First Week Photos

Had lots and lots of visitors on Cooper's birthday! Maria's mom, dad, sister came in to the city. It was so great to see Michele, Liz, Van, Sarah, and Georgie! They came bearing gifts and doughnuts. :-) And we were so lucky that Mel happened to be in town - it meant a lot to Lori (and Maria too) that she was able to see Cooper at the absolute start of his life.  We could accommodate all these people only because Lori was very sweet and booked a private room for Maria - we earned and deserved the comfort, right?

Cooper's grandmother was a tad emotional.

The godmother in action!

A little bonding time.

We swear, his eyes were open and looking at the TV!  

Missouri Tigers won!
We requested an early discharge from the hospital, so we were able to head home late Tuesday afternoon after Cooper and Maria were medically cleared.  Of course, this was also after Lori and Mel finally figured out the inner workings of the carseat!

Two heads are better than one. 

Cooper's favorite place.

Three days old.

Ready to brave the weather and head to our doctor appointment.

His one-week appointment went well.  Doctor was impressed on how alert and active he is, but Cooper did lose a little weight - normal, but now he is even more of a peanut since he now weighs in at 5lbs 11oz!  We have to start making sure he eats every 3 hrs instead of every 4 hours, and even if it means waking him up to do so.  The doctor had to take blood from his heel to test his jaundice levels..... And for a kid that hasn't discovered the "joys" of crying yet - he certainly screamed his head off!  Test results came back in the 'normal' range. Whew!  Will have weekly appointments for the next 6 weeks or so to monitor his progress.

Maria and Cooper ventured out today!  Big adventures: bank, drug store, and grocery store.  Never were errands so great!  Maria is used to walking at least a couple of miles a day around the city, and has been laying low this past week.  The best part about her time on the outside? 

Coffee!  Real live coffee!  Dunkin donuts coffee rules! Maria had the whole cup. Hot, a little milk, no sugar, and no guilt about drinking caffeine - perfection! She even had a doughnut with it.  Damn it, she deserves it! 

Gingerbread Competition '08

Which house do you think won The Great Gingerbread House Competition of '08?

LORI and The Hart Boys

-- OR --

MARIA and The Lee Boys

So?  Close competition, huh?  You be the judge! 

Surprise! Baby Is Early!

FIVE WEEKS EARLY!!!!!

Maria came home Saturday evening from Jersey, and she expected to take full advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and get some exercise all day Sunday.  WRONG!  She awoke that AM to the fact her water broke, and after a little time denying the situation....  She accepted the truth, called the doctor, took a shower, packed a bag, and got to St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital around 11am.  

We had talked about what to do for Christmas since it wasn't advisable for Maria to travel.  The easy decision was made that Lori should go ahead and do her Little Rock-Jefferson City-St.Louis holiday jaunt so she could see her family.  Again, there was "no way" this would be a problem since the due date was February 2nd!  After Lori got the call on Sunday morning, she hastily packed her bags and headed to the airport in St Louis to beg/bribe her way on to ANY flight to NYC. 

After quite a long day, Lori managed to jump on a flight via Chicago, and arrived to the hospital at 8:30pm to this sight: 

The oxygen was for the baby's benefit - seems his heart rate took a little longer to "recover" after each contraction, and they were really only at the 'cramp' level at that point.  Things started changing when they started the IV to induce labor, and Maria made it clear she had NO INTEREST in being a hero.  Her request went in for an epidural immediately!

The epidural started working almost as soon as they put it in, but unfortunately Maria's blood pressure dropped just as quickly.  Couldn't get her stabilized to a normal level, and this was after four doses of a drug that should have been able to do the job in just one.  She was monitored constantly, and the lowest reading we saw was 60/42 and her heart rate was 51. After all of this, would Maria get an epidural again if given the opportunity?  HELL YES.  

The monitor was showing these big-ass contractions that were frequent and hit the top of the grid each time, but Maria felt nothing. Nada. Love those epidurals.  L-O-V-E.  What can we say?  Maria is hardly a 'Go Natural' kind of girl! 

So! After being checked a few times in the morning.... Maria was good-to-go at 10am.  Never did we expect it to be as easy or as quick as it was!  Lori was right there the entire time, and gave Maria constant "status reports" on what she was seeing.  Fascinating.  A true life experience.  It was 10:37am when the baby made his appearance!  There was a pediatrician in the room with us as a precaution since he was five weeks premature, but she said he was just perfect and on par with full-term infants.

