The abilities of SUPER DAD!

                        The abilities of SUPER DAD!

Hi All.

We’re still waiting.

Gem claims that I’ve gone a bit mental which probably explains why I’m writing this post.

 

In my experience there seems to be some abilities that all Dads seem to have nearly with out fail. Things like knowing about cars, how to read a map, put up shelves, know the ins and outs of money and so on.

 

I’ve come up with this theory.

 

Every night in every hospital where a new baby has just come along. While mum and baby sleep there’s like an antenatal class but only for Dads which teach the “Wisdom Of The Ancients”.

 

I Figure the lesson plan goes:

1. How to do basic car maintenance, including how to charge the battery, how to pump up and change a tyre and how to spot if a mechanic is about to rip you off.

2. How to put up shelves and do other jobs around the house.

3. How to not look lost when you’ve not got a clue where you are.

4. how to get from downstairs to upstairs with out making a sound to check on children in bed.

5. The ability to enjoy watching golf, (that has to be a super power because nothing on this earth could ever get me to do it unforced.).

6. How to do that special Dads dance.

7. To be able to embarrass offspring with out even trying.

 

I think that’s as far as Super Dad would get as at that point his I-Phone would ring with the Super Dad ring tone calling him to another hospital.

 

I can’t wait to meet Super Dad, I reckon he’d not fly but would turn up in a suped up people carrier and rather than where a costume like Superman he’d have a bright shirt, faded genes with huge turn ups and socks and sandals. In a really bad turn of events he should also be wearing grey y-fronts over his genes.

 

Do you think I missed anything from the lesson plan or my description of what I think Super Dad would look like? Any ideas in the comments.

 

Time for Bed.

Take care all,

And Up, Up, Up, Back (we forgot the dummies,) up and away,

Nick.

 

A couple of eventful days

Hi All.

Well Gem and I have had a couple of pretty crazy days.

On Friday Gem had an appointment with the midwife. Everything was fine apart from Gems Blood pressure was up a bit. The midwife said that she’d give it a day and would come round on Saturday morning to check it again.

 

It was still a bit high so yesterday we went off to the Royal Gwent Hospital. This is our nearest major hospital. We’re hoping not to go to the Royal Gwent to have the baby. We think it’s too much like a hospital, to formal and not personal enough.

 

They did some blood tests and checked Gems blood pressure; Strangely enough her blood pressure was back to normal.

 

As Gem is now 4 days over due they also offered Gem a sweep. This is used to encourage labour up to 48 hours after the sweep is done in about half of women. Gem said it was a bit uncomfortable but the midwife said she was able to give a good sweep around.

 

We’re now back home and just waiting. (Again.)

 

The plan for the next week or so is if the baby hasn’t come by Thursday our midwife will do another sweep. If the baby still hasn’t come by Saturday then Gem will be induced. We’re really hoping not to get that far as If Gem has to be induced we won’t be able to use the birthing centre in Caerphilly. Fingers crossed that something happens soon.

 

I’ll be keeping the Blog up-to-date should anything happen.

Take Care.

Nick.

 

We're at the due date.

Hi All.

 

Well today marks the due date. (And still nothing!)

 

Gems now going to the midwifes every week now. On Friday when she went the midwife setup an appointment for this Friday but did say she didn’t think Gem would make it that far. Well so far it looks like Gem will be making the appointment.

 

The head is now fully engaged (and according to the midwife, the heads engaged and some.)

 

It’s got to be said the last 2 weeks have gone so slow!

 

That’s it for now. I’ve got to go back to work.

Take care.

Nick.

 

It's picture time

Hi all

 

It’s time for some pictures on the Adamson Baby Blog.

 

We’ve been doing the final bits of sorting out in the nursery today and I got Gem to take some pictures.

I’ve described it in a previous blog entry.

Hopefully on this post are 1 before and 4 after pictures.

The only things left to do is put the curtains up, put up a couple of colourful pictures and paint the toy box.

 

So what do you think?

 

Take Care.

Nick.

 

Friday's Midwife Checkup

Hi All,
Friday Gem went off to the midwifes again, she now has to go every week.
Mum and baby are both fine. There is one slightly concerning thing which is
that the baby is head down but on her side where she should be on her
stomach. This should not cause too many problems but might make labour a
little more painful if she doesn't move. The midwife said that Gem should
get on all fours to get the baby to move.
On a side note today marks ten days to the official due date. Gem is also
try to find any ways of encouraging labour so if you have any suggestions
please leave comments.

Take Care
Nick

Balancing Home and Work life

Hi All.

First of all sorry but this is going to be a semi serious post.

 

I’ve noticed a bit of a trend it work. When ever something big is going on in my personal life the hours at work go mental.

 

Just before Gem and I got married I got assigned to a project which had to be done and out of the door in two months. The 3 or 4 weeks up to the wedding I was doing 45 to 50 hour weeks, one night I was in till 10 in the evening and back in again at 8 the next morning.

 

Now the babies about to come along I’ve now been assigned some work which has some really tight deadlines but I feel like I’m neglecting Gem a bit.

 

The project has to get done, (the extent of what actually needs doing keeps changing and widening which isn’t helping). If I was single I’d probably be putting in 10 or 12 hour days but I don’t feel I can do that now. It’s not fair on Gem as she’s board enough as it is being stuck at home on her own.

 

Once the baby comes along how do I cope with this situation? I read that when the babies about 2 they should get about 13 to 14 hours of sleep a night meaning that she’d probably go to bed about 7 in the evening. If I’m having to work long hours then I’ll never see the little one and I don’t want to be that sort of dad.

 

One of the managers at work has a really depressing idiom He says, “Week days are for work, weekends are for family.”. This seems really sad to me.

