Rocco hates his diaper changed

This is the look we get about 10 times a day when we have to change him. He hates to be changed. He screams and gets so angry at us. As soon as it's over, he's fine and once again very calm and alert. Here's the before and after "my diaper has been changed" face:

Rocco and Nana Lucy

Amy had her baby on Wednesday. We are very excited to meet David. I know that she is also at home resting and probably recovering. He came out quickly and David is super healthy as is mom.

On the Rocco front - he's eating a lot. He is gaining close to 2 ounces a day. His pedicatrician told us to keep doing what we are doing since he is looking good and slowly packing on the weight. He's a tall baby just tiny/skinny. Hopefully in the next few weeks he'll bulk up a bit. Daniel is picking me up a used glider which is a rocking chair for breast feeding mothers. My back is starting to hurt since each feeding lasts about 30 minutes and he eats about every hour to hour and a half. Plus I'm still recovering from the c-section and am limited in what I can do. I have almost 5 more weeks then I can begin exercising and doing more. Luckily I'm down on taking pain medication and only need it 2- 3 times a day at this point. I know I'm making progress - it's just slow and well, hard.

Here are the latest pics:

1. Rocco and Nana Lucy. I can't wait until he meets his Oma and we get lots of photos of him and Anne.

2. Daniel and Rocco.

3. Rocco

1 week old

Rocco is 1 week old today. Daniel bought him a Happy Birthday balloon. He doesn't seem too impressed. He pooped and went back to sleep.

So here is Daniel letting Rocco get a whiff of his freshly ground coffee. Yes, Daniel is still in love with his Miele coffee machine.

Next we have hands. Rocco vs. Daniel.It's hard to imagine that we were all this small (or close to this small) once long ago.

Rocco does not like Linux

Daniel started to read to Rocco from a Linux programming book and he peed all over Daniel's shorts. Daniel is a little disappointed. He was hoping to have him up and programming by age 4. That might not be in the plan...

Here's Rocco in his fancy basinette and a photo of where he marked his territory.

Ok, gotta go. He's hungry....

Rocco Andres Salzer Garcia

It's been fun having Rocco at home. He is doing great, eats a lot (every hour) and is actually letting us sleep at night.

He's perfect!

My mom has been helping a lot and I'm so grateful that she is here. Chili was kicked out his room and he is dealing with "transition" issues at the moment.

August 21, 2008

Rocco Andres Salzer Garcia was born at Alta Bates in Berkeley, CA on August 21, 2008 at 7:15PM.

no baby...

Still no baby!
urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Sunny Sunday Afternoon - no baby

Daniel's goulash is stilll cooking. He's making it extra special and added even more paprika to the mix today. We went for a nice walk this morning then stopped over at our friends house to catch up and of course laugh that I am still pregnant. At this rate, I just hope the baby arrives by the end of the month. Daniel has been speaking to the baby in german and commanding him to leave my body. It's all very funny since I think the baby is just hanging out thinking, "whatever! "

Actually I received several nice emails from folks who were also 2 weeks or so late. So I don't feel like such a freak. I have turned off our cell phone and we aren't taking any calls because we can't answer any more questions about "WHAT?" or "STILL" or my favorite, "IS HE OK?" It is less stressful this way.

On the cat front: We've officially changed Woody's name to Shitty (he's the black cat). He used the restroom on the floor again so we tossed him outside. His dog crate is there waiting for him. I know that he doesn't understand why he is being kicked out but I don't have time for kitty therapy. I can't do it. I figure he has food, water and a big dog crate and lots of space outside where he can shit anywhere his heart desires. Everyone keeps telling me it's because I'm pregnant and he's going through a transition period. WHATEVER, transition my ass! Anyway the offer still stands. If anyone wants him, you can have him. I'll even throw it a 3 month supply of cat food and a dog crate. Offers?

Stinson Beach

Today Daniel and I drove over to Marin and hung out at Stinson Beach. It was a very gloomy day at the beach - all in all perfect! It was very Hitchcock - it felt like the movie set of "The Birds." Surprisingly, there were a bunch of people out probably with the same expectation that today would be a sunny day. I wasn't dying to get in the water anyway. Daniel put his feet in and said it was freezing. The only folks in the water were the sealed up surfers - everyone hung out in sweatshirts and watched the fog roll in. We spent several hours on the beach reading and napping, eating grapes and feeding birds. It was a perfect Saturday actually! Daniel took some computer book and got through a few pages before he was asleep while I took photos.

After that we headed out to dinner at one of the only 2 restaurants in town and then headed home. Of course as soon as we drove into Berkeley it was back to back traffic. We decided we need to head out to Stinson more often. It is SO nice and beautiful - and far enough away from where we live to provide a break from the day to day routine.

Well off I go - Daniel is making goulash tonight (with a spicy kick) to hopefully move this baby out.

They got tribal on it. Do you think Camila wants to kill Matthew?

