Baby Shower & Parenting Class III

Baby Shower
This past Sunday was our baby shower. We got all kinds of stuff, clothes, a highchair, more clothes, blankets, towels, stroller, car seat, cradle, pads, stuffed animals, sheets, the smallest socks and hats I've ever seen (we'll see how long until I lose half of those), little shoes, etc. Mom, Diana, Grandpa... from all three of us, Thank You! Laura had her cousin (Erin - a bridesmaid from the wedding) keep track of who gave us what so expect a "thank you" card in the future. Diana, I was going to call you that day and say thanks, but I've lost my phone and therefore your number, so the next e-mail you send me drop your phone number in there for me. The baby shower was fun we ate and opened packages and talked with a bunch of Laura's relatives that I didn't know existed (she didn't even recognize some of them). Samantha came with Jennifer (a little late due to getting lost) and Samantha played most of the time with a girl (I can't remember how old she is but 7 comes to mind) named Carly - Carly (Laura's mom's best-friend's daughter) is extremely energetic and so is Samantha so they had fun together. I filled the van with stuff and Laura has been sorting (and washing) clothes by size since. We got a couple gift cards as well and went to Babies R Us yesterday and bought some soft blankets and some odds and ends that we still needed. Laura's grandmother is lending us a changing table and dresser for the baby's room and her parents are going to help us get a crib. So all-in-all, everything is going pretty well.

Parenting Class III
Well this was another fairly serious class, we discussed C-Sections in depth (and watched a video again - Yippee), we talked about 'drugs for Moms' (epidurals and such), and just chatted a bit until we were taken on a 'tour'. We were shown the room that the relatives get to stay in... not much room there, but supposedly they just broke a record with 40 people in the waiting room for ONE baby. Then we were taken to the 'holding room' - this is the room they put you in if you think you are in labor. If you are in labor they move you to the 'birthing room' which is actually quite large and very nice, the baby has a little room of his own off to the side and they put one of the department store 'don't steal this thing' security devices on the baby's umbilical cord so if anyone (including mom and dad) get the baby too close to the door all the doors lock and alarms go off and a big guard named Bubba comes with his rubber gloves to 'check you' (well all of that is true except for Bubba), which is nice to know that someone won't steal the baby, but I'll be the first one to set the damn thing off just pacing with the baby. The room was very hi-tech but still looked kinda 'homey' which made everyone feel a little more comfortable... there's even a daybed for me to attempt to sleep on if I can sleep the first night. Visitors are allowed up after the baby's born, but we are told to wait an hour for 'bonding' then we can bring people up in twos - Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, and such. We are excited (still nervous, but definitely excited) about the 'big day' and being able to bring him home. It's comin' up quick!

Oh, and we have finally decided on a name (it's the name we've been throwin' back and forth now for about 2 months) and announced it at the baby shower.

Ryan James Waltemire

Ryan (because its the only name we could agree on... I am quite picky about boy names - I didn't want a name that could be shortened or one that was too long... I must've inherited it from Harley's side) and James because of Grandpa.