Queen Boss Hog

She is a beautiful tiny Dom Delouise.  And she is getting bigger.

We had our second doctors appointment yesterday.   Boss baby grew 2.5 centimeters and gained 1.6 ounces.  That's a weight gain of almost 20%!  She is very advanced.

Hopefully that rapid expansion is the cause of tiny Gorbachev's new found fussy demeanor.   All she wants is to cuddle her booby.  Not eat really,  just sleep on it.  And she gets seperation anxiety if you take her away from her booby buddy.  Inconsolable crazy baby bahhing goat cries.  Either she needs to grow out of this,  or I need to get a boob.

Deuce Cannon

Incoming!.....

I read recently that Spielberg and Hanks are teaming up again to make some more epic WWII drama.  Today I am thinking I could lend them my little girl for some terrifyingly real artillery fire.

First,  she sets down 2 biggies before I even get a daiper on,  then when I lift her legs to clean the carnage she takes advantage of the new firing angle to launch one clear across the room.

I am so glad I was reaching for a whipe and not bent down, face in the cross fire.

Ill be treating this baby with the respect such a powerful weapon deserves in the future.  (And maybe putting a target near the changing table)

Darwin's Smile

Queen baby smiled at me today.   It was a real,  eyes open,  looking at me while I'm being silly, honest smile.  It was amazing.

Ive had a bunch of involuntary muscle spasms that look like a smirk,  this was better.

And all I can say is,  it's about time.  :)

Fuss face kept us up all night.   Marin slept in a chair.  So, I am convinced that this smile I was blessed with this morning is no less than the excellently timed outcome of eons of baby evolution.   Babies who don't smile at daddy after being such a pill were obviously culled from the herd.  The forces of natural selection have been hard at work to melt our hearts.

No ma'am

Rogue breastfeeding part duex.

When and where is it not ok to plug your baby in for a recharge?   I say nowhere.  Al Bundy would hate us.   We plug that baby in where ever and whenever we like.   Andie is having her first meal at pedros tacos right now,  and its not Mexican food.

I mean, the only possible nuisance is the sound of a nipple being slurped, but that my friend, is a beautiful sound.

In other news. Babies are rad.   If you have the means I highly recommend one.   It is so choice.

Diaper Rash!

I have never been one to say something like,  "if you had told me X years ago today that id be doing Y..."  it sounds a little dumb.

But, if you had told me any time in my past, that in my future I would be up at 3am looking at books describing, and depicting, inflamed baby privates,  I would have smacked your face.

But then youd be right...

And I have learned that diaper rash is not just bad for baby.   Mom and dad are feeling it.  There was pretty much no sleep till 4am in this house last night.  Andie was pissed off!

So,  we are switching off disposable wipes to cloth wipes with just some water today.   And I'm going to get some creams and a new kinda fancy hippydip hypoallergenic diaper once the store opens.  Fingers crossed for a happier baby tonight.

Gaucho baby

I have many hopes for my girl.   I hope she surfs.   I hope she loves music.   I hope shes athletic.   I hope she loves learning.  I hope she is a nerd like me.

I have one hope for myself.   I hope I have the wisdom and patience to see beyond my hopes and help her be whatever she wants. 

Because there is one thing I know.   My girl is amazing.

Turkey sandwiches and wine

Today, Marin endulged, for the first time in nine months, in a turkey sandwich.   And, oh man, she was happy.

I had never even heard of Listeria before her pregnancy.  It would never of occured to me that a turkey sandwich would be bad for baby.   In fact,  I forgot this multiple times.  Id come home with a tasty dinner from the deli, only to be told it was bad for baby.  Apparently baby wouldn't have had a chance if I had been the pregnant one.  

And right now,  as I type, she is enjoying her first glass of wine since last april.  I gave up booze when we found out we were pregnant... for almost THREE whole weeks! 

Her discipline to change her life for so long for our little squaker is just one more occasion where this wonderful lady proves I made a great call asking her to be my wife.    I hope she enjoys the great googly moogly out of her well earned cuppa wine tonight.

Magic baby hold

When baby is balling and baby needs the best,  give her magic baby hold. 

It works!

Boy I hope she is a tomboy

Neither of us ever want to call her angel, or princess.  It just doesn't seem right.  Its not her, and boy do I hope that means shes a tomboy.

