Baby Watch 2008

Weekend Number 2!

This is our second weekend with our Little Quentin and all I can say is that he is such a good boy.  Beyond the typical eating, sleeping, pooping--he actually seems to be a very old soul.  He wants to be around us all the time, even when he is sleeping.  It seems to give him comfort that we are close by.  That, of course, gives me comfort too!  I am trying to relish every moment of this time as I know all too well that it won’t be too many years before he has the “Keep Out” sign on his door--literally or figuratively.

But, for now he loves his daddies and wants to be around us as much as we want to be around him.  He also made some new friends this weekend.

1.  Sioux, a friend and former colleague, dropped by to see little Q.  She brought some beautiful flowers that Quentin just loves!!!

2.  David, one of our closest friends, also came by to see this little miracle.  David has two sons and 3 grandchildren so he knew what he was doing when it came to holding Quentin.  He also brought the cutest little outfits with hats for Quentin.  Thankfully, he brought bigger sizes too! 

3.  Our friends Monica and Erica came by and got to feed Quentin.  This is indeed a treat as it is Quentin’s favorite thing to do.  They plan on having their own baby soon so want to get in practice with our little one. 

4.  And, of course, the wonderful Jeannette, Quentin’s nanny.  This was taken with the “I love my Dads” shirt that Sue sent us. 

Tomorrow, Quentin’s Grandma Dulcenia and Grandpa Warren arrive from Richmond for their first visit with their first Grandson.  Can we say “spoiled”!!! 

Until next time…

Posted by Stuart on 03/02 at 12:21 PM

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The Bris

Okay, so for those of you confused by the title, we are not suddenly Jewish.  While a Bris is technically a Jewish circumcision and ceremony, the person who conducts the Bris, called a Mohel, is perhaps the most qualified person to do any circumcision out there.  Our doctor recommended that we consider using a Mohel to do little Q’s circumcision and we immediately asked our fabulous friend Judy who we should contact.  She of course had the best person (aka the Mohel to the Stars) and contacted him on our behalf. 

So, on Wednesday we had the official Bris for our son.  The Mohel, Rabbi Daniel Waknine, was truly amazing.  He made what could have been a dour situation something joyful that I will remember the rest of my life.  I’m not sure that Allen was quite as enthused in the beginning as I was but he came around.  I actually got to hold Quentin and surround him with love while the circumcision took place.  The actual procedure was quick and was preceded by some beautiful words by Rabbi Wak (as he is known).  He pointed out that the Jewish people do this in a home instead of a hospital in order to make the procedure loving and warm.  He also pointed out that they celebrate that each child is unique and a gift from God.

Our dear friends Judy and Gilbert were present with their 2 year-old sons Daniel and David and Judy’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Hecht.  And, of course, Uncle Gary was there to steady Daddy Stuart and provide comfort to little Quentin. 

So, now it is all over and I am so happy that we did this at home instead of in the hospital where we couldn’t be there with Quentin.  He has been a trooper through it all!

Here are the pics you are looking at:

1.  The wonderful Rabbi Daniel Waknine

2.  Our friends Judy and Gilbert holding Quentin

3.  Rabbi Wak, Daddy, Gary, and Quentin during the ceremony

4.  Judy’s wonderful parents the Hechts who were visiting from Denver and hopefully moving here soon

5.  Allen sharing a fun moment with Daniel

6.  Daniel and David giving us a concert at the piano

Posted by Stuart on 02/29 at 07:41 PM

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Goodbye, Hello, and Sun

Monday was a day of firsts.  Some happy, some sad.

We all had to say goodbye to my sister-in-law, Barbara.  For some reason, she decided that her own family was more important than ours.  She said something about her 7-year-old son being “mom sick”.  Please, give me a break.  He’s had her for 7 years and Quentin only gets her for 4 days.  Something is terribly wrong with this picture.  But, we know she’ll be back.  Quentin has that effect on people! 

Seriously, it was so wonderful to have her with us for our first few days home.  We learned a lot and had fun!

Then, Allen decided it was time for Quentin’s first lesson in sun tanning! The doctor said it was the best way to avoid jaundice.  And, I’m sure Daddy got a little sun as well!

