Family is Number One

Well just like that our little newborn ain't so little anymore. Sure he's three months old, but he's tall and BIG. He's certainly not 7 1/2 pounds or 21 inches anymore. At his three month checkup, Gage measured in at 24 inches, weighing just two ounces shy of 15 pounds (although he hadn't eaten, so probably 15) and very top heavy. His head size is in the 90th percentile! He's in the 75th percentile for weight and 50th for height, what a chunk hopefully he keeps getting taller, for his sake. Many people have told us that he looks like he's six months or even a toddler. We are so blessed that Gage has had zero problems when it comes to eating. Other than being a messy eater with a bottle, he has nursed and bottle fed really well from the start. Fortunately he knows how good food is and isn't picky about how it comes, he just wants it ;) He doesn't exactly care for a bottle from mom, but he'll tolerate it for a few and protest until he gets the real thing to finish off his meal. He's a smart cookie though; every day around three o'clock he starts getting sick of the bottles, because he knows mom's coming home soon. He also gets frustrated if we try to feed him a bottle on the weekend. He'll take one, but he's not exactly fond of it.

Gage might be starting to teeth; he's drooling a lot and sucking on lots of things. He's gripping when he nurses sometimes too, which is tons of fun...not.  Chances are he's just developing glands, but I got him an amber necklace just in case. I'm not taking any chances ;)

Gage is growing so fast and doing so well. His manipulative skills are getting so good. He's intentionally grabbing his toys, holding books, and gripping our fingers. He's even trying to grab his toys with his feet! He is constantly trying to sit up, doing crunches all the time. I've made it a game when he grips my fingers. I'll help him sit up and you'll see it in his face. It's so cute and so funny. We play kicking games too. He and dad have been having so much fun at home, reading, talking, playing, and dancing. Yes John dances and sings for Gage and when he's in a good mood he'll get a HUGE smile and laugh. John and Robin had told me about his laugh, but I hadn't heard it before, until last Friday. John and I were dancing for Gage and I heard him laugh for the first time! It was the cutest and best thing I've ever heard. So cute and totally made my day!

I continue to do yoga regularly, almost daily, even for short periods of time just to stretch and relax. I'm doing regular yoga again. I'm noticing how weak my core has gotten and try to work on it a little each day. Sometimes Gage will lie on the floor with me and watch my fingers and toes. He has this thing about my hands and gets really excited when I wave them over his head. It will get him to stop fussing and brighten him up in seconds. It's pretty funny! I have managed to make it back to the pool a few times and even swim my mile, but then the weather got really nice so we've been spending more time outdoors. We did get to take Gage swimming for the first time and that was a lot of fun! He did so well; floating on his back, kicking on his belly, and even going completely under with mom and dad 4 times! We got some video (we still have to edit) of the whole thing. We're planning on going back this week and mom can't wait :)

We went on our first hike with Gage and our second the day after. We returned to Mount Roberts for the first time since Gage was born. Gage did so well and loved looking at all the big trees. The dogs hadn't been up there for months either so they were in heaven! The next day we took Gage and the dogs out to Herbert Glacier. Last time we were there was in August when I was 18 weeks pregnant. Gage loved looking at the trees again and watching his crazy dogs run and splash around. John and I have been to Herbert 3 times, all of which have been awesome trips, but this trip had by far the nicest weather. It was breaking highs that weekend and we were not the only people enjoying it. A lot of people were out biking, but we were one of only 3 groups that we saw walking. Herbert is about a 10 mile round trip that includes some of the most beautiful views plus some benches to rest at. We've never actually utilized them, but this time they were nice so that we could feed Gage. He did so great, even though he was busy the night before, and my Ergo baby carrier was amazing to have! I love being able to carry Gage while I walk or hike so I can keep him in close and he loves it so he can cuddle.

Yesterday we had our first BBQ as a family with friends and our first one in Juneau. I was a little worried when we got there because Gage had been having a fussy morning, unusual for him, and we were set to be there as long as he could last. He did amazing though! He was such a trooper and acted like he was at home. Sandy Beach practically is our second home; it's just down the street from our condo and we have taken the dogs there almost daily since we've lived here. Since Gage was born it has become a life savor for getting the pups out. Gage loved hanging out, playing with his toys, watching the dogs play, watching the fire, walking around with me, getting passed around a little, and even managed to take two good naps. We were really impressed with him and it gave us hope for future BBQ's. 

