fish fry

Another photo dump

2011-06-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Random photos from the past year. Videos to follow....

Morning Commute

2010-04-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

I was going to snap a few photos of the pad for Grampa and then decided to just video the ride home from daycare. This is the morning commute after dropping off Reed. The vid is horrible, but it serves the purpose:

ps. Good song, so I let it run out...

Photo/Vid Dump Per Nana Request

2010-04-14T10:12:00.001-07:00

Lots of photos that were haven't uploaded because of our annoyingly slow internet connection. All that has changed - no more excuses.

Reed's Birthday Dinner @ Phat Thai

Glenwood Hot Springs

Moving day

Reed being Reed:

The "Incident"

2010-04-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was my fault. As we scrambled day after day to get the house ready for the move, my job one particular afternoon was to wash windows. We have one high window in the kitchen, that El and I both dislike due to the direct morning sun it allows to relentlessly blind us while relaxing on weekend mornings. This window was the first objective of the day. As I positioned the ladder and started climbing up to the window, truth be told, I did think of Reed and his quickly developing motor skills, but dismissed the thought and kept climbing. Dumb. The kid was hanging unassisted from door jambs at 6 months. Walking at 10 months. Climbing stairs at about the same time. I had time to soap the window and turn around to check on Reed when I heard a heartbreaking bang, thump and then finally, the scream. The kind of scream that takes a bit to get out and as you're waiting for it, you count to yourself so you can gauge how bad they are hurt. The longer the pause, the worse the situation. And this was bad. I jumped off the ladder and picked up my son, who was lying flat on his back and scared stiff. As near as I can tell, he made it up to the third rung before pitching off. The 'bang' was him hitting the metal stool (with his face) on the way down. Still crying after 15 minutes, I put him down and he walked right over to the ladder and started up it again.....hmmm.....

Reed Relaxing

2010-03-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

Bathtime. Now I know why my grandmother did this with me. Way easier to deal with the squirmy, slippery little mammal.

Hitchin' a Ride

2010-03-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

Video from a recent ski tour at the end of the Frying Pan Road.

Reed's First Christmas

2009-12-30T11:58:00.000-08:00

Someone has too much time on their hands...

Reed...what are you doing?

2009-12-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

Ok, one more vid of the budding Captain Destructo. Soon Reed will be crashing my car...

Reed the Happy Boy

2009-12-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

Reed had a nasty cold last week that made him pretty miserable, but he's finally recovering and is once again the happy, fun boy we usually know him to be!

He already has four teeth (amazing for being only 8 months old) and is happily weaning himself
and eating a wide variety of solid foods.

Is it Time to Eat or Play?

2009-12-04T06:59:00.000-08:00

Reed loves feeding time, especially when it's preceeded by a little play time!

Too Damn Cute

2009-07-28T19:55:00.001-07:00

What more do we need to say?

North of the Border

2009-07-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

On July 11 we took Reed on his first trip abroad, spending two weeks in British Columbia and Alberta with my family and friends. We flew to Spokane, Washington, where my parents picked us up and we drove across the border to Rossland, B.C.

Reed is automatically a dual American-Canadian citizen, and so was very excited to see his "other" home land.

The main purpose of the trip was to attend my little brother's wedding in Nelson. The ceremony took place on Kootenay Lake (in the gazebo in the background), where our family had spent most of our childhood weekends sailing. Here we are with my dad, Richard.

Reed was thrilled to finally meet his uncle Jeff! I think he was mesmerized by Jeff's many colorful tattoos of Japanese fish, a geisha girl and many more....

... And then of course, there's Auntie Lindsey, who gladly smothered Reed with affection and kisses whenever we hung out. There was no shortage of attention for baby Reed!

After the wedding, Jeff, Lindsey and a bunch of their friends rented cabins in Silverton, which is right on the shores of Slocan Lake. We enjoyed three blissful days of sunbathing, swimming, paddling kayaks, downhill mountain biking (Rob), trail running (El) and bonfire and s'more making on the beach. Every day was hot and sunny and only in the late evenings, when the sun set around 9 p.m. (when this photo was taken), did it cool off.

Ah, there's nothing like chillin' at a beach campfire!

I will post more photos from the wedding and the trip on Facebook soon, so check back there for more!

