Merry Christmas!

John's first Christmas was wonderful. Miranda started a Christmas morning tradition (on Christmas eve this year-- don't tell John!) of a "Dutch Puff" breakfast before we had a quiet family morning of opening gifts and listening to Christmas music. Then off we went to Grandma and Grandpa Baze's for more food, more gifts and a relaxing afternoon of catching up. The whole crew (including Uncle Josh) went to a candlelight mass where we witnessed a Christmas miracle of our own-- an older parishoner on an oxygen bottle holding his own candle and singing "Silent Night."

Christmas day was spent with Grandma and Grandpa Kennedy in Manhattan. John's first road trip was uneventful; his nap through the Flint Hills tells us he has yet to appreciate the splendor that Kansas offers. We had a wonderful meal, opened gifts, and played "pass the baby" as everyone got their "John fix" before the trip home.

We hope you all had equally wonderful Christmas's!

12/14: New Pics

12/1: Questionable Influences?

12/1: New Pics

Josh, thanks for the rocking chair. As you can see, it works.


John at 5 weeks.

Security breach: we typically do not let John associate with KU-types. Wilhite is the exception.

John with his great-great uncle Gene.

Kedzie, subtly reminding Zach that she still needs love too.

John at 5 weeks.

11/19: That's him in the corner...

11/19: "The Double Lionel"

Need help with "John songs" playlist

I'm trying to make a playlist of just "John songs," with either "John" in the title (e.g. "The Sloop John B" by the Beach Boys) or with"John/Johnny" as a protagonist (e.g. "I'm Straight" by the Modern Lovers).

Here's what I have so far but I I know I'm missing some good ones-- help me fill in the blanks:

I've Got a Boy and His Name is John, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash

John Law Burned Down the Liqour Store, Chris Thomas King

Johnny and June, Mike West

Farewell to John Denver, Monty Python's Flying Circus

John The Revelator, White Stripes version

My Son John, John C. Reilly

Leave Her Johnny, Lou Reed

John Henry, Gillian Welch with Old Crow Medicine Show

Johnny Get Your Gun, Old Crow Medicine Show

I Am John, Loney Dear

Johnny 99, The Boss

What am I forgetting?

11/9: Not loving, then tolerating a first bath

11/8: More Pics

11/5: We call this pose "the Lionel..."

11/5: First walk

We had about half a day of perfect fall weather this morning before a cold front moved in. We used it as an opportunity to take John for his first walk, and Kedzie for her first since the baby was born.

After Zach spent 15 minutes trying to unfold the stroller, Miranda did it with one hand and we were on our way...

11/3/07: Getting the hang of it (kind of)

I decided yesterday that, even though John was born on 10/25, I didn't really become a parent until Friday, 11/2. My rationale is pretty straightforward: on 11/2, after John's pee leaked around his diaper and onto my pants, I decided to go ahead and wear them until the end of the night.

Except for sleep, we're at least passing parenting 101. Miranda has been awesome in maintaining John's nursing schedule (he's gained 6 ounces in less than a week), the never ending stream of laundry that John generates is getting done, and we've found some time to squeeze in a couple of visitors. We're making sure we get the fun stuff in too (tummy time, story time). But we're really looking forward to moving beyond a feeding schedule of every two hours.

Of course we couldn't have made it this far without the help of our friends and family. Thanks to everyone who has brought over delicious homemade food, held John for 30 minutes of just called to see how we're doing. We appreciate all the kind thoughts and prayers.

But we know you're all here for the pictures:

John's first doctor's visit (he had three this week to check his weight, jaundice and, uhm, "first scar"-- he got the all clear this morning)

Story time (looks like Moon Man by Tomi Ungerer...)

Miranda with Lajean-- who helped keep us fed this week

John flashing his gang signs (apparently West Side is the best side)

How He Got Here

(Miranda and Zach: pre-baby, post epidural)

Wednesday night (10/24) about 7:45, Miranda and I decided to take the dog for a walk. She'd been cooped up at home for too long, and we needed to walk off some of the Chinese buffet we had downed for dinner that night. We noticed how the full moon broke through the trees like a spotlight-- bright enough to cast a shadow. We notice my brother Josh drive by on his way to get a late dinner. And we talked about the things we needed to pack to get Miranda's bag ready should we need to get to the hospital early.

We decided to cut the walk short and get home. We needed to hang some art in the nursery that we had just picked up from the framer's that night, and we wanted to get to bed.

As we approached the house, we saw Josh pull in to the driveway. He wanted to check out the baby's room, so we all went in together and looked at the crib, the mobile, the basket of stuffed animals. Everything was coming together. As he left, Josh said "All you need now is the baby."

Ten minutes later-- 4 weeks before her due date-- Miranda's water broke as she read some mail in our kitchen.

We got to the hospital 30 minutes later, thinking we'd be coming back home. We were wrong. Instead, we were admitted, assigned a labor and delivery room, and started the long night of ice chips and breathing exercises. Since we didn't think we were staying, we were ill-prepared for our stay. Josh was heroic in going to take care of the dog and gather some needed items (clothes, Red Bull, Nerds, video camera) for us in the middle of what he tells us was a perfect fall night.

We'll spare you the details-- the short version is that eleven hours later, we had a son. Concerns that, being a near-term baby, he might be visiting the NICU instead of the recovery room were waylaid by his crying ("His lungs are working great" said the doctor upon his arrival), and Miranda, who performed with grace during the delivery, got to hold our boy for the first hour of his life.

It's a boy...

John Kennedy Baze was born at 8:47 AM Thursday, 10/25/07 at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. John weighed in at 6 lbs., 10 oz. and was 18 inches in length.