COOPER MICHAEL MEGOWN

December 29th    10:37am

6lbs 2oz     19" long

Lori got to cut the cord, and was surprised how difficult it was to get through the damn thing! She must have put too much determination in her efforts, because blood splattered across the room, on the floor, the drawers, cabinets, and all over the medical supplies on the desk.  So gross.  And this picture was taken AFTER they cleaned it up quite a bit.

Speaking of gross.... Have to share this one.  The placenta.  Looks sort of alien-like, don't ya think???  Of course we needed a picture to post on the blog! 

Cooper's first picture!  He was only less than one hour old:

So after a very easy and uneventful pregnancy, Cooper definitely surprised us!  Both our families are thrilled, and we have been reminded by many that we have a 2008 tax write-off! Maria's mom is convinced that Maria willed him to be born before she reached 175+ pounds!  But everyone needs to take note that Maria said she would NOT miss out on the HRC dinner that Lori is chairing again this year.  No one should ever doubt how stubborn she can be!  But the most important fact is that Lori and Maria are both relieved and excited and happy beyond belief that Cooper made it safely into the world. 

Christmas and Christmas

It seems that Christmas refused to end with us!  

We headed to Jersey on Dec 20th for the 'Micioni Family Christmas' with all the aunts/uncles/cousins on her dad's side of the family.  Her father is the oldest of 7 siblings, and she has 20 cousins between the ages of 3 through 27 - so they get together a week before Christmas for dinner and a gift exchange.  The traditional meal is a homemade ravioli that Maria's great great grandmother used to make.  Delicious.  

The next day we celebrated what was dubbed 'The Micioni Non-Christmas' at Maria's parents house.  Michael/Christina were headed to Indiana for the holidays, and since Lori was soon leaving for Missouri - we all got together to make sure there was no time lapse in the gift-giving!

Lori flew in to Little Rock to her parents place for a day or two, and then they drove up (10 hours!) to Jefferson City to see Robyn, Matt, and the boys.  The kids were THRILLED to see Aunt Lori!  Of course she came with RockBand II and a myriad of other MTV stuff.  

After spending time at the testosterone-filled household, the next stop was St. Louis to see Mike/Jane, Kelly, Michael, Caroline, and Sam.  We got to hang out with Kelly when she visited NYC last year, but it has been forever since Aunt Lori got some time in with the rest of the Megown Clan!

Maria had an equally busy holiday.  Dinner on Christmas Eve was spent at a nice restaurant, and Mark was very happy he got to sit next to Aunt 'Ria.  Afterwards all headed to Karen and Randy's house to open presents. 

Since Todd was on the midnight shift Christmas Week, Liza and the boys stayed over and had the morning with us before heading home when Todd got up to see what Santa Claus brought them.  

There was nothing about this holiday that was relaxing for either one of us!  One thing can be counted on - ALL of our nieces/nephews were adequately spoiled as long as we were around.  

Harlem Holiday Cheer

HARLEM HOLIDAY CHEER

We had our annual holiday party last weekend. So much fun! I think we counted somewhere in the 30+ range of guests, which is quite a bit smaller than last year, but the result was a more manageable group! LoL We understand people have many commitments on a Saturday night in December, but it was the only date we could plan a get-together.

I am going to 'bug" Sarah to upload and send me her pics of the evening so I could post a few. Check back soon......

(not so) HAPPY HOUR

Maria has had Friday, December 12th on her calendar for like a month.  Finally going to hang out with Debbie, Lou, and Toni - always an eventful evening when this crew gets together!  The crap these guys get into is just amazing, the stories can not be believed, inside jokes abound, and poor Debbie deals with GRINGA references all night long! 

Unfortunately, Maria had to beg off this time.  She worried us both after going to sleep on Tuesday night, and then being up from 3am-7:30am with contractions, pain, and other symptoms.  We decided to contact the doctor on call around 6:30am, and if you know Maria - it had to be bad for her to agree to that.  She went in to the office in the morning to make sure the baby's heartbeat was normal and she wasn't dilated, and luckily all was well.  Turns out her body reacted to an impending stomach virus.  She was in bed and out-for-the-count for DAYS and DAYS.  

Maria also missed 'Red Hot Holiday Stomp' at Lincoln Center last Thursday night.  We had plans to go with Van and Sarah for weeks, and Lori was left with finding a "date" only a few hours before the show!