I have always loved a tomboy.  If a girl I met as a kid wanted to go running, jumping, climbing trees.. then she was my definitely my friend.

I hope Andie loves wild flowers more than picked ones.  I hope she dreams of real forests more than enchanted ones.  I hope I buy her more overalls than dresses.  I hope she is a proud woman, who proudly gets dirty with the boys.

Grandparents

Andie's middle name comes from Marins paternal grandmother.  It is a small token to honor a very special lady.  You might say she is the reason Marin and I ended up together way back in 1998, but that is another story.

I loved my grandparents,  but I hardly knew them.  My family moved across the country from both of my sets of grandparents when I was 3 years old.   We saw them occasionally, and I remember those visits fondly, but there were not nearly enough.   I am very excited to have both mine and Marin parents' (and a great grandma to boot!) so close to Andie.  I hope my daughter grows up knowing and loving all of her wonderful grandparents.

Dad gets a moment

Recently I've struggled with my girl only really liking being held by me when shes sleeping.   The minute she wakes she is crying for booby, and mine just won't cut it... shes tried to get at em, so far I have spared her the dissapointment.

It got me down a bit yesterday.   It hard when marin is in the shower or otherwise busy and Andie cries for hunger.  There is nothing I can do.  I feel inadequate.  I have huge respect for single dads.  I feel I could not do this alone.

Then,  I hold my girl during a moment of peace.  I look at her beautiful face, and know for sure that I could do anything she needed.

Beach baby, beach baby there on the sand...

All the days of the year.

Andie had her first trip to the beach today, and it was a blast!  I cant wait to take her back.

Southern California finally got its act together and started justifying our rent differential.   The sun came back, the surf came back, and the world was set right.  The stage was set for an epic beach day.

Friends joined us, and brought their little ones to play. (and... sammies from seaside market!)  We posted up on the cliff.  The ladies chatted, the boys slid some tiny peelers, and the stoke was flowing.  Today was the kind of day I dreamed about after I learned my girl was coming.  Today I feel blessed.

Also... I saw the raddest innovation.   This couple showed up with a surf rack on their stroller.  I am absolutely stealing this idea.

The womenly art of (rogue) breast feeding.

Tonight we tried our hands at our first night outing.  We've gone out twice! during the day at this point,  so hell, we are experts.  No problem.

or... maybe a few problems

We attended the 25th anniversary screening of the best worst surf film ever made, North Shore.  Rick Kane and Turtle were both on deck.  I was really excited. 

To say that there would be a stoked crowd of hooting surf bros there would be dead on accurate.   Amazing right!   To say this is the perfect venue for a week old baby would be... less than accurate.  Ho hum.

We learned a few things.   First,  get there early.   We showed up late and the place was packed, no room for strollers.  Turns out a new key factor in my night life is...  stroller room!

Second,  standing outside is fine, but only until the salty surf dogs roll out for a smoke.  Then your wife stands far off in a dark corner to protect your baby,  making you feel and look like a complete ass when you look up from your glassy eyed nostalgiagasm, only to realize your abandoned family looks like background from a set of les miserables.

There were positives.  The best thing about the night was watching marin rogue breastfeed Andie on the street at night.   Right there,  under a street lamp,  next to the random bbq joint,  she plugged that baby in.  That lady never ceases to impress.

Shaka to ya bruddha...

The nature and destiny of moms

Moms are not to be trifled with.   You might think I would have learned this lesson ages ago, having one myself,  and being the recipient of mothering first hand.   And I might have thought I knew this thing, but I did not, not until I was a dad... 

Now I have witnessed the true strength of mothers.  Now I have a deep knowing that moms, are definitely not to be trifled with.

I, for example,  get a bit pissy if I haven't had lunch yet today.

Marin,  by stark contrast, has slept maybe 10 hours in a week,  while intermittently having her nipples sucked raw and her life force drained out her boobies.  All the while being wonderfully happy and a joy to be around.   That is true mom strength, and I am really impressed.

Haute baby

I did not secretly play with dolls as a kid...

but, maybe i should have... I am really enjoying playing dress up with my baby.  

What a difference a week makes

My little girl is a week old today.  It is incredible how much her face has changed in such a short time.   Her personality hasn't changed though.   I've got photos of her on day 1, and this morning making the same cute face at us.

