Little Pants

As I was folding laundry the other day I noticed I could create a successive row of little boys' pants:


I guess it just struck me as a cute thing -- especially the teeny ones on the left!

You Are Home

We've been in Oregon for 5 months now and have really liked it here. Everything was still feeling pretty new though, and I found myself longing for things to feel comfortable and familiar the way they did in San Diego. I had been itching to get out of UCSD's graduate student housing after having lived there for six long years, but in my haste to leave I kind of discounted the feelings of familiarity that come from having lived somewhere a good, long time. I had forgotten that change, even change for the better, can still be challenging and still takes adjustment.

Having a baby is another huge adjustment, so I have been very surprised to discover that bringing Lucas into our family has brought to me some of those feelings of familiarity I had been longing for. Of course the passage of time and the creating of new memories is what will really do the trick in the long run, but I think that having this joyous event occur for us now has really helped to accelerate the process. Spending so much time at home recovering and getting to know Lucas has been wonderful and I am so thankful for the way he has brought our family together and helped our house become our home.

Peter Breinholt is one of my favorite music makers and he says it so beautifully in a way I never could:

Now sometimes
You dream
You see a house and they're waiting for you
You look up and they're smiling at you
With outstretched arms
Now wake up
Wake up
Cause everyone you love's around you
They're all here because they finally found you
You are home

(Peter Breinholt, "You Are Home" All The Color Green)

Baby Update

We are now home from the hospital and I thought a quick update was in order. First of all, Lucas and I are very happy to be home and are recovering quite comfortably here. We are all so in love with this baby! He has brought so much joy to our family already, in just the 4 days since he's been with us "on the outside." Honestly, he just seems to fit in with the family so well and it feels very natural and right.

He and I have enjoyed some special bonding time during the wee hours. Even at 3am, when he's a little too bright eyed and bushy tailed, I marvel at what a privilege it is to be his mother and to get to take care of him.

And now for some pictures! But first, I wanted to be sure and say thank you for all of the well-wishes and congratulations, emails, phone calls, visits, dinners, gifts (I received tons of diapers at my shower that are now being put to great use!), offers for help, etc. It has meant so much to us to be able to share our most happy news with everyone and the outpouring of love and support have been really wonderful!

Here are a couple of father/son shots from the hospital I thought were particularly sweet:


Here's Lucas' first at-home bath. Jake feels kind of bad that Lucas didn't enjoy the bath he gave him nearly as much as he enjoyed the one the nurse gave him at the hospital. My inclination is to just feel grateful that Jake has always been so willing to bathe all our kids!


Joshua is super excited that Lucas has finally arrived. For the last 9 months he has been stating his intentions to help me take care of the baby and he is making good on his word.


We all love this hat compliments of Aunt Erin. It rocks!

It's A Boy!

Lucas Tristan Sorensen was born this morning weighing just under 9 lbs (and 20 inches long). Both Lucas and Leslie are healthy and happy to be on this side of the delivery. But that is enough talk. I know what you want: pictures!

Lucas is our first baby to enjoy his first bath:


He loved getting shampoo rubbed into his head even more.

Here's a full body profile:


The nurse noted he was pretty strong for a baby, already lifting his head. And check out those glutes! Really big for a newborn, but that's no news to Leslie. Apparently he's been the most active baby of all three, so at least he has something to show for all that kicking. He wouldn't even hold still during labor: three ultrasounds by two doctors produced four different reports on his position.

This next one isn't real attractive, but it's the only one that reveals his eyes, and possibly his future as an Elvis impersonator:


After recovering from the initial shock, he settled into a long and deep sleep, not even waking for a physical exam from a nurse.

We are very happy parents!





We are so happy to have our new bundle of joy!