Kieran's 2nd week

It's been a fun week with little Kieran. He's kept us busy for sure! We've had many visitors stopping by with home cooked meals and fresh baby-holding arms. It's been loads of fun showing off our little one. He prefers napping on us but the couch pillows and Shiway's beautiful crocheted blanket will do in a pinch. Thanks Shiway! Kieran loves his blanket - you'll see we take it everywhere :)


Bushka and Grandaddy (Kaufman) sent a wonderful rocking chair that has turned into the house favorite. It's my primary nursing spot but Kieran shows here that nursing isn't all it's good for. He melts if you rock him long enough.


Kieran had his first home bath last week. It was just a quick wipe down with a wash cloth but you'd have thought we were trying to drown him for all the fuss he gave us! To get back at us Kieran peed as soon as we wrapped him in a clean towel and set him in his little chair. He's quite the covert wetter...we still haven't caught him in the act. We can keep him naked as long as we want and he'll stay dry. The moment you turn him on his belly or throw a blanket over him it's all over. Pee city. Thanks to Hieke for the great bath towel...it's officially been christened ;)

Grandpa and Grandma Lee (Nielson) gave Kieran his super comfy vibrating chair. Boy, what an important little piece of furniture! It's really our only baby "helper" and it's great when I need five minutes hands free to run to the outhouse or to brush my teeth. Sometimes it even works as an afternoon nap spot. Here he is vibrating away. I wouldn't mind one in my size.

What a sweet little boy. We've had more awake time with Kieran this week. He's much more content to sit back and take in his surroundings these days. We've discovered that he's got the most beautiful deep blue eyes and his little sleep smiles have given us a preview of his perfect little baby grin - complete with little baby dimples. Can't wait to see it for the first time during his waking hours! He loves his squirrel suit (what we call his "mommy's nuts" shirt) from Auntie April. Thanks April!

Happy New Year!

What a start to 2008 for us! It's been a wonderful first four days with our little sweetie. He's still happy and content, we're still surprisingly rested, and the kitties have already accepted our new little creature into the pride. It's been a smooth and delightful transition into parenthood. In the last 24 hours we've also managed to come to a decision on a name for this little guy. So, at the risk of being awfully impersonal, but to avoid several days of phone calls that we can't seem to manage already we hope announcing here will be forgiven. That said, we are pleased and excited to introduce our beautiful little son,

Kieran Wester Kaufman

We checked and it turns out that he is in fact the cutest little Alaskan born on the last day of 2007. We thought so. All the best to our family and friends in the coming year!

Coming home

Welcome home baby! We brought our little muffin home after 12 hours of lounging around our comfortable room at the birth center. It was such a sweet feeling to bring this little one home with us. He fits right in. Here he is sporting the fluffy down bunting I bought for him about 6 years ago - one of the reasons I knew we wanted a winter baby :) All this time I thought it would be too small. Not quite!


He's the best late Christmas present we could have ever asked for. Do storks fly down chimneys too?

Max working his magic. The exercise ball is the best crying baby cure around. Look how much we've learned in the first 18 hours of parenthood!

Auntie Rachel stopped by in the evening to bring us a hot, home cooked dinner (her excuse) and to meet the baby she stuck around to help us with over her holiday break. Bless you Rach! We were in need of some taking care of and food was the last thing on our minds. We owe you for that one!

The baby took to cabin living easily, starting out with a nice nap on the couch. Our first night together was peaceful and cozy and even included some good solid sleep. This little guy has been an expert eater from the start (did anyone have any doubt?) and he falls asleep easily after a good meal. So far he couldn't be easier. Or cuter.

It's a Boy!!

Ta Da!! After 42 weeks and a whopper of a last day our little boy was born in the early hours of New Years Eve. He entered the world screaming and didn't stop for 30 minutes...must have had a lot to say about how long it took his momma to push him out! Maybe he got it out of his system because he's been a happy little baby ever since. Here he is just a few hours after he was born. His stats: 8 lbs. 9 oz. and 21 inches long. Head: 14 3/4 inches. Yowsah!


We managed to pull off the out of hospital birth just under the wire, getting labor started just 6 hours before the dreaded deadline. It was a huge relief to go ahead with our plans with the midwives and everything worked out just as we had hoped. The birth was uncomplicated and relatively quick at around 8 hours, though 3 of those hours were spent trying to push this baby Kaufman head the final two inches - poor baby! (And I think Max will agree...poor momma!)


Max's first time holding his little son. He's a natural baby soother and has been a huge help while I've been recovering. This baby likes to bounce and bouncing isn't in the cards for me at the moment. Luckily Daddy likes his job and happily volunteers to take even our temporarily unhappy little baby boy.

Our fantastic midwife Vanessa helped Max give the baby his much needed first bath. Here he is all pink and clean.

Ten fingers and ten toes. Perfect and healthy. We couldn't be happier. Thanks to all of our wonderful family and friends for your support and encouragement and good wishes. We can't tell you how much you all mean to us and how important you have been through this whole experience. We look forward to introducing our little boy to all of you soon!