Meet Oliver

 

Meet Oliver | A Sweet Spoonful

As you can imagine, I haven’t had a great deal of time to sit down and write much for this post. I’ve been recovering from labor, we’ve had family and friends visiting, and we’re getting the hang of our new sleep “routine” — all thanks to this truly sweet baby boy that arrived exactly one week late on the afternoon of November 18th weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds 15 ounces. We named our son Oliver Stephen Schick (we simply liked the name Oliver, and Stephen is my Dad’s name) and for the first week or so after bringing him home, I couldn’t look at any of the photos our doula took without being truly overwhelmed with emotion. I think it’ll still take some time to process that day and the experience of labor, how incredibly supportive Sam was, and how incredibly hard it all was. I can look back at photos now and find myself doing so during Oliver’s late night feedings or when I have a spare moment to lie down on the couch. I can tell he’s changing already — his cheeks and arms not quite as chubby — and we’re spending lots of time snuggling and rocking him, and trying to notice it all. 

Meet Oliver | A Sweet Spoonful

The things people tell you when you’re pregnant about not being able to prepare for labor are, as it turns out, true. I still gave it a real go, packing a hospital bag with everything from a heating pad and ginger candies to birth books and energy bars. The day we were heading home and I was getting things ready for Sam to bring to the car, I chuckled as I stared into the bag — the thought of me taking a pause from pushing to consult some of my notes from birth class made me smile. I didn’t touch a thing in that bag, choosing instead to wear the ill-fitting hospital gown for our entire stay, and eating cottage cheese and breakfast burritos from the hospital cafeteria. Oh and that ice cold apple juice! But everyone was right: there is no way to tell what you’ll need, how you’ll feel, and how it will all turn out. I think I probably knew that deep down, but having those ginger candies and birth books made me feel as if I was doing something right.

Meet Oliver | A Sweet Spoonful

Arriving home with Oliver for the first time was surprisingly emotional for me. The house wasn’t how we normally leave it, and staring at the living room brought back memories of the hours of painful contractions and moving furniture around to find a comfortable place to labor (it turns out I did a lot of the hard work at home, arriving to the hospital already 8 centimeters dilated). Once we unloaded the car and got settled in, Sam helped bring some order to things around the house and his sister Christa brought us over a hot dinner. We wanted to crack open a bottle of champagne but I think both realized we wouldn’t make much of a dent in it, so we made tea and cranked up the heat instead.

Meet Oliver | A Sweet Spoonful

We all slept in our bedroom that night and woke early the next day (after many wakings that night), the first full day as a new family in our own house. I wish I could remember what we did that day, but time all seems to mash together into one long chunk peppered with meals from friends, Sam’s scrambled eggs, many cups of tea, hot showers, a trusty white noise machine, short naps, eggnog, and records in the living room. Sam is already a natural Dad — as I knew he would be. He’s been reading Phillip Larkin and The Odyssey to Oliver, singing him elaborate made up songs, and soothing him like a pro. I look at him and feel so lucky to be doing this together, and I look at Oliver realizing that right now he has no idea what a selfless, cool Dad he has.

Meet Oliver | A Sweet Spoonful

When I said earlier that there’s really no way to prepare for labor or the experience of having your first child, that’s certainly true. So all you can do, really, is trust in yourself and the things you’ve put into place. I guess that’s all we can ever do with new endeavors or adventures, isn’t it? And once you do that, you settle into it, hope for the best, and try to envision it all. For Thanksgiving this year, we joined a big group of friends and all sat at a long, communal table sharing dishes we each contributed and turkey that our friend Natalie worked hard on. There was a true abundance of food, two other babies there besides Oliver, warmth and good conversation. I had a hard time eating my meal as I kept thinking about the occasion and what it meant: coming together and giving thanks. We had talked so much about baby Sprout for almost a year … and here he was. Here was Oliver. Here we were. We couldn’t have prepared for any of it, but we’d hoped so hard for it all.

Meet Oliver | A Sweet Spoonful

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Comments

  1. Nick

    So happy for you two! Oliver is adorable and looks peaceful and happy!

    As cliche as it sounds, enjoy these days. They fly by and before you know it Oliver will be more into causing trouble than cuddling. :)

    Congrats again!

