Ha ha, Universe, very funny

As many of you know, after much debate and hard talks, Laura and I decided to have a bris (circumcision) for Simon on Thursday night. It was more intense and less traumatic than I thought it would be. I'm sure I'll write more about it later. However, something happened this morning that is so ironic, I can really only laugh.

When then Mohyl (Rabbi who does the circumcision) came and was explaining the process, he kept using his left pointer finger to show us how the procedure would be done and what it would look like after. He kept using his first knuckle as the marker for where the cut would be, etc.

I took Roxie for our morning walk with the baby in the sling. Roxie, after about 5 minutes of walking, found a delicious chicken carcass to eat on the street. As I was trying to get it out of her mouth (thinking, "this is a really bad idea") she accidentally chomped my left pointer finger. Hard. Like, all the way through my nail and the whole top half of the nail came off and munched on the bottom.

Needless to say, I rushed home, a bit in shock and had poor Laura rush out of the shower to help me cut off the dangling nail, get me neosporin and Arnica to help deal with the shock. I have to go to urgent care this afternoon so they can look at it. I don't think there are stitches to be had, just a really ugly finger for a while.

So now I'm missing the top half of my nail and my finger looks...kind of like it got circumcised. Seriously.

Simon, I have one thing to say...touche

Update: Almost had to get 5 stitches but it stopped bleeding so they just put steri-strips and bandaged the hell out of it. Have to take antibiotics for 10 days and go back tomorrow. Crazy freak accident that probably was no accident at all.

Simon's Fan Club

Grandma Nola


Auntie Cathy

Auntie Molly

Uncle Skeeter

Auntie Saun-Toy

Auntie Abby

Cousin Talia

Auntie Leah

Auntie Sej and cousin Trevor

Auntie Anna

Auntie Alicia

Auntie Anne

Grandpa Bruce (Jaime's dad) holding the Little Man

Grandpappy Eddie (Jaime's stepdad) and Mamaw (Jaime's Mom)

Great Aunt Ellie (Laura's Father's Sister)

Amy, resident Fitch-Jenett photographer

Auntie Sonya

Auntie Dre

Mamaw (Jaime's Mom) and cousin Diego (Jessica's son whom Jaime accidentally caught at home about 7 years ago).

Jessica (Jaime's friend)

Auntie Karen

Auntie Jen (Laura's sister)

Uncle Reid

Auntie Leah

Grandpa Bernie (Laura's Dad)

Auntie Amanda

M.M. (Mom's Mom aka Laura's Mom)

What Happens When Politics Meets Biological Necessity aka It Takes a Village

So Simon is a tiny little peanut, 6 pounds 2 ounces at birth, and it's been hot. The result is that as of yesterday, he'd lost about 12% of his body weight, (down to 5 pounds, 6 ounces) and both the pediatrician and our midwife wanted us to supplement and give him some water with a dropper.

We met with our pediatrician first (she whizzes in for a 5 minute meeting when she comes), and she suggested formula to help get him through until Laura's milk came in. It would just be for about 24 hours and only 1/2 an ounce after he feeds, she said, and added, "I know you think I'm Satan, but it's just a little bit, it won't hurt him and he'll be totally on breastmilk in a day or so". I laughed because I do, for the most part, think formula is evil, but I also knew that biology was dictating that we do something, quickly and our doctor was telling us she really wanted us to do this!

We had some friends bring some organic formula and, with some caution, fed him a bit after he was on the breast. He did okay, but we both felt a little funny about it. A few hours later, we talked to our midwife and she was such a great voice of reason. She came over and spent 2 hours with us, weighing him on the scale he was weighed on when he was born, reassuring us that he was not steps away from death and coming up with a plan to feed him 7 minutes on the breast (he was burning too many calories with the 45 minutes spent getting skinny colostrum) with a supplement chaser every 2 hours. She suggested what at the time felt like the most radical, brilliant ideas I think I've ever heard. Using breastmilk from one of her clients or one of our friends to supplement instead of formula. DUH! Of course!

We called a lesbian family we know who consists of 2 breastfeeding moms and 2 babies, 3 months apart. They were out of town so we called one of Laura's friends from college who has a 1 year old. We did a feeding with formula, with the blessing of our midwife and then the friend brought milk over later that night. Tonight she brought over frozen milk from her downstairs neighbor who had even more than she had.

The whole concept makes me tear up...this is what women have been doing for centuries. We, especially Laura, I think, were feeling we weren't doing something right, that this wasn't natural, etc and then I thought...babies losing too much weight just after birth is NOT a new issue. What must women have done 300 years ago? Use a wet nurse to tide them over, of course. We just happen to have a phenominal community of wet nurses. We're thinking of working the college friend story into Laura's submission to her alumni quarterly :-)

It helps me remember that the most obvious solution to a problem is rarely the only solution...

p.s he looks a lot less like a starved little chicken and more like a cute little boy, as you can see

Yesteday with Auntie Jen

Today, looking very laid back and 4 ounces heavier