This was something Sam asked about a week ago after a few days with Ben at home. It was so funny and so astute – Uncle Tim had just left after a month-long visit so Sam perhaps thought Ben was a short-term visitor. I think by now he’s figuring the little guy is here to stay. He probably feels about the same as Caffrey – hmmm…what’s in it for me? Not much right now! He’s adjusting well, and beginning to care about the little guy, patting him on the head and even sometimes kissing him. Tonight he made a “crib” for Ben on our bed out of all his animal friends. Daddy and Sam placed Ben in the crib and talked to him during “man time.” They were very cute together. It’s good for Sam to see Daddy bonding with Ben, and not just mommy.

Gratitude for a healthy and sweet baby boy kept me up last night. I had a hard time falling asleep again – a bit wound up and overtired. I can see why kids get wound up the more tired they get. I do the same thing. So focusing on the positive – like gratitude for our blessings – seems to make the time spent awake less painful. Sleep did come, and Dave took over Sam-time this morning so I could sleep in. That was sooooo nice. An extra 1.5 hrs and I feel new again. Funny – it was only 8 hrs total sleep 😉

I finally sifted through all the pictures from the first week – and they are up! Including lots of video of our favorite ham – Sam 🙂 Above is how you use the Boppy pillow, kay? (That’s how he gives us tutorials on all things…”This is how you do it, kay?”) Click on the photo for a link to the album of pictures.

This is my first note I think – it’s Alli here 🙂 Thanks to my mom, we’ll be able to reflect back on these early days and see how we were and what we were doing. We are so blessed to have Sam and Ben in our lives.

Gramma Oli is the “annointed” commentator today.  Oh, and Alli says you should browse over to my site pretty soon for some fun views of the day Sam and Gramma “played” while Dave,  Alli and Ben were at the hospital.   Here’s where you go:  http://skeneclan.com

In case you think it’s a typo, “Paparazzo” is the singular form for photographers who take candid photographs of celebrities, usually by relentelessly shadowing them in their public and private activities. “

Yep, that’s me!  :)  Here’s a shot of “celebrity” Ben taken while his mommy and daddy were sleeping *hehehehe*  By the way, Ben is a comfy baby, and his mom and dad are confident and unflappable parents.  Everyone is doing very well!

Guess who this is (below) at 3 days old?  Chime in with your comments — do they look alike?  What’s the same?  What’s different?

Angel was over today — she is such a cool friend to all of us.  Actually, she’s far more than that.  It just sounds hoakey to say she is a “blessing”, but that’s exactly what she is.  Some people are like that, aren’t they.

Next up?  We all trekked over to Pearl Ridge to the only Toys R Us on island.  Here’s a not-so-good cell phone picture, but you get the idea.  You’re looking at a man who knows what he wants!  Lunch at Big City Diner was a perfect ending to this excursion.

Don’t forget to browse over to http://skeneclan.com .  I look forward to seeing you there!

This post is written by proud Gramma (Oli) — what a good day this has been.  Filled to the brim, including going to Tripler with Ben for regular check-up, which he passed with no problem at all!  And Sam and gramma went to Big City Diner for lunch where Sam wanted to sit at the counter.  Sam could watch milk shakes being made, and all the people at the counter are friends just because they’re there.  Everyone admired Sam and we talked with them about how he’s a big brother now!

 

This is the good life!  We’re all doing well.  Thanks for looking in on me!

This post is from Gramma Oli :  Benjamin William Krug is here with a message for you:   “I broke the scale;  they had to bring in another one.  It was 12:22 p.m. as I recall, that I muscled my way out.  I let ’em hear about it, too!  Everyone was all smiles, and I saw my big brother, Sam who’s very happy, but had just told Gramma that I would be able to crawl!  I have some catching up to do, I think.

Daddy and Mommy have been holding me, of course, and I really like my swaddling blanket a lot.  And my breast milk, too.  Mommy and Daddy decided to let Gramma give me my first bath.  What a kick that was!  I heard her say, “He’s REALLY strong!”  She finally got my arms pried up so she could clean my pits!  I see I’ve got some training of these grownups I’ll have to do.

I might be home tomorrow afternoon.  I can’t call — they haven’t given me my cellphone yet.  But I’ll holler as loud as I can. 

Thanks for praying for me and my family.  It worked!

—- Love from Ben

 

ABOVE:  First glimpse for Sam and Gramma — about an hour old!

ABOVE:  Just the very beginning of all the fun and photos!

Things going well. Alli very comfy. Sam, Daddy, and I (gramma Oli) are keeping her company. It will be some hours yet. Go for a little jaunt. I’ll post again when Ben shows up. — Oli. At 9:40 am.

We started labor Tues at 3pm, went home at 10pm – no dilation progress. Slept 2 or 3 hrs, then labor began again in earnest at 3am. We’re headed in now (it’s 4:45am our time). Ben is doing fine. My friend Cathi the nurse anesthetist comes on duty at 6am – looking forward to some pain relief this time! Thanks for your prayers for an easier and smoother delivery this time. Aloha!

So the toilet in Sam’s bathroom broke this morning. Dave hadn’t even had a sip of coffee yet before he was dealing with gaskets and running to the hardware store to get a new toilet. Can you believe it? So will my water break, too? Before he gets home? Yesterday he managed to finish all kinds of to-do items that have been on his list for months while I lay down to keep an eye on contractions. Things have settled down as far as that goes but there are other signs labor is very imminent 🙂 We’ll keep you posted!

You cannot believe…I would like to thank Dave and Alli for this wonderful adventure.  I believe this picture speaks a thousand words. To all who visit, all my love.   Timmay

I think I’m in pre-labor – I’ve checked with the experts (friends, mom, triage, etc.) and will keep monitoring. I feel like an idiot because I’ve had one baby already and should know the drill. BUT my early labor pain tolerance is quite good and I’ve been uncomfortable for weeks…so I am a bit worried I’ll miss the boat and be ready to push before I know what’s going on this time! (With Sam they were going to send me home without an exam because my face and my voice did not register pain after 10 hrs of labor and 4cm dilated.) I have pen and notepad in hand and am timing contractions. We’ll head over when they’re 10min apart. Dave had a suspicion Ben might come soon and decided to go ahead and start leave today. So he’s finishing up some nesting chores and then we’ll be ready. Tim leaves tomorrow. I wonder if he’ll get to met Ben after all?

he’s still in there… 🙂