Wonder Boys

Everywhere I go now, I'm fascinated by parents with boys in tow -- I can see my future in them. I'm really looking forward to doing all of that boy stuff with Seamus: taking him to soccer practice, or the zoo, or to watch the dogs at the dog run ... so many fun things to look forward to.

Greta and I had a great time hanging out with my nephews over the Thanksgiving break ... they made us laugh, and impressed us with their talents (Tris: origami, recorder, Houdiniesque escapes; Wes: drumming and cyclocross). Actually, I was quite blown away by Wes' drumming, and I'm sure he'll be playing in a band soon. Can't wait to see what Seamus will be into about a decade from now!

Attack Of The Pecan Tart Eater

Meet Buddy Dunn. He looks innocent, doesn't he? And yet, within that adorable, fuzzy little head lurks a powerful lust for sweet, sweet pecan tarts ... or anything that's edible, really.

Here he is getting to know the tarts, shortly before the crime occurred.


Just moments later, we sat down to eat our Thanksgiving feast. I got up to replenish our supply of peas-and-mushrooms, and upon entering the kitchen, caught Buddy red-handed ... crumb-lipped ... whatever. He was chomping his way through the entire plate of tarts. He had made a good start of it, and had ingested more than half of them before I pulled him away from the plate and moved it to higher ground.

The consensus in the Dunn household was that the tarts would soon emerge from one end of Buddy or the other, transformed in an unappetizing manner. However, sugar, butter, and pecans seemed to agree with his digestive system, and he was soon back in prime begging form underneath the dinner table.


I am grateful for domesticated animals ... they are almost all natural comedians.

PS: This post should not be confused with the film classic Attack Of The The Eye Creatures.

Giving Thanks...

Our Thanksgiving started at 6 AM. We woke up early to go to Newburyport, MA for the white-people-with-white-people-dogs 5K Turkey Trot. Jim’s been training for the last couple of months and his goal was to finish the race without stopping and to finish in under 30 minutes.

And he did it despite the cross-country terrain and big hills! We were both so proud that he accomplished his goal that we went and stuffed our faces with eggs and French toast at the Agawam Diner where the elderly, male cashier told us to have a “crappy Thanksgiving.” Of course, I loved him.

We went back to the B&B where we were staying and had a soak in the hot tub–like bath tub and took a nap. I could only soak my legs (so as not to boil the baby), which really needed to be done because I woke up twice the night before with the most painful leg cramp ever recorded. (The first time I had no idea what the hell had hit me. I just screeched and writhed and Jim rubbed my leg and reminded me, “Breathe, Greeba!” I thought at that very moment that Jim is going to be a great labor coach and that if I can get through it un-medicated, it will be with his help.)

Thanksgiving was great and we hadn’t even gotten to the real eating yet! There’s something to this getting up early thing.

I’ll let Jim write about the wonderful meal we had at casa de Teri, Shawn, Wes, Tris, Buddy (the Pecan-tart–loving golden retriever), Mary (the cat), and Teddy-Pig (the very contented Guinea pig).

Things I’m thankful for that I couldn’t get out before the meal because of my hormonally challenged emotions:
1) Seamus is healthy.
2) He has two parents.
3) I have the best, most patient husband in the world.
4) Seamus will get to meet his great grandmother (and he’ll think she’s as cool as we do).
5) We have a roof over our heads and food in our bellies.

Off to Gloucester for Thanksgiving! Quick Post!

We're off this morning to Gloucester, Massachusetts, location of the Gorton's fish factory, setting for the Perfect Storm, and home to Jim's sister, Teri and her family. We'll be spending Thanksgiving with them and having our last hurrah by staying at a B&B in adorable Rockport, one town over.



We have a lot to be grateful for this year. We had an ultrasound yesterday because of the previous tests and ultrasounds we had way back that indicated that there was a higher risk than normal that Seamus could have Downs. The midwife wanted to make sure he didn't have any conditions that might make homebirth a life-threatening proposition.

You might remember that the ultrasound showed a calcium deposit on his heart, which some doctors will consider a soft marker for Downs, but yesterday, the doctor (who is more of a specialist) said that they haven't considered that a factor for about the last 4 years. So we're back up to something like 1 in 40 or 60 instead of 1 in 20. He's healthy though and if he does have Downs we already love him so much that we won't care. He's our son no matter what. That won't change.

Some facts about Seamus: He's about 4 pounds, measuring normally for his gestational age, still definitely a boy, heart looks good, stomach looks good (both problem areas for Downs babies), he moved around like crazy (the ulstrasound tech said, "You're going to have your hands full!"), and his amniotic fluid and placenta look great. Doctor said he'll probably gain about a pound every 2 weeks from here on in, so if I go on time, he'll be about 8 pounds. Hmmm. We might have to rethink those newborn-sized onesies!