Visit Uncle Bob and Aunt Judy

2009-07-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

Well folks, we're way behind on our blog postings, but for good reason! We've been spending time with family here in Colorado and up in Canada, starting with Rob's Uncle Bob and Aunt Judy, who came from Michigan to visit us in May.

Reed was excited to meet more of the extended family.

Rob's sister Heather and her boyfriend, Brenden also came from Avon, Colorado, to stay the weekend. And even though Reed looks terrified by the toy polar bear from Brenden's parents, he actually loves it (really!).

Reed loves his auntie Heather!

While I took Reed running with some other moms and babes in Aspen, Rob took the relatives on a hike to the waterfall behind our house.

Reed's Reading Already!

2009-06-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe he's not even three months old because Reed is already devouring his first book--Adventures of the Roly Poly Little Panda.

Reed loves reading!

How Not to Camp with a Two-Month Old

2009-06-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Rob and I packed up the car and headed north for our first camping adventure with Reed. When Rob first brought up the idea of this trip, he pitched it as "only a four-hour drive" to the Cache La Poudre (aka "The Pooter") river, where some of his buds were kayaking on Sunday. We'd camp out on Saturday night, join the fellas for a quick river run the next morning, then boot back home Sunday afternoon. It sounded simple enough, though of course it did go exactly as we'd planned.

Rob packed half the gear on Friday night so he could take off at 6:30 a.m. the next morning on his road bike while I fed Reed twice, changed his diaper three times, packed up the food and baby supplies, corralled the dog and kid into the car, and finally hit the road at 9:30. We caught up to Rob (who had ridden from our house over Cottonwood Pass) on his way up Vail Pass and after spending six bumpy hours in the saddle, we picked him up at Copper Mountain.

From Copper we drove north along the Gore Range. As we passed through numerous rainstorms, I grew more uncomfortable. The weather was cold and wet, we'd been on the road for 7 hours and still weren't at the Pooter. I was exhaused from the early morning start and began to question our wisdom of taking a two-month old camping. What if Reed is swarmed by mosquitos? What if he gets cold? What if he gets sick? What if a bear or mountain lion invades our camp in the middle of the night?

We finally reached the camp site at 6 p.m. and Rob quickly pitched the tents while I fed Reed. In no time, we had our junk strewn about the camp site.

It's then we notice that we hadn't packed the propane for the camp stove. Guess it's just raw carrots, chips and powerbars for dinner! Tired and hungry, our moral began to wane...

Until our friends Jack and Brandy arrived and the boys went on a mission to mooch fuel from some fellow campers. We were able to have pesto pasta with chicken after all! They also brought along beer and stuff to make smores on the campfire. Yum!

Reed's makeshift "camping crib" was basically a shallow cardboard box Rob got from work (which had been used to ship a toilet seat), lined with a thick bathtowel. When it was time to put Reed down, I bundled him up in a onesie with feet and a cute sleeper suit, then zipped him into my Patagonia down jacket.

However, as night fell, I heard coyotes howling in the distance, and the famous Meryl Streep movie line, "A dingo stole my baby!" played again and again in my mind. So instead of sleeping in his box, we kept Reed nestled between his mom and dad.

While Reed slept well, Rob and didn't. Rob constantly checked to make sure Reed wasn't getting smothered, and I soon discovered how hard it is to breastfeed in a side-lying position in a sleeping bag on a half-inflated air mattress as squishy as a waterbed. I had to awkwardly manoeuver Reed into position (much to his irritation) after pulling up my three fleece shirts (reluctantly exposing my chest to the freezing night air), wiggle half-way out of my sleeping bag, turn on my side (with my hip sinking through the mattress and hitting the ground undernearth) and stack pillows under my arm and head for support. Reed would slurp for a few minutes, then we'd both fall back asleep for about two hours until the next feeding.

But the next morning was gorgeous and sunny and we enjoyed loads of good coffee and breakfast with Jack and Brandy (their baby is due this fall) before the guys hit the river (in the pouring rain). I had hoped to go for a trail run, but exhaustion and rain spoiled those plans, so when Rob got off the river we zipped over to Fort Collins for hot lunch. But by the afternoon, we were too tired to make the 5-plus hour drive home, so we crashed at Jack and Brandy's that night and headed home Monday morning.

