Monday, November 15, 2010

Gidget? Ganesh? Google?

Since landing on the nickname of GG, or Gigi, it seems it might stick around for a bit.  Not really as a name, but just as a cute reference to her dads.  A nick name that those who were there from the beginning will know.  We're waiting to be discharged from the hospital, and head to one hotel or the other.  It turns out that the lovely Lakeside Chalet doesn't have anything available until Thursday, so we have to go to a place in Juhu, another part of town, far away from Powai, but luckily where the Italian restaurant is located.  (Move over, palak paneer.).

First try with the pacifier.  Like crack for babies.
View out the window.
Ok, I'm coming back to this post after a long day, the title of which should be "The Really Awful Terrible Horrible Day".  It began rather innocuously, Gigi was up sort of early, comfortably hung out with her for a bit.  They came and said they would do one test today and then send us home.  The test was an ultrasound of her kidneys as she has a small skin tab near her right ear, and there seems to be some sort of concurrence between tabs and kidney problems.  (There's no problem, not to worry.)  Also, I received a call from Nisha in the PR (patient relations) office to tell me that the photographer that takes pictures of the babies for their passports would be showing up at around 11.  It then began.  Steve went to take her down for the sonogram at 9:45 while I did a couple of things in the room and came back saying it was terrible for her, a cold instrument being put to her, and she came back all upset.  So we fed her and she fell asleep, just in time for the photographer to come in and demand that she be awake with both eyes open and looking straight ahead while a bright flash kept going off.  It was impossible to wake her, we tried everything short of torture, and the photographer's bedside manner was making me crazy.  Plus he had the wrong lens on, I'm sure, so that her portrait had that wide angle effect and you couldn't see the requisite ears.  Finally that was done, and they brought in a urine collecting bag so that they could do the metabolic screening I asked for.  So they tape the plastic thing around her privates, sort of folded it up in and under, and then put diaper on top of that.  When she finally peed, (I tried everything to make it go faster, even resorting to putting her hands in warm water.), they came up to do the other part of the screening, the heel test.  So this doctor comes in and sticks her heel with a needle, few times, to get enough blood, and to make it worse, as she's screaming her head off, he kept snapping his fingers in front of her and saying, "Baby. Baby.  Stop Crying.  It's Over.  Baby....", when it clearly wasn't over.  This was the absolute worse for me.  It upset me to no end.  All I have to say is thank God she's not a boy, as I don't think I would survive a bris.

The checkout procedure took forever, and we finally were whisked away to our place in Juhu by our charioteer, Moinideen.  But it's a little shocking being out of the cocoon of the hospital and back in the real world.  Our hotel in Juhu is pretty mediocre, though it's costing us more than the lush apartment.  The staff's been very nice to try accommodate us, but it's just a mediocre place.  We are using Mary's travel bed for the first time (Thanks, Mary!) and Tamar's car seat (Thanks, Tamar!) and the great blanket from Claire (Thans, Claire!).

Also, we are so blown away by all your lovely comments, I wish we could respond to them all.  Know that we loved reading every one of them, and are quite moved by the show of love and support.  Can't wait for everyone to meet her.




I promise.  That's my happy look.

20 comments:

  1. Awesome pics! Is that your happy look or your happy & exhausted look? Much love.

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  2. Love the pics and the funny but i am sure all so true blog you have written so witty. You both look fabulous. GG is beautiful. Maybe you could use gg as a middle name. I am in love. Can't wait to meet her and see the two you. Keep the pics coming. When will you be coming home? Soon I hope. Much love and a bazillion hugs and kisses. "Auntie Barbara"

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  3. GG is seriously the most lovely baby I have ever seen. My mom's friend (and fellow torah reading regular) Maria made that blanket. I love the little hearts she used to quilt it together. I hope they communicate all the love all of us are sending to you three. I'm sorry to hear about all the tests and trials today, but I hope you are all resting and recovering and cocooning together. Fingers crossed that a room opens early at the Chalet.

