A few quick movies of Judah walking

Here are a few videos of Judah's first few steps.  Of course he took a few steps and then went on strike.  The first video is of one of the first times he ever walked, the second is a few days later, when he started refusing and his legs turned into jello.

http://picasaweb.google.com/oscarandjudah/OscarAndJudahDec09Jan10#5431241949764638002

http://picasaweb.google.com/oscarandjudah/OscarAndJudahDec09Jan10#5431232106772857282

New Pictures!

Here are some recent pics.  If it seems like these photos are professional, it is because Heidi got a new camera!  Not only do we have the greatest nanny ever, but she is also an amazing photographer.  We are so lucky.

For all you other working moms out there, don't even think about it.  You try to steal her and you will die a slow, painful death.

http://picasaweb.google.com/oscarandjudah/OscarAndJudahDec09Jan10#

Oscar's Circumcision - Take Two

This week we had the extra special treat of having to go through a circumcision revision for Oscar.  Pretty much as soon as he had the first one, Brent and I realized that it didn't take.  I am no expert, I have actually never even seen the "uncut" version, but his little weenie looked like there was just too much, well, skin. 

Over the summer, we took him to see a pediatric urologist and he agreed that Oscar was going to need a second circ, but he felt like it would be better to wait until he was a little older so the anesthesia carried a lower risk, and his chubby little thighs slimmed down.  The doctor actually told us that Oscar was so fat, it would have been tough to find his veins to put in an IV!  

I have been dreading this procedure pretty much since he was born, and really even before.  I was determined that a doctor would preform the actual circumcision, even if we had a bris at home.  I know lots of people use what is called a "moyle" to do the bris, but I just can't imagine hiring some skeevy man, who makes a living cutting off infants' foreskins and then saying a prayer.  Even the word moyle sounds gross.  

For Judah, it wasn't an issue because he was still in the NICU on the 8th day when a bris is supposed to be preformed, but for Oscar, I thought it might be a good compromise to have Becky, my old friend, who is a OBGYN handle the actual procedure.  It seemed to address all of our concerns because she is a) an MD b) Jewish and c) a dear friend who would take great care of our son.  The whole day is pretty much a fog for me thanks to the pain meds from the c-section, but it seemed to go ok at the time.  

Fast forward to our appointment with the pediatric urologist.  The bad news is that the circ wasn't done quite right, but that apparently Oscar's would have been difficult, even by a pro, because of the amount of skin (I know, this post is just gross.  Sorry).  Anyway, the good news is that it is like a hair cut, better to take less than more.  Oscar's pee pee is like the equivalent of getting a shoulder length do, if you want to go pixie, you can later, but once you do, there really isn't any going back without drastic measures.  See Kate Gosselin's new look as an example.  Those extensions look like they came from the tail of a horse.  But I digress. 

Finally it was time to have the second procedure last Tuesday.  After a night of total sleeplessness for both Brent and I, we got Oscar up very very early and brought him to a surgery center.  We met with the urologist and the anesthesiologist and then we handed him over.  It was nothing short of excruciating.  Oscar was just peachy though, and when the nurse took him away, he didn't even look back at us.  Of course I had all these visions of all the terrible things that could go wrong, everything from him having an ugly weiner to not waking up from the anesthesia.  I was an absolute wreck.  I started to second guess our decision to have the circumcision redone, and I beat myself up for subjecting my son to the pain and trauma all for what was essentially a cosmetic procedure.  But Brent and I agreed that it would be far more traumatic over the course of his life to have the "ant-eater."  Especially because his twin brother's wee wee would look so different.  And you know that one of the first thing all men do is compare their equipment.  Brent and I couldn't bear to think of Oscar getting teased in the locker room or rejected by a girl because of his junk. And we agreed it needed to be done now before he was old enough to remember any of it.   But even knowing all of that, I was still a complete mess. 

All that worrying was totally unnecessary though.  The procedure went fine.  He woke up from the anesthesia like a total maniac, but after a couple of doses of morphine, he was all good.  He seemed to be enjoying himself even.  He was pretty zooted for a few hours and then we had him on a little codeine for a day or so.  Less than a week later, he is completely back to normal.  It is nothing short of remarkable how quickly little kids can recover.  I am so relieved it's all over and I hope that is the worst thing that ever happens to him.  I know he was kind of mad at us on Tuesday, but as Brent said, he will definitely thank us later.