Baby Snyder is here!

Finally! Last Friday, at 8:44 a.m. baby Snyder was born -- Zachary Allen Snyder. The whole morning went by very fast. Melanie and I left our house at 5:45 and got to the hospital where the staff prepared for the c-section. We walked in without a baby and out with a newborn. The c-section, was amazing, and I picked over the curtain a few times to see what was happening. I actually had the chance to see some of Melanie's organs and was the first to hold the kid after he got out of the warmers.

We got home on Monday and have been doing well. We are trying to get him on a schedule and Melanie is breast feeding. Although I have been doing some bottle feeding at the wee hours of the morning. I will have an updated website with pictures by tomorrow....stay tuned.

One week from yesterday!

In 6 more days baby Snyder will be here! Melanie's last day of work is on Tuesday, and my last day will be Wednesday. The c-section is scheduled for 8 am on Friday the 25th. Hard to believe that I will have this animal for the rest of my life.

He's Alive!

Yes, folks, it has been awhile since I have updated my blog, and people have been asking. It seems as though the past couple of weeks have flown by! Melanie is getting more and more tired and I am ready do things as the weather has just gotten better in Philly. I think we both of pregnancy brain as we just can't deal with like cleaning the house -- we actually hired a cleaning lady to take care of which was the best investment I have ever made.

We have learned that the kid is in the breeched position, although the doctor says that everything else is healthy. I don't blame him/her I would not want to come out of a small hold either. They have scheduled a c-section, but we are also waiting to see what happens.

One question people keep on asking is if the "room is ready" I guess it is read, what is one suppose to have done? We are picking up some mats for some artwork this weekend. Three more weekends until I have something that is with me the rest of my life!

Hippity Hop Hop....

This Saturday Melanie and I will be hosting our Fifth Annual Easter Pinata Party. What started as a brunch for around 30 people five years ago in Center City has turned into a block party for over 100 people. Yes, this year we are blocking Greenwich Street and a friend's band is going to play. Back in Wisconsin I remember going to Easter Egg hunts in the park and going to Sunrise Service at the Methodist church. I always consider Easter to be the start of spring.

The pinata is ready to be busted again this year. Hopefully the pinata will break before Melanie's water! I wonder what sort of pinata the kid will want to construct next year.

Oh the stuff starts coming in and the church is singing

We are heading to New Hampshire this weekend. Melanie's family is hosting a shower for her. This time we are driving up, and we rented a mini van! Yes, amigos, a mini van. I remember growing up we had a red mini van with wooden panel sides. I must admit that the van drives nicely. We have it loaded up with a dresser, skis, and ice skates, as we are returning these items to New Hampshire. Although on the way back it will be filled with baby gear. I have already had to put together a shelving unit and the crib is in the room just waiting to be assembled.

On a sadder note a former of mine from Penn passed away last week, and the funeral was yesterday. He was 34 and had complications from a gastric bypass surgery. The whole thing is sad. It was my first time attending an African American funeral. It was actually pretty amazing how the church came together and the music was uplifting and very spiritual. Carlos always cracked me up. There was this woman in our office who use to dress in bright colors and crazy skirts -- she would do this in the middle of winter, and it never did fit her personality. Carlos use to say to me, "Jeffrey, it is like a blind Puertoriccan dresses her everyday." Perhaps the Puertoriccan angles will get the advice from Carlos and help this woman out.

"It's difficult to get a fryer on a Friday night"

That is correct my friends, according to our waitress at the Towne Lounge. In Wisconsin it is difficult to get a fryer on a Friday night. Why may you ask? Every Friday in Wisconsin is fish fry. A time when members of the community come together to enjoy each others company and enjoy fish. Last Friday we spent fish fry with my dad and grandma. The trip to Wisconsin was good. Melanie and a nice shower and it was good to be back home. On the way back to Philadelphia we had the opportunity to give up our seats on the flight from Detroit to Philadelphia for $600 in airline vouchers. We were the first ones in line and ended up coming back to Philly early Monday morning.

On Saturday we are attending a birthing class at Pennsylvania Hospital. I am also starting to make the pinata for the fifth annual Easter pinata party. Our basement has turned into a paper mache factory -- yes, my Spanish major comes into great use. So far we have over 50 rsvps. It should be a good time this year as we plan on blocking off the street and my friend Robert's band is going to play.

From the Keystone State to the Dairy State

Tomorrow we will be leaving the "City of Brotherly Love" for the land of cheese. Melanie has her first baby shower thrown by some of my mom's friends. We have figured out that this is baby Snyder's sixth round trip flight. Too bad you can't earn frequent miles while the baby is cooking -- maybe I should write some of the airlines.

It is also a good thing that we cleaned out the guest room the other weekend, as I am sure that it going to start to fill up. A co-worker reminded me the other day that we only have 10 or 11 more weekends.

Now bring me some fried cheese curds and a Leinenkugel. We will be getting home just in time for fish fry. I wonder were we will be going -- my guess is the Towne Lounge, across the street from the Baraboo public pool.