Get The Guinness Stout!

How Dads Can Help Mom Join the Lactation Nation

My wife is 9 months pregnant and life is moving 100 mph. Baby room, baby cradle, baby crib, baby clothes, baby toys, baby blankets: all must be accounted for and managed in anticipation of our new arrival. Recently, we covered another must, baby feeding.

My wife has chosen to breastfeed. So, we trundled down to our selected birthing hospital for a breastfeeding class. Our fast-talking, ex-hippie instructor was a veritable…uh, fount of breastfeeding wisdom, flowing with philosophy, techniques, and tips for nursing new babies. Unexpectedly, dads have an important role to play in the breastfeeding enterprise:

1. Be the bouncer: When the baby finally shows up after 20 hours of labor, both mom and kiddo need time alone to rest and get into a regular feeding cycle. The hospital already has many well-meaning people coming and going, possibly disrupting this cycle. Visiting friends and family members can create additional distractions, so proactively set realistic expectations about when and where these visits can happen (preferably at home several weeks after the birth). If uninvited visitors show up at the hospital room, refuse to give them their “concert wristband”.
2. Own the environment: Related to regulating visitors is getting ahead of the curve on what the breastfeeding environment is like. Leave the laptop at home, get the hospital room set up, create a calm and soothing environment, find a place the where mom can sit (not lie in bed!) to breastfeed. Plan on 8-12 feeds/day, preferably 75% during the day, 25% at night. It also seems that a reasonable amount dark beer can help mom produce more milk volume. Sweet! What a great excuse to load up on Guinness Stout, Yuengling Porter, and Shiner Bock when mom and baby come home.
3. Defuse the engorgement problem: Four to five days after birth, mom’s body may produce a dramatic amount of milk, causing the breast to increase in size and become hot and sore. This unhappy condition is known as engorgement. Dad can help ease engorgement by having plenty of ibuprofen (which cannot be transmitted to the baby via breastfeeding) on hand. Get some warm and cold compresses ready as well as a hand pump to help relieve some of the pressure.

To really get schooled on the role of dads in breastfeeding, mom and dad should sign up for a breastfeeding class well before the new arrival arrives. Also, get familiar with http://www.breastfeeding.com/.

Finally, when mom and baby are comfortably within the eat/sleep cycle after your diligent support efforts, crack open a Guinness for yourself.

Happy New Year!

Looking back on 2007:

• Travis returned from his six-month Navy Reserve training stint in Virginia Beach, VA in March. It was uncertain for awhile if he would immediately be called to duty, but that call has not yet come.
  
• He left his job at the State and began working for Gravitant, a software start-up company
• On June 24th, Travis proposed (see our engagement story below). Wedding planning, pre-marital counseling and preparations ensued for the next three-and-a-half months.
• On October 13th, we were united in marriage before God and a gathering of 100 family and friends. The weather for the outdoor ceremony was beautiful, there was much dancing to be had at the reception, and we enjoyed a few days at La Villa Vista Bed and Breakfast on Lake Travis to rest and relax.

***Most of our wedding photos from the photographer were lost when their hard drive crashed. If you took any photos from the day of or have any wedding-related photos (engagement party, couples shower, rehearsal, wedding day, etc.), PLEASE send us copies -electronic preferred or hard copies. Koby is working on getting the photos we have ready to share. ***

• We embarked on not one but two deer hunting trips to Castroville, TX this fall. Koby invested time honing her skills with JibJab.com while Travis tromped around the woods in search of deer.

• On December 11th, Koby's grandma, known as 'Katy' or 'Grandma' to most people, went Home to be with the Lord. She was 91 years old; one of 11 brothers and sisters, 8 of which preceded her. She had four children, one of which preceded her, and raised Koby since the age of three. Though she overcame many ailments in her lifetime (pronounced dead three times, told she'd be confined to wheelchair for life, told her leg would be amputated after a snake bite...to name just a few), she left as she wished (in her sleep) and ready to go Home. She always put others before herself, showed unconditional love and generosity through her love of baking and cooking, and was able to say she lived a good long life.
  
