Family "Date" Afternoon

Lauren and I have an ongoing scheduled "date night" every Tuesday where we spend time together, go out to dinner, or go somewhere special. We decided to make today a date day with family flair so we went to the mall this afternoon to look for clothes for Lauren and to introduce Oz to the North Dekalb Mall.

It was cold so we bundled up and headed over for some food court lunch. After a healthy portion of Mr. Wok we took a walk around to the various stores. Oskar likes strolling but has no patience for clothes shopping with Mommy so we spent time sitting on the benches in the atrium and cruising the floor while Lauren tried on shirts.

We decided to make a whole afternoon of it and took Oskar to his first movie at the AMC where we saw "The Prestige", a period piece about feuding illusionists (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) with bad intentions. It was a good flick with a surprising twist at the end. Oskar cried during the sad parts (and some of the funny parts), but did really well overall. The darkness helped him nap for a while and he also enjoyed being walked around the back of the theater when he was cranky.

Oskar was more or less unimpressed by the mall. I reassured him that it would be a lot more interesting for him once he became a teen, then he puked on his blue sweatsuit and we headed home. We got home just in time for a bath, some activity time with Dad (laughing at people falling down on America's Funniest Home Videos) , and then to bed.

Check out the video of Oz being burped on my knee. He picks his head up a LOT these days, especially when I am holding him for burps and play time. A couple of times he stretched out his legs and lifted himself from my knee for a moment. Strong little suckler.

BG's Photo Fix - Week of 10/23/06

3 Weeks 5 Days

Just the Three of us

This week is the first week since Oz was born where we don't have family visiting. Dick and Jan left on Saturday to go back to Ohio. We miss them already. Lauren and I have really benefited from having family stay with us for the first few weeks. We are looking forward to a couple weeks of "us" time until my Mom comes to visit in November.

Oskar is doing great. He's definitely back up to (and beyond) his birth weight and he's falling into more of a routine. Still he is content for the most part eating, sleeping, playing, and 'expressing' himself regularly.

We have noticed that he is a "morning person". Wakeup playtime in the guest bedroom is the time when he is the sweetest. He loves looking out the windows, staring at the ceiling fan and doing his morning exercise regimen of kicking, stretching, and arm extensions.

Walks around our neighborhood in the afternoon are really good for us. They are the most physical activity that Lauren can handle until her post-op appointment and Oskar LOVES being outside for a stroll. The motion really calms him and he is generally fast asleep by the time we are through.

We have struggled with his sleeping patterns over the past week. A few nights he was up every hour or two crying. My mom thinks he may be going through a growth period and requires more (and more frequent) feedings. It's so hard to say at this point. He's only 3 weeks old (and change) so the idea of a schedule for him may be premature.

Regardless, we have taken a cue from our friends the Waterhouses and the VonSees and started a nighttime bath ritual for him that seems to be working. We think it is helping him recognize the difference between napping during the day and bed time at night. Either way, I have really enjoyed having this time with him at night.

I've got bath time down to about 20 minutes for him which is about all he has patience (or tolerance for being wet) for. As long as I keep the bathroom warm, a wash cloth on his torso (which I call "the heater") and a towel at my side to dry him off quickly he really seems to like bathing in his tub, looking at himself in the mirror, and listening to Dad ramble on about whatever.

Last night he slept for 7 hours straight. I couldn't believe it. Lauren kept waking me around 3:00 a.m. then 4:00 a.m. asking if I thought we should wake him up for a feeding. I checked him out and he was fine so we let him go. This was very encouraging for us both. I would love to be able to bank on more than 2 hours at a time, but 7 hours felt like we had just gotten back from a vacation.

We're still not sure what to do about Halloween this year. Oskar has a costume already thanks to Jon and Andrea. We usually have a pumpkin carving party, but I'm not sure we're up for hosting a big crowd this year. We'll scare something up I guess.

Off to work.

Baby Force Out!

The Hurwitzes visit from Ohio; Alpharetta with the Swensons...

First of all, you should note that there are photo gallery links now posted on the right side of the blog. I will be updating them from time to time along with the date they are posted so that you can find new photos. They're on Ofoto (which is Kodak) so you may need to sign up for a free account to view them.

And now the latest.......

