She’s Here!
February 5th, 2004Introducing the most beautiful baby in the history of babies (in perhaps the most unflattering photo of a newborn ever):
Leta Elise Armstrong
7lbs. 10 oz.
20 inches long
born 3:59 a.m., 02/03/04
A better picture is up at dooce, but I look at this one and weep instantly. She’s right there, getting weighed and breathing and moving; healthy and life affirming. She’s also sucking on her arm, which we soon discovered was covered in blisters caused by _in utero_ sucking. Her other arm has three blisters as well.
I already had weepish tendencies, now it’s full blown. I can’t tell if it’s the profound experience of her birth or the lack of sleep. I will see her wiggle her long toes and tear up. Either way, she’s here and every time she grabs one of my fingers and tries to stick it in her mouth, I lose it. In the hospital, I had fallen asleep weeping and rolled over. The tears that had pooled ran down the side of my face and woke me up.
Childbirth is primal, beautiful and terrifying all at once. And I wasn’t the one doing the pushing. I tried to push (and keep my breath in so that my diaphragm would help push the baby out) so that Heather would know that I was helping, but was told, with a stern glare that translated through the oxygen mask that I couldn’t pass out. I stopped the breath holding and just counted and watched the strongest woman alive give birth to the sweetest, most amazing girl. They are both doing better than I could have ever hoped.
We are a family. Now we just have to re-integrate Chuck into the house. He’s staying with Grandma and getting all kinds of Grandma snacks and treats and we’ll probably have to send him to Doggy Phat Camp for Teen Male Neutered Dogs.
Non-sequitur below:
I’ve never been happier in my life. Thank you all for your kind wishes. o
Congrats
Hee. I like this picture better–you really see her character (sleeping babies all look the same to me). This girl is going to kick ass and take names. Congratulations!
Congrats
Hee. I like this picture better–you really see her character (sleeping babies all look the same to me). This girl is going to kick ass and take names. Congratulations!
congratulations. i’ve been following both yours and your wife’s weblogs for a little while now. i’m quite happy for the both of you!
OhmyGOD she’s beautiful….just as I knew she would be. Congratulations daddy!
Mazel Tov!
Jon, your words echo my reaction to our daughter’s birth nine weeks ago. I cried more than our baby, who also sported suck blisters on her arms. Wait until you get your first smile. You devolve into a quivering mass of jelly. Best to Baby Leta and Heather, and welcome to fatherhood!
- mike -
What a beautiful baby girl. And of course the two of you would have a child born with quirks. Best wishes to all three (er, four if you count Chuck) of you.
many many congrats to the armstrongs! she really is an adorable little girl!
Congratulations! She’s beautiful!
Congratulations to you both! If you’re weepy now, Leta’s first smile will leave you weak in the knees, and then there’s the first laugh. My 3 month old just laughed for the first time, and now all we do is try to make him laugh again. It’s like a drug, and we just need another fix.
That entry made me tear up, reminded me so much of when my son was born. Congratulations to you both on your gorgeous little girl. I’ve been checking both your sites madly for updates, I’m so thrilled to see them.
congrats
congratulations to you and heather. rock on leta. she’s gorgeous.
amazing to read your perspective…
eeee!!! her middle name is my first!!! well…spelled differently…but i’m delighted all the same! best wishes, many congrats, and rock on, proud pappa!
what a beautiful, wonderful time for you, dooce, leta and chuck! happy and healthy days to you all…
Ahh, goosebumps. What a wonderful thing for two wonderful people.
Yahoo!!! Leta is beautiful, and what a beautiful name! I am so excited for you guys… and I’ve never before been excited like this for people I’ve never met. What can I say? Utmost congrats!!!!
congratulations! i’m due in april.
your baby is absolutely perfect.
Congratulations!!! May your new punk rock baby daughter fill your lives with joy.
She is beautiful! I’m wishing all three of you joy, and every good thing! My sweet little monkey is almost 12 now, and I can tell you that it just keeps getting better. Congratulations!
Oneigaishimasu! Congrats to both you and the Dooce. Leta is stunning.
I have never been more excited or overwhelmed by the birth of a child of people I don’t actually know. Huge congratulations and best wishes for the whole family.
And her slight cone head is perhaps the cutest thing of all.
congratulations jon + heather!
CONGRATS!!!! Let the sleep deprivation begin!!!!
absolutely gorgeous. congratulations!
i am so so SO happy for you and heather. congrats! she is beautiful!
ohmygod, shes absolutely amazing. you two are so lucky to add such a beautiful little girl to your family. i cant wait for the stories to come…and the photos! hooray jon and heather!
Congratulations, to the both of you! She’s gorgeous (even with the wet look going on).
Just wanted to wish you a HUGE congratulations!! She’s a beautiful little girl!
you are officially someone’s “daddy.”
kinda scary, isn’t it.
i couldn’t think of anyone better suited for the job.
congratulatons to you both. and thank you so much for sharing so much of this with the rest of us. it has been an honor to share this journey through your words and thoughts and pictures.
now the fun stuff really begins!
many congratulations and welcome to parenthood! I’ve been following heather’s blog for some time now, and it’s good to hear everything went well.
I’m glad to hear you’re all doing well.
She’s absolutely beautiful!
Very many congratulations to you both
My most sincere congratulations. I, too, have been following you blogs for a while and Like Jen I an so excited for you. May God (Mormon or otherwise) bless you all.
Wow. Congratulations to you both! :’)
I’ve been waiting for this day as long as you have and you have no idea how truly happy I am for you all. Welcome to the world Leta.
YEAH!!! FRESH BABY SMELL!!!!!!
Welcome to the best ride ever, parenthood. The hardest thing I do in my life is raise my kid and he is so over the top worth it and better and all that junk.
congratulations! my wife and i read your and your wife’s sites all the time. you should be very pleased with yourselves. hope all is well.
She’s beautiful! Congrats to you and Dooce.
Congratulations and best wishes to you both!
Congratulations, she’s absolutely perfect.
Congratulations Heather and Jon! I’m so glad that she has arrived safely and that you are all doing well. Enjoy your new lives together!
Congratulations to you and Dooce on such a wonderful baby!
Your little super pooper has the biggest hands I have ever seen on a baby before. If babies are anything like puppies you’re going to have one heck of a punk ronck mosh pit monster on your hands!
Congratulations to both of you and enjoy your new family!
Congratulations on your beautiful healthy baby girl. She is gorgeous.
She is beautiful! Congratulations to you and dooce!
YAY! I am so glad she’s here and that I finally get to know her name. Once again, I am awed by a creation of Dooce (and Jon)best of luck to the four of you.
Yay! We finally get pictures! I’m SO happy for the two of you - after reading about all your adventures in pregnancy, it’s going to be so much fun to read your adventures in parenting!
Congratulations!