The work day is going good. I've gotten down a routine with nursing and pumping in the morning and pumping 2-3 times at work most days. John and Gage have continued to visit me a few days a week around lunch time, which has made the work week much better! They've even come to visit at our class BBQ and trip to the salmon hatchery, which was a lot of fun! This is the last week of school and my last week working for the Juneau School District.

We have had a lot of great family time. When I'm home, Gage and I spend most of our time together and John spends so much quality time with him when I'm at work. We have a great time as a family and I feel like I've mostly figured out the work/family balance. We want these positive times to continue and we also want Gage to know his extended family as well as we know ours. We have tried to justify Juneau, but feel as a family that it is not the best place for us right now. We love our home here, but Gage will only continue to grow, even though we are constantly telling him not to. For family and financial reasons, we have decided to move back to the Palouse area. We love Idaho and want to raise Gage there, close to family. Idaho has become our home for most of our adult life and we look forward to settling there and raising our family. We will miss Juneau, but family comes first. We will be renting out our condo and hope to return to Juneau every year to visit friends, fish, and show Gage where he was born. We leave Juneau in just over a week, which makes me sad, but I just have to keep reminding myself that it's not goodbye, it's see ya later.

The job search continues. John has had a few interviews and is waiting to hear from them. I have had a few interviews and three offers, one of which was in Juneau. We even reconsidered and thought about it, but it just doesn't make sense or is best for us right now. I was offered a job, but turned it down because it was about an hour commute and that was more time away from Gage that I didn't want so I took a leap of faith and prayed for a better offer. I've never been offered a teaching position and it's what I've wanted my whole life, so it was hard to turn them down. The whole time we lived in the Palouse area, there were hardly any special ed or PE jobs available, but this year I've applied for 2 PE jobs and 3 special education jobs. Fate maybe? Sure enough I was blessed with an offer as an intermediate special education teacher in Moscow, where we will most likely live. So no commute for me, which means more time with my son! The job is a good one too, with a supportive principal, so I'll be a happy working mom.

We have one week left in Juneau and we plan to take advantage of every minute of it. From one home to the next, we have many memories to bring with us and many more to create. Until Next Time,
Love the Klein's

10 weeks old, 13 pounds and flying time.

It's hard to know where to start this update; so much has happened in the last month and more is coming. First off I must say that we are completely and totally head over heals in love with our son! He is SO amazing and such an incredible blessing to our family. To think at one point we didn't want kids?! I guess that's one way to accept that you can't have them, or at least think you can't. Gage is doing so well! He has been expressive and smiling since birth, but in the last month, oh my goodness what a happy baby! I feel like in the last 5 weeks, I've figured out my parenting style and been reassured that what we're doing is good. The last time I wrote I was feeling unsure of myself and a bit emotional, probably normal for a postpartum woman. I was also really anxious because I was dreading the time when maternity leave would be up and I'd have to return to work. I must say 7 weeks of maternity leave is not enough for any parent, but unfortunately for most it's not paid and we're obligated to return. During pregnancy I thought I'd be ready to return to work after 6 weeks and I most certainly didn't think it would be as hard as it was to do so. When 6 weeks started rolling around I understood why everyone around me was taking months off and was wishing I was the ladies taking 3-5 months off. I returned to an unfamiliar classroom, with all new students and staff (to me), 7 weeks after Gage was born and the day after flying home from our trip to Nevada.

I was not ready to return, but I wanted to do my friend a favor and we could use the money and experience. So with 2 months left in the school year, I took over the transition classroom for adults transitioning from high school to work and community life. The first few days I managed to keep it together, although I was quite overwhelmed and missing Gage horribly. I was still able to see and nurse Gage at lunch though because he was with John at his work, which was closer than home. John's mom, Robin, flew in to town over the weekend and has been a great help since. However that first Monday was the first day Gage spent without mom and dad, plus I happened to forget my cups for my pump so it was the tipping point for me and I lost it. I was already late to work but I continued to cry when I got there and just stayed in my car for a bit. I know it was obvious that I had been crying, but everyone was polite enough to ignore it. I struggled all day and later I had an appointment with one of my midwives which should have only lasted an hour, but it ended up lasting at least 2 because I fell apart in her office. Fortunately she's amazing and just let me talk while she listened. When I got home Gage was still struggling a bit and I anxiously grabbed him. He instantly settled down and we comforted each other, confirming that our first 7 weeks together were great times of bonding. Now two weeks later I've managed to get more comfortable in the class and have a pretty good handle on things, for a sub anyway. Friday was a great day because we made our first meal since we started talking about healthy foods, then we walked to a local place for lunch and John, Robin, and Gage met us there, and then the whole class went to the pool and I was able to show a few students, who haven't cared for it, some more things to make swimming fun. They were sore and happy so I'm happy with that.

