12 Days In

Dear Addison,

You have been with us for just about 12 days and we are still in awe.  Your entry into the world was nothing thing less than dramatic….a trait I truly believe you received from your Papa. It took four people and a vacuum to retrieve you and once you arrived you let out the loudest, ear wrenching, most beautiful cry we have ever heard.

Once you were cleaned up and measured (7lbs 14oz and 21 3/4 in long), you were handed to Dorian.  In an instant he was in love.  He then handed you to me.  In an instant I was in love.  Then we both looked at you then looked at each other and just cried.

Fast forward to today and I have to say that I’m more in love at this very moment than I was on that Sunday in which you changed our lives forever.  Being your mom is an honor and a blessing and I just hope I don’t screw this up.

-Rookie Mom 2017

Baby Girl is coming soon

Dear Addison,

As your Papa massages my feet as he has religiously done almost every night since they’ve begun swelling up we are talking about your arrival.  Neither of us can believe my due date is just eight days away.  Within the next two weeks you will be the center of our world.  We have your sleeping arrangements figured out, both here in the city as well as upstate.  We are coming up with a plan on how to handle night feedings and most importantly we’ve decided that I will handle all things input (aka breastfeeding) and he will tackle output (aka wet & dirty diapers).  Teamwork at it’s best! 

With Hillsong United playing in the background we are thinking about the day we finally get to meet you. Who are you going to look like? Will you have my freckles? Will you have his eyes? And personality? What traits will come from us and which will come from your grandparents? What will you have taken from hearing me and Papa day in and day out?  So many questions I’m dying to have the answers to… but patiently we will wait.

Countdown continues…..

Women Body

A Woman’s Body

I know, it is a weird title for a baby blog but we must admit how fascinating.
Being the spectator of human evolution is quite a ride. I am, daily, confronted by it, just looking over my shoulder in that bed which is shrinking in size daily as my partner is growing a little girl inside of her.
Men never give enough credit to women for going through what they are handling silently or not.
The changes occurring in the body are a true wonder of life.  The human body is by essence such an incredible machine.  I always knew about it but to be living it is a total different story.
Each week brings its own mystery of engineering which help create a mini human in full form with full brain cell and feelings. It is insane to imagine how complex the human body is and how mystical the changes are. The precision is perfect, the evolution is made step by step and each step has its goal.
Mother Nature has been organizing this forever and she does it to perfection.

Women are magical.  Unbelievable.

To come back to your mother, Addison, you have no idea what is she going through to provide you with skin, bones, organs, brain cells etc…
Her body has known some interesting developments; her boobs are huge (to my pleasure before you take over), she gains little weight but expended a lot as you are taking more space, allowing you to grow to your final size.
She is currently suffering shortness of breath, daily high Acid reflex attacks, cankles (lack of ankle) as her feet are expanding, back aches, eyes issues, depravation of sleep, and rashes in different location of her body.

Besides those inconveniences, her smile has never left her, her mood is still so positive (besides a few hormonal spikes – I will tell you some stories later). She wants you so badly that whatever her body is putting her through, she will accept the torture with a smile, maybe a tear, but she will never let you down.  Your mom is an incredible woman.

I am definitively fascinated and even more respectful today than I was yesterday.
I am turning to politics for just a second. It is absolutely disgusting to me that men are deciding what is good for women and their bodies in bills which are taking us back to the middle age. Their ignorance has no boundaries and I am ashamed for them. How dare they?
Men have not and will never reach the strength women have.
Men should have no say in what is good or bad for women, since they don’t know what they are going through.

My mother told me how to respect women when I was a child, but she failed to mention how incredible their bodies and their spirit are.
I am so happy that you will be a woman, as I know you will have the heart and the strength of your mom, my Love.

7 weeks to go…..
You are real now, see you soon Addison.
Daddy

Week 30 / Day 210 – Hello 3rd Trimester!  

I was originally going to title this post, ‘The Struggle Is Real,” but even with the few uncomfortable symptoms I have (constant backache, swollen ankles/feet and lack of sleep) I am so incredibly grateful to be carrying this little girl we will call Addison.  I saw her again today at my doctor’s appointment yet this whole thing still seems a little unreal to me.  In 10 short weeks I’ll be someone’s mother.  SCARY!

