Iris Visitors & Merry Christmas!

Iris has had many visitors since being born on 11/21, so I thought I'd post some of the pictures we've taken. Oldest photos are on top (the first 2 are from the day Iris was born) and the newest are at the end, taken on Christmas Day. (Click each image to view full size)

Here's Aunty Robin - Iris' first visitor at Ballard Swedish Hospital

Aunty Kris - Iris' first visitor who brought a dead camera battery:

Iris' first actual Aunty to visit - Irene's sister Shirley, who visited
from Portland during Thanksgiving weekend

Irene's sister Sheila - the first sibling to fly in (from NYC) to see Iris:

Jim's friend Eddie - I've known him since 8th grade (that was in 1978!!!)

Jim's first sibling to visit, Aunty Geegy (AKA Denise)

Here's Iris sharing Aunty Geegy's lap with Freddy.
I don't think Freddy much cared for this arrangement.

Jim's Dad Gerry, AKA Pepere Martel - the first grandparent to visit.
Note Iris' smile - that was the first time we caught her smiling on camera--
usually she only smiles in her sleep.

Here's one with mom & dad on Christmas day - she's wearing the
"Baby's First Christmas" jammies that Aunty Geegy got for her

Finally here's one of Iris & Freddy with their first ever Christmas tree

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

My Baby's Getting Big, My Baby's Getting Bigger; Rock Shows!

Iris had her 4 week weigh in appointment yesterday and though we knew she had gained some weight, we were very happy to hear that she's now 8 lbs 6 ozs, up from 7 lbs 2 ozs 16 days earlier. That's a gain of 20 ounces in 16 days, above the ounce a day our doctor said she should gain.

We were very happy to hear that all of Irene's hard work nursing has been paying off. It's pretty obvious looking at old vs new pictures that she's getting bigger but not as obvious when you're around her all the time like we are.

Here's the proof : a pic from the day we brought her home:Compare that to this one from last week:And this one from earlier this week (so tired!):It's amazing how she changes from day to day when you look at the pics. and I bet I'm the first parent to ever make that observation, right?

ALSO: We've been discussing the number of rock shows that Iris attended while still inside so I compiled a list of them:

• 3/29 The Tragically Hip The Moore Theater Bad seats, great show as usual from the Hip.
• 4/25 The Kaiser Chiefs The Showbox Great newer Brit band, great live
• 5/3 The Arctic Monkeys The Showbox LOUD, bouncy floor show. I think we were the oldest people there.
• 5/6 Morrissey Paramount Theater A typical 3 shirt night for sweaty Moz
• 5/13 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club The Showbox Great live show from a great underrated band
• 6/7 The Police Key Arena One of the first shows on their first tour in 20+ years - pretty good! I had no idea how good a drummer Stewart Copeland was until we saw them live.
• 8/12 The Redwalls Chop Suey Sparsely attended late Sunday night show - good band though.
• 9/2 Crowded House, Pete Yorn, Liam Finn Schnitzer Hall Portland CH's return tour in Portland over Labor Day weekend. We saw CH at Roseland in NYC back in '95 - Sheryl Crow opened that one - that's how long ago that was.
• 9/18 Editors Chop Suey One of our favorite newer Brit bands, along with Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys, etc. Great to be able to see them in such a small club (with Millsy!).
• 10/8 The Cure Key Arena This one was cancelled, but I'm sure Iris would have liked it
• 11/17 Travis The Moore Lead singer Fran Healy (he has small kids too) rubbed Irene's belly & kissed it for luck when they entered the hall from the back to start the show. Iris was born 4 days later. We joked that if she went into labor at the show we'd have to name the baby Travis, but Iris was able to hang in there for a few more days--I guess she didn't want to be one of those girls with a boy's name.

Iris also went to Fenway Park on Memorial Day (5/28) for a Sox win over eventual ALCS opponent Cleveland, and maybe 20 Mariner games at Safeco, so she's not just a rocker chick, okay? She's a sports fan too

Iris Fashion Show

Hey everyone - Apologies for the week-plus it's been since I uploaded any photos to this here blog. I'll try to upload less photos more often from now on.

Here's Iris wearing some of the new outfits she's received.

Sherpa hat from Joe & Andrea (It's kind of big for her--hopefully it'll still fit next winter):Iris's first party was last Saturday - a Hanukkah party at the Rossans (Izzie's parents) with the Woosters (Sebastian & Helena's mom & dad) & Policars (Sarah's). The bib Iris got says 'Chanukah' not 'Hanukkah'- I never know which way is right:The Hannawalts (Henry's parents) gave her a set of Red Sox gear (somehow word got out that her dad's a fan):Arlene and Dan's daughter 17 month old girl Cornelia will be supplying Iris with lots of hand me downs, I think. Here she is in one of them, a sweet tie dyed number (with visiting cousins Ryan & Emily:Davis's parents Beth & Scott gave Iris this cute one from the Gap's RED line:Here's one from Jim's dad--us French Canadians call our grandpas Pepere. And that's a personalized Christmas cookie from Aunt Kris up in the corner there.

Lastly, Irene wanted to buy Iris a hoodie so we picked one up last week. She was sleeping on the couch in it & kind of rolled over on her side and ended up looking like a drunk sleeping one off in the park. I couldn't stop myself from adding a prop & taking this one:Iris - please forgive your daddy for it not being Makers Mark.
The Knob Creek was right there on the counter when the photo op happened.

Happy Due Date Iris!

Today is Iris' due date - December 5. We'd never have guessed that she would have arrived 2 weeks early but could not be happier with our little girl.

Happy Due Date Iris!

Love, Mom & Dad

Iris' first few days at home

Iris has been home since last Tuesday & getting used to being home with mom & dad since then--sleeping a LOT, eating whenever she feels like it, dirtying many many diapers, living the life! Sorry I haven't updated with new photos in a while - here are a bunch:

Here's our girl in the car seat for the first time, ready to leave the hospital & finally come home with mom & dad. (Not sure why she's giving dad the finger in this one - hopefully she won't do that too often once she knows what it means)

Here she is ready to go with mom & being carried into the house for the first time by dad

Some couch time with Daddy & Fred (not quite sure about that cat yet)and look how damn cute I am!

Yesterday (saturday 12/1) it snowed in Seattle and mom & dad decided it would be a good idea to get baby Iris dressed up in her Winnie the Pooh snowsuit (thanks Baltazars!) & have her experience the winter wonderland. Iris had other ideas - I think she was asleep the whole time we had her bundled up and outside.

This last one is a movie of Iris with the hiccups - not sure if the upload will work or not but I sure hope it does because it's pretty funny!

More pics soon!

Love,
Jim Irene Iris & Fred