Oct 252007
Although we’ve been prepping for it for the better part of a year, Susan and I began the project in earnest a week ago today: her name is Sidney Amelia Bustos Munroe, and she weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces.
It’s been going great, it’s a totally engrossing and fascinating process. Susan and I have made a bunch of things together, but Sid’s by far the best. Imagine a human being, but an implausibly adorable one, and you’ll have an idea of what she’s like. And if you’ve having trouble picturing that, check out the pictures interspersed with some of my early observations.
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| Susan made an iron-on with Sid’s ultrasound so when she was pregnant it gave the impression you were looking directly into her belly. Freaky! |
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| Susan rode her bike up ’til the day Sid showed up. Baby On Board! |
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| Sid, one minute old, still on the delivery table. Having a kid is like going to Paris — everyone says you’ll love it, and usually they’re right. Some things just have a cross-the-board appeal. But like Paris, you can still make the basically magical experience your own: choosing whether you go as a backpacker or a champagne socialite, travel alone or with a crowd, visit the subways or the cathedrals. |
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| We had Sid at Women’s College Hospital, where the staff were amazing and supportive. |
| I’ve never felt really strongly that I wanted to have a kid, or didn’t want to — I’ve always felt fairly neutral about it, and same with Susan. In fact, a friend reminded me of my off the cuff comment that “kids are the most conservatizing force on earth” — which I still believe. Most political decisions you make have to do with how you value freedom and security, and when you have a kid you naturally tilt towards security. But change is exciting, and the same way I like working with constraints with art, I’m interested in seeing how having a kid will change/funnel my work and life. |
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| Sid didn’t like her first bath, ducky towel or no ducky towel. It was harrowing at the time, but I do find this picture hilarious. |
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| I have become one of those dads with the weird alien growth of my spawn emerging from my chest. Our first walk, to the doctor’s office when Sid was four days old. It was a beautiful day and she slept through most of it. |
Jim,
Congratulations! I haven’t been following closely for a while–didn’t know you were expecting.
My son was just born back in April. It’s amazing how quickly our lives have been restructured.
Sidney looks great! And she’s lucky to have such smart and talented parents!!!
Sincerely,
David Droddy
Congrats, Jim! I’ve been waiting to hear about this. Awesome pictures! I hope you guys are getting enough sleep. Judging by that bathtime pic, your kid is quite a howler. That’s the one thing I don’t miss.
My own daughter is in Kindergarten this year. The adventure never ends. You’ve got so much coolness (and frustration) ahead of you.
Take care.
Grahm
Ah! Congrats! =)
Awwww! Congratulations!
Jim,
Emily linked me to your website! Congratulations! You look ready to take on the embarrassing father role any day now, should it become necessary. Furthermore, that ultrasound shirt is pretty badass!
Julia
yay!
this is so great!!!!!!!!
aww, jim, this is so great. congrats to you and susan. Sidney is beautiful!
Beautiful little sidney. What a wonderful experience. I enjoyed every minute of my parenthood and think it is the best thing I ever did in my life. Taught me a lot about myself. I even appreciate the difficult times because they are such a strong teacher.
Enjoy it all!
Vic
how cute can you get? congratulations!
WOW !! She is fantastic. I cannot wait to meet her. Congratulations 🙂
Congratulations Jim and Susan! (mostly Susan for enduring that process…lol). Your insights about being a new parent brought a tear to my eyes and I suspect that your next novel or project will likely include a bit about parenthood.
Keep in touch!
Thanks Jim and Susan, finally our little girl!!
Aunt Kevin and Auntie Jen
Hey Susan and Jim!
Congratulations! She is absolutely beautiful, and the name Sidney is an awesome choice!!! I can’t wait to see the little one! Susan: I hope delivery went well, and your adjusting…
Again, congrats shes beautiful…
Kimmy
Congratulations, Susan & Jim!
Possibly the most adorable just-out-of-utero baby girl we’ve seen yet; she looks like she’s already smiling! A great testament to her ride in, good work parents. Hopefully the rest of the ride goes just as smootly… if anyone can juggle kids and work creatively and well, its bound to be you two.
Kisses from Cambodia.
Congratulations! I am so happy for you!
Congrats! I’ve been too busy to even check the site since NaNo started, but I figured it must be about time … 🙂 Best wishes to your whole little family unit.
yay this is so wonderful!
hooray for co-creations…
let’s give sid some creative credit too as i’m sure you have!
i love the pictures and look forward to visiting
when the timing is right for you all.
sending so much love and wishing you all the best.
Carly
Jim and Susan, congrats!! That is so awesome. She’s adorable and you’re already obviously a proud papa. All the best from Tulsa!
Thanks everybody, we’re nearing the one month mark and it’s been great getting so many good vibes and nice little visits both virtual and real.
…I was trying to think of something interesting to say but I’ve been at the computer too long & I have to go cuddle my baby now. Thank you for understanding.
WOW! Jim, Susan — Todd and I are so happy and excited for you!! Please keep us posted as she grows! You will no doubt be exactly the kind of parents we want as our example…speaking of which… 😉 xoxo susannah and todd
Congratulations! She’s adorable.
like whoa! i just realized Jen had a baby and now you too? awesome! i’m due any day now, and totally can’t wait for this abstract belly creature to turn into a real live human creature. Congrats to you all and i love love love the u/s t-shirt. i’m totally stealing that idea for our next one!
Congrats to you both. Now, Jim, you know the wellspring that I mentioned to you, but can’t possibly be understood before the arrival.
Best of luck with everything. Sleep when you can, and enjoy every moment.
Hurray for another Amelia! We named our daughter Amelia, born 7 weeks ago.
http://amelia.barrett.org
I also love the name Sidney. Congrats!
Congrats Jim!!!!
Welcome to the world, Sidney!
Wonderful news.
Love,
Sharon Harris
with Cyan (3) and Garnett (9) who like your ultrasound shirt too.
Congratulations! My son just passed the 1.5 year mark; having him in our life has done more for our marriage, motivation, creativity, and general happiness than all the booze, bitching, and money in the world.
Hey Jim, I don’t even know you but congratulations. Anyone who can make a movie like that should do just fine as a parent. Best of luck, I never had a baby but am now the step parent of a 12 year old girl -yikes! Enjoy the adorableness while it lasts!
Congratulations Jim! I plan to embark upon a similar project within the next few years and your great big smile and the photos of beautiful Sid make it a little bit less scary.
Congratulations! These pictures are so cute. I hope the three of you are having a great time together!
Maggie
Congratulations!
But calling it a ‘twenty year’ project may be ambitious.
My daughter is 22, a college senior, and still on ‘the payroll’.
You have no idea how much your life will change, but you are getting a clue.
It’s (mostly) all good…
Gerald
It’s quite surreal and wonderful, isn’t it. I’m still not sure I fully understand what having a child means. I was just reading a reader-submitted essay about not HAVING it all (i.e. the things one dreamt about having/doing when one was younger), but BEING everything to a little someone, and that kind of sums it up for me.
So, I’ve given away a lot of newborn stuff, but pls. e-mail me if there’s anything you need I might be able to pass on (e.g. drool blankets, diaper shirts for the ubiquitous liquid poo, etc.).
Congratulations,
Christina
Congratulations! She’s so beautiful. So glad to get such happy wonderful news.
A Radically Less Cool Lifestyle is Born to Area Couple
http://www.theonion.com/content/radio_news/radically_less_cool
It would be a stretch to say my lifestyle was ever cool, but I lived through this change when I was in grad school in Toronto in the late 90s.
Congratulations to the new Dad. My wife gave birth too a month ago and nothing could define the joy that mini-me brings to our lives. Good luck and God bless.
Good work Susan & Jim. Welcome to the world of parenting. And Sid, welcome to the world.
-Andy (Vancouver)
Congrats dear cuz. Sidney’s adorable and lucky to have such great parents. Wishing you both all the best. Enjoy every moment…
wow, congratulations! welcome to the club! i clicked through to this post from my husbands email, and then recognized you jim, weird and wonderful!
Glad to finally see the pics. Congrats to you both!
Congratulations, you two!
Hi Jim and Susan,
Congratulations of the highest order! She is beautiful.
Tina and Terry
a quick laugh at the name sid… perhaps there was more to that in Flyboy than is readily apparent?
🙂
Congratulations Jim… however you may want to consider the ERGO baby carrier or a Mei Tie style one… as the baby bjorn (and other similar carriers) have been known to be attributable to hip displacement…
Amongst other things… which I would divulge upon if you ever returned me emails 🙂
pz
-robert
Hey Jim – congrats to both you and Susan go out from the dork’s! She probably deserves them more then you though – she had the harder aprt of the process (at least so far)! It’s about time you started building up the next generation of gamers!
I am back and I can’t wait to see her and you!! You will have so much fun. Maybe Leon & Sid can start a band!!
xo, Liz.
she’s probably already picked up some bass, since she’s attended several tomboyfriend shows and rehearsals in utero. what will leon play?
I think Leon is a crooner. But it’s too soon to say. Also, yay for riding your bike! I did it too, the baby on board sign is a good idea.
hooray !! i did not know you had a baby! so cute.
She’s adorable! Having a child in your life is the greatest thing in the world, bar none. You both will be marvelous parents and Sid is one lucky child. Give her all the love you can-she’ll need it when she becomes a teenager! Congratulations to all of you.