Bringing in the New Year

This last 24 hours has seen the safe arrival of my brother Ted and step-dad Patch.  It's seen lots of cooking and another Christmas both fresh from Hialeah.  We've also had some more doctor info.

Well, Shannon's breast feeding will continue, but with a little pain.  After seeing the pediatrician yesterday, we came away with a better feeling overall about how to handle the yeast situation.  Shannon will continue a combination of the remedies put forth by the lactation consultant and the homeopathic route.  Currently, she is feeling better but is still in some pain. 

My brother Ted showed up yesterday with Patch after a long 12 hour drive from Hialeah.  They brought some pastelitos (delicious but fattening pastries) and some Cuban staples like yucca and black beans and rice.  The boys also brought a ton of gifts for Z from the South Florida peeps so major thanks to those of you who contributed to the bounty.  My mom continue to be helpful with the cooking and cleaning.  

We will all await the New Year here at home with some spirits and food and lots of love.  We hope all of you can experience the joy of family and friends this evening as we bring in 2009.  

West Side!

I just thought this picture was hilarious!  She is throwing around the West Side sign with her left hand.  

The Neverending Poop

Last night we had a wonderful experience with poop.

Of course, with babies, poop is one of the major occurrences in your daily life.  Aside from eating and sleeping, newborns enjoy peeing and pooping.  Our baby has had a roller coaster pooping experience in three short weeks (Yes, she is three weeks old!).

At first, we had my favorite, the meconium.  Actually, it was kind of difficult to deal with because it was so sticky and thick.  It made for difficult changes.  But meconium comes and goes.  Then we had the green sea weed  that reminded me of the health food store stuff like kelp that they sell with some tofu or sushi.  That was around for a few days.  Then we had the yellowish, squash like poop.  So for about five days, you had a constant schedule of many poops that evolved.  It also flowed freely and came about three to five times a day.  

The last two weeks have been different.  Z's pooping schedule has been sporadic, about one poop every two to three days.  When that poop arrives, you better have some backup.  

Last night was great.  After having some explosions occur in the middle of the night (not fun waking to about a pound of dookie) or in the car (car seat needed a bath) this one happened live.  That means in the middle of a diaper change.  I was glad it did because it was her biggest outburst yet.  You have the initial outburst which is big enough as it is.  Then you have the after shocks.  Now I'd only seen her have about two before.  Try six last night.  And they were all huge!  We went through about 15 wipes and two towels, not to mention a yellowish mess on the outfit and diaper and diaper cover.  I think Shan even took one for the team!  She kept saying, "Did she get me?" after an explosive projectile poop from a particularly nasty after shock.  All in all, it was a great experience.  We could not, or better yet, did not want that explosion happening in our bed.

Fortunately, none of this poop is smelly or gross.  It looks more like baby food.  In about ix months when we start solids, that's when I hear the picnic is over and you are in for a more realistic version of poop.  Can't wait!

Manic Monday

One week to go before I have to go to work.  It feels like an eternity since I was last working at school.  I went in today to clean up and get my room organized.  I managed to clear some things up and get the room looking nice and clean.  It was hard to find the motivation to continue getting things down so went home earlier than I probably should have.

My mom has been here now for three days.  She is enjoying her time with her grandchild and has been very vocal in expressing her thoughts on our parenting.  Thankfully there are a lot of spirits to make things go smoothly.

Back to Monday.  When I got home, things were OK.  Z had her third consecutive night of great sleep and no fussiness.  Shannon has weened herself off of dairy in that time and it may be the reason Z has been less fussy.  However all was not perfect as Shannon scheduled an appointment that afternoon for the lactation consultants over at Mission Hospital.  Her right breast had been feeling tough and she felt that she may have blocked milk ducts.  It could also be an infection.  

We made the trip to the hospital and came away with what we felt was great information.  Apparently, Shannon had a yeast problem.  Her nipples were infected and required some medication, which the consultant recommended.  The consultant, noticing we were using cloth diapers also suggested using grapefruit seed oil in lieu of the medication if we did not want to go the traditional medicine route (which made Shannon very happy).  Z, we were also told, had a case of thrush.  So we needed to go to the pediatricians and get a prescription.  All of these things were typical in breastfeeding mothers, the consultant told us.  No big deal.

Well, think again.  After we left the hospital, we made a trip to Earthfare to have lunch and procure the grapfruit seed oil.  We asked someone to help us out with the oil and found that it would make Shannon's nipples very bitter tasting to the baby.  Shannon was then told she could take it orally to help with the infection.  OK, minor detour but we bought the stuff anyhow and headed home to see what the pediatrician would say.

Of course, the pediatrician, upon hearing our diagnosis from the lactation consultant, refuted that our child had thrush.  They still wanted to see her anyhow so I guess we will resolve that issue tomorrow.  In the meantime, they informed us that Z would have to go through the awful procedure of having her foot punctured and have blood drawn because the hospital botched the it up the first time.  I guess we have no choice.  I remember when Z had to have this done at the hospital and it was no picnic.  I mean, Shannon was in tears after listening to Z suffer for about ten minuted while some large lady squeezed her foot to have blood squirt out to collect for a test.  I was not to happy either but I knew it had to be done.  It just irks me that the whole time the lady was causing Z to cry like a siren, she proudly kept letting us know how she was being careful to do it correctly so it would not have to be done again.  

