Welcome to the world Baby Pyrex- soon to be named Nicolas Lois Lowry.
Baby Nico arrived two weeks late, born via easy C section (first one of the day!). He was immediately whisked away to be checked by the pediatrician. During all of the poking and prodding, Nico followed his Daddy’s voice, straining toward the only thing familiar to him in this new and scary world! The operating room was bright, cold, intense and full of scary instruments, but Derek bravely took care of all of us.
July 23, 2024 9:12 am
Gommy arrived just before visiting hours ended on Nico’s first day. She helped us pick his name - the final push away from Pyrex - and looked after Mordechai while we were in the hospital. Nico’s great aunt, Tante Susie visited a couple of days later. I am so glad she and Nico met before she passed away. Nico showed excellent judgment from his early days. His skepticism at NYC traffic and quick embrace of Mordechai confirmed that we got a sweet, smart cookie.
Nico did this for months, often while nursing. We love his sweet wiggle.
After Nico’s first bath, which he did not like, he settled in for snuggles and milk-milk. We were listening to music; when Redemption Song came on, he stopped drinking and turned his head to listen to the music. Derek and I both burst in to tears. One of the first of many things Nico did to amaze us. He showed his sleep-resisting tendencies early on. When swaddled, he resisted as much his newborn body allowed. Every night from his bassinet we heard, “Eh, eh, eh, eh” (hilariously reminiscent of Beavis and Butthead), until he freed his arms from the swaddle.
I made a playlist before Nico was born'; one of the songs on it was Puff the Magic Dragon. In the first couple of weeks postpartum, with hormones running through me, I often ended up weeping when Puff came on the playlist. One day, completely serious Derek walked in and said, “I don’t want you to be more upset, but do you know why Jackie Paper left Puff? He died in World War II.” In his newborn no sleep haze, he thought the lyrics (A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys / Painted wings and giant's rings make way for other toys….) were about Jackie Paper’s plane being shot down.
Overall, our first weeks with Nico were full of sweetness and light. There were so many tender moments - from Nico getting his first kiss from Mordechai (who later walked all over him) to his first walks (introducing him to the way the trees create dappling shade to the smell of “trees” - ahh Brooklyn). Nico is a delight. He often wears an expression of great consternation - leading us to joke that he is going to call Mayor Adams to report all of our parenting mistakes - “Nico Biko calling for Mayor Adams again…” Funny parenting fail - Nico had “baby neck cheese” a yeast infection that newborns get in the rolls of their neck and I thought it was real cheese. I mean, if I can make milk, can’t he make cheese?
Nico scrunches his body like a little koala when we pick him up. He waves his arms and vogues dramatically. He fans his hands over his face while he eats, and when he is sated, folds them contentedly under his chin. Nico loves to stretch and wiggle his legs. He often looks like a conductor, dramatically waving arms to a beat that only he can hear. He’s so serious about his work, that sometimes he conducts with his feet as well. He’s taken to expressing his discontent if he doesn’t get his milk in time with his fists of fury. He’s popped Derek in the chin a number of times. He snorts and roots his head, searching for milk and if he doesn’t get latched in time, he uses the boob as a punching bag. If he’s very frustrated, he head bangs against the boob and shakes his head back and forth, refusing to latch. Sometimes he shakes his head and growls before latching. Eating is serious business. As Nico starts to feel full, he rolls his shoulder and wiggles his body in the cutest way- and of course, waves his hands dramatically.
