Ezra Scott Caceres

OUR NEW FAMILY PORTRAIT   Little Ezra decided to join us a few days early, which was a pleasant and very welcome surprise.  He arrived on Monday, May 18th at 10:03 in the morning.  He's a long and skinny little cutie~weighing in at 6 lbs 13 oz and measuring 20 3/4 inches long.  We think he's pretty cute.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY here in the city have been amazing!  We have received such an outpouring of love and support.  The Gilmore family were Ezra's first official visitors.  Ruby, Max, and Luke are going to be amazing cousins. 

A lot of us got NEW TITLES on Monday...  mother, father, uncle, grandma, and grandpa.  Grandma Kathy was on the road within an hour of finding out that Ezra was born.  We won't tell you how long it took her to drive here because we want you to think that she is a good, law-abiding grandma.  The important thing is that she made it in time to visit us in the hospital on day one.  Look at her smile!

Our little Ezra-bean got to come HOME with us on the 20th.  We've had a great time just having family time and getting to know each other.  As Martin said while rocking Ezra our first day home, "This is the life!"

Last Trip as Non-Parents

A couple of weeks ago Martin and I took our last trip as non-parents.  It was a last minute thing.  We decided on a Wednesday night that we would leave the next day for a little weekend jaunt around D.C.  (Thank you Chinatown Bus for making the trip between New York and D.C. so affordable and convenient for those of us without cars!) Martin hadn't been since middle school, so it was pretty much a whole new experience for him.  The weather was perfect and we were able to do and see a lot in our short time there. Below are 

pictures of a few of our trip highlights.

We visited the National Zoo.  This is Martin being a good sport when I insisted on taking this picture because of his uncanny resemblance to the panda statue.

This is a picture of Martin's favorite thing at the zoo--watching the construction of the new elephant habitat.  Who wants to watch animals when you have the option of watching big machines push dirt around?

We visited many a museum.  Museum highlights include seeing the Star-Spangled Banner at the Museum of American History (I had no idea it was so big!), the new Wright Brothers exhibit at the Air and Space Museum, and our visit to the Museum of the American Indian, which I had never been to before.  

And this is me being a good sport when Martin insisted on taking this picture because of my uncanny resemblance to this statue in the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden.  (Yes, I know...the purple shirt is not flattering at all.  I haven't worn it since I saw these pictures.  Sometimes it's just to late to go back and change things.)

Overall, it was a good trip...as you can tell from our happy smiling faces.  My only complaint is that pregnant feet don't like to be walked on for 10 hours a day.  As I told my parents on the phone, it was "really good to get out of the city for a few days."  I quickly realized what I had just said and wondered at what point does Washington D.C. stop qualifying as a city in one's mind? Oh the things that living in New York can do to a person perspective! 

Rainy Days Have Their Advantages

Once I motivated myself to go out into the rain today, I realized that rainy days in New York are really among the best days to go to the park.  It was empty and I was able to enjoy a walk around the Conservatory Garden and Harlem Meer in solitude.  It was beautiful and peaceful.  I'm grateful for today's rain.

Not the Cute Little Belly I Was Hoping For

One month to go.  Actually, let's not add any unnecessary days to the countdown...25 days to go.  It's not easy being HUGE.  This picture actually is flattering because I'm pretty sure I appear larger in real life.  I have dreams at least weekly in which I am running and I feel so light and fast.  I will get there again!  I already have the jogging stroller all set up and ready to go.  

I never knew that days could go by so slowly!  We are so ready for our little guy to come and the anticipation is killing me.  He seems very active and healthy.  Martin is convinced that all of the kicking is an effort to escape from the confines of my belly, but I told him that baby obviously  has plenty of room based on the size of my abdomen and that he shouldn't worry.