More pictures

I've posted more pictures, from Sebastian's second week with us. You can see them here. We're doing really well, although my brain feels a little too fried for much blogging.

We had a very quiet Thanksgiving, just the three of us at home. Steve and I had pumpkin ravioli; Sebastian had milk. :)

Today is Steve's first day back at work - he'll be working part time for the next month or two. I will be off until July 1st, so I guess this marks the beginning of the brave new world of stay-at-home momdom. So far, an inauspicious start - it's 2 pm and I haven't managed to get myself lunch, much less do any of the chores that have piled up (oh, the laundry...). And I've been talking out loud to the baby, which makes me feel a bit like a crazy person.

Sebastian's first week

It's hard to believe that our baby is already ten days old. This past week and a bit has gone by in a blur of feedings, dirty diapers, bouncing, and interrupted sleep. And of course, hours of staring at a sleeping baby in awe. :) I think we're both starting to get our bearings a little bit and feeling more competent at identifying and responding to cries.

So the big news is that we went to the pediatrician yesterday and Sebastian weighed in at 7 lbs, 9 1/2 oz! So he's regained his birth weight and then some - a pound in a week. We've taken to calling him our little porker. His cheeks are definitely getting rounder and chubbier, which is just really cute.

After a few days of (shhhh) co-sleeping, last night we tried swaddling the baby. Thanks to Carl and Chad for the tip! Baby slept for three 3-hour segments, which was just blissful.

Welcome Home, Sebastian!

Sebastian came home on Monday night, and we are having a grand time. Mommy is trying to figure out feeding, and daddy is wrestling with diapers. Baby is mostly tolerant of our errors and mistakes. :)

More pictures from Sebastian's first week home can be seen here.

Both Steve and I had ambitious plans to write down more of what we've been thinking and feeling and experiencing during this first week, but we've found ourselves overtaken by baby care.

Sebastian's birth story

Sebastian Thomas was born on November 11th, 2007, at 6:13 pm. He was born at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. He weighed 7 lbs, was 21 inches long, and had an APGAR of 9. Dr. Aaron delivered. Steve and my mom were both present for the labor and delivery.

Earlier that Sunday, mom, dad, Steve and I had driven up to Harriman State Park. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and we went for a wonderful walk in the autumnal woods. Dad tried out his new camera, we all dashed around catching falling leaves, and I chased leprechaun Steve with a stick.

We came home for lunch and I started to feel a bit of pressure. I laid down and read for awhile, while Steve watched the Steelers play the Browns. Around 2:30, my water broke, and I got into the shower. I started having contractions, and contrary to my expectations they started getting stronger and more closely spaced very quickly. By 3 pm I was in intense pain and we started getting ready to go to the hospital. My contractions were coming every 3-4 minutes and lasting for a minute.

We left for the hospital at 3:30 or so. Other than a bit of traffic around 79th St., it was smooth sailing (albeit with me screaming bloody murder in the back seat). We arrived at 4:30 and I was hustled into a room. The first examination showed I was 4 cm dilated, but 15 minutes later I was at 8 cm. I requested epidural drugs but the nurse explained I couldn't start them until I had an IV for an hour, and given the speed of events that would be too late. I started pushing, and Sebastian was born at 6:13 pm. Steve cut the umbilical cord and I was able to hold the baby immediately.

Mom and Dad and Mary came to visit that evening. Steve made lots of phone calls and sent out an email. Sadly, Steve couldn't stay overnight, as I was sharing a room, but he came back early the next morning. I requested an early discharge, and since both Sebastian and I were in good shape, we came home that Monday evening.

Sebastian Thomas

We are delighted to announce the arrival of our son!! Sebastian was born on Sunday, November 11th at 6:13 pm, at Roosevelt Hospital in New York. He weighed 7 lbs, was 21 inches long and was perfectly healthy.

We have been home since Monday night. Sebastian and I collaborated to arrange the shortest possible time in the hospital and were discharged early.

More pictures from Sebastian's birth day can be seen here.

Adventures of Isabel

Well, the official due date (Nov. 7) has come and gone, and no baby has yet appeared. On the bright side, all of this waiting around has produced four loaves of dad's anadama bread and one gorgeous chocolate cake by mom.

Anyway, in the absence of a baby, I've got another poem. This one is from a book called The Random House Book of Poetry for Children, which was given to us by my colleague Lisa Bianchi. We hadn't previously thought about reading poems aloud, but we have been tremendously taken with this book. The language used in these poems seems more inventive and diverse than that in many children's stories, and many of the poems are less pointedly pedagogical or moralistic. In short, we're hooked. Here's a recent favorite:

Adventures of Isabel

Isabel met an enormous bear,
Isabel, Isabel, didn't care;
The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous,
The bear's big mouth was cruel and cavernous.
The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you,
How do, Isabel, now I'll eat you!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She washed her hands and she straightened her hair up,
Then Isabel quietly ate the bear up.

Once in a night as black as pitch
Isabel met a wicked old witch.
The witch's face was cross and wrinkled,
The witch's gums with teeth were sprinkled.
Ho ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed,
I'll turn you into an ugly toad!
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry,
She showed no rage and she showed no rancor,
But she turned the witch into milk and drank her.

Isabel met a hideous giant,
Isabel continued self-reliant.
The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid,
He had one eye in the middle of his forehead.
Good morning, Isabel, the giant said,
I'll grind your bones to make my bread.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She nibbled the Zwieback that she always fed off,
And when it was gone, she cut the giant's head off.

Isabel met a troublesome doctor,
He punched and he poked till he really shocked her.
The doctor's talk was of coughs and chills
And the doctor's satchel bulged with pills.
The doctor said unto Isabel,
Swallow this, it will make you well.
Isabel, Isabel, didn't worry,
Isabel didn't scream or scurry.
She took those pills from the pill concocter,
And Isabel calmly cured the doctor.

--Ogden Nash

Steve and I at Rockefeller State Park

More pics here.

Grampa and Popo

So it's been awhile since I posted, but unfortunately it isn't because the baby has arrived. :( Still waiting. On the bright side, today is the first day of my maternity leave, so I am happily putzing around my apartment, getting some chores done and thinking about a midafternoon nap.

My mom and dad (the Popo and Grampa of the title) arrived last Saturday. We've rented an apartment in Dobbs for them, for two months, so that they have a quiet place to sleep and their own space to hang out in. We moved them in last weekend and so far, with the exception of some troubles with the heat and hot water (damn furnaces keep going out), it's working out really well. Here's mom in the underfurnished living room and one of the bedroom:



They've checked out some of the surrounding towns, attempted the local seniors' version of tai chi and yoga (in a word, laughable), and generally settled in. Mom has been cooking and baking up a storm - apple pie and brownies! yum!