So, apparently this Happy Hour went from a 5:30 meeting time for a respectable dinner and drinks, to out causing havoc and bedlam until 1:30am.  And Maria missed it!  Damn it!  Next time.  And poor Lori is going to have to stay home with Cooper while Maria is out buying the first round and making up for lost time! :-) 

Prop 8 - The Musical

H Y S T E R I C A L ! ! !

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

THE CAST (in order of appearance)
California Gays: Jordan Ballard, Margaret Cho, Barrett Foa, J.B. Ghuman, John Hill, Andy Richter, Maya Rudolph
The People That Love Them: Rashad Naylor, Nicole Parker
Prop 8 Leader: John C. Reilly
Prop 8 Leader's #1 Wife: Allison Janney
Prop 8 Leader's #2 Wife: Kathy Najimy
Riffing Prop 8'er: Jenifer Lewis
Preacher: Craig Robinson
Catholic School Girls : Rashida Jones, Lake Bell, Sarah Chalke
The Frightened Villagers: Katharine "Kooks" Leonard, Seth Morris, Denise "Esi!" Piane, Lucian Piane, Richard Read, Seth Redford
Jesus Christ: Jack Black
A Very Smart Fellow: Neil Patrick Harris
Piano Player: Marc Shaiman

Please check out JoinTheImpact.com for more information.  An amazing grassroots group started up by a handful of students.  This organization is responsible for the protests, rallies, and most on-the-ground organizing that is so needed to continue the momentum.  

3D/4D Sonogram Pictures

Well, last Wednesday we went to get 3D/4D sonogram pictures..... But this kid was not willing to work with us at all! He had his hand in his face like he was shielding himself from paparazzi, and then rolled over and had nothing else to do with us! Maria tried her damn'est to get him going by eating something, walking around, and even jumping up and down. Nothing.  Nada. Oh well. Rescheduled for Monday afternoon. And luckily he was WAY more cooperative then.  Do you think it helped that Maria had a piece of pizza and a coffee before our appointment?  We had to do something!  We decided on a package that included many black & white and color pictures, a CD with almost 100 images, and also a DVD of the whole 25 minute sonogram. The best part? Lori's parents came into the room as well, and were able to experience the whole event. The process is simply fascinating, and we are thrilled they were with us! Maria has been a tad nervous (or even paranoid) since everyone continues to tell her she is carrying as if she is having a girl..... And even when we say it is a boy, most are not convinced. Thank god for this confirmation: 31 weeks! Time is going by very quickly! Another doctor appointment today, and the measurements, heartbeat, and everything else continues to be in normal range. Maria has now hit the 170 lb mark, and is handling it. Handling it very well. :-)

Baby Shower #2

It was back to Jersey for us on Sunday! 

Maria's mother planned a baby shower for us both while Lori's mom was in town, so about 30 members of the family gathered at the house that afternoon. Lunch was great - tea sandwiches (Maria's fav), pasta salad, a very popular romaine salad (which is similar to Lori's famous cole slaw), and fruit salad.
Everyone was just so generous, and we spent a great deal of time opening all the gifts.

Us and moms.
Maria and her grandmothers.
G I A N T S ! ! !

Thanksgiving(s)

Pre-Thanksgiving:
Went down to the Jersey Shore on Wednesday night, and en route got caught up on the news that Maria's cousin, Jessica Easton, was chosen to be on the homecoming court for Manasquan High School. How great! Decided to bag the parade through town, but met up with everyone at Ellen/Donny's for some post-parade libations. Jessica looked great, and did a fab job representing the freshman class. Congrats Jess!
Thanksgiving - Part I:
This year's dinner was at Karen/Randy's house, and we were so looking forward to the whole meal! Remember, this time last year we were enjoying dinner on the deck of our ship while touring the Galapagos Islands. The Ecuadorians did try to give us Americans as traditional a holiday meal as possible, and while all the food was amazing - it honestly wasn't even close!

Maria's grandfather couldn't get the salad served up fast enough.
Alex and Mark wore Native American costumes they made in school.
Todd and Christina picking over leftovers.
Thanksgiving - Part II:
We drove back home to NYC on Thanksgiving Night to meet up with Lori's parents who were coming to visit us for about a week. So great to see them! Lori and her mom worked all day on Friday to make an amazing belated Thanksgiving meal for us all. The menu consisted of turkey, homemade stuffing, roasted vegetables, potatoes, relish tray, and the most amazing gravy.  And we have enough left over to keep us fed and happy for weeks! Maria's contribution?  She took pictures of the whole process. (now she needs to upload them so we can post a few on the blog)

Maria's Baby Shower

So! This was the graphic that accompanied the invitation for the baby shower this past Saturday. Pretty much sums up the scene, huh?