We learned a lot on this trip, including the importance of knowing what you're getting into, always bring more diapers, wipes, onesies and changes of clothing for the inevitable diaper blowouts, projectile spitups and other messes, don't expect to get much sleep (at least on the inaugural outing), be prepared for any weather, be flexible with your plans, and above all, keep a sense of humor :)

Reed's First Passport

2009-05-29T11:16:00.000-07:00

So Rob, Reed and I are going to Canada in July for my brother Jeff's wedding in Nelson, British Columbia. For the trip, we had to get Reed his first U.S. passport. The process was relatively straightforward--except for the challenge of getting a proper passport mugshot. As you can see from the photo below, the guys at Postnet had trouble getting the special camera to focus on Reed's little head.

I think Reed looks more like an alien than my precious, adorable little baby.

Postnet let us keep our $18. Thanks anyway guys.

Then we found out they also take passport photos at the post office where you submit the passport application form. As he was told, Rob did his best to hold Reed's head up while they took his picture. Attempt number two wasn't much better than attempt number one.

Reed was asleep moment before this picture was taken.
Rob's fingers behind his head make it look like he has cauliflower ears.

We eventually we got a shot that still wasn't all that flattering, but will have to do. He'll have this passport until the age of 5, poor kid!

Oh well, we all know he's a lot cuter than this in real life!

The Bomb and the Bruin

2009-05-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

Last week, I loaded Reed into the ERGObaby carrier and began hiking up the trail on the wooded hillside above our house with Nuke romping alongside. I was psyched to be out at 9:30 a.m., as I rarely leave the house before noon due to Reed’s voracious morning appetite, frequent diaper changings, the piles of laundry and half-finished housework around the house.

Nuke trotted about 50 yards ahead as I crossed the meadow leading to the trail, where he revels in scrambling up embankments and launching himself off logs. But on this morning, he curiously stopped in the middle of the trail and began barking. Standing alert and still, he stared straight ahead at something I couldn’t see as thick foliage obscured my view. He glanced back at me then ahead, barking nervously. Perhaps the neighbor was walking with her dogs or a mischievous squirrel in a tree was teasing him.

“Nuke, come!” I called. He began approaching me but promptly turned and ran back up the trail, tentatively barking in his inherently friendly Lab voice. I stepped forward and peered through the bushes. That’s when I saw the hulking brown mass towering over my lanky black dog. The beloved pup was all that stood between me, my baby and an enormous bear.

I’ve had many bear encounters while trail running back home in the Canadian Rockies. Each time, I kept my cool, following the standard bear-encounter advice Parks Canada posts all over the national parks. I knew how to identify black from grizzly bears, recognize defensive behaviour and, in theory at least, how to avoid provoking an attack. However, since moving to Colorado (where there are supposedly no grizzlies) I’d become complacent, never bothering to make noise as I moved through bear territory. But on this day, I realized I’d merely been lucky to not have this kind of encounter until now.

The bear’s dark nose was the bull’s eye of its round head encircled by a rotund body. It stood motionless, contemplating the obnoxious 85-pound, floppy-eared animal in its path. Nuke kept the bear distracted so it didn’t notice me, but I wanted him to move away from the bear before it took him out with one swipe of its giant clawed paw.

Calling Nuke to come, I turned around and began running. Nuke must have sensed the urgency in my voice because, while he never obeys me when he’s pursuing a squirrel or deer, he immediately appeared at my side and remained glued to my heel as I hustled down the trail, cradling seven-week-old Reed’s floppy head in my palm. The ERGObaby kept him secure to my chest, but the jostling ride roused him from his sleep and he groaned in rhythm with my rapid footfalls. Every few seconds I glanced over my shoulder, praying the bear wasn’t lumbering after us. If it had been, I don’t know what I would have done.

I searched desperately for sign of the game trail that would short-cut the route back to main road leading to our house. Eventually I spot the faint deer-trodden path descending steeply to the left. I tighten my grip on Reed and plunge downhill, ducking woody branches and tolerating the thorny bushes slicing my shins. All the while, I didn’t dare take a breath as I strained to hear if a large, clawed beast was crashing through the bush behind us.

