I'm a sucker. There, I admitted it.

From my/Michael's perspective, you ask any parent of a newborn who the cutest person in the world is, and they will of course tell you it’s their kid. But the thing is, people like that are operating under some crazy, delusional spell. It’s really just a biological trick to get them to bond with the baby and continue the human race. You could ask me the same question, and I’ll tell you the same thing— my kid is the cutest thing in the universe. The main difference however, is that I’m right. She really is the most beautiful baby in the universe. I can’t take my eyes off her. I hold her in front of me and lose myself in gazing goo-goo eyed. I get giddy at every little facial expression (there’s the ‘pursed-lip-I’m-too-good-for-all-of-this’ expression, the ‘furrowed-forehead-of-surprise’ expression, the ‘frantic-horror-stricken’ expression accompanied by her insane orchestra-conducting arms, etc., etc. etc.)  You know that old Frankie Valli song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”? That song is on repeat in my head. Especially when I’m not with her, that song is playing over and over and over. I facebooked with my cousin Candice who has not one, but five little girls, and told her I now understand the euphoric-addiction to baby-making. There is no question that I am punch drunk by this girl.

But the weird thing is, for all the tremendous love and awe I have for Avi, she barely even notices me. I spend a lot of time admiring her and talking to her and staring at her, but she doesn’t even return my gaze for longer than a second, if she’s even really looking at me (as opposed to her just seeing a fuzzy glob in front of her). I’m aware that she’s processing who I am, what I look and sound like, in her own neonatal way, but that just isn’t the same is it? She notices Maren way more than me, since Maren holds the groceries, literally. She’s dependent on her. But me? I’m just a supporting actor at best, really more of an extra on the set. Her heart-stopping gray eyes roam over the room and just glide right past me. I am a schoolboy with an intense crush on the most popular girl who doesn’t offer the time of day. She doesn’t even know my name. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining here, just observing. In fact, this all just adds to my infatuation with her. Because like any other sucker in love, the more I get ignored by her, the more I get hooked.

Aveah at 2 days old

You asked and we delivered... here's a few more quick pics of our little Avi

this is a rare shot of our little 'one-eyed jack' who hasn't done much eye-opening these first few days of her life.

what do you do with a drunken sailor...?

you bathe her in the galley!

Our little Avi Dove has flown in!

Meet Aveah Dove-- born 6-27-09 at home, 12:02 p.m., 7 pounds & 5 o.z. of lovable goodness. 

one lucky papa...

one tired mama...

You can count on a LOT more pics and posts in the near future (including our applemoon photography blog for bigger and better images). At the moment, though, our hands are a little full! We will say that our home birth was supreme-- we'll be posting details about that later...

AppleMoon Photography - Maternity Portraiture Session

Thanks, Michael, at applemoonphotography.com!

Blessing Way

Maren & Aveah were blessed to have a blessing way in their honor on June 12th.  It was thrown by friends and neighbors at Tierra Nueva and accompanied by most of the females (old, middle-aged and young) at Tierra Nueva.  Afterwards, a wonderful meal was cooked by volunteer men!  What a real blessing - to be served by men!  A huge thanks to Paula and Amy who hosted and organized the event.

Baby's first wetsuit!

Cloth diapers!

The after party, where Michael tests his diapering skills on a teddy bear.  Is that the correct way to hold a baby - upside down?  He's got a lot of learning to do before our little one comes!

Our Last "Official" Date Night

Everyone's been telling us to enjoy your last days as two, because soon you'll be three!  Well, we've been taking full advantage of our last days together.  We sleep in, take walks, watch movies in bed (sometimes a double feature), go places on the spur of the moment (like the late-night beach walk we had the other night at 1:00am).  Recently, we went to Cambria in our little motorhome and had an extended date.  We started with a personal tour at NitWitt Ridge - the poor man's Hearst Castle (see pictures below).  Then we had a nice dinner on the water and watched whales jumping as they migrated North.  Finally, we topped the night by going to a play written by a friend of ours at a small playhouse in Cambria.  It was a memorable day - just the 2.5 of us!

Maren standing in front of NitWitt Ridge in Cambria.

When a beer was finished, the can wasn't thrown away, it was built into a wall!  To this man there was no such thing as "trash"!

Michael walking down some stairs while holding on to the railing.  If you look closely, you'll see the railing is actually water piping.  This water pipe actually carried water over the property to water plants.  I love the multiple uses!

Michael and Maren kissing under the "Chapel" arch at NitWitt Ridge.

On the ride home from Cambria, the moon shining on the water between Cayucos and Morro Bay was captivating!  We pulled over and just admired the beauty.  We used a 4 second shutter speed to capture the moonlight. 

wise words from a friend...

Among the many thoughtful gifts and words at our recent baby shower hosted by our incredible neighbors, were a few words from one neighbor in particular. I'd (Michael) like to share those here, since it made my brain swell to medically-dangerous proportions and it added at least a thousand years of wisdom to my age. Consequently, I now look like Mr. Magoo, nobody recognizes me, and if the wind outside my window picks up, there will be nothing left but dust on my keyboard. Here's what she wrote:

"Maren & Michael, I have come to believe that babies carry all our hopes & best intentions for our universe, world, country, state, town, family, souls. Such innocence and squirming reaction! When we nurture them it nurtures us, & can be us at our best... Get ready for questions that force you to define your beliefs... Love, Candia"

I read those "questions" she refers to as questions that will be coming from our child, questions that will challenge both my idealism about raising a child as well as my pragmatism about living in our paradoxical world. Holy crap, it's enough that I got my own big Questions that insist on swirling around me, you mean I have to make room for more of those in my personal cosmos? 

I'm already tired. And old. Wind, come quickly.