My New Friend Gus

Vivi and I returned from an exciting five days in Vermont. It isn't often that I use the words Vermont and exciting in the same sentence but since our trip was to see Vivi's new cousin, there was no other way to describe it. Little Augustus came into the world a week ago and we've been in a tizzy ever since. Here he is:

Gus is Vivi's first cousin on my side and we are elated that she'll have another child to play with when we make trips to Vermont. (Not that Grandma and Grandpa and Bear, the chocolate lab, aren't enough....) When Vivi first saw him, she said "Gramma, this is my new friend Gus." Things are looking good for future play dates!

It is amazing to be around a newborn. Not only because they are just fascinating little creatures but also because, as the parent of a toddler, I have come to realize that my memory stinks. I really don't remember Vivi ever being like Gus-- sleeping the vast majority of the day, not being able to see me, having no idea that her arms and legs belong to her, and all of the other ways newborns commence to live in the world. In my mind's eye, I see a small baby with a big smile but that is probably Vivi at two months. Her birth is very clear to me and some moments immediately following but then it seems like there are just a couple of months completely missing from my memory.

I realize that Gus is a different kid from Vivi and there are probably differences in how he is and she was during those first weeks. After all, Gus weighed in at 7 pounds 10 ounces at birth and is all skinny arms and legs. Vivi was NEVER that small. She was just under 9 lbs. and had huge chipmunk cheeks and her mommy and daddy's thighs. I do remember very clearly walking from the delivery room to the recovery room while a nurse wheeled Vivi in her isolette. As we were walking, I called Vivi "my peanut." The nurse said to me, "Sam, six pound babies are peanuts. You got yourself a walnut here."

Because of Vivi's size, I remember thinking she was a good sleeper but if that was immediate, I couldn't tell you. Was my walnut sleeping 18 hours a day and nursing voraciously in between naps? Probably but again, I'm just not sure. Did she mind if just anyone held her? Did she have hiccups after she nursed the way Gus does? Did she curl up her legs too? Hmmm... I'll have to get back to you on these questions. I need to ask someone else for the answers.

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