***Baby Update!!***
This is stoney321 with new baby information and PICS!! Short version: beautiful baby came early, mother and baby boy are HEALTHY and WELL!
Copied from an email from Mr. Kako with permission, their names changed because it's online:
Dear Family & Friends,
This week has been quite the ride for Kako and me... and our baby boy! It
all started out on Thursday evening when Kako was alarmed to find that she
was bleeding. She got a full check-up at the hospital Friday morning and
we were told that she was already one cm dilated. Later on that evening
she started having some abdominal pains - keep in mind that baby's due
date is/was April 28th and it was only March 24th. Our doctor said the
contractions she was having might subside, but that it might indicate that
baby might come early. Kako didn't think much of it and sure enough,
after much denial (she was in full denial until her water broke 5 hours
before Callum was born) and bed-rest on Saturday and lots of painful
contractions, we went to the hospital at 6am Sunday morning and almost 4
hours later our son was born.
Time stood still on that day while our lives shot fast-forward by 1 month.
We had quite a few things on the to-do list before baby came: people to
see... places to go... cribs to build... life insurance to top-up... work to
finish... but all these just disappeared in just a few hours. No loss,
though, because what we got was more than worth it!
So at 9:48am, on March 26th, 2006, Callum Asher (Irish name meaning
"peaceful dove" pronounced Cal-lum and Asher is a Jewish name for "happy",
Chinese name TBA) was born weighing in at 5 lbs 13 oz. For a baby who came
into this world a full month before his due date, this was a pretty good
size! (He was really only 2 weeks before "term" - medically speaking, 37
weeks is when infants are 'ripe' for birth - Callum was 35 weeks). Extra
doctors/specialists were on hand to just in case, but their services were
not needed. Healthy as can be, Callum broke out in a sharp cry immediately
after birth and was given to Kako and me without any intervention (the
naughty boy did wrap the umbilical cord around his neck twice but it was
pretty much a flawless birth).
I bet you were all thinking that he would be a huge baby with a gigantic
Mr. Kako-sized head but right now he is just a wee little one! I think he looks
more like Kako but some have said he looks like a little-kako. He is
SUPER HAIRY but aside from genetics, most pre-term babies have a furry
covering that is usually lost by the time they are full-term. During the
last few days, [we] have thought he looked: cute; like an old man;
like a cute monkey; reptilian; back to being cute. Whoever and whatever he
looks like, we're just glad that he's here and in our lives.
Kako was amazing throughout it all. I've always considered moms to be
super, but experiencing the labour/birth process with her has brought me
new awe for what mom's go through - I would not have missed this experience
for anything. :) No drugs at all, no epidural, no nothing, except for Jack
Johnson music playing in the background (Kako actually told us to turn the
cd back on, mid contraction twice during the birth--coping mechanisms at
work), the doula, midwife, and me. She was also super nice to me during the
whole thing - nothing like those crazy moms that you see in TV! Kako is
recovering remarkably well and really (she won't agree with me) she didn't
even look like she had just given birth.
Since Callum was early we had to stay in the hospital for 3 days for
monitoring. We just came back yesterday (March 29). Luckily for us, we had
family and friends who were tremendous at bringing us baby things we needed
and helped clean up our place before we came home. Without them, we would
have returned to a home that was not yet fully ready for a life with baby.
It still barely ready for a life with baby but we're getting there, one step
at a time. Kako, Callum, and I are doing well. We're in good spirits &
love our little baby boy tremendously.
In time Callum will get to visit with you all but things are just crazy now,
especially for mom & dad. Just give us some time to get him settle in -
we're starting to get used to the every 2-3 hour feedings and poopy changes
in between (man they have A LOT of poo and pee!).
So, now you know why we haven't returned messages! We still love hearing
and reading them, though!
I know there are people we may have missed to call/email along the way so
please pass this on if you hear of anyone that we we may have missed.
Love,
The Kaka Akos
And now the pics!
