enssle family

Anna arrives!

Anna Rose Enssle. 7 lbs., 14oz., 20.5 inches. 4 hours old. Mom and baby are both healthy and doing well!

3 comments March 16th, 2006

Y’all want this party started, right?

We went for our last doctor’s visit today around noon, and the doctor said things are looking good: We’re planning to induce around 7:30am tomorrow. 

We’re both terribly excited and nervous all at the same time.  In any case, it’s good news to know that we’re in the home stretch.

I’ll try to send an update or two to the blog via email, and of course we’ll be calling a whole bunch of folks with news when things happen.

Wish us luck!

2 comments March 14th, 2006

Still waiting

No news on the baby front, I’m afraid. We’re all still sitting around waiting for something — anything — to happen.

Meanwhile, Tara’s mom (Debbie) has arrived in Colorado! She decided that she’d come out a bit early and hopefully get to spend some quality time with Henry. And she’ll help Tara pass the time until our little girl decides to come out and play.

We’ve also heard that Ben finally got his wish and is off to feed an elephant at the Denver Zoo. Very cool!

March 12th, 2006

Cleared for launch

Yesterday’s ultrasound showed no problems whatsoever. Fluid levels are fine, baby’s heart and other organs look fine, and the size of various parts is on track. We also got to see her practice breathing. Yes, “her” — I’d say the odds are now around 95% or more in favor of the baby being a girl.

Basically, we’ve been cleared for launch. Now it’s just a question of when the little girl will decide to come out of the hot tub.

March 10th, 2006

The due date arrives

So today is our due date. But as yet there’s still no baby.

For the past couple of weeks Tara’s been feeling an occasional contraction every so often, but nothing consistent.  At our doctor’s appointment on Tuesday evening, the doctor said the baby seemed fine, but she thought that Tara’s fluid level might be a little low. So we’re heading in for an ultrasound this morning. Most likely everthing will be perfectly fine, but if not, the doctor said she’d probably want to induce today. We’ll let everyone know!

And if nothing happens soon, the doctor’s planning an induction for the middle of next week. Beware the Ides of March.

March 9th, 2006

An update on Ben

My cousin Dean was able to post an update about our nephew Ben on the Steadman family blog last night. Unfortunately, all our worst fears have come true: The MRI results show that Ben’s tumor has doubled in size compared to what we saw in December and is significantly impacting his motor skills on his right side. They’ll be talking more with Ben’s doctors today to discuss their options.

Why this is happening to a kind, intelligent, and sensitive six year-old boy is beyond my understanding, and beyond my willingness to understand.

We love you Ben, Madie, Melinda, and Dean. You are the bravest people we know.

March 7th, 2006

Six degrees of Vedvik

My buddy Erik Vedvik and I graduated high school together, parted ways for almost ten years, and then ran into each other at my job interview at e-InfoData.com back in 2002. I’m pretty sure he helped me get the job, and we’ve had some good times at work and outside of work since then.

Well thanks to this blog I just learned that Erik’s wife Taara (mother of wee Ian) was college roomates with Gus Brockmann’s (father of wee Henry) sister Liv. Liv plays in the same bell choir as Tara, and she’s also Max’s vet. Max likes turkey, and — get this — so does Erik!

It’s a very small world sometimes.

1 comment March 6th, 2006

No news and bad news

Unfortunately, there’s not much in the way of good news on the home front at this point. Tara and I spent a relatively mellow weekend together sleeping in, taking walks (or, as Tara puts it, “putting gravity to use”), reading Dr. Spock, and wishing we had a baby already.

Meanwhile, there’s less-than-fantastic news from Kansas: Tara’s grandmonther fell and fractured her pelvis. Breaking a pelvis is much better than breaking a hip, or so I’m told, but it still means several days in the hospital and quite a lot of pain. Grandma seems to be doing well despite it all, and she’s already giving the nurses trouble.

There’s also terrible news that our little nephew Ben is showing symptoms again. We had dinner with my cousin and his family yesterday, and it did seem that Ben was having trouble keeping his balance. Though Tara and I knew this day would come, we never thought it would be so soon, and it’s crushing news. Ben’s off to the hospital for an MRI tomorrow, and depending on the outcome he and his family are considering flying to Germany soon to take part in a clinical trial that’s showing some promise.

Grandma Winnie and dearest little Ben, know that you’re in our prayers. And to our baby we say: Come out and play. ‘Cause we all could use some good news.

March 6th, 2006

Done and done

Yesterday was Tara’s last day of work at the Museum. This is a Good Thing since she’s been just exhausted lately and being able to take the occasional nap during the day will hopefully make her a much happier camper.

We had another checkup at the doctor’s yesterday as well, and things actually seem to be moving along toward the finish line.  On Thursday we’ll be exactly one week away from our due date (March 9th), but the doctor was hinting she might see us before then!

1 comment March 1st, 2006