But the best is yet to come my friends!  I went to get the medication for Shannon's nipples, some hydrocortizone and some anti-fungal ointment.  We decided to do this just because Shannon and I were hesitant to put the grapefruit stuff on her on account of messing Z up with her feeding.  The consultant at the hospital told us to mix those two together and place it on Shannon's nipples.  We asked if that stuff was OK or Z to take in and she said it was fine.  Well it turns out that on both bottles, it clearly states that if this product is ingested, to call a doctor immediately!  What gives?  Are we just paranoid or is that on the bottle for some reason?  Just another manic Monday.  

New Video!

Here are a few videos of Z.  The longest one is of us torturing her.  The two shorter ones give us Z practicing her karate and being grumpy

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Z's First Football Game!

Today, I will take my daughter to experience her first football game.  Of course we are not going anywhere.  And she won't be watching the game either.  Z and I will be together as the hated New York Jets take on our beloved Dolphins.  The importance of this game cannot be understated.  

The Miami Dolphins are my team.  For some reason, as I was growing up, I was drawn to this team and the game of football.  My earliest memories consist of watching the Dolphins in Super Bowls in the early 80's.  I have enjoyed so many wonderful and demoralizing moments with this team.

Last year was the worst, literally.  The Dolphins had their worst season in the franchise's storied history, going 1-15.  We were the laughing stock of the NFL.  And while I have mostly abandoned having the losses affect me personally, last year was tough to swallow.  

Fast forward to this year.  The Dolphins are the surprise story of the NFL.  We are one win away from completing the greatest turnaround season in NFL history by winning our division and making the playoffs for the first time in six years.  It all comes down to tonight's game versus our nemesis, the New York Jets.  

So my daughter and I will be in the same room.  She will be in my arms, sometimes lying in her swing, maybe with mom feeding two or three times.  But I will have my daughter with me as this game unfurls.  Not only has Z come into this world and made it a better place for Shannon and I and our families, her entrance has given rise to a once proud franchise.  Z has overseen the resurgence of the mighty Dolphins!  Win or lose today, I have enjoyed watching my team play again.  Thanks Z, you are the best!  Now let's go beat the Jets' brains in honey!!!!

Bar B Que Baby

I've had my horrible parent story come to life.

I was changing our dear daughter Z in our bathroom Christmas morning.  Now prior to this, we discovered an ingenious way to keep our rather frigid bathroom nice and toasty.  I placed one of our small space heaters next to our changing pad.  I would turn it on right before I lay Zahra on the pad and allowed it to keep her warm as I undressed her to change into an outfit.  This had worked nicely for about three days.  You are probably getting "warm" as to what may have happened.

So I was changing Z on the changing table and noticed she had a soiled diaper.  No problem!  I went into diaper changing mode.  This took the usual amount of time with the cloth situation; roughly 60 seconds.  After that, I had two outfits to choose from and engaged in some baby talk with Z.  "Which out fit do you want?", I coyly asked our grinning girl.  I patiently waited for her to choose by reaching or one of the outfits.  We were having a blast!  As I was placing her in the Gator outfit (not a University of Florida outfit, just a cute green and white number with an alligator), I saw something on her left side.  A creeping concoction of confusion and concern crawled up my spine.  I asked Shannon to come and see what I was seeing.  Of course she immediately noticed the heat in the room was much to high.  That was when I began to panic.  I turned off the heater hastily and turned on all of the lights to get a better view.  Our daughter had a nice little sun tan on her left side!  She didn't start crying or screaming immediately.  After a few seconds, the floodgates opened.  Shannon calmly cooled her side and cradled Z while I was laying in our bed ready to kill myself.  What was I thinking!  I was so angry I left fly some expletives and was on the verge of tears.  How can I be such a careless dad?  

Fortunately, I have the greatest wife in the world.  She smoothly looked at her disheveled husband and gave me a fitting lecture.  "You didn't mean to do this.  Let's start solving the problem rather than worrying about it."

I felt like one of my fifth graders for a minute.  

We soothed our daughter and placed a cool towel on her side.  She recovered rather quickly (I have noticed that healthy babies tend to heal pretty fast).  In fact, the red mark was gone in a few hours and she was no worse for wear.  Whew!  Another new feeling washed over me that I hadn't felt.  Relief that my daughter was OK.  

I have joined the club of parents who make a blunder with their kid.  I have heard the stories from other friends and didn't think I'd do the same thing.  Boy was I wrong.  We all make mistakes.  We all do the best we can.  Sometimes our best intentions don't work out but we have to solve the problem.  

Good thing Z can't remember these things...

Christmas Recap

Christmas has come and gone.  It was only a year ago that Shannon and I were romantically wandering the streets of Washington DC together.  How times have changed!  

Z got lots of great gifts from everyone in her family.  She was thankful for each and every gift.  We talked to her about the spirit of Christmas and how it is all about giving what you can to those less fortunate.  Of course our gift to the world is Z so hope you all enjoy her!  We spent the last two days eating, watching the tube and enjoying Z.  The days were not too chilly here in the mountains.  Actually the weather was gorgeous on Christmas.  We did take a few family walks.  I had my daughter strapped to me in one of those wrap contraptions.  All in all, it as a good time.  

Shannon's family shift is over for now.  It was great to have her family here.  Grandma was a little sad to go but she definitely enjoyed her stay.  It was extremely helpful to have her cooking and helping with the baby.  Chris and Larry were great too.  

Now it's the Cubans who will come upon our town.  Watch out!  My mom will arrive this morning.  She is going to freak out!  It will be nice having her though because she will continue to help out with the cooking and cleaning and caring.  Hopefully my cousins will make a pit stop near New Year's Day.  Finally, we'll have my brother Teddy and my mom's husband Patch (real name Francisco) coming next weekend.  

