We welcomed the newest member of "The Tribe", Jillian Kay, on July 10th, about 3 weeks ahead of her due date. She was a little peanut, weighing in at 6lbs, 9oz, compared to her brother who was a whopping 8lbs and change.
I participated in the birth, and offered my services to the surgical staff at Willow Creek Womens Hospital, suggesting I could make the first slice, or wrap things up, but they said they had it covered. It was a much smoother process this time, compared to the emergency c that happened the last time. Otherwise it was pretty much the same, though they said this time I could keep all of my clothes on under the surgery outfit. Stripping down before putting on the surgery gear must be a Chicago thing.
We don't have any great photos of the two kids together yet. Jack's not really that interested in babies, and will only tollerate the occasional suggestion that he even look at Jillian, much less stand still near her. He's helping a bit when it's something where he feels he can contribute - like tossing the diapers in the trash, or standing on a stool to pour water into her bath. Small steps, I guess.
This photo below was a study in color comparison, and I suppose gives you an idea of her size. We had a billirubin incident which caused Jillian to turn a bit yellow, but the doc said it was within the norms for kids her age. She pooped, got some indirect sunlight, and was fine a few days later.
Prior to Jillian's birth, we celebrated the birth of the nation by lighting off some fireworks, and sparklers, in the driveway, in defiance of the county burn-ban. The drought has really stressed the plant life, and from what I hear, the animals too. No hay for feading cattle, no corn for feeding chickens. This means we'll have some very expensive beef this winter. Time to stock the freezer.
The fireworks weren't too loud, didn't go very high, and were not very bright, but, were still good fun
We've been doing alot of Superhero stuff lately. This cape & mask has been a big hit. I'm usually either Captain America (if I get to choose), and "Clacko" or "Synestro" if Jack chooses. A new character "Jag-O" (I'm not kidding), has also emerged. Not sure what his power is.
Jillian just takes it all in while snacking, which has helped her finish the month around 8lbs.
She's been getting some good sleep at night, though the feedings have not been the greatest.
We took a trip to the Tulsa acquarium and spent 99% of our time with the sharks, with one small diversion to the ray pool.
Sorry to say I don't have much more to offer in the way of photos for July. We had to skip Buckin' in the
Ozarks at the Springdale Rodeo, and the awesome Rodeo Parade due to it falling right around Jillian's birth. Sailboat racing is on hiatus for July/August, though we've had an incredible amount of wind. Next month you may hear some stories about my new job. I'm working with Penske Automotive Group's Fayetteville Autopark. I'm a Honda specialist, but have also been trained in selling Acura, Toyota, Fiat and Chevy vehicles. A million stories there, but I don't think I'll be sharing much on this site. Look soon for my new YouTube site, where I'll be posting some video walk-arounds of the 2012 and 2013 Honda models. Until then, we hope you liked the photos, and we'll share more next month with our View Of Life In The South.
