Stop Hitting Yourself!

Tesla can get very violent with her own self when she gets fussy. Usually this takes the form of raking her teeny tiny fingernails across her tiny fragile face. The doctor said it's normal and not to worry too much — baby faces heal fast.

Today while I was changing her, she started screaming like I've never heard her scream — like I had put her down on some thumbtacks or something. As I tried to figure out what was wrong, I looked at her head. No fingers in her eyes, and all eyes still intact and in their sockets.

She was pulling her own hair.

While reaching out, routinely, for something to grab, she had gotten a teeny tiny fistful of hair and started pulling. The pain made her tighten every muscle in her body, including the relevant fist-making muscles in the hand. I took me a few seconds to figure out how to get her to let go without damaging either her head or her hand. When I did, she drifted instantly into a contented slumber.

Babies, am I right?

I Have Hidden My Baby...

I have hidden my baby
somewhere on my person.
You are free to look anywhere for it.
I will think little of you
if you do not find it.

Tesla Making Faces

Not much more to this video than a 10-day-old baby making faces. Before we turned on the camera, she ran through a huge succession of expressions, like a master actor demonstrating her craft. We only caught a fraction of her repertoire.

Bridget says I should dub a version with silly voices. Perhaps I shall. But until then:

Two videos

Here are two videos from the first 10 days of Tesla's life.

The first is long, and you don't need to watch all of it to get the point:

Don't Wake the Baby, Can't Wake the Baby

And here is the first of a series demonstrating the effect of sleep deprivation on Broomfields:

Welcome to Centering

Back home (at the rented house)

We were discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon, and returned to the house in Harpswell, where Bridget's mom Sue, My mother Pam, and my stepfather Mike are around to make sure we remember to eat, bathe, and change our clothes. Of course, they will also share their child-rearing experience, and — when we ask for it —their advice. But ONLY when we ask for it — right, everybody?

Okay, so before we left the hospital, we took some more pictures:

Bridget and Tesla

An unplanned wardrobe color convergence (thanks for the shirt, Sue!)

 Then, we took pictures at the house:

Baby's first home-bath

After you become a father, food no longer seems impressive

Megan and David brought Sophia, Antonia, and Christianna to gaze upon their youngest cousin

Sleeping babies make me sleepy. Also, look at my temples: GREY HAIRS. It begins.

Tesla has adorable froggy legs. She likes to sleep on your chest with her arms stretched out and encompassing you. If you move too much she will tighten her grip on you. She smells like a fresh new baby. We can't wait for you to meet her.

Science rules?

I saw a couple checking out of maternity and went to look at their baby. It looked very much like my baby. All the babies here look pretty similar. I asked the child's name.
     "Sagan," said the mom.
     "Really!" I replied, overjoyed that there was another science baby on the ward. What were the odds? "Named for Carl Sagan?" I gushed, eager to tell her about Tesla.
     She winced slightly. "No... Tyler. " When I looked blank, she elaborated: "Bruins."
     Ah. An awkward silence.
     She named her baby after Tyler Seguin, a hockey player.

Tesla Ogden Broomfield

Tesla Ogden Broomfield

July 11, 2012

9:36pm EDT

at

Mid-Coast Hospital

123 Medical Center Drive

Brunswick, ME 04011

8lbs 12.7oz

20.5" tall

-----

Sorry for the delay in the information! The hospital's wi-fi service is terrible, so I'm out at Starbucks for this quick update. Meanwhile, our camera is just terrible, so a lot of the pictures we got were blurry, too dark, or washed out. But here's a quick set of photos until we can ge the better ones off Deirdre's camera.

Before it got really hectic, this was Bridget's belly

Tesla Ogden Broomfield

Our precocious baby feeding almost immediately after entering the world

Swaddled!

---------

Okay, a quick timeline!

Tuesday July 10

• 9pm — Bridget begins to feel frequent bouts of what feel like menstrual cramps. We eat some chicken and corn.
• 11pm — Bridget heads to bed, thinking she'd better rest while she can.

 Wednesday July 11

• 1:30am — Bridget moves to the couch, not wanting her inability to fall asleep to keep Jeremy awake (very considerate!)
• 3am — Bridget starts sleeping intermittently
• 7am — "I guess this is probably labor, huh?"
• 8am — Bridget takes a bath.
• 11am — Previously scheduled ultrasound at the hospital. Everything pretty okay.
• 12pm — Upstairs to Midwifery Suite. Natalie Rockwell looks at the results, agrees that all is pretty okay, and examines Bridget for progress. HOLY CRAP she's dilated 6cm and the cervix is "paper-thin"! Let's admit you right now to the Maternity Ward! We call Bridget's sister Deirdre (Brunswick resident, M.D. with baby-delivering experience, and all-around awesome human being to have in the room!) and tell her to head over.
• 1pm — As Bridget is admitted, Jeremy rushes back to house to feed Sonmi-451 and cancel her appointment with the veterinarian (lucky dog); grabs all the stuff we'll need at the hospital.
• 2pm-7pm — Bridget's contractions get stronger and more frequent, she breathes through it all. She starts to feel her first urge to push. 
• 8:00pm — We head to the birthing tub. Lots of amazing support from an amazing staff headed by midwife Angela Ripley. Lots of pushing and breathing.
• 9:36pm — Baby arrives! Then other stuff happened, none of it worth putting into this quick timeline. Pam and Mike Benning arrive after heroically driving up from NYC to watch the house and the dog while we're in the hospital. Lots of calls made to family. Eventually, sleep.

 Okay that's it for now! I love you all!

40w 3d: Contractions have begun

Contractions kept Bridget up all night, but they are irregular and don't meet the 4-1-1 test (4 minutes apart, lasting longer than 1 minute, for over an hour). We've got a scheduled ultrasound anyway at the hospital, so we'll see if we're getting close to admittance.

Due date here, but no baby yet

Hey all, we've been getting some calls wondering if the baby came exactly on time. The answer, as the odds predicted, is no. Around 5% of babies arrive on the official due date.

Today Bridget is going for a ride on Deirdre's boat, and then Dre, Myles, Megan, David, Sophia, Antonia, and Christianna will come over for dinner (Marc will tend to Fiona, who has a fever).

Tomorrow we meet again with the midwives. We will try to schedule an appointment with Eliza Nichols's acupuncturist, whom Eliza believes helped kickstart her labor.

Bridget is constantly eating frozen treats.

Due date arrives; baby remains inside.

More Photos at 39w4d

Lobsters, okay?

1-point perspective in Wiscasset, ME

Megan, Bridget, Deirdre, and Fiona outside the Midori concert at Bowdoin

Sophia likes Midori, too

Nathan Nichols and Bridget (39w2d) at Popham Beach State Park