Could we have anymore to be grateful for? Jim and I were beaming when we left the ultrasound. Finally some good freaking news! We also went to our birthing class last night where we saw 3 different birthing experiences. I'm not afraid anymore. Just really excited to finally meet this baby!

Happy Thanksgiving! Let the turkeys live!

Uh-oh.

So Greta and I had it all figured out: we were each going to ask to reduce our workweeks to four days, with one of those being a work-at-home day. That way, each of us would be home with Seamus two days a week -- and on Fridays, we would take him by train up to Milford, where NanaBanana would watch him for the day.

In the past, my bosses have been totally cool and accommodating when it comes to time off and stuff ... but this time, they said no. Or rather, they said, "Here's our counteroffer: if you reduce your hours by one day a week, we'll cut your salary by 20%. And you can't work from home." Or, in other words: "Here's our counteroffer: nothing."

Greta still hasn't talked to her boss, but we're sort of screwed now no matter what her boss says ... I don't think she's going to be able to only come in *two* days a week, and spend the other three at home after her (three-month) maternity leave is over. (Guess what I get for paternity leave? *One* week.) And we don't want to put Seamus in daycare when he's three months old!

Any suggestions, people?

Seamus! We want to meet you!

We got a very cute Tigger robe and booties for Seamus at yesterday's shower (yes, Aunt Teri, it's Disney) and I decided to hang it up in the bathroom. Jim said it's almost like he's already here when he looks at the robe. We know he needs more time to be ready, but we're impatient and want to see what he looks like (other than cone-headed) and hold him in our arms!

The Best Shower Gift Ever

After years of begging my mother for the Peter Pan prints that have been in the family for many years, she surprised Jim and me with the prints for Seamus! If I had known that all we had to do was have a kid, we would have done this a long time ago!

Frogs and the red sweater

Just wanted to post a picture of Tristan's origami frogs and the red sweater Kristen made for Seamus. Both wonderful creations and both appreciated very much!

All Swole Up

My feet and ankles have been swelling lately so I wrap 'em up in cold packs and elevate them when I can. Now I know what everyone was saying when they told me to be glad I'm not pregnant in the middle of the summer. It would be worse, apparently. I have to say all in all that I do like being pregnant. I mean, I probably wouldn't if it were just a "condition" and there weren't a baby involved, but it makes me so happy to know that Seamus is in a happy, warm, comfortable place and that the place in question is my body. I'm glad I can let him grow inside of me until he's ready for life on the outside.

Amazing Science Facts!

We had our first class on how to be parents on Tuesday. We signed up with a company calledRealBirth. Apparently, all you need to be a parent is to sign up for five three-hour classes! If only I had known it was so easy, I would have done this years ago.

I learned some Amazing Science Facts about reproduction during our first session:

• The uterus is the strongest muscle in a woman's body -- stronger than the gluteus!

• During the third trimester, the body releases a hormone called relaxin, which causes the tendons and ligaments that bind the various parts of the pelvis together to, well, relax. The allows the baby's head to widen the pelvic opening as it descends during birth.

• One of the things that triggers labor is the production of certain hormones in the baby's body -- crazy! It's like the baby is saying, "Hey, I'm ready to come out!" Only in hormones, not in English.

• One of the signs of impending labor is a multi-day bout of diarrhea. There are so many beautiful things about pregnancy!

• We all know that the birth of a baby is preceded by the "water breaking" -- the breaching of the amniotic sac, causing the amniotic fluid (the baby's comfy, cushioning bath) to spill out. Some babies, however, are born without the water ever breaking -- they come through the (sexily-named) birth canal inside an intact amniotic sac, which then has to be broken open after the birth. These rare babies are reputed to have clairvoyance.

• The vast majority of babies begin the birth process head down, with their backs facing the mother's belly. As they emerge, they rotate 180 degrees, like a screw being removed from its socket, and are born facing towards the mother's front, able to look their mother in the eye (assuming that both parties have their eyes open, and aren't too busy yelling).

• In addition to the spreading of the pelvic opening, birth is eased by the fact that the bones of a baby's skull are not yet fused -- during birth, they actually slide over one another like tectonic plates, making the head somewhat smaller (leading to the "conehead" appearance of most newborns). The head returns to a more normal shape within a few hours.

We did not discuss what is, to me, the most interesting fact about human reproduction -- that birth is not painful for most other mammals. (Hyenas, apparently, are among the few mammal species that are even less fortunate than us in this regard.) Humans have, of course, long noted this discrepancy, and have advanced many theories to explain it, including the one in Genesis 3:16: it's Eve's fault. God didn't want to make childbirth painful, but she pissed him off.