  2. shanna mallon

    I'm so proud of you! You did it! He's beautiful and he's here! I have no advice, only a big hug from over here because I am feeling all these things, the hope and the processing and the wowing, even months after our baby came. So surreal and bewildering!

  3. Joy

    Congratulations to you B oth and welcome to the world, Oliver S. S.! Oliver is lucky to have a loving and caring family. xo.

  4. Amy

    Awe, it's all so sweet! Congratulations on birthing your sweet boy (and getting to the hospital in very active labor!). I hope you enjoy this holiday month with your new family, snuggling, resting, and absorbing as much as you can. (And I'm totally with you on the cold apple juice by the way:)

  5. Katie

    Beautiful. Congratulations. I giggled when I read the part about you packing the bag. With our first, I packed a novel and some magazines, thinking I'd have time to do some reading after the baby was born. As you now know, my husband and are were far too busy just looking at this new wonder (who, by the way is about to turn 18). Enjoy him.

  6. tracy

    Congrats to your family of three!!! I am so excited for you! xo

  7. Sarah

    Hi Megan!

    I have been reading your blog for quite some time but have never posted a comment. I just couldn't not comment today when I read your latest post. What a beautiful baby boy, I am so happy that you are both well and enjoying your journey together. Congratulations! I have 4 little ones and the time goes by incredibly fast, live in the moment as much as possible and savor those snuggly newborn baby days!

    Take Care,

    Sarah

  8. susan hirsch

    Just beautiful. A garment of grace.

  9. Jacqui

    My first blog post after Murdo was born came pretty much the exact same way - after a 5am feeding when I probably should've gone back to sleep instead. You're so right - nothing can prepare you for any of it. The labor, the recovery, the first days home, the new way of life for everyone... lately I've been thinking about those first couple of months when time just ran together and I actually started missing it, because it really is such a precious time. So I know you're hearing it a lot but I can't help but join in the chorus: soak it all up, mama. And congrats again - you are a beautiful family! xo

  10. Emily | Gather & Dine

    The miracle of life just never gets old. He's so perfect, so beautiful. Wishing you warmest congratulations and joy. I remember so many of those same emotions after my firstborn. Just love hearing about how you are soaking in those wonderful first days.

  11. Mary

    Oh, my goodness - he is so very sweet! Those little lips! That chin! The chubb! I am so happy for you - the newborn days are such a special, hard, beautiful time and it goes by SO FAST. Wishing you a healthy recovery and plenty of naps. <3

  12. Molly

    This is so good. Love to you three! xx

  13. Kate

    Congratulations, Megan!!! So glad he's here.

  14. Patty

    Honey it doesn't matter that you couldn't read your notes from a birthing class. You achieved a perfect goal - you had a beautiful baby and your life will never be the same again - only better. You will see things you take for granted through Oliver's eyes and you will watch in wonderment at everything. I have a needlepoint on my wall that says: Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow for baby's grow up we've learned to our sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep." Enjoy that little bundle and forget about everything else! The baby I did that for is now 41 and I would give anything to go back and start all over again.

    1. megang

      Oh goodness, well now I am crying Patty. Thank you so much for this comment. Maybe I needed it today as I'm trying to tackle laundry and emails in between Oliver's naps -- maybe these emails can wait. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a sweet, meaningful comment. It sounds like your 41 year old son or daughter is very lucky to have you as a mom. ~Megan

  15. christine

    What a beautiful blog
    congratulations

  16. Kathleen

    Many congrats, Megan! He is SOOOO darling. I can tell that you're savoring every sweet bit.

  17. Lori Narlock

    Congratulations, Megan!!! He is beautiful. I'm so happy for you and your family. I wish for you a baby that loves to sleep!

  18. Erin

    The best. Simply the best. Wishing the best for your family of three!

  19. Carole

    What a truly beautiful baby. Mommy and Daddy look beautiful, too. Becoming parents plants something wonderful in the heart that blooms upon the face. Congratulations! Wishing you sleep as I can tell you have already been granted joy.

  20. Goldie

    Congrats to you!! We just welcomed our second daughter on 10/11, 8 days earlier than expected. Oliver is beautiful. Enjoy every minute.

