‘What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men …… That is what love looks like.’ - St. Augustine

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Little Henry Om


Once again, I forgot this blog even existed. One of the last remaining vestiges of Lyme Disease - memory loss. But on the plus side, I've found that memory loss has its advantages. When I re-remember something, I also get the delight that comes along with a new discovery. Like 'Hey! I forgot I have a blog! Wow! I used to write a lot! Cool!'  And thus it goes with each reaquaintance:

Hey! I forgot I have a storage unit! I wonder what's in it!
and
Wow! I forgot I have a P.O. box - look at all that mail!
or
Oops! I found three weeks of voicemail I didn't know I had!

Usually it's positive, but there are plenty of bummers too. Such as:

Damn! I missed my doctor appointment for the THIRD time in a row. I wonder if he's going to drop me as a patient now...
and
OMG! I completely forgot to take my medication all week! No wonder I'm feeling worse!
or
Oh No! I signed up for a yoga class and forgot about it and now its the LAST WEEK OF CLASS!

All of the above are actual experiences I've had since we moved to Gloucester. I have had to learn to forgive myself and just accept this handicap right now, hoping it will get better in time. My doctor says my brain just needs more time to heal,but that it WILL come back. I trust him.

So, now that I've rationalized my long absence, I'll gush. :)

I'm a Nana. 

That bears repeating: 

I'M A NANA!

Nothing nothing nothing compares to waking up to a newborn every day. It's honestly better than any drug. It's a very powerful antidepressant that just floods my life with goodness. I'm in love, truly madly, deeply and I still wake up incredulous that he's here and he's ours.

Nastia is an amazing mom. I didn't expect that. I expected she'd be overwhelmed and frustrated and, honestly, whiny. She is none of those things. She is a new happier, more patient and loving version of herself. She utterly adores Henry. He is in her arms all his waking hours. Between the three of us girls, I don't think his feet will ever touch the ground! He is so loved.

I'll try to post more about him soon, and about his wild entrance into this world. it involved 27 hours of labor and an emergency c-section after almost four hours of pushing. But they both made it through, and Matilda and I were right there through it all. He was 9 pounds 13 ounces and 21 and a half inches long. 90th percentile in height and weight. And if they gauged adorability, he'd be 90th percentile in that, too. :)

Well, here are a few photos for your perusal!

Henry, 5 minutes old, with his Nana

Henry, 3 weeks old


Henry, one month old, with his Mom



Henry, 7 weeks old, with his Auntie M -
on an unseasonably balmy day last week!







7 comments:

  1. Congratulations! Such wonderful, happy news!
    Baby Henry looks adorable, as does his mother, nana and aunt :-). Such a gift in itself that Nastia emerged an even better self than before!

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  2. Congratulations! I'm happy you're happy.

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    1. Thanks Ina. It's a whole new world!

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  3. 100th percentile for cute. Congratulations. And very well met.

    I love that she named him Henry.

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    1. Aww, thanks Chris. She chose Henry bc, as she explained, "Every Henry I've ever met, whether a person or an animal, has always been really kind and a good person. I want that for my baby." <3

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  4. I love your writing, thank you for the beautiful update on your family. I have been reading your blog your years! We have a son from Russia (St. Petersburg) who is now 11, we brought him home in July 2009, and live in MA, as well. I love your descriptions of both Russia and Gloucester. Henry is perfect and I am so happy for you all.💕

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