad note, we lost Aunt Vicky. No, not my sister. The woman who married my mother’s late uncle. She was Aunt Vicky long before that, though. She had been in declining health and had defied the odds for a long time – her death was not unexpected, but still sad.

She’s the one in red in this picture…

When she saw the picture later, she asked, “Did I really wear red to your wedding?!?” Of course, it was December and reds and greens were part of the look of the wedding. She was like a grandmother to me, though she hated to be called that, so it was always “Aunt” Vicky.

On to happier thoughts… like playtime!

Yes, we have a playpen full of colorful plastic balls.

The next five pictures were taken by Kori’s father, who definitely knows his way around a camera.

Keelie is getting into animated features, so I get to watch some of the DVDs in my collection. “Toy Story” and the sequel are favorites. She sings “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” and she also likes “Mary Poppins” and will sing the songs from that movie, which goes along fine with the Sherman Brothers songs she knows from Disneyland.

Kyle is quite the crawler, and he’s learned to stand up without holding on to anything and sit back down.

The whole family relaxing in the hot tub…

Kyle has been in the habit of nibbling on his own toes. When I try, Keelie says, “No Daddy! Kyle’s toes are yucky!” They aren’t yet though, since he’s not walking. Well, he was doing his thing and his cousin decided she wanted to try…

…ah yes… one of those pictures that will come back to haunt both of them.

Keelie and Kyle got decked out in Tiger Orange for Cousin Macon’s graduation.

I went to SPHS, as did Kim, Vicki, Chris, and Blaine.

There’s Cousin Blaine holding Kyle, Autie Kim, Cousin Macon in his gown, Nanny, Uncle Mike, Aunt Vicki, and Keelie.

Keelie contemplates turning 3.

For Keelie’s birthday, we had some people over for a party – it was mostly a family event, but when you have families the size of ours, that’s a lot of people. We’d only hosted one such event before since moving in. Keelie had a lot of fun and certainly enjoyed the presents and cake. So much so that fives days later she informed Kori that she was ready to turn 4, have everybody come back, and have me bring home another cake – but one with four candles. But she also talks about going back to being 2 and thus getting her crib back.

Kyle hams it up for the camera as we watch Keelie enjoying one of her presents…

Keelie points to where she’s going to hit the ball.

Well, there you have it. Thanks for stopping by to check out this latest update. Leave a comment here or e-mail us at KEPellman [at] yahoo [dot] com.

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Keelie is Five Weeks Old

We continue to get acquainted with our little bundle of joy, who hit five weeks old today. Keelie often tries to stick her fist in her mouth to suck on, but her arms don’t cooperate for long and she gets frustrated when her hands move away from her mouth.

This is Keelie at exaclty four weeks old.


Keelie likes being the the snuggly, as long as Kori keeps moving around. While she is still fussing and crying most of the time she is awake and not eating, there are some moments now when she will quietly look around. We also received our first order of Gripewater. That seems to help Keelie to sleep most of the night, waking up only for feedings. She’s surprisingly strong with her grasping, pushing, and kicking.

When I can, I will take Keelie into another room when she is full-but-fussy, and Kori needs sleep. If I recline with Keelie on my chest, she will lift her head and maneuver around – the precursor to crawling. The best is when she simply rests her head against my chest and falls asleep.

She still doesn’t like pacifiers most of the time, but there is a different one we’ve tried that she will accept on some occasions. She still prefers one of Mommie’s fingers or Daddy’s pinky knuckle, as you see above.

We went to Pasadena on Friday so I could have my typical doctor visit and we could take Keelie to see her Nanny, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The scale, surprisingly, said I’d lost two pounds since my visit to the doctor four months ago. Woo-hoo! I celebrated with a combo burrito, chili cheese fries, and a chocolate shake from Hi-Life Burgers. Just kidding. We went to Nanny’s and ate by her pool.

Below you can see a rare moment where the pacifier is working for Keelie.

Saturday, we went to get a professional picture of Keelie and she was her usual fussy self. They did manage to get an okay photo of her where you can't tell she is crying. It took a long time, though.

From there, we went to a Mongolian BBQ place that Craig & Kristen like (we like it too) so we could meet up with them and their two girls and introduce them all to Keelie. Craig & Kristen picked up the check – bless them!

There's that pacifier again.

There’s not much else to report these days. We’re tired and spending most of our time at home. Although I enjoy my job, I miss my ladies terribly when I am in the office.

Alison (Kori's half sister) & Steve sent this great contraption pictured below. I put it together. I made the plastic and painted it and everything. Okay, not really. Like I said... they sent it to us and it was easy to assemble. It enthralled Keelie for fifteen minutes straight, which is hard to do.

