Those of you who know my father will not be surprised that he made Jack a Bowie Knife as a birth gift. My dad has been involved with the Boy Scouts for ages and he believes that all boys need to have a knife like this while growing up. But to make a knife – from a huge hunk of steel into something that can cut things – is amazing to me. My family members are all incredibly talented, and of course my dad is no exception. He made the blade, the handle, the sheath and even the box that holds the knife. Here Jack is admiring his gift:



Someone asked me at the party on Saturday if I was enjoying motherhood. Given the fact that I'm still in quite a bit of pain from the surgery and I get almost no sleep during the night, I couldn't answer this question as I supposed he expected me to. Don't get me wrong, the little guy is great and interesting and I just can't believe that I made something so perfect and small. But I don't think the motherhood part of having an infant is necessarily enjoyable. Maybe I took the question too literally. Maybe I just should have said "yes, of course" and kept it at that.

I hope no one takes this wrong. I know there are people out there with baby fever who just want one so badly they will go to any lengths to get one. I was never in that camp. I am definitely looking forward to having conversations with him and seeing what type of person he turns out to be. As Joe often says, with our mutual good qualities he could rule the world, with our mutual bad qualities he may wind up in jail. I think motherhood will only get more interesting as time goes on.

But for now it's just eat, sleep, change diapers. I feel like I'm in a big fog driving towards the unknown. Is it a cliff up ahead? Perhaps.

He is just the sweetest little thing though. Right now he's asleep on my chest – I've figured out how to position him so I can type while he sleeps. I can't figure out my baby sling yet, so this is as close to attachment parenting as I can get until I go to the lactation consultant and get some instructions. Once the sling is up and working I think we will both be happier. At least I will have my hands free when I move about the house.

Tom and Gloria came over yesterday and watched Jack while we went to lunch. We had to time it just right and leave right after he ate. It was nice to get out of the house for a bit and spend some time with Joe. Of course I have nothing to talk about except for the baby because he's all I really do right now!

Here is Tom holding Jack. According to Gloria he hogged the baby and she hardly got to hold him at all.



Gloria got invited to some Baby Gap discount day and she brought over the cutest holiday outfits for Jack to wear to his social functions this season. His first outing will be the knitting party this Thursday night, then he has another party Saturday night. Then of course all the Christmas festivities. He is a very well-dressed baby.