I finally emerged from the forest, dropped down a short, steep embankment and touched down on the dirt road near the house. I audibly gasp for air. A panting Nuke gazes at me. He seems relieved too. “Thanks for protecting your family, Nuke,” I say, patting him on the head and blinking back tears. Least affected by the morning’s trauma was Reed, who, once I stopped running, returned to a peaceful slumber.

Newsflash!!!

2009-05-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Nuke goes toe to toe with a "massive" black bear today.

El, Reed, and Nuke were hiking on a trail behind the house when they encountered the bear. Nuke - damn fine dog - went into full-on family protection mode.

More on this later after I interview my wife.

The Bomb, on high alert.

Getting Oot and Aboot Again

2009-05-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

For the first time since Reed arrived into this world, I’m sitting at a cafe alone, with just my thoughts, laptop and cup of hot tea. It’s hard to believe he’s already six weeks old, and while Reed is thriving, his parents are feeling a tad haggard.

It's hard to believe that just a year ago I was in Europe with friends Dan and Janine Patitucci and John Dittli, where we spent three fantastic weeks ski touring in the Italian Dolomites and Swiss, Italian and Austrian Alps, shooting skiing for the Isis winter clothing catalog.

Getting jacked up on Dan’s kick-ass Euro coffee, we'd drive at high speeds along serpentine mountain roads and spend three or four days backcountry hut hopping in search for ever-elusive blue sky and fresh powder shots.

By contrast, now my days are filled with hours of sitting and breastfeeding, soothing Reed's wailes, sleeping very little and going for tame walks along paved pathways around town.

While last spring's travels were awesome, what I miss most right now (even more than sleep) is a little mental space to process the day. While reminiscing about our European adventures, I came across this great entry on Dan's blog about how grown-ups need play time just as much as babies do. That's what I've been missing--solo play time to just be with my thoughts. Trail running has always been my venue for processing the day's stresses, emotions and problems. But after not being able to run for two months, these thoughts have been weighing on my mind and adding to the fatigue.

So for the last two weeks, I've gradually been getting back to running, often pushing little Reed in the Chariot. We even raced the Dandelion Days 5K in Carbondale last Saturday with friends Joy (with five-week old Selah) and Mike Schneiter. The next day I ran and easy 40 minutes with Joy and super-mom and athlete, Sari Anderson. To supplement a modest three runs a week (to start with), I carry Reed (in the ERGObaby carrier) while hikin the forested trail above our house.

All this recent fresh air, bright sunshine and real exercise has helped me feel like my old self again. Only now, I have a training sidekick. Whether it's in the Chariot or the Ergobaby carrier, Reed will be logging a lot of miles along with his mom, and I couldn't imagine doing it any other way.

The Angry Raisin as The Happy Grape

2009-05-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Reed's gloating parents are reaching new lows (or highs depending your perspective) here. Reed just recently starting smiling and mimicing us when we make certain sounds. Exciting for us.

Photos

2009-05-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

No copy, just gratuitous baby photos:

The Bomb VS The Rocket

2009-05-04T16:15:00.000-07:00

El and I actually wasted time the other night by having the "who's cuter, baby or puppy" debate. I was, of course, speaking from an inherent and aesthetic platform, separating the conversation from our baby and puppy. And El, philosophically, would never allow an animal be crowned cuter than her first born.

Deep stuff, I know...

Nuke and Reed, respectively.

The Angry Raisin

2009-04-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Angry Raisin, having one. Check it out.

Ok, I stole this moniker from Michael Crider's book: The Guy's Guide to Surviving Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the First Year of Fatherhood. El gave this to me at some point during her pregnancy. It's LOL funny now - now that I'm in it. Before the birth, I was most definitely not "in it", and I wanted to keep it that way for as long as I could. El and I both spent a lot of time hiding out in our little rental on Frying Pan River. We couldn't get enough of the peace and solitude. It was our preparation for the inevitable. The Rocket was coming in hot and we knew it.

So, on Tuesday evening after work, Reed and I hung out for the first time, without Mommy. I have this habit of trying to pack too much into a given time period and I was excited to test out my solo parenting skills.

"El, meet me in Basalt right after work. You can feed Reed real quick while I finish up a meeting. We'll make the hand off. You head home for some solo time. I'll head up to the Zanni's to show off the kid, pick up some cycling stuff and be home in time for the next feeding." I had this one, no problem.

