Dear Sloan,
We've had you home for nine days. I wanted to write to you sooner, but the time has gone by faster than I expected. We have celebrated a lot of firsts so far:
- Your first meeting with Kona, our dog, who seemed more interested in your bassinet than you at first (but still walks by to lick you at
- Your first night at home, when we barely slept without monitors to tell us how well (or whether) you were breathing.
- Your first trip outside, when you and mom surprised me at the office for a baby shower with my coworkers.
- Your first visit with my best friend and his family, when we had such a good time that a two-hour afternoon barbecue lasted seven hours.
- Your first visit to our new pediatrician, who dressed like I did in high school almost 25 years ago (but unlike me did not forget how to speak when in a room with girls).
- Your first vaccination shots with us watching. I think you stopped crying before mom.
Those shots today seemed to make you fuss whenever mom tried to put you down, so she held you almost the entire day. I sent her to bed a few hours ago after she started getting one of her bad headaches. She needs more sleep, which means we have to be less concerned about all the noises you make all day. Everyone says they're normal, so we have to trust you are not suffering some malady or episode if we are to rest at all.
Regardless, you are doing very well at home. For the record, you are now 5lbs 15oz and 18 inches long, which is just what the doctors wanted to see. Of course, you are just what we want to see. And I am happy, so very happy, to have you with us at home just looking up at me while I finish typing this to you. Thank you. You do not know it yet, but this right now is the best gift in the whole world.
Love,
Dad
