Ask Julia: 6/29/07

Before we start, has anyone seen my Dad? I’m just about ready to put him on a milk carton, because he’s been MIA all week, coming home very late at night. Mom says he has to work late and go to a lot of evening screenings, and some weeks it just works out that he’s late every single night. Perhaps if I tell him that his frequent absences are going to drive me into early therapy, I can guilt him into coming home earlier.

I might have had my first real smiles earlier this week. Mom and Dad aren’t sure (and I’m not telling!).

Mom is slowing weaning me off my bassinet. She no longer takes it downstairs during the day, so I’ve been sleeping in my Pack N Play instead. And they even put me in my crib once or twice! I’m also spending a bit more time each day in my swing, papasan seat, activity gym and rocker. So many fun things to play with!

On to this week’s edition of Ask Julia. The first question comes from Babcia and Dido:

What do you think of your two suitors?



Hmmm, they must be referring to the photos you sent me of Adrian (top) and Alexander, the grandsons of your old friends Bohdan and Zirka (Mom says the two of you first met at their wedding). They seem very cute, but when I asked Dad what he thought, he told me that I wasn’t being very funny and to ask him again when I’m 18. Or better yet, 28.

My Aunt Paula checked in from Youngstown, Ohio with the following query:

You have so many beautiful outfits. How do you decide which outfit to wear each day? To me it looks like your going to need a bigger closet soon. Maybe your parents will let you have theirs.
While I take full credit for how adorable I look in all my clothes (in fact, I heard a rumor that my next photo slideshow is going to revolve around my many cute outfits), I have to admit that Mom is the one responsible for picking my clothes each day: my main outfit, a backup in case the first one gets spit-up (or worse) on it, plus whatever I’m sleeping in that night. She has to factor a lot in to her decision: that day’s temperature, how easy it will be to put on (the more snaps, and the wider neck, the better. I do not like to put clothes on! Mom is still too nervous to put on a few of my snapless/narrow-necked clothes for fear of how I might react). On top of all that, she has to make sure to rotate all my clothes through, to make sure that I’ve worn everything at least once or twice: I’m growing so quickly that I don’t expect to be in size 0-3 months for much longer!

As for my closet space, don’t worry, I’m doing just fine on that front. My nursery boasts the nicest, most efficient closet in the house, which my parents put together with the help of the designers at The Container Store, so any other closet in the house (including Mom’s and Dad’s) would be a big step down.


I’m getting sleepy, so I asked my Dad to take over the rest of the column. (But before I do, I’ll make my usual plea to send me Ask Julia questions for next week’s column. ) I know that he gets asked the same questions about me over and over, so I thought he could answer them here once and for all. It’s all yours Dad, but I’m getting hungry, so make it snappy:

How are you holding up?
As long as you don’t stick me in a screening room and turn off the lights, I’m doing just fine.

Are you getting any sleep?
Any? Yes. Enough? Not nearly.

Is she sleeping through the night?
What are you, high? She’s only a month old! Check back with me at the end of the summer, and hopefully I’ll be able to answer that question with a relieved “Yes!”

Is fatherhood everything you thought it would be?
Yes, and so very much more.

Do you love her more and more every day?
Yes, but I think it would be more accurate to say that every time I see her, I fall in love with her all over again.

Can I see pictures?
Sure.


How tough is it leaving her each day to go to work?
It’s excruciating! You try looking into those beautiful blue eyes and saying goodbye!

What are you going to call her?
Well, we thought we’d try calling her by her name: Julia.

How’s Julie doing?
Um, I don’t know…who’s Julie? Certainly not my daughter; her name is Julia.

Congratulations on Juliet!
I’m sorry, you must have mistaken me for Romeo. Because while I know a Julia, I don’t know anyone named Juliet.

Madeline is so cute!
Okay, this one I can’t get too upset over, seeing as I slipped up once myself and called her Madeline in an email I sent to everyone, but still, her name is Julia (but yes, she is very cute).

