Doctor Trump
September 1 (Friday)
Wife’s discharge delayed
She spiked a fever, which means
The party goes on
September 2 (Saturday)
Heading home today!
But leaving without our guy
Leads to some shed tears
September 3 (Sunday)
Wife’s folks leave today
Time to find our new normal
(Trying not to drown)
September 4 (Monday)
Labor Day today
My bad joke loving self hoped
He was born today
September 5 (Tuesday)
Drive wife to NICU
Go to work, drive wife back home,
Go to NICU, sleep
September 6 (Wednesday)
4 pm coffee?
Don’t mind if I do! Wait … Wait …
IT’S 9 AM?!?! … Uggggghhhhh
September 7 (Thursday)
Wife’s breathing is off
Call doc: ‘you need the ER’
Long stay but all’s well
September 8 (Friday)
Sleeping at NICU
Machine noises, baby sounds
And chatty nurses
September 9 (Saturday)
Some sleep here each night
How. How? How how how? … Hu … How?
My brain is broken
September 10 (Sunday)
Making some pals here
Who knew: NICU parents lounge
Where the cool kids are
September 11 (Monday)
Wife’s driving again!
This gives me more time each day
Which means more cuddles
September 12 (Tuesday)
NICU sleep plan changed
Leave to head home feeling bad
Exhaustion or guilt?
September 13 (Wednesday)
Mom and sis flew in!
So you guys want dinner, or …
First stop, duh, meet him
September 14 (Thursday)
Boss and boss’s boss
Both being real supportive
Tears, stay in your ducts!
September 15 (Friday)
Stayed up late tonight
Chatting with my mom and sis
A breath of fresh air
September 16 (Saturday)
Awful night for me
Feeding him alarms sound
His heart rate dropped LOW
September 17 (Sunday)
Doc says we *can* leave
But I can’t leave this afraid
I’m scared to feed him
September 18 (Monday)
Huge sigh of relief!
Night with the kiddo went well!!
We’re taking him home!!!
September 19 (Tuesday)
First doctor’s visit!
(Not counting three weeks of rounds)
(And some specialists)
September 20 (Wednesday)
Paternity leave
During the day – all is great
At night – hellish fear
September 21 (Thursday)
Went to new friends house!
Some fellow NICU parents
Commiserate and laugh
September 22 (Friday)
Jekyll and Hyde deal
By day – a little angel
By night – a hell spawn
September 23 (Saturday)
Before: kid pics dull,
Why send so many pictures?
Now: I understand
September 24 (Sunday)
Football, nap, repeat?
Football, baby, nap, repeat.
Big routine changes
September 25 (Monday)
The house is all love
Cooing over the baby
And chats ’bout his poop
September 26 (Tuesday)
Sleep deprivation,
And being away from work:
Time has no meaning
September 27 (Wednesday)
Doctor’s appointment
Losing weight in the worst way
Via his foreskin
September 28 (Thursday)
Holy crap – fall’s here!
Went out for a walk and saw
Leaves have changed colors
September 29 (Friday)
Strolling through Target
Should I buy LEGOs for him?
Him! Not me! … I swear?
September 30 (Saturday)
When your teams aren’t good
Cherish 2 and 0 days
Go Army and Stangs!
August 1 (Tuesday)
(To the cotton song)
The touch … The feeeeel … Of naptime
Daydream of my souuul
August 2 (Wednesday)
Baby class tonight
Make friends? Embarrass my wife?
Go for gold with both??
August 3 (Thursday)
I’m glued to this app?
Dude, no way! I’m gonna save …
Then I’ll state my case …
August 4 (Friday)
Junk food for dinner?
No, come on, be realistic
Junk food AND ice cream
August 5 (Saturday)
Wife is out of town …
Time to go a bit nuts and
Clean up the basement!!!
August 6 (Sunday)
Grey skies and sprinkles
I need coffee, a window
And I’m good to go
August 7 (Monday)
New dentist today
Sadly, he’s not named Crentist
But I think he’ll do
August 8 (Tuesday)
I’ll say this to you –
My opponent’s a good man,
And a great snuggler
August 9 (Wednesday)
Last year: no snakes seen
This year: three spotted so far
Guys … I think I’m doomed
August 10 (Thursday)
Serious question:
Santa. This very moment.
He eating Ramen?
August 11 (Friday)
Tested code I wrote
Friday afternoon. Test fails.
Monday self: good luck.
August 12 (Saturday)
Nazi flags displayed
Not just sans shame, but with pride
What U.S. is this?
August 13 (Sunday)
Busy week ahead
This calls for … Naptivity!
(Actively napping)
August 14 (Monday)
Just chips for dinner?
No, be real, I’m an adult
Also having dip
August 15 (Tuesday)
Skipping a concert
Embracing lazy! Bonus:
Sold tix, got back cash!
August 16 (Wednesday)
Cleaning the house up
Do I find it dirty? No.
Wife vetoes my vote.
August 17 (Thursday)
My wife’s water broke
Fine, good, great … But a bit soon.
She’s 32 weeks
August 18 (Friday)
Ambulance transfer?
OB ICU? Check. Check.
SIMMER DOWN, BABY!
August 19 (Saturday)
Two steroid shots down
(They speed up baby’s lung growth)
Hoping and waiting
August 20 (Sunday)
Moving rooms today!
Want to hit thirty-four weeks
Each day cooking helps
August 21 (Monday)
My wife and bed rest
How will she survive two weeks
Of doing nothing?
August 22 (Tuesday)
Wife’s mom takes day shift
I work, then take the night shift
Wife yells ‘HOLD!’ at womb
August 23 (Wednesday)
Assumed dull bed rest
Instead every day is unique
Not in a good way
August 24 (Thursday)
Wife woke up and puked
Intense dizziness from drugs
The party don’t stop!!
August 25 (Friday)
Baby’s heartbeats off
Wife moves rooms for constant watch
…Child, stop it! … Please?
August 26 (Saturday)
Wife feels better now!!!
… But contractions have started
… And she’s in labor …
August 27 (Sunday)
Whoa – I’m a father!
Ahh! Put my wife’s guys back please!
(C-sections are nuts)
August 28 (Monday)
Holding my son is …
Love bolstering? Full of joy?
No. Terrifying.
August 29 (Tuesday)
Lots of tiny tools:
The small blood pressure leg band
Is my favorite
August 30 (Wednesday)
Back to work today
Saving paternity leave
For when he comes home
August 31 (Thursday)
Wife’s still healing up
Bed rest, the drugs, surgery
They took a big toll