Yes, Shelby is still handling things well. She has accepted Keelie as part of the family all along, even though she is confused as to why we get on her case for barking even as Keelie wails away.

Here is a picture I took of Mommie and baby earlier tonight, after Keelie passed her five-week birthday! As you can see, the excitement wore her out.

I've made another heartfelt comment on fatherhood over at the other blog right here.

Mid-July Update From the Pellmans

Wow, it has gotten harder to provide updates now that I’m back to work. The last entry was from July 3. Keelie will be a month old in just a few days, and thus, officially no longer a newborn. Considering how fast my nephews grew up - one just turned 15, the other will be turning 17 next month – I believe people when they tell us that time will fly by.

The evening of July 3, we discovered that Keelie doesn’t like taking a bath. Then again, she cries almost all of the time she is awake anyway. She must be working on her lungs - she does have singers in her family, after all. She’s quiet once she’s settled in to eating, riding in the minivan, and being held by a “new” person (usually), and when sleeping. Dirty diapers don’t bother her. Hiccups don’t bother her. She cries most of the rest of the time, including when those diapers are being changed.


That's Keelie on her first Independence Day.

Being the wild and crazy bunch we are, we stayed home July 4th and watched KCAL 9's fireworks show. They were 13 minutes into it before someone figured out that the sound (music, narration) wasn't hooked into the broadcast. It was also odd that the spectators interviewed to fill time talked about "HD" being one of the reasons they were happy to be there. Uh, they were in person. Only the audience at home would care about KCAL's HD capabilities.

Below you can see Keelie in her bassinet.

She likes the one side for some reason. Notice the pacifiers. She almost invariably hates them. She tries to stick her own hands in her mouth, but that hasn't quite worked out yet. She prefers one of Kori's fingers, or a knuckle of my pinky, or she'll pretend to be hungry, only to fall asleep when in position to eat.

On Thursday, July 5th, Jenn & Dave brought over dinner - bless them!

We drove up to have lunch with my mother (Nanny) and sister (Aunt Binky) on Friday the 6th. Aunt Binky is especially ga-ga over Keelie.


My mother likes to share meals with us - bless her! I pack on the pounds, Vicky has done a good job of dopping pounds and keeping them off.

Speaking of dropping pounds, Kori is has been doing very well and is pleased with herself (I'm pleased, too!) with the progess she's been making in losing the prengancy weight. She fits into almost all of her tight clothes now. We'll have to get a good picture and upload it soon.

Also on Friday the 6th, James & Chrissy brought over dinner - bless them!

On Sunday the 8th, we drove up to Glendora for Homecoming and another couple got to meet Keelie for the first time - Aaron and Cherise.

This past week, I went back to work on a regular basis. It was hard to peel myself away from the two ladies. I didn’t use Family Leave for my time off, so I still have that to fall back on if needed.

Aaron and Cherise brought over lots of yummy food this past Tuesday – bless them!

Wednesday evening was Kendra’s birthday dinner, so all of us were at Puma and Granddaddy’s. Puma and Granddady sure love having the gang over and feeding us all - bless them!

This past Friday, I made a run for Costco. Going alone is a little dangerous, because I can spend forever in the media section looking books, CDs, and DVDs. In the evening we went to introduce Keelie to everyone at Donna B’s monthly Hometown Buffet get-together of current and former cast members. Keelie showed off her crying skills. A lot of people assume that a crying baby means hunger, a dirty diaper, or being too hot or cold. That isn't always the case. There are babies that simply cry a lot, often to release energy, and only so much a parent can do to quiet the crying.

So, things are not so exciting right now, other than enjoying the new, noisy life we get to hold in our arms. There are some movies I’ve wanted to see, but those will have to wait. Heck, we weren’t getting to the cinema before the birth, either.

I’m also going to miss going to see “Weird Al” Yankovic and his White and Nerdy Band at the Orange County Fair this week. But... that's life. Kori has been doing a wonderful job mothering Keelie and withstanding the lack of sleep. Eventually, a new normal will set in. We'll have to give Keelie her first Disneyland visit before too long. We can keep it nice and short. Unless the place stops her from crying.

Thank you all for your ongoing advice, assistance, and prayers. We're working on "thank yous" for all of you who have given gifts, but let us also say here... THANK YOU!

Midweek Update, More Pictures of Keelie

Here is Keelie with her Auntie Kim and her Nanny this past Sunday.

