Alek (Aleks, Jeżyk or Ježek, Jež, Lump, Blob, The Small One, &c.) first struck us with his amazing resemblance to Adam, but as the weeks have worn on we’ve noticed more the ways in which he differs from his brother. Thankfully.
When first bathed, Adam keened like one boiled alive. In the natural beneficence of the universe, records of such misery do not survive, as this site was not established until just before Adam reached the three-month mark (though later secondary sources claim authority).
Adam’s dry-twig popek hung around for ages, but Alek’s belly-button detritus was, like everything about this boy so far, extremely advanced and dropped away well before we were mentally prepared for the momentousness of the event. So washing with actual water could then proceed:
This photo clicks through to a Flickr slide show of first-bath pictures — for grandparents and hardcore internet aunties only
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February 6th, 2007 at 02.36 CET+2.00
Hardcore internet aunties. I, uh, think I recognize myself in that description.
Damn, what a cute baby.
February 6th, 2007 at 08.11 CET+2.00
That is so sweet. He’s so tiny–is that a tea towel he’s using?
Now do you guys think he looks more like Magda?
February 6th, 2007 at 16.11 CET+2.00
IIA signing in.
He’s just lovely. Thanks for posting these.
How is Adam adjusting?
February 6th, 2007 at 18.22 CET+2.00
Ježek.
Great nickname. Any name with the “zhhhhh” sound, I’ve found, has a mantra-like quality of inducing calm in the speaker. Especially if that speaker is a parent, for whom Calm is an island even more remote than Antarctica.
As far as the difference in reactions to your actions, I don’t think you two are giving yourselves enough credit. Adam was the test run; you’re now old hands at this and Alek easily detects that ease you now exude.
February 6th, 2007 at 23.30 CET+2.00
We do particularly love this picture, and think it shows Alek, both physically and in terms of his character, remarkably well.
It is not a tea towel, jdog, it’s called a plenička, and is similar to an old-skool diaper but a bit gauzier. Highly useful for wiping, slobber-catching, sopping, etc. And yes, we do think he looks a good deal more Magda-y than we did at first. Except that nose, of course: that’s pure me.
Roo, Adam is dealing really well in most ways, and appears to love having/being a brother. However, his melt-down fuse has suddenly become incredibly short, and Magda has warned me that she is likely to deposit him in the Dumpster® while I’m away next week.
But other than that, fine.
February 7th, 2007 at 09.39 CET+2.00
You say “plenička”, I think we’d say “muslin” (they originated in Iraq: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslin). We were given a pack of about 20 of these when our first was born and, although I was initially non-plussed, they’ve turned out to be amazingly versatile baby-wrangling tools.
March 17th, 2007 at 13.05 CET+2.00
John!!! Congratulations on a new family member! I wrote an e-mail to you,let me know if you got it. I’m glad you read sms messages again :)
I missed you man.