Here are our Christmas photos with Leilani. Lot of photos and only a little text.
Das sind unsere Weihnachtsfotos. Weil ich das schreibe gibts viele Fotos und wenig Text, aber dafuer zweisprachig….
Except for a doctor’s visit last week, today was the first time we took Leilani out into the big wide world. We put her in the car seat and drove 2 minutes to the Wailua Beach. She screamed at first in the car but was quiet by the time we got there. She got fussy again as we woke her and handled her to put a blanket around her, but she quieted down upon hearing the waves at the beach. At least that’s our theory, since we went to the beach a lot when my wife was pregnant.
We’re having incredibly clear weather, and the ocean is the flattest I’ve ever seen it–like summer except the water is cold. We barely stuck our feet in, and just put a drop of ocean water on her. She didn’t really react, not even from the cold since the water had probably been warmed on my hands. No photos or video of the moment, we weren’t sure how it would go and didn’t want to deal with the filming. We’ll go again for a cermonious first dip and record it then.
There was also a funny moment when Mommy held Leilani in front of her chest and she started rooting for a nipple through her dress. Since that is nearly the same position she uses for nursing, Leilani reacted by looking for the food. I guess she was disappointed, and it reinforced her desire to suck on fabric for comfort.
Much later, Mommy adds…
So far, Leilani has been sucking things that randomly get in front of her mouth, from hands to blankets. She sucks at random things but I believe she’s learning that the sucking is definitely a comfort to her. Today was the first time we saw her sucking her thumb, even though I don’t think it was a deliberate act. It didn’t last long and I didn’t have time to get a photo.
For a few days after birth, she didn’t even open her thumbs, she kept them curled against her palms. She later began moving them more, but with no real awareness of how useful they could be. Lately, she’s been spreading all her fingers, so I think her thumb just happened to be extended when her hand was near her mouth. Nonetheless, she did seem to enjoy it, and it’s good that I cut her fingernails yesterday.
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Speaking of sucking, there is a great photo…
Leilani Lisa Kass was born on December 7th, 2005 at 7:16 am. I was able to sit next to her during the C-section and then be with baby as soon as she was born. Here she is only a couple minutes old, after being cleaned up. That’s my hand reaching in to comfort her. It is the first time I touched her, and she stopped crying a bit:
Almost a year later I realized that this post did not contain measurements: Weight 8 lbs 4.1 oz Length 21 inches head 13 1/2 inches chest 14 1/2. Leilani’s hospital pediatrician was Dr Lin, and the OB/Gyn was Dr McDonald.
What Andy sent out to just about anyone in our addressbook (except for my brother and a few of our best friends, see the paragraph about not having slept in 30 hours below…):
We are very happy to announce the arrival of Leilani Lisa
Kass on December 7th, 2005 at 7:16 AM on Kauai.
Labored was 12 hours, more than half at home before going to the
hospital because the delivery was not progressing. After some
monitoring, they decided it was best to deliver by C-section. Andy
witnessed the birth and was able to hold and comfort Leilani while
the new mommy was stitched back up. It turns out that baby had
the umbilicord wrapped around her neck twice.
Measurements at birth were 8lbs 4.1oz (3776g) and 21in (53 cm).
Baby Leilani is beautifully pink and soft and healthy, and she has
already melted her parent’s (and one lucky grandmother’s) hearts.
The new mommy is recovering well and is well attended by her mother
visiting for the “occasion.” Andy hasn’t slept in 30 hours but he doesn’t
care.
Here are the first photos.
Aloha from the three of us
PS Sorry for the wide distribution and lack of translations.