Ari Patrick and his male role models

Ari Patrick has some good role models to follow after.
There is Grandpop

and Zaida

We are also letting Ari's uncle hold him. This is not to say we are committing one way or another regarding Dan's role model status, it is just that he is really good at playing the 'favorite uncle' card.*


*Just for the record, that full title is Favorite and Only Uncle.

Content Baby

How do we know when Ari Patrick is content? He makes his happy baby sounds of course. In fact, he is so happy we've got 2 videos to share

or here

Big Sister

There have been some question about how Tovina is taking all of this. I am very happy to report that, when not oblivious to her new brother, T is kind of excited by the whole thing. She especially likes holding Ari Patrick on the special pillow (see: Boppy). Tovina even wanted to take the pillow and Ari with her to PA. This would be the same trip that mom and dad were not coming on. I convinced her that maybe Ari Patrick would be best off staying with me.

First Bath

Yesterday Tovina took off for parts unknown (which are otherwise known as Pennsylvania) with Baba and Zaida. Their trip will last 10 days.

Left to ourselves we decided to do something wild and crazy - bathe the baby!

At first Ari Patrick was a little concerned about this suggestion..

But we have learned many things in the four years since our first child went through this process and actually managed a pretty calm and pleasant experience... until we tried taking him out of the water. Luckily there are no pictures and therefore no photographic evidence of that part of the procedure. Instead I present portrait of relaxed baby in tub.

Introducing Ari Patrick

At 5:27 am on July 6th (practically the only day in July that we don't have another family member's birthday)  Ari Patrick joined our family.

He weighed in at 8 lb 14 oz (a pound and a half bigger than his sister even though he was a week earlier) and came out with round little legs and arms.

Pretty darn exciting.