Dick and Jan Hurwitz have been visiting with us over the past few days. They are great with Oskar. "Papa" seems to have the magic calming touch with him. "Me-Me" is a super playmate and reader. A lot of our time with them has been spent eating (out and in) and talking. I smoked a salmon and 20 lbs. of pork shoulder while Dick is in town. He and I have a kindred passion for good BBQ. Our bellies are filled and the freezer is now stocked!!

Sunday afternoon we took our first extended visit trip to Alpharetta to see the Swensons; Eric, Therese, John and Emma. They just got a new dog named 'Domino'. Domino is very sweet and smart and in the midst of puppy development and learning. Domino was very interested in Oskar and kept trying to jump into the Bugaboo for a closer look.

I told John about "loud" shooshing to calm a crying baby. He marched around the house shooshing as loud as he could while curling his body into a tight ball and spitting on the floor. It was very funny to watch. I did my impression of Oskar crying for John and Emma and they both laughed.


Therese made an outstanding dinner, complete with a Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin cheesecake (my favorite). It was a nice visit and a good test for our ability to travel lightly without forsaking any baby essentials. John and Emma both loved meeting Oskar. Emma was fascinated by the idea of breastfeeding and after her initial 'gross out' subsided she though it was pretty neat. They both wanted to hold Oskar so badly but could only touch his feet since he hasn't gotten his second round of booster shots and they are both in public school now.

Emma drew me a picture of a blue ghost with a red ghost dog and a red jack-o-lantern using her markers. She is very artistic and likes to draw castles too.

That night and the following day I had a recording session for a local blues/jazz/R&B musician so I spent a lot of time away from Lauren and Oskar. It was a great session and a music filled time. I missed my family. We have spent so much time together over the past weeks and all I wanted to do was hold my son and sit with my wife.

By Wednesday night we were trying to get Oskar on a regular night time schedule so that he will recognize his days and nights. So far he has been pretty consistent with naps during the daytime. Nighttime is a different story. We haven't quite gotten the hang of it, yet. But it will come eventually.

One thing that we have learned from our friends the Waterhouses and VonSees is to make bath time a consistent night time activity. It's not easy though since Oz can't stand being naked (or cold) one bit and he gets really worked up. We've tried heating the bathroom to 90 degrees. It helps a lot but afterwards Lauren and I feel like we could use a bath. Drying time and dressing is the best. Oz loves to gnaw on his terry cloth frog towel.

He really likes the taste of cotton. Weird little monkey. He definitely gets that from the Hurwitz side of the family. :)



I will be posting more videos soon and will be adding another photo gallery in the next day or so.

Thanks to everyone for all of the cards and kind regards.

-M

Week of October 13th - review

Well this week was our last week with BG (Deb Solow). She was a great help during the first critical weeks with Oz and left us with a freezer full of great meals. Oz already misses his morning time with her and the dogs are spoiled from having someone to sleep with and give them table scraps.

Oz's cord stump fell off so he is officially done with all of his post-partum healing. No more sponge baths.

We went to the Pediatrician on Wednesday for our first checkup and visit. Dr. Nunn is very nice and helpful. The practice is very close and convenient for us and they have two entrances, one for Sick and one for Well, so there is less risk of taking something extra home with us for checkups.

Oz is doing great. He is back up to 8 lbs 3 oz. And has grown a full inch (21 1/2").

We are working on getting him scheduled throughout the day (and night) for regular feedings and sleep. He is starting to get the hang of it, sleeping longer and making the most out of his feedings.

Speaking of feedings, he loses all control of his muscles during mealtime prompting the nickname (at least for this week) "Noodle" as in wet noodle. He is really pliable and would let you put him in just about any pose without so much as a peep.

Oz had his first storytime with Mom. They read 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. He loved it so much his eyes crossed trying to look at the pictures. Lauren is a great story reader.

We all went out to Crescent Moon, one of our favorite eateries, for lunch this week. The staff there had been anticipating Lauren's delivery for months since each time we came in for lunch or dinner she was obviously more pregnant.

We were visited by Uncle Melvin for dinner that night and gorged ourselves on sushi and Thai foods. Yummy.

Papa Dick and Meme Jan arrive tonight for a week in Atlanta. We've told Oz all about them and he is SO excited to see them for the first time.

