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
Nice work man… enjoy
Congratulations!! She is THE cutest little frog I have ever seen. Best wishes to everyone.
Congratulations! This past week has been hell, with all that waiting! Leta is beautiful and you are both very lucky people.
Just one more voice to add the chorus of folks who’ve followed the pregnancy from afar…CONGRATULATIONS to the whole family! Your story of the first few moments of fatherhood had me all a-tingle and a-weepy myself. Here’s to a lifetime of mutual adoration between you and your new daughter.
Congratulation!! She is THE cutest little frog I have ever seen. Best wishes to you all.
I’ve so enjoyed reading dooce’s blog/pregnancy journal. I’m actually going to miss it! But I love the pictures and wish the three of you only the best. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Congratulations.
Beautiful. I am so thrilled for your new family! All my love to the newest Armstrong.
Beautiful. I am so thrilled for your new family! All my love to the newest Armstrong.
Congratulations! I’ve been reading yours and your wife’s websites for a while now and am glad to see that everyone is doing so well.
Oh! She shares my birthday! Sweet baby!
Congratulations to you both.
CONGRATULATIONS! She is gorgeous!
Congratulations! Thank you so much for sharing this joy with us… she’s so wonderfully precious.
Congratulations to both of you, and the best to your new family in the future.
How amazing this has been! I totally got sucked in to both your sites just before Heather announced her pregnancy, and have been living vicariously through you both ever since. It’s freaky when you start thining about children (which I have!), and I’ve enjoyed what you’ve both shared. Many congrats!
best wishes to the four of you!
Beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Happy settling in together! Isn’t it better than everything?!
Oh, she is such a miracle! I am so happy for you two, no, THREE!!!!!!!!!
A little frog baby, that is the cutest thing I have ever heard.
Leta’s entry into this world will make this city a more beautiful place, you guys are awesome and will be the greatest parents ever.
I’m totally jealous. Peace!
I thought about you guys on Sunday night, and I JUST KNEW that because I thought about you guys, that meant I had a psychic flash and that I would come to work on Monday and see pictures of your baby.
In other words, I have been on the edge of my seat all week. CONGRATS!
The web is happy for you all!
Amazing. I bet nothing tastes the same, smells the same, feels the same. It’s never quite the same after your first encounter with your very own offspring. We are so lucky to have the ability to create life - not everyone is. Congratulations and enjoy, enjoy, ENJOY!!!
welcome to the world miss. leta! I too am an avid reader of dj blurb and dooce -glad to know that you had a safe delivery.
Congrats to all THREE of you. I was fervently checking your sites all day yesterday for updates - how exciting! You all take care!
she is perfect! congratulations, daddy and mama!
Man…I love you guys, and I don’t even know you! Congratulations, I can wait to read about your adventures in familyhood.
Congrats to both you and dooce! She’s a beautiful baby with a gorgeous name.
hurrah!! i’m so glad everything went well and you now have a beautiful baby girl.
you know this means that when she gets older, every year on the eve of her birthday she has a perfect excuse to stay up until 3:59am, right? rock on leta!
she’s going to give you hell someday, but it will be so so worth it. congratulations!!
congrats, pappa bear! here’s wishing you all the best with your little cub. (sorry, i meant frog. =^)
Really, all this time I was just wondering whether you were actually going to name her Fawnzelle. I like Leta.
You named her “joy”; that’s wonderful.
I had to look at her again because the picture of her put such a huge smile on my face. Little frog. I don’t even know you and am so happy for you. God bless you and Leta Dorrito. Best wishes from da Big Apple.
Finally she is here. And she waited till after Survivor. She is adorable…I wish all 3 of you t he best…
and to chuck too..
I’ve been waiting for this child to be born like she’s a member of my family. She’s absolutely beautiful. I’m so excited for all of you. Congratulations and best wishes!
Welcome to the voyage.
You do get to sleep again, someday. Just remember that.
Leta is absolutely beautiful! I’ve been waiting 9 months for that baby to appear, and I’ve been checking both your sites since Dooce said she was heading to the hospital. I wish all 3 of you (and Chuck!)nothing but happiness and health! Congrats!!
Congratulations! She’s beautiful and you two are going to make great parents!
Your reflections on this significant day touched my heart! Thank you for sharing this amazing event with your readers.She’s so perfect and I love those chubby baby cheeks!I hope she has curly hair and a Type B personality.Speedy recovery wishes to Heather and let the adventures begin…
YAY! Happy, happy all around!
How does mama feel about the suck blisters on her nipples?
Congratulations! She’s not only the most beautiful but also the luckiest to have such great parents like I’m sure you will be. I couldn’t be happier for you.
Amazing. She’s beautiful. Congratulations!
Congratulations, you two! She’s adorable!
I think she looks a bit like she’s not sure what she’s gotten herself into, but I daresay she’ll let you know if she’s not happy with things…
Good luck getting some sleep. I look forward to hearing how Chuck takes to his baby sis.
What a beautiful baby! And such a sweet name. Congratulations.
Beautiful beautiful baby.
Those blisters are from sucking all that Dorito salt off herself.
You’d think that after seeing all my own wet newborn babies, I’d be desensitized. But I totally teared up looking at that wonderful photo.
Please let her sleep on your chest during the night. It lets everyone get the rest they deserve.
Who would have thought that, when my friend sent me a link to something called dooce.com, I would become so enthralled with your family!
I am so happy for you to see your gorgeous baby! I have wanted to post a comment for quite some time, but never really knew what to say… but now I must definitely offer my sincere congratulations on the newest member of your family!
May all your days to come be filled with joy and happiness! Congrats again!
Congratulations, she’s beautiful!
Awwwww.
Congrats to you and Heather and Chuck. I think it’s awesome–and I like the name you picked out.
It only seems last week that Heather announced she was pregnant. Here’s hoping she likes the kitchen.
Love to all.
Sincerest congratulations to you both. Looks like you’ve touched a lot of people’s lives and now someone is going to touch yours. Every day. And it never gets old. Thanks very much for sharing–it has been wonderful to read. Welcome to life, Leta. If I were a good fairy I could not think of a better wish to bestow upon you than your reality–that you will grow up with two loving parents who wanted you SO much.
Congrats on your precious little bundle!
If little Leta could put those blisters on her own arm, god bless Dooce’s milkshake!
I’ve been reading about the pregnancy and kitchen remodeling with rapt fascination on both your site and dooce’s, and it’s so cool to see both projects completed so satisfactorily.
Congratulations on a beautiful kitchen and a beautiful child, and good luck integrating Chuck back into the household!
Congratulations! She is an absolutely beautiful baby. Wishing you much happiness…..