Slingbaby

Here's one of Kyla's early rides in Beth's homemade sling.  It makes her very happy and squishy.

Stop. Nana time.

Here's a little test video of Kyla's first day with her Nana.  This video illustrates two points:

1) She loves her Nana already.
2) She doesn't stop moving for very long.  Ever.

Behind the Scenes

So, here I sit, with little Kyla asleep on the bed to my right, stuffed between two rolled-up hand towel "bumpers," and since she's clearly thinking deep thoughts (you can tell because she's trying out every facial expression in her arsenal all at once), I thought I should update our faithful readers on how our little monkey came into the world.  Thus, I give you The Birth In One Paragraph Or Less:

Here's how the birth went down.  Beth's water broke at about 6:30 am on Tuesday morning, while I was happily dozing.  We called the doctor, who had us come in to the hospital.  (We weren't even sure it was labor at that point, as there were no contractions yet, so Beth had a nice leisurely shower, I shaved and finished packing my hospital bag -- hey, no time like the present.)  A couple of quick tests later, we were off to our private delivery suite (thank goodness -- absolutely can't imagine going through this with someone else over in another part of the room).  Beth then proceeded to be a complete rock star -- I don't think she complained once, other than to say "ouch."  No meds, nothing but a fluids IV to make sure she didn't get dehydrated.  Nonetheless, Kyla seemed to be pretty sure she wouldn't fit -- she came down, and down further, and after 15 hours of contractions followed by 4 hours of pushing, well, she turned right around and headed back up to her womb.  After some deliberation, it became clear that we didn't have much choice but to do a C-section, and so, a little reluctantly, but secure in the knowledge that we had done our absolute best, and were out of options, we agreed.  It worked out fine, obviously; Ky is awesome and happy, Beth is awesome, happy, and recovering quickly from the surgery, and I am awesome, happy, and got to wear scrubs and a mask.  Everybody wins!

In other news, we may have discovered Beth's mutant power, which is to be made of rubber.  She's recovering VERY well from the surgery, and was resilient enough that, after 19 hours of labor, she was cracking jokes and bonding with the nurse on the way to the OR.

In short, I agree with our nurse.  Beth's my hero.

Kyla Nova

Ladies and gentlemen, Kyla Nova Aronoff has arrived.  She was born December 23rd at about 4 in the morning, and weighed 9 lbs., 2 oz.  Everybody's doing wonderfully, and we're already surprised at how interested we are in the frequency of her diaper changes.  Truly, it is a new world.

Harbinger

Month 9, it is upon us.  In a few short weeks, the sprout will sprout. Don't believe me? Check it:

Also, the Acquisition Of Baby Items has begun (more on this soon), which includes this super-awesome stroller and car seat.  Amazing But True Fact: it's actually easy to use!  (My distorted and superhuman leg length, though also awesome, is not due to the impending baby.)

How's this for a terrifying analogy?

My childhood is to morning reruns of "I Love Lucy" as the sprout's childhood is to reruns of "The Cosby Show." Seriously. They're the same amount of time apart.

Music lessons

Songs we like Daddy to play (so far, as demonstrated by lots of kickies and flipping about):

- Rainbow Connection
- The Garden Song
- When You Dream, by BNL

Fifteen years ago, or thereabouts, I sat in the basement of Chez Aronoff, playing guitar and thinking to myself that someday, way way WAY far in the future, I'd be playing for my own kid.  At the time, I thought that the Rainbow Connection was one of the most important songs to play for the kid, as it manages to capture a) magic, b) everything I like in a melody, c) a frog, and d) awesomeness.  Well, it turns out that I AM playing it for my kid, and it's just as fulfilling as I thought it would be.  Yes, indeed.

Some sort of pun about showering goes here

We've just finished a very successful baby shower.  Thanks to our many helpers, especially those people who took truffles home with them, as it means there are fewer to eat.  For those of you who like narrative captions, or couldn't be here because of work, flu, space invaders, or any other reason, I present to you...dum duh duh DAH!  Photos!

Beth's Baby Shower Of Awesomeness

Thirty-Three Weeks

Helloooo out there!  Thought it was [past] time for an update.

Sprout has been sprouting for 33 weeks now.  Evidently, that means she's still working on breathing, her digestive system, and regulating her body temperature, but is mostly just doing her best to gain weight.  We had to have her checked out via sonogram yesterday because she decided to have a good stretch during our regular doctor's visit, and her/my overlarge belly measurement was cause for concern.  I spent a couple of days wondering whether we were having a giant baby (yeek!), but no -- just a stretchy one.  She's slightly over 4 pounds at this point, which is right where she's supposed to be.

Since this was the third time someone told us Sprout was a girl, I think we can pretty much stop wondering.  The tech also commented on her long legs and pouty lips (and she wasn't kidding -- see the weird, grainy picture below for a nose-and-mouth shot).  They were able to locate a bladder this time... which, till yesterday, I didn't know was missing from the earlier anatomical sonogram.  Glad it's there, though.

Weird, grainy picture (she's sideways):

On other fronts, we're making progress in her room.  Matt has been putting up extra shelves and light fixtures this week; I've been sewing, and organizing the beginnings of her wardrobe.  Thanks to hand-me-downs from Max and the shopping savvy of the two grandmamas, we have a good start on what we'll need.  The stripes are painted on the wall, the prints are up, and the dressers are in place (thanks, Lisa, for your assembly help!).  It's starting to look right.  Lazlo has been thoughtfully testing out each new item to make sure it feels right, too.

The Little Things

I have never been quite as pleased to find out that someone has the hiccups as I was this morning. Woot! Go Sprout! Practice that breathing.

A fine curvature!

A curious thing has happened over the past few doctors' appointments -- because we're a low risk pregnancy, and there don't seem to be any complications, we're in and out of there in about as much time as it takes to cook a steak.  The big news from our last visit, it seems, is that Beth has excellent blood stats (no anemia, no diabetes), and more importantly, a fine curvature.  I didn't know this was a thing, but since it is, it's clearly time to document it.

Also there are baby clothes.

Sprout Art

Photographies!  I've just finished processing these, and they will be going up in the nursery as soon as they're printed.  We wanted something hyper-saturated, because (as you will see once it's put together and the pictures go up) the furniture and most of the walls are going to be done in relatively muted whites and blonde-and-really-dark wood tones.

Even as I write this, Beth is sewing together a super-colorful rug made of my old t-shirts (also being happy because it looks great and growling because it takes so freakin' long) -- the rug and these prints are definitely some of the focal points for the room.  Yay non-store-bought art!

Dear Sprout,

Please stop pressing up against my lungs.  It's alarming to have to concentrate on breathing.

Love, Mama

A window upon this, my future

I am all but positive that the Sprout will make this exact face at us.  I suspect that it will be a way to distract us from the fact that she has covered the cat in pudding.

Haiku for the Changing Season

Out of reach of hands,

My feet redden in the cold.

Seek clogs, tiny toes.

         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sandals set aside,

No more slipping in and out...

Must prop foot on chair.