Question of the day

So, if you were out and about at Macy's or Bloomingdales or some other hot New York destination, and you saw someone with a baby dressed in a green onesie and HOT PINK pants and hoodie, would you automatically assume that baby was a boy? Would you feel the need to ASK whether the baby was a boy or a girl? I find this very odd . . .

And may I just say, if that does happen to you and you also ask how old the baby is and the mother says, "two and a half weeks," please don't proceed to lecture her about how she shouldn't be taking a baby that young out in public. She has obviously made what you can only assume is an educated decision to take her child into public and is probably carefully washing and purelling her own hands and not letting any strangers touch the baby and just wants to get out of the house because frankly, the baby doesn't LIKE sitting around staring at the same four walls all day; in fact, it makes her fussy after awhile. So really, feel free to say how cute the baby is or make little "aw" noises, but the unsolicited advice? Restrain yourself. :) If you don't, you might just get a snippy comment in return, because hey, those postpartum hormones are killer. That's all.

Another 10 days

When Dan and Caitlin visited us in the hospital, Dan mentioned a great idea he had about compiling a picture for every day of a baby's first year. So, since we have a baby and they don't yet, I'm stealing the idea . . . for now at least. I don't know if I can last a year, but I should be able to at least do a month or two, right?

10.13 - Nana took this the day she came because she said Mommy didn't have any pictures with my eyes open; it took several tries

10.14

10.15 - first visit to the toy store (FAO Schwarz)

10.16

10.17

10.18 - my belly button appears!

10.19

10.20 - first trip to Central Park

10.21 - ready for church; not so sure about Aunt Laurel

10.22 - napping makes me happy

Happy birthday!

Dear Evelyn,

Happy one week birthday! Mommy and Daddy planned to have cupcakes to celebrate your actual birthday, but we were a little preoccupied that day and didn't make it to the bakery. Thanks for taking such a good long nap today in your stroller so we could go get cupcakes.

Sorry you were the only person who didn't get one. It'll come to you in a few hours . . .

Here are a couple more pictures to celebrate a few other firsts:

October 9 - first bath

October 10 - first time napping in your crib with arms undone

October 11 - first time wearing an outfit for the last time because it's now too small (I swear, it fit when you went to bed - this morning, too small).

We love you!

A selection of photos from baby Evelyn's first few days

October 9 - I get to try out my sling for the first time on the way to the pediatrician's office

October 8 - Happy Columbus Day! (but we're already on to the next holiday)

October 7 - coming home (it's all about the outfit)

Aren't her little socks adorable?

Hat hair

October 6

Mommy's favorite picture

Evelyn Cassandra Prete

I don’t have much time to write, but I wanted to let everyone know that Emma and I had our baby girl!

Evelyn Cassandra Prete was born on Friday, October 5th at 12:26 PM. She weighed 7 pounds and 7.4 ounces and was 20.25 inches long. She has a full head of brown hair, just like I had when I was born. Thankfully, the delivery involved no complications. Both Emma and Evelyn are doing well.

Emma and I like the names Evelyn and Cassandra very much. Additionally, both names have significance in our respective families:

My maternal grandmother is Jean Evelyn Taylor. Although she died in a farming accident when I was young, she lived long enough to make me a patchwork quilt, which I cherished for several years. I also believe my mother inherited her charitable disposition from her mother, Jean Evelyn Taylor.

Emma’s mother is Cassandra Barrett. Although Emma is a self-made person in several respects, many of the things I love most about her were inherited from her mother, Cassandra. Finally, Emma and her mom have always been close, and our new baby is Cassandra Barrett’s first grandchild.

In case you’re interested, I posted a few pictures below. I am sure we’ll post more pictures later, but these will have to do for now.

Two hours before delivery

Immediately after birth

John and Evelyn

John and Evelyn II

Emma and Evelyn

Emma and Evelyn II

Let the Games Begin

Today is my official expected due date, which of course, means that today is the one day I think we can pretty much guarantee I will NOT have the baby. So, I'm now officially taking bets. I'll be induced Thursday night to have the baby Friday (Oct. 12) if I haven't gone into labor before then. If we are to believe the internet, October 5 (tomorrow) is the most common birthday. Of course, the source cited for this proposition also hypothesizes that this happens because the approximate conception date for this birthday would be New Year's Eve. That shows how little this source knows. The approximate conception date for October 5 is actually sometime in mid-January (due to the fact that conception actually occurs at the end of week 2 of the often-cited 40 weeks of pregnancy). And in any case, I doubt I will be that lucky.

I'm somewhat optimistic, though, so I'm going to jinx myself and thereby probably ensure an induction on the 12th by guessing October 8. In the meantime, yes, I'm walking, yes, spicy food, yes, yes, yes to all the other stuff, but my personal opinion is that if going into labor were that easy, no one would ever be induced. Frankly, I really think it's just a waiting game, a chance at the outset of parenthood to come to an early realization of the fact that we are no longer in control of our own lives.

FUNdraiser

What makes a fundraiser a FUNdraiser, you ask? I identified two distinguishing characteristics of the latter.

1. Not actually having to call anyone asking for money.

2. Eating many, many chocolate dipped coconut macroons, along with a cupcake and a cookie here and there.

On another note, it is very difficult to hold a camera still or keep a natural facial expression while taking a picture of oneself. A further word of advice: Using a flash (to cut down on blur because holding the camera still is impossible) while taking a picture of oneself in the mirror is not recommended.

39 weeks