Our little Swede-heart

We've caught World Cup Fever, have you? Kjell and his Dad both sported the colors of Sverige today and were pleased with the 2-2 draw with England. It looked as if England was going to escape with the victory, until Kjell's favorite player, Henrik Larsson, scored in the 90th minute. Exciting stuff. A special thank you to Daniel, Heike, Nils and Elis for Kjell's first Swedish outfit.


After cheering his heart out for a full 90 minutes, Kjell was left exhausted. Emotions run high during the World Cup and Kjell was flat-out beat after the game with England. He hopes to be refreshed by the time that Sweden plays their next match versus the host team - Germany. Of course, Kjell also could be worn out from his additional kidney tests today. The good news is that the bad kidney has shrunk even further and the good kidney shows no signs of reflux. Of course, the tough thing is that the reflux test required a catheter. Kjell was none too happy about that, but he made it through like a champ.

Grandma Judy and First Visit to Poppa P.'s House

Kjell had his first visit to Poppa P.'s house this week as well as some cuddle time with Grandma Judy. It was a big week. Poppa P and Grandma each enjoyed feeding Kjell and he very much enjoyed eating a meal with them.

More "Grands"

We have really enjoyed having the grandparents here to visit us. They have helped out so much around the house and with holding and feeding Kjell. Although we are breastfeeding, Kjell needed a little supplementation to get back up to birthweight so Gramma Sara, Grandma Judy, Grandpa Bob and Dad have been helping to plump him up a little bit. We were pleased to hear today at our lactation appointment that he was back up to a perfect weight for his age. On our first appointment after our consultation with Cindy the lactation guru, Kjell had gained 8 oz. in one day. We don't know how we'll ever feed him as a teenager if he continues at this rate! Today he weighed in at a whopping 8lbs. 5 oz., which hits the goal of birth weight plus 1 oz. per day after the first week. So, even though he appears to get none of his physical characteristics from me, his appetite seems to have been inherited.

Today I may have also noticed a dimple too, which I like to believe came from me.

My First Buddy Benjamin

Benjamin and Kjell have hit it off from the start. We knew they would of course. Benjamin was so gentle with him and pronouned his name properly right away.
We finally got everyone in the family together for this photo. Brother Moose is just itching to lick his baby bro. So far we've been able to discourage such attention, but the day is not far off I am quite sure when they will both be licking one another. Jamie and I will have to keep in mind the words of a veteran mother whose son was letting Moose lick is tongue one day while we were out sitting at a patio for lunch. She said, "He's my third. Can you tell? The first two were kept in a sterile environment. This one plays in the toilet and is the healthiest of them all!"

Maija, Jamie, And Baby Kjell Together At Last

The Brothers

Moose has been a good big brother so far. He gets up to make sure mom and Baby Kjell are doing well for all the feedings and has gingerly sniffed at the newest addition to our family.

First Days At Home

Looking Back...

After his first few days at home, we've had a little chance now to look back on the busy week behind us. It was such a relief to hear those first cries when he was born. After months of worrying over his health, I am so thankful that all seems to be very well with him. Dr. Perez, perhaps the sweetest children's urologist in the world, pronounced his good kidney to be "healthy, pretty, and robust." These adjectives seem to ring true for more than just his kideys. Mom, Dad, and Gramma Sara think he's quite beautiful, healthy, and robust in general.

We are so glad to be home now too. Hosptial beds are not meant for sleeping. I can't believe how much we love him already. He's got kissable little cheeks and is starting to gain weight.
We've already had our first post-hospital check-up and have discovered that he is quite gifted (at pooping, sleeping, and eating!) We did have to admit he was still illiterate though and lacking in fine motor skills when we had to explain why the patient couldn't sign his own forms at the doctor's office. His pediatrician, Dr. Almquist (note the good Scandinavian name she married into), said that he's doing all that is expected of him. Apparently signing one's own forms is optional when you are only five days old.

Monkey Toes
One of Kjell's most distinguishing characterisitics are his long, skinny monkey toes. Dr. Barnes said she's delivered a lot of babies in her day, but that he has the biggest feet she's ever seen. The picture really doesn't do the toes justice.