• On December 16th, we hosted CHRISTmas dinner for a gathering of friends. It was a blessed evening to be surrounded in fellowship after the news of my grandma.
  
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we spent in Salado with Travis' grandma and brother Ty. Koby's dad joined us Christmas day for lunch then took us up in the plane for a flight over downtown Austin.
  
• For New Year's Eve, we went out to eat at Brick Oven Italian Restaurant, then rented Ratatouille, and headed for a local mall parking lot that has a magnificent view of the downtown Austin skyline. We set up camp in the back of my CRV to watch the movie on his laptop and rung in the New Year watching an explosion of fireworks shows along the horizon with a toast and some tiramisu.

Looking ahead to 2008....

Possible 2008 activities:

• Enjoying our Christmas present to each other, a Wild Game Cooking School with Hudson's on the Bend
  
• Getting the current house ready to sell
• Selling the current house
• Moving into a new house
• Restarting the highly edifying Dinner Dialogues and Counter Culture Cafe's
  
• Putting the camping gear we got for a wedding present to good use
  
• More deer hunting expeditions
• Kids ????
  

Engagement Photo

Our engagement photo was taken by the talented, Elizabeth Wright(http://www.wrightphotos.com/). We chose to have our engagement photos taken at the site of Travis' proposal - the Texas State Capitol. This photo was taken inside on the grand staircase. No, I did not call ahead and find out what colors the stairs were to match our attire! ;-) It is just one of many God-incidences that have taken place since our engagement.

The wedding planning is a seemingly endless to-do list. You wouldn't think trying to keep something simple and elegant would be so complex ;-) I do admit to being ready for the wedding planning to be all done and the wedding to be here! Though, with things falling into place smoothly in so many ways, I am reminded with each to-do that I get to check off as done that the Lord's favor is upon mine and Travis' relationship. I feel so truly blessed by our relationship and so thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ for laying the foundation upon which Travis and I will build our lives together.

Our Wedding Colors

Our wedding colors are blue and green. The specific shades were selected once my bridesmaids picked out their dresses. At David's Bridal, the colors are called 'Calypso Blue' and 'Clover Green.'

Deciding on wedding colors was easy. I asked Travis what his favorite color(s) were, thinking maybe I could pair one of his favorite colors with one of my favorite colors if they coordinated. Turns out his two favorite colors are also two of my favorites, blue and green :-)

Cherished Words From My Beloved, Travis

The poem below is what Travis wrote for and read to me when he proposed...

Worth Far More Than Rubies
written by Travis Fell for his proposal to Koby Quinn

He who finds a wife receives favor from the LORD
A heaven sent part of one’s earthly reward
Godly, full of grace
Beautiful of form and face
Time with Koby Lynn I look forward

With eager hands she works, quick as a flash
She well chooses art, food, and sash
And she has the eye
For dressing clueless guys
For that, she’s worth one hundred million in cash

Watching closely each nickel and dime
Making no purchase before its time
Using resources
For divine courses
The Lord’s thoughts in her mind are sublime

She likes having people over for dinner
Serving saints, seekers, and sinners
Her divine rack of lamb
And God-kissed glazed ham
Makes fine restaurants taste like paint thinner

Focusing on His Word like a laser
Striving always for even-tempered behavior
From dinner and dialogue
To hearing God’s monologue
She desires to be closer to Jesus, her Savior

Through life’s dangers, toils and cruel fates
She lets it not slow her heavenly fire gait
She knows all that befalls
God reverses for all
He says so in Romans Eight, Twenty Eight!

