hannah banana

After a long wait, our little Hannah Banana Fofanna is here! She is the second daughter of Mike's sister Tara and her husband Rickey (aka our niece and Ainsley's cousin). After you have one kid, it's very hard to comprehend that a completely different mix of the two of you will come out the second time around, so we were all waiting with bated breath. The verdict? Her dad said it best, she looks exactly like her sister and completely different. In a weird way, it's true. I can't wait to go visit in a couple of weeks - look at those cheeks! They need to be experienced in person. There is also a stunning shock of hair under that hat - hair you could probably BRAID, it's so long. Hannah's sister Ava was (and is) such a tiny beautiful little angel baby, it's kind of cool to see that Ainsley has a Colorado doppelganger. They were almost exactly the same size at birth (um, giant), and both kind of have that intense frosty look down pat. Until Ainsley started smiling, she'd always look at us like, CAREFUL mom and dad, or I will EFF you up! Just a very intense, furrowed-brow kind of thing - even when they aren't angry or sad, just thinking hard (it's actually from Mike's mom's side of the family - called the Hofland Scowl or Tovaas Smile, depending on who you ask).

It's weird - after you have a new baby, all other new babies give you such a different feeling. Before mommyhood, new babies were obviously anticipated and exciting, but also very curious, like an exhibit in a museum. After mommyhood, new babies make you feel more like you just want to steal them for the day and snuggle, snuggle, snuggle. Yes, Ains is still a baby, but already when I try to cradle her like a newborn she squirms and kicks and stares at me like "HEY LADY! There are THINGS around to LOOK AT and POTENTIALLY STICK IN MY MOUTH! SIT ME UP NOW!!" They grow up so fast. The whole labor thing is different, too. Knowing what that's like. It's so exhausting and horrible and beautiful and way more special than you could ever know before you actually get to experience it.

So ... welcome to the world, Hannah Rae.

barf-ola

The barfing flu of doom descended on the house yesterday, so as I got to spend all day writhing in pain near the toilet while Mike did the parenting, tonight it is my turn. Yay! It's really awful, actually. I woke up yesterday thinking it was some kind of lightweight karmic retribution for having three beers Saturday night, but when I was still barfing at 5:00, I started to suspect something was up. I ceased barfing at about 9:00 last night, and actually made it to work today, but I'm still not quite right. And now Mike is in the full throes. Man, I hope the wee one doesn't get this mess (although I suspect it is all a bi-product of daycare - they ladies there say this nastiness has been going around). We aren't quite used to the germ exposure at casa gussiaas - I guess that's part of parenthood.

Speaking of, I've been biding my time tonight (after baby went to bed) waiting for the first post-hiatus episode of Jon & Kate plus 8. I watched SOOOO many episodes of that show on maternity leave - I couldn't help but stay tuned for the trainwreck break-up. I always saw hints of douche in Jon - I feel a little bit vindicated that he's been such a public sleazebag the last couple of weeks (22-year-old girlfriend ... DISGUSTING earring, etc.). Plus, it's always easy to rail on the wife for being bossy or pushy or whatever, but I feel like she was just getting it done. And she found a way to set their kids up for life and still get to spend loads of time with them working from home (after spending YEARS worrying about money), and she was crucified as exploitive and opportunistic. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing. Ok, I should do a little work for the next half an hour - work has been absolutely insane lately. Good night.