Wow

We got Brianna's social security card in the mail today. How freaking exciting is that!! The US Government acknowledges that we have a child!! :-)

Brianna's first trip to the zoo

We wanted to take a trip with Brianna and we wanted to take a trip to duluth to see the fall colors. However, we decided that long in the car was not a good idea. So we thought what are we going to do today? I have been having a hankering to go to the zoo for a while, so off to Como we went. It was really fun,  even though she couldn't see the animals and slept for a while. Also, even if she could see them, she had no idea what she was looking at. It was still fun for mommy and I.


I remember going there as a kid and it was always a really fun time. This time was no different. This was the first time that Catherine and I had ever been to a zoo together and it made me want to head to the Minnesota zoo. That will be a good time, so maybe we will wait for a while until Brianna can see everything and at least wonder and awe at all of the animals.

Matt

Brianna Leona Chenoweth is here!!!

Brianna Leona Chenoweth born 9-22-10 6:16p. 7 pounds 10 ounces. 19 1/4 inches long.

Wednesday morning the 22nd, I was staying home a couple hours from work so that I could accompany Catherine to her 40 week OB appointment. I got up and was starting to get ready when Catherine tells me that she has been having contractions and that they are 3-5 minutes apart. However the contractions were not very painful so we were unsure if this was just going to be more false labor or if it was going to turn in to the real thing.

We decided to call the OB's office and talk to them. They said that we could come in for the appointment if we wanted or to head right up to L&D (Labor & Delivery). Initially, we decided to go in for the appointment. We get in the car, which had been packed for the "delivery run" to the hospital for weeks, and started heading to the appointment. As we were driving, things get a little more serious.

We called the OB's office again, and told them we were heading in to L&D. So we get to the hospital and head up to the fourth floor. When we arrived, we were able to get  in right away since the OB's office had called and given them a heads up. We got in a room and they set up Catherine with the fetal monitors. They gave her an exam and said that "she was a keeper".

Catherine labored like a champ for 5 hours until she was dilated enough to get the epidural. However, after getting the epidural, her contractions stalled, so we had to get a little Pitocin to help get us back on track. Once we got the contractions back where they should be, the nurses said that we should try to sleep/rest for a while and just let nature take its course. We tried; I think that I might have nodded off for a couple minutes but mostly just rested; I am not sure about Catherine. Then they came to check Catherine again and said that she was dialated to just over 9cm. Thats when all the interesting things started to happen. A nurse came in and started setting up things all over the room.

The nurse came in and checked her again and Brianna had started to move down and she was a full 10cm. She got the bed ready and we tried a couple practice pushes. The doctor was very soon to follow and was very upset that she could not find her booties. Which was very funny to watch, she literally ran to a different room to find them. After 6-7 pushes, we had the most beautiful, special little girl that I have ever laid my eyes on.

I did get a good view of the whole delivery which was very interesting to watch, if you ever have a child and aren't squeamish you should definitely watch a human coming into this world. Its an amazing act of nature. The doctor also gave me the opportunity to cut the umbilical cord, which I wasn't sure that I was going to do but once I got to witness the birth of my daughter, I gladly took the scissors.

I thought that I understood love at first sight with Catherine.... I had NO idea. :)

Maternity Pics

As Catherine had mentioned before we went to get some maternity pics. It was a pretty fun trip down to New Prague. Took a while but it was worth it.

So its almost time to meet our little girl and mommy and I are getting very anxious for that day to come. I'd like to take this time to thank all of you for following this life changing event with us. Just in case we don't get a chance to update again before she is born. I thought that I would throw up some pics for you all to look at. :)

 Pictures taken at 36 weeks
- Matt

Preparing to be a parent

Well its almost august. It's the home stretch, if I blink too much she will be here. Nursery is pretty much done, still wish there was more stuff on the walls but she wouldn't notice that anyway so if it happens it does. Most of the supplies I anticipate needing to start out are coming in from showers and whatnot so that it pretty nice of everybody.

I start new hours at work this Monday. Going from working 9:30 - 6p, to working 6:30 - 3p. So have to be up at 5 in the morning which should be nice practice for when she comes. Also should be great for when she starts going to daycare.

Trip to the Cabin & Catherine's Birthday

Hi. I know that it's been a little while since I have updated this blog, sorry for that. I would like to talk about this past weekend and the upcoming weekend. This past weekend we went up to Alexandria to the Bylands cabin, it was pretty awesome. It was pretty cramped with Grandma and Grandma Byland, Karen, Jackie, Kelly, Kevin, Catherine and myself. That and a combination of our 5 dogs. We got some good swimming in and even some fishing. Catherine says that she felt heavier in the water, which I thought would be the other way around. I figured with the baby she would float more. We got A&W tap root beer on the way home along with the new family tradition of stopping by the Tip Top Dairy Bar for ice-cream. I'm sure that the baby will love that tradition :).

This weekend is Catherine's birthday. We have a couple friends coming over on Saturday night and we are going to camp out in the backyard. At first I was not crazy about this idea, but it seems fun. All the fun of camping with out having to leave the fenced back yard. Then on Sunday is Catherine's first baby shower, which I am sure she will blog about after it happens.

Well that's good for now. Blog at ya later!

Movement

I felt our daughter move for the first time yesterday. Let me tell you it was one of the coolest things that I think that I have ever done/witnessed. Actually feeling her inside kicking makes it more real. I mean I have been there for multiple ultrasounds and have seen her a bunch of times but this adds a little something to it, being able to feel instead of just see. Its hard to explain. I guess you would just have to have experienced it before to know what i am talking about.

I look forward to "feel" how things progress through the next several months and then to be able to hold her finally.

Love,

Daddy

Nursery

Catherine's old crib (and Kevin's & Kelly's)
with themed bedding

Toy Chest, bouncer and Matt's

old bookshelf painted blue

Custom Fan, Window & Decal that says

"Love at First Sight"

Changing table (from the Frykholms),

hallway and part of the closet

Closet & Rocking Chair

baby room

We are making progress on the baby's room. That is all

Matt

Playing with the Baby Maker

So apparently we are going to make an asian baby...wtf? I morphed Catherine and I's pictures together and the outcome is strange. Pretty sure the mail man is in fact a women, and we don't have a milk man, or I would be concerned.

Our Baby Girl

So, we are having a little baby girl. We went to pick up paint swatches to see what we want to do. Its gonna look pretty good when its done though. regardless of what color it ends up.

I am very very excited to be a daddy.

Well, Catherine asked me today about the nursery. Haven't thought about it too much. I guess that we can start on it now and make it a neutral colors and whatnot. I think that we should wait until we know the sex and then start on it.

Matt

because I can

Hi everybody. So we are having a baby.. WOW. That's great. Possibly the best news that I have ever heard. Besides when Catherine agreed to be my wife. I'd like to take this time to thank everybody for being there and we look forward to sharing this special time in our lives with you as it unfolds.

Matt