the real deal holyfield

Hi Auntie!

commffffyyy

Hey there, sorry (even though you’re NEVER supposed to apologize for not globbing, but I’ll break precedent) for my prolonged absence from this here space. All is well, the little girl is doing fantabulous, she’s got a pediatrician appointment tomorrow at which point we’ll see if her fantabulousness is continuing at its current pace, which of course it naturally of course most definitely is in regards to her incredible essence as this beautiful little being, now the hope is that the health front will keep up with the magical essence side of the coin, and at this point, well, it is.

Wellie now, here it is a day or two later after I wrote the above. So. The kid is doing great. We took her into the pediatrician yesterday, and her thyroid is looking A-OK, her platelette count is up in normal range, the only thing really is that her muscle tone is a bit on the low side, but I swear she’s getting stronger every day. It is truly amazing, every day the kid looks more like a kid, you know what I mean? She’s still a baby, obviously (1 month tomorrow) but I hold her and look down into her little eyes and there’s more and more awareness & more & more distinction and it’s like, wow, I’ve got a little daughter here, she’s really starting to take note of what the world’s all about. Hope she likes what she sees.

The visit from my folks was great. My sister came out as well. A good time was had by all. They all fell instantly in love with the little one of course, and everyone cooed and oohed and aahed and squeezed and pinched and kissed, etc. We’re still on the chicken little side of the equation and have not told them about the DS. The rationale, which I think I mentioned in an earlier post, was to let them soak in and fall in love with the baby without any prejudice or preconceived notions, just grandparents and auntie meeting baby. And it went swimmingly, so much so that it’s scary to do anything to break the magic bubble, har har.

I’m getting ready to make the call though. Tell my folks the real deal lennox lewis. Was going to do it this week and drop the news on them but they’re leaving on a month long trip to the east coast and Europe in a couple days and it just didn’t seem fair to tell them right before that. One more month won’t a giant difference make. Let them enjoy their trip and I’ll tell them when they get back. I promise, yes, I will tell them when they get back. It will be a relief. I swear on the ancient moonstone of Babylon.

It’s funny, because to us, it’s just not a big deal any more. She’s doing so well, she’s just like any other kid, to us at least, so I find myself forgetting that she’s even got “it.” I know it’s unfair, though, to both my family and her, to wait too long, because I don’t want sneaking suspicions to grow over time or uncomfortable situations or yadda yadda yadda what have you. Get it over and done with I will, yoda said.

Anyway, besides that little bit of background drama, all is well. The little one is feeding like a champ, drinking more every day, we put her down for her “tummy time” a few times every day, which sometimes she loves and sometimes she hates. She was especially angry at us last night after an extended tummy session during which she screamed and cried, but hey kiddo, them’s the breaks. It ain’t all flowers and bunny rabbits, no pain no gain. She’s a tough kid, though, she made it this far, and she’s kicking ass, taking names, and I have every optimism that that trend will continue.

Hope all is well for you all. Aloooohaaa.

hello, I have not written here for quite some time. The baby is doing fine, better than fine actually. Very very healthy, we are very very blessed. Above is a picture of her just one or two days old, when we were still at the hospital. She's a little over 2 weeks now.

Thyroid test came back today with the all clear. Heart is perfectly normal and healthy. Blood platelette count was down a bit last week but now within normal range. Some jaundice in the week after birth but that’s been cleared up. Aside from the jaundice and the platelette count, both resolved, and both apparently not linked in any higher rate of occurrence to down syndrome, we have had virtually no signs of any health problems, despite quite thorough checkups and monitoring. our pediatrician has been ON IT, and we were happy to hear the easter seals people (see below) sing her praises as well.

Seeing as to the fantastic health we have not yet started nutrivene, pediatrician took a look at the bottle but said to hold off, that most of that stuff is in mom’s prenatal vitamin. I looked and there’s way more stuff in the nutrivene, but does a baby that for all intents and purposes seems to be doing absolutely fabulously need those extras? Is mother nature of the third chromosome exerting a hold toward something unforeseen? We shall live & we shall learn. As shall she.

Are we crazy? We still have not told anyone (besides, obviously, health professionals) about the Down Syndrome. The few people that have visited the baby have exhibited no suspicions, whether or not they have any? She seems like any other little baby to us, but we are first time parents, so who knoew? We were kind of tripping out, she doesn’t have the one line across her hands that is common with the DS, but the “M” like mom & dad. Interesting…. We find ourselves wondering, "does she really have it?" but the results of the amnio were crystal clear. three very distinct squigglies on numero 21. Things will likely manifest themselves later? Or not? But, hey, why paint the little one in a corner, as long as we are getting good medical care & they are aware, and we are taking advantage of services for her (already had a visit from easter seals and they’re working up her OT and PT program).

My parents and sister land tomorrow for a meet & greet with the new addition. I am sure the little one will charm the pants off one and all.

What else? As said, we are very blessed, very busy, and very happy. hope all is well for all of you and your respective bundles of respective joy, as well as any other entities important to you. salud and selah.

Well. I am now a father. It feels great. I am a bit tired. Sleep is at a premium. Work is on hold except for slight inclinations back toward the dollar, like right now. Er, right then. She is a beautiful little girl, innocent to the evils of the world, at least for now, and every time I look into her eyes all I see is love. And myself. And my wife. And the possibilities of this spinning orb of solid matter, how something so seemingly inane and inconsequentially disregarded (ie the chaotic surface of our fair planet) can produce this little being with little hands and little feet and little eyes that when they look at you you just melt because there is nothing like it, no feeling on God’s green earth (astronomy corner, gracias) to even compare, and you know you will do anything and everything of what could ever possibly take to protect this little being from the wherewithalls and pitfalls of the world (Gaia again?), and there will be successes and there will be failures but one thing that there will assuredly be whether the sun is rising or setting (Helios says howdy) is the feeling at the core of your being that you will fight for the side of the right, fight for the sanctity of this child’s life and happiness and moments of clarity unto death or the at that inopportune moment when your grilling up a fajita & the gates of purgatory come knocking with the nonchalance of a traveling salesmen selling goretex materials from outer space. The nonchalance being purgatory’s messenger’s, not your own, because inlying within those emotions and pathologically metered understanding nodules will be a passion unknown since x first encountered y and decided that z wasn’t such a bad idea after all, nay, verily, the best ever considered and action plan thereby enacted.

pics & more info to come.