Didn’t you say you were getting a video camera so you can take home movies of her?
I did, but I want to get a high-definition camcorder, which will also require upgrading our computer, among other things. That will take some time and $$$. But we’re about to get a new digital camera that also can record video, so we’ll use that until we go high-def.

Will you please stop talking to them? I need to be changed and fed!
Sure, Julia, anything you say! Sorry guys, but duty (and doodie) calls….

One-month wonder

Today is a very important day, and no, not because Christmas is just six months away (yes, I’m counting). It’s my one-month birthday! How time flies…it seems like just yesterday that Mom was freaking out in the hospital nursery because even though I was breathing peacefully in her arms, my heart monitor had just flatlined (turns out she had accidentally pulled one of the wires out. Oops!); or that Dad was so sleep-deprived after I first came home that he did a load of laundry only to discover after the washer finished that he had never bothered to put the clothes in; or that I disrupted Mom and Dad’s sleeping by crying because I was ready for a feeding (okay, that last one did happen yesterday, but shouldn’t I also get some credit for sleeping six consecutive hours last night, which was a new record for me?).


Mom, Dad and I have learned a lot in the past month: what works (swaddles and our white noise CD, which puts me to sleep with sounds like rainfall and a hair dryer) and what doesn’t (my original type of formula, and thinking that they could feed me without using formula). I’ve become so much more attentive to my surroundings, and I’m discovering new things each day. Yesterday, my two hands finally met each other, and they’ve been in close contact ever since. While many things have changed (my bathroom habits, for one), a few things remain the same (I still love to eat – as much as 6 oz. at a feeding).

Dad won’t be around today to celebrate my birthday, because he has to stay late at work to attend a screening of some movie called Ratatouille (which, come to think of it, he really should be taking me to see). Funny that he doesn’t have time for me, but he found the time to take Mom on their second “date” on Saturday (they went to church and then took Mom out for sushi for the first time since she first became pregnant). Instead, he put together this slideshow of some of our favorite moments from my first month. Best of all, it features my favorite song of all time (you’ll understand why once you hear it).



That’s it for today. I’ll tackle the next batch of questions later in the week (so don’t forget to send me a query).

Ask Julia: 6/23/07

So we made it through another week. Can you believe I’m now four weeks old? I’m looking forward to spending a quiet weekend with Mom and Dad (quiet, that is, until I decide to start crying), but before I do, let’s tackle some more Ask Julia questions.

The first question comes from a fellow tiny writer: Long Island, NY’s 15-month-old Audrey, the daughter of Kirsten, who was Mom’s first friend as a kid (they lived across the street in Rocky Hill, CT). She writes:

When do you think your parents will start feeding you mamaliga and pyrohy? My mom tells me that she is sure your Babcia can’t wait to start serving up the Ukrainian cuisine. Will you have to wait the full 4- 6 months before starting solids? If so, when will mamaliga and pyrohy be phased into your diet? I have an egg allergy, so I don’t get any ravioli or any other Italian dish my family selfishly consumes before my envious eyes. Hopefully you will not be deprived of any of your cultural delicacies any longer than necessary. As a much older girl, I thought I would bring all of this to your attention.


Excellent question, Audrey (and by the way, thanks for giving me all your old clothes to add to my wardrobe!). I think that pyrohy (better known to most of you as pierogies) won’t be in my diet for a long time still. In fact, I’m fairly certain that this Christmas, I’ll miss out on sampling all of the Ukrainian delicacies. Mom and Babcia say that mamaliga – a type of cornmeal – might very well be the first Ukie food they introduce to me whenever my doctor gives me the green light to sample solids (that was the first Ukrainian dish that they gave to Kirsten). After that, who knows: borscht, kutia, kielbasa (sorry Dad, but I’ll probably have to at least try it)...

Next up, my Aunt Rebecca from Houston sent along a couple followup questions to her queries in last week’s Ask Julia column:

Your daddy is looking very tired. Are you allowing him to get any sleep?
Why should I let him (or Mom) sleep? It’s all about me, haven’t you heard? Though he’s getting a few hours each night, Dad says that he is indeed very tired and is looking for any chance to catch some shut-eye. He’s dozing a bit on the train/bus, to and from work. But he says the toughest struggle to stay awake occurs when he goes to a movie screening (he attends 3-4 a week as part of his job) and the lights go down. Unless the film is completely engaging, he might not make it through. Look for more tales of sleep deprivation in next week’s Ask Julia.