While work has gotten easier for me, a big reason I've felt better leaving each day while Gage is so young, is because John is no longer working. I felt that Gage needed one of us home for these first few weeks plus we have a lot to do so having John home has been a major stress relief for me. John gave about a month notice, but they found replacements for him quicker than we expected so he was able to leave just a few days later. Gage has really enjoyed having daddy home, while he gets to know his grandma more and now he loves having both of them around all of the time. John enjoys being a stay at home dad and is much more energized with Gage each day, since he doesn't have work to tire him out. Since he got zero days of paternity leave, he never really had a chance to transition into parenthood so the last few weeks have been great bonding time for my boys. It's still been nice to have Robin here so that Gage can get to know her and help out with miscellaneous things since I'm at work.

Other adjustments have included exercise, getting the dogs out, cooking, and cleaning. It's been much harder to get in vigorous exercise, but since I have been cleared (and feel up to) do more than walk we have been making an effort to do so. Swimming has been really hard to get to because of its inconvenience, so I haven't made it to the pool (outside of work) since we got back from Nevada but I'm continuously trying. I planned on going to water aerobics last week, but it hasn't panned out yet. I will get back there so I'll keep trying. We've started to run again, although it hasn't exactly been fun because I haven't done so since we found out we were pregnant. It is convenient though and we're able to take the dogs so we're continuing to do so. It's starting to feel better, it'll just take some time to get back into running shape and we're looking forward to being able to go run a 5k at the drop of a hat and bring Gage along for the ride! For the most part I continue to walk daily and do yoga. They're both convenient and always feel good, even on a rainy day, early in the morning, or after long day of work. I'm still recovering just a little so it's nice to be completely comfortable, which is why I want to get to the pool so bad, comfortable and a great workout! Getting the dogs out for long walks has also been a challenge, but we're still managing to do so about 3-4 times a week. They get out every day, but sometimes it's just running around out front playing ball, snooping and chasing John's RC car lol. They have gotten use to Gage and enjoy being around him, especially if it's outside ;) Having John home and Robin here has really helped to keep things sanitary, which is all we really care about right now. We've never been good about keeping our place super clean so adding a baby only makes it harder, but it's not gross and it smells fine (even without candles) so what more can we ask for? Robin has been really helpful for making meals. She's made some dinners for us and helped watch Gage while we cook. We're still not exempt from frozen meals, but we try to make things as fresh as much as we can. My crockpot is still my favorite kitchen item; tonight's dinner is chicken pot pie soup and rolls. Speaking of rolls...

 
The main big thing that has happened during Gage's second month of life, besides work adjustments, was our trip to Nevada. It was Gage's first airplane ride and he did great both to and from Reno. He slept through half of the take offs and nursed through the others. I wore him in the wrap throughout the airport and plane so getting places wasn't much more stressful than usual, thank goodness cause flying is stressful enough on its own. Security was ten times easier with a baby, they didn't even scan me or pat me down, which begs the questions, what's the point? We were fortunate enough to have a happy and relaxed 7 week old baby who never got upset other than for normal reasons. Thank goodness! Once we got to Nevada, EVERYONE was very anxious and happy to meet Gage. He got to meet his Grandpa Robert Gage, whom he's named after, Grandma Robin and Grandpa Hal, his great Grandparents and all of his cousins, aunties and uncles, as well as some family friends. Gage loved meeting everyone, especially his cousins. All of the cousins were excited to play with Gage, they all had a great time interacting with their baby cousin and made comments about wanting a baby brother :) We enjoyed the warm weather and sunlight that we often don't see in Juneau. We even got out to the outdoor pool and swam laps, which felt AMAZING, spent time at the park, and walked in summer gear. Let's not talk about the long walk in the snow a few days later ;) It was so great to see my sisters and catch up with them and their families as well as my grandparents. We're looking forward to returning next summer to run the Rubicon and play at Lake Tahoe.

