Okay, seriously
A few especially sharp-eyed readers doubted the veracity of the previous post, particularly the photographs. It is true that Magda does not wear her hair in bangs/fringe. To appease these sticklers, some photos from Alek’s first day on this crazy planet.
Adam gets used to the idea. Four hours pre-water-breakage.
A self-portrait in the klysterraum, 80 minutes before Alek’s arrival.
Papa channelling a jowly, unshaven Zach Braff. Timing the contractions. Note the rad loaner-clogs.
30 seconds old. Umbilicus still attached (Papa will butcher it in ten seconds).
Seriously, she puts out kids like it’s nothing.
Spare parts, left lying around for hours to bogue us out. Simon asks, “You know it’s traditional in some countries to fry and eat the placenta?” and I’m all, yeah, like Berkeley.
Nobody wants to hear about how tired the father is. Just save it.
Baby toes.
The bundle, morning after. ISO still at 3200…
Adam’s first meeting with his brother was remarkably free from carnage.
A series of shots that were too cute for us to choose just one.
. . .
. . .
Just the boys.
A baby!
Compare this photo with the one below, and THEN tell me these two boys have different fathers.
Adam at a few days old. We will keep him just in case.
Awwww. Even though I was stalking these photos at Flickr all day yesterday, it is fantastic to see them again here. And I have to say again that Magda is amazing. It’s like she just plucked the baby from a tree or something. Congrats.
Comment by Jane — Monday 15 January 07 @ 14.12 MST+2.00
Wow, congratulations!
Comment by MiamiDreams — Monday 15 January 07 @ 15.47 MST+2.00
My favorite pic, just nosing out the “Waiting for Godot” (but with gnarly green clogs, this time), is picture #2. Let’s face it, a just born child, while justifying the accolades of “Miracle! and Unbelievable! usually has the parents in a state of fear and gasping for at least the first week, waiting to make sure that 2nd head doesn’t appear or that one odd uncles/aunt’s facial tics haven’t somehow, through the flow of genes, deposited themselves on the shores of one’s newborn child’s face.
That’s why the picture of you and your lovely spouse an hour before Aleksander’s arrival is fabulous. Magda seems beyond calm. Guess that’s what radiance will do for you.
And great idea to have Adam there so quickly and closely to the brother he’ll be protecting.
Comment by DarkoV — Monday 15 January 07 @ 16.22 MST+2.00
Congratulations! It’s all beautiful! Except the placenta. Bury that thing and plant a nice tree over it.
happy birthday!
Comment by kyran — Monday 15 January 07 @ 16.56 MST+2.00
VERY cool. Honestly, you two are so good at this, you really ought to have at least a dozen more.
Comment by Jean — Monday 15 January 07 @ 19.32 MST+2.00
I agree with the others. There is simply no stress evidenced in those pictures. Magda makes it look too easy. And you, all calm and everything. Adam is obviously enamored with his new brother. We’ll see how long that lasts. ;-)
Comment by Gwynne — Monday 15 January 07 @ 22.03 MST+2.00
Thanks all, it’s been so nice nice to read the comments, particularly the ones about what a staunch, relaxed, competent, and “radiant” baby-producer my wife is. I could get all choked up here, but who would know?
Magda does indeed have a gift for making the baby-making part seem like a sunny jaunt to an orchard. Also interesting: the Adam-tending/house-managing that she does every single day? THAT is killing me as Adam and I wait for her and Alek to come home. I totally don’t get why she doesn’t extract many orders of magnitude more worth of sympathy/empathy/understanding/diamonds from me for all she does without batting an eye. Also? How single parents manage to exist is entirely beyond me. I am already wiped out, even though Adam has been good as gold BOTH days.
Thanks again, everyone. We couldn’t be happier. Or tireder. But happy.
And trying really hard not to edge into ’smug’ territory, dammit.
Comment by sgazzetti — Monday 15 January 07 @ 22.25 MST+2.00
Go ahead on over into ’smug’ territory. You two have earned it.
Those pictures of Adam and Alek(s) are too much–just golden. You guys really should have about a dozen more.
Comment by jdog — Monday 15 January 07 @ 23.40 MST+2.00
Damn you! I’m at my desk at work and all teary from your photos. Beautiful family. Hooray!
Comment by juliloquy — Tuesday 16 January 07 @ 16.47 MST+2.00
[sniff, sniff]
Gorgeous. All of you. What a wonderful occasion. What fabulous pictures. What an amazing baby producer. A pretty damned good sperm donor too, I guess.
Thank you. Never met you, but read the blog as often as possible.
Comment by Kate — Tuesday 16 January 07 @ 19.51 MST+2.00
Awesome photography. Gwynne sent me. Congratulations!
Comment by Janie — Wednesday 17 January 07 @ 04.54 MST+2.00
You really do look ten times more exhausted than Magda.
That first picture was a bit startling. Even though you had TOLD me about the Adam and Mama’s tum photo, my first thought was, Man, she must be GREAT at breastfeeding. Look at that thing!
Sorry Magda. See you soon. I will make it up to you, I swear.
Comment by gaoo — Wednesday 17 January 07 @ 14.32 MST+2.00
The photos are just awesome and we’re very happy, that we can watch them every day. My sister and me are very glad that we have another cousin and when we read the comments and see how happy all people are, we ask: Why not more cousins?!
Greetings from Germany
Paula & Patrick
Comment by Accordi — Wednesday 17 January 07 @ 19.43 MST+2.00
My reverence of Magda is even higher than before–if such a thing is POSSIBLE–due to her level-headed request that you remove the photographic proof of placenta from this estimable blog. I mean, heavens, man, even the damn Berkeleyites mop that stuff up a bit before sauteeing it with chanterelles and spring nettles. (For the record, J, despite my geographic proximity to said bastion of f’ed out hippie craziness, I would sooner eat bunny, octopus, and/or Red Bull sladoled than eat human parts, even the disposable ones.)
Try to imagine–CAN you imagine?–my beaming pride at the adorable new Baby S, and at his equally adorable big brother. They make this auntie woozy with love.
Comment by Emily — Thursday 18 January 07 @ 07.30 MST+2.00
I knew you’d get in trouble for the placenta image.
Comment by Jagosaurus — Friday 19 January 07 @ 20.13 MST+2.00
I kinda thought you would, too.
I’m so happy for you guys. I keep coming back and checking out these pictures and getting all, you know, mushy inside. Good work, man! Ahem, and Magda, too.
Comment by jdog — Sunday 21 January 07 @ 04.44 MST+2.00
It’s always beautiful to see a new baby. Congatulations!
Comment by Hirkani — Friday 26 January 07 @ 11.50 MST+2.00
Congrats on the one little one.
Comment by Justin — Sunday 28 January 07 @ 08.57 MST+2.00
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Comment by victoria winters — Tuesday 30 January 07 @ 19.40 MST+2.00