chibiguri (ちびぐり)

Well, Mrs Gankomon's parents, who were with us for the week preceding Thanksgiving returned to Japan, and the house feels a touch emptier. Mrs Gankomon's mom was with us for the past three months, and she was invaluable, especially in the period immediately succeeding the actual birth, wheen Mrs Gankomon was not really energetic, and didn't feel up to doing a lot of things around the house. Especailly once I returned to work, Mom was a great help. Dad came over on the Sunday preceding thanksgiving and he was also a very welcome addition to our little household, as we got to spend some quality time together as a family. We took them over to SF airport on Friday, and they took the redeye back home. Fortunately everything went well, and they called us to confirm they got home safe on Saturday evening- they had to go through South Korea, hence the delay!

Chibiguri has been growing. Mrs Gankomon took him to the doctor today for his regular checkup, and we expect to receive more growth statistics. He has been growing at a very rapid rate and considering all the milk he sucks up, I am not surprised. He has proven to be a very capable eater, suckling Mom at regular (and irregular) intervals and preventing her from getting sleep on a regular basis! This has proven to have unfortunatel effects on Mom's temerament, though she does try to keep herself as upbeat as possible...

We have also noticed that Chibi is a rather particular eater as well. He is constantly being urged by Mrs Gankomon to eat a lot and then sleep a lot, but he prefers to nibble, sleep, nibble, sleep and nibble, sleep. Thus he can be constantly asking for more, yet he rarely takes a long nap- at least not when I am present. Mrs Gankomon confirms that Chibi does not exactly keep a regular schedule! We hope that will change as he continues to grow.....

We took chibiguri out shopping today. He usually enjoys being pushed around in a stroller, but if we remain out too long, he will become fussy and demand that we take him home. Today we were shopping for a bridesmaid dress for Mrs. Gankomon, who has been asked to be a bridesmaid in one of our friends' weddings.

We went to the local David's Bridal, where the girls became engrossed in their selections, and I was watching over chibiguri. He was pretty good, but i think that the heat got to him a little bit, since he woke up and voiced his displeasure with the situation. Fortunately, I was able to make him comfortable by removing him from his stroller and rocking him back and forth. He likes to be rocked- in fact he enjoys any type of movement. It is stoppage he appears to object to!

Riding in cars is a case in point. Whenever he is moving in the car, he is happy. However, let us stop- even for a short time at a signal, and he will become unhappy, demanding that the car commence moving again. However, as soon as the car does so, he will relapse into a state of quiet enjoyment.

chibiguri is an incredible adventure. I still wish he came with a glossary, though!

Chibiguri was very quiet today. I am not sure why. Perhaps because he is typically up several times a night, and since I also was up working all last night, he was a little tired out. Or maybe he has decided that waking up every two hours or so for more food is a little too tight a schedule. In any event, he spent much of today sleeping, only waking a few times to consume more food, and he even went to sleep on my chest while I was watching the USC-Cal game this afternoon.

If you have never had a baby go to sleep on your chest, it is an amazing feeling to have that little person, so trusting and so completely dependent on you nestled close. I have never been much of a child person, but I now understand why the old bromide- you'll never understand til you have your own is so prevalent. It may be sappy- but it is true. Feeding we will discuss later. Right now, I hear him call for more feeding. Or maybe more attentin. Back soon...

This blog will follow the adventures of our new baby, who shall henceforth be known to all and sundry as chibiguri. He was born on September 23, 2005, and while I had been following the pregnancy with great interest, I confess that I became involved in other events and was unable to keep up with the ongoing posting.

Chibiguri is now six weeks and one day old, and he is a very solid little guy. He has grown 3 pounds and at elast a couple of inches in the weeks since we brought him home, and he is a very affectionate little guy, though quite determined when he wants something. These somethings are usually food, poop and pee- not necessarily in that order!

We have become very fond of Chibiguri, and Mrs Gankomon and I and her mother, who is currenlty sharing our abode here have often had our hadns full. I wish babies came with an instruction manual- it would be SO much easier that way to troubleshoot their idiosyncracies!

At any rate, the purpose of this opening post is to introduce you the reader to us and to CHibiguri himself. We will keep this page updated as often as our scheduled allow- at least several timea a week, I should think. Enjoy the ride!