Things are really starting to settle here at home.  Shannon and I seem to have a decent sleep arrangement though I am getting the better part of that because I don't have to feed Zahra.  It seems like she has always been here though.  We are also noticing small changes in our daughter.  She is heavier and has filled into her frame.  Her eyebrows are starting to take shape.  Z is able to focus much stronger on objects with her eyes.  It's all pretty amazing stuff.  

Christmas Eve

We will be back with plenty of pictures and info Christmas night.  Until then, peace, love and happiness from the Seijezzali family!  

Picture Time!

Just uploading some pictures of the past weekend.  Included are some indoctrination photos of Z and her favorite team to be, Grandpa's feast and more cute photos of Z.  Enjoy!

Godfather Wisdom

My favorite movie of all time is the Godfather.  In that classic, there is a line uttered by the Marlon Brando character that never really resonated with me much until now.  

In an early scene, the Godfather has just given his own godson, Johnny Fontaine, a major pep talk.  Fontaine had come crawling to his godfather for help with his flailing career.  The Godfather asks him a simple question and imparts some incredible wisdom.

Godfather- "Do you spend time with your family?"

Fontaine- "Of course I do."

Godfather- "Good.  A man who doesn't spend time with his family, can never be a real man."

Wow!  I have taken that line to heart.  The most important thing in my relationship with my wife and child right now is spending time with them.  My wife is obviously providing the nourishment for our child.  I cannot feed Z.  But my spending time with Shannon and feeding her is huge.  By making sure Shannon she doesn't need anything, I'm doing right by her.  And f course, by holding my daughter and changing her and making sure the house is warm, I'm owning up to my responsibilities.  By spending time with my girls, I am fulfilling what it means to be a real man.  I'm not really doing anything out of this world.  I'm just making sure I'm here.  

Thank you Godfather!  I knew there was a reason I loved that guy!

To Inject or Not to Inject

It's vaccination time and Shannon and I (more Shannon than I really) are educating ourselves.  We bought a book that describes every type of vaccination available and that Z may be subjected to.  While we are for vaccines that make sense, some of this stuff is highly questionable.  It's nuts to see some of the drugs that are force fed to some people.  It's also nuts that some people blindly trust medicine to make choices for them.  We have to keep in mind that medicine is an ever evolving science and it also doesn't always have our best interests in mind.  It's like I tell my kids, read and think and question.  We'll let you know what we decide.  

In less serious news, we had a marvelous time last night with Grandpa Capezzali and Uncle Chris (pictured above with the lovely Shannon).  Man, can grandpa cook!  He made meatballs and pasta and a killer salad to go with all the food.  We enjoyed the comfy insides of the loft as temperatures raced to below freezing.  When we got home, we hit the sack and Z followed suit.  She had a wonderful evening of sleep!  That means happy parents with lots of energy!

The only bad news to report is that our dryer is broken.  Fortunately we have the protection plan (always get that with big things kids) but we will have to wait until Friday to get it fixed.  So I braved the 13 degree weather and made a trip to Earthfare for some G diapers.  These are biodegradable disposable diapers that cost a lot.  I don't even want to think about buying diapers again.  I can't imagine having to buy a pack every week, or even every few days.  We will tough this out and then we can get back to our cloth.  Believe me, anyone having a baby right now needs to get their minds out of Huggies land and go for cloth.  

Getting Out the Z

I had my first official time away from the girls on Saturday.  I met Richard and Christopher for a movie (Slumdog Millionaire, great flick!).  When the guys and I arrived back at home, a tired, frustrated, bored and slightly perturbed Shannon awaited.  She was not to happy about being home alone with the baby.  Not so much angry at me (she wanted me to go out and spend some quality time with her family) but more tired of being home with a baby that wanted to be held the entire time I was gone.  

So we made it up by going out to the Admiral (West Asheville's finest place to grab a meal, maybe even Asheville's finest!).  We had a fantastic time and Z slept like a dream strapped to my chest.  Then we made our way to Babies R' Us because Shannon had mentioned to her dad that a swing might help us put the baby down.  Richard bought Z her own swing!  That's two nights out on the town courtesy of Grandpa Capezzali!  She really has been great in the restaurants and we are enjoying our time out in the real world again after two weeks of bunkering in the home.  As I've been told by some of my buddies, this is actually a good time to have her out and about because she just sleeps the whole time and the noise of the outside world doesn't wake her.  I keep her tightly wrapped on my chest and it's as if she's back in the womb.  

When we arrived home, we were tired and ready for bed.  Z was not.  She had another long night.  I spent most of the evening holding her and walking around the house like a robot.  I even fell asleep in our rocking chair with her in my arms.  It was a long night and the family didn't all go to bed until 3 A.M.  Seems like Z will have a great night and then a not so great night (in our eyes of course, she is probably just being her normal self).  

At any rate, we've been receiving wonderful cards and gifts from the family which we all appreciate.  Today is family day so we will hang with Chris and Richard up in their gorgeous downtown loft watching some football and eating some Capezzali specials (I'm looking forward to some great dining here Rich).  

Life is going well.  Hard to believe two weeks ago today we were bracing for our most eventful night ever.  It's all a dream to me.  Shannon is starting to have flashbacks of things she couldn't recall a week ago.  Even talking about the labor brings her some painful and sometimes scary feelings.  Fortunately, we can just look in our daughter's direction and have smiles come running back to our faces.  She has been great!  

The "oooo" Face

Our daughter makes a face that makes Shannon and I laugh.  It's called the "oooo" face.  She makes her little mouth look like the letter "O" and just stares at you.  

