The report on Ryan today is positive. After momma's lovin' yesterday, he's gained a full ounce and a half, and is taking in 14cc's of milk every 3 hours. We're still overjoyed about holding him for such a long stretch, and cannot wait to do so again. Tomorrow begins a stretch where I'll be participating in the DeLand Country Club Member-Guest Tournament, and visiting Ryan with some friends from New York.

Ryan looks and acts as though he has every intention of entrenching himself in the homestead as soon as possible. He's already carved out a big chunk of our hearts for himself. I am attempting to remain guarded in my optimism, but I find it impossible to quell my enthusiasm at the prospect of raising our son. He's so kewl.

Tough tennis match at the club this evening. My transaction co-ordinator, also named Ryan, and I won 6-2, 6-4. We made it much tougher than necessary, though. Hey, a win's a win. The rest of the team also fared well, and that's what matters.

This day has been exhausting, and I will bloviate about real estate (hey, hey... that rhymes!) in the am.

Until then, love you baby Ryan!

Posted by: Paul @ 12:18 AM

Laura is making progress with her infection, and this morning's visit to Dr. John White in Ormond Beach was helpful if only to reconnect with the good Doc after Ryan's birth. The last time he entered the exam room to see Laura she was 23 weeks pregnant and we were having a wicked spat. He quietly suggested therapy, which made us laugh out loud. He was taken aback until he realized that our fights never last very long and usually end with my saying some derivative of "I'm an idiot."

This time he entered to find Laura in hysterical laughter at one of my many forgettable attempts at humor. She's such a doll. The exam went well, and he admired the pics of Ryan. I sensed Laura's frustration at being out of school, and out of touch with our child. So I furtively dialed the NICU and arranged for her to "kangaroo care" with our boy. She had thought nothing of the insistence that she wear one of my button-down shirts. However, I had a plan, and wanted her to hold him for the first time on this, his one month birthday.

At approximately 3:30 PM today, Ryan's cheek came to rest on my angelic wife's chest. There he stayed in deep and tranquil slumber for over an hour. It was during this time that I was able to converse with the nurses and Dr. Lugo, the neonatalogist on staff for the next six weeks. After an update, which was dizzyingly positive, I steadied myself enough to tell him and anyone within earshot that there is no way we will ever be able to compensate them on any level for the care and compassion they have shown our new family. The muffins we brought for the staff were a pittance, but hey... muffins are muffins. This child, and the accompanying experience, has made us grow in ways we could never imagine. His presence in our lives has mended fences that were overgrown and abandoned. His will to live has clarified the fragile and resilient nature of our own existences. Sitting in the warmth and darkened quiet of the NICU, with my wife and son sharing a single heartbeat... I felt as though the smallest corner of the curtain that is God's plan was being revealed just for me. The years of doing battle with the concept of my Creator as a vengeful, scorekeeping ogre crumbled under the persistent touch of benevolence. There was no direction I could turn to escape the certainty of God's love. To my left was Gerry, an affable 52 year old respiratory therapist whose easy grin and Teutonic work habits endear him to all. Straight ahead Nurse Nan smiled and stifled a tear as Laura rocked our baby to sleep. The soft light of the nurses station framed the Nurse Practitioners as charts were read and treatments were administered. And on the perimeter, just close enough to intercede should complications arise, was our caregiver Candice. Other than the occasional monitor hiccup, our hour with Ryan was spent, as aforementioned, at "the dead still center of the universe."

We're still in the ether. Maybe tomorrow perspective will return. For now, let us float.

Real estate? What's that? Nah, just poking fun. We've listed a lovely home in Arvida and the pix WILL be up soon. The land deal is definitely moving along, and overall this is a fun time to be swinging for the real estate fences. But it all takes a back seat to the time spent with the boy.

Love you, Ryan. Love you, life.

Posted by: Paul @ 12:21 AM

It's been a while... I know. Apologies, profuse apologies for the lack of blogging over the past couple of days. Let me attempt to get back up to speed with the events of the past 48 hours or so.