My only comment is that if Daniel started to DJ brazilian music and god knows, use my stomach as a bongo to get tribal with it, I'd kill him.

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For Matthew McConaughey and his longtime love Camila Alves, welcoming their first son Levi Alves McConaughey on July 7 was typical of the way the couple handles everything in their lives: easy-going and as a team.
And now, in an exclusive interview and photoshoot, the 38-year-old actor opens up about becoming a father for the first time.
"We found a great rhythm," Matthew tells OK! about the delivery of baby Levi. "Contractions started kicking in. I sat there with her, right between her legs. We got tribal on it, we danced to it! I was DJ-ing this Brazilian music."
Levi was born at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and weighed a healthy 7 lbs., 4 oz., and Matthew tells OK! he kept a detailed diary of his and Camila's hospital experience.
"I have it all chronicled," he explained. "Becoming a dad is something I've dreamed of doing since I was 10. Becoming a father felt very, very natural. We were jamming! She was sweating. No painkiller, let's go. She just clicked into that gear that only a woman has at a time like this. We'd been up for 40-something hours, and we went from dead tired to a really steadfast, 'Let's handle this... let's stay in the rhythm. Don't let the contraction be more than you.'"
Camila, 25, wanted a natural birth and chose not to have an epidural. But in the end, Matthew told OK! it came down to what was safest for both mom and baby.
"We ended up having an epidural because, on the large contractions, the umbilical cord was being compressed. They went in and tried the vacuum. This is where I learned -- and no one tells you this -- but having a baby is a bloody, pukey, sweaty, primeval thing! And I mean that as a beautiful thing. It is wild. But the vacuum didn't work, and the doctor said, 'C-section.'
The Texas-born actor says he cut the umbilical cord in "one snip" and got to hold his son for the first 15 minutes while doctors worked on Camila. Both he and the Brazilian beauty -- who waited to know the sex of their baby -- say they were not surprised to find out they had a boy.
"I said, 'Come here, little man. I saw the pecker and screamed that we'd been right all along about him being a boy. Then I brought him over to her [Camila],' Matthew said.

A little country - a little rock n roll

So Daniel is convinced that the baby does not share his germanic qualities. He says that if the baby were TRULY german he'd be on time because Germans are never late. So it's my Mexican blood pulsating through the baby creating the "hasta manana" scenario we are in. And if it's not because of that, then he says it's because we live in California and no one is ever on time, again, because they aren't german, because germans are always on time!

Poor German hubs - he's been very worried lately. Not worried so much as very anxious. He's losing his keys, can't find his phone, is missing meetings at work and has his head wrapped up around the baby.

So I'm sitting with my impatience and just letting it be. I have come to the conclusion (after many many days) that there is nothing I can do. Our midwives checked in yesterday and the baby is fine. He's in launch position and his heart is beating strong. They told me to enjoy my final days because it's all gonna change soon. So today I have another needle session, and then I'm meeting Amy for a mani-pedi session and maybe a walk. I got about 10 hours of sleep and had really crazy dreams. I keep dreaming I'm in Hawaii with Barak Obama. We don't even talk but he's always there whether in the kitchen or mowing the lawn, or collecting seashells. I need to stop watching the news. Then again, it could be a hell of a lot worse. I could be dreaming of McCain and nuclear destruction.

Accupuncture - Induction

This morning my accupuncturist came to the house and used about 20 needs to start induction. We'll see how it goes. It didn't hurt, but it was uncomfortable at times. There were needles between by thumb and 2nd finger which she twisted until my skin bubbled up. When it bubbled up, it felt similar to an electrical shock which would shoot through which ever part of my body the needle touched. Very interesting - and definitely a new sensation for me.

There were, I think 6 needles around my sacrum which were also being twisted, one on the sole of my foot and about 10 scattered around my ankles and toes. She spent about 30 minutes twisting each needle until that bubble happened and I felt the shock.

She kicked Chili out of the bedroom so that he wouldn't accidently lay down on me and dig a needle even deeper. So of course he was screaming and freaking outside the door until Daniel came home.

So back to accupuncture - I have an appointment daily until this baby comes out. She is not worried that the baby is late but she doesn't want to wait to get things moving. I'm also drinking some tasty Chinese herbal tea. I have to soak the mixture of roots, mud, shells, herbs and what other stuff is in there for 2 hours before I boil it and drink it down. I started to have light contractions and back aches yesterday so maybe, just maybe this baby is really coming soon. We'll see. I'm keeping busy, meeting friends and going on with life because waiting is hard.