While we were in Nevada John was able to bless Gage at my parents church on Easter morning. I felt so blessed to have both of our dad's, my grandpa, and two long time family friends, who have known John and I since we were kids, participate in Gage's blessing. John gave a beautiful blessing and afterwards my dad gave a beautiful talk to the congregation. Mom and dad didn't tell us he was speaking, so it was a nice surprise. Gage has done great at church so far.

Gage is getting SO Big! Friday he turned 10 weeks old and yesterday we weighed him in at 13lbs 9oz. He's a very healthy boy! Nursing is still going great and Gage is a good burper and farter. We laugh out loud all the time at Gage's grunts and farts. Seriously this kid can belt em, I've never heard a baby fart so loud. John and I often look at each other and ask "was that you or him?". It's quite funny and we like that he's not backed up. He's holding his head up for minutes at a time without support and often. In fact when Gage is awake he does not like to chill. He likes to be up and busy engaged in something. He loves back time while looking outside or his mirror and overhang toys. He'll do this for about 15-20 minutes now or even longer if we lie next to him and talk. He enjoys belly time when he's feeling good and will do it for over 5 minutes if he's having fun. Sometimes he tolerates it and other times he wants nothing to do with belly time. When he enjoys belly time he's very cute smiling, hand in his mouth, looking around, and trying to move. Gage can already lift his head for a few seconds and is starting to turn it to the side when he's on his belly. He's also moving his legs more and more, trying to crawl. Recently he's managed to get his legs up under him more and even give a slight push. Early crawler maybe? Gage also loves to spend time looking at books and being read too. He doesn't care when or where. We read to him during the day sitting up or sometimes I'll lay down with him and read on our backs. Today during church he started to fuss and we brought out the hungry caterpillar and he was instantly engaged and soothed. His book stash continues to grow, I found some cute kid yoga books the other day and Robin got him an animal book. I love that books do this for him and hope that it keeps up in our uber technology world. We also read before bedtime if he's awake still. It doesn't matter how or where we do it, Gage loves books. 

Recently Gage started sleeping for hours at a time and only getting up about twice every night. He loves to cuddle with us and we all keep each other warm. I'm not holding my breath because I know teething and other phases will wake him, but for now we're enjoying it. His process of waking up is still amusing, full of grunts, stretching and farting all while his eyes are closed and for about 20-45 minutes.   

Going outside is so fun with Gage, he loves to go for walks with us and the dogs and check everything out. The fresh air has been so great for all of us. I try to get Gage out a little each day, even if it's just to check the mail and let the dogs out for a few. Sometimes I take him out just to sooth him. Just like his parents, Gage likes the outdoors. We took him on his first trip to the glacier and he loved it. He relaxed and slept for part of it, but most of it he was up, watching the critters and dogs, and chatting. Gage has been talking so much! His cooing is so adorable! He loves to be part of our conversations and have conversations with us. We'll be talking and he'll just chime in. We talk to him all of the time and he'll just coo back. This will go on for minutes and is so cute. He talks to John more, but he has more interesting things to say for a little boy. Gage absolutely adores his dad! He smiles and starts cooing the instant he sees John. His eyes follows John when he's walking around the house. John is such an amazing dad! I have the two most amazing men who make me happier than anything else can.  

To conclude all I can say is that time is flying by WAY too fast and Gage is growing right in front of our eyes. So Much! We have had multiple conversations with him, telling him to stop growing but he just won't listen. The boy is already misbehaving ;) I feel better knowing that when I'm not at work, 110% of my attention goes to my family and we have so much fun together! Gage still likes to see me, which I was honestly worried about when I returned to work, so I feel much relief and excitement each time I come home. Until next time,

Love the Klein's 

John, Emily, Gage, TJ, Mili, and Ammo

The 4th trimester...Gage is 1 month old!