It’s around this time we need to start answering the big questions.  What car seat should we buy? What formula do we give her if I can’t breastfeed? Do we need a baby nurse for overnights (I say yes, dad says no)? And most importantly, how early do we have to schedule a play date with Beyoncé’s twins?  There is so much information to take in and so many opinions, it’s been hard to weed through it all.

One piece of advice I received recently was from a new mom of a four month old.  She told me, “You don’t need STUFF to be a great mom – you will be an AWESOME MOM.  And your baby will be a SUPER BABY, regardless of how cute you decorate their nursery, if you use the right diaper, or if you look cute five days after giving birth.  Your baby WILL NOT CARE.”

Of all the advice I have been given this has resonated with me the most.  Since losing my parents and meeting Dorian I have realized more each day that STUFF really doesn’t matter.  It’s the experiences we have, the relationships we foster and the love and happiness we find as well as give to others.

Some advice for my baby girl…. Practice gratitude for all that you have (you will be spoiled – all of mommy’s friends already love you),  allow yourself to be vulnerable with the people who matter, do random acts of kindness and don’t be afraid to ever show others your authentic, imperfect, beautiful self.

Thank you Rachael for the great advice, thank you friends who have already begun showering Addison with gifts and thank you Dorian for being the most amazing you every day.

70 days to go!

-Rookie Mom 2017

13 Weeks left

Is it not a scary thought???
Before, not so long ago or maybe it was, we were counting in months.
People were telling us, “Oh don’t worry, you have plenty of time, she won’t be here untill May, it is in 9 months….”
The question was, time for what?
Time to get used to the idea of having a baby.  Time to get ready for parenthood and the new way of life; to redesign the house, to buy new furniture, get new clothes, think about the nanny, find a pre-k school, understand how much she is about to cost, to prepare and schedule her future, to start saving and investing money???
That’s what people meant by “you have time”.
Well, reality is way different I tell you.
We have now 13 weeks left and the only thing we know and have ready is a bank account for college.
As funny and ironic as it is, the rest is not set up nor even agreed upon us yet.  We are still debating the color of the furniture, the color of the curtains (even if she has purchased them already) and many more details.
So these 13 weeks feel really short right now and it is definitively not stress free.
Oh my, being ready is a big deal…
I am convinced we will be more organized soon, eventually, if we succeed to stop changing our mind every other day with what to get for the apt and the necessity of it.
Have you been to Buy Buy Baby?  That store is scary.
When you go there, you must have a road map with you with a full list of what you need. Otherwise you will drown in your thoughts and doubts. The place is so overwhelming.
While walking in the city, I find myself avoiding the street with that store because I’m just afraid to be sucked in.
We were looking for a bassinet….oh boy, that was an easy one.
First of all, what on earth is a bassinet?? Definition:  a baby’s wicker cradle, usually with a hood.
Well, i have never ever assumed in my life that choosing a bassinet (which seems so simple) would be so complicated.
There is a bassinet in wood, some on balance, some with their own automated swinging movements, some rocking, some with their own music integrated, some for naps only, some for travelling, some for……..oh my god.
While there I was trying to imagine what my mom had when i was a baby, I doubt she had one for each possible moment of the day. Simplicity is the key, but man, it is like buying a car, you almost want to try them first…
It is ridiculous the level of technologies integrated in such a simple item.
The worst part is every every single thing you need or want to buy is so complex with so many options that it is impossible to find one that match your needs, unless you spend a week inside the store and try them all.
As parents, we want the best for our child, and it is very hard to pick something (a) that we both like, (b) that will useful for more than a week, and (c) useful period.
Addison, you need to know that the struggle is real.   We are definitively behind schedule but Tracy and I are great under pressure so I can guarantee you that you will not notice anything….
Love you
D

