We found solitude and relaxation in Sesquentennial Park walking around the lake, checking out the Canadian Geese who headed south for the winter, and fought off a few mosquitos as the sun went down. Only a few more days we knew our young son would be here.

And on the 11th it was time. Etain went into labor the night before and didn’t want to tell me until morning, and off we went to the hospital. We got nothing we wanted as the back-woods backwards culture that is South Carolina did not respect our wishes for laboring in water, natural delivery, no drugs, hypno-birthing. They simply looked at my insurance and the doctor (a fill-in, one we didn’t know) just had it in her mind to use my good insurance and pushed for a C-section. Etain had almost achieved natural delivery as we saw the head, but the doctor was impatient and wanted to do a C-section. Luckily everything went well, quick, and Cian was fine – no complications. Healthy and good. Recovery was rough though as we spent several days in the hospital while Etain got back on her feet. Our baby boy was so beautiful and teeming with life. Hospital kept trying to take him to the nursery which annoyed us. Work was fabulous as they gave us vouchers for meals when we got home so that we didn’t have to think about cooking.

Once we escaped the hospital, Etain wanted to go to Charleston to take care of her residency interview for U.S. residency. Mom and Dad sent flowers, I got flowers, and work sent flowers. Lots of cards – definitely a time to celebrate.

Poor little Cian was diagnosed with jaundice so he had to have a Billy-bee on him for a couple of weeks. They were concerned with his lack of weight gain to birth weight most of March. The uneducated Pediatrician (well supposedly was educated but apparently not well rounded) had us coming in every day to weigh him and was staging us up for a hospital monitoring as while he said he was supportive of breast feeding was actually trying to push formula from a very early stage. (and was milking my insurance for what he could get out of it)

It was several days before we left the hospital from recovery and monitoring. Finally the release date and we were able to go home. Working at home was difficult with caretaking and adapting to changes as well. The first part of March was very hectic indeed and awesome inspiring of the new journey we were beginning …

One would think that in the Southeast the sun would be enough to cure the jaundice, but instead the pediatrician prescribed the billy-bee that produced a blue light and had to be around Cian a good portion of the day. His jaundice did clear up within 2 weeks. We also promptly left the house to get in natural sunlight as well.

We were out for walks in the park and getting fresh air. We made our rounds and had our first breakfast out. Cian was an angel, no muss and no fuss. Hikes in the parks were grand.

Cian started showing his first signs of being aware of the world around him with a amazement especially in nature. The quickest way to stop him from crying was to walk outside the house – he would instantly stop his cries and look around listening to the birds chirping. It was quite magical. He definitely showed signs of being a nature boy.

Eight days old and Cian was already ready for adventure. So apparently was his mom – who should have stayed in and recovered from the C-section but she was antsy to go make her appointment in Charleston and get her U.S. residency in action. She insisted we travel, so away we went for our first road trip with Cian … a couple of hours down the road. Cian seemed to love it. Immigration was a fly-through especially with the baby – they popped us on through and was astounded we didn’t cancel and re-schedule. Etain got her green card. We went to the beach to celebrate for Cian’s first surf and turf. Then celebrated with Thai with our brother and sister-n-law in Mount Pleasant.

We had a great doula come to our house for two weeks and help guide us with the baby, getting settled in, ideas for care giving him, and balancing house work with baby care. Also breastfeeding support and guidance. It was a great move on our part to incorporate this. We still struggled with the fill-in Pediatrician who charmed us at first and turned out to be a money-grubbing ass at last deadset on formula. That was rough. It made the impression that South Carolina was backwards and not progressive nor natural. This was the first signs we wanted to leave.

Full set of hair, good nature, quiet, and warm … Cian was definitely our star. By end of the month was back into work doing 6-10 hour days catching up on comp time and getting projects done. Sleep deprived and overwhelmed we both were but knowing it was all worth the amazing child we had created. Started things rolling with re-newed activity and involvement with Technogypsie Productions and The Tree Leaves Oracle as was hoping to launch work into them to be able to afford me to work from home and be able to spend more time with my wife and child actively. Working long days monday to friday was rough as by the time I got home was only able to spend an hour with Cian during the week and then full time on weekends. He needs more of his parents than that. Both parents.

We began a shift to being more domestic and less time out in town. We weren’t reclusive like many parents are, still ten times more active than the mass-populace, but definitely a change for us and our lifestyles. We began growing sprouts, started household projects, and custom teas for the business.

Getting to know Columbia parks and playgrounds was the majority of our outings. Getting exercise and fresh air and keeping Cian active. Daily walks around the neighborhood did us a world of good.

Towards the end of the month Etain’s mom and aunt came in from Ireland to visit and assist around the house while I was at work and Etain was recovering. Lots of gifts were presented from Ireland as well. House was a bit tight with the five of us but we made due makeshifting the living room into a bedroom. Mom was ecstatic at becoming a grandma. The first of several as we started a dominoe chain in her family – first us, then in May her brother had a son, then in July her sister had a boy. (Also in my family line as well as 3 months before us my younger brother had a son and in October my niece had a son)

March was definitely about family, babies, and nesting. Setting in roots and figuring out what we wanted our future to become. It was a pivotal month for me to figure things out and start looking into what I wanted to do as a living to provide for my family. Dinners in and dinners out – Mom and Auntie spoiled us a bit.

We celebrated Easter and brought together some of Etain’s family from Ireland with my family in South Carolina. A beach day was had for Easter after mass. The adventures were back in action.

Year in Review: [ January ] [ February ] [ March ] [ April ] [ May ] [ June ] [ July ] [ August ] [ September ] [ October ] [ November ] [ December ]