Isaac & Dad

Eric and Isaac watching the Sounders match.

3 Weeks Old

Isaac is 3 weeks old today!

Time is going by quickly, and we are completely in love with our "little dude." He is starting to get more alert, and we're settling into our role as parents. And, if I may say so myself, Eric & I make a darn good team.

Here are some photo highlights from the last 2 weeks, and more are on our picassa photo page too.
It's so fun to see him grow and change each day!

We've even made it out to a few restaurants. Here we are at Barking Dog restaurant in Ballard:

Here is Isaac with Grandma Jabbusch:
And with Mommy:

The First Week

We made it through the first week!

We learned to sleep when he sleeps...
We fell in love with his little face, and learned what each little expression means...
Content:
Getting Hungry:I want food NOW!
Lodi (our dog) learned about him too, and has been great around him!!
Isaac learned that he already has tons of people who love him.
Lots of family and friends visited Isaac last week; many generously coming with dinner in hand (thank you!).
We had Easter Dinner with the Jabbusch clan:
And visits with the Merhar clan the weekend he was born, and this weekend:

Marebeth & Chad visited Tuesday, and Tony & Amanda visited on Friday...
And on Saturday night Isaac helped us host a few friends to watch the Sounders game.

It's been a wild ride so far, and we're looking forward to the adventure ahead!

More pictures on PICASSA (click to see the full album)

Hello Isaac

Meet Isaac, our brand new baby boy. :) Born April 2nd at 4:16pm. 7lb, 4oz, 20 inches long. He's been blast to get to know and is easily soothed. Most of his time is spent feeding or sleeping, but he's starting to stay awake for longer periods of time. Lodi has been great with him, keeping a respectful distance but definitely curious about this new addition. He really likes to sniff whatever baby has been laying on. Momma has been doing wonderful with him, and she's recovering very well from the lightning fast 4 hour labor. I'll try to add more pics as we settle into a routine over the next few days, so keep looking!

Capturing a Moment

Family Photographs 3/27/10 by Dani Microulis-Leonard (www.cleotography.com)

More at our PICASSA PAGE

Showers

Last Saturday, the wonderful St. Margaret's women hosted a baby shower for us, showering us with love, support and gifts for baby. Here Mom & I are with hostesses Joan & Pat:

And, on Thursday we were showered by rain at the opening Sounders game of the 2010 season (they won 2-0 vs. Philadelphia Union!).More photos on PICASSA (click here).

Expectations & Surprises

Lately I've been pondering pregnancy & starting a family. I had many expectations and preconceived notions going into it (no pun intended!) and now I've learned that many of my presumptions were completely wrong! A few things I've learned...

- Everyone is different: every(woman) carries different, looks different and feels different. I've gotten really used to hearing "you don't look THAT pregnant!"At first it was annoying because I wanted to look pregnant and be acknowledged for the "work" inside that was going on, but now that I am 2 weeks away from my due date and looking pregnant but not "huge" I am OK with it. And, I know that my body is doing what is best for me/us.


- That our bodies really are meant to do this! I never imagined it would feel so natural, and that I would feel so GOOD!

- That I would be able to exercise as much or as long as I have. I know this isn't universal, so I do feel fortunate to be able to keep moving. I've really enjoyed trying new things too like yoga and water aerobics.


- There are many things that you NEVER hear about until you are pregnant (unless you work the medical field, perhaps): all of these little embarrassing and funny physical or hormonal things that happen... and some weird and painful things too... stuff that when they happen you turn to your partner and say "YOU did this to me!!" (I was guilty of saying this to Eric after the "video night" in our child birthing class)

- That relationships change - this was scary at first (would friends still call to hang out? how would it impact our marriage?). And what I've learned as that most of our relationships are enriched by this journey-- and the friendships that aren't meant to be right now may fall away or change. And that is OK (and maybe down the road they will form again). After all, lives and relationships are always fluid, we are ALL always changing...

- That you dont really get to "eat for two". Major bummer! All you really need is 200-300 extra calories a day.

- That the support we've had from family and friends makes me feel loved every single day. This one wasn't a surprise, but I feel fortunate to have such a wonderful support system

Bellyland: 37+ Weeks

Me at 37 weeks (and 3 days) -- less than 3 weeks until my due date!

Lodi's Saturday Morning

Lodi's in "dog-heaven" today. His Saturday morning included a run with Eric down to Carkeek Park to play in the ocean, a delicious breakfast of kibble and lots of lovin' from mom & dad. His coat is nice and shiny from the salt water. Now he is asleep on his doggy bed, all worn out from an awesome Saturday morning!

Bellyland: 36 Weeks

36 Weeks (4 weeks until my due date!)The baby, and my belly, are going through a growth spurt as the baby gains weight and prepare for the outside world. He's moving a lot these days, and you can even see his movements from the outside (kind of creepy but cool!). He especially responds to sweets and sparkling water, and to our voices.