As I sit here writing days ahead of Gage's one month check up, I can't help but think "turn your brain off and relax a little will yah?" I know this blog post won't get done in one sitting, so I start now and silly as it is, writing my thoughts is mostly relaxing, plus I don't want to forget these precious moments as he rapidly grows older. John and I told Gage last night (Monday) that this growing up nonsense needs to quite now; time is going by WAY too fast and we need more of it.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am very family oriented and that nothing beats the importance of the time we have together. People also know that I am a very active, generally healthy, busy person who always has multiple things going on, not to mention a fairly organized routine. These two things are precisely why these last three weeks have been very challenging for me. I have had (am having) a major personality role reversal, in that I want to spend all of my time with John and Gage (without sharing) just being. However I also want this time in a clean, organized, healthy home. Doesn't anyone? The conflict that I have experienced has been in my mind, and while it was fairly easy to be "present" during pregnancy and not let my anxiety get to me hardly at all, it hasn't been since reality of motherhood took over. My mind is constantly spinning circles and questioning what I should be doing and what's best for Gage and I. Case in point; it's almost 7pm on a Tuesday night, I have not done anything in the slightest to clean myself up today other than apply deodorant, I reak of sweat, leaked milk, and probably poo, my entire house is a mess, clothes on the bed, baby items everywhere (where is that damn burp cloth? I mean we have dozens), loads of laundry and dishes to do (even though I literally just did them), and I have a sleeping baby resting in his swing while my back rests. Gage has not been dressed in more than a blanket and hat today or even wiped down for that matter, we haven't had story time yet, and I'm not even sure I've genuinely smiled at him. What do I choose to do? Begin writing.

Part of me wants to continue doing things around the house, just because I feel like I should. I've managed to take the dogs, Gage and myself for about a 2 mile walk, get rid of a bag of clothes, do a load of laundry, do a load of dishes, make lactation cookies, make dinner (although it sucks), read without nursing, and check the mail. Yet I feel as if I've done very little in terms of house hold chores and health. I've nursed Gage multiple times, I've changed him, I've talked to him, watched him play on his back and belly, bounced him on the yoga ball, and carried him about half the day. Gage was wrapped to my chest for a large portion of these tasks. Baby wearing is very important to me and I've been making an honest effort to do so since he entered this world (I feel guilty that he is rocking in his swing right now and has been for over an hour, it's not the first time today either). I had about a week there where I became very frustrated that I wasn't wearing him more, because I couldn't get the wrap just right so instead of retrying, I just held him most of the day. Another conflict, because my hands weren't free to do things.  John will be home soon and I want to wake him so that we can be a family, yet I probably should eat dinner and shower at some point.

Through the chaos of it all, I look back and think "should I have done this or that?" "should I have exposed Gage to certain things and/or people as early as I did"? or "should I feel guilty when I do nothing but nurse him all day oh and watch TV"?. The answer is no, what's done is done and every day is a learning game. Every baby and parent are different and while there are general guidelines and similarities, we are all unique and must do what best for each one us. While I'd love to be someone who can just sit and "relax" for weeks on end and not worry about everything else, I am not that kind of a person and I will go crazy doing so, therefore I need to do other things. However, I know that balance is key and that I need to rest, let Gage slowly adjust to this strange new place, and that I will miss these times that are going by quickly, especially once I return to work. The laundry and dishes can wait, a walk may not always happen, and a little sweat never hurt anyone (just their nose). Therefore I've really come to enjoy our cuddling time together. Whether it be nursing, sleeping, or just cuddling, I'm learning to breath, slow down, and embrace this time. I look at Gage during these times (sometimes hours) and just realize that I can stay like that all day and want time to stand still. That's why I love carrying him so much; even when I'm busy doing something, we can cuddle and I can kiss him. Baby wearing is going better; I spend about half or more of my activities with Gage attached to me and my back is getting stronger. My body is still recovering though so I try not to push it too hard by doing too many activities, sometimes I'll just hold him and rest.

I see why they call this time the 4th trimester for both mom and babe. All of the adjustments both physically and emotionally make for their own growth period. I've come to the realization that a daily "to do" list only frustrates me. Instead I am trying to stick to weekly and monthly goals and write down what I've done each day to keep me from beating myself up. It's amazing how good seeing the words laundry, walk with dogs, story time, or bathed Gage can make you feel. In general we get out for a short 1-2 mile walk with the dogs most days either around the neighborhood or at the beach. Sometimes we don't get out, but the dogs are adjusting pretty well and have learned to be flexible. We give them chew bones and lots of treats to remind them that they are loved and have not been replaced. Ammo loves Gage and stays near him every chance he gets. We have had to guard Gage against Ammo's licks, because he is a major kisser (especially when Gage cries), but he is learning to tone it down and avoid Gage's face. Mili does not like it when Gage cries. I'm not sure if she's more annoyed or concerned, but we always tell her that he's ok and often show him to her. She responds to this so I think she's looking after him. The two of them have pretty much done exactly what we expected them to. Ammo wants to love on Gage and Mili is somewhere between jealous and protective. TJ is coming around more and more, he even came out to say hi to our midwives today. He's back to sleeping with us every night, but usually gets down when I nurse Gage, because there's too much movement for him. Thursday night, I pulled out a pan of water for Gage to put his feet in and TJ came out and drank out of it and then rubbed his head onto Gage's feet.  