How is the new formula working for you? Does it taste better? Does it agree with you more?
I’ve been on the new formula for a full week, and yes, it does seem to be working out. I’m not quite as fussy or gassy as I was with the old formula, which makes my parents happier (and takes some of the sting out of the fact that the new formula is a little more expensive). It took some time to get used to the taste and smell – for a few days I wasn’t guzzling as much as usual – but now I’m sucking down more than ever before.


Finally, we close with a couple questions from Grandma and Grandpa, down in Cherry Hill, NJ:

How did your parents decide on your adorable name?
First off, that question was worded very appropriately: how did my parents decide on my name? Why was I not consulted about the name that I would be saddled with my entire life? Sure doesn’t seem fair to me! While I have grown to love Julia, I will always wonder what life would have been like had my name been She-Ra Princess of Power...

As for Julia, my Dad thought it would be nice if I could have the same JML initials that he and Grandpa have – but only if they found a name that he and Mom both loved. Julia was decided on a long time ago, during a hypothetical conversation they had early last year where Mom mentioned the name and they both agreed they really liked it. When they found out I was a girl, they still liked the name, which means “youthful” in Latin. My middle name was much tougher to come up with: they poured through baby books, complied a list of possibilities, and began narrowing them down. Other contenders in the running included Madison and Maribel, but they kept going back to Madeline (which oddly means “high tower” in Greek). And once the name kept popping up everywhere (Madeline is the paint color in my nursery, the name of a Pottery Barn Kids furniture set my parents were considering getting and of course, the name of one of Mom’s favorite series of children’s books), they knew they had the right name.

What is your opinion on babies (girls) with pierced ears?
A bit of background: neither Grandma nor Babcia have pierced ears, and my Mom wasn’t allowed to get her ears pierced until she was 18. Crazy, right? I’m all for it, but my mom is still deciding. I hope it’s sooner rather than later, because I probably can’t start piercing the rest of my body until I get my ears out of the way….

Thanks for all the terrific questions! As always, if you want to ask me something about my life, or anything else, send it along, and I’ll try to answer it in an upcoming Ask Julia column.

Enjoy the weekend!

Can you hear me now?

Well, it took three tries, but—hooray!—I finally passed my hearing test in both ears. When they did my hearing test the day I left the hospital, I passed in the right ear. But because I had fluid in my ears from the antibiotics and some wax buildup (thanks, Mom and Dad!), I had problems with the left ear test, and had to go back to the hospital twice for retests. So remember, I can hear you loud and clear, but I reserve the right to ignore you at my discretion.


On Sunday I helped Dad celebrate his first Father’s Day. I gave him a Father’s Day card (some of the letters were backwards, but I wrote it all by myself!), and Mom got him a silver picture frame, engraved with my name, with one of my cutest photos in it. Grandma, Grandpa, Babcia, Dido and Aunt Jess came over for a barbeque, and I spent all day being pampered by them. At one point, all five visitors huddled over my bassinet and watched me sleep for an hour. Lots of excitement! That night, just as Father’s Day was winding down, I also made sure to leave Dad an extra special Father’s Day present in my diaper.


Ah yes, my dreaded diaper changes. Without getting too graphic, let’s just say that I’ve elevated the proceedings to a whole new, scary (and, too bad for Mom and Dad, no longer odor-free) level.

Until now, they never knew what to expect at my changing, but lately I’ve been spending a good 15 minutes or so (once or twice a day) grunting and scrunching up my face, so they have an inkling of the toxic horrors that await. Yesterday morning, I woke Mom and Dad up at 6:30 with a spirited round of intense grunting. I heard them laughing at me, but they weren’t laughing when they had to change my diaper a few minutes later!

