Einstein....

...is genius. This week, we set up the baby einstein activity gym and erected an einstein mobile over the crib.

Guess what Claire's new favorite hobby is?


















Yes, the star actually blinks. And plays Mozart. What more could you ask?


There are no special effects added to these pictures. No photo manips.
Just pure, unadulterated, infant joy.

And to all a good night!

What a pleasant Christmas. We got way too many gifts. Sarah and I must stop treating each other so well.

It started with a grand-spanking time in the swing.

Claire got her share of presents. A lot of books. Which is good.

Friends Lisa and Hank had us over for brunch where their daughter Xia-Li and cousin Lilly entertained us all and spent much time ogling over Claire.


It all ended with a bath to wipe away errant nog.

Merry Christmas!

Holiday blessings

Gifts from this past week that we'll cherish Christmas Day:

On Sunday, neighbors Eric and Corinna brought us dinner and stayed. Corinna wheeled their 4-month-old son Luca seven blocks to our house in the snow. It was fun comparing notes about diaper covers. The leftover spaghetti and salad lasted only two days. This followed Saturday's dinner, brought by Michael and Sue and their one-year-old son Daniel, who pointed to each and every new and old light fixture in our house.

Wednesday night, I spoke with Renee Borrego Garfias, a childhood friend who had her second son in August. Andres is her second, yet still Renee finds him to be "a little miracle," mind-boggling that he actually came from within her. Sarah and I still share that feeling about Claire. "Where did she come from?" Sarah sometimes says. It's a wonder how the human body and our genes know to produce such a seemingly perfect specimen, 10 fingers and 10 toes, all intact, with little lungs ready to breathe? Adding to the mystery: Claire looks like her own person, not one of us. Thanks to Renee for taking time out of her busy schedule to call and allow us to marvel at our respective children again.

One thing, though. Renee said she has seen this blog. For some reason she thinks that anyone who comes across it will be able to tell that we're first-time parents. I don't understand what she means at all.

We also visited this week with Liam Roth, the precious two-week old son of Laurel and Kory, classmates in our Bradley birthing course. Liam is quite the cute kid; seemingly tiny compared to 6-week-old Claire. They are doing well.

Our best wishes to Noelle and Mark, whose first child is due Christmas Day, I believe. May a star shine bright tonight for you and your child.

Another Bradley classmate, Carolyn and Mike, are expecting their first child around New Year's Day. Here's hoping the RV that they're currently living in provides comfort while remodelers finish their home (We can relate!).

And our Bradley teacher, Kara, is due in about two weeks with her third child.

Best Christmas wishes to all, and to all a complete night's sleep.

Bottle feeding

We're now trying to bottle feed Claire. Here's how it works for those who don't know. Sarah pumps milk using an Aveta-brand hand pump. I deliver the bottle.



Tonight was my third attempt. The first two were so-so affairs. This one went well. She gulped down the nectar at an estimated rate of about an ounce every 2.5 minutes. That's fast. Sure, the bottle leaked a little leche on the floor. Who cares? Why cry over that? The important thing is that Claire got full and fell into a mild stupor.


How is my form? Constructive criticism welcome.

More pics

Grandma and Grandpa Hanson departed Tuesday, but left behind a host of good pics. Here are a few:




Ah, a true family portrait: Us with Doug, our contractor. And we're all still speaking to each other! Even after we shorted Doug $1,900 in our "final" payment last week (that's why he returned for this photo).


Ready for an outing in this coooooold!




The pets sure will miss Brad.



What a cutie! If I may say so.

You decide.

Here are our baby photos. Apologies for the quality of the scans.

This was Brent.

And here are a couple of Sarah.



Now, here are early images of Claire.


Who do you think she looks like?


Post your vote below!

Grandparents Gone Wild

Granddad has a new digital camera. No shortage of material either.



Diaper changing time. Claire's favorite thing to do. Can you tell?









Reflexes still working well.



Shoes. Shoes. More shoes.

Landmark event

Grandma and Grandpa Hanson arrived today, met their first grandchild and walked the finished addition.




They also brought with them some very interesting baby photos of Sarah. Very interesting. I'll try to scan them and post here in the future.

By popular demand

What else? More baby photos!!!!!

Checking out the furry flat bunny --- a gift from Tracy Jan.


Hmmm. It's awful flat.



Admiring the light fixtures.

A fist will do when nothing else's available.

Sonrisas

Claire flashed a bunch of smiles this morning. No doubt about them, and gas wasn't the culprit. She smiled repeatedly as mom babytalked her and touched her nose.



Am I not an annoyingly new parent?

We're official!

Pop the champagne. The city issued our occupancy permit today. Doug packed up his tools. "Enjoy it!" he said as he left.




That's Doug, making Paca do all the hard work.


He'll be back. This weekend, in fact. He needs his last check.

We would recommend him in a hammerbeat.

Gonna be kind of strange not having Doug and crew around. But it's a relief, too. Living in a house with pounding hammers, grinding sanders, the smell of oil-based paint and a crying baby wears on anyone. We're glad that's over. Thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa Hunsberger have been around to help start reassembling belongings.

Where are we now?

OK, last week we moved into a long-term stay hotel so cheap it charged 50 cents for those round in-house coffee packets. That's CeeCee sitting inside the My Breast Friend.



Claire didn't know the difference.



This week, our good friends Sonya and Matt bequeathed us their house while they celebrate Thanksgiving in Indiana. We are in heaven.

Grandpa and Grandma Huns are here too. Claire met them with a couple of coos and later impressed them with her loud farts.



Meanwhile, back at our place, the kitchen is just about done. The cabinets and countertops look great.





Maybe by Monday we'll be able to move in.