Baby to Dad, Baby to Dad, WHAAA,!!! (over)

Calming a crying child is pretty simply once you know why they are upset, but it's not always easy. In the first few weeks of 'baby on board' the biggest challenge is figuring out 'why is he crying now'. When you are not used to interpretting baby cries the mere sound of them can be very unsettling, making it difficult to focus on where they are coming from.

My Mom gave me great insight into baby cries (she has raised a bunch of us). In the midst of all the screaming, reddened faces, pained faces, and kicking is a little person trying to express himself the only way that he knows how. The main point is, MOST crying is helpful for a parent. Until he becomes more adept at communication and eloquent with his choice of words it's what you've got to work with.

NOTE: Not all babies develop this level of sophistication, ever. Oz and I were watching Jerry Springer the other day. "Dad", he said, "those babies are humongous and they're still throwing tantrums. Do they need a binky?".

O.K. he didn't really say it, but I could tell what he was thinking.

Anyway, newborn needs are pretty straighforward. Food, sleep, clean/dry clothes, love from mom and dad, and the occassional gas bubble. Most of the time we can figure out what he is trying to tell us and help him out.

Sometimes, however, he might get so worked up that he upsets himself from being so upset. When that happens we have found relief in the following techniques:

Baby Bondage - For the first 3 months, babies like to be tied up TIGHTLY in a swaddle blanket. Kiddopotomus is a company that makes swaddling wraps with velcro that work excellently, still nothing compares to a nice soft blanket tied firmly around your childs arms and legs to make them feel like they are tucked back in the womb. It really works wonders.

The Flip Side - Gently flip your child on his side (Oz likes the right side) so that his body is cradled in a football hold and his head is resting on your opposite palm. Within seconds he will be staring into the distance as calm as a Hindu cow.

Out shooosh your Baby - When he wails on shoosh in his ear as loudly, or louder, than his cries. This mimics the sound of the mother's circluation in the womb. Don't be afraid to get right up next to his ear so that you can overcome the intensity of his cries. If you have ever heard a doppler exam of your baby in the womb, it sounds like a vacuum cleaner.

Keep on Rockin', Wigglin' and Jigglin' - Oz likes to be swayed gently or jiggled. Repetitive motions like these are great once he has already started calming. Lauren's mother introduced us to the 'Rumble Seat' technique during her visit (see vid clips to the right). Place your child across your knees and on his stomach and move your legs Shakira-style. I think this one surpises more than sooths since the experience has got to be very exciting for the child. Either way the wails stop and you get a good calorie burn from your quads, gluts, and calf muscles.

When techniques fail there is some great Baby Tech out there to try out. Some tried and true favorites and some other more novel inventions:

The Pacifier - It works. We were afraid that it might interfere with his breastfeeding so we were reluctant to try this at first. After a day or cying, that concern went out the window. We ordered 10, he loves them and since no milk comes out of them Oz doesn't seem to be confused about eating at all.

Baby Recliners - Like every good man, Oz loves his Vibro-Recliner (courtesy of Kurt and Linda Swenson) set up in the living room after a long, demanding day of being a baby where he can curl up in a warm blanket, assess his kingdom, and dream of boobs.

Swings and Rockers - We'ver heard many of our friends preach the wonders of the swings and things. Oz likes his just fine, but we rarely even turn it on.

IF ALL ELSE FAILS TRY:

Whiskey - For Dad, not for baby. It doesn't always calm him down, but it does calm you down and babies can sense fear and anxiety in parents. They prey off of it. Whiskey also helps deaden the sting from an ear piercing wail.

NOTE: this technique should not be used while operating heavy machinery. It is not a good idea to take your infant to a bar, so try to keep your liquor cabinet stocked.

Good luck. Baby Force over and out.

A Day in the Park

Today we took our first trip to Piedmont Park. Creative Loafing was holding their 2nd Annual Field Day event on the meadow down by the Park Tavern. We packed up the Bugaboo and dressed Oskar in his "Super Star" track suit (thank BG) then headed for a beautiful day in the sun.

For those of you that aren't Atlantans, Piedmont park is like Central Park in NYC (although a little smaller). It is a great place for live music festivals, walking your dog, playing Frisbee, or simply strolling around with your family for an afternoon.