We’re not getting all that much sleep, but we are getting naps here and there. Kori has been recovering quite well and her figure has come right back! Keelie is threatening to turn into a full-fledged night owl as she sleeps quietly through so much of the day, in the arms of her parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, and then cluster feeds at night.

Friends, family, and coworkers have been wonderful, offering all kinds of support, such as dinners. It is nice to have such loving people surrounding us.

Monday, I pried myself away from the baby and the babe to go into the office for a while to take care of some work and make sure I had some essential work taken care of so that I could stay with Keelie and Kori until next week.

Yesterday, Kori and Keelie had their first outing since coming home from the hospital. We all went up to attend the baby shower thrown in our honor at my office. We were overwhelmed by the attendance, the generosity, and the thoughtfulness. I really haven’t been there all that long – actually, we found out Keelie was on the way the week I started there. So, it was quite touching that there was so much participation. It was a really nice celebration, originally planned for last week with the plan being that Keelie would attend in utero.

But, as you know, she came out early, and the folks at the office graciously moved the date of the baby shower.

From there, rather than suffer through the afternoon traffic to get home, we went to Nanny’s place in Pasadena so that she and my sisters and nephews could hold Keelie again, and so that my brother could meet Keelie for the first time. After eating delivered Chinese food (my mom loves to cook as much as I love to eat, but her kitchen is being remodeled) - and waiting long enough for traffic to die down, we made our way home.

Today, we stayed home and took care of some phone errands, napped, and tried to make Keelie as comfortable as possible. She’s been upset today. Probably because no aunts, uncles, or grandparents came over to hold her. Or, perhaps because the umbilical cord fell off already.

Keep checking back for updates. Thanks for your comments, e-mail messages, cards, and calls!

Keelie's Birth and Everything Since - So Far

As any of you who’ve had a child of your own know, life has been very different for us this past week. The anticipation, and then the joy and elation - the nerves, the running on adrenaline so that it doesn’t matter that you haven’t slept. It's so strange, in a good way!

Here’s what has been going on.

I worked on Monday the 18th, and Kori had a morning appointment with the doctor. Kori experienced contractions throughout the day. I went to bed at roughly the usual time, and was awoken by Kori around midnight. The contractions were consistent to the point where we decided to gather up our bags, give the dog a “we’re going to be out all day” treat, and head in to the hospital.

Kori’s mother was not on shift that night.

We were admitted to the hospital around 1am.

As it turns out, Kori wasn’t actually in labor, but seeing as how the due date was close and there were some other concerns, Kori’s doctor, talking with the staff by phone, told them to go ahead and induce. That’s how the process began, in the wee hours of the morning.

As the hours grew more appropriate, I contacted various family members and friends to update them on the situation.

The doctor came in before her usual office appointments. She’d come back during her lunch break, too.

Pam and Bill were there early, Pam dressed for work because she was scheduled to work later that night. My father was also there fairly early, and throughout the day, others arrived – my mother, my sisters Kim and Vicky, Kim’s husband Mike and sons Blaine and Macon, Kori’s brother Troy, and her youngest sibling, Kirby. Our younger brothers – Chris and Toby, couldn’t make it, and Kendra & Steve were out of town but there in spirit.

I left the room just once – to eat lunch, which my father had picked up from the cafeteria.
Pam, used to a nighttime schedule, took a nap in the middle of the day.

The process was going slowly at first, and then spend up incredibly in the afternoon, so that when Pam woke up from her nap it was almost showtime.

As it turns out, Kori is a very good pusher. With her mother and I by her side, and with my mother replenishing cold damp washcloths, Kori pushed so well that the attending nurse had her breathe through three contractions without pushing, as Keelie’s head was in plain view for everyone to see, because the doctor was still on her way over. Because of how slowly things were going before, the doctor was contacted later than she should have been – but that’s hindsight for you.

I was an emotional wreck.

More medical staff appeared, anticipating the moment of delivery.

While holding Kori, I kept an eye on the monitors to check Keelie’s heart rate and Kori’s contractions. I just wanted it over with! I wanted Keelie out and Kori to be able to rest. Kori was just amazing – absolutely amazing.

Finally, the doctor, literally running, popped into the room, threw on some gear and out came Keelie at 4:27pm!

She was adorable and perfect, and had a head of thick, dark hair. I cried more than she did.
I cut the umbilical cord, and Keelie was placed on Kori’s chest. As Keelie was introduced to her mother face to face for the first time, Keelie made an “I love you” sign with one hand, as if she was going to suck on her middle fingers, but didn’t.