About 50 of Maria's friends came to celebrate with us. The festivities started up at 7pm, and most everyone cleared out by 1am or so. Wine flowed. Lots of food. And we don't think we sat down the entire night! It was really exactly what Maria envisioned - hanging out with her friends, a good time, and a shower where she was not the center of gift-opening attention! Will add pictures as soon as we get some forwarded to us.

Also, this afternoon we have the 3D sonogram appointment, so will hopefully have some cool images to upload as soon as we get in front of a scanner. Plan for the next couple of days? Head to Maria's family in Jersey, spoil Alex and Mark, eat and eat (and eat), drive back for Lori's parents, our home-cooked belated T'giving, buy a car (?), and then back down to Jersey for a family baby shower on Sunday. No rest for the weary....

Random News

Been a busy week, so wanted to get some highlights out there:

MONDAY
We went to the 2008 Callen-Lorde's "Community Health Awards' at ESPACE honoring Dr. Stacey Silvers for all her time, effort, and support she has shown to the community over the years. So many family and friends attended to cheer Stacey on and to share in the evening. Congrats Stace!

TUESDAY
Broadway! Had tickets for 'Billy Elliot' at the Imperial Theater, and we absolutely loved it. Definitely feel it is on course to win 'Best Musical' at the Tony Awards this year. Hard to single out any specific performance since no one in this talented cast truly shined brighter than any one else! Afterwards we went to dinner at Etcetera Etcetera, and it was great catching up with Jeff, Chris, John, and others. We recommend seeing this production! Get tickets while you can.

WEDNESDAY
Maria had a doctor appointment yesterday, and all is well. Let's see.... We are now at 29 weeks, she has gained 18 lbs thus far, and baby's heart rate (137 BPM) is within normal range. Since Maria is now in the third trimester, she will see the doctor every two weeks instead of monthly. We are going to be touring the birthing center at St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital next week, and we have to get on the ball and make an appointment for 3D/4D ultrasound imaging soon.

THURSDAY
Today is an organizing day. Furniture for the second bedroom came yesterday, and we spent hours (and hours) getting things set up and put into place. The only thing left to purchase is a crib - and we will get to that soon! The room is newly painted, and we just have to figure out what is going on the walls at some point. We do have a poster from Cheley Camp that we have to get framed.... Why wait to introduce our child to the greatest summer camp in the world, right?

THE REST OF THE WEEK
Having a big group (close to 50) of Maria's friends at the apartment on Saturday night, so the rest of the week will be spent preparing for the party. Lots of food ordered. We have all the wine. So we really only have to go through the checklist and see if we need to make any last-minute purchases. Oh, and Sunday will NOT be a "day of rest" for us at all - since we have two parties that day! When is our next vacation??? We will add pictures of the baby's room and the party to the blog as soon as we get a second to do so!

Nationwide Protest

We had an amazing day today.

We were two out of over 8,000 participants at a rally near City Hall, and it was flawlessly orchestrated by the amazing group Join The Impact. This group organized nationwide protests against the anti-gay propositions that were passed on Election Day. These were Prop 8 (California), Prop 102 (Arizona), and Prop 2 (Florida). While these Props all banned gay marriage, another passage happened in Arkansas that prevents unmarried couples from adopting children, and supporters have made it clear that this was aimed towards gay couples. These rallies happened simultaneously today, November 15th, in each and every state at 1:30pm EST.

This is a short video to see the masses of people that came out in spite of the threat of rain:


Notable political speakers included Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Congressman Anthony Weiner, and Councilwoman Rosie Mendez. Other celebs included Daniela Seas (LWord), Heather Matarazzo (Welcome to the Dollhouse), Kim Stoltz (America's Top Model), and a former Miss America.

Some pics:







And there is Maria again..... Volunteering her time and interpreting the event.

Keith Olbermann

The website: Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Last year, Rolling Stone printed an article about Olbermann entitled The Most Honest Man In News.

Have whatever opinion you want of the man.... You can not argue against his clear and concise reasoning regarding Prop 8 in California.