Dad has been back to work now for a whole week, and I’ve been giving Mom a run for her money. First, I lulled her into false sense of security as she kept reading that babies my age should sleep about 16 hours a day. Ha! Instead, I’m pretty much staying up the whole day – from time to time I’ll fall asleep in her arms, but if I catch her putting me down, or in the swing, then I let her have it! Dad and Mom say I’m a walking time bomb: pull the pin (i.e. take out my pacifier, which I sometimes do myself), and watch me explode! That means that Mom can’t get all that much done during the day, until Dad comes home to take me off of her hands. When he gets home, Dad takes me until my 11 pm/midnight feeding while Mom sleeps for a few hours (she hasn’t been making it much past 10), then he goes to bed and Mom takes the early morning feedings so Dad isn’t a complete zombie when he goes to work (instead, he’s only a half-zombie). In the morning, Dad gets up early so he can look after me for a good 30-45 minutes while Mom showers and eats breakfast. Then he leaves for work right around the time that I start crying for the day. Sorry, Mom!


I’ll get to the Ask Julia questions a little later in the week, but the pickings are slim right now, so I’m hoping that you’ll send along a few additional queries for me before then. I’m very opinionated and have a lot to say (hey, there’s more to me than just looking cute and crying all day, you know!), so be sure to shoot me a question or two.

Ask Julia: 6/15/07

Before we get to the Ask Julia questions, a few brief updates:

• Mom and I are doing just fine, now that Dad has gone back to work and left us to fend for ourselves during the day. We’re living feeding-to-feeding for right now, which is okay, because I’m still being fussy. Lately, I’m burning through more gas than a Hummer, and pull the occasional Exorcist after feedings. After talking to the doctor, we’re switching me over to a new lactose-free formula, which Mom and Dad hope will alleviate my gassiness and fussiness.


• If you think I look like I’m getting a little big for my britches, well, you’re right! At my doctor’s visit on Wednesday, I learned that I’ve crossed over into double digits on the scale: I’m now 10 lbs. 3 1/2 oz.! I’ve also sprouted up to 22 inches. Mom’s reaction was “Great, now she’s tall enough to go into the Baby Bjorn!” The doctor says I’m healthy and active, and if he’s happy, then we’re happy.

• Forgot to mention in my last posting that Mom and Dad slipped out last Saturday afternoon for their first “date” since my birth. They went to see Ocean’s Thirteen at the theater in town, and Babcia watched over me. Mom was nervous all morning, and kept asking Dad if they should cancel their plans. But he convinced her to go, and even though she kept asking him if I was okay during the whole movie, afterward she admitted that she was glad they went. Now she feels better about leaving me with Babcia (who did a nice job with my feeding and changing) if she wants to run some errands or go out on another date with Dad.

And now, at long last, on to this week’s edition of Ask Julia. All of the questions come courtesy of my Great Aunt Rebecca in Houston (from here on in, I’ll be dropping the “Great” and everyone will just be Aunt and Uncle. They’re all great, but it just feels weird calling them “Great,” know what I mean?). Here we go:


First of all, what do you think about Roger Clemens joining up with the Yankees? Will he be able to make a difference, and will the Yankees be in the playoffs this year?
That’s a slightly loaded question: Aunt Rebecca is a fan of the Houston Astros, where Clemens played the last three seasons. I’m really happy to see Clemens back here – he seems like a great fit for the team, and his presence gives everyone a good kick in the butt. I think he’ll win 10 games, assuming his “fatigued groin” (whatever that means) holds up. I do think the Yanks will make the playoffs, but unless the Red Sox stumble, it will likely be as a wild card team.

But I certainly don’t credit Clemens for the team’s sudden return to form. Dad has been going on about how the team is finally gelling now that Melky is playing regularly in center, the defensively-challenged Damon is DHing and (most importantly) Jason Giambi – Dad says he’s the worst free agent signing in Yankee history – is on the DL and nowhere to be seen. But I know the real secret to their success: ME! Ever since I started watching games regularly with Dad (starting with the May 30 game at Toronto series the first weekend in June), the team has gone an astounding 12-2, winning 9 games in a row. No need to thank me, but I wouldn’t mind getting some love from George Steinbrenner, or better yet, Derek Jeter.

