Our First Week


As all you parents know... not a lot of sleep. But we are going with the flow and enjoying the twilight walks in the living bouncing up and down and trying to remember old high school fight songs to sooth him back to sleep. Anything...



His jaundice is coming down and we think he may be heading more towards a routine and less of the fussy cluster feeding. Have almost not let the apartment with my sister helping with groceries and great friends stopping by for a couple hour diversion here and there. Thank You!!

Everyday he is developing more alertness and a personality. We survived our first sponge bath, lost the belly button tie, first pee on mommie and daddie (but thanks to Auntie's pee pee tee pee things should be a bit dryer now). We are getting some good tummie time and have come to love his deep sleep squeaks that assure mom and dad all is well in dreamland.

We have more baby books on the table than we can possible read. Guess every little bit helps give us ideas on what to try next and answers the questions of why this and that. With the freezing DC temperatures these days we don't mind being home bound with the most amazing thing we have ever seen.

Adrian's First Christmas


Well, we survived Christmas Eve (barely as you can see from the exhausted faces of mom and dad). Our first night was 'hell' with a jaundice baby cluster feeding and not knowing it was actually nighttime so we were pretty much up around the clock searching for an instruction manual or the off switch to his cries. But we finally got him down for a couple sessions sleeping in between us in bed. And wow, what an incredible feeling. THIS is our family. THIS is what it is all about. And already his subtle expressions, quirky behaviors (he squeaks when he falls into deep sleep) and unbelievably small and quite body have us memorized at every moment (plus we can't take our eyes off him for fear he my break;-)

So after spending most of Christmas back at the hospital for a follow-up test on his jaundice level (he passed) we arrived at home to introduce Adrian to his cousins. Rand, Sophia and Kate were waiting at our door with Santa hat on head and Pot Roast in hand. They took care of preparing our entire meal while we all passed both Adrian and gifts back and forth. Despite our exhaustion the time brought out the true meaning of Christmas for thanksgiving, family blessings, love and good fortune. Of course so many of our other immediate family members were far far away so we skype videoed and chatted with those we could. I guess now it is no longer about us but about him. Proven by the fact that all our presents (for the most part) revolved around our little man. Books, toys, clothes and my big gift...a hiking backpack for Adrian. Not to mention the biggest present of all. HIM!

Chistmas night Carol from Kate...

Coming Home from Hospital

Wow. Let the games begin. Yes time seems to start to stand still when you have to figure it all out on your own. It is 10pm and we have NO idea how we got from our 11:30 discharge. Some memorable highlights already include getting him all set up in the Christmas Onesie with swaddle and him pooping require a second change, re-wrap and then he got sick on that one. But we did emerge and he LOVED his first car ride home. And tons of the white fluffy still stuck on the ground for us to climb over to get him into his new home. We showed him all around and he seems to be comfortable in his new environment. And we celebrated with our first change and pee going everywhere. And then daddie did a not so brilliant change and his next poopie ended up all over the Christmas Onesie and the swaddle. Now I know what parents mean that the washer seems to run non-stop. And the rest of the hours ticked away between boob and sleep. Stacey my sister has arrived to celebrate and assist us over the holiday. Thank God!

Will post his first Christmas celebration with the Kirkbrides and the cousins tomorrow.

Introducing Adrian Samuel Kirkbride

Born Monday morning, Dec 21 (Winter Solstice) 10:14am at 6.2lbs (2.7kg) and 19inches long. Mother and baby are fantastic and we appreciate the love and support from all of you. Hope you enjoy Adrian's first shots and the video we shot shortly after his birth.

Happy Holidays and New Year!!!!