Mid-meeting, El walks up to make the hand off and Reed seems content for the moment, so I question,"what have I got here sweetie? An hour and a half?" She looks me in the eye and I can see her entire trying day, laid out in front of me. "If you're lucky," she smiles and refrains from ending it with "suckerrrr".

Timing is everything. About 20 minutes from home, The Angry Raisin got hungry. He's screaming in the back seat and I'm digging through my tiny, useless, bag of experience hoping to find anything to fix this. I actually tried, ever so slightly, to rock the car back and forth, but abandoned it immediately, better judgement winning out over jackass desperation. Every small bump in the road became a target. At every wide shoulder, I would let the tires drift onto the dirt and soak up the vibration. Not only did these tactics not work, but they compounded Reed's unhappiness. He would feel the car shake a bit, calm himself for a split second, remember the only thing he wanted, needed and cared about was milk from Mommy and ramp it up even higher. Reed's screaming evolved into an undulating cacophony of sounds that I barely recognized as human. Reed was unglued and realizing there was nothing I could do to help him, I turned on the radio and settled into the last few miles to the house. Either he got bored of wailing away, or he really likes Sublime, but he settled down just in time for El to meet us in the driveway.

Green Cards and Aunt Heather Finally!

2009-04-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

It's official! The U.S. Department of Homeland Security graciously handed El her green card last Friday. Welcome to the Cult El.

On the way back from Denver we stopped in Avon to see Aunt Heather for her first cuddle session with Reed (the Rocket). Heather, who was with us during the birth from start to finish, had yet to hold her nephew. This was a mandatory stop.

Clearly Aunt Heather is thrilled with her new title and all the responsibilities that go along with it - spoiling, fawning, general smothering.

Heather and the Rocket

Daddy and Reed, surly after a long night of carousing (read: Daddy didn't get as much sleep as he's accustomed to). Daddy's a prima donna - it wasn't that bad.

Grandparents Arrive

2009-04-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

My parents, Martha and Richard, arrived last Thursday (having driven from their home in British Columbia) to help us bring little Reed home from the hospital. They are staying with us for a couple of weeks to bond with their new grandson (their first) and offer us some much-needed support at home.

The doctors sent us home with an oxygen tank since Reed's blood oxygen levels were still low, but even with the tubes, he was still the most beautiful little boy I'd ever seen.

Rob loaded us all into the car and we prepared for the trip home. Nuke was a little confused, however, about being relegated to the far back of the car instead of the back seat.

On Friday, our first day at home, we had a check-up with the pediatrician who determined that Reed didn't need to be on the oxygen anymore. Yay!

Going Home Tomorrow

2009-04-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all the emails, text messages, phone calls, prayers and warm thoughts! We're sorry we can't reply to every one, but we appreciate all the support.

Reed has been on I.V. antibiotics and oxygen for the last few days and responding really well. It's been a challenge to learn to breast feed while navigating all the electrode wires and tubes attached to the poor little guy, but it was worth it to know he's healthy now. And I am doing well too. Yesterday morning just getting out of bed was excruciating, but today I am much more mobile and have a good appetite. After such a long, hard labor followed by major abdominal surgery, it's going to be a while before I'm running ultras again, but as soon as I'm able, I'll be out there on the trails or bike paths, pushing Reed in the Chariot!

Yesterday Juniper, Sari and Joy stopped by for a visit, but today was a little quieter. I tried to catch up on sleep and we spent more time alone with Reed. And we were thrilled when the pediatrician told us that tonight Reed could move out of the nursery and into our room.

Tomorrow, my parents arrive (after driving down from Canada) and we'll take Reed home. He'll have to stay on oxygen for a little while, but other than that, he's good to go!

First Photos

2009-03-31T18:30:00.000-07:00

Hi family and friends, sorry it's taken us so long to get these photos up, but things have been rather hectic. Rob and I plan to post a more detailed story of how the past few days have played out--and it is quite a story! But these photos will give you an idea of how Reed Russell arrived into the world.

My water broke at 5 pm on Saturday night while driving to Carbondale for a check up with our midwife, Julianne. The baby's heart rate was strong, and all looked good for our planned home birth.

