Today, alas, Genevieve had to return to work. So it's time for me to become Mrs. Doubtfire around the Sheehan house. Yes, Jack and I will be spending the summer together (unless some huge fellowship comes through). Jack of late has been suffering large quantities of gas, so much so that he spends a lot of his post-meal time doubeld over and grunting in pain. It's heartbreaking and there is very little we can do about it other than keep him comfortable and stretch him around a little bit to help ease things out of his system. The night before last he was up most of the night with me and Genevieve. In the morning I took him to the living room and coaxed him into a nap for a couple of hours. We both caught some shuteye as you can see above. Last night Jack was all crabby and gassy once again and Genevieve, poor thing, was up most of the night with him -- he would drift off to sleep, and you'd figure ahhh, at last -- and then he'd be up again, bright-eyed and grunting. Genevieve fed him this morning before leaving for work at the brutal hour of 5:30. I fed Jack at 6:30 while watching an episode of the new Doctor Who which I downloaded from the Internet (which was excellent, especially by Doctor Who standards). Jack has been totally passed out ever since. I have to wake him now to give him another bottle, much as I'd rather let sleeping jacks lie. Then we have a couple of errands, and it's back home to have a meeting with my fellow filmmakers about a thesis project.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Last night was not a night of a lot of sleep for Jack. He has been plagued (and therefore, we have been plageud) with tortuous intestinal gas. I mean, he really just doubles over and strains and grunts for an hour or more after feedings. The doctor tells us chamomile tea or special drops can help. Jack spurns the former with a vengeance and the latter seem to do nothing at all. The only other avenue is momy alternig her diet, which she is trying. The only other thing to do is just wait it out.... his immature little digestive system will be changing a lot in the next 2-3 weeks and things should settle down regardless. Anyway, snapped this photo and the one above it in a moment of post-feeding, non-gassy peace. It was adorable to walk into the bedroom asking Genevieve a question and find these two peacefully snoozing away. And Jack looked so freakin' cute.
Lookin' good, feelin' good, and smellin' good
After the big bath and a little rubdown with moisturizer, Jack gets to dry out in his wild animal towel for a little. We cuddle him to keep him warm. Then it was into a dashing outfit and off with Daddy to school and to the grocery store to take care of some errands. Jack slept through almost the whole thing. Many classmates came by while I was waiting to loan out a piece of equipment and admired him. Jack was nonplussed.
Ready for a bath!
Yesterday was bath day for Jack. Since Daddy will be stay-at-home Dad for the summer, at least during the days, I figured it was time for me to get a grip on baby bathing. Jack never took to his sponge-bath, pre-umbilical-cord-falling-off days. But he actually seems to really enjoy his bath, as you can see by the enthusiastic pre-bath expression on his face in this photo, taken on the way to the tub.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
HUGE mega-update
Jack's first trip to Disneyland
So, what with Jack's arrival and my absence from the home Genevieve has been more or less a prisoner of our apartment for weeks. So we decided, after looking around at others' experiences on the Internet, to head down to Disneyland with Jack for the afternoon! And what a great decision it was. Jack was awesome and we had a GREAT time!
First we visited California Adventure. Genevieve made some use of Disney's excellent baby care/nursing facilities while I wandered off to ride the Tower of Terror. I returned in time for corn dogs and the Disney/Pixar Block Party Bash parade. What an extravaganza! Giant floats from each Pixar movie, and I mean GIANT, with whirling bits and giant characters. Alas, high-spirited teen dancers accompany the floats, but for the little kids they are a treat, as the kids get to join in the parade at different stops along the route dance with the performers.
California Adventure was closing up, so we headed over for an evening at Disneyland. Everything at Disneyland has a fresh coat of paint and lots of gold filigree to celebrate the park's 50th anniversary. Even the signature Mickey head icon at the entrance has gotten the royal treatment. As you'll see below, Sleeping Beauty Castle is adorned with crowns and gold, and all over the park things are shiny and spiffy.
Now, Jack was more or less ignorant of all this because a) he is 5 weeks old and b) he slept through the whole thing, except for those few moments in the peaceful Disney nursing facilities when he was dining. But we found out it is OK to take even a baby this small on almost all the rides in the park, with the exception of the big thrill rides like Matterhorn (basically anything with a height limit it out). Lots of people do it and it makes sense, on slow rides like Pirates or Haunted Mansion. Anyway, our plan was to ride one of those two but we ran out of time after the parade and fireworks displays.
Mickey & Minnie
This photo should come later but, oh well. The Disneyland parade ends with this Sleeping Beauty Castle with Minnie and Mickey cavorting atop it. In person it looks much huger than it does in this photo.
