We love Zuzu’s toes. They are tiny and when you look at them from the soles of her feet, they look like those itty bitty, miniature stray grapes you’ll sometimes find left on a bunch.
Right now one of Zuzu’s little toes likes to ball up when she wriggles it. It curves so far around the bottom of her foot when she does this that we nicknamed the toe “Curly” -- just one of those special mom-and-dad things we’ve enjoyed between the three of us. “Watch out for Curly!” we’ll say as we put on her socks, or “make sure to wash Curly too!” one of us will remark during bath time.
We get a kick out of Curly.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Can I touch your baby?
There’s this thing that happens when a new baby is around that causes people to reach out and touch the little one, or at least try to. Maybe it’s something in the air, kind of like how strangers want to touch a pregnant woman’s emerging belly. Somehow, we missed noticing this phenomenon until we had a baby ourselves, and now I find myself wondering how many times I was previously guilty of doing this without asking first. Patting the baby’s back, grabbing the baby’s hand, feeling the baby’s hair, sometimes uncovering a leg or arm to glimpse further at this little wonder – things that people sometimes feel compelled to do when there’s a baby around. Kind of like how Frank, on Everybody Loves Raymond, would sniff the twins’ heads to suck out the “fountain of youth” and it would drive Deborah crazy.
Ty suggested we conduct a social experiment: when someone touches Zuzu, we’ll automatically reach out to them and do the same thing. We’ve giggled at the thought of lifting up the cuff of someone’s jeans to peek at his or her legs, reaching out an index finger to gently stroke the side of his or her cheek, or perhaps untucking the bottom of the subject’s shirt to look at his or her belly button.
It’s the perfect candid camera moment.
Ty suggested we conduct a social experiment: when someone touches Zuzu, we’ll automatically reach out to them and do the same thing. We’ve giggled at the thought of lifting up the cuff of someone’s jeans to peek at his or her legs, reaching out an index finger to gently stroke the side of his or her cheek, or perhaps untucking the bottom of the subject’s shirt to look at his or her belly button.
It’s the perfect candid camera moment.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
goin' public
this past weekend we took zuzu to the mall for the first time. in fact, it was one of the first times we’ve been out in public with our new daughter. okay, so we’ve been out in “public” – to church, walks around the neighborhood, to the pediatric clinic waiting room – but i’m talking about the kind of public where there are a lot of people, most of them being of the kind who don’t know us at all.as we took turns pushing the stroller around from store to store, i noticed that many people were immediately drawn to looking our way… alright, they were looking more towards the stroller than to us, really, but it was an experience for me that i really enjoyed. i had a great feeling of pride. “why, yes, this is my daughter. yep, she’s mine… she’s new.”
this reminded me of the way in which i felt when i first started dating jenn (over 12 years ago!), when we’d go someplace public together and walk side-by-side, or better yet, hand-in-hand. i would try to contain myself, but inside i was thinking, “are you people seeing this?! i’m walking with her... not just near her, not just next to her, but WITH her. oh, you don’t say… she’s beautiful, eh? she’s sweet and thoughtful and smart and funny – wow, you can really tell that by looking at her? yeah, i know, it’s true and i’m glad that you have acknowledged it.” it was a feeling of exuberation just to be near enough to her to be associated with her in even a small way by “the general public.” it was an honor to be seen with her. in fact, it still is.
so when people passed by us at the mall, their eyes tracking the stroller, hoping to catch a glimpse of a stranger’s new baby beaming from within, smile, then tilted their gaze upwards to me, it’s like they’d just ‘connected the dots’. her - - - - - - - - - him. and i’m proud of that connection. now, i know that they can only smile as a result of their having seen little zuzu, how little and beautiful and perfect she is, and that they really don’t know who she is or what kind of person she is, but i know her and love her for the person that she has become already and know that if they only knew, they’d probably explode as a result of the true beauty and joy that would be revealed in that moment. someday, perhaps they will know her. for now, though… yeah, i’m with her… and loving it!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
a day in the life of zuzu -- last thursday
12:20-1:45 a.m. Zuzu wakes crying, nurses for 46 minutes, burps, and has her diaper changed 3 times.
2:00 a.m. Ty walks Zuzu around in the dark, then back into bassinette. Jenn & Ty whisper to each other how hopeful they are that she will fall back asleep.
5:10-6:20 a.m. Zuzu wakes, nurses for 40 minutes, burps, and gets her diaper changed.
