I was born on Saturday April 27, 2002 at 11:14pm.  I weighed 8 Pounds at birth and was 21.5 Inches long.  

Mom said she woke up at 5:00am having contractions but that they were bearable, so she went back to sleep.   She then woke up about 9:30am and got ready as usual.  She was careful not to mention to anyone that she was having steady contractions 8 minutes apart because knowing her family - Nana, Auntie Kayla & Daddy would have got very excited and been goofy, and Mama wanted Dad to get a nice hair cut before I was born.  There was no way Nana would let Mom go out and about while in labor, so Mom was sneaky! 

Mom proceeded to pack all hers and Dad's hospital bags (she figured 2 days past a due date was as good a time as any to start packing - oops).  At this time Auntie Kayla came in to help and saw Mom was having a contraction so she made her promise to keep it a secret.  Mom is very sneaky indeed.  She then went to check her email and tidy up a few things, and tell Daddy to get ready for his haircut.  She then secretly told Daddy about her 8 minutes apart contractions which she had been having all day - she said to him that this was the day!  Daddy was excited!!!  So then at about 3pm we all piled in the car and went to get Daddy's haircut.  Nana & Auntie Kayla decided to go wander around Safeway and do some grocery shopping while Mom & Dad went to the salon. 

By this time Mom's contractions were getting a lot stronger and were to about 4 minutes apart (still not letting Nana know that Mom was in early labor).  Mom tried to read a People Magazine while Daddy got his hair cut (he has to like nice for all the First Time Daddy pictures at the hospital you know!).  The barber lady was quite shocked when she asked when Mom was due and Dad replied 'probably in a few hours after we get to the hospital'.   Then as we were all leaving the barber shop to walk next door to Safeway, Mom had 2 strong contractions about 1 minute apart - if even that long.  Dad said 'hey, those aren't 4 minutes apart anymore' - real smart Daddy!  Mom sat down on a bench and decided she was not moving.  After those contractions we raced to the truck.  Mom sat in there and then Dad called the doctor - who proceeded to say she'd meet us at the hospital in about 30 minutes (after all we still had to round up Nana & Kayla, and go home to get our bags).  Mom stayed in the car while Dad ran into Safeway to get everyone. 

Nana & Kayla had a shopping cart full of stuff they were going to buy - and just left it in the middle of the store they were so excited!!  Dad was taking his time since he hadn't yet bought Mom a new Mommy present.  So he went to buy some books, a teddy bear and a card.  The lady at the check stand was giving Dad a hard time for leaving a laboring woman in the car while he paid for his purchases.  Silly Daddy. 

We got home, packed the car and took off for the hospital.  Nana & Auntie Kayla decided to stay home until Dad would call to Ok them to head over.  On the way to the hospital, Daddy felt hungry and decided it would be a good idea to go through McDonald's drive through.  Mom was less than impressed.  They eventually got to the hospital, got settled in and turns out Mom was already progressed to 5cm!  Good job Mom!  By the time they got checked into the hospital it was about 6:45pm.

Mom did really well handling the contractions and then about 8:00pm she asked for an epidural to help with the pain.  She'd planned to go without, but this was getting to be too much.  By 8:45pm the anesthesiologist came in and administered her epidural. The doctor checked and Mom was at 10cm!  Yaay.  But her water still hadn't broke - so they decided to break it for her.  Turns out after the bulging water sac broke that she was only at 8cm.  So after the contractions were dying down with the pain medication - Mom decided it was time to take a nap!!!

Lucky Mom got to sleep through the worst part of labor - Transition.  Daddy just sat on the sofa and filled out the baby book entries.  Then about 10:30pm Mom woke up because she was feeling the urge to push - badly.  The nurse saw that Mom was awake and said "you'll probably need to push soon", to which Mom replied "I know that's what woke me up!".  So they went and got the doctor who came in and decided - yep it's time for Austin to be born! 

Mom pushed for about 30 minutes (but she says it only seems like 10), and then at 11:14pm I was born!  I weighed 8 pounds, 0 Ounces and was 21.5 Inches long.  After they cleaned me up a bit, I got to nurse for the first time with Mommy!  How fun.  The doctors were impressed that I could nurse so well.  Then I got to have my first real bath with Daddy!  Mom took lots of pictures of course.  Mom got some food to eat, and Dad & I napped in the rocking chair while they got Mom all tidied up and changed and then we moved to a new room. 

