Baby B, the bottle and the bouncing red ball

I'm a bumbling buffoon when it comes to feeding Bea from the bottle. Either I startle her too much before I can even get the nipple to her lips and she screams as though I've just given her a vaccination (did that on the 2-month mark and man did she wail), or I just don't have enough of the mommy caress finesse to get her latched (which I don't).

Mama started pumping earlier than our midwife wanted her to, but it takes time to get baby on the bottle no matter when you start. My daddy pals at DadLabs gave me some good recommendations about finding the right bottle/nipple combo, and all of Amy's baby reading and friend and family advice.

I have had some success, however, and we'll keep working hard on it since we're close to Mama going back to work. And thankfully we think we found the right nanny with lots of baby raising experience, including bottle feeding, which will make the initial transition a little easier.

I hope. Keep your fingers crossed.

We're also coming up on the big 3-month milestone and Bea is an active little bugaboo. She's hitting all her milestones so far and that makes us very happy parents! As a busy new working daddy I try to be mindful and stay in the moment with my baby, but man I get freaked out sometimes that I'm missing something, anything – real big.

Keeping up with the red bouncing ball that hits our lifetime keywords like a xylophone on speed isn't easy.

And those keywords are crucial when baby is learning language. Mama and my Caveman's Guide to Baby's First Year continue to educate this buffoon:

1. Talk to the little bugaboo about anything and everything (no cursing).

2. Tell the baby stores; read to her (that's an easy one for us).

3. Lots of music and singing (Daddy K, meet Baby Einstein).

4. Exposing her to other people and places (that's also an easy one for Mr. and Mrs. Social Butterfly).

5. Play with toys that help baby understand shapes and space (doing that more and more).

Check. Now when can I start her on drum lessons (so I can start too)?

Well, it’s what you do to a Search – Baby B thinks Pooh is brilliant

As if we didn't have enough fun last weekend at the first shower with the Fisher Vista gals, this weekend was the big family/friends shower. And my oh my, was it a humdinger. Thank you Nancy for organdizing it all. We truly appreciate it!

Amy's sister's family came to visit, her Mother, other family friends and most of her dearest friends. My cousin Sherri came who we haven't seen for a few years. Such a pleasant surprise! Sadly my parents couldn't attend; the trek from Oregon takes its toll these days and will come down again after the baby's born (and we plan on going there for Christmas). But we did talk to them virtually via Skype and a web-cam. After busting my Dad's chops he finally got the web-cam set up so they can talk to Baby B when it comes and Baby B can see its grandfolk. In fact, any of our family and friends who live far away can get set up virtually as well – I'd be happy to help.

Good times ensued. Lots more fun games for the ladies (with their unadulterated chatter – mercy! – check out the video), but this time there were more guys who needed to do guy things out in the backyard where only guys roam and roar. Sweet. Playing ninja-army-warrior battle and then running through the sprinklers makes us complete men. Roar.

Whether you attended our showers or not, we know many who struggle in today's harsh financial climate. We can't tell you enough how much we appreciate your generous gifts, thoughts, blessings and prayers.

Stephanie's gift was especially poignant – it consisted of a bag full of rocks and crystals, and a lovely moon box, and each one of us picked out a rock/crystal, shared a blessing for Baby B, and then placed it in the moon box. Jill made us a baby blanket, spit rags (can't have enough of those I've been told), and classic Winnie the Pooh wall hangings. Nothing finer than handmade gifts.

Man, love that Pooh. Brilliant.

"Now," said Rabbit, "this is a Search, and I've Organized it –"

"Done what to it?" said Pooh.

"Organized it. Which means – well, it's what you do to a Search, when you don't all look in the same place at once. So I want you, Pooh, to search by the Six Pine Trees first, and then work your way towards Owl's house, and look out for me there. Do you see?"

"No," said Pooh. "What –"

"Then I'll see you at Owl's House in about an hour's time."

"Is Piglet organdized too?"

"We all are," said Rabbit, and off he went.

John 15:12

This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.

Amen.

Daddy K prays for sleep but has promises to keep

To be honest I'm not really that afraid much when it comes to arrival of Baby B. Everyone keeps telling us our lives will change forever, it's a life-changing event, life as you've known it is over, etc. (sometimes positioned in a positive light, and other times not so – as in your life is over).

I'm not buying the negative hype, though. Sure it's life-changing, and I have no idea what to expect other than what I've been told, but we wouldn't be here 7+ months pregnant otherwise. Our lives changed when we agreed to have a child. Our lives changed when we agreed to be married. Our lives changed when we agreed to live together (okay, for those of you keeping score at home, pretend we married first). Our lives changed when after hesitating for a few seconds, almost not completing the meeting of our love to be, we did start talking on the beach when we met, October 11, 1997 – then fast forward to 7+ months pregnant.

We have no idea, do we...sigh.

At this moment, the thing I'm worried about most is sleep. Or lack thereof. Bring on the vomit and the poop and the pee, but God please give us some sleep. Obviously the first few months are going to sketchy based on what I've read and heard from other parents, but God please give us some sleep and put B on the fast train to the all-night express.

I found a great piece titled Will I Ever Sleep Again? Suggestions for New Dads to Help Babies Sleep from Mike Farrell at Fatherville.com, for About.com:

1. Breastfeeding mothers need help. That's right, don't assume that because your wife is breastfeeding that you are "off the hook." If your wife is breastfeeding she will treasure you for taking the time to get up and bring your baby to her. It seems insignificant now. But at 3 a.m. in the morning it's a beautiful gesture.

2. Take shifts with your wife. Agree before you go to bed at night which of you will get up with the baby first. It might help to simply pick even and odd hours. For example, if the baby wakes up during the 11pm, 1am, 3am, 5am hours then you wake up with him or her. If it's during the 12am, 2am, 4am, 6am hours then your wife will wake up with the baby. The point is having a plan before you go to sleep at night. This will eliminate the anger and frustration of the moment when neither one of you wants to get up.

3. Learn the different ways your baby likes to be held. Some like to be held chest to chest. Others like to be cradled. And still others like to be seated facing away from you. Find the position that your baby feels most comfortable in try soothing them in that position.

4. Don't be too proud or embarrassed to sing softly and even talk to your baby. The sound of your voice is very reassuring to your baby and it is part of the bonding process. Your baby will quickly learn to associate your voice with safety and security.

5. Gentle bouncing works sometimes. But be careful not to bounce baby too much or you may upset your baby's tummy.

6. Pacifiers work too. Some babies find comfort in a pacifier. Others refuse to accept it especially if your wife is breastfeeding.

7. Rocking, either in a chair or in the bassinet, can also be helpful means of helping ease your baby back to sleep.

8. Pacing the floor was very soothing to my daughter. In fact she would transition from a "deathly scream" to silence if I put her chest to chest with her head on my shoulder and simply started pacing the room. While pacing the room you'll discover little nooks and crannies that you had never noticed before.

9. Placing a warm heating pad in your babies cradle before bed time can ease the transition when laying baby down for the first time at night. NOTE: The heating pad should never be left in the cradle when it is occupied.

10. A warm bath in a baby tub can also be a great way to soothe your baby before bedtime. It's important that you have a towel to wrap your baby in right away after the bath. This will eliminate him from getting cold.

Wow, that was like counting sheep.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.