In those few occasions when her arms do tire
And to which high calling is hard to aspire
On her faithful friends
She always depends
Her fellow servants of the secret fire

Certainly never one to be greedy
She goes to parts of town that are seedy
To the poor, open arms
Revealing God’s charms
She gladly extends her hands to the needy

From the sea shore to the seat of the nation
She also has an eye for God’s creation
By quick camera snaps
And edited bitmaps
She brings forth images of glory revelation

Honoring the family in which she was raised
Holding fast promises in God’s verses phrased
She’s the love of my life
I want her for my wife
As a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised

She Said...

Koby's side of the story of how the engagement happened.


Call it woman's intuition or maybe just hopeful anticipation, but I had a feeling Travis would propose to me this summer. So it was, that on Saturday, June 16th 'Proposal Week' began. What started out as a shopping excursion to get Travis a new suit for his new job ended at a diamond store. We were going over to Lincoln Village shopping center to 'get coffee.' As he pulled into a parking spot, I noticed we had parked closer to an Americus Diamond store than we did the coffee shop. I dismissed the thought of what could be - that is until he turned to me and said, "So, you want to go look at rings?" To which my reply was, "You mean we're not getting coffee?" That disjointed reply sums up the surreal disbelief I felt even as diamonds and ring settings were put before me to view. While Travis and the jewelers were educating me on 'The Four C's' of diamond selection, I could only think, "I'm in a diamond store" over and over again. I was in denial that my wait for Mr. Right was over, that God's timing was now.

Over the next week, Travis began talking about wedding ideas and future plans. I teased him with saying his talk was hypothetical until he proposed, that he could still change his mind or that I could say no ;-) The surreal was real now and I found myself waiting one more time, with eager anticipation, for his proposal. I made plans to go on a women's camping trip to Guadalupe River State Park that coming weekend. I was looking forward to getting out in God's Creation away from the busyness of life. I was also hoping it would give Travis a couple of days without me around to do whatever was needed to expedite the proposal. ;-) As I was preparing to leave, Travis asked me when I would get back on Sunday because he wanted us to go to the Capitol to take photos. We had been talking about doing this for awhile, but he was subtly insistent that we go on Sunday when I returned from camping. He said I wouldn't be disappointed. He also mentioned the flower beds on the Capitol grounds a few too many times. My suspicions were high. On my way to the park, my dad called me and confirmed my suspicions. Travis had called him about meeting to get advice on house hunting and to talk about me. Dad jokingly asked if I had been giving Travis any trouble, saying it was either that or Travis was getting serious.

Sunday, June 24th. I returned from my camping trip midday on Sunday. I had proclaimed to all the ladies over the weekend that I was most certain my boyfriend was going to propose to me that Sunday. I cannot fully describe in words the exhilaration, hope, eagerness, and giddiness I felt that day. Travis called me that morning and mentioned we should also try to go to Zilker Botanical Gardens and Umlauf Sculpture Garden, and oh we should go out to dinner that night too. Admittedly that threw me off the mark a bit, because now there were more possiblities of where and how it might happen. What I did know is that I had brought no proper clothes on my camping trip to be going out to eat somewhere. So, I made a mad dash to the mall on my way to his house to grab some attire that was less 'Camp Koby' and more 'Proposal Prepared.' - just in case my suspicions were right.


We arrived at the Capitol and walked around indoors, me snapping away at the interesting lines and designs of the interior architecture.

