Happy Holidays!

We've been busy, taking the little man on the grand tour. First we went to see family in L.A. Grandma Lynne was happy to see Desmond again, and was impressed by how much he has grown. Aunt Ligia proved to have a remarkable ability to soothe fussy Des - I think we'll have to ship him off to her at regular intervals! Cousins Devin and Ethan did not seem too impressed with Desmond - maybe he'll make more of an impression when he's old enough to borrow/steal/break their toys?

Today (Christmas Eve) we had dinner at Aunt Patty and Uncle Kendal's. The food was, as always, delicious. Desmond was enthralled by the birds in the backyard, and Aunt Alisha discovered a way to hold him that made him happy when nothing else would. Desmond loves pretty much anything Alisha does with him - she's a baby wizard!

Tomorrow we'll be heading to Lake Tahoe, to stay with Grandpa and Grandma Kathy for awhile. Grandma has already promised us an apple pie and a sweet potato pie - yum! We can't wait to show the boy the lake, and pine trees, and snow.

Desmond has thus far made out like a bandit. His Christmas loot includes clothes, college fund money, stuffed animals, toys, blankets and books. What a lucky boy, to have such generous and loving family and friends. We love you all very much.

Who Needs a Pacifier...

...when you've got mom's finger?

What a Smile!

We finally managed to capture his grin on camera. I love it when he smiles!

Cute Photos of the Week

Can you believe he's already 9 weeks old?

Stats

Weight
Birth: 7 lbs. 0 oz.
Oct. 10: 6 lbs. 12 oz.
Oct. 16: 7 lbs. 10 oz.
Oct. 18: 7 lbs. 14 oz.
Nov. 07: 10 lbs. 9 oz.
Dec. 06: 12 lbs. 11 oz.

Height
Birth: 19 3/4 inches
Oct. 18: 21 inches
Nov. 07: 22 3/8 inches
Dec. 06: 23 1/4 inches

Head Circumference
Oct. 18: 36.5 cm.
Nov. 07: 38.5 cm.
Dec. 06: 40.5 cm.

2 Month Checkup

Today is Desmond's 2 month birthday. I can't believe he's been on this earth for 2 months - it alternately seems like we've had him for just a few days, or that we've had him forever. And it's shocking how much he's changed already.

Today Des had his 2 month checkup. Which meant vaccinations - 3 shots and 1 oral dose. We looked into alternate vaccination schedules, but ultimately decided to get all the vaccinations and get them on the AAP recommended schedule. We found that it's really hard to find reliable information about vaccinations. I don't always trust the medical establishment, but it seems like every anti-vac article is written by someone with extreme views (super-religious pro-lifer or super-crunchy anti-medicine quasi-hippy) , and there is often very little empirical evidence to back up their claims. So basically, since we couldn't find any truly convincing reason not to vaccinate, we decided to trust the doctors.

I was nervous. I have heard stories of many a mom losing it as those looong needles plunged into their baby's thigh, and the baby gave them a how-could-you-do-this-to-me-to-think-I-trusted-you look, and began to wail inconsolably. I made Ron stand in the baby-comforting position while I sat back. The nurse gave the shots expertly and quickly. (The needles really were freakishly long, it seemed like they would just go all the way through his little thigh!) Desmond did wail, but as soon as Ron picked him up he stopped. The nurse claimed that when the parent stays calm, the baby usually calms down quickly. So it was a really good thing that Ron was there, since I started misting up as soon as I saw the needles.

We've been home for a few hours, and so far, so good. Desmond hasn't been any fussier than usual - if anything, the shots made him sleepy - not a bad thing!

Sleeping off the trauma

Super Baby!

This is an old video, as you can tell by the size of little Desmond. But I thought it was very funny. He's changed so much since then. For one thing, he looks like a tiny loaf of bologna in this.

Smiling Baby

In this video you will not only see the magical smile of wee Desmond, but you get to hear the dulcet tones of his dad singing a made up song for him. Prepare yourself.

