More Like Mom or Dad?

Not long after Anika was born, Alicia and I started trying to find our resemblance in baby Anika.  While I'm relieved that Anika has Alicia's good looks, I was slightly disheartened to have to struggle to find my resemblance in Anika's face.  After much scrutiny, I settled on her hairline; I can proudly say that my genes are responsible for Anika's (distinguished) hairline.  Check it out:

Day 1

Day 4

 Okay.  Not all that much to write home about, but at least it's something.  (See the carve out on her right temple!?)  To make me feel better, Alicia tells me that Anika also has my back fuzz, which thankfully is starting to lessen.  I guess I can always hope that my genetic contributions manifest themselves later in life--like in a top flight vertical jump.  Ultimately, I think it's safe to say that Anika looks like her mom--beautiful!

Two weeks old

Two weeks old

It's a Girl!

Alicia was convinced that Anika was a boy.  She had volunteered to have an ultrasound at 14 weeks on the new 3d ultrasound machine at New Life Family Services--the crisis pregnancy center where she volunteers.  A couple of the observers (of the ultrasound monitor) made remarks like: Oh, I see . . .  LOOK . . . can you see it.  What else could "it" be?  The ultrasound technician scratched down the exciting news on a piece of paper, but Alicia called to tell me she was sure we were having a boy. 

This was not the way we'd planned on finding out the sex of our first born.  Nevertheless, set on making some sort of an event out of the news, we went down to Townhall Brewery at 48th and Chicago to crack the piece of paper and formally toast to our baby boy.

But apparently an umbilical cord is easily mistaken for a newborn's . . . .  Alicia and I were both in for a shock when we opened the little slip of paper.

Masala Mama IPA--good treat for a great occasion

 

Confession: we were only in the liquor store (after toasting to our baby girl in a bar) because we happened to see our good friend (and newborn photographer) Brianna Millet exiting and we ran over to tell her the news.

We were thrilled and thankful for the bit of fun.  (I also quickly began thinking about a wedding fund, mounting a shot gun above my mantel, and how to successfully ban pink from my daughter's wardrobe--more on that later.)  We couldn't imagine having been blessed with anyone other than our little Anika.

And for all of you skeptics out there, here's photographic proof that we actually saw Brianna at the liquor store across the street from Townhall. 

Newborn Photos

Our great friend Brianna Millet took newborn photos of Anika days after we got home from the hospital.  She did a fantastic job.  (Check her work out at http://briannacolleen.com/.)  There are too many to post them all, but here are some of our favorites.  Thanks B!

Adjusting to Normal Life--Weeks 2 & 3

Leaving aside a little thing called sleep deprivation, we had a great week getting to know Anika and introducing her to our friends.  She's getting bigger but not less cute.  Here are some of our favorites.

Still my favorite Anika picture yet--she's wiggling her ear at you!

Nothing but net--swoosh.

Meditating already--must be that pregnancy Yoga Alicia did while she was in the womb.

She's a big stretcher--priming all of her athleticism.

Uncle Tom is smitten.

Beautiful.

More of these every day--because of the gas, of course.

Pink and purple are her go-to colors--she loves this new quilt from her friend Laura!