Afternoon nap in the park

Max does Times Square

Note the Billy Elliot sign! Too soon to audition?

Based on the accent, Elmo Cookie Monster is definitely from Brooklyn. (My confusion of Elmo and Cookie Monster may be my greatest moment of parental shame thus far. Sorry Cookie.)

2 month doctors appointment

We took Max in for his 2 month appointment today. He got a number of vaccines (polio, whooping cough, diptheria, tetanus, meningitis, and rotavirus). He took the shots like the champ he is. It was certainly more traumatic for his daddies. Max is measuring 25 inches long and 13 lbs, 3 oz. The doc gave him a clean bill of health, remarking that he is a very cute baby. We tell ourselves that she does not say that to all the babies.

You mean I'm not the only baby around these parts?

Max and Sophia have met twice before, in as much as they have slept in their daddies arms while the daddies visited, shared surrogacy stories and have gotten to know each other. This visit, they were alert at the same time and decided to practice some eye focusing and object tracking skills while admiring the other's identical hairline. Sophia is a week older than Max and has slept through the night. We did all we could to foster some healthy competition in hopes that Max will follow suit.

Max takes the R train

Max takes the subway for the first time to get to a play date with our new friends Kenji, Ron and their gorgeous daughter Sophia. The post-hurricane weather in New York has been cooler than usual, providing opportunities to stretch Max's sartorial muscles. Here he is sporting a fall cardigan and pants. After being cooped up in the apartment over the weekend on account of the hurricane, we're all enjoying getting out as much as possible.

Pot belly

Max trumps Demi Moore's 1991 Vanity Fair cover - and does it post pregnancy!

Tongue in cheeky

Pram pushing with a view

On the bay in Fire Island, taking in the bay and avoiding the mosquitos.

Max scoping out lovers' lane:

Scent Of A Baby

My mother read that our family dog, Willie, would be less threatened by Max after taking in his scent. So we gave Willie one of Max's wet diapers to smell.

Happy grandparents

First trip to the beach

Max made his first trip to Fire Island today. We had a very successful diaper change on the train somewhere between Massapequa and Babylon. He loved the hum of the ferry and slept the entire trip. We went to the pediatrician this morning before the trip -- 12 lbs, 6 ounces of cuteness. 

Uppababy daddies

We went for a walk today with new friends Peter and his son Benjamin. Now we need to get Charlie a matching stroller.

Last liquid gold shipment from Alicia - 240 ounces

We received our last shipment of breast milk from Alicia today. So grateful to her for giving Max a fantastic start in so many respects! We'll keep the breast milk going for awhile longer and then switch to formula.

Making A Modern Family

Alicia has been chronicling her own experience - why she decided to become a surrogate, matching with us, getting pregnant with Max and nurturing him along the way. If you'd like to read about this whole process from her perspective, check out her blog at:

http://makingamodernfamily.blogspot.com/

Flipping out

Max is 6 weeks old tomorrow. I am not sure how that happened. I've lost sense of date and time, but it feels like time passes very slowly now -- I am sleeping less so there is more time to pass.

Max flipped over today during tummy time. I guess he decided that what he really needed was to practice laying out in the sun. Jeff had been down on the floor with him, with Max on his stomach in the shade. Jeff ran to grab something in the other room, and when he returned Max was on his back smiling and very proud of himself. He promptly fell asleep. Nadia Comăneci, watch out! Max is coming for your perfect 10. Here is a picture of Max, post flip.

Chi è Adorno?

Adorno DeAngelis with Vincenza DeAngelis

 

This is a picture of Jeff's grandfather and the inspiration for Max's middle name, Adorno, with Jeff's mother Vincenza (Jane) as a child. 

Brunch on j-daddy's day off

Look at those (hairy) guns...

Smiles!

Beth and the girls visit

One month old and weighing in at 11 pounds. Starting to lose those skinny chicken legs

If only men could lactate

We have been able to provide Max with breast milk so far due to the incredible generosity of Alicia and women with whom we have connected on parenting blogs. The first picture is from a milk run that Jeff and I made to Park Slope and the second is of Alicia's second shipment of milk. She's been pumping since the birth and sending milk on dry ice in an Omaha Steaks cooler via FedEx.