Take the vowel sound in words like "dude" or "food" and just extend it.  It's similar to when you would watch an athlete make an unbelievable play and the crowd just "oooo's" in amazement.  Anyhow, here are some pictures.

The Long Fulfilling Day

Whew, what day!  Just sitting in front of the computer to finally put together some writing.  

Morning- Went to work for the first time in two weeks today.  Funny, I didn't miss the place at all.  It was good to see my co-workers though.  They all showered me with love.  I decided not to go see the kids as that would have been a major distraction for them as well as for the teacher they were with at the time.  I did receive lots of nice cards and gifts from the kids.  I work at a great school!  Right now I'm not ready to go back, but I know that I must mentally prepare myself in the coming weeks.  Shannon is probably going to have it just as rough as I will because she'll have to be alone most of the day.  

Afternoon- Spent a lot of time outside trying to keep the property looking good.  Raked, moved brush into piles so the city could take it away and kept working on the trail.  I managed to get Shannon to come walk it.  She really liked it.  I was so happy!  We actually got to spend five minutes alone as grandma Elaine watched Z.  Felt like old times.

Evening- I am part of an amazing family.  Not just my own Hialeah crew, but the part I joined as a result of meeting Shannon.  For those of you who don't know, Shannon's parents are divorced.  However, they maintain a civil relationship.  Shannon's dad, Richard (pictured above meeting his grand daughter) is now in town with Christopher, Shannon's brother.  We met the guys downtown for dinner with Elaine (Shannon's mom) and Larry (Shannon's step-father).  So the six of us and Z went out to dinner.  It was great.  Not only because we were all happy and healthy and celebrating the baby, but because we were all together.  It's also cool because my own family is in a similar predicament and my mom and dad are also able to be respectful to one another despite their separate lives.  Divorce is a hard thing to deal with and while I know it's hard for the couple, it's twice as hard on the kids.  Shannon and I are really fortunate to have parents that have figured out the kids are what's important.  

Now we will get ready for a weekend of Grandpa Capezzali and Uncle Chris.  The guys are staying at a plush loft in the heart of downtown Asheville.  I'm sure fun times lie ahead for us this weekend.  

Z Trail

Just finished the first loop of the Z trail in our back woods area.  I'm stoked!

For those of you not familiar with our property, we have a nice large plot of undeveloped woods right next to our home.  It's about six acres or so.  Borrowing from the Hialeah squatting rule my own family has employed in their backyard, I've basically just cut into the woods and carved a short loop through the vines, trees, bushes and thorns so our daughter can have adventures in the woods without having to go too far.  Having this plot of land next to us was another one of the pluses to buying this home.  

Zahra Can Sing

I wish our daughter would practice her singing in the afternoon as opposed to the early morning hours!  Man she has some pipes!  Just when we thought she mastered the sleeping at night thing, she reverted to being a baby and hollered like a wild woman last night.  Oh well, it's to be expected right?

Today we will have dinner with Zahra's grandfather and uncle!  Shannon's dad Richard and brother Chris are flying today so we will have a nice family dinner tonight at our home.  

Other than that, we took our first real outing yesterday to Ingles with Zahra strapped to my chest in one of those wraps.  It's called an Imoby and it's pretty comfortable.  While not easy to put on (yet) it's really nice because you experience zero back pain and the baby is nestled snuggly on your body.  Shannon is still recovering as the walk to Ingles, which normally is a breeze took a lot out of her.  Today we will try some more walking as we wait for more family!  

The Cavalry Has Arrived

Well, we've made it through a whole week with Z at home.  Our friends helped out enormously during this transition phase as we adjusted to home life with a baby.  Now it's time for the family to pitch in.  Yesterday, Shannon's mom elaine arrived for the first shift.  This begins a streak of family visitation that will run through January 2nd.  Visits from both sets of grandparents will be greatly appreciated.  I will post some pics of their interactions in the days to come.  

In the meantime, Zahra has been an angel.  She is sleeping well through most of the night, is feeding like a champ and is generally happy and alert.  Mom and Dad are proud!

Sage Advice

I received an email from one of my favorite co-workers yesterday!  In it was advice that may prove to be beneficial for our daughter during these crucial times.  

She mentioned that newborns can sometimes be over stimulated with too much...well stimuli!

Just to give you a taste of what Shannon and I were doing for Z in our quest to make the prefect baby, I'll give you a run down of some of our activities.

We usually always had music playing in the background.  I "played" with her often by holding her and talking and singing and swaying for long periods of time.  We have had quite the run of guests in our home bringing us valuable food and providing wonderful company for us adults.  I have not accommodated to Z in the sense that I am still being pretty loud when I am washing dishes, coming in and out of rooms and when I do other household chores.  We have been watching T.V. on the couch while she is sleeping.  (Disclaimer- Z is never facing the screen when we do this, I will have her turned to me or she is breast feeding with mom)

So yesterday, after reading the email, I turned off the radio.  We have not had guests the past two days.  I have been extra quiet as has Shannon.  We did not watch T.V. loudly (and when I watched some with her, the volume was off).  We even adjusted where we change her diapers so she is in a low lit room and is in a more comfortable place.

So what has been the result?  Two nights of heavenly child at night.  She is usually pretty chill in the day, never really fussy.  But at night, if you've been reading the post, she is pretty fussy and loud.  She would even scream at the diaper change. 

I know it's only been a week at home.  But to us it feels like a year already!  I also know about that word moderation.  I'll still sing to my gorgeous little doll and we will still hold her and cuddle with her.  It's just that I think we went overboard some because this is so new to us.  I am ready for her to go outside and practice her switch hitting!  I'm just so glad I can be at home focusing my energies towards my family.  