Labor started Saturday evening, and by 1 am my contractions were only a few minutes apart and lasted 30 seconds. Julianne and arrived at 2:30 am. Rob's sister, Heather, also came out Saturday night. Sunday morning, the contractions were stronger and longer. Heather and Julianne did all they could to offer comfort and support. And Nuke was always close by, concerned about the obvious pain I was in.

And of course, more than anyone, Rob always there through almost every contraction. He was absolutely amazing through the entire process, breathing and counting through every painful second.

By Sunday afternoon I had dilated to 5 cm, but then progress stalled. My contractions were as painful as ever, but were no longer causing dilation. And I was getting weaker because the pain was causing me to throw up all my food and liquids. After going for a very painful walk outside, Julianne checks the baby's heart beat with the Doppler stethescope. He still sounded great, but I was tiring as labor reached the 24-hour mark.

We decided to transfer to the hospital at 7 pm Sunday evening. By this time, I urgently needed I.V. liquids, nourishment--and above all--pain relief. Within a half hour, I got all three. I received pitocin to strengthen the contractions. By 6 a.m., I had dilated 10 cm, which meant I could begin pushing. However, nearly 5 hours later, it was obvious baby was stuck. I would have to get a C-section.

An hour later, Reed was born.

In the recovery room, I got my first good look at little Reed. He was absolutely beautiful and had no problem breast feeding. Needless to say, Rob and I were very relieved, not to mention exhausted.

The Fish-Russell family.

By this morning, mom and baby are feeling much better, and recovering well after an exhausting and emotionally draining 42 hours.

Most importantly, little Reed is beautiful and healthy. However, they are going to keeping us here until Thursday or Friday to observe his recovery.

8lbs 3ounces

2009-03-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

Reed MacNeill Russell was born Monday @ 12:02pm. He is happy and healthy, and his mommy is doing well. We will send out more info, and photos soon - lots to share.

Thank you everyone for your constant emails, postings, and messages. We love you all.

El and Rob

Saturday, 10:30pm

2009-03-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

Who needs Pitocin when you have Castor Oil?

El might not put it quite like this, but so far, so good. Early labor was pretty intense until recently so El is taking advantage of the reprieve and crawling into bed.

More later...

Rob

The Methodology Of Induction

2009-03-28T08:08:00.001-07:00

Well, many of you have been asking if the lack of posting is because we're busy having a baby or still waiting. The answer is that we've been waiting. However, now that fish fry is almost two weeks overdue, "waiting" sure involves a lot of work to try and get labor started. And plenty of friends have offered advice on natural induction methods. From suggestions like sex and garlic (how those two are meant to go together I was afraid to ask) to going dirtbiking on a bumpy road (as we did at Mike and Joy's last weekend), Rob and I have been willing to try anything to coax the little guy out into the real world. So far, he's been unwilling to budge.

But this weekend is sort of make or break. If labor hasn't started by Monday, we have to go to Grand Junction for an ultrasound to make sure all's good. But until then, our midwife, Julianne gave us a detailed regimen to follow:

- Friday night: Eight pellets of black and blue cohash homeopathic remedy every 15 minutes for one or two hours, followed by sex.
- Saturday morning: Two ounces of castor oil in a fruit smoothie, then have a hot shower and go for a long walk. Then do another round of black and blue cohash and an hour of breast pumping, 10 minutes each side, with 10 minutes off (like interval training!).
- Saturday afternoon: If the first castor oil smoothie had no effect, take another (ugh), again followed by another vigorous walk.
- Then we're going to Carbondale for a check up with Julianne, at which time she may try some ... manual manipulation, which we'll follow up with a session with an acupuncturist.
- If still no baby, then I guess on Sunday, we'll do it all over again!
El

Post Script: El's water broke at 5pm Saturday night. It's on! Rob

Winter Storm Warning Until 6pm Tomorrow

2009-03-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

All this waiting is stressful. Maybe daddy need to go make some turns...you know, to relax.

Caddyshack

2009-03-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=angi1vwUkQc

Thank you Judge. My thoughts exactly.

Rob

Labor: The Ultimate Endurance Event?

2009-03-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

This week has been a true lesson in patience. I was due on Monday, but as Rob pointed out in the last post, still no baby. This waiting game is wearing on me because I feel as mentally and physically ready to bring the little guy into the world as I’ll ever be.

