I feel I’m a bit late but congratulations.
Ah, sweet Anya! The delight you’ve provided your parents and people you’ll never meet but who rejoice in your arrival
$deity enfold you, $deity protect you, $deity bless the woman who bore you.
I’m back to work today. It’s a little strange, back to the normal world, where pee and poop and crying aren’t the entire focus of the day. A few minutes of conversations with coworkers, and then we jump right back into things.
This is so different this time. Much less intensity. Last time was a 100 yard dash. Every second counted, every breath mattered. There was 100% focus, there was 100% effort.
This time is a marathon. Anya will be held tomorrow, and the next day and the next and the next. The emotional level is much lower. It’s been weird changing gears, but this is nice.
And we have a winner of the baby pool! Oct 7th was a popular date with 6 dopers getting the date right. Fortunately, gigi was kind enough sumarize it:
From the baby pool
Almost to the hour! ScareyFaerie, come on down! Congratulations!
I’m SO late to the party, but the sentiment is the same!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
you haz cute bb. best of luk frum teh east coast of norf america!
I’ve started a new job and haven’t had much time to be here, but I’ve read the entire thread.
Congratulations! You have no idea how your life will change, for the better. She looks like a big, healthy, happy girl. I noticed in the pic of her Taiwan Grandma that she had the whole eating thing down pat. 
I told my husband about you along the way. I read to him your posts. He is a guy whose life changed when his daughter was born, in more than just the usual ways. Our entire family here in Florida are happy for you and your family and wish you the best.
Do you know what the best is? I can promise in at least 3 years, your feelings for her that you have now, that you feel will make your heart explode, will grow beyond what your heart could have ever imagined.
Baby kisses!
I"m coming in late (that’s what I get for taking my 2 days off work) but I have to come in and say CONGRATULATIONS! That is an absolutely gorgeous baby girl, and I speak as a woman who has spawned two of the best-looking kids on the planet. 
You realize, of course, you’re going to have to give that little bundle of sweetness a kiss from every Doper here (and two from me). Better get started now!
Thanks again everyone.
Little Anya is now two and a half days old. Amazing that only that little time has passed. It seems like these few days have been a lifetime.
And just like almost all other newborns, Beta-chan like to stay up at night and sleep during the day. My wife said it was really hard last night, and she didn’t get much sleep. Welcome to parenthood, I guess.
She’s having a little more trouble with breast-feeding, wanting to just grab onto the nipple and not the whole thing. My wife is having to learn how to get her on right. Once she’s latched on, she doesn’t have a problem with sucking, though.
Next time we’ll go with a closer hospital, which will help with my visits after work.
We’ve got a three day weekend starting tomorrow, Saturday, so I’ll get to start working on all the Doper kisses.
Congrats! And also congrats on not sleeping anymore!
Two and a half days in and you’re already talking about next time, doesn’t the missus deserve a break!
We’ll be expecting a few photos every now and again you know, just slip them into your regular posts, we won’t mind.
Two gentle kisses on the top of her head (ah… the smell of a baby!) and one on her nose from me, kthnxbai.
Oh! Have you had a chance to feel her bum (this is INNOCENT!) while diapering? There is nothing, NOTHING on earth, I say, that is as soