Harper Is Here!!

Harper Quinn.
Born August 20th, 2011 weighing 7.7 lbs and 20.5 inches long   

So now that things are finally starting to calm down around the house, I've caught up on a little sleep (sortof...), and family is gone, its time to update the blog.

On August 20th, 2011, my wife and I welcomed our first child, Harper Quinn into this world.  We are unbelievably in LOVE with our baby girl, and we are amazed at how fast she is already changing!!

From the time we found out we were pregnant, my wife knew that she wanted to have a natural birth.  We signed up for Bradley Method birth classes, read many books about it, and ask a few friends that had one themselves.

But... Sometimes things don't go has planned, and Harper's birth story was no exception.

I want to tell the story in 3 separate post and give the details (include the now infamous exorcist moment) as well as I can remember.  But, right now, we are just glad to be home and resting with our perfect little girl.

A while ago, I wrote a post about how crazy my schedule was going to become when Harper arrived.  Check out my checklist for the coming months and tell me how in the world I can survive it.  Should I start drinking coffee?


Daddy survived sleeping on the crappiest, most uncomfortable, back-braking fold out bed for 5 days.

Daddy survived taking a shower in a area only made for a contortionist.

And Daddy survived being worried that baby hadn't pooped in 2 days.  (Now she is a poop factory!!)

Sorry it took me so long to update the blog, but the last few weeks were a little crazy around here.  In the first part of Harper's birth story, you will here how it all started, how our diaper bag was the talk of the hospital, and how Daddy's obsession with photos got him in trouble.

So, I'm off to figure out how to handle Daddy duties while teaching my first college class, and finishing my doctoral degree.

Daddy's in LOVE...

Seriously, Dad you need to shave.

Tim
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Wordless Wednesday #5

The Baby Waiting List Sucks

OK.  OK.

I FINALLY GET IT NOW.

You grow man boobs.

You have to clean your house EVERY day before they come.

You can't snuggle your wife in bed anymore.  (THIS REALLY ISN'T COOL)

You forget that you need to finish your college degree.

You finally realized you and your wife will no longer be just YOU.

You notice that you are actually a more emotional dude than you thought.

You found out that you were apart of the coolest party ever.

And...

You and your wife were cooler than you thought.

But the thing that bothers you the most, is being placed on the Baby Time.

What is Baby Time?

Well, when you have decided to have a completely "natural" birth, like us, you get placed on a waiting list.  (I thought I was done with waiting list after 11 years of college, but my daughter has decided to make sure I get on another before I graduate.)

It sucks.  I didn't like them in college, and I really HATE this one.  

The big due date for us is this Thursday, August 18th.  So ANY DAY NOW we could meet our daughter.  

This may very well be the last post before she is here, and I had to force this post out of me, because I've honestly just ran out of ideas to post about until she gets here.  So hopefully this weeks Wordless Wednesday post will be the first pics of our little girl??

So can I ask all of my fellow parents and daddy bloggers a favor?  Do a rain dance, post me a tip or give me a suggestion on how I can make her come any faster.

I will leave you until then with a couple of pictures I've taken over the past couple of weeks, because photography has become another way for me to make time pass by until she gets here.

Until then!!

Tim

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The Top 5 Signs Your Wife Is About To Go Into Labor (Or You Pray To God She Does Real Soon...)

That's it.

I've waited long enough.

The way my wife waddles around the house like a penguin, the lack of any speck of dust in our house, and the number of trips I've taken to Goodwill this summer, tells me its time for this little girl to get here already.

There are many things I've experienced in these final days while waiting for the baby to get here.

So I've compiled these 5 signs that any new expecting dad can use to tell if their wife is ready to go into labor.

When you recognize these signs, there is absolutely no doubt that you are mere moments away from the birth of your child.

You HAVE to be, right??

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Copy them down.

Make them refrigerator art.

Put them in your wallet.

Share them with your friends.   

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So here they are...

1.

You have impromptu "hardcore" housecleaning sessions at 10:30pm, because the thought of having a dirty house, while she is in the hospital, drives her literally insane.

2.

