what a difference a week makes!

40 weeks



Showing the limits of just how far your skin can stretch!








41 weeks



I adored pregnancy, but I'm loving this even more.







Life is wonderful these days. I wish I could hold onto every moment, because I look down at Gabriel's tiny hands and feet and skinny legs and know that someday I will blink and wonder where my sweet newborn went. He is an absolute joy.

Thursday was a difficult day for me. As many of you know, Josh is Jewish, as is Gabriel, so at 8 days after birth, we had his brit milah (circumcision) at Josh's aunt's house. Before I got pregnant, I swore I'd only have girls because I dreaded this day so very much. Now, of course, it is almost funny to think that I said that, because I can't imagine having anyone but Gabriel as my baby. I couldn't wish for anything different, because he is my perfect boy. Still,
in the days leading up to Thursday, it was always in the back of my mind that the time was rapidly approaching.

Gabriel is fine now, and to tell you the truth, he didn't cry very much. He has cried more during diaper changes that take too long or when he has to poop and it doesn't happen as fast as he hopes. That made no difference to this new mama, though. I sobbed on the couch before I had to hand him over. I thought I would leave the room when the actual circumcision took place, but I found that I couldn't fathom the thought of leaving him alone, even if I stood several feet away. I found myself involuntarily gagging during the procedure, at the thought that Gabriel was in pain.

It makes it worse, of course, that in my family, circumcisions just don't happen. In Argentina, it is extraordinarily rare for anyone to do a circumcision (for non-religious reasons, of course). I was somewhat reassured because we ended up being fortunate enough to have an ob/gyn perform the ceremony, and he was really great. He gave Gabriel topical anesthetic and was very sensitive to how upset I was. He talked us through it before and during and was very helpful and kind and offered to take our calls anytime we needed him.

It's over, at least, and now I can go back to focusing on how beautiful and wonderful Gabriel is. He is still eating like a little piggy and letting us sleep in 3-4 hour stretches at night. We take a nap a day, snuggled together in bed, the only time that I allow myself the luxury of letting him sleep in my arms. At night, I put him down in his bassinet next to my bed because we're nervous about having him in bed with us when we're so tired and so that he is used to sleeping on his own some of the time.

Yesterday we ventured out for our first adventure to Starbucks! I even breastfed there! Today we made it through a whole breakfast at our local diner without a peep from Gabriel. We've taken a couple of walks to enjoy the unbelievably warm weather we're having. The rest of the time we spend at home, eating and pooping and singing and staring at our new lovebug. Life is truly wonderful. We are so very blessed.