While out walking with my friend Joy (who’s due April 10) and her mom Meg the other day, we discussed the similarities between preparing for an ultramarathon and labor. (Joy and I have logged some spectacular miles together on the trails around Carbondale and Aspen, and since both getting pregnant, those epic trail adventures have evolved into lunch-hour power walks and gab sessions.)

Here's some of what we came up with:

Support Crew: Our pacers (husbands) will be by our sides (if they know what’s good for them) to offer support and encouragement, especially once the fatigue and delirium set in. As during an ultramarathon, their duties during will include telling us we’re doing great even though we look like crap; saying the contraction’s almost over even when it’s not even halfway; and knowing when to offer food or drink and when to just shut up and let us howl in misery.

Breathing: Maintaining a rhythmic breathing pattern lets runners to relax into a smooth and steady pace during a long run. Labor breathing techniques employ that same principle with the aim of calming the mind, reducing the chance of hyperventilation and providing a sense of body (and pain) control.

Fueling: I’d be curious to know how many calories an hour a woman burned during active labor, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were close to the 400-or-so calories used per hour of endurance running. Would ice chips get us through a 100 miler? Hell no! Bring on the carbs, we say! Joy’s got her Coke and energy bars lined up, while I look forward to fruit smoothies, electrolyte chews and ginger ale.

Pain: No matter what, after 10 hours of running or 10 hours of labor, pain is inevitable. Accept it as a productive and necessary part of the journey toward the finishing prize, which this time, rather than being a medal or cool gear, is the glorious gift of life.

Ups and Downs: Just as no hill lasts forever, no contraction lasts forever. Focus on reaching the crest and then embrace the descent, letting the momentum carry you into the flat (rest) period before the next big ascent into hell.

Pacing: At least during an ultra, you know your per-mile pace and that you’re making progress as you tick off the miles. But in labor, there’s no way to know if it’s an eight- or 48-hour event, so pacing seems impossible. The body may take 24 hours to crawl through the first five centimeters of dilation, only to sprint through the final five in two hours. There’s just no way to know for sure, so having no expectations seems to be the best pacing strategy.

I recently received an email from an athlete I rather idolize, Diane Van Deren. She recently returned from the Yukon Arctic Ultra, where she was the first and only woman to ever complete the 430-mile footrace that involves pulling a 50-pound gear sled through minus 40-degree weather for days on end.

The 48-year-old mother of three has overcome major challenges in her long sporting career, and I figure knows a little something about endurance, pain and being gutsy:

“So girl treat your delivery like an ultra event......start off slow. warm up ...get into a rhythm.....stay in the moment...be ready for adjusting to the game plan...and best of all............enjoy every moment...there is nothing like giving birth ........love ya girl.....and when they say push.....................give it all you got! xoxoxo Diane Van Deren."

Birth Plan

2009-03-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

Well, El's due date has unceremoniously come and gone, but we do have a plan just in case the little fish fry decides to stay in El's tummy longer than we'd like him to.

Behold the centrifugal force birthing machine. Yeah, WOW. This fantasic device was patented on November 9, 1965 by inventors George and Charlotte Blonsky. Basically, the apparatus spins the mother-to-be at a rate that generates up to 7 Gs. This force works to "suck" the baby out of the mothers body and into a soft, cotton lined "reception net". Perfect. Can we get one delivered to the house?

http://www.thingamababy.com/baby/2007/01/baby_patent_his.html

http://www.colitz.com/site/3216423/3216423.htm (the actual patent)

Thanks to everyone for your emails, phone calls and text messages - we really appreciate it.
We will keep you all posted.

Rob

This is really more of a twitter update...

2009-03-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

El went for a "power walk" today during lunch with her training partner, Joy. Her plan was to run a bit of it and see if she could shake the little bugger loose - apparently it didn't work.

El, way out on Red Hill - long before our beautiful little surprise showed up.

just sent to me "via Fred Brooks' Crackberry"

2009-03-05T15:33:00.000-08:00

Emyrsen - like mother, like daughter :-)

Tecate Emy

A break from our regular programming...

2009-03-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE SISTER!

HR in Marble, post Money Shot

My pregnancy, by the numbers:

2009-03-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

(This may not be news to those of you who’ve been through this, but since this is my first time, it’s all so new and unexpected!)

