Welcome, Molly

Announcing:

Mary Katherine Michelle Walsh
(nicknamed Molly)

Born Nov. 13, 2006, 6:30 pm
7 lbs 10 oz, 21" long
Most beautiful baby in the world - in our unbiased opinion!

She's really very wonderful and we are amazed and awed at what a tremendous Gift we've been given in our daughter.

She is named after Mary Katherine "Aunt Kay" Walsh Franz, who until her passing 30 years ago was sister and dear friend of Patrick's father, and a much beloved member of the Walsh family. Her name also honors her Aunt Kate Kaufman, her great aunts Mary Gallagher & Mary McGrath Klest, and her great-grandmother Mary Keane Walsh.

More pictures can be found at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/agklest/Molly
http://picasaweb.google.com/agklest/MollyGoesHome

If I get a chance to write up the 85-hour birth story epic, I'll post a link to it.

* * * *

I'll let Becky tell the labor & birth story herself. Just let me say that I am humbled and awed by her strength, courage, and determination. She was amazing - working incredibly hard after 75+ hours of contractions, and even making feeble jokes between pushes!

Parenting = Learning From Mistakes

I'm is off to my first couple days of Dadding. So far, it seems like a lot of learning from mistakes. Lesson # 1, from Molly's first 24 hours - if she's relaxed, don't change a thing!!! Don't get slick ideas like "I think I'll try to burp her now", or "wouldn't she love it if I moved her so she can hear my heartbeat?" If she's happy or sleeping, don't move a freaking muscle!

I'd often thought that the newborn-sack-of-potatoes-not-yet-crawling stage was an easy stage. What I didn't realize is how much learning has to happen - we need to learn to be parents and to learn Molly's individual quirks. And she needs to learn how to be a human being. I'm very aware that I don't know squat at this point, and that the learning curve will be steep!

Molly is a champion sucker. She will suck on any and all objects found within 2 feet of her head. I often give her my pinkie finger, and she'd pull my whole hand down her throat if I'd let her. Needless to say, she's doing just great in the eating department, although she gives Becky a workout!

More later. We're about to experience Molly's first night at home.