Poopocalypse

At 6 weeks Desmond's pooping pattern suddenly and dramatically changed. Before, there would be some poop in almost every diaper. Not a lot, just a little - we came to expect it. Then, at 6 weeks - nothing - for 4 days. As we were about to call the doctor, Des finally let loose with an enormous "blow out" poop to end all poops. That's been the pattern since. 3 to 4 days of nothin' but pee, then, suddenly, a frighteningly large explosion that requires a load of laundry be done ASAP. Once it happened at Baby Boot Camp. I changed him in the trunk of the car - had you walked by, you would have been amazed at how one small baby could be so utterly covered in his own feces. Thankfully no one called CPS.

You think I'm exaggerating? Ha!

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving we went to Miye's house at Dillon Beach. Some of the culinary highlights: apricot cheese, prosciutto rolls, BBQ turkey, deconstructed stuffing, cauliflower and mushroom casserole, and Hana's homemade pumpkin pie. Desmond slept a lot - does tryptophan cross into breast milk?

A pre-feast nap at Patty's

Shaina and Rowan

Aunt Alisha and Desmond

West Coast in da House

I've been going to Baby Boot Camp once a week for the last 2 weeks. A bunch of moms meet in a park and an instructor gets us to run around and do some resistance strength training. It kicks my butt - I love it! The classes are generally early in the morning, so I always bundle Desmond up. Here's his Boot Camp outfit from November 21st - how stylish is he?!

Baby's First Hike

On November 18th we went for a hike in Redwood Regional Park, a large forest right in the midst of the Oakland hills with tons of hiking trails. I can't believe a place like this exists in Oakland. Love it!

Ron carried Desmond in the Moby. Des slept the whole time, offering little snuffles and snores to let us know he was there. By the time we got back to the car, he was pretty hungry. I nursed in the car - I think I'm getting pretty good at the nursing-in-public thing.

Desmond and Kendra

Kendra came to visit on November 17th. We walked Des in the stroller to the Morcom Rose Garden - still very lovely and aromatic, even in the off season. Later Mary and Micheal came over for dinner. All in all, a very nice Saturday.

He's getting so big!

Check out those chins!

One Month Old

Rockin' the monkey socks he got from Mary and Michael
Looking adorable in the bath towel

First bottle

Looking maniacal while getting burped

Birth Class Babies

We had taken a Bradley method birth class, and on Nov. 10th all the folks from the class got together to show off their babies. It was a weird feeling - last time we saw all these people, they were pregnant! Now we are all parents to small adorable creatures.

The couch of babies. Desmond is smack in the middle, wearing his kick-ass Oakland shirt. Don't mess with him!
Baby fight! Des wakes up long enough to administer a karate chop to Brendan.

He promptly falls back asleep, and Brendan is man enough to forgive him. He's probably thinking, how bad-ass can someone with pants pulled up that high really be?

These photos were taken from Brendan's blog.

Doctor Appointment

On November 7th Desmond had his 1 month checkup. The Doctor seemed very pleased with his weight gain, and declared him perfectly healthy. At birth he was only in the 25th percentile for weight and height, but at one month he's moved into the 75th percentile. What a grower! Desmond's stats:

Weight
Birth: 7 lbs. 0 oz.
Oct. 10: 6 lbs. 12 oz.
Oct. 16: 7 lbs. 10 oz.
Oct. 18: 7 lbs. 14 oz.
Nov. 07: 10 lbs. 9 oz.

Height
Birth: 19 3/4 inches
Oct. 18: 21 inches
Nov. 07: 22 3/8 inches

Baby Containers

Once you have a baby you realize you need an assortment of items to put them in. You need to experiment, because babies will be fond of certain containers and will hate others. For example, we tried getting Des a "bouncer" (a vibrating seat) on the advice of other parents, but he hated it. Here are some of the things he manages to put up with, though if he had his way, he would be held 24/7.

Swaddled and strapped into his swing (thanks Aunt Jana!)