Then, Keelie was taken off of Kori to be examined and cleaned. She was placed on a warmed table while the doctor attended to Kori. Happy and shaking with excitement, I was trying to get video and pictures of Keelie, and I let Keelie hold on to my finger. At one point, Pam joined me and Keelie had one hand grasping my finger, and the other hand grasping Pam’s finger. It was around 5:30 or so before the doctor was done with Kori and Keelie was back with Kori.

After that, it was a parade of family coming through to see the mother and daughter. Kim and Vicky were the first back in the room with us.


Cousin Macon and Uncle Mike!



Grampa!

Pam was given the night off.

In the early evening, I went home to check on Shelby, who had been home alone since a little after midnight (she had access to food, water, and the doggy restroom). Pam and Bill stayed with Kori and Keelie. That’s when I was able to shower, upload the first couple of pictures, and call to make arrangements for Shelby to stay with our friends who live close to the hospital who have graciously watched Shelby many times before. Shelby knows them and gets along with their dog, so it works out.

When I got back to the hospital, Kori, Keelie, Pam, and Bill had been moved to the private postpartum room.

Keelie was sleeping. I picked her up in my arms and she made little humming noises. Lord, I was wrapped around her little finger!

Pam and Bill went home to get some rest. Kori has a great doctor, but it was also so helpful through the pregnancy and the delivery to have Bill and Pam’s experience and reassurances. Pam was not just being a grandmother and mother, she was a coach and so much help.



It was also nice, during this and the previous hospital visit (they kind of run together in my mind) to have friends and former coworkers of Kori - who now work at that hospital - stop by.

I turned the convertible chair into my bed, but Kori and I really didn’t get all that much sleep. Nurses were coming in to check on mother and daughter throughout the night, and of course there was our wonder over our little bundle of joy.

Wednesday the 20th, I pried myself away from the two most important ladies in my life to keep an appointment with the CHP in Santa Fe Springs. They check car seat installation for free (by appointment) and give some other safety tips. What a service! That was at 11am. I had scheduled it for late morning so that Kori could manage to go while I was at work, but since Keelie emerged a little early, I took the minivan.

From there, I went home to pick up some things per Kori’s request, then returned to the hospital.

Aunt Kirby, Uncle Troy, and for the first time, Uncle Toby dropped by to see our little bundle of joy and take pictures.

Pam worked that night and checked on us. It was so special to have Pam there as grandmother, mother, and postpartum nurse!

Thursday morning, the 21st, Pam spent some time with us after her shift.

I had been hoping to make it up to Arcadia for a previously scheduled baby shower at the office, but by the time everything was done and we were released in the afternoon, I would have arrived late, smelly, in casual attire, and with a beard going. I hated to disrupt plans, but the baby shower had to be rescheduled.

So, Kori, Keelie, and I dropped in to Pam & Bill’s on the way home. This allowed for more pictures with everyone. Pam woke up and joined us. She had prepared food for us to take home - bless her!




Back home, we enjoyed some of the food that Pam had prepared. Pam came over later and then we were joined by Aunt Kendra and Uncle Steve, who came straight over after getting home from being out of town. Bill came over to pick up Pam.

Friday, the 22nd, I ran some errands. In the evening, Kendra and Steve came over again, and brought food – bless them! After dinner, Steve and I went to retrieve Shelby from our friends.

We were worried about how Shelby, who sleeps in our bed, would react to the new addition to the family. Kori was nursing Keelie in bed when Steve and I returned. Shelby jumped up onto the bed, sniffed around, sniffed Keelie, and then softly and briefly licked the back of Keelie’s head. She seems fine with Keelie, even with the crying. Actually, she seems to be protective of Keelie and was looking at us like she had done something wrong when Keelie would cry.


Saturday the 23rd, nobody came over and we were home all day except for my short drive to pick up a new wall unit air conditioner I found on Craig’s List. We have an air conditioner working in the bedroom, but we need to replace one in the dining room. Nobody seems to do wall units anymore, unfortunately. So, I’m still trying to pry the old one out so I can stick the new one in.

Today, Sunday, we’ve been home all day, but Pam stopped by after working and going to church, and brought food – bless her! Also, my mother (Nanny) and Aunt Kim came down to see Keelie, and they brought food – bless them!

Keelie has been delightful. She seems to love being held by her grandparents, aunts, and uncles, reserving most of her crying for when they are gone.

Kori is such a wonderful, patient mother. I’m so proud of her and so amazed by her.

The nights are broken up by attending to Keelie, with Kori doing most of that and with me trying to do as much as possible to assist her and make her comfortable.

It’s quite a time in our lives, an incredible new journey on which we have embarked.
Thank you for all of your prayers, advice, and help. We’ll likely have more pictures to upload soon.

THANK YOU, LORD!