She doesn't let you snuggle in bed anymore, because the thought of your leg, arm, finger, or hair follicle touching her while she sleeps, makes her want to murder you, while you are sleeping like a baby beside her.

3.

You have to pick-up after yourself every single night before coming to bed, because (refer to #1...)

4.

You've "Nested" to the point that your house could be host to the National Bald Eagle Convention for the next 3 years.

5.

The thought of having your parents and in-laws come and cook you enough food for 3 months, so you don't have too, is beyond glorious.

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I mean, I'm no expert on this.  This is going to be our first child, so I have no other reference.

But, this HAS to be true.  HAS TO BE.  

So, you other dads out there, let me know if I'm right.  Tell me your story, because I need to know how much longer I have to clean, nest, hang things on the wall, go to Goodwill, and just dream about the first time my kid smiles at me.  

I've dreamed about it for years.

I've gained a few pounds along the way. 

I just literally can't stand it anymore!!  

I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A DAD.

Tim

The "Us" Factor

Look at that Mexican mustache!!

At any moment in the next few weeks, my wife and I will no longer be just "us."  We've been a couple for 10 years and married for 8.  So the thought of adding another person to our dynamic, I have to admit, is gonna feel a little weird at first.

We met at probably the most unlikely place dudes go to pick up chicks.  I was the nerdy looking guy with glasses hanging up Hot Wheels on the shelf in the toy department, while she was selling jewelry to the busted looking mommas trying to impress that guy at the local bar.

You guessed it...  The hottest chicks hang out in the jewelry department at Wal-Mart.

Yep.

Wal-Mart:  WHERE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.    

Well, the rest did take care of itself.

10 years later, here we are waiting for the arrival of our first child.  For 10 years it been just "us."  We added 3 dogs along the way, but until now, its been just the two of us living our selfish little lives.

We knew that kids would, at some point, be apart of our lives, but we wanted to have time to be "us."  We admitted to ourselves that we were too selfish to have kids.  We went through plenty of back-n-forth moments of "let's try for a kid now" or "well... lets wait."  But now, our selfish moments are completely gone.

Eat your heart out Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse.

In the past 10 years, we've had plenty of moments to be "us."  We've done some awesome things together. Plenty of trips to great places in the states.






We've road tripped it to Georgia for some family time in a cabin.

Been to the southern tip of the US to Miami, Florida.

Canoed the Spring River in Arkansas.

Seen plenty of kick a$$ rock concerts together.

We've been to New York City...

And to Las Vegas...

(OUR NEW FAVORITE PLACE!!)

Me and "Lucille"
A bong's worth of tequila and fruity goodness.
Try drinking this and walking from the Mirage to the Mandalay without peeing...

This picture cost me $5.
Storm Troopers are feeling the financial crisis too, I guess. 

Hey...  were are all the pics of my wife in Vegas??

We love to just be plain goofy and weird together.

And now we live here, ready to start our family and start a new journey as the Miller family.

Louisville, KY Skyline
Taken by me on July 14th, 2011

Our fun times as "us" have been a blast, but we are so ready to complete our family and bring our daughter inside our dynamic duo.

We will never stop being us, and we look forward to the trips to Disney World, the zoo, the lake, birthday parties, family time and all the other fun stuff.

We have been trying to soak up these last few days of being able to walk around our house in our undies, watching all the "grown-up" shows on TV, going to bed when we want too, sleeping in on the weekend, eating out, going to the movies, and being lazy.

It still really hard for me to comprehend that we created the perfect mix of "us."  I mean she growing inside my wife's belly right now.

A real, true life, little Miller baby is about to show herself to the world any day now!!

Will she have my wife's nose?  My ears?  Blonde hair or brown hair?  Will she be a comedian, a writer, or a musician?

Its just daddy, mommy, your 3 dogs and your baby room, waiting for you to arrive.

Only one thing missing from this photo.  

Your family is ready for you Harper.  Come join the crazy and goofy family that is US!!!!

If you ever experienced this feeling before, I would love to hear your story in the comment section below!


Tim
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COMING SOON:  A cross-promotion post, including complete baby room photos, and links to where you can find the stuff!

Wordless Wednesday #4