• 4 Number of pillows I sleep with: two under my head, one three-foot long body pillow along my front side, one behind my back.

• 5 Average number of times daily I have heart burn, often simply triggered by reclining or lying down.

• 10 Supplements I take daily: a prenatal vitamin, calcium, liquid chlorophyll (for vitamin K), probiotics (to boost immunity), grapefruit seed extract (also for immunity), fish oil (for the baby’s brain development), Floradix (to top up blood iron), and evening primrose oil (to help my skin stretch), papaya enzymes (for heart burn), and the occasional dose of Wish Garden herbal tincture to help me sleep.

• 2 Times I usually wake up each night, due to Nuke (the dog) whining to go out, the dishwasher turning on, an ache in my back or hips, or Rob telling me to stop snoring.

• 4 Hours it sometimes takes me to fall back asleep.

• 7 Meals (at least) I eat daily, now that my stomach is one-fifth its normal size.

• 10 Minutes I can read at night before my eyes get so sore I can’t keep them open due to pregnancy-related increased ocular pressure.

• 20 Times a day I say, “I am so sleepy....” (apologies to coworkers and friends tired of hearing me say this!).

• 3 Times a day (at least) I have to apologize to someone for something I was going to do, or say or pick up at the store but can’t quite remember what it was…

Umm… I had thought of more of these but I forget what they were…

Prep

2009-03-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

It feels like we are getting closer. El's body is doing "birth preparation" things (without getting graphic). The house is as prepped as it's going to be. So now, we wait.

Shower continued...

2009-03-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

Finally, more baby shower photos. Great weekend. Thanks to all!

Rob and El

Sister's In-Law

Brandie's boys.

Troy making sure it really is chocolate.

Troy's son Reilly

After the kids have gone or gone to bed. "And the partying never ends..." Robert Earl Keen

Ok, maybe it does. Mack and dad, the next morning.

Mack learning about Nuke's "toy problem".

Baby Shower Preview

2009-02-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

Ward and I are complaining about our 'drowsiness' the morning after thanks to a few cocktails followed up by a Car Bomb. Below is further evidence of the mayhem that occurred at Spoon and Ward's house in Boulder. There were about 7 kids in attendance last night.
hnjv d c o/' (little Mack is helping me type this). Their high energy hit a cresendo when Noah ripped off all his clothes (prompting the other boys to do the same) and ran through the house screaming.

Noah in nothing but his socks.

More soon...

Preggo Pics

2009-02-16T14:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, after a scolding from my mom, here are some pics of me preggo (eight months and counting), plus a few ultrasound images of the fish fry himself from November.

Here you can see his little rump and foot. I think he'll be a good swimmer and/or runner with those flippers.

TRAIL sagt DANKE! (TRAIL says THANK YOU)

2009-02-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

El just sent me this, so I thought I'd share. My wife is a badass, in case some of you were unaware. (I hope the kid gets her vo2 Max, just for starters.) She was recently interviewed for an issue of Trail - Germany's answer to Trail Runner Magazine.

Click the logo below and scroll to pages 44-48. It's all in German, so happy reading. (I will see if I can figure out how to post the transcript in English.)

Rob

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Catch up

2009-02-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

In between all this fast forwarding, El and I will post photos of day-trips, vacations, and our life here in the Roaring Fork Valley. We are determined to have this bugger join our lives and not the other way around. We'll see how that goes...

Photos from an overnighter - back in 2007 - on the Lost Man Lake Loop near Independence Pass outside Aspen.

El, practicing for pregnancy.

Lost Man Lake looking a bit stiff for fishing yet.

El excited to cook up some sort of Canadian canned fish.

Weird, it just didn't agree with me - El searching for clean air.

Happy pants - I love this photo.

Big snow year. This is late June.

El & Rob

The River Why

2009-02-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

*A fry is a baby trout.

Welcome to the real world

2009-02-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

This blog has been created by Elinor Fish and Rob Russell to record and distribute - to friends and family - information and imagery surrounding El's pregnancy, the imminent birth, and the life changes that follow.

The idea of publishing a personal journal of such important (to us) events on the web is intimidating and scary. It aslo feels narcissistic - even for an exhibitionist.

Well, I'll have to get over all of that because it seems only fitting and FUN to document the birth of a child in the year 2009 online.

Thanks for checking in.
Rob