Grandparents and Great-Grandparents

We've been making sure to see Grammy and Grumpy a lot these days, especially since Quentin changes so much with each day. We've also been able to spend time with some great-grandparents!

Meeting Great Grandma Leah

Hanging out with Great Grandpa Sidney

Grumpy can get me to fall asleep

Taking a snooze on Grammy

First Days at Home

Here are some photos of Quentin during his first few weeks at home. The dogs have adjusted fantastically and are Q's little protectors. They follow him around from room to room and check all things baby (his bassinet, his swing, his bouncy chair) until they locate him before they sit down to relax.

Here is a LINK to more photos of Q on Snapfish

Bela checking out this new thing when he is finally quiet.

Getting kisses from Bela

Willie checking out the little guy too.

Hanging out in mommy's arms

My first sponge bath

Spending time with Poppy and Oma who came to stay with us and help get us adjusted.

Getting used to being a mommy!

A visit from Aunt Melissa

What's In A Name?

We decided to do an at home Bris (circumcision), albeit a very unorthadox one. We kept it to our family only, and my father (a physician) performed the deed in leiu of the traditional Jewish Mohel. I read the following poem from one of my favorite poets, e.e. cummings.

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)

i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart

(i carry it in my heart)

We then told our families the reason we had given our son his names, and also revealed his Hewbrew name.

Quentin - A name we both liked and chose from a baby book of names. But we both chuckled when we realized the name means 'fifth' and he was to be the fifth member of our family (after us and the dogs of course). And everyone teases us about how our doggies are very much members of our family too, so we thought it fitting.

Brooks - We've given our son the name Brooks in honor of his great-grandfather Brooks Claridge. Brooks was a a wonderful man how loved life and loved his family. He valued greatly education, exploring the world through travel and never shied away from a fun bet on a sporting event. We've given our son this name because Brooks Claridge embodied so many beautiful qualities of life that we wish for our son, Quentin Brooks.

Shalom Haskala - We've given our son the Hebrew name Shalom Haskala which means Peace and Enlightenment. Shalom was also the Hebrew name of his great-grandfather Sidney Rosenfeld and it is in honor of another wonderful man that we have named our son. Sidney was a man at peace with his life and someone whom Scott always considered enlightened because he was always able to look at the world and not take it (or himself) too seriously. Humor was a big part of his life and it is this outlook along with peace and enlightenment that we wish for Quentin as well.

After the Bris we had a meet and greet party to welcome Quentin. Many of our friends came over to see the new baby. Quentin was asleep (or eating) for most of it, but I think everyone enjoyed getting to meet the little guy!

Even Q's buddy Zaharia made an appearance!

Welcome Baby Quentin!

Welcome Baby Quentin!

I went in to Good Sam on Friday around 11 for my scheduled induction. They started me on cervadil at 4pm and took me off it at 4am Saturday morning. They started the pitocin at 5am and contractions started around 6am. They got really painful around 10am and I finally broke down and asked for some pain meds at 11am, but it was too late, I was already at 8cm (which was sort of good because I had wanted to try to go without any meds). Scott was my rock throughout the whole labor and I couldn't have made it without him and our delivery nurse Juany. I started pushing around 2pm and little Quentin Brooks was born at 2:38pm. He weighed 8lbs 2.6oz and was 19.5 inches long.

He got an 8 out of 10 on his APGAR test. His blood sugar was a little low because mine had crept up to 166 during the last part of labor and delivery (though it had been great; between 75 and 110 during all the early and mid labor). He finally stabalized by the next morning and has been doing great ever since. I was allowed to manage myself on my pump throughout the entire delivery.

We are so excited to be a mommy and a daddy!