Asleep in the car seat (This is rare -- generally he screams in his car seat until it's in the car and we've been driving for a few minutes)

Asleep in his crib, cozy under Aunt Elaine's blanket (also rare -- he much prefers to sleep on Dad's chest)

Grandparents

Thank God for Grandparents! Grandma Lynne stayed with us for the first week after Des was born, Grandpa Gene and Grandma Kathleen stayed weeks 3 and 4. We couldn't have done without their advice and assistance, and Des got more than his daily quota of cuddles, hugs and kisses.

Grandma Lynne

Grandma Kathleen

Grandpa

Halloween

For Halloween, Desmond wore an outfit that we had given Scout (Kendra's daughter) right after she was born. Who knew, 4 years ago, that it would be one day be perfect on our own October baby?
This is his spoooky look!
Daddy was actually hoping that Des would be born on Halloween, but if it had come even close to that Mom would have been murderous. October 6th was long enough.

Bath Time!

In the beginning, Desmond took sponge baths. They were not his favorite thing. He would look very concerned for a few minutes, and then the screeching would begin.
So we switched to bathtub baths with Mom. Mom sits in the tub and holds his head up, allowing his body to float. He seems to like this better, most of the time.
Though after he is removed from the water, there is still much ado. Even a heater and a warm and fuzzy towel can't appease him.

Baby Wearing

Mom and Dad are official baby wearers. Desmond seems to enjoy these alternate modes of transportation, especially the Moby wrap.

Nicknames

Some of Desmond's nicknames thus far:

• Webelo Jones
• Desmoid
• Wee Bairn
• Sugar Booger
• Little Man
• Doc
• Herr Doktor
• Monkey Butt
• Poopy Pants McGee
• Werewolf Boy
• Wolfie
• Des
• And the ever popular, but frowned upon by his parents Desi
  

Kickin' Booty

Click on the image and watch Desmond dance!

Desmond's First Weeks

We are trying to get this blog up-to-date, honest we are. It's hard to be on the computer when there's a very cute baby waiting for you. So in the interest of catching up, here are some of my favorite pictures from Desmond's first few weeks on earth.

Such a wee little thing!
(Just one month later, the hat and overalls barely fit)

The existential nature of life proved too much for him

Striking a pose in his sleep

Wee little thing pt. 2, this time with Mommy

Crocodile Suit

Time to go home...



This boy has a big head!

Won't You Take a Ride...Ride...Ride...Ride...Ride...

with baby Desmond.



It's the only way that you can travel.

Drunk on Milk

The little man sleeps it off...

Desmond's Hospital Pics

Grandpa's little man.
So small and wrinkly - but look at those long fingers and feet!
Remember Gloworms - those dolls that you could squeeze and their head would light up? Desmond looks like a Gloworm in this picture.

I Was a Newborn Werewolf

With apologies to Michael Landon:

Where Desmond Gets His Name

We had forgotten the details of exactly how we came up with Desmond's name until recently. Most people assume that we got it from the hunky, enigmatic Desmond on Lost. While we follow the show, that isn't the name's origin.



When we were still in Houston, we went to a concert by a local musician and his band that provided a soundtrack for Edward Gorey's Gashlycrumb Tinies at DiverseWorks. I love Gorey, and when I saw it it clicked. The concert was very entertaining as well--we were sorry we left before the second installment was performed.


Here's a video from that concert:



This is not to say that we plan on any Gorey-esque accidents for the wee bairn. We just wished we had a name that was part of such an awesome story.

I hope this sets the record straight.

In the Ears of Babes

I took this picture during a baby class at Alta Bates in Berkeley. It shows early audio tests on babies, but I like to think of it as some experimental DJ project. How cool is that baby?



These are Desmond's audio test pictures. A little more technically advanced and less intrusive. We had to wait until he had slept and the tech came in and put the leads under Des' little cap. I have no idea how they actually determined that he was hearing thing, but I was really glad when I saw "PASS" next to each ear. All I could think of was Dr. Benton on ER and how he randomly discovered that his son "Reese" couldn't hear. Don't ask me why he didn't get this test. Poor Reese. Good Desmond.