He's Here!!! (Introducing Kjell)

KJELL WILEY OSTERHOLME PETERS

Well, our little man is here and we couldn't be happier. Maija and I went into the hospital at 6:30 am on 5/31/06 for the doctor to induce labor. At 1:40 am the next day (6/1/06), our little boy took his first big breaths and let loose his first powerful screams.

He weighed 8 lbs and 1/2 oz at birth. He's 21 inches long and would probably have mesured in at closer to 30 inches, if he didn't have so much of his length wrapped up in his unaturally long feet.

In honor of Maija's Scandinavian roots, we gave him the Swedish name Kjell. We pronounce it Chel, as if it was short for Chelsea. He has two middle names. The first is Wiley (in honor of my maternal grandparents). His second middle name is Osterholme (Maija's maiden name). So, his full name is Kjell Wiley Osterholme Peters. Hopefully, one day he'll grow into his name (and his feet).

It's now 1:30 pm on Saturday, and the new bigger family Peters has arrived home. During our days at the hospital, Kjell learned to feed, lost a little weight, and most importantly - got the all clear from any number of pediatricians and his urology specialist.

Now, for what everyone came here to see.... Photos of the little man!

Kjell, just minutes after birth

First bath

First moments at home

Kjell with Gramma Sara (Jamie's Mom)

With Poppa P (Jamie's Dad)

With Grandma P (Jamie's Step-Mom - Penny)

Still No Baby

We went to the doctor again on Tuesday and she said we'd made a little progress, but not enough to consider induction. I got to see "Magnus" practicing his breathing which was pretty neat. I also tried to figure out the best days to try and encourage the baby to make his entrance. I would really like to have my doctor deliver. She said that if I don't go into labor before my next appointment, then we'll start making some plans for his delivery. That'll be next Tuesday. So, we are just waiting now.

I've had a nice almost two weeks off from work and have been able to rest, read some, and take plenty of naps.

Jamie's mom, Gramma Sara, has been here and won't let me us do the dishes and has helped to take Moose for the long walks he enjoys so much. She has set a pretty high standard for future guests!

We hope to have exciting news of a healthy baby boy to report in our next posting. Thanks for all the well wishes!

No Baby Yet

So last week we got a little jolting news that we might need to induce. That'll really kick you into high gear. Thankfully, today when I went to the doctor, she told me that the fluid levels that they'd been mildly concerned about were back in good numbers--mostly due to the fact that when I am not at school I can drink plenty of water, relax, and sleep. So the progress today was limited. I was 1cm and 50%, for those of you who are knowledgeable in the whole baby-havin' category. The process of collecting that information was, let's just say, less than ideal.

Mother-in-law/ Gramma Sara is very excited I think that it looks like the baby will not beat her own arrival to Charlotte, which is slated for the 23rd of May. Grandma Judy will be here to visit on June 10, and Auntie Anna sometime in the later part of the summer. Beyond that extended "aunts" and "uncles" from out west have made plans to visit when they can to meet the little guy.

And his name will be...
Seriously, did you think it'd be that easy?

Well, that is about all for now. Jamie, Moose, "Magnus" and I all hope you are doing well. We will send e-mails and make phone calls when we get a chance after the baby makes his appearance.

A Little Something for the Swedes...

Our Swedish friends told us a funny story about Spring in Sweden. After all of the days of darkness, the people of Sweden are overly excited about every little sign of Spring. The first flowers of the season are front page news and it is often a primary point of conversation. So, for our dear friends hugging the Arctic Circle, here are some pictures from our Spring in Charlotte. We've been in bloom for over a month now (not to brag).

Click on images to get a bigger view

Nursery Updates

Last weekend, we were overwhelmed with the generosity of our family and friends. While Leslie Peters, Penny Peters and Sara Goguen hosted a baby shower for Maija, Poppa P surprised me with a Dude's shower/cook-out at his house. It was a great Saturday afternoon for all involved and little Magnus now has even more great outfits, toys, bouncy seats, etc. He's only lucky little dude. All this love for him, and he hasn't even let out his first "coo". We are very thankful to have such wonderful and supportive family and friends. Thanks to everyone. Without further rambling, here are some new photos:

Here I am posing with the new bookshelf that Poppa P built. At Maija's shower, all of the ladies were supposed to bring their favorite children's/baby books. Many of those have already populated the shelves of this Poppa P original.