What is your favorite outfit in your wardrobe? Why?
I don’t have a favorite outfit – I look adorable in everything I wear, if I do say so myself. I do, however, have a least favorite outfit: any hat that Mom or Dad tries to put on my head. As you can see, I don’t like them very much.



Which of your parents is better at entertaining you when you're feeling cranky?
That one is a tossup. Dad is more likely to take risks and do crazy things with me: dancing around the house with me, or lifting me high in the air. Mom, however, sings the sweetest songs to me that she makes up on the spot. I’ve been plenty cranky lately, and find that both approaches help calm me down.

What is your favorite toy?
I’m not liking the toys so much lately. After a couple minutes in my swing, or papasan seat, or activity gym, I usually end up crying. But I do have one favorite: the mobile over my changing table. I like listening to it when they change my diapers, and Mom even makes up lyrics to the song and sings them to me. Too bad it only runs for a few minutes, then Mom and Dad have to quickly crank it during the changing, lest I unleash another mood swing.


All terrific questions, Aunt Rebecca, thanks so much. If anyone has any other questions for me, send them along, and I’ll answer them in a future Ask Julia posting.

Dad wants to see other PEOPLE

It’s a very sad day in the Lynch household, because this was my Dad’s last day of paternity leave/vacation. Tomorrow, he heads back to work. I’m going to miss him, and I know he’s really upset about leaving me behind every day, but I’m looking forward to spending all summer with Mom. She’s getting nervous about taking care of me all by herself, but I know she’ll do a great job. She held down the fort yesterday while Dad was out running errands, and she did just fine.

I’m still figuring out exactly what Dad does for a living. He says he works for People – well, of course he works for people, doesn’t everyone work for a person or a group of people? But then he told me he writes for People magazine about movies and celebrities.

He said that he also writes movie reviews, and showed me that his rave review of Knocked Up was excerpted in the film’s newspaper ads and website.




The last few days have been busy. I met a few of Mom and Dad’s friends. I slept soundly during some visits; for others, I was extra cranky (in my defense, it was the only way I could think of to get that newly-married friend of Dad’s to stop hitting on me.).



It’s fun to mix it up. Mom and Dad have been doing a good job keeping up with me. Out of all the stuff they have to do for me, they’re most nervous trimming my nails, which grow into Freddy Krueger claws almost overnight. Whenever I’m asleep, I can sense them trying to get the job done, so I try to wake up and jerk my hands around from time to time. Mom, Dad and I also watched the last episode of The Sopranos on Sunday night (I stopped fussing just long enough for us to watch).

Dad explained that much of the show was shot in and around Montclair; in fact, the restaurant in the last scene, Holsten’s, is just a mile away from Dido and Babcia’s house (in fact, when Dad and Mom were coming back from a Clara Maass childbirth class in April, they had to make a detour around Holsten’s because the Sopranos crew was filming the scene where Meadow was parallel parking).


Dad promised that we’ll go there a lot when I get older. Maybe when we go we can find out if Tony got whacked by that guy who was heading for the bathroom, Godfather-style. But I liked that the ending was open to interpretation: Dad thought it meant that Tony was doomed to a life of always looking over his shoulder, waiting for the inevitable to happen. Mom thought it meant that Meadow got parallel parking lessons from the same person who taught her to drive, and I thought it meant that when I go to Holsten’s, I should definitely order the onion rings, because they look gooood!



Today we had to pick up my birth certificate. I guess that means that I was here illegally until today. Good thing no one tipped off the INS.

Before I sign off, I’m happy to answer the first “Ask Julia” question. This one was sent by Mom and Dad’s friend Jessica (not to be confused with my Aunt Jess). She writes:

I love all your pictures, but really can't tell who you look like. Please inform on your next blog.

