safekeeping

Lillie did a very good job this Mother’s Day, what with all the smiling.

She also  very much enjoyed being changed outdoors.

We thought it was funny, too.

Put ‘em up!

Lillie was 8 weeks old yesterday! On Wednesday we went to her check-up, and she now weighs 10 lbs 5 oz, and is 22.5 inches long. HUGE baby.

She handled the appointment fairly well, although she was hungry and the vaccinations elicited cries like I have never heard. Poor little girl.

I think I must have misunderstood.  Could you repeat the question?

My King Alfred daffodils are blooming! Which led me to consider what other signs of spring are around these days:

Lillie’s first Easter basket, from Nana.

A new hat from Great Aunt Ti.

Re-discovered sidewalk – courtesy of Jason and Lara. This past Sunday we spent outside cleaning up the yard, and Jason decided he was going to clear off the sidewalk, which was unfortunately under several years worth of sod.

Matzoh in the house and pretty pink toes, a gift from dear Traci, who visited last week and treated me to a pedicure.

And lots of well-earned naps! Happy Spring everybody!

First, Lillie wakes up when her Daddy does, around 5:45 am.  And she has breakfast. And then we go back to sleep till 9 am or so.

Then I try to have breakfast, too.

Then she has a bath:

And a massage:

And then we have second breakfast, or perhaps elevenses, when Lillie says, ” I think I’ll just have a little something.” This is followed by a nap:

After which she has lunch.  And I try to have lunch, too  (for propriety’s sake, I’m leaving out the many diaper and nursing photos).  And then we have visitors, or perhaps a walk:

Around 2 pm we have conversation time:

This is when we explain to Lillie about the solar system, or climate change, or read aloud the New Yorker, or “No Zoo Without Mumba.” Then it is nap time again:

And then dinner for all, after which we watch scintillating TV or an educational movie like “Airforce One:”

And then it is upstairs for a nightcap and bed. Tough life, huh?

Some time ago I sent in an entry into the Harvard Bookstore’s Short Shorts contest, and it was accepted!

So they had a little reception on Wednesday and we all went, and the Aunties came too.

Lillie was very impressed with me. As you can tell.

Luckily Jen and Lara were more visibly excited. They even brought me flowers.

From last week, here is Lillie’s movie debut:

We have now moved onto fully submerged baths!

In honor of Lillie’s due date, which was today, here is the story of her actual birth, which happened last Thursday.

My water broke at 1:15 am and the contractions started in regularly right away, so after two hours we went to the hospital. They were so busy that after getting examined we elected for more mobility and went down to the lobby to labor.

Lara was with us the whole time, Jen came about 11 and Mom arrived about noon.  At about 2 the labor got strong enough that I was worrying Mr. O’Rourke, the very nice security guard, so we decided to check in upstairs.

They hooked me up to the monitors and everything was going great. Mom and Jason helped me labor till about 9 pm, when I started to get really really tired and asked the midwives to check on my progress.  I was 6 cm dilated, which everyone except Lillie and I thought was great.  I got out of the bed and started leaning against it and the next contraction just didn’t stop. Mom went out to tell Lara and Jen that it might be a while yet, and when she came back I told her I thought I really needed to push. At 9:35 or so  Leila the midwife came in to check me and asked me to get on the bed so she could do so.  I told her I couldn’t get on the bed because I was pushing so much and the baby’s head was between my legs. Finally I got on the bed and after about 5 minutes,  there she was!

I went into a bit of adrenaline shock and Mom and Jason made sure everything was ok with the baby.

Jason says hello.

11 minutes after birth.

Nana says hello.

I say hello.

Then they took her to the nursery and the patient Aunties finally got to say hello.

She is amazing.