We had a lot of fun in our new room, I took turns napping with Daddy in his bed (he was lucky and got his own bed!), and napping with Mom in bed.  We watched lots of Star Trek on TV and the New Baby shows on the hospital channel.  I had to take a few trips to the nursery with Dad to get tests & pictures done.  Nana & Auntie Kayla came to visit us a few times and brought presents!  On Monday at lunch time we decided it was time to go home, even though we were allowed to stay another day.  So at 1:30pm we got home and took about a million pictures of me entering our house for the first time.  People with cameras are so silly! 

Nana & Auntie Kayla stayed for a week to help with Mom & I.  Dad took 2 weeks off work to stay with us too.  When I was 2 days old the home health nurse came to check on us and was very impressed with how well we both were doing.  I gained 2 ounces since leaving the hospital.  Then when I was just over a week old, Grandma Laura came to visit for a few days to help us out too.  We had a lot of visitors that first month!  A lot of help too.  It was nice for Mom & I just to be able to snuggle together. 

At my 2 week checkup with Dr. Wong I weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces (babies lose weight after being born, and while they're still in the hospital those first few days).  I had to get a PKU test done in my heel and I didn't like that at all.  They ended up doing 2 because 'I don't bleed well'.  That was terrible.

At my 2 month checkup again with Dr. Wong.  I was up to 13 Pounds 7 Ounces, and 24 Inches.   Dr. Wong jokingly called Mommy 'Bessie the Cow' cause she produced so much good milk for me to grow!  Poor Mommy. 

At my checkup for 4 months I went to see Mom & Dad's doctor - Dr. Dan Barrett because Dr. Wong was out of town.  I was 17 pounds 2 Ounces and a whopping 27 Inches long!  Mom & Dad went straight to Toys'R'Us to buy me a bigger car seat after that doctor visit. 

At my 6 month checkup with Dr. Wong again (it was 2 weeks late cause my doctor was so busy).  I weighed 20 pounds, and I'm 30 inches long! 

I had my 9 month visit on January 28 and I weighed over 21 pounds and am 31 inches tall!  Dr. Dan was very impressed. My next doctor appointment isn't until I turn 1!!! - Thank Goodness, I hate those shots! 

Which reminds me - I have a very long wishlist for my 1st birthday!  Mom & Dad said that I can have a Veggie Tales birthday party.  I'll get Mom to post my wishlist soon (she's already started birthday shopping!)

At 10.5 Months I could  walk around!  I took my first steps at about 9.5 months.  By 10 months I could take up to 10 steps!  At 10.5 months I spent  about 60% of my mobile time walking - unless I needed to get someplace in a real hurry, then I would crawl.   I can go real fast, which is great for me, but Mom & Dad can't keep up .  Not that I'm complaining...  

Now at 1 Year Old, I spend almost all my time walking, I do crawl occasionally.  I had my 12 month well baby checkup on Friday May 2.  We went to a new pediatrician, Dr. Carolina Amador.  She was recommended to us from some Mommies at La Leche League group (a breastfeeding Moms support group).   We really like her a lot.  Daddy came to this visit to meet the new doctor too!  The scales were funny so I have to go back in 6 weeks to get weighed.  I'm 31 inches tall and the doctor says I look very healthy - even though I have a little cold.  I had one shot today - Mom wants to hold off on the MMR vaccine which I was supposed to get today.  I'm keeping busy with all the activities Mom & I are in and playing with all my new birthday toys! 

My Daddy is Ethan and his company hosts my new website, he made me put a link on the bottom of the front page.  It's pretty neat though.  My Mama is Charissa and she's helping me with this website.  It's our first one, so if we make mistakes Daddy is there to help us! We're trying to keep it updated often so check back to see what we're doing. 

Mom takes me once a month to get some portraits taken and she's always pointing her camera at me & Dad, so there's always new pictures of us on here.  We've got lots of kitties too and I like to play with them, so they'll probably show up in a photo or two.