Today I'm Grateful, Too (2 Grateful, Not 2 Furious)

Seth had a huge grin, but by the time the camera came out, it was down to a little smirk!

Natalie wrote a really sweet post about 8 things for which she is grateful. I don't want to be upstaged, so I have put together my own list of things I have come to appreciate through this experience. Before I start, I whole-heartedly agree with Natalie's list, and I'm not going to repeat any of the things she's said-- Just know I'm grateful for those things, too.

1) I'm grateful that Natalie is an Amazon woman. I mean, she dropped a near 10 pound baby! This baby has a better chance of a successful surgery based on his size alone. He is more stable, more healthy, and faces a shorter recovery.

2) I'm grateful that Natalie is an Amazon woman. {WARNING: Graphic Content} I keep forgetting that 4 days ago she had a major surgery. As they were taking her staples from her c-section out a day early, I had to walk away because the skin wasn't sticking back to together. "Oh, don't worry, the stitches are underneath. That just flaps around a little sometimes," said the portly nurse. I'd watched the entire c-section, but that flapping smile of skin almost did me in. Only an Amazon woman could perform like Natalie has after undergoing such an ordeal.

3) I'm grateful Seth likes old rock n' roll. As a new dad I don't have much to offer a newborn anyway, but take away staying up at night with him, holding him (unfettered from ankle monitors and the like), and I'm even more useless than usual. I did get to sing to Seth today while he looked up at me with those skeptical eyes (talk about a captive audience). He seems especially partial to Phil Phillips' song "Sea of Love."

4) I'm grateful hospital food is cheap. Last night I had a double cheeseburger and fries and Natalie had a BLT all for under $10. It was pretty good, too. We haven't eaten for that cheap since we were dating and found that hotdog on the ground at the baseball game.

5) I'm grateful for technology. We have a lot of friends and family that want to know what's going on with Seth. If you've read the last few posts, you know exactly what we know. We've tried to keep it so you know what we know within 30 minutes of when we know it. I'm still not getting a cell phone, though!

6) I'm grateful for Utah Valley. Even in Salt Lake, the smell of coffee at the hospital is overwhelming. It reminds me of those night shifts I worked at 7-11 in college. How come you can smell alcohol, cigarettes and coffee from 50 yards, but you can't smell corn on the cob, chocolate, and kissing until it's right under your nose?

7) I'm grateful for Greg the nurse. Ever seen "Meet the Parents?" Our nurse is named Greg (not Gaylord) and as soon as I saw him he reminded me of Ben Stiller. His hair is much lighter, but the face is the same. Being someone who can't shut up, I ask him about it, and he said he hears about it all the time. He's a fabulous nurse, we hear him talking gently to the little one year-old in the next room, holding back her tubes as he plays with the firetruck with her. There are plenty of people doing a great job out there, but Greg the nurse is really special.

8) I'm grateful for Seth's smiles. Okay, I (and all other experienced parents) know it's a random facial expression that just happens to pop up like cutting the Jack of hearts from the middle of the deck. Still, it seems like it's meant just for me. And it makes me love him all the more.

Thanks for listening to the ravings of a lunatic. I think it's time for a nap now.

~R