Car seats

Oh my god - who knew that installing an infant car seat could be so complicated. Talk about pain in the ass! However, now the baby's car seat is secure and safe. I took the car seat to the Piedmont PD for a free review of our handy installation work. Turns out we hadn't installed it quite right. It was clear that this officer was a pro as he twisted the belt buckle down, sat on the baby seat and strapped it down with his weight so that the chair wouldn't budge. I just leaned against the passenger seat watching him grunt and twist like a cirque du soleil contorcionist until finally he was satisfied with the security of the car seat. After he reinstalled the seat, he went over how to use the car seat and all the things that I need to consider when driving with the baby. The officer showed me how to strap the baby in and how to adjust for the baby's length and size. He talked about head on collisions and roll overs and the types of items that could come slamming at the baby - like canned goods, tire chains, a dog, a hanging mobile...etc. Anyway in the end, the message was to keep the car clean so that nothing can come flying at the baby. So I guess I won't be traveling with canned tuna or peas, my imaginery dog, Chili or Woody or a tire chain.

Lucy left

So I took my mom to the airport about 30 minutes ago. She was so sad. So was I. I am still sad. I wanted her to be here for the birth of the baby. Then again, she does plan to return next Tuesday and the way I'm going I might not have the baby until then. Who knows - I'm not feeling anything significant happening. Last week I had strong contractions but within 3 hours they went away. Since then, nothing has happened. I'm walking every day with Daniel and going to my belly dancing class hoping that movement gets him going.

Ok, off to accupuncture then I'm grocery shopping.
Anyone have a good lasagne recipe? Email it to kaputzzz@yahoo.com

Still no baby. Daniel drinks expresso's and waits. Monica just gets fatter and waits.

So I'm a few days late. My official due date was Thursday August 7th and the day came and went. I'm trying not to focus on the date (although hard) and am running around (well, not quite but I'm active) running errands and trying to get as much completed before the baby arrives. Today Daniel and I went to a picnic in Alameda hosted by our midwives. We met lots of families and current clients. It was very cool to meet parents and see all the babies delivered at home by our midwives. It was an impressive number of folks.

Daniel invited Jerrod over again to yet another "delicious coffee beverage" and they watched some horrible movie ON DEMAND.

Life is totally calm right now - and we really don't have much going on other than waiting for our countertops in the kitchen and well, the painting and OH YEA the baby. We are dying to meet him.

So there is no more construction, no more Kevin, no more appointments with the city inspectors. It's all very quiet and kinda calm and well, weird.

Tacos, a nearly finished kitchen and no baby!

So the baby is just chilling and hanging out. No sign of him - Mamma Mia definitely did not work. The only thing that is happening is that I'm starting to get bad indigestion and everything smells like cat piss. I've been cleaning every blanket, comforter and pillow in the house. Today I steamed our mattress and used simple green to clean our comforter. I have 2 goose downs outside hoping to get rid of the cat smell. Woody is the culprit. He started spraying several weeks ago and now he is banned from our room. Actually I'm in the process of getting him a dog crate because I believe he is spraying in the hallway too. We are so lucky - he also stopped using his litter box. Anyone want a 14 year black manx? He's an asshole and I don't want him anymore. I called his vet and I'm trying to find out what I can do with him. Maybe the answer is kitty prozac. I don't know - but for now, he's in the "cat" house and he's bringing out the mommy dearest in me.


On another front, the kitchen is pretty much complete. We still need the countertops installed and that is going to take weeks to happen. We are still waiting for the ceaserstone folks to come out and measure the surface space. After that it will take a few weeks to have them out again to have them installed. So I'm hoping that by October we have the countertops in! Lastly we have some painting to do. Kevin's friend is going to come on in and finish up the work but he's in the middle of another project, so that might be another 3 weeks or so. Kevin is packing up his gear tomorrow and will return in several weeks to work on our outside wall that needs to be retrofitted. I'm sure he needs a break since he's been working in our house since May.
My mom and I are making tacos tonight and then its project runway time.
It's Carb Wednesday.

Auf Wiedersehen

Mamma Mia does not induce labor

My mom and I went to see Mamma Mia. I was hoping that the annoying musical would send me into labor. Instead I found myself humming to Abba tunes, eating popcorn and wishing I were drunk on some veranda overlooking the Aegean Sea. I secretly enjoyed PARTS of the movie. It was still pretty annoying and there were some singing parts where I just cringed in embarrassment. For example, when Pierce Brosnam started to sing, I thought " oh yea this is it - this surely has to send me into labor." He shouldn't sing. Ever.

In any case, that scene between he and Meryl Streep did NOT send me into labor. Nope. I'm still pregnant with the possibility of staying in this condition for another 2 weeks (it's safe until week 42). Holy Hell!

MIELE coffee machine

So the coffee machine was finally hooked up this weekend and all Daniel did this weekend was drink cappucino's and coffee. Wired!
He invited Jerrod over for a delicious coffee beverage (Daniel's words - not mine) and they both stared in awe at the crank-you-up-machine. The plumber also hooked up the dish washer which has been very very nice. We haven't had one since we lived in Berkeley on Blake Street.
No other news to report. All is the same except for all the progress that is being made in the kitchen.