Parade of Dreams
The 50th Anniversary Parade is the Parade of Dreams and it is easily the biggest parade in Disney history and that's saying something. Absolutley incredible, giant floats with animatronics galore, flying bungie jumpers, huge, I mean HUGE, 30-foot-long puppets. Just remarkable, and all of it led off by Tinkerbell riding atop a special golden Disneyland rail car and a facsimile of Main Street Station. Usually I am not a big parade fancier but between this and the Pixar parade over at California Adventure I was really quite pleasantly surprised.
Where's Daddy?
All around Disneyland they have these huge photomosaics celebrating different Disney films and characters, to comemmorate the 50th anniversary of the park. Well, somewhere in this one I can be found, in a picture taken on my 40th birthday. See how "Steamboat Willie" is made up of pictures of people -- in this casem Disneyland cast members? Well each of those pictures is made up of zillions of tiny, like I mean 1/2 inch by quarter inch pictures of Disneyland guests over the years. No way I can find myslef on there. Other murals are much smaller and made up just of guest photos -- only this one is this sort of two-layer mosaic. Quite amazing, for all that.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
As most of my friends know, I have seen a LOT of Disney pyrotechnics over the years, and except for Illuminations at EPCOT I have never seen anything like the 50th Anniversary spectacular they run each night at Disneyland during this celebration. The theme is Disneyland itself, and Tinkerbell comes swooping through the air "igniting" the various lands of Disneyland. Then there are specific pyrotechnics, castle lighting and projections for specific rides -- huge fireballs for Indiana Jones, eerie lighting and a great "shrinking room" effect for the Haunted Mansion, lasers and blaster fire for Star Tours, all of it exactly timed to the music from the various rides played with excellent stereo imaging wherever you're standing. These guys are the best in the business at large-scale experience entertainment and this is one of the best fireworks spectacles you will ever see.
So, Jack slept pretty much through his whole first visit to Disneyland. After the fireworks we paid a visit to the Enchanted Tiki Room, sparkling after a new rehab, and then we took turns on Indiana Jones and then it was home. And then Jack woke up, and stayed awake for most of the night. I found Genevieve shuffling around in her robe like a zombie with Jack in her arms this AM when I arose for school. Oh Jack! Oh for the days when you will have a normal bedtime and sleep through the night -- we dream of it.
It's good to be the king.
Jack demanded roomier accomodations and as any parent knows, nothing is too good for your baby.
The new grandparents
Don & Kathy, Genevieve's folks, came to visit during the first week of Daddy's two-week string of 22-hour days. And thank goodness! Not only did they and Jack have som excellent bonding time together, but they were able to help Genevieve with Jack, and Kathy made some tasty meals for us into the bargain. I didn't get to see much of them because my project was all-consuming (details at my blog), but we did have a meal or two together and have some laughs. Most of the pics speak for themselves. As you'll see below, Jack-Jack is capable of reducing even such a seasoned hand as Don to a sleeping shell of his former self.
Grammy & Grampy . . .
. . . at least that's what Don & Kathy have decided to be called as grandparents. The naming rights negotiations were complex and many a corporation had their say before the final decision.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Apologies...
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Aunt Maura
And Aunt Maura and Uncle John stopped up for an afternoon from San Diego, where John has a business conference.
Aunt Becca
Jack had some visitors last week. Uncle Teige and Aunt Becca swung through town en route to a wedding in Northern California, and spent a lovely and relaxing day with us here at home
Ole!
The quest for the perfect Jack photo continues fruitlessly. Here Jack adopts the pose of a particularly determined flamenco dancer.
Alakazam!
All the well-known baby books recommend swaddling to soothe a newborn. Reminds the infant of the snug confines of the womb, they say. Well, Jack is no fanof the swaddling. Almost as soon as he is laid down he is wriggling against his bonds rather like Houdini and just as effectively. Here he assunmes his traditional "touchdowb baby" sleeping postion soon after another escape. Not the casual off-the-shoulder look he adopted through his wriggles.
Great minds . . .
Every once in a while Jack and I have a morning meeting to discuss the burning issues of the day.
Monday, May 02, 2005
The early bird
Here's a phenomenon we have come to call "baby bird mouth." It happens when Jack is hungry, and he can be voracious at times. He gets into "baby bird mouth" mode, with his little maw jawing away, looking for his next meal. God help your knuckles if your fingers get too close. He has powerful gums.
No such thing as a bad cuddle.
Right at the top of Jack's list of favorite things: a good old-fashioned cuddle with mommy.