Happy New Year

Matt, Ben, Andrea, taken with Apple photobooth

pink magnolia sky

pink magnolia, Canon Digital Rebel XTi

pink magnolia, Canon Digital Rebel XTi

Not as beautiful as Ben of course, but stopped me in my tracks today. I've been taking micro-walks around the block with Ben in the sling. It's tough to get him to sleep anywhere but this fleecey little number against my body so I have taken to strolling around the neighborhood by day or dancing in my living room at ungodly hours of the night. It's the new post-partum workout! Dance instead of sleep!

...and more BHP

our christmas monkey

16 days old... are you guys tired of the photos yet? Words will also come one of these days. I promise.

Thank you again for all of your wishes and gifts and blessings! I am wishing you all the happiest holidays and New Year. Big love all around...

we're already using him for our personal entertainment

Ben's uncles in Maui sent the most gorgeous package today...

Tiffany's boxes really do have a special allure, don't they? Inside was a silver rattle with his initials on it. I discovered quickly that you can take some wicked cool mirror portraits with that little number. Matt and I had our best yet punchy-sleep deprived hysterical laugh taking photos with it.

Some of you requested a shot of Ben crying. This one I love.

12 days

Still too mushy in the brain to write... but there are always pics. (Note the way cool turned up collar.) Thank you all so much for your comments and wishes! They have been a source of such pleasure when I am up at 4AM wondering if I will survive these first weeks. Thank you...

one week

Ben, one week old, photo by Kim Indresano, Canon Digital Rebel XTi

Welcome to the world Ben!

A note from Matt:

We are pleased to announce that Benjamin Hazlett Passmore was born healthy and happy on December 8, 2006 at 10:42 AM, at UCSF, to a panorama of San Francisco, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the skyscrapers downtown.

His stats were: 6 lbs 12 oz, 19 inches.

Andrea was the hero princess you know her to be throughout the 14-hour ordeal. Just recalling her strength during the birth still awes me to tears.

Anyway, we are holed up and learning, and will emerge soon. Above is a photo to tide you over.

Love and blessings to you all,

Andrea, Matt & Ben

stepping into curiosity

Matt and Andrea, back at 35 weeks, photo by Anna Kuperberg

Every week at prenatal yoga class, my teacher asks a question and we all go around and share. The question last week was, "What are you looking forward to in regards to your birth?" (besides the obvious of having the baby in your arms and it being over)

My answer fell more into the category of what am I curious about... and it turns out a lot. I am getting very curious what this horrendous PAIN everyone talks about is actually like. I'm curious how my body and mind will respond to it and who and what I will need. I'm curious what part of me will rise up: Will I be a fierce warrior? Will I be relaxed and focused and quiet? Will I cry a lot? Will all those years of yoga come in handy? Will I be afraid and anxious? Will I be all of these things in a matter of 5 minutes? Will I want drugs? Will I take them? Is the wee lad going to make his way right out? Is he in the optimal position for that?

The beauty of this question was that it had me realize that I have come full circle. At the beginning of my pregnancy, I had no idea how I wanted the birth to go. I wasn't particularly afraid, was undecided about pain meds and everything else and just wanted a healthy baby. I had waited so long for this and learned in so many ways how little control I had over the process. Who was I to decide how the birth was going to go? Birth plan? Ha!

As I learned more and more at my birth prep class, I got more and more afraid. I decided I didn't want any pain meds, we hired a doula and I read more and more. I panicked and felt irresponsible that we hadn't thought about the birth plan. I became suspicious of the doctors, the hospital, etc.

And then, somehow over these last months, I loosened my grip.

We have a fabulous doula (possibly more than one doula if one of my sweet friends who is visiting makes it for the birth) We have an incredible team of nurse midwives at one of the best hospitals in the world. I have an amazing partner who will support any choices I make (and will be there to rub my back) and I have faith that my wee boy and I will collaborate well together and will celebrate no matter how it goes down.

When I think about it now, fear creates a desire to control. As I became more and more afraid, the more I wanted to control my experience.

I feel good about where I've found myself. Open, curious, no big agenda. This is not an act of heroism for me. This is not where I pound my chest and show how powerful I am for doing it without meds. I'm really only attached to both of us being healthy. All the rest is a grand adventure. I'll keep you posted.

*The above photo is by the fabulous and talented Anna Kuperberg. You can see a few more pics from our session on her blog!