My band, Van Heineken, had just been voted "Best Local Tribute Band" by Creative Loafing critics and I was asked to sing the national anthem (in character) as part of the opening ceremony. That was a very cool experience. I had never sang the national anthem anywhere before. There must have been about 700 people there ready to dodgeball and relay between draft beers. They cheered at the end. I'd like to think it was for my singing but I think it had to do with my striptease and ridiculous outfit straight out of "Meatballs".


Oz did what he does best for the most part, sleep. So far he has been to Daddy-D'z BBQ for my birthday. Slept through it. He's been to Mojo pizza on a Friday night. Slept through it. And the park for an afternoon of field day fun. Slept through it.

I imagine that his memories of these outings consist of smells and some background noise. He is such a content baby at this stage. Very portable and easygoing. He love's the car, stroller and park blanket. What a guy.

Now that the weather in Atlanta is cooling off, we will be able to take him out more often to enjoy the Fall. It is the best time of year. No bugs, comfortable temperatures and bunches of activity.

Party people, it's my birthday! We're changing diapers, cause it's my birthday!

Lauren and her mother, Deb, made me breakfast in bed while I had some quality morning time with Oskar. I even got a full night's sleep. What a great start to the day.

My wife and mother-in-law gave me some great gifts this morning in addition to breakfast. Lots of cookbooks and DVDs of my favorite cooking show BBQ University with Steven Reichlin. YES!!!!

Jan and Dick surprised me with a super hand mixer/whisker/chopper thing from Cook's Warehouse.

My FREE Senseo coffee maker even arrived. Bonus!

Got cards/calls/emails/e-cards/chats from lots of other family and friends. It's nice to be remembered amid all of the baby stuff happening.

The best gift by far was spending the day with my wife and son (thanks to Deb for handling errands that afforded this). We took another walk down the block with my boy in my arms. It was great. I let Oskar nap on my chest for an hour (can't beat that with a stick).

I had some play time with Oskar this morning and even added a video clip of 'tummy time' (see vid clips to the right). He's only a week old and already trying to lift his head.

I am so excited about tonight. We are going to one of my favorite BBQ joints in Atlanta, Daddy-D'z, and we're taking Oskar for his first restaurant outing.

This past week has been incredible. I will be glowing from this experience for quite a while.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!!!

Some Photographs

I have added a photo slideshow HERE.

Baby Lessons, Volume 1

We've been home for a day and half now and we're settling in to some routines. Lauren is doing a great job as a new mom. We are both astounded at how strong our family has become in such a short period of time. I love my son more than I even imagined. Lauren is awestruck by him at least once an hour.

Before Oskar arrived many of our friends and family kept telling us that "our lives will change forever" or "(get ready) cause everthing is about to change". The undertones to this statement always left me with the sense that the change was overwhelming or there was some level of lament for the old life attached to it.

I've come to learn what those statements mean to me. When I pass these comments along to our friends and family who about to start a family of their own I will attach the following undertone. Actually I may just hit them with the specifics instead of such a broad stroke assessment.

"My son has caused me to rethink everything in my life. Past, present and future. In a single event my attitudes have changed, my opinions of my experiences have been colored a new shade, and my outlook for the rest of my life has revised. No adjustment period, no transition or training. It has been sudden and strong.

This is my first baby lesson. First baby and first lesson. It is fundamental.

I've thought about some of the great lessons that our new son has taught me over the past few days. Here are the highlights:

1. A healthy baby is truly a miraculous gift - I walked around the entire baby ward, including special care and premie care centers while we were in the hospital, and the thought of having to go through what some parents of newborns are going through makes me realize that we are truly fortunate.
2. A first child has superhuman powers - In one moment, without much effort at all and with no predetermined real intention, my son created a family for Lauren and myself.
3. Babies, like black holes, are HUGE sources of gravity - For the past few months leading up to the birth, our child has attracted family and friends from distance locations all over the globe and focused them on his arrival.
4. Witnessing the birth of a child is a life changing event - Nothing I have experienced in my life will ever compare to the moment I saw my son leaving his mother's womb and taking his first breath.
   
5. The love for our child and his need for my wife and I is the most perfect feeling in the world. I feel a part of my person that has sat quietly for my entire life up until now has come on line. Lauren is different from his presence in the house. My wife and I have improved.
6. We get to be kids again - Lauren and I get to show him EVERYTHING that life has to offer and we benefit from the experience of him experiencing the world for the first time.
   

I can't wait to learn the next round of baby lessons from my son in the coming weeks.