Finally, our neighbor Reza stopped by and got a little Q time!  He also brought Quentin the cutest t-shirts that are ultra hip.  We’ll have to take some pictures and put them up.

Another day, another 12 diapers! 

Posted by Stuart on 02/25 at 08:57 PM

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Quentin’s First Weekend

This weekend saw lots of friends and family coming to see the new master of the house!  We have been so blessed to have so many people bringing food and making sure that we have everything that we need.  Here’s a list and some pictures of who came to see and hold our beautiful little man. 

1.  Our dear friends Schuyler and Richard brought their daughter Someryn and some wonderful Chinese food.  Of course, Quentin couldn’t have any of that, but he did love the company.  We don’t think Someryn was that impressed with Quentin but maybe that will change in the future! 

2.  One of my closest friends since high school, Scott, drove up from Palm Springs to see our little guy. 

3.  My business partner, Kim, and her partner Natalie stopped by while the kids were at Sunday school to say hello and hold our little bundle.  They brought their new dog too!  What a cutie.

4.  My God daughters Dani and Emma came with one of my oldest friends, Julia, to feed and hold the baby.  They are quite the little baby sitters!  Quentin had better watch out!

5.  On Sunday night, my niece and nephew-in-law, Joy and Paul, and their daughter Lauren brought us dinner and had some fun with Quentin.  Lauren couldn’t stop saying how much her new cousin liked her!  It was so cute. 

Well, that’s the update for the weekend.  We are managing pretty well--especially since Barbara has had the baby in her room for the last two nights!

Posted by Stuart on 02/24 at 08:41 PM

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Quentin’s Angels

This is our third day home at home and Quentin’s daddy and Aunt Barbara just gave him a sponge bath.  He sure doesn’t like that but now he is being fed and is so happy he can’t stand it.  This boy loves to eat!!!  I guess it makes sense since neither of his daddies have ever missed a meal.

Some of you asked for a closer look at Quentin so I took some “headshots” today but obviously I am not a professional.  So, I think I can safely say that he is much better looking than this picture!

Quentin had his first dinner party last night.  Gail, Trish, Chloe, and Junah brought us all dinner.  Gail is my business partner and their children are my godchildren so it was a special “family” evening.  They had surprised us on our arrival home by decorating the house with balloons and a special “Welcome Home Quentin” sign. 

Quentin had a house full of ladies today.  We are calling them Quentin’s Angels!

His Aunt Barbara came all the way from Tennessee to be with her new nephew! 

His Auntie Trina (Allen’s cousin) and their friend Shaunte came by today too.  Trina fed and burped Quentin and Shaunte held him.  He loves being held!!!

Well, that’s it for today.  Thank you all for your kind words and support.  We appreciate it!  So does Quentin!!!

Posted by Stuart on 02/23 at 05:58 PM

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Quentin Chase Miller-Bell, February 20th, 9:54 a.m.

Our amazing miracle arrived on Wednesday morning.  We will write more later but all of you have asked for pictures so here are some for you to enjoy.  Allen and I were blessed to be in the room with Lorisha and see the entire miracle unfold.  He weighed in at 9 lbs, 9 oz and 18 1/2 inches long.  However, now the weight is being disputed by the nurse who said he couldn’t have weighed that much.  Anyway, he is a healthy boy, perfect in every way.

For those of you who know me, you’ll get a kick out of the fact that I slept on the floor in his room last night so that Allen could get a good night’s sleep.  It was a joy just to be near our little bundle.  As all of the parents told me, it would change my life.  And, it sure has!  We’ll write more later.

The pics include:

Allen and Stuart gazing at their bundle of joy right after birth

Allen and Stuart holding him for the first time

Uncle Gary, who is also the Godfather, holding him for the first time

Grandma Irma holding him in her mink coat (how appropriate)

And, the boys with the wonderful Lorisha who was the best surrogate we could have ever asked for!

Enjoy and Thank you for all of your support and love through all of this!

Love,

Stuart and Allen

Posted by Stuart on 02/22 at 01:41 PM

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The Los Angeles Baby Shower

Today we had a wonderful baby shower thrown for us in Los Angeles by our great friends Irma, Gary, Jason, Gail, Will, Kim and Michael!  To say we have an abundance of riches is an understatement!  Our little Quentin promises to be the best-dressed boy in the neighborhood.  We have joked that he has more clothes than his daddies do! 

While we loved all of the amazing gifts (many purchased through our friend Schuyler’s new company, http://www.preshbaby.com), the most important part of the shower is being with people who are going to be a part of our little boy’s life.  We are so blessed to have so many good friends and amazing family members.  A real highlight for me was that some of our out-of-town friends could make it.  My friend Olivier from Paris (yes, France) and my friend from Dallas, John, both made it.  And, my friend Scott’s mom, Marty Brassart, came in from Indiana!  It was so wonderful to have all of them!  Many of you who couldn’t be there sent lovely gifts as well and we so appreciate them.

My mom from Tennessee couldn’t be there but sent some adorable clothes for the baby along with my silver baby teething rattle and baby ring.  I had forgotten all about them and Allen had to read her note as I was too choked up.  Many others had tears as well. 

The time is now drawing near for Little Quentin to make his debut.  We are anxious to meet him but also hope he’ll stay in as long as he is supposed to!  The due date is February 25th but I am guessing the 19th. If any of you have a guess, let us know! 

The nursery is all done now.  Allen has washed all of the baby clothes and put them away.  Thank goodness Allen is so organized!!!  My sister-in-law Barbara will be out when Quentin is born to help and then Allen’s sister joins us. 

Not sure if we’ll blog anymore before the birth but we’ll upload baby pics as soon as possible. 

Posted by Stuart on 01/12 at 05:26 PM

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Two Angels--The Surrogate and the Godmother

It’s hard to describe how blessed we feel to have such wonderful family and friends in our life.  One of the most important people right now is our surrogate, Lorisha.  We had such a good time this week as we were able to join her for a doctor’s appointment in Redlands.  Everything looked fine for Lorisha and the baby and the doctor is now talking about “induction dates”.  Of course, I had several questions and hope that I didn’t scare the doctor.  I’m sure he is just too thrilled to be dealing with a pregnant woman AND her two intended parents.  But, he seems to enjoy it so hopefully we won’t drive him too crazy.  Lorisha’s girlfriend Kiba was also at the appointment and it is really special to see the two of them together.  We enjoyed giving them some travel gifts for Christmas that they could enjoy together as well as something special from my past, a Teddy Ruxpin, for her son Julian.  Who knew that Teddy even existed anymore!

Another very special person is Teri, Allen’s sister and the godmother of little Quentin. She is pictured in front with our cousin/sister Trina followed by BFF Shaunte who now lives in Long Beach. I think Teri might be as excited about this baby as we are!  She and her mother have already bought out the stores for baby clothes.  Teri is a physical therapist who lives in Virginia Beach.  She’ll be coming out in early March to stay with us for a week after Quentin is born.  This will be a great time for her to bond with Quentin...and let us get some sleep!  Seriously, we are so blessed to have such a loving, smart, beautiful, and sweet sister in our lives.  And, Quentin promises to be one spoiled little boy if Aunt Teri has her way!

Posted by Stuart on 12/27 at 07:40 PM

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The Virginia Baby Shower

First of all, so sorry that it has been so long since we posted anything.  I guess it is true what they say that not much happens in the 2nd trimester!  But, now things are starting to cook as we get ready for the arrival of this little miracle.  The nursery is put together (thanks to Allen’s handyman skills--something I never thought I’d be saying), and we are well on our way to bringing home baby!!!

We just had the most wonderful baby shower in Allen’s hometown in Virginia.  His cousin Roslyn, along with her sisters Donna, Gail, and his mom and sister threw an amazing event.  About 75 of Allen’s family and friends gathered at the former home of his Grandmother which is now a coffee house run by his cousin Jason.  And, can we say good food?  We’re talking ham biscuits, fried chicken, and 3 different kinds of cake (which you can see in the pictures).  And, we can’t forget Aunt Marion’s meatballs!!!

The event was extra special because his grandmother, who is 91, came and celebrated as you can also see in the pictures along with his Great Aunt Ardie.  And, so many other relatives were there like his Aunt Connie from Virginia Beach who is one special lady (pictured alone with Allen).  And, of course, Allen hammed it up with Roslyn and Donna in the pictures with his mom close by.  And, we couldn’t have an event without a picture of the two of us!  Pretty soon, it will be the 3 of us.  Hard to believe!!!

We got the most amazing gifts for little Quentin.  We think that he is going to be better dressed than his two daddies which is somewhat of a feat in itself.  He may be requiring more closet space than expected.

But, the most important part of the day was just being with friends and family.  It was so beautiful to have the full range of experiences...from our good friend Coy to Allen’s aunts and uncles, the day couldn’t have been more special.  Several times I teared up just looking around and feeling the love and connection of so many people who are there for our little boy who isn’t even born yet.  He is truly blessed to be born into such a family and I feel truly blessed to be a part of it too.

Posted by Stuart on 12/23 at 07:05 PM

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Well--It’s a BOY!

So, everyone thought we were having a girl - except me!  This week I went down to San Bernardino twice as Lorisha, our surrogate, had a regular doctor’s appointment on Wednesday and an ultrasound on Thursday.  Lorisha is doing very well and so is the baby - everything and everyone is perfect.  Lorisha really looks pregnant now.  She has a cute little baby bump.  We are 20 weeks and 6 days pregnant as of today.  I couldn’t believe it when the ultrasound professional told us it was a boy.  I was shocked and excited at the same time.  Stuart and I had thought of a name for a girl and “initially prepared everything in our heads” for a girl.  I was the only one that held out and from the beginning, and always said that we would have a little boy.  Stuart was in New York working this week, so when he got home, I told him we were having a girl - just so he could have “his” moment.  Shortly thereafter I told him it was a boy, which you could really see from the ultrasound!  Our son had his butt up and legs open wide, so we could see “him” well!  We are both so happy!  I am so excited that I couldn’t sleep last night.  Well, we are off to plan for a boy.  We have to decide on a name and now we can decorate the nursery with a boy in mind!

Posted by Allen on 10/12 at 12:17 PM

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Grandparents Make a Visit

This week we had Allen’s parents visit and it was wonderful.  We have tried to pack as much fun in as possible in between work.  We took them to Malibu where we had lunch at a little place called Neptune’s Net and then took pictures by the ocean.  One day, we had lunch at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel and then took a self-guided tour of Beverly Hills.  One evening we went to Dolce restaurant which is a celebrity “hotspot” with my adopted brother and mother, Gary and Irma.  They cooked some great food for us too! 

On the baby front, Lorisha had a doctor’s appointment this week but they didn’t do an ultrasound so we still don’t know for sure if we have a girl or a boy.  They’ll do an ultrasound on October 1st so we should know for sure by then.  Lorisha is feeling better now that it has cooled down from the 110 degree heatwave! 

Posted by Stuart on 09/15 at 02:32 PM

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Baby’s First Concert

Some of you may be asking why there is a picture of Beyonce on our baby blog.  Well, our baby is going to her first concert tonight thanks to our great surrogate, Lorisha.  You see, Lorisha is a HUGE Beyonce fan so when we found out that she was performing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, we immediately bought her tickets.  She is going to the concert with one of her best friends and we are so excited that our baby will get to experience it as well!  Do a little dance, precious baby!

Now, for those of you interested in baby news, we are moving into our 15th week and Lorisha has a doctor’s appointment on the 6th.  It will be pretty routine and we probably won’t have an ultrasound then but we’ll keep you posted.  The next big milestone will be around 20 weeks when we will be able to see the gender of the baby. 

We stopped by and saw Lorisha on Friday and she is still a little sick but looks great.  She is starting to show a little bit which is fun for us.  We were a little early when we got to Lorisha’s work so we stopped by Target and shopped a bit.  Of course, we were drawn to the baby section.  It is hard to believe that in less than 6 months, we had better be ready for this little baby! 

We are spending the long holiday weekend in Palm Springs at my adopted brother Gary’s house.  It is beautiful here but very hot.  So, since Gary is always so wonderful to us, I decided he would make the blog this week so in addition to Beyonce, you get a pic of Gary. 

We hope you all have a wonderful week.