The wife is currently recouperating from a breast infection that bowled her over in about the time it takes to get a steak at the Outback restaurant. To elaborate, we joined our friends Chris and Amy Howe (and their 2 year old, Lauren) for a meal at the Outback in Sanford, about 20 minutes south of DeLand. Laura was fine, in great spirits, and looking forward to seeing Ryan after we ate. She got sort of quiet during the meal, and then excused herself for an unsettling amount of time. When she returned to the table, I knew that something was amiss. Her face was ashen, and her body language fairly screamed "distress!" We made our way to the hospital, and by the time we arrived it was obvious that she couldn't go in to see the boy. The chills, feverish symptoms, pain in her bosom; you name it, she had it. We said our hellos and got Ryan's update from the nurse, who then checked Laura and recommended a stop in the ER. One look at the line and I was on the phone with Laura's doctor, who identified the problem and called in an order for antibiotics. Needless to say, sleep was not easy that night. Laura was sleeping well in the morning, and her fever had subsided, so I decided to follow through with previously made plans. After something akin to a catnap, I was up and out the door with friends at 9 AM to attend the final round of the Bay Hill Invitational at Arnold Palmer's lush course in Orlando. For those unfamiliar with the game of golf, this year's winner is a name we'll be hearing a lot as his career progresses. Yesterday's proceedings were proof positive that he is a pressure player. On a different note, it looks as though Tiger Woods has decided to follow (sort of) in his father's footsteps. Kudos to him, even if it is a publicity stunt. The military needs all of the favorable spin it can get, what with the entire mainstream media rooting for their failure at every turn.

Back to the story. We picked up complimentary passes from Johnny Miller himself. The practice range was jam-packed, and the course was in immaculate condition. I was accompanied by Chris Howe and Charles "Tuck" Trenham, well-driller extraordinaire and one of the most underrated and overlooked stock car drivers in America. Standing about 5 ft 6 inches, and weighing a solid 280+ pounds, he is known affectionately on the circuit as "Shampoo." He is all "head and shoulders." A rather clever nickname if ever there was one. Tuck is the quintessential good ol' boy, and it is always a pleasure to spend time with him. The lack of sleep resulted in the obligatory blistering headache. We watched the players round the turn on holes 9-12, and then headed for the nearest sports bar to watch the finish in air-conditioned comfort. My head was pounding, and the thought of going to see Ryan (even though we were in Orlando) was daunting. Enter Alleve. One capsule, and my headache was jettisoned in twenty minutes. The second wind was enough to get us to the hospital, and the fellas were enthusiastic about checking up on my boy.

We finally got in at almost 8 PM, because NICU had to deliver a premature birth at 7 PM. Once inside, I realized that sleep deprivation will invariably result in an emotional outburst on my part. I was helping the nurse change
Ryan when he grabbed my hand and looked straight at me. That was it; I became unglued. Upon exiting the NICU, my friends nervously inquired as to my teary-eyed countenance. I stammered that "this whole thing is just so hard." They consoled me. For that alone, I am eternally grateful. We made our way home, and laughed it up along the way. Sense of humor is not lacking with these two hillbillies. After dropping them off, I marveled silently at how good God can be about the most seemingly mundane events of our lives. It is as though the fabric of life has been revealed to me slowly, as to fit through my woefully puny doors of perception. Sleep came quickly, and was heavy and dreamless.

Today was the most incredible day of my real estate career. Not necessarily for the payday, but for the sheer pace during the nine hours I was open for business. I've cracked the barrier into Arvida, and secured a stylish contract for representation on the swankiest street in Victoria Park. Details will follow in the AM, but suffice to say its an Arthur Ruttenberg design with all kinds of frills. I'm about to also list a very nice value in north DeLand that has almost 1700 sq ft and a 3/4 acre lot, for only $120k. Details, of course, to follow.

I'm going to beg off for the eve, and blog a bit more about the developments in real estate when sleep is not as vital.
Every day, I am slowly learning, is a good day.

Until tomorrow, hope you had a good day.

Love you, Ryan.

Posted by: Paul @ 12:41 AM