Photo Shoot

What a nice weekend we had!

Z is starting to sleep through the night much better.  We put her down at around 1 A.M. both nights this weekend and she responded well.  She had feedings at around 4 A.M. both nights and then slept until around 8 A.M. after that.  Then when she wakes up, she goes on a hard core feed.  Shannon just finished what seemed like a 40 minute feed.  Our little girl is also starting to fill in.  Where once she had lots of extra skin in such places as her arms and legs, we see a little chunk.  

We also had a wonderful photo shoot with our great friend and loyal follower of the blog Blake.  Here are a few of his magnificent pictures.   

Learning More about Babies

This weekend has been an educational one for us with Z.  

After hearing about the fourth trimester from some friends, we received a DVD about how to sooth and calm you baby from our good friend Logan.  The techniques in the DVD (The Happiest Baby on the Block, highly recommended) are based on the concept that when babies are born, they are still not yet fully developed.  They are still not able to deal with the outside world as well as any other mammal on Earth.  We are born earlier than we should be because our brains are so large that we have to come out of the womb earlier.  Our greatest adaptation is not our speed or strength but rather our brain size.  So when babies are born, they are still in a fourth trimester.  

So what does that mean?  Well, it means that to help comfort and soothe your baby, there are proven techniques that can help keep them in a calm and happy state.  They are reflexes that are built into our baby selves that result in amazing results.  For us, this means that when Zahra is having her nightly rock out parties, we now have some methods to help her calm down.  More importantly, this allows her to be relaxed and peaceful which equals happier and healthy.  

Last night these techniques worked like a charm.  They include the five S's.  Swaddling, Side, Swaying, Shushing, and Sucking.  Swaddling was something we saw in the hospital but it's a technique that requires practice.  The DVD gave us a great tutorial on how to do that effectively.  The other steps were things we had tried but were not always sure fire.  The key is to swaddle and then combine the other techniques to have success.  For you first time parents and soon to be parents, this stuff is HUGE!  For us, this means more sleep and less frustration.  

And that's why I like science.  

Post Fight Analysis

After several punishing blows to the ears by the ultra flyweight rookie sensation Z, the fight began to look lost for the Seijezzali camp.  Unfortunately for Z, her stamina began to fade and sleep set in so she lost in the 9th round after she couldn't wake up from her corner.  

The Seijezzali team began to taste sweet victory.  Z was knocked out cold on the bed, the lights were dimming in the arena and all seemed wonderful.  Then, Dad heard a sound he knew all too well.  The sound of a diaper getting the short end of the stick.  In this case, it was the wet end of a Z blast.  Now came the dilemma.  Should the Seijezzali team risk a rematch and change the diaper?  Or should they let sleeping dogs lie and savor their hard fought victory?  

Well, I couldn't leave her in those wet diapers so I changed them and we just put her to bed after another bout of screams that lasted thirty minutes or so.  Veteran parents, I ask you what would you have done?

Friday Night Fights

My eardrums feel as if they've met Mike Tyson.  Pick your punch line, no pun intended.

Z has had an interesting evening so far.  After having a near perfect day (in our minds anyhow) of feeding, resting and hosting company, she has lost her cool in the early morning.  We gave her a feeding at around 10 P.M. and then tried to go nite nite.  Well, she wasn't having that.  It was Friday night after all and she wanted to party.  So I took her away from Mom because she was screaming in her ear.  We watched a little NBA while she slept on my shoulder.  At around midnight, we went back into the bedroom for a feeding.  She was not having it.  Checked her diaper and all was good.  So we tried again and still, no dice.  So I took her for another round of bouncing and coaxing.  Eventually she fell asleep again.  I took her quietly into the room thinking I may get her to rest for a little bit.  Wrong.  She let loose some more yelling.  We swaddled and tried feeding but she was acting like Shannon was radioactive.  Again, dad took her for a bit to get her to calm down.  She did.  We tried another round of feeding because now it had been well past feeding time.  More yelling.  So we tried some back rubbing.  That seemed to get things going because she had a wonderful diaper full of surprises for us.  After cleaning up, she was happy and we thought "Finally!".  Wrong again.  More crying.  Finally I suggested to Shannon that she walk around to feed.  Shan got out of bed and lo and behold, a feeding that is still going on right now!  Why did this work?  The answer is simple.  We don't know.  

The good thing is that we are on our game as far as sleep because of all the napping we've been doing.  Our bodies are also adjusting to this method of living as well.  Ahh, the joys of parenting a new born.  

Props to Our Peeps

Do you guys remember the DC cartoon called the Super Friends?  Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, those twins that gave each other the fist and changed into stuff?  Well, we have a similar group here in Asheville that has been just as heroic.

Shannon had a Mother Blessing about a month before Z was born and from that came a group of women who have really been a wonderful support for our family.  They have provided us with love and advice, friendship and favors and food (very yummy I might add).

We've also received numerous phone calls, emails and letters from  friends around the country as well as here in Asheville who we are fortunate enough to know.  

I would also like to thank our families who have been ultra supportive and have showered us with love and gifts and every praise for our little girl.  

So to all of you wonderful, amazing super heroes out there who have shown your love for Z, we send you a humongous  thank you from our hearts.  We Love You!

Supermom

I have to admit, I was a tiny bit concerned about how Shan would handle the first days of motherhood.  

I knew she would love the baby, I knew she would continue to be a great wife, I just worried about her recovery from the labor I witnessed and how breast feeding would progress.  I also was concerned after our first chaotic night.  I wasn't doing a great job either so how could Shannon manage?

