A picture of baby Gregory with his eyes open, and a profile, um, in case you needed that. When I got in to the maternity hosptal (sanfujinka) today, Yoshiko seemed back to full strength after just finishing a lunch that included sashimi, the first sashimi she had eaten in nine months. then I played with Greg while she went for her esthetic facial treatment.
Tomorrow night is the big finale that Kawamura is famous for, the French course dinner for all the “graduating” mommies. All these perks, but it’s not very expensive, and we’ll get a lump sum payment from the city that covers much of it (National Health Insurance doesn’t cover pregnancy and natural childbirth because they are not adverse conditions, go figure). Despite the pampering that Yoshiko gets to help her return to full strength, the nurses are very strict with her about building a full repertoire of baby care skills, and I can see her becoming more confident before my eyes. I helped change a diaper while she was out. Newborn poop is green, but you knew that already.
The room where Yoshiko stayed the first couple nights has this nifty little tatami alcove with a futon set where I could sleep. the hospital is not far from our house, though, so I’m sleeping at home now.
0 comments
Marc says:
Feb 24, 2004
CONGRATULATIONS!
HE IS SO CUTE!
You guys must be so happy?
I wish you all the best!
Rahvin says:
Feb 24, 2004
i don’t check in for two days, and look what happens :) congratulations! gregory is a nice name. he’s cute, and what a mop of hair he’s got. yoshiko is lucky, only 3 hours?! it’s been fascinating reading all the little things that make pregnancy and childbirth different in japan, like swallowing the prayers. i never knew!
nils says:
Feb 24, 2004
Thanks.
I didn’t mean to suggest that the swallowing of the mantra was a widespread Japanese custom, I think it’s just the custom of that particular shrine, although there are many shrines and temples related to fertility and childbirth with their own customs. The saving of the snippet of umbilical cord is a standard Japanese thing, however.
Atsuko says:
Feb 24, 2004
I can’t think of other words.
CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liana says:
Feb 24, 2004
What a darling baby! Congratulations and good luck to the three of you.
okiejenn says:
Feb 25, 2004
Wow! A 10 on the apgar–genius! And cuteness to spare. Congratulations. Yeah, I abstained from sushi/sashimi, too, but I was in Oklahoma. It’s a good idea in general. Out of curiosity, and I hope this causes no offense, is Gregory showing some jaundice? It would be cool to learn of different care parameters for newborn jaundice, as our son was quite so for quite awhile, and only in retrospect did the doctor say, ahem, it’s more common in breastfed babies and in Asian babies, no sweat.
nils says:
Feb 25, 2004
Out of curiosity, and I hope this causes no offense, is Gregory showing some jaundice?
No, I just have the camera set on high saturation, so it exaggerates colors a bit. He’s fine, as far as the obstetrician and pediatrician can tell.
Did you know that the State of Oklahoma and the Prefecture of Kyoto are sister state/prefectures? Yee-haw.
okiejenn says:
Feb 26, 2004
How cool! Perhaps we could take turns swapping our kids as exchange students. I don’t know why you’d want Gregory to come to Cowopolis, but he’s certainly welcome to check things out. Congratulations again!
nils says:
Feb 27, 2004
Oh, I don’ know, a little thing called the RODEO COWBOY HALL OF FAME!
Is it OK to nest a yelling tag inside a homer tag?