 

On the other hand I do what to progress in my career and it does seem like the higher you get in the company the more hours you do.

 

It goes with out saying that my Family and Gem come first but how do I strike the balance? I get on really well with my line manager so it’s probably something I’ll bring up in my next appraisal.

 

Anyone any ideas?

Any advice gratefully received. Feel free to leave comments or drop me a mail.

 

That’s it for now.

Take care.

Nick.

 

A Look back at the last 9 months

Evening all.

 

As we’re coming up to the birth Gem and I had a conversation today about how long it seems since we found out we were pregnant. Although the time has gone incredibly quickly for me thinking back it does seem like we’ve known for ages.

 

I don’t think I’ve blogged about how we found out and what we did write at the beginning of the pregnancy.

 

As I think I’ve said we were going to wait a bit before starting a family so when Gem told me that the test she did was positive I didn’t believe her. She’d said it a couple of times in the past just to wined me up and I thought she was having me on again.

After about 5 or 10 minutes I actually think I started to get the message and to be honest with you was pretty daunted by the whole idea.

 

We went to Gems DR’s a few days after that and had everything confirmed.

The day after that I phoned my Mum and Dad and they were a little shocked to say the leased.

 

That weekend we told Gems mum and Dad. Ray was great, they took the news and Ray went off to do something on the computer and just randomly started singing that terrible granddad song from the 70s.

 

That was week 6. At that point only the 6 of us new, (Me and gem and both sets of parents).

Week 9 we went for a scan witch was incredible. Up until that point the idea of having a baby was still quite unreal for us. Apart from feeling a bit sick Gem had no real signs of being “with child”. At the scan it all became very real. We were able to see the picture on the monitor and hear the heart beet. That was the real moment of truth for me.

 

At Week 12 we then told brothers and sisters and wider family and I started this blog.

 

I’m really writing this all down for my own memory. I have a feeling that after the birth that I’ll forget a lot of the thoughts we’re having now as the birth is going to be such a major event.

 

OK so here’s the Nick and Gem guide to the best and worst bits of pregnancy.

 

Top 3 Worst parts of pregnancy:

3. Morning sickness. Not to bad but not fun.

2.  “Being heavily pregnant in the hottest part of the year.

1. The effects of Iron tablets. (I won’t say any more!)

 

The best parts about being pregnant:

3. The fact it’s made us get on with getting the house sorted. With out the baby coming we’d know way near as we are to being finished with the house.

2. Feeling the kicks. (This nearly went on gems bad list but for me I could sit there for ages just feeling the little one move and kick.

1. That first scan and Heart beet. Truly a phenomenal moment. (For me certainly, Gem it may be the second scan as you can see more in that one).

 

Now we’re just looking forward to the birth and the rollercoaster ride of emotions that will be part of that.

 

Off to bed for me.

Take care.

Nick.

 

 

 

Due Date Predictions! The result

Evening Again All.

 

A couple of months back on the old blog I Asked for your predictions for a due date.

Well as we’re now in to the “Can drop at any time” part of the pregnancy I thought I’d give a bit of an update.

 

So the Results!

Date	Percent	Number Of Votes
Before the 15th of September	4.8%	1
The 15th of September	4.8%	1
The 18th of September	4.8%	1
The 20th of September	9.5%	2
The 21st of September	14.3%	3
The 22nd of September	4.8%	1
The 23rd of September	23.8%	5
The 26th of September. The official due date!	4.8%	1
The 28th of September	4.8%	1
The 29th of September	4.8%	1
The 30th of September	9.5%	2
The 2nd of October	4.8%	1
After the 7th of October	4.8%	1
Total Votes: 21

 

So it looks like the 23^rd is the favourite.

 

Now if your willing to put your name next to your guess leave us a comment so that when little one comes along you can say “I Told You So!” and win a prize of a cuddle with either myself, Gem or the little one.

Some how I think that it’s not going to be me and Gem that get the cuddles.

 

If you didn’t vote in the old blog thing you’re very welcome to leave a comment with your guess anyway in this one.

 

I’m on a Linux course tomorrow and Friday so really should get some sleep.

Take Care.

Nick.

 

"Stretch like a cat" the midwife said

Hi Again all.

 

Just a quick one to pass on some advice we’ve just gotten from the birthing centre.

 

Gem phoned them this evening as for the last couple of days she’s been getting really bad back ache.

 

It looks like this is because the babies head is entering the pelvis which is opening up to give the baby room. As the pelvis opens up it’s putting pressure on Gems spine and making the mussels knot up and ache.

 

The advice we were given is that try taking parasetomol, this is about the only pain killer which is available with out prescription which doesn’t effect the baby. Gem did try this but it seems completely ineffective.

 

The other advice that the midwife gave Gem was to move around on her hands and knees and stretch like a cat. This apparently can stretch the mussels and provide relief.

 

I was going to try to get a picture of Gem doing this to go with this entry but I was threatened with “severe Consequences" if I even tried.

 

That’s it for now. If I don’t fall asleep I do want to try to get another entry written tonight.

Take care.

Nick.

 

We're in the final stretch

Hi All.

 

Today is another milestone in the pregnancy. Today we enter week 37 and is the beginning of the end. Week 37 to 41 is classed as the normal point at which the baby can be born. Put simply, Gem can now drop at any time in the next 4 weeks.

 

She started maternity leave on Monday and is already bored out of her scull. Anything I suggest she doesn’t want to do so if anyone has any ideas please please leave a comment.

 

She’s been playing on our facebook account, if you want to add me I’m under Nick Adamson in Wales.

 

That’s it for now.

Take Care.

Nick.