Out & about with Eden

We've had Eden out for a little walk or outing most days that we've had her, but last night we went on our first major "date" as a family: out to eat at Chipotle. (They're cheap, they're tasty, and they're sustainable, which are three major reasons we like to eat there. A fourth is that they're close by.) We ate outside, enjoyed our food and the 75-degree weather, and got lots of smiles and nice comments on our baby. After that, we took her (with Matt carrying her in a sling) for a walk around the Reston Town Center, where several people did a double take and said "Whoa, oh my goodness, there's a baby in there!" Evidently babies in slings aren't a particularly common sight around these parts? After the second or third time, Matt told me he was going to start telling people, "No, I just keep my gun and my smack in here."

On the way back to the car, we walked past a couple of older ladies dining outside who absolutely gushed over Eden, complimented Matt highly on being the one to carry/wear the baby, and told me how fantastic I was looking postpartum. Boy, you can't BUY that kind of three-for-one flattery. We'll have to keep taking these little walks!

One of my favorite comments of the evening came when we stopped into Whole Foods to pick up an item or two and a man in line asked about Eden, "She's what, around two or three...?" And Matt filled in "Actually, just one and a half." He said "Yep, I didn't think that baby was more than about two months old." And I had to correct him "Uh, no, that's one and a half weeks." He looked startled, then said "Oh boy, that's a big baby!" Yes, she is. And she's all ours.

A week later: settling in

Now that we've had Eden for just over a week, we're starting to settle into --not quite a routine, but at the very least a rhythm. We're getting to know her needs and habits, which helps things run pretty smoothly, if not always predictably. Of course, we're totally not on any semblance of a working schedule at this point (we've gone from waking up at 5:30 and going to bed at 9:30 to going to bed around 11 and getting up between 10 and noon, sleeping in what pockets of time we can manage between those times, and often napping during the day as well), but so far Eden is happy and eating well, and we're taking turns getting up with her as much as we can to allow each person a few uninterrupted hours of sleep where possible. For her part, Eden is a joy of a baby--she only fusses or cries when she needs something, she consoles quickly, and seems happy as a clam to go anywhere we do, whether in our arms, a sling, or a Baby Ergo carrier. Breastfeeding is going very well, we're loving our cloth diapers, and we're completely smitten with our baby girl. We're getting less sleep and doing more laundry than we could have anticipated--but we're also happier than we ever thought we could be.

The family bed

Last Sunday I woke up with the worst sore throat I've ever had, and I've been fighting a nasty cold ever since. While the adrenaline from giving birth and the relief at no longer being pregnant went a long way toward keeping me from feeling too badly, within the last day I started to feel the exhaustion and the cold catching up with me. Matt was also starting to develop a sore throat and a cough, and poor Eden has a very stuffy nose. So last night after attending a low-key Fourth of July barbecue, we resolved to spend today in bed together, hanging out and resting and recuperating. So far we've largely done just that, though we did get out for a couple of hours this evening to have some company. Other than that, we've just napped, read, nursed, eaten, and otherwise enjoyed each other's company in bed all day, and I think we are all feeling much better--not that we'll let that stop us from spending much of tomorrow the same way, both because it was so lovely and enjoyable, and also to make sure we're all truly on the mend.

Funny article in TIME

You know it's not my favorite publication, but I was amused and pleasantly surprised to read this well-written article in TIME by a new dad whose wife decided she wanted to have her placenta encapsulated. One of my favorite lines: "For those of you who have never seen one, the placenta is to the baby what Stephen Baldwin is to Alec Baldwin."

More Eden

Eden is nursing, peeing, and pooping like a champ--every hour and a half like clockwork, all night, as a matter of fact. Despite that, this morning she was the most alert we've seen her so far, and so we thought we'd lay down a little video, in addition to posting a few pictures we took late yesterday.

Welcome to Eden Leah Sullenbrand!

10 lbs 2 oz
Born at home, in the water
at 4:56 am on June 29, 2009
after 2.5 hours of HARD labor!

Mom, dad, and baby are all doing well and resting comfortably!

Doobies!

Last night Matt and I were lucky enough to be able to see the Doobie Brothers in concert at Wolf Trap--very likely our last such outing for a very long time! While it was a hot day, it had cooled down to probably mid-70s by the time the show started at 8, which was very pleasant. The Doobies sounded amazing and played a ton of favorites like Old Black Water, Jesus is Just Alright, Long Train Runnin' (Without Love), China Grove, and Listen to the Music. While there was more bad dancing and slightly off-beat clapping than we like to accompany our live music, we still had an awesome time. Here are a couple of brief videos from the experience: