One Week Old Tonight!!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words--so no words except the ones we

sang tonight: "Happy

Birthday, Frankie!"

Almost One Week Old!

How hard

to believe that less than a week ago we had no idea how this little man would look or sound, no idea how totally in love we would all be with everything about him--his button nose, his almond eyes, his silky black hair already perfectly coiffed, his sweet little mouth and great big yawns! Not to mention his tiny, but long, fingers and toes.

His first two nights home, he challenged us all to a contest of endurance. He apparently disliked something about being put into his crib, so whenever Esperanza finished feeding him and tried to put him down he would wake and cry. This went on about every 20 minutes or so, because he was eating that often. So, Grandma and Grandpa took turns holding him between feedings so that he would sleep, and Mom could, too! Grandpa said his two shifts (of 2 and 3 hours each) were some of the most delightful moments he's ever experienced. Grandma was thrilled to sing lullabies ad infinitum, and even began making up some after the umpteenth chorus of "Too-ra-loo-ra" and "Hush, Little Baby."

On the third night at home, Frankie seemed to settle into a bit of a routine with Mom. He would nurse about every 2 hours, and then let her put him in his crib beside her bed while he continued to sleep. This worked much better for everyone--the adults have caught up on their sleep and Frankie seems to be figuring out his nights and days. He has begun to have a kind of alert play-time in the middle of the afternoon, and again in early evening when he coos and smiles and entertains just by being who he is!

First Doctor Visit and Shopping Trip

Frankie was a real hit at the doctor's office today! Everyone was clamoring to see him. One nurse, whose daughter was in Esperanza's class all the way through school, had opted for the morning off (rather than the afternoon) because she knew that we would be bringing Frankie in for the first time and she wanted to meet him.

The great news from the doctor was that in just under 5 days, Frankie has already put on 5 ounces, making him now 6 pounds 2 ounces. We weren't totally surprised with this news, however, since the little guy has made nursing a very frequent part of his day and night--sometimes feeding as frequently as every 15-30 minutes!

After his appointment, we took him upstairs to the lab for his third blood draw, checking on his bilirubin level--he's a little bit jaundiced, but we know this is not uncommon and the doctor is not expecting it to be a problem for him. He just wanted to keep tabs on it. Just as on the previous two days, when the technician poked Frankie's little heel for the blood draw, he squawked briefly and then settled down immediately. The technician, a mother of two, is quite charmed by our little grandson.

Frankie was doing so well after all this, that Esperanza and Grandma decided to try taking him to Target for a few things his mom was needing. He seemed totally oblivious to being put into the bottom of the shopping cart, still in his car seat, and travelling through the aisles. Someday, that oblivion will turn to fascination and, perhaps, even pleading. But today, he was the picture of peace and contentment.

Beautiful Boy!

We just can't help ourselves. Everything he does is cute and photogenic! Here,we share a few of our favorites taken in the past 2 days, but if you want to see more, go to our albums on picasa.com. The address is: http://picasaweb.google.com/carylmqt.

Our Daughter, the Mother

What a joy to witness the transformation of our daughter into a loving, conscientious, cooing Mother! Her attentiveness to little Frankie; her soft voice reading to him; her patience with his sometimes endless need to nurse; and her eagerness to learn all she can about his care and nurturing; all are wonderful to see. Experiencing our daughter as Frankie's mom is a very special blessing, equal to the blessing of Frankie himself. We are very proud of Frankie's Mom, our daughter!

Heading Home

On Monday, April 20, Frankie's anticipated due-date, he was already decked out in a blue sleeper and heading home. Francis Robert Bournique-Trujillo (pronounced "true-HE-oh") had arrived two days "early," weighing 5 pounds 13 ounces, and measuring 18 inches long. Esperanza spent a long, hard day laboring to bring him to birth. She went into the hospital at 5:15 a.m. and had to wait until 8:55 p.m. to meet him. She was overheard saying, as she cuddled him for the first time, "It was the worst pain ever--but you were worth it!" Grandma and Grandpa were very relieved that Mom's ordeal was finally over, and ecstatic that this beautiful child was finally here!

Born in the U. P.!

Even if it's April, being born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan--the U.P.--means that you could arrive home to scenes like these on your homecoming day. This was the view out our front and back windows April 20, the day we brought little Frankie home. And this was only the beginning of the storm. It continued throughout the day and all day again today. Some parts of the county received 15 inches of snow! Around here, it looks more like 8. Only 3 days earlier, Grandma and Grandpa had broken out their sandals when the temperature hit 73 for the first time this season.

Being born in the U.P. and arriving home in a spring snowstorm makes Frankie a bona fide "Yooper", you betcha!