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  4. Hello lovely Steves and GG. Sending you much love, hugs and smiles from London. She is just adorable. Great pics. Now that the tests are behind you, enjoy the snuggles and special moments. Much love and what do you need when you get home?? Nic et al xx

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  5. She is just so remarkably gorgeous, so alert...are you sure she isn't ten?
    We hope this is the worst day you have as far as tests go. Kids are so very resilient. Just wait till she ask for the car keys. Or the credit card.
    You have the look of new parents: weary and ecstatic. Know how much all of you are loved and treasured.
    Much love, Annie and Rick

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  6. She's beautiful! Elana and I can't wait to see you all in New York!

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  7. Jenny and the Ross/Daval familyNovember 15, 2010 at 9:00 PM

    Following your adventure has been the highlight of our week. She is magnificent, reminds me of my gorgeous daughter at that age. This will be the journey of a lifetime, and she is lucky to have you both.

    Health, love, and a peaceful trip home (yeah, right...), Jenny et al

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  8. She is absolutely perfect! Seriously, sign her up for some modelling assignments as soon as you get home! Don't worry, she won't remember the heel test or the urine collection.... and neither will you in a few weeks!

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  9. BTW, while you're comparing notes with other new parents about donors, we're looking for others who used a woman named Neha in Mumbai.....I'd love it if you could let me know if you run into anyone with a donor by that name.

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  10. wow - you guys are naturals. keep posting pics; we love them. don't get too worked up about the heel test etc..plenty of immunizations when you get back to the US! i volunteer to take her to spare you the trauma. i love her hair - she already beat davey in that department. sending all our love.

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  11. As a doc who often has to inflict "torture" on little ones ... I'm glad it's over!! And thank goodness for neonatal amnesia (both for you guys & little GG). Now that you're out of the medical environment, remember our pediatrician's adage about newborns "a trend lasts about 2 days." She will keep changing more quickly that you can imagine ... and you'll just be trying to keep up with her ... love goes a long way!

    Love,
    Shoshana Waskow

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  12. Whatever name you guys actually give her, she will always be "yaffa." Honestly, I've not seen such a beautiful newborn, before. Wow. I just want to see her with my own eyes, as soon as possible. Come home soon. - uncle danielito xox

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  13. I love her. i love you two too. i told ollie about her and that she has two dads and he said she's the luckiest baby he knows.

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  14. that hairdo is so terribly cute. Avital and I are in cooing raptures when we look at GG and the boys are so excited to have a new baby in the family. you crack me up with the bris comment :) we love you, hope you can all snuggle in for some rest now.

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  15. Now that you are no longer a rookie, I think you should start thinking about your next. Zee, I, Scott & Adam are thrilled for you and wishing you a fabulous adventure with GG.

    We now have something in common, our first borns were born on the same date.

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  16. Hi!!! Many many kisses and love to you all!!! I feel like I'm riding high on a big wave of love, surrounding all 3 of you! I am so excited I am breathless. She is so beautiful and she seems so wise and playful only days after she's been here. She is the luckiest little girl in the world. I am so happy and proud to be Aunt Julie and can't wait to meet her and the rest of the aunties and unlcles, and see all the family around her ... love from Olivier and Mazel Tov and .... oooh so excited. Love Julie

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  17. What an incredible family!
    Lots of love,
    Naomi, Jonathan & Heftzi

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  18. Just had lunch with Robin (and Carlisle Floyd!!!!) and we agree that she is one lucky little girl and we are two lucky aunties. Please, please let me know what we can do here in the hinterlands. Can't wait to celebrate, here, at Amma's, wherever. As our T. Berry Brazelton assured us in print (and we took it to heart), you know more than you think you know. And you guys are mahvelous.
    Love,
    Annie and Rick

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  19. mazal tov again. she is so gorgeous! amazing photos. I remember the heel test. they did it on all 3 of my girls several times a day in the NICU. for nearly 3 weeks. before each feeding.

    the big decisions about bottles! if you want to make the switch to Born Free when you get home, I have a whole stash that we're not using anymore. also have some sterilizing bags for the microwave that are great to use back at home. just let me know and I can ship them to you.

    enjoy your bundle of joy. love, Heather

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