Gage is 1 month today! I just can't believe how fast the time has gone by already, it seems like we just welcomed him to our family yesterday. At the same time that feels so far away, another reminder to relinquish these precious moments. We spent the morning cuddling and grunting. He's so funny when he starts to wake up! It's a very long process of grunting, stretching, dozing back off, and eventually fussing or opening his eyes to say good morning. His faces are also very amusing. We just love to admire him and chuckle when he smiles, asleep or awake. He's sleeping better and falling asleep faster after feedings during the night. We decided to co-sleep with Gage for safety and bonding reasons. During the first couple of weeks we set him in a co-sleeper in-between us, but after multiple nights of getting him back to sleep, just to have him wake up multiple times in his sleeper, we decided to try direct contact. Just like his parents, he loves to cuddle and sleeps better that way. He still gets up every 1-3 hours to eat, but instead of me spending 1-2 hours awake, we all sleep soundly within 30 minutes, an hour max if he needs rocking.  

At his 4 week check up yesterday, our midwives weighed Gage and he was a whopping 10 pounds! He gained 18 ounces this last week, making 14 the previous week seem subtle. He is most definitely a munchkin and loves to eat. We are grateful that he is nursing and growing so well. All of his check ups have been positive and motivating.

During the short periods that he's awake and not feeding, I make it a point to read stories to him and socialize with him during tummy or back time. Gage is very observant and likes to look around. In the morning, John usually takes him for an hour or so and sits by the window. Gage loves this time looking outside and bonding with his daddy. There's a picture in our living room of Nugget Falls that we catch him looking at daily. He also really likes to look at our faces and himself. I'll set my phone on reverse camera so he can look at himself and he seems to enjoy that. John also dances with him when he's awake, which is adorable. He's getting strong fast! He's lifting his head for longer periods and kicks his little legs right into our belly's letting us know just how strong he is. When he's on his tummy, he lifts his head for a few seconds to look up and is already bringing his legs up towards his belly. Signs of a fast crawler maybe? I hope he isn't a super fast crawler, because I want him to stay small.  

We gave him his first real bath when he was three weeks old and a few days later, we decided to try a shower with me. He does really well with both methods, enjoying the water and getting loved on. John does a really good job soaping him down and keeping him warm afterwards. Taking him to the pool for the first time will be lots of fun, I suspect that he will enjoy it. Gage is a very happy and content baby. He really only fusses when he's hungry or tired and while he's one of these two A LOT, he calms quickly. He LOVES the yoga ball! If at any point he needs to be calmed before eating, sleeping or just generally soothed it's the yoga ball to the rescue. Bouncing on it instantly soothes him and often puts him to sleep and calms him in the evening to feed if he's tired and hungry at the same time. Our backs ache, but our core are getting solid :) One night John and I were passing him off every 5 minutes to give each other a break. We did this for close to an hour before bed time.

While we by no means have a routine going or a schedule really (I don't believe in scheduled feeds or sleeping this early. I trust that Gage will eat and sleep when his body needs to and I wouldn't want somebody telling me when to eat or sleep, I do it when I need/want it) we are getting the hang of parenting a newborn a little better. Today we feel pretty successful after reorganizing a few totes, running the dishwasher twice, one load of laundry, taking the dogs out, and making dinner.  I definitely enjoy John's day off as much, if not more, than he does. I appreciate his help, enjoy his company and love seeing him with Gage. I've come to respect companies that offer paternity leave a lot more and now recognize how valuable it is. John didn't get any time off, we were just lucky enough that we gave birth on his day off. I try to bring Gage to John at work occasionally so he can see him, while not exposing Gage to too much too soon or pushing myself too hard. All dads should get paternity leave, regardless of their job. After 10 years of just us and the animals, it has been a crazy change for John and I, but an excellent one and we wouldn't change it for the world. Years of not believing parenthood was in our future, makes being a parent extra special. John and I are still in awe of this little angel in our lives and look forward to each day with him, anxious to see how little Gage will influence us :)

Until next time,

Love the Klein's