Well, not only has she assuaged any inkling of fear I may have had, she has proven herself (in this short period of four days) to be an EXTRAORDINARY SUPERMOM!  She loves breast feeding, she loves bonding with our little Z and she is happy.  Not only that, I am getting my wife back!  The latter weeks of pregnancy were tough for her because of pain and the weather being so cold.  Where was my happy wife with tons of energy?  Well, she's back and I'm so glad.  It's making our marriage that much stronger now that we are doing this together.  More importantly, we are doing it together on the same page.  I am proud to say I have the best wife in the world!  I love you babe!

Single Moms: How Do They Do It?

Shannon and I were siting and talking about this topic last night.  With all of the energy we expend trying to keep our baby happy, we barely have time to sit and relax (In fact our conversation was over breast feeding and my making food for the both of us).  

Just to give you a snippet of our lives right now, Shannon is busy doing two things: feeding baby and sleeping with baby.  Obviously she is doing other things such as eating and so on but she is always within arms reach of Z.  

My life has changed for the busy as well.  I basically do all the cooking and cleaning.  Plus I spend as much time as I can with Z, especially changing the little stinker.  Aside from blogging and trying to catch up with family, I literally spend any free time sleeping.  

So how would a single mom do this?  On top of that, what would she do when she had to go back to work?  I know there are a million answers and there are millions of moms who do it but that doesn't make it right.  I salute you single moms!  Your fortitude and strength are to be admired.  They should raise a statue of the unknown single mother in DC somewhere to honor you.  And what does that say about the dads who contributed to the single moms?  That's another time...

The Many Faces of Z at Day 3

Round 3, The Turning Point

Mom and Dad are feeling great!  Even at ...2:37 A.M.  Yes it's late (or early if you want to look it that way) but our family unit has taken a huge step towards working as a team.  

After a wonderful afternoon nap that went from about 4:30 P.M. to 6 P.M. the family settled in to relax and enjoy some dinner.  We have embraced DEAN Time.  Drop Everything And Nap.  This little gem of a strategy, which everyone kept telling to do but is now finally being performed wholeheartedly by a certain Dude, had given us the energy and patience it takes to help deal with the newborn phase.  Z has been feeding consistently for about 20-30 minutes each session, which occurs every two hours or so.  She has found a rhythm.  The other nice thing is that unlike the previous three nights, she has not had to scream like a banshee so far to order her milk from Mom.  Instead, since she is sleeping in bed with us, she simply begins to nudge and squirm a little before Shannon instinctively reaches over to her and begins a feed.  My role has improved also.  Now that I'm not a zombie man trying to hold on to sleep, I can assist Shannon with important bonuses like providing food and water, maintaining her comfort levels and being there for the diaper change (which I've gotten much better at if I don't say so myself).  

I know it's early (or late if you prefer that point of view) but I think this family is starting to get the hang of this baby thing.  Don't worry, we're not so short sighted to think that this is how things will stay.  We know things will change as Z grows.  For now, we will take any victory we can.  

Random News and Thoughts

So we just returned from our first doctors visit and everything is perfect with Zahra.  She has a clean bill of health.

Zahra is also starting to make more eye contact and is settling into a routine.  Her feedings are longer and her naps are stronger.  Her poop has gone from black tar to spicy green with some seeds (this is a GOOD thing).  She is getting comfortable around the home and has been less fussy as her parents are learning her cues.

With each passing moment, I'm getting more and more attached to this little girl.   I'm starting to see tiny glimpses of a person inside that adorable mound of flesh.  I look into her eyes and know that deep down, her mind is forming millions of new connections and her DNA is starting to form who she is.  Will she get Shannon's innate artistic qualities and inner strength?  Will she get my energy and stubbornness? We know she got my good looks!  (Thankfully she got her mother's good looks)  

Touring the Kitchen

So here is our kitchen.  Pretty soon I'll be eating in here.  Did you see Mom?  Isn't she the most prettiest thing in the world?  I like her a lot.  There are also these smelly colorful stick things with curvy shapes.  Dude calls them flowers.  I think I'm going to like it here, even if Dude is going to be taking so many camera shots at me. 

Smile For Daddy!

OK, this guy is getting annoying!  I'm just trying to chill and catch some Z's so that later on when the sun goes down I can party like a rock star and do my singing and drinking.  OK Dude, I'm smiling for ya!  But did you notice I snuck in a frown!  

Good Morning

Good morning world!  This is Z coming to you live from the crib.  Well, actually from dad's arms.  He hasn't stopped bugging me all day!  Now he's aiming a camera at my face as I'm trying to get some sleep.  What gives?  As you can see, I'm trying to wave him away with my arm but he just doesn't get it.  

Round 2

Well, Z had a much better evening last night.  She did not go on any extended crying tantrums.  She did feed more consistently.  She allowed Daddy to sleep.  However, she did not give Mommy too much time to sleep.  Z fed six different times over the course of five hours.  Each feeding required Shannon to sit there while Z poked around and took her sweet time drinking from the fountain.  What concerns me is the ratio of time between Z actively feeding and just laying there when she should be feeding.  Zahra "falls asleep at the wheel" when breast feeding.  We'll see what the pediatrician says about that.  In the meantime, the girls are sleeping now, I actually feel somewhat normal since I took several naps to prepare for the night and got more seep than I thought possible.    

You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down

Shannon is back on her feet.  She had a pretty amazing turnaround from the labor and delivery and is back to her usual (almost anyways) self.  She is seen working hard here with Z in tow on all of the stuff I hate to do such as paperwork, scheduling appointments and reading informational documents inside of folders.  I love those two ladies!

