Amy showing off "the bump" before Caleb was born. I'm not sure how long this was before he came as I now only dimly recall life before nighttime feedings, daytime naps (for Caleb, Mom, and Dad!), intermittent bouts of fussiness followed by displays of overpowering cuteness, and of course many, many poopy diapers...
Caleb was born at 4:45 on Friday, September 23rd. This picture was taken a few hours later in the nursery, where I watched the nurses hose down and manipulate Caleb in various ways while Mom cleaned up back in the hospital room.
Again in the nursery - Kung Fu Caleb!
Back in the hospital room - Mom and Caleb having a "Hello, looks like we're going to be spending a lot of time together" moment...
Dad and Caleb in the hospital room.
This and the following 6 pictures were taken by the semi-professional photographers who work with the hospital.
I think in this picture he looks a bit like Popeye the Sailor Man.
See what I mean? (Note to Caleb: the spinach is fine, but nix on the pipe.)
This was only day 2, but even then we knew that this is the face of impending doom. Not to over analyze, but I think by pulling back the corners of his mouth he's bracing himself to be able to then expel lungful after lungful of air at the highest possible volume. Try it out at home!
Get used to it Caleb - mispronunciations and misspellings are the Shefftuz/Sheffitz/Schefftz family legacy.
Finally at home! As we left the hospital we felt a little overwhelmed - No more nurses a press of a button away? Are we really qualified to do this? - but it was really great to be back.
Little man, wide awake!
Caleb in the Ergo insert in Mom's arms.
Caleb in the swing in his best reclining male model pose.
Ready for his closeup...
As soon as we got home we've tried to stay active, going on our usual hikes and little excursions to the outside world, to avoid the "baby bunker" mentality. Caleb's been a good field trip baby so far. Here he is in the Ergo (aka, the "man womb") in the pasture above town where our friends Ed and Betsy keep sheep and ducks. Josie, one of Ed and Betsy's three Australian Shepherds, is a sheep-crazy blur, as usual.
Mom and Dad and a sliver of scalp that belongs to Caleb.
Wake up and feed me already, Mom!!
Allow me to get sentimental for a moment... There are some things that you can know objectively but not really, truly understand until you experience them, and my simple epiphany of the month along these lines is: Moms are amazing. So thank you Amy, from me and on Caleb's behalf, from the bottom of our hearts for working so hard and giving so much. Thanks to Moms everywhere.
The last known photo of Caleb sucking on a pacifier other than the Hawaii Medical Gumdrop.
Here's Caleb with The Gumdrop, aka the Implement of Happiness, aaka The Third Parent. Yes, we are pacifier parents. It soothes him and therefore soothes us. We figure taking the pacifier away someday will be easier and more socially acceptable than cutting off his thumbs.
Also, the gumdrop has given us further insight into the Baby Industrial Complex that will shape our spending habits for the next several years. You see, we were given The Gumdrop at the hospital and it was Caleb's very first pacifier. We were also later given a Soothie and then bought two Nuks. But Caleb only had eyes for The Gumdrop. As we increasingly relied on The Gumdrop to placate Caleb and to get him to "go the %&$* to sleep," we began to panic - we only have one! If we lose it we're screwed... So of course we had to procure more Gumdrops. I figured I could place a bulk order on Amazon and then get a few at our next excursion to Babies R' Us, but from a quick scan of reviews online I saw complaints that the Gumdrop sold in retail outlets is not the same as the Gumdrop given out at hospitals, and after reading more reviews by angry parents complaining of picky babies rejecting impostor Gumdrops, I called the 800 number conveniently embossed on The Third Parent and was connected with... Hawaii Medical, now known as Sandbox Medical. They make the Gumdrop - the original Gumdrop - and sell only to hospitals and direct to the public. They've also licensed the Gumdrop design to the First Years corporation, but according to angry internet parents these "impostor" Gumdrops are not as delightfully squishy and nipple-like as the real thing. The nice lady with the New England accent told me my 10-pack would ship from Needham, MA the following day. Also on the following day, I went back to Lucile Packard Hospital and begged for more Gumdrops. Perhaps that day, too, the Gumdrop mastermind and founder of Hawaii Medical was surfing and eating papaya somewhere near Princeville.
Moral of the story: first one's free, and get 'em hooked while they're young.
Auntie Elena holding Caleb.
Little man, fast asleep...
This outfit was last worn by Dad approx. 37 years ago!! Thanks for hanging on to it, Mom.
Caleb fusses in the Hotsling, one of Mom's must-have items. Free hands!!
Caleb asleep in the Hotsling in the arms of our neighbor Barbara.
Bathtime for Caleb!! Once he gets in the water he's usually pretty happy. Once we pull him out... not so much.
Dad needs a bath too but a certain little someone seems to be coming first these days...
Clean baby!!
A series of adorable photos!
Caleb spending some time in the infant distraction device that Jonathan and Andrea dubbed "the jimbo jambo gym" and sent to us as toddler cousin Micayla outgrew it. Caleb's PJs are also hand-me-downs from Micayla. Thanks, Micayla!!
Reaching for the bee-type thing.
Caleb and Dad on the phone with Grandma.
More pictures to come as Caleb keeps growing up!!
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