Deven: Sleep inducing

As the photos show, Deven has the uncanny ability to induce sleep in all who hold him - whether at Golden Gate Park on a gorgeous Saturday , or in our favorite chair on a Friday or a Sunday. Of course, he also refuses to sleep unless being held (or being swaddled in his Kiddopotamus - thanks sis!).

In other news, I (Kate) have a way to go to get back to pre-preggers fighting weight. I knew all those divine Ghiradelli hot chocolates at work would catch up with me (sigh). Glad Danielle & John got us that jogger! Can't use it yet - his neck needs to be a little more stable first - but will start to soon.

Philipp and Devi stopped by on Saturday - was great to see them and NOT talk about kids for 5 minutes. :-)

Oh, and though I had a borrowed breast pump (thanks Jason & Pilar!), we chose to buy a new Advanced Pump-In-Style Backpack - we're thinking long-term I suppose. The whole bottle-nipple-pacifier choice thing is overwhelming (like most kids-stuff choices, I suppose). We've not even started trying to give Deven bottles yet, will start that this week while Grandma's still here.

In the short-term, I'm just really glad I don't have to drive across the Bay Bridge tomorrow or anytime in the coming week - looks like the traffic will be a nightmare.

Top 10 Reasons Why Grandmas are Great

In case you weren't aware, Grandmas (or Naani's & Daadi's for you Hindi speakers out there) are the greatest thing EVER for new parents. Why, do you ask?
10. Grandma will be excited to come stay with you and help out right after you give birth - a MUCH bigger deal than I thought when we first asked.
9. Grandma will make a nutritious dinner for you, every night. This allows you to keep feeding the little guy (or napping, or whatever you were doing before).
8. And lunch...and breakfast...and snacks. Now that I think about it, how will I survive after Grandma leaves?
7. Grandma will take this as an opportunity to '>sew lots of cute things for your baby - quilts, '>Boppy covers, soft fuzzy blanket-things with cute froggies for your baby to wear outside...and she'll even buy you a nice sewing machine so you have one at home the next time she visits!
6. If she's not sewing, she's shopping for your little guy. And she knows what to buy! You'll have the most handsome babe in town, thanks to duds from Grandma.
5. Grandma will be proud to '>push the stroller when you go shopping together - in fact, she'll '>insist upon it! Unlike you, she won't accidentally run into things with it (don't ask).
4. Grandma knows how to quiet your screaming child. She'll hold the baby in ways you were sure would break him...but all he does is giggle when she does it.
3. And she knows how to diaper the little guy...fast! You've never seen a cloth or disposable diaper changed as fast as she can do it.
2. She makes your dad a Granddad. And he and your little one's Great Uncle will then both be sleeping with Grandmothers. ;-)

and, the # 1 reason why Grandmas are great:
1. Grandma is the only person, besides you and your mate, whose face will light up with a '>joy you've never seen before when you ask her to hold your baby.

I hate disposable diapers

Thanks to Grandma Gerda, Deven has at least a 10-week supply of cloth diapers (or "nappies" for you Brit-o-philes out there). Unfortunately, we ran out yesterday and had to go to disposables. Aargh - they LEAK! Deven's no special kid who wets more than others...but you'd never know it from the 6 (yes, 6) outfit changes we've had today as a result of these stupid diapers!

Photo of Deven getting the "good" cloth diapers...

Anyway, more photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/devenreidsharma

Deven's Chopper Ride

See what Deven can do already - and he's only 12 days old!

http://www.mychopper.tv/index1.htm?movieid=C2FCBD09-FDBE-4F17-9BC3-82D7A4D7E8AD



(Oh, he had a checkup today - all's well - he's now 7 lbs, 14 oz - above his birth weight within 2 weeks, which made his doctor - and mommy - very pleased).

The birth story - in mom's words (briefly)

Photos were taken about 1 hour after his birth...

• In hindsight, the only odd signal that Deven was coming sooner than expected was my incredible urge to clean the tile-grout in the shower, on the morning of Tuesday 4/3. Otherwise, I felt great - jogged up & down the stairs at work, worked a full day; sent my last email of the evening at 10:45pm.


• My water broke @ 11:15pm on Tuesday 4/3; contractions started soon thereafter. I couldn't sleep, and in hindsight should've eaten a huge meal then.


• After calling our doula and midwives, we stayed home overnight, and went in to St. Luke's ~ 6am on Wednesday morning. They confirmed Deven was head-down & doing well, and we went back home.


• Our doula, Sarah, was a lifesaver. She kept us home far longer than we would've stayed on our own, and had all sorts of tips & tricks to ease my significant back labor pain.


• Water is good. Very, very good. A ball in the shower, sitting in the birthing tub - both fabulous.


• When our birth class instructor, Nancy, taught us the "make low sounds" birth tip, I thought it'd never work for me. Then I ended up low-humming my way through the final 6 hours of labor...and when I found the pain made my sounds higher-pitched, my pain increased. Keeping that lowest-possible pitch hum really helped.


• Interestingly, after being awake for over 36 hours and in labor for ~22 hours with little food (despite Yogesh's & Sarah's best efforts), I "zoned out" and actually don't remember much of the final few hours of pushing. So much for being "mindful" :-)


• The midwives, Yeshi and Becca, were fabulous. However, they didn't realize that he was face-up (most babies are face-down). Only our doula, Sarah, got it right.


• We were able to have a natural birth, despite Deven's "sunny side up" position.


• He came out with a head shaped like an iguana (no kidding), because of how he had to fit face-up. His head was normally-shaped within 1 hour.


• Yogesh was able to 'catch' him, @ 1:28am on Thursday, April 5, 2007.


• I felt great, after sleeping most of the 4/5 morning.


• Deven was "tongue-tied" - meaning his frenulum was connected by more tissue than normal, making breastfeeding somewhat painful at first. At his first doctor's visit, Dr. Schwanke snipped it a little (no blood, no crying - Deven didn't even awaken), and it's been much better since. It ain't easy! But we're getting it.

Dr. D showed up, sunny side up at 1:28 AM on April 5, 2007. Welcome to the world Deven Reid Sharma, a.k.a. Dr. D. We've been waiting!