Vetter Love

Addison:
You don’t know it yet, but you are the luckiest little baby in the world. I’ve known your mommy for a long time and she is the most generous, kind hearted person I’ve ever met. She is a true friend to me, always. We’ve had some really good times together. Stuff we will talk about when you’re much older. And during the tough times, which there always is, she has always been my support. I tell you this because she will do this, and so much more for you.
Soon she will realize what pure love is, when you are born. And she will move mountains to bring you joy. Your mommy is a part of my family and in turn, you are too. Shane always wanted a girl, so he will spoil you like crazy. And Dylan and Luke have been following your progress. They just want to speed this process up so they can meet you.
We are so happy that Dorian came into all of our lives. Although we haven’t known him for that long, we know he’s a keeper. He makes your mommy so happy. That’s all we’ve ever wanted for her. She deserves to have a piece of the happiness she gives to others.
You are one adored little baby. Now, I’ll work on letting your mommy know that she’s not going to be the center of attention anymore. That space will be occupied by you, our princess Royal.

“Love is the answer”

Life is a beautiful thing, but what is that thing we are defining all the time….
Today, that word takes such a deep and profound meaning in my life, in our life.

Life is about to be given to a little girl. I know, I sound dramatic but hey, it is our blog. To me it does represent a lot – thoughts, feelings, love and motivation. Becoming a father is an inspiring cocktail of sensations.

The chance our little girl will have is to be surrounded by so much love, between her parents, our families and all our friends. It is unbelievable to imagine how beautiful her life will be, I can almost feel it.
The most important part of a child’s life is a strong family, lots of very good family friends (for babysitting purpose of course).

Family: Her core of life.
-Tracy and I, first of course, we are in this young and amazing relationship which is now supported by this new addition to the family in the making. We are closer than ever and the beauty of it is that it is only the beginning.
-On my family side, it is a real pleasure to see that she is bringing us closer together. I was never much of a family guy since my parents divorced in my young age, and by living in a different country the distance between my parents and I, at some point became the new normal. Now, that I am about to be a father myself (still can’t picture that….) I am missing my parents, the long and funny dinners, the arguments, the eye contact when you did not need to talk to understand each other. The hugs and warm moments…I miss all of them.
I know now, that by leaving them behind, I hurt them. They have suffered in silence the pain of their missing child, seeking independence somewhere else. They have and still are suffering in silence from the decision I have made to leave my country and settle somewhere far. For this pain that I can’t take away from them, I need to say “I am deeply sorry!!!”.

I love my parents dearly, I am thankful about all the love they gave me blindly, the experiences they taught me, the fights we had, the laughs, the great and unorthodox way to educate me.
I can hardly wait to introduce Addison to them. I know already they will love her and give her the warmth she will seek in their smiles, looks, hugs and kisses.

-On Tracy’s side: I am saying to her mother, that I will miss your guidance on how to raise a little girl, but I will do my best to understand and follow your lead while trying to please you as I know you are looking over your daughter that you love so much.

Mr. Royal, I can’t follow your path, you have created an “almost” perfect girl, which, by the way, makes my job way too hard, thanks to you. Know that I will care for both girls to the best of my abilities. Your girl rocks.

Family is the place where life begins and Love lives forever.

Friends: We all need some of them to evolve in our world, through great time and storms. I can say that friends are common, we all have them by the dozen, but real close friends are a rare thing, which need to be cherished and loved.
I am pleased to have met many of Tracy’s close friends and I love them dearly. They have accepted me with my differences and strong accent (handicap to be French) and they have opened their hearts and arms to me.
I am already thankful for all the love they are about to give our little girl.  Her start in life could not be any better thanks to you all.
Being a foreigner made me meet people from all over the world, coming from different roots, different horizons. My friend’s answers to your coming Addison are smiles, love and impatience to meet you and to share with you their personalities, styles and differences.
You will learn and live surrounded by love from multiple people, from so many different origins. You will learn diversity and acceptance at a younger age and you will be unique.

My dear beauty, you will be blessed by all the diversity and passion from the world surrounding you. Your mind will be filled with all greatness at your disposal and you will be able to do and achieve anything you want. (Complete lack of objectivity – syndrome of the stupid parent)

We are (Tracy and I) very excited to be part of your life, and we are all waiting for you to become Addison.

D

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PS: Thank you Lipbone Redding and Albert for inspiring the Title of the post.