Moose and I are trying to decide how we feel about these little diapers.




We got LOTS of duck themed gifts. People know us very well.

Dr. Perez - Children's Urologist

First off, thank goodness for insurance. We've seen more than our fair share of doctors during this pregnancy. The latest was Dr. Luis Perez. He's a children's urologist. He runs his own practice in Charlotte called Children's Urology of the Carolinas. He'll be treating Magnus' Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney (MCDK), learn more about MCDK here. We love Dr. Perez. He was wonderful. Maybe it was just because he was giving us some pretty good news, but more likely it was his intelligence, calm demeanor, and laid back personality that won us over.

We first learned of Magnus' cystic kidney about 10 weeks ago. At the same time that we learned he was a boy, we learned that he was going to need special tests to diagnose the cause of the cystic kidney. We've had two appointments with Dr. Allbert. Dr. Allbert is an obstetrician who specializes in prenatal ultrasound diagnosis and he was the first person to diagnose Magnus' condition. He was able to confirm that the MCDK was only impacting one kidney (right side) and that based on the level of amniotic fluid, he was able to surmise that the left kidney was working well. "What does amniotic fluid have to do with kidneys?" you are probably asking yourself. Well, after the first few weeks, amniotic fluid is made up almost entirely of baby pee (not to be confused with Baby P). Since kidneys create urine, if Magnus' didn't have enough urine, it would have pointed to a bilateral kidney problem. Also, baby's practice breathing by ingesting the amniotic fluid. Insufficient amniotic fluid often leads to BIG problems - like still birth. Needless to say, it was a great relief to see that the problem was only on one kidney and the other kidney was doing its job. Dr. Allbert also reassured us that you only need one kidney to be healthy. In his words, "if you are going to have a problem with an organ, you want it to be an organ that you have two of". Pretty true.

So, after two appointments with Dr. Allbert to confirm his diagnosis of MCDK, we had our first appointment with Dr. Perez. Dr. Perez really put us at ease. He let us know that before we even leave the hospital, he will run a couple of tests on Magnus. One will be an ultrasound of Magnus' kidney. This will show the current size and status of the kidney. The other will confirm that all of the "plumbing" to the good kidney is in working condition. If there are "plumbing" issues - which is common - he will probably just treat them with an antibiotic. As for the MCD kidney, he'll just leave it be and monitor it's size over the next few years. In the past, there was a belief that you should always remove the MCD kidney (perform a nephrectomy). Now, they believe differently. They've found that in a majority of cases, by age five, the child's body has absorbed the MCD kidney, essentially doing the surgeons job without the cutting and the anesthesia. So, they'll just monitor the MCD kidney and make sure that it is shrinking over time. If the body does not absorb it, then we may need to consider the surgery.

Of course, the remaining question was "how is life different for a baby/child/adult with one kidney". The answer, thankfully, was "there are no differences." Dr. Perez encouraged us to allow our child to play contact sports, to run jump and play, and that we didn't need to "baby" him. There are some dietary things that we should watch - reduce sodium intake and have a slightly lower protein diet. Otherwise, he's going to be a normal kid. So, when he starts mouthing off to you and you are getting ready to put him over your knee for a good paddling... don't let him use the "I've only got one kidney" excuse... You just go right ahead and swat him!*

*The Peters Family Blog does not condone corporal punishment

Today Magnus and I went to the doctor and finished up another milestone. This was our last monthly appointment before we start visiting the doctor every two weeks. We talked about Magnus's upcoming appointment with his specialist, and took another listen to his heartbeat. It was bouncing right along at about 150 beats per minute.
We also had to do a glucose tolerance test, which basically involved drinking something that tasted like the really sweet McDonald's orange drink that people had at birthday parties when I was a little kid. Magnus loved the orange drink and was throwing a one-man dance party while he visited with Dr. Barnes.
Moose had been attempting to become a better walker, one who does not pull his family down the street, but rather lets "his people" believe that they are in control. It is slow going---literally, since Moose has to stop and sit after each misdeed. He is showing promise though that one day he will successfully make it through the walk without stopping for more time than he spends walking.
That's about all for now. Magnus and Maija will stop working in mid-May if all goes as planned, but until then they'll keep their noses to the grindstone at school.