Her life this last week must have been amazing.   Every single thing is brand new.   I wish there was a drug I could take to see the world though her eyes... id be a junky in no time.

Dr. Feelgood

Andie is a full fledged cetified healthy human.  We had our first doctors appointment today and Andie got full marks.  And a shot!  Only one small squak of a cry.  She was a tough girl, just like her mom.  (Dad is a giant wussy) 

An outing!

We have left the building.   Yesterday we took Andie on her first field trip.  We walked all the way across the street to get some coffee!   The literal other side of the tracks!

The hardest part of this adventure was waiting until noon to get my first coffee.  This is not due to sloth on Andie's part, she is ready to party.  Its her parents.  They have become stupid.

It turns out sleep deprived 30 somethings don't organize their thoughts all that well, and getting showered and dressed is a half days work.   I hope we get better at this, I can't go back to work coffee deprived.

Also,  I have been told there are typos in my blog.   I can't apologize since the truth is, I hate spelling.   I blame this app for being behind the times and not having a spell check.   Please try your best to discern my intentions from the random jumble of letters I give you.

Cheers.

Many more to come

Good morning.  We survived our first night at home and we are still stoked out of our minds.

This is such a fun adventure.

I'm a real dad now

We are home! We left the hospital behind and have joined the world of functional independent parents.   No more nurses on the other end of a button.   No more endless supply of whipes and daipers.  No more heated hospital room....

And most concerning of all... no more dad goes home and gets a full night of sleep!  We will see how this new development shapes up in the coming days

Does a body good.

Andie started getting the good stuff today.  MILK!  The real deal fatty stuff kicked in and Andie is into it big time.   Shes in a feeding frenzy.

My infant appetite is famous in family circles, so I expect no less of my girl.  I expect to have a chubby cherub in no time.

One surprise.  With the milk, baby's metabolizum is in high gear.  Before today she was only happy with no less than a 2 blanket burritoing.  But a milk fed Andie is happy to party topless.  Not that she is an exhibitionist mind you.  She is very modest.  I just think its great to see her little arms and legs for a change.

My baby wants to box you, and you'll lose.

I've learned about crying today.  Not just crying, but all out, incomprehensible, this bright cold world is just too much so shove me back in there, balling.

And its cute as hell.  The best thing is how she snarfles, snorts like a pig, in fits and starts when she cries.  Its almost my favorite thing about her.

Now I know these episodes will eventually lead to the slow demise of mine and my wife's sanity, but for now I'm going to enjoy them.

I love this photo so much.

I feel like I can really see what she will look like here.

A day and a half

I'm a day and a half into fatherhood.  I feel great and Marin is doing amazing.  She is already up and walking. Her attitude is inspiring and impressive.  I could not of picked a better partner for this journey into full fledged adult responsibility.

Andie is even better than yesterday.  For example, she has fantastic taste in music.  Marin played ratatat constantly while she was driving over the last 9 months and now those dulcid guitar laden electrotunes are Andie's favorite lullabyes.  I'm so proud.

I'm learning a lot about breastfeeding today.   I'm impressed moms.  This does not look fun.  Its beautiful and amazing... but ive had bloody nipples from surfing and I know that a little suction monster is not going to soothe those fiery udders.  I heard her detache earlier and it was loud.. that kid can SUCK!

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

This is my daughter.  I suppose that maybe makes me an adult now.

Her name is Andelyn Packard Vaughn.  But ill call her Andie.


She was born at 4:04am on 1/10/13.

She weighed 8lbs and 11 ounces. She was 21 and 3/4 inches tall.

Her mom tried beyond reason to push her out naturally for two full days.  But, without her waters to protect her, baby Andie needed to come out sooner than nature could make it happen.  So in the earliest morning and longest evening of all our lives, her mom and I welcomed baby Andie into the world with the wonders of modern science.

Ive learned so many lessons already in my daughter's first day.   Here are a few:

Poop on mom is funny.  Poop on me is also pretty funny (for now).

Babies are surprisingly pliable, and surprisingly strong.

My feet beat Marin's feet in the great evolutionary gamble.

And I love her to bits.

My plan is to only post photos here, and not on the social media industrial complex, so please check back often.  I'm off work for a while, and its my hope to update this log daily while I'm a full time dad.

Thanks and Cheers
Ryan