6:30 a.m. Ty puts Zuzu back in bassinette. Ty tells Jenn they should get up soon. Ultimately, Jenn & Ty both vote for more sleep. Ty is sick and will stay home from work.
9:00 a.m. More crying from Zuzu. Ty soothes her.
9:10 a.m. Another diaper change. Jenn notices one of Zuzu’s eyes is crusty and debates calling the clinic.
9:20–11:50 a.m. Zuzu nurses off and on for 63 minutes. Ty & Jenn take turns burping her between feedings. One diaper change. Ty looks up Zuzu’s eye situation in the baby care books – it’s probably nothing.
11:50 a.m. Jenn & Ty attempt to eat breakfast. Ty & Jenn take turns holding Zuzu while the other checks email. Everyone is still in pajamas.
12:00 p.m. Jenn gets Zuzu dressed, washes her face and hands, and combs her hair. Jenn notices Zuzu’s eye is looking pretty yucky. Jenn & Ty flush Zuzu’s eye.
12:15 p.m. Jenn puts Zuzu down to nap while she takes a shower. Halfway through Jenn’s shower Zuzu starts crying.
12:40 p.m. Jenn finds Ty dancing Zuzu around the living room. Zuzu fusses off and on and Ty tells Jenn to go ahead and get dressed and he’ll stay with Zuzu.
1:15 p.m. Change diaper. Zuzu is crying and hungry. Ty & Jenn flush her eye again.
1:20 - 1:45 p.m. Ty showers. Zuzu nurses for 15 minutes and Jenn tries to burp her without success.
2:00 p.m. Ty, who is still feeling sick, lays down in the bedroom to rest. Jenn puts a dozing Zuzu in the pack-n-play in the living room and Jenn takes a short nap too.
2:45 p.m. Jenn takes leftovers out of fridge to heat up for lunch. Zuzu starts crying, leftovers stay on kitchen counter.
2:50 – 3:20 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 20 minutes, then is burped. Lunch sits untouched on kitchen counter until Ty finds it later and puts it back in the fridge.
3:30 p.m. Another diaper change. Zuzu’s eye is worse. Jenn starts to look in the baby care books but Zuzu begins to cry.
3:50 – 4:50 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 28 minutes, falling asleep between feedings and Jenn tries repeatedly to wake her.
4:55 p.m. Leaky diaper. Jenn changes diaper and clothes. Zuzu is getting fussy.
5:05-5:10 p.m. Zuzu nurses for only 5 minutes.
5:15 p.m. Friend drops off dinner and gift and meets Zuzu.
5:30-5:45 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 12 minutes, then is burped. Jenn finally calls peds clinic about Zuzu’s eye while Zuzu nurses. Probably a clogged tear duct. Jenn massages Zuzu’s tear duct.
6:00 p.m. Jenn sits on couch crying after opening meaningful gift for Zuzu. Ty holds Zuzu and Jenn & Ty both tell her how much they love her.
6:30–6:40 p.m. Zuzu is hungry again, nurses, and Jenn takes care of Zuzu’s eye.
7:00–8:00 p.m. Quiet, at last. Zuzu naps while Ty & Jenn eat dinner. Jenn feels guilty about not giving Emma the cat enough attention and brushes her.
8:20–9:30 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 43 minutes, is burped between feedings, has a diaper change. Zuzu’s eye is improving. Ty puts Zuzu in her jammies.
10:00 p.m. Jenn & Ty pick up around the house and get ready for bed. Zuzu starts crying as soon as she’s in her bassinette. Jenn & Ty realize they forgot to give Zuzu her vitamin but in the interest of minimizing crying decide to forego it for a day.
10:40-11:55 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 42 minutes, burps between feedings, has a diaper change, gets her eye wiped, and returns to her bassinette. Ty and Jenn whisper Zuzu’s nighttime prayers, then crawl into bed as quietly as possible and hold their breath while Zuzu makes squeaky, unsleepy noises. Good night, Zuzu.
2:00 a.m. Ty walks Zuzu around in the dark, then back into bassinette. Jenn & Ty whisper to each other how hopeful they are that she will fall back asleep.
5:10-6:20 a.m. Zuzu wakes, nurses for 40 minutes, burps, and gets her diaper changed.
