2010 June: Bates (and a little July)

Wow, very busy month.

Ok, so I have been hectically working at my day job and a side project called FashionGenome. I have been working 80 - 100 hour weeks and finally don't feel like a lazy slob when I read everyone else's newsletters ;) It should go live in July, so we will see if it goes anywhere or not.

Other than that baby-preparations were the only other big thing. Tamara was due on June 28th (2 years and 1 day after her due date with Orianna), but didn't have the baby till July 5th. Fintan Thomas was born at 6:05 am after a grueling 30 minutes of labor in the hospital ;) I am in awe of Tamara's in-tune-ness with her own body. She doesn't particularly like hospitals, so she contracts at home until she is sure the baby is coming. Orianna took 4 hours, and was just over 8 lbs, so Tamara had to shatter both records with a 10 pound boy in just under 30 min.


Fintan seems to be doing great. Tamara is also doing amazingly well. In fact, she felt so goo that we left the hospital the same evening (though the staff was not happy about that). But, since she got to sleep in her own bed and didn't have nurses bugging her every half hour she was very rested the next day. A visitor told us, "You guys are way too bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to have just had a newborn!" So, we really are doing just fine.

My mom & little sister, Erica, came to stay with us for a week and help out... so, we decided to infect them all with a horrible stomach flu. It was great fun, and I am sure they are reticent to leave tomorrow. Luckily we all recovered fairly quickly, and Tamara and Fintan managed to forgo the plague as per their newbie-antibodies (lucky babies and mothers!) Haha, seriously though, I got it sooner than anyone and I think it is because I have a weakened immune system because I have been working so much... Or maybe it was because Orianna chose me by cuddling with me, turning her head toward me, and unloading about a quarts worth of digestive tract onto my chest. The daddy-daughter bond is a strong one, and it just isn't right unless you are sick together ;)

Hope you are all well. Cheers,
The Bates Fam