Not Small

Vera had a check up at the doc today.  12lbs 11oz.  99th percentile for weight (!)  Height-wise, she's in the 74th percentile.  Nice job V - that's some serious growing.  We couldn't be more proud.

Scarecrow

When we were getting the Halloween decorations out, Griff did this:  (tee hehee)

Forest River Park, Salem

Vera was our only child cooperating for pictures this morning at Forest River Park.. 

My Girls

Good Sunday with the fam going to forest river park and ba da baba ba McLunch.

We both turned 31 today

Vera in days.  Me in years.  So happy to have our sweet little girl.

Goat Cry

Vera didn't settle very well tonight at bed time.  The kinda funny thing about her crying is that she "bleats" like a goat when she's really worked up.  We gotta get a clip of it and post it - it's very sad and cute at the same time.

Perhaps the happiest I've ever been?

When Griffin woke up from his nap this afternoon, I put Vera in his crib for a few minutes so they could hang out.  Vicki got back from coffee a few minutes later and we got some amazing snaps.  More on Picasa later. I really like having two kids.

Ashley does it again

Awesome awesome gifts for big bro Griffin and Lil sis Vera.  Thanks ashley!

First bottle

Vera had her first bottle last night at the 11:00 feed.  I fed it to her, about 4 oz total.  It was a little adventure because i thought that the bottle warmer was broken but it turns out i just didn't press the button long enough.  There's nothing like the convenience of the "always warm" boobs.  But the fast acting automatic bottle warmer is second place. 
Anyway its a really good thing for mainly two reasons:  Vicki gets to sleep from 7 or 8pm until 2 or 3am (once we perfect the pumping pattern) and I get the extra bonding time with the littler VCH.
Last night i patted, swaddled, and comforted Vera back to sleep all by myself.  Sigh of happiness.

Ferry Beach

We went today for a walk.  I had Vera in the baby bjorn and then we stopped for a photo op with V, big brother Griff and cousin Cameron.  
V was very relaxed on this, her first trip to the beach, which made Vicki think even more strongly that Vera is a Hawaiian child.

Cute Tummy Time

In my humble opinion.  Vera was digging the inside of the boppy pillow this morning.  She lifts up her head a ton.  I'd even go so far as to say she has the neck of a 4 week old linebacker in the body of a 2.5 year old dainty half asian baby.  Go V!  (Note we didn't catch any of that action on the photos, but still, you can imagine it with her head up right?  Am I right?)

Fort Williams

We were there this morning.  Home of Portland head light, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

Some of the Baby Basics and Milestones

Here's a few stats and things about Vera:

• We swaddle her at night with both arms out.  The thriller thing (see previous post) is really her thing - she likes having her hands.
• Size 1 diapers.  Size 0 (newborn) pretty much lasted just the first week.
• The newborn size clothes are really tight - most of what she wears is 0-3 months.  
• She weighed in at 9 lbs 4 oz at her 1-week checkup.  (And seems to be ganing more even since - after 1 night away this week I think I actually saw her bulk up a little.
• She's stroller ridden around the block 2 or 3 times (including with Griffin right behind her on the add-on skateboard thing for the stroller).
• We still hold her head all the time, but she's got one of the strongest necks of any 17 day old I've ever known and she uses it to throw that big head around.

First Night Away

We're at Grandma and Grandpa Hendrix's house up in Maine.  Vera's Uncle Jim, Aunt Kate, and Cousin Cameron are all here.  Its awesome to be around family.  And its Vera's first night away from our house since she was born.

We left the house in Marblehead at 12:44pm.  Not bad considering when we got in the car both kids (still getting used to saying/writing that) were fed and ready to sleep.  Which they did.  For about 30 minutes.

First Strike

Vera peed on Vicki yesterday, making Vicki the first officially "tagged" parent.

Feels like home

I just got back from my first trip since V was born.  I slept pretty well at the Garden Inn but i can't tell you how nice it is to come home to a full house of sleeping family and then Vicki and Vera getting up for the 11pm feed.  It puts the joy in diaper changing and burping.  Perspective is awesome.

Biggest blowout of her life

Happened today.  All up her back.  You know its bad when its on her arm.  Or when Vicki says "why is this part of the pillow wet?  I didn't think babies sweat that much."

Also happy two week birthday peanut.  We love you so dearly.

Vera's sleeping in the rock and play

Which is a small sling type cradle thing that rocks and we didn't even know existed when Griffin was less than this product's stated maximum weight limit.

It looks really cute with her in it next to her empty crib.  Its all good.

FAQ

The two most common questions I get about Vera's arrival (and their answers) are:

• Are you absolutely nuts for having a second kid? Didn't you learn your lesson on the first one?
• Just kidding.  No one asks this.  And if they did, I'd be all:  "No way - we're stoked to have a second kid."
• Is she sleeping well?
• Yes for the most part
• Last night was a little rough - she seemed to be awake 1/2 the night after a tough day Sunday of trying to keep her awake at all during the day.
• Vicki does much more of the night time waking.  I'm ill equipped   I wish I had boobs sometimes so I could be "a really useful engine" as Thomas, Percy and co. would say.
• ...and I sleep through a lot of the crying.  Actually I sleep through a lot of the everything.  In fact, one night in the hospital after Vera was born I slept straight through two or three nurse visits and my wife in the most pain of her entire recovery in the hospital.  
• How's Griffin handling it?
• I think pretty darn good for a 2.66 year old.  Keep in mind this is the same kid who's afraid of the sound of a public toilet flushing, so, you know, things are scary for him sometimes.
• He's tested the waters a few times with a smack here and a poke-in-the-eye there, but we nipped those in the bud and he's really pretty gentle.
• To date, he's specifically asked to hold Vera like 4 or 6 times, which I think is pretty good.  
• I'm getting a lot closer to him having spent so much time 1:1 while Vick is feeding and otherwise tending to Vera. 

Keep the questions coming!