Attack of the Poopy Diapers!

Meconium.  What an amazing concoction.   Z has been as regular as the rising sun so we have had our share of poopy diapers in only three days.    

Let me tell you, cloth diapers are not as bad as everyone makes them out to be.  Sure they take a little longer to put together, but the cost savings are ENORMOUS!  The cost from start to finish on cloth diapers would run you between $200 to $400.  Compare that to at least $2000 to $3000 in the first two years using disposable. Of global importance is the environmental ramifications of using cloth versus disposables.If you have any reservations, come on over in a few weeks and try them out with our baby!  Strongly consider them if you are expecting.  

Becoming A Dad

Last night was incredible.

For those of you who don't know, a newborn baby's schedule runs opposite of ours. While in the womb, they usually are active at night when the woman is lying still in bed sleeping.  Babies are then pretty still themselves during the day when mom is sloshing them around in their amniotic fluid.  

With that in mind, Tuesday night evolved into a long series of episodes.  The one constant was a fussy baby.  Z refused to have a steady meal, instead opting for sporadic attempts at Shannon's breast followed by voracious screams Robert Plant would envy.  As the hours passed on, the parents naturally became more exhausted while Z seemed to pick up steam.  We tried swaddling, shushing, noise machines, diaper changes, multiple attempts at feeding, walking around with her, nothing worked.  At about 3 A.M. (Z had been going about like this since 9 P.M.) Shannon started to worry something was wrong.  She called a nurse hot line provided by our pediatrics office and came back to me with some insane news.  The nurse suggested that we go to the emergency room.  How about that?  We just left the place with a clean bill of health and now we are to scramble back there because the baby is acting like...baby!  I patiently reasoned with my wonderful wife to not go and then we decided as a team that we would wait until 5 A.M.  My pre-conditions for staying home were seeing if Z could urinate and take in a full feeding before that 5 A.M. deadline.  As if on cue, our daughter not only peed all over the place, but she patiently took in a meal from mom.  Whew!  Finally, the family, settled in and we all passed out on the bed.  

When I awoke at roughly 7:00 A.M., I was pleased to find Shannon cradling Z and resting peacefully.  But I had a choice to make.    

Last night, while fretting with the nurse, we noticed that our breast feeding log was inaccurate. During my itch to Shannon about staying home, I mentioned to her that we did not have the correct information to justify going to the hospital.  We really had no idea when Z had fed.  I decided I would have to be in FULL CHARGE of the log.  I also remembered all of the things the nurses told us about maintaining a steady feeding schedule.  They told us not to let Z go without food for more than three hours.   So when I awoke to that wonderful scene of tranquility, I knew I had to disrupt it or stand to lose all the progress we had made.  

At 7:30 P.M. I began jostling Z around.  She wouldn't budge!  Last night that girl would yell bloody murder when we even thought about making noise and now she wasn't even flinching as I passed my hand over her head.  I had to get tough.  I took her little outfit off and used my cold hands to stir her.  Nothing!  I swayed her like a cupie doll, tilting her head up and then lower it down to get her eyes to open like I'd seen the nurse do on Monday.  Finally some progress.  She started to stir.  Now the second part, waking my wife.  This was easier as I just rubbed her arms and she came to.  I was so happy she didn't punch me in the throat for waking her!  Z was starting to cry again, but this time she calmed down quickly and wouldn't you know it, the little bugger started eating!  She actually had the best meal since she had arrived home.  Over 30 minutes of straight up guzzling!  Shannon was so tired she actually passed out during the meal.  I carefully noted the times and recorded them in the log.  I brought mom some breakfast and laid both of them to sleep.  I was little concerned about this part because if Z decided to stay awake, I was doomed.  Fortunately, she stuck to her normal schedule in the womb and passed out right next to an even sleepier mommy.  

As I strolled through the grocery store after this episode, I realized that this is what being a dad is.  You make the call, you execute the plan and then you adjust for any outcome.  I was so proud of my ladies!  Shan was a trooper for sticking to the plan.  I'm starting to realize that although she feels pretty good, she is still in no shape to make to many decisions and must rest. I was also thankful for her patience with me when I was tried and not making much sense to her.  Without the health of the marriage, this (or any) family wouldn't last very long.  I was also glad to see my little girl being part of that family.  So often, parents allow kids to run things when they should realize they are the ones who have to make things happen.  Yes, I know she's an infant, but how easy would it have been to lay in bed that morning and let her decide when we should get our family moving?  She's the most beautiful angel I have ever laid eyes on but she is our child.  This family will be run by the mom and dad "Seijezzali" coalition.  Wow, I sound like a dad...

We Are Home!

We made it home today at about 3 P.M.  Thanks for all of the kind words through emails and voice mails!  They have been read/heard.  Now if we could only get Z to sleep for more than two hours to get some sleep, everything would be perfect.  Probably not going to happen!  It's all good though, we love our little girl and she seems to have adjusted to our home in the short span of time she's been here.  What is making mom and dad proud is that she has really taken to breast feeding.  Shan is making that important connection with Z!  

Must go, sounds like Shan needs a little help.     

Sleep: Who Needs It?

It's really late and I want to add another post because I have now entered the sleepless zone. If you know me, I love to sleep. Not really naps, just a solid 8 hours a night. Those days have officially been halted. I started trying to catch up to sleep yesterday at about 7 P.M. only to have that interrupted by Z several times. Then, at about 2 A.M. Shannon officially needed some sleep in a big way so I had to watch Z. She had a restless night, waking up every ten to fifteen minutes and letting out some cry or throwing up or spitting up. I know in time this will pass but this twenty four hours has been one of the longest stretches of time for me. I'm sure Shannon feels the same way. But we're still happy and ready to tackle on thousands more of these days! So bring it on baby Z!