Old dresser is now new dresser

Thanks to Uncle Cory, our little boy has his first dresser. Cory had an old unfinished dresser that he no longer had any need for. We gladly accepted the dresser, and after a couple of coats of paint, we think it looks perfect for out little man. Moose made his way into the photo. He's such an attention hound!

Also a big thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Siebum. They gave our little dude a very nice stroller/first car seat combo. I need to make sure that I study up and figure out how to strap that seat into our car. I wouldn't think it would be that hard, but everyone keeps telling me how important it is to get the thing installed correctly. So, I'll be going to car seat safety class here in about a month.

That's all for now. Our love to all,
Jamie, Maija, Moose and Junior

9' Tall Duck

It's with a great amount of confidence that I can declare that my 9' tall inflatable duck is the ONLY 9' tall inflatable duck in all of North Carolina. As you all know, we love out Ducks here at 3015. Now, there is little doubt that the neighbors will also know of our passion. I tried him out on Thursday night, in hopes that he could bring the men's basketball team some luck. It didn't work out too well. They lost yet another heart-breaker - this time to the hated Huskies of Washington. My confidence is unfettered. I'm sure that this newest addition to my collection of all things U of O athletics will start paying off soon. Maybe it's more of a football duck. I'll just wait 'til the fall to see him bring some good luck to the Ducks.

Everything else is good here at the Peters' house. Moose is back to his old self. No more g.i. distress, no more of me almost gagging as I clean up after him. It's nice to have him back to normal. Maija continues to do well. Her belly may get a little bigger by the day, but each additional cm just makes her that much cuter. Today was the first day that we could SEE little "Magnus" kick. We've felt it quite often lately, but today we could actually see her belly jump as he kicked. It's all pretty wild stuff. We also moved the dresser into the nursery this morning. We'll get a photo of that up soon. We hope you all are well. More updates soon.

Valentine's Day Eve 2006

Since we preferred not to deal with the mayhem that usually accompanies a Valentine's Day out on the town, we chose to honor Oregon's birthday a day early. Little did we know that Valentine's day cannot come and go without at least a little
mayhem.
After a lovely dinner out at a great seafood restaurant, we returned home with full bellies and visions of soft fluffy pillows dancing in our heads...but then I'm mixing my holidays.
As we walked through the door we were greeted with what can only be described as a horrific smell. Moose, nowhere to be seen, had left a calling card for us on the entryway tile. The poor little guy was suffering from the worst case of explosive intestinal distress that either one of us had ever seen. It was, thankfully for you, indescribable! Moose claims (after his $100 visit to the vet) that he was just trying to prepare us for the baby's diapers.

Indoor Soccer???

During the last week it seems there has been a soccer match, or maybe even hockey at times taking place within the confines of my growing belly. Jamie has finally been able to feel the little man kick at him too. So far, the fancy footwork seems most likely at the grocery store, or during quiet times while I'm trying to sleep in or get to sleep for the night.

The visit with our doctor this week was good. We measured 25 cm at the beginning of the 25th week, which seems consistent with little "Magnus'" growth pattern so far.

Work In Progress

We wanted to pass along some pictures of the new nursery to all of you. Jamie's hard work paid off. Everything looks great and has been given Saftey Maija's stamp of approval.



The blanket Maija is holding up was made for Baby P. by Great Grammy Hayes, who is Maija's friend Sandy's mother who is almost 90 years old. She sent the blanket down this week for Baby P. It is lovely and Maija hopes to be able to imitate her fine crochet work some day---maybe by the time she is 90 herself! So far, Maija sticks to much more simple crochet stitches, but does hope to finish a blanket for the little man sometime before he is born, although it won't be as beautiful as this one.

Baby Sweatshop

Like most other Americans, babies rely on cheap labor to support their needs. In this case for the construction of a crib, rocking chair and changing table, extremely low cost labor was contracted . While this worker complained of carpel tunnel syndrome and the cramped working conditions reminiscent of a veal pen, he did get the job done in record time. All three pieces were assembed on Saturday. TIGHT QUARTERS AND A BOSS WHO KEEPS HOUNDING HIM
WORKER FEIGNING SMILE FOR PHOTO OP. WITH CURIOUS ON-LOOKER