We proceeded to the grounds of the Capitol and walked and walked and walked. Mind you, I had just come off of a weekend camping trip where I had hiked 6 miles, body surfed down swift rapids, and stayed up late doing devotionals and chatting (the camp story is another blog post for another day). It was warm outside and I was still in the clothes I had put on that morning at the campsite. There weren't many flowers or interesting macro photo opps to be found - or at least by this point I was ready to move on to the next location if this wasn't to be THE location. We did see one red flower by itself on a very large bush, but passed by it the first time on what I suppose was Travis' quest to find the flowerbed he had identifed earlier as the decoy spot. When he suggested we go back and take a photo of that red flower we had seen, I was reluctant but amiable, though mostly just getting tired from the long weekend and humid weather. I do enjoy taking macro close-ups of nature and architecture. Once we got over to the red flower, I set my camera and busied myself with getting it framed just right in the view finder. Just as I was about to take the picture a ring box with a diamond engagement ring showed up in my viewfinder! I heard Travis say that he loved me and that he wanted to marry me. That was the first time he said he loved me - saved it for such a special moment. Of course, I'm still looking through my viewfinder at the ring. I asked him to hold it steady so I could take a picture of it. Then he placed it on my finger. Then, I took a picture of the decoy flower. He suggested we go sit under a shade tree so he could read me something he had written for me (which deserves a post of its own). But first, he said I hadn't answered him. I said I would after he read me what he had written. But, I could wait no more and as we walked I leaned toward him and said 'YES!' :-) We celebrated that evening with a delectable dinner at Green Pastures restaurant.

So, my wait is over. I am so thankful to God that He worked in my life to instill patience and discipline in the act of waiting for who He would set apart to be my husband. Travis is a man of strong faith and character, loving and attentive, intelligent, disciplined, honorable...and the love of my life. The best things do come to those who wait.

He Said...

Travis' side of the story on how the engagement happened

Koby knew the proposal was coming at some point, as we went shopping for a ring the week before (BTW: If you are getting engaged, check out Americus Diamond. They are very professional in dealing with customers, have a wide assortment of loose stones and bands and we get a free dinner if we refer someone to them).

However, I wanted to achieve "tactical surprise". For the last few weeks, we'd been talking about going to the Texas Capitol to take pictures, as Koby is gifted in architecture and nature photography. She has a super, mega high-power zoom camera and likes to focus in close on flower pedals or a butterfly's wings.


Finally, we were able to make time on Sunday, June 24. Koby had been at some granola, girl-power camping trip on Friday and Saturday, allowing me sufficient cover to clandestinely put my plan into action. The Friday before, I picked up the completed ring and met Koby's dad to ask permission to marry his lovely daughter. Saturday, I made reservations at Green Pastures restaurant for our celebration dinner and started my little love poem that I'd read after popping the question. At last, the stage was set for the final, climactic act of dating: the marriage proposal.

So, she arrives back from the camping trip early Sunday afternoon. We amble on over to the Capitol building and takes lots of indoor pictures. This was part of my plan, to make it seem like just another normal outing. Then we go outside to take pictures of some of the monuments on the grounds and their floral arrangements. We make our way to the Cowboy Monument, which I recall seeing some nice flowers in the past. However, on this day there are nothing but yucca plants and droopy bloomed flowers, nothing really to zoom in on. That completely foiled my plan.


Thankfully, I spied a bloom on a large shrubbery on the southwest corner of the Capitol grounds." Let's go over to that bush," I lamely offered, "I think I recall seeing a nice bloom on it." Tiring from the long walk in the humid afternoon air, Koby reluctantly agreed.



The bloom I found was perfect, big and colorful, a perfect distraction for my little scheme. As Koby zoomed in on the bloom, I maneuvered over to the side, pulled the hardware from my pocket and thrust it before the lens of Koby's high-powered camera. I wanted to ensure that the first look she go of it would be nice and big in her camera's view screen.

At first, she seemed annoyed that something was in the way of her prized flower shot. But, slowly the realization dawned on her that the proposal was nigh.


"I love you Koby. I want to marry you."

I think that's what I said, I was pretty excited about the whole affair and don't recall exactly what I said.

We sat down under a nearby shade tree and I read her the cutsey little poem I wrote. We took pictures. Kissed. Made lovey dovey eyes at each other.

At last, my quest for a mate was at an end. God, in His time, brought me together for the right girl for me at the right time, even though it was not on my time. For Koby, I will be eternally grateful.

" He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD." Proverbs 18:22


Coming soon...."She Said...." Koby's take on the engagement day events.