Well, the jury is still out on that one. I think I have traits from both parents: I seem to have Dad’s fair skin, and his lone dimple on the left cheek. Also, the newborns on my Dad’s side of the family were all large, so I definitely fall into that camp. Additionally, I really like it when Dad lifts me high up and down (it calms me down during crying fits), so Dad hopes that means I’ll love roller coasters like he does. I have Mom’s nose and cheeks. I also have Mom’s weak veins – in the hospital, both of us had to have IVs reinserted after our veins collapsed.

To make matters even more complicated, additionally, a few people have commented that I seem to have received my lips from Angelina Jolie (does that mean she’s going to adopt me next?). And as you can see from the photo comparison, I’m pretty sure that I somehow got my post-bender demeanor from Lindsay Lohan (see what happens when you try to find answers at the bottom of a bottle?).

You be the judge.




Thanks for the question, Jessica!. Some other good Ask Julia questions have already been sent my way, so I’ll devote my next blog to answering them.

Until then, wish me and Mom luck, now that it’s just the two of us…

Two week's notice

Wow, it’s already two weeks ago today that I was born. I can’t believe it. Time flies when you’re doing nothing but sleeping, eating, pooping and crying.

Dad was in a particularly good mood today, and not just because it was my two-week birthday. After two excruciating years dealing with Comcast cable, today we switched over to Verizon FiOS. He kept telling me how this was going to make his life easier and save us some money. Save us some money? Obviously he thinks my diapers and formula grow on trees. He won’t be having any extra money for a looooong time, especially once he hears about my plans to follow in Mom’s footsteps and go to Yale.


But this blog isn’t about my dad’s happiness, it’s about mine. And today, frankly, I’ve been pretty cranky. I know why, but I’m not telling Mom and Dad. It’s fun watching them trying to figure out what’s wrong with me, not realizing that the answer is right under their nose. After I have my fun crying for a good long while, I suddenly go to sleep without warning. I really like playing head games with them, doing nutty things like hitting myself repeatedly in the head with my arm, just to see how they react. That will teach Dad for making a sleep-deprived mistake and calling me “Madeline” in an email to everyone announcing our email address change. He will pay for that. Oh yes, he will pay.

Speaking of email, if you have a question for me, please write me at julia@juliamadeline.com (for those of you who already have my real address, this email gets forwarded to that account). I might answer your question in a future blog posting.

Dad decided that my oh-so-cute photos on the blog are only telling half the story about my frequent mood swings, so he put together a new slideshow, which he says will give a more realistic view of all the emotions I go through in a typical hour.



That’s it for now. Dad is going back to work on Wednesday, so we’re going to try and make the most of our last few days together.

So long JasonandVera.com!

You know, something has been bugging me. This website is called jasonandvera.com, but it’s all about yours truly. What does a girl have to do to get top billing around here? So I took matters into my own hands, and set up my own domain name. From here on in, if you go to JuliaMadeline.com, you’ll be able to reach me (don’t worry, jasonandvera.com will still point here as well). JuliaMadeline.com – I like the sound of that.


Something else has been bugging me, in fact, pretty much all the rooms at home. For the past month or so, Mom and Dad have noticed some moths around the house. The problem has gotten worse since I got home, so Dad had to call an exterminator. Turns out we had something called a cloth webbing moth, which was originating in our china closet (we don’t know if it was in the wood, or possibly the korovai (ceremonial Ukrainian bread) that we had shellacked from our wedding and placed on top, or some other mystery host.


So today, we had to clear out of our home for a few hours while they sprayed. That meant I got to make my first trip to Babcia and Dido’s house. I also met Mom’s bird, Dante. That bird sure can squawk! And people say I’m loud!


On our way home, we stopped at Applegate’s, the terrific local ice cream shop. Sad to say, Mom and Dad teased me but wouldn’t actually let me have any (something about how I can’t have anything chocolate until I’m 1 – but I think Mom just made that up). However, they promised to take me there lots of times in the future. Consider that a binding contract, Mom and Dad!


But my favorite trip of all so far was the one we took last night to the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, just a block away from home. Mom and Dad strapped me into my sleek new stroller and we took our first family stroll through the irises, which peaked last week but still look very pretty.

I can’t wait to see where we go next!

