In the words of Grant

Here is what Grant wrote today...

Diary of a Daddy

11-5-08 7:30am
Kacie and I arrive at the hospital, do LOTS of paperwork. Grant starts to get nervous so he goes to get food.

9:00am
Kacie begins regimen of drugs to induce labor. Shortly after, the doc comes in and breaks Kacie's water. Now mommy can feel the contractions and she does not like them!

11:00am
EPIDURAL!

3:00pm
Grant gets nervous again and goes to eat... again.

4:00pm - 6:00pm
Kacie dialates from a 4 to a 9. The room gets prepped for delivery.

6:30ish pm
Doc says it's time. We did a "practice push" that turned out to be for real. The baby crowned immediately. 2nd push almost had the head all the way out. 3rd push... there is her head. Mommy held tight for a second and the doc cleared her shoulders, pulled her out and sat Nolyn Joy Stogdill on mommy's chest. (6:37pm)

Baby gets cleaned up, dressed and daddy gets to hold her for about 30 minutes while mommy gets fixed up. Daddy's first impression... she is SO cute I can hardly stand it! That tiny button nose is irresistable! Members of the family get to come in and visit.

9:00pm
Mommy and baby go to a recovery room.

10:00pm
A very tired daddy goes home to get some sleep! (This was only the second time since we got married that Kacie and I had not slept under the same roof.)

11-6-08 10:00am
Daddy returns to the hospital. Nolyn passes her hearing test. Family visits. Daddy changes his first diaper - a poopee one! (No big deal!)
LONG DAY OF SITTING IN A HOSPITAL ROOM

9:00pm
Daddy goes home to sleep. (Two nights in a row that I did not sleep where my wife slept. Felt WEIRD!)

11-7-08 10:00am
Daddy returns to the hospital. Hospital room remains boring.

2:00pm
Stogdill family is released and comes home.

3:30pm
Family visits. Daddy goes to Walmart and nearly has a heart attack when he sees the price of formula. GREAT GRANDMA Mary comes to visit. Grandma Stogdill brings over salad, bread and AWESOME chicken spaghetti! Plays cards with daddy until 1:00am while mommy comforts Nolyn.

8:00pm - 7:15 am
A VERY SLEEPLESS NIGHT

11-8-08 12:00pm
A trip to Collinsville. Grandpa Lylle fixes a GREAT lunch. Mommy and baby play with Aunt Kaila while the boys watch football. Daddy catches a nap.

6:30pm
Home again for another all-nighter.

11-9-08 11:00am
Nolyn's first time at church. Everyone is very excited to see her.

12:00pm
Grandma Stogdill comes over to watch the baby while mommy and daddy sleep!

11-10-08 10:00am
Daddy returns to work.

2:30pm
Nolyn visits daddy at work. Everyone is excited to see the baby.

6:00pm
Grandma Paula comes to visit and gets pizza for mommy and daddy. Nolyn actually sleeps til 5:30am. YAY!

PRESENT:
Having this child was like nothing I could have ever imagined. Kacie did great. She never complained and sucked it up through all the pain and discomfort. My mind went crazy. It seemed like every little thing scared me. The hearing test was nerve racking. Nolyn's lack of interest in eating worried me, though she takes a 2oz. bottle like a champ these days. Delivering a baby is NOTHING like what you see on TV or in movies. Now, it seems that everything has changed. I live for her now. Going to work is different because every dollar earned is now to give Nolyn the best life possible. There is a peace about working a car deal, but a new sense of urgency as well. I miss Nolyn while I am at work. When I get home, I want to hold her. I love her cute baby clothes. I want to take pictures of everything. I worry that she is healthy and that we are doing everything right. I am excited, scared, calm, relieved, tired, anxious, proud, and many other indescribable things. So much is yet to come but mommy and I are ready. We'd better be!

It should also be noted here that I feel a new closeness with Kacie since Nolyn was born. I feel that she and I have a great marriage. I refuse to go anywhere without her and we have worked through things together as husband and wife in the best way we know how. Now though, I feel that our strong bond to each other has been strengthened even more. She is proving to be a GREAT mom and the love we have for our daughter has made me fall even more in love with my wife.


Grant is GREAT. I knew he would make a wonderful dad, eventhough he tried to choke my best friends son once. He cant seem to get enough of Nolyn. And he cant put down the camera. If you've seen his myspace you know what Im talking about, but its cute. Grant who is usually the calm one between us is a wreak when it comes to his little girl. And me who is usually the mess is the calm one. Now all I need is sleep but every night gets a little better.