avablog

My sweet, sweet Ava. This has been a tough couple weeks for our little girl. It’s wonderful to watch you with your new little brother, how you kiss his brow and pat his head. We can’t wait to watch you two grow up together.
[Read more →]

I knew this time would come, and now, here it is. What to call this blog. I understand most of you think I’m daft for having two blogs, and I find myself agreeing with you on some levels. Eh. Maybe I’ll just leave the name alone. Gotta avoid that New Coke trap, after all.
[Read more →]

Well hello, born baby!

We’re this close to a name, so stay tuned. Meet Emmett Charles Palmberg.

We’re in the hospital right now. You decided you wanted to start coming about 8:20 this evening, right after your big sister went to bed. Your mom had a couple pieces of veggie pizza (hold onions) from Pagliai’s, and the next thing you know, it’s contraction city.

We’re at the hospital as I type this, and your mom is resting quietly after receiving her epidural. Her favorite doctor is on call all night, so we’re hoping you come sometime in the next nine hours. Make it so, unborn baby! See you soon!

Our due date came and went with no baby. I think we were both expecting this scenario, but it does ratchet up the anxiety a bit. At our last appt., Leah’s doctor offered to have Leah come by the hospital today to “get checked,” and I think Leah might avail herself of that opportunity. For posterity, we took a couple pictures out in the yard last evening of Leah on her due date.

Compare/contrast with Leah on her due date back in 2004:

I’ll leave it to you whether she looks bigger this time around. Were I you, I’d keep your opinions out of the comments, at least if you’re local. It’s for your own safety.

I took a couple pictures of Leah on her due date yesterday, and Ava insisted on getting in on the action. I never dissuade her from having her picture taken. I really like how this one turned out, even if it’s miles away from the shot Leah would’ve preferred I take of our lovely little girl. My opinion? The world doesn’t need another studio shot!

Photo note: V, if you’re reading this, this shot was taken with my Sigma 17-70mm macro lens, which I adore. I know you’re in the market for glass now. 😉

And it’s been quiet, so far. Contractions, sure, but nothing “emergent,” as they say in the baby biz. So, we wait. Surely this child won’t break Ava’s record for tardiness, presently set at six days? I hope not. The good news in all this is that Leah doesn’t have to worry about an early arrival cutting into her planned vacation at the end of July. The way things are going (or not going), we might have to miss that vacation for the delivery!
[Read more →]

There’s not much I enjoy more than taking a stroll through the yard this time of year to see what’s going on with the garden. I try to include Ava as much as possible; watering plants, pulling weeds, dead heading. The usual. So I was eager to grab the video camera today as I ran outside to see what Ava wanted in the yard. Here ’tis:

Hello, unborn baby. You get to hear this noise all the time, I guess, but it’s a real treat for your mom and me to hear it:

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the doc says this is 145 beats per minute. That means you’re a girl. Congratulations, Demi Jolie Palmberg. We’ll see you soon!

Ava and I were sitting together on the porch yesterday, watching the rain and listening to birds while she munched on a popsicle (no, Firefox, I’m not going to capitalize “popsicle.” Grab a kleenex to wipe your tears).
[Read more →]

Her balled-up little hand pressed against my black shirt in the dark of her bedroom. She whispered urgently, “Mama, you are my dark sky, and I am your bright, white moon.” My heart cracked open and flooded my body with all the light in the universe. I said, “Yes, you are, little one. Yes, you are.” Then we laid there, we two, breathing together in the darkness.

It was a great day for running through the sprinkler and then cuddling in a warm, dry towel on the porch and eating a lime popsicle. Here’s what that last part looks like:

Leah has an ingrown toenail. Rachel recommended a good soak in warm, soapy water to help with the infection and swelling. You’ll never guess who absolutely loved the idea of soaking her feet in warm, soapy water:

I took this shot a while ago and just got around to posting it. I planted this tree when we moved into our house, the thinking being that Ava and the tree could grow up together. Anyway, unlike Ava, the tree is planted in violation of city ordinances, so mum’s the word, OK? Thanks.

…with a bang, it turns out. Unborn baby, that big jolt you felt this morning was your mother falling on her butt in our bedroom while she was getting dressed. As usual, she was tottering around on her high heels in front the the mirror. When she went to do her little model-turn, she caught her heel and went down hard. I assume you’re all right, since you’re floating around in a big sack of water right now, but it’s possible you could’ve sensed a little something. Hope it wasn’t too rough! Don’t fret; your mom’s OK. Just a little embarrassed, mostly.
[Read more →]

Cynthia posted on her blog today about our mutual hair stylist Katie (and I’m using the royal “our” here; all my “styling” is done standing up in the laundry room with hair clippers). Katie’s great. Ava lights up for her like she does for few others. I had my videocam along this evening at the appointment so I could show you what Katie’s like:

You might also notice that the comments system here at avablog is new. Enjoy the power and flexibility that is DISQUS.

Out typical Sunday lately usually involves a trip — ordinarily on foot — to Lou Henri for breakfast. Their huevos diablo is really everything a man could want in a breakfast, particularly when ordered with a side of their insanely golden hash browns and a cup of joe. Ava orders the Mickey cakes, seen here:

Hey, unborn baby.

According to your mom’s doctor this morning, your window on the world has just started to open a little bit. This is pretty exciting news, for a couple reasons. One, it means we’re nearing the end of this pregnancy. This means you’re almost here. It also means it’s the end of your mother’s reproductive period (unless she dumps your dad, moves to the islands, and hooks up with some hippie surf instructor who impregnates her with his love child). So it’s bittersweet, even without the surfer scenario.

Second, it means your mom and I really need to bear down, so to speak, on getting things ready for you. Your room is pretty much finished, save for some curtains. We have a car seat for you. And a swing. And a bouncy chair. And clothes. Bottles. Now we just need you. And it looks like you’re on your way. Arrive safely, unborn baby.

Recently Ava uttered her first words of ill will towards her unborn sibling. “Here we go,” I thought. I’d been expecting this, if only because it makes sense to me that a young child with direct and uninterrupted access to her parents’ time and love might well find the introduction of a competitor for those goodies as a bad thing. Encountering the sentiment suddenly and in the midst of an unrelated tantrum, I was surprised it had taken so long to arrive.
[Read more →]

Hi, unborn baby. I wanted to show you a picture of what your mom looks like right now:

It’s kinda funny, huh? It looks like a basketball under there! Unfortunately for your mom, that belly is a lot heavier than a basketball. You haven’t been moving around as much lately, but it’s probably just because you’re getting so squished. We’re super, super eager to see you! Get your head down into that birth canal!