Lynch family reunion

There have been many more firsts since we last spoke. I won’t be making it down to North Carolina next month for Dad’s Lynch Family Reunion, but we had our own Lynch Family Reunion right in Montclair – or more accurately, “Lynch Family Union,” because it was the first time I met my Dad’s family. On Saturday, I met my Aunt Jessica and Uncle Ryan, who were so happy to see me. I have a feeling that I’ll be able to convince my Aunt to buy me lots of stylish clothes when I get older.




And my uncle has already promised (threatened?) to buy me toys that make the loudest noises possible, all the better to drive my parents crazy. And I finally got to spend some quality time with my Grandma and Grandpa. I was pretty well behaved, though I decided to show off and give Dad an extra-dirty diaper to deal with, complete with unlimited free refills. I think he changed me three times in two minutes. It doesn’t break my record of four diapers during one changing, but it comes close. Later that day, Babcia and Dido visited, so I got to spend time with all four grandparents.


Also, I’ve been getting to know some things around the house. I love my swing, and can often fall asleep in it. When we’re out on the porch, Mom and Dad often put me in my baby papasan seat. I really like looking at lights and taking in the world.


A couple times a day, a nice UPS man comes to the door and brings all sorts of fun presents for me. I’ve received so many nice clothes, cards and other items. It’s so nice to know that so many people are happy for me, and for my parents. I can’t wait to meet all of them!

I’m staying awake longer, and fussing a bit more. When they’ve exhausted their options, Mom and Dad give me a pacifier, which usually does the trick. I suck on my pacifier like I suck on my bottle: vigorously and loudly. My Dad says I sound like Maggie Simpson.


Other stuff has been going on. Dad has been getting quite used to wearing my spit-up, among other bodily fluids. He says I excel at both accuracy and distance. During my feedings and diaper changes, he acts like some forensics person from CSI, trying to predict my possible “splatter patterns” and making sure all the bases are covered. Silly Dad, don’t you realize that resistance is futile?

It's been...one week since you looked at me

How time does fly – I was born a week ago right at this moment!

Mom and Dad make a good team. They’ve been teaming up for my diaper changes and feedings, and have been trading shifts at night in between feedings, to look after me in case I get fussy. I’ve been taking pity on my Mom since she went through so much with the pregnancy, so I’ve been sleeping soundly during her shifts and keeping Dad up. He’ll survive. Also, Mom is finding it tough to support me on her right shoulder, which has been hurting since the surgery – her and Dad have been joking about her “bum” shoulder. They’ve been belly laughing a lot, so I’m glad to hear that they’re still in good spirits after all I’ve put them through. I’m also impressed at how good they are at doing things with one hand while holding me with the other: household chores, typing, carrying things around. Nice job, guys.

My feedings are, as always, an emotional roller coaster on my part. I’m so excited to feed that I get really nasty when the bottle is taken away so they can burp me. So I get hysterical and show surprising strength for someone so tiny, until I start feeding again. Then I immediately get peaceful and content. To recap: this model goes 0 to 60 in 0.5 seconds, and back again.


My parents know I’m content with they hear me make a kitty-like meow. At that point, Dad starts signing a line from Bruce Springsteen’s “Kitty’s Back.” They’re always happy to hear that Kitty’s back in town.



I’ve been surprisingly busy for my first few days home. We all went to my pediatrician, Dr. Buchalter, on Wednesday for my first checkup. I passed with flying colors – he even took off my umbilical cord! I was on my best behavior, which made Mom and Dad very happy. Then on Thursday night, Mom and Dad took me to the Baptism instruction class. Everyone in class introduced themselves and their babies, and everyone was impressed that one couple brought their 12-day old. Then Dad spoke up and said I was only six days old – I guess we won. Again, I was pretty well-behaved, even when they showed us that weird Baptism video from the ’70s.



Mom and Dad have been taking my picture a lot since last Friday, as you can expect. In fact, they’ve put together this slideshow, featuring their favorite photos from my first week, so take a look and marvel at how adorable I am!

That’s it for now, because… Kitty’s back!