Be sure to fill up the comment pages with good thoughts and wishes to send to mom at home! ~Stoney
Copied from an email from Mr. Kako with permission, their names changed because it's online:
Dear Family & Friends,
This week has been quite the ride for Kako and me... and our baby boy! It
all started out on Thursday evening when Kako was alarmed to find that she
was bleeding. She got a full check-up at the hospital Friday morning and
we were told that she was already one cm dilated. Later on that evening
she started having some abdominal pains - keep in mind that baby's due
date is/was April 28th and it was only March 24th. Our doctor said the
contractions she was having might subside, but that it might indicate that
baby might come early. Kako didn't think much of it and sure enough,
after much denial (she was in full denial until her water broke 5 hours
before Callum was born) and bed-rest on Saturday and lots of painful
contractions, we went to the hospital at 6am Sunday morning and almost 4
hours later our son was born.
Time stood still on that day while our lives shot fast-forward by 1 month.
We had quite a few things on the to-do list before baby came: people to
see... places to go... cribs to build... life insurance to top-up... work to
finish... but all these just disappeared in just a few hours. No loss,
though, because what we got was more than worth it!
So at 9:48am, on March 26th, 2006, Callum Asher (Irish name meaning
"peaceful dove" pronounced Cal-lum and Asher is a Jewish name for "happy",
Chinese name TBA) was born weighing in at 5 lbs 13 oz. For a baby who came
into this world a full month before his due date, this was a pretty good
size! (He was really only 2 weeks before "term" - medically speaking, 37
weeks is when infants are 'ripe' for birth - Callum was 35 weeks). Extra
doctors/specialists were on hand to just in case, but their services were
not needed. Healthy as can be, Callum broke out in a sharp cry immediately
after birth and was given to Kako and me without any intervention (the
naughty boy did wrap the umbilical cord around his neck twice but it was
pretty much a flawless birth).
I bet you were all thinking that he would be a huge baby with a gigantic
Mr. Kako-sized head but right now he is just a wee little one! I think he looks
more like Kako but some have said he looks like a little-kako. He is
SUPER HAIRY but aside from genetics, most pre-term babies have a furry
covering that is usually lost by the time they are full-term. During the
last few days, [we] have thought he looked: cute; like an old man;
like a cute monkey; reptilian; back to being cute. Whoever and whatever he
looks like, we're just glad that he's here and in our lives.
Kako was amazing throughout it all. I've always considered moms to be
super, but experiencing the labour/birth process with her has brought me
new awe for what mom's go through - I would not have missed this experience
for anything. :) No drugs at all, no epidural, no nothing, except for Jack
Johnson music playing in the background (Kako actually told us to turn the
cd back on, mid contraction twice during the birth--coping mechanisms at
work), the doula, midwife, and me. She was also super nice to me during the
whole thing - nothing like those crazy moms that you see in TV! Kako is
recovering remarkably well and really (she won't agree with me) she didn't
even look like she had just given birth.
Since Callum was early we had to stay in the hospital for 3 days for
monitoring. We just came back yesterday (March 29). Luckily for us, we had
family and friends who were tremendous at bringing us baby things we needed
and helped clean up our place before we came home. Without them, we would
have returned to a home that was not yet fully ready for a life with baby.
It still barely ready for a life with baby but we're getting there, one step
at a time. Kako, Callum, and I are doing well. We're in good spirits &
love our little baby boy tremendously.
In time Callum will get to visit with you all but things are just crazy now,
especially for mom & dad. Just give us some time to get him settle in -
we're starting to get used to the every 2-3 hour feedings and poopy changes
in between (man they have A LOT of poo and pee!).
So, now you know why we haven't returned messages! We still love hearing
and reading them, though!
I know there are people we may have missed to call/email along the way so
please pass this on if you hear of anyone that we we may have missed.
Love,
The Kaka Akos
And now the pics!
Be sure to fill up the comment pages with good thoughts and wishes to send to mom at home! ~Stoney