  21. Maria

    Blessings to your family.

  22. Sarah

    Congratulations! Such good news and such a lovely post.

  23. Monica

    Congratulations to you and your family! What a gift. He is beautiful. Wishing you all the best!

  24. Vanessa Burgess

    The life lessons of parenthood continue forever and are such a blessing.
    I'm sure all of Oliver's grandparents are watching over him!
    Love...Aunt V

  25. Sonja

    He is so beautiful! I loved hearing this behind the scenes of how it went. So much love to both of you!

  26. Heather

    I am weeping. This is just beautiful.

  27. mcs3000

    I love this post so much. Oliver's a beauty. So thrilled for the three of you! XO

  28. Aileen Foan

    like everyone else, I imagine, I have been checking every day and am so happy to meet Oliver. He looks just beautiful....
    Patty's poem was an inspiration to me - and I have a 41 year old son too and a 36 year old daughter.
    I do enjoy your blog, so much.

  29. Teresa

    I am so, so happy for you and it's true: you can prep to your heart's content but can't foresee what will be important to you until you get there. Oliver is a gift and a treasure, and you need to frame that picture of Sam holding him. That's your whole world right there.

  30. Andie Mitchell

    Congratulations Megan! What a full and loved life he's about to have :) Seeing these pictures just fills.me.up. I have to say, this really got me, "So all you can do, really, is trust in yourself and the things you’ve put into place. I guess that’s all we can ever do with new endeavors or adventures, isn’t it? And once you do that, you settle into it, hope for the best, and try to envision it all." <--It's just so spot on about life. The older I get, the more I recognize that I just have to trust myself. That I can try to prepare and prepare, and then I really do have to...let go.

    Wishing you so well in these precious weeks :)

    Andie

  31. Kate

    Oh how wonderful! I've been eagerly checking your blog to see if the baby came and am so happy to hear about Baby Oliver. The first few weeks are an intense, wild, crazy, wonderful, love filled ride. Be kind to yourself and try to let all the other stuff (like chores) go for a while. Congratulations!

  32. Shila

    This is the sweetest! Congrats to you and Sam on a beautiful boy and may you have many cozy, restful moments snuggling with him <3 Thank you for sharing your story and hope you get some quality sleep!

  33. Anna

    Congratulations! It is definitely a process. I always try to remind myself to enjoy the good parts because they won't always last and to know that the hard times will pass.

  34. Beth

    Megan - Oliver is beautiful - congratulations to you and Sam. I have followed your blog for over a year now and am so happy for you! Amazing how you can feel connected to someone you've never met or corresponded with. When my 3rd child was born, just a little over 16 years ago, I still remember another mother from our church seeing him with her small children for the first time. She said "Look at him; fresh from God" It still chokes me up. Children bless your lives in the most amazing ways - enjoy every minute!

    1. megang

      Thank you for your sweet comment, Beth! Yes we feel very lucky and are trying to take it all in and absorb it all ... I notice him changing already! Hope you have a wonderful holiday season ~Megan

  35. Margo, Thrift at Home

    congratulations! He's so adorable and I also love the name Oliver.

    Labor is truly amazing and life-changing. I cried in every shower I took after my oldest was born for weeks - why the shower, I don't know! Just didn't have the words for that experience maybe, which is what I felt like you were writing about.

  36. Cristina

    Congratulations to you all! Baby Oliver is gorgeous and you are such a beautiful family.
    Hugs from Italy

  37. Jude Jackson

    Absolutely a beautiful baby. Wishing you the best always. You are doing everything right!

  38. Kate

    Wonderful, wonderful news! Congratulations to you all!!

  39. Nickie

    Congratulations Oliver, you chose great parents! I am making cookies in your honor...

    1. megang

      Aww, thanks so much, Nickie!

  40. Lisa

    Congratulations, Megan! We have some friends in common, so I've been following you for a while now. We're also due with our first child in early February. This post was so sweet and heartfelt, and reminds me to stay grounded and embrace the unknown. Congratulations again on the safe arrival of sweet Oliver. And Merry Christmas to your new family.

  41. Susi Schuegraf

    congrats what a beautiful boy and i love your birth story, brings back many memories

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