The more commonly-accepted scientific explanation is that, on the road to homo sapiens sapiens, the sizes of our hominid forerunners' brains increased very quickly (on an evolutionary scale), and the size of the female pelvis and birth canal could not keep pace.

A more recent theory holds that we are actually paying the price for being bipedal: walking upright requires relatively broad shoulders and a narrow pelvis, a bad combination for comfortable childbirth.

Either way, I demand that genetic engineers get to work on this problem. Because, you know, it would be great if birth were less painful ... we need people to have more babies, and to hesitate less when deciding whether to procreate! Right? Okay, maybe not.

The Trip to Bountiful

Yesterday's shower was so much fun! The food was great, the weather was perfect, the presents were cute, but most of all it was so nice to have people there who really wished us well and are as excited as we are to welcome Seamus into the world. There were no uncomfortable, obligated guests. It was really nice. The picture above is of the baby-sized red wagon filled with little friends for Mango from Great Aunt Lizzie and Lisa Jacoby. I can't wait to see him pulling that thing around. (The cat is not amused, and no, we never do make the bed.)

I can't even begin to explain how much love and thought went into each gift for Seamus (and a couple for mom and dad too!). My sister made a beautiful hand-crocheted blanket that Seamus is going to adore (as well as a doodle that deserves to be called art), Granny Franny hand knitted a little hat with a pom pom on top (see Jim's entry), Kristen knitted the most adorable red sweater with green dinosaur buttons, Tris invented and made beautiful origami frogs, and Nana put together a really heartfelt photo montage for Jim and I to watch on the computer. Really an amazing day (and the food!). It was great as well to see my family. We haven't been up to CT enough recently.

Jim and I put everything away today. I'm thinking there must be something to this nesting thing...We usually don't put away our Christmas gifts until the following Thanksgiving! I think it's more a pregnant lady thing though. Here's Jim having had enough of freaking nesting already.

Mango Bear thanks you

Yesterday, Sandy and Cliff hosted our first baby shower. (Being incredibly spoiled, we have another one scheduled for next weekend.)

As you can see, Mango Bear is warming up Granny Frannie's homemade cap for Seamus ... and preparing to communicate with him. I believe he is trying to find the sign for "hugses". Silly bear, that's not a word!!

I'll let Greta post more about the shower -- but I do want to give special props to Teri & the Boyz for driving all the way down from Gloucester to attend -- and then driving all the way back! Eight hours in a small car with two restless boys -- my sister is a strong, determined woman. And to Carol and Holly for catering the party -- I felt like a blood-gorged tick afterwards; always a good sign. [Greta adds: John and Kristen get an A+ for chauffering us to CT and putting up with my backseat driving and for staying until the very end to ferry us and all of Mango's loot home!]

Jersey people, the bar has been set very high ... you'd best step up your game. :-)

The Adoration, or, Please Leave Us Alone, People

As the arrival of the Blessed Mango approaches, a couple of people have asked us when would be a good time to visit after the birth. So we've discussed this with a few other parents, and each other, and we've decided that we want to get a few weeks' alone time ... quality time ... bonding time ... with our little stinky screamer before having visitors. I know this is a little unusual -- traditionally, family, and then friends, gather 'round in celebration -- but I think it will work out well.

So, if any of you were thinking of visiting, we'd like to ask that you wait until around mid-March. He'll be more interesting by then, anyway.

Bring gold, frankincense, and FBAs, but don't worry too much about the myrrh.


If you weren't thinking about coming to visit, please ignore this message and carry on with your End Of Republican Hegemony celebrations.

Baby boom

Yesterday, we went to a baby shower in the East Village, in a beautiful loft apartment ... the building didn't look like much on the outside, but the apartment had a high, wood-beamed ceiling, an old, slightly warped wooden floor, and, in a small alcove near the bathroom, a big wooden reel with an old rope wrapped around it, with a large hook on the end -- a relic, I theorized, of the days when the building was a warehouse, and the hook was used to raise merchandise from the ground floor. This is one of the things that I love about this city: even nondescript buildings can be really interesting inside.

The party was for our friend Elfranko's wife, Sarah, whose baby is due three days after Mango [correction: 4 days before Mango!]. Laugh and the world laughs with you ... and it seems to be the same story with procreation. (I hasten to add, though, that "with" should not be taken literally in this context.)

In addition to Sarah, our friend Jelena is about to give birth, our friend Diahl recently did, and one of Greta's friends, Liz, is also with child. It's nice to know that Mango will have some peers available for playdates.

The following ridiculously cute photo is of another recent arrival: Sadie, progeny of Andrew and Sandy. You will note that she is visibly psyched to be dressed as Miss Mousy (from the song "Froggie Went A-Courtin'", of course!) for Halloween.