Posted by Stuart on 09/02 at 02:35 PM

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Tests Show a Perfect Baby….Girl?

While I was enjoying Dollywood with my brother, Monty, sister-in-law Barbara Leigh, and one of my nephews, Will, Allen and Lorisha were are Dr. Horenstein’s office having a BUN test to see if the baby was healthy.  First off, let me tell you about Dollywood.  It was fantastic.  I am the biggest Dolly fan there is and to be there with my family was wonderful.  7-year-old Will is a hoot and kept me on my toes.  It was a good test for when our little one will be that age.  Some of my favorite “Willism’s” include:  “By the way” before saying anything...."I’m going to need a moment” when explaining why there would be a delay in his actions....and “Are you being sarcastic, I don’t like sarcastic people” which of course was said to me many times on the trip!!!  It was wonderful and I can’t wait to do it again!  Yes, that’s me and Will with one of the park employees named “Old Coot”! 

Now, to the baby news I know you have all been waiting for.  First of all, we spared you another ultrasound picture even though we have several new ones from this week’s appointment.  Allen said that it was getting a little redundant so you’ll have to settle for the 2 pictures which show our friends Richard and Schuyler with their new 7-week baby girl, Someryn.  They let us “practice” with her and it was so wonderful.  I love them at this age but Allen was a little scared he might break her!

This week we had a very important test to determine if the baby was healthy, growing properly, and had any potential birth defects.  This test is very sophisticated and non-invasive which is a plus.  The good news is that Dr. Horenstein said that everything looks PERFECT.  I was able to see the video and our little bug was moving all around and looked just great.  And....drumroll please....while it is a little early, Dr. H. said that it looks like a girl to her.  We won’t know for sure for a few more weeks. 

So, it was a good week and we are so thrilled that our baby is doing well.  And, of course, our amazing surrogate Lorisha never complains and is such a joy to be with.  She has been so sick but is feeling a little better and hopefully will be doing great soon now that she is weaning off all of the medications she was taking to assist with the early stages of the pregnancy.  It is hard to believe that we are getting ready to enter our second trimester.  February will be here before we know it!!!! 

Posted by Stuart on 08/12 at 05:35 PM

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Our Ten Week Ultrasound

Today we had our 10-week ultrasound!  Stuart and I met Lorisha at Dr. Ringler’s office this morning and it was perfect timing as we had a chance to see our baby in motion!  Our baby was moving its tiny arms and legs like it was doing a dance for us as we watched it move around on the screen.  I was amazed to learn that our baby actually sleeps and wakes at this stage of life.  And what a heartbeat - it was strong as ever!  Dr. Ringler said it was the perfect little baby!  The baby must have overheard our conversation with Lorisha last month as she shared with us that she would love to come to Los Angeles to see Beyonce in concert Labor Day weekend.  Well, we surprised Lorisha today and gave her tickets for the concert.  I think the baby must like Beyonce too!  I guess that would explain the strong heartbeat, arms in the air, and legs moving “a mile a minute”!  This baby is starting early and will DEFINITELY be in shape when it pops its head into this world.  The next ultrasound, in October, will inform us whether we are having a boy or a girl!  Stay tuned…

Posted by Allen on 08/01 at 01:45 PM

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Our First Baby Gift

Today we are at 8 weeks pregnant and we just received our first baby gift from our friend Sue and our friend Kim who works at Hot Topic where the gift came from.  Sure makes me love Hot Topic! And, at my age, I don’t think I have ever been in one.  But, now, I highly recommend them!  It is the cutest little “onesy” I have seen.  I think that is what they call these things!

Sue and I have been friends for over 20 years.  She and her husband James live in Murfreesboro.  Sue and I have had many adventures over the years and she is one of my dearest friends.  We have been to Florida on Spring Break, Fraternity Parties, Las Vegas--and lots of support and love in between.  I am so happy that my child will have the opportunity to get to know her as she is one of the coolest women on the planet!

Thank you Sue and Kim for thinking of us.  The gift is wonderful and we’ll cherish it! 

That’s Sue in the picture!

Now, I cannot promise that I will post your picture if you send us a gift but it is a good way to try and make it on the blog!!!

Posted by Stuart on 07/17 at 11:21 AM

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