Baby Z Gets Her First Visit From the Family

Grandparents are an integral part of helping to raise a new child. Zahra got to meet Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Larry last night. They made the trip from Atlanta to see the new bundle of joy. This is Elaine's first grandchild (Larry has a few under his belt already). When Elaine heard about her new grandchild, she was awash with emotion. She was so excited to meet her new little girl. She got to spend some quality time with Shannon and I while taking in Zahra. I think they were both impressed with baby Z.

Her first picture on my camera phone! Look at that dimple. Just like her mom.

Fresh off the presses...

Zahra Raven Seijo

Our baby girl is here. Oh, what an arrival.



It all started on Saturday, December 6th. Shan's water broke at about 11:49 P.M. Our wonderful mid-wife from New Dawn here in Asheville, Jan Verhaeghe told us to sit tight and get some rest. So we did.

We both woke up fairly early. Shannon was having sporadic contractions. Sometimes it was seven minutes between the contractions, sometimes is was as much as twelve. We called Jan and again she told us to chill. At around 1 P.M. Shannon's contractions had begun a more consistent schedule, clocking in at around six to seven minutes in length. They began to get pretty painful and Shan needed me to help apply pressure to her back as they occured to ease the pain. Once again we called Jan but this time, the conversation wasn't as hopeful. She was fearful that we may have to go to the hospital because, while the contractions were consistent, we weren't yet in active labor and it was getting closer to 18 hours with ruptured water. This meant antibiotics and possible induction of labor. Fortunately, Jan countered that negative news with a remedy that could speed things up. Shannon would be forced to consume a castor oil concoction complete with root beer, ice cream and topped off with a Reeses Chocolate bar! Shannon bravely consumed the beverage but did not feel it, yet...

At around 5 P.M. we were sitting tight with Shannon wandering around the house dealing with some poainful contractions. Actually, what was really beginning to bother her was her back. Shan's hips were not well aligned and had been seeing a chiropractor to try and help solve the problem. On top of that, the baby was not in a good position. Jan showed up shortly after five and examined Shannon. To her delight, Shan was 2 cm dialated and the baby's head was engaged with the cervix. It was at about this time that we remembered the castor oil drink. Shannon recalled first because it was off to the races for the bathroom every few minutes for the next hour. At this point, the contractions were four minutes apart, Shan was dealing with the pain, Jan was optimistic everything would work out and I was just watching and waiting. Then things went south again.

Things started to go downhill pretty fast. At a little after six, the back pain was starting to get the better of Shannon. We tried multiple positions as I pushed on her lower back but nothing seemed to work. Not even the bathtub provided any relief. A decision had to be made. Shannon kept stalling, not wanting to go the hospital. But every four minutes, she was rocked with intense pain that sent her screaming. Jan checked her right before eight and found that her cervix was only three to four cm dialated. We hadn't even gotten to the hard labor and Shan's back was on fire! Eventually, the pain was so great that we had to make an Emergency stop to the hospital. Our home birth would have to wait for another child.

If you've ever seen someone you love in horrible pain, you know that while the physical pain never touches you, the emotional pain really starts to bring you down. I'd never seen Shannon in such excrutiating pain. She was howling through the Emergency ward and I could only hold her hand and try and coax her by applying pressure on her back. It was miserable. When we got to the room, we had to wait another forty minutes for the anesthesiologist to come back and apply the epidural. It was a long forty minutes. The amazing thing was that while waiting for the epidural process to begin, Jan gave Shannon another check. She was seven cm dialated! Everyone in the room was shocked! Shannon was screaming for the epidural and needed relief. No one could blame her. She had already been through hours of hell and now more was ahead. I'd never seen anyone sign release forms so quickly.

Finally, after hours of pain, the relief came. Though not as rapidly as one would think. The epidural took time to apply as well as to kick in. Eventually, Shannon managed to settle in. It was just before eleven.

We both managed to toss and turn for the next four hours or so. In between then, Shannon had hit ten cm and a weak cheer escaped our lips. She was still in no position to push as the baby had not quite descended enough. So the waiting continued.

Finally, it was about 5 A.M. Jan stepped in and checked Shannon. She could feel that baby's head ready to begin her trip to daylight. This is where I really began to get excited. Through out this whole ordeal, I had tried my best to keep a positive outlook. Even when Shan would snap at me for not having my hands in the right place or having to ditch our home birth plans. Through it all, I was positive because I believed that our little girl was going to be alive and healthy. That's all I wanted. I was scared out of my mind as I looked at that head start to crown at around six A.M. Would my girl be "normal"? Would she come out with everything intact? I like to believe I control most of the world around me through my actions but this is one I know I had nothing to do with. All I could do was help my wife.

At 6:30 A.M. after hours of labor, Shannon gave birth to Zahra Raven Seijo. She was 6 pounds and 9 ounces. She was so beautiful. Relief ensued. Shannon was so overtaken by everything but kept her composure and took that little girl and put her on her chest. I was glad they let us handle our girl first without taking her away. We basically had her for the next twenty minutes all to ourselves. And what a twenty minutes it was.

The Seijezzali Family!

Hola and Hello!  We have created this site in honor of our new addition to the family.  Our daughter, Z.... will be coming along shortly and we wanted to have a place where our familia (family) and friends can come and visit to check on our little girl.