6:30 a.m. Ty puts Zuzu back in bassinette. Ty tells Jenn they should get up soon. Ultimately, Jenn & Ty both vote for more sleep. Ty is sick and will stay home from work.
9:00 a.m. More crying from Zuzu. Ty soothes her.
9:10 a.m. Another diaper change. Jenn notices one of Zuzu’s eyes is crusty and debates calling the clinic.
9:20–11:50 a.m. Zuzu nurses off and on for 63 minutes. Ty & Jenn take turns burping her between feedings. One diaper change. Ty looks up Zuzu’s eye situation in the baby care books – it’s probably nothing.
11:50 a.m. Jenn & Ty attempt to eat breakfast. Ty & Jenn take turns holding Zuzu while the other checks email. Everyone is still in pajamas.
12:00 p.m. Jenn gets Zuzu dressed, washes her face and hands, and combs her hair. Jenn notices Zuzu’s eye is looking pretty yucky. Jenn & Ty flush Zuzu’s eye.
12:15 p.m. Jenn puts Zuzu down to nap while she takes a shower. Halfway through Jenn’s shower Zuzu starts crying.
12:40 p.m. Jenn finds Ty dancing Zuzu around the living room. Zuzu fusses off and on and Ty tells Jenn to go ahead and get dressed and he’ll stay with Zuzu.
1:15 p.m. Change diaper. Zuzu is crying and hungry. Ty & Jenn flush her eye again.
1:20 - 1:45 p.m. Ty showers. Zuzu nurses for 15 minutes and Jenn tries to burp her without success.
2:00 p.m. Ty, who is still feeling sick, lays down in the bedroom to rest. Jenn puts a dozing Zuzu in the pack-n-play in the living room and Jenn takes a short nap too.
2:45 p.m. Jenn takes leftovers out of fridge to heat up for lunch. Zuzu starts crying, leftovers stay on kitchen counter.
2:50 – 3:20 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 20 minutes, then is burped. Lunch sits untouched on kitchen counter until Ty finds it later and puts it back in the fridge.
3:30 p.m. Another diaper change. Zuzu’s eye is worse. Jenn starts to look in the baby care books but Zuzu begins to cry.
3:50 – 4:50 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 28 minutes, falling asleep between feedings and Jenn tries repeatedly to wake her.
4:55 p.m. Leaky diaper. Jenn changes diaper and clothes. Zuzu is getting fussy.
5:05-5:10 p.m. Zuzu nurses for only 5 minutes.
5:15 p.m. Friend drops off dinner and gift and meets Zuzu.
5:30-5:45 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 12 minutes, then is burped. Jenn finally calls peds clinic about Zuzu’s eye while Zuzu nurses. Probably a clogged tear duct. Jenn massages Zuzu’s tear duct.
6:00 p.m. Jenn sits on couch crying after opening meaningful gift for Zuzu. Ty holds Zuzu and Jenn & Ty both tell her how much they love her.
6:30–6:40 p.m. Zuzu is hungry again, nurses, and Jenn takes care of Zuzu’s eye.
7:00–8:00 p.m. Quiet, at last. Zuzu naps while Ty & Jenn eat dinner. Jenn feels guilty about not giving Emma the cat enough attention and brushes her.
8:20–9:30 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 43 minutes, is burped between feedings, has a diaper change. Zuzu’s eye is improving. Ty puts Zuzu in her jammies.
10:00 p.m. Jenn & Ty pick up around the house and get ready for bed. Zuzu starts crying as soon as she’s in her bassinette. Jenn & Ty realize they forgot to give Zuzu her vitamin but in the interest of minimizing crying decide to forego it for a day.
10:40-11:55 p.m. Zuzu nurses for 42 minutes, burps between feedings, has a diaper change, gets her eye wiped, and returns to her bassinette. Ty and Jenn whisper Zuzu’s nighttime prayers, then crawl into bed as quietly as possible and hold their breath while Zuzu makes squeaky, unsleepy noises. Good night, Zuzu.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
"tummy time"
now that zuzu's here, we get to enjoy some "tummy time" with her... putting her on her tummy in order to help her to develop her muscles for holding her head up, supporting herself on all fours, and eventually crawling. before she was here, however, tummy time had a totally different meaning.
what better way to spend a quiet (pre-baby) friday evening than to gaze at her in motion. here's 25 minutes of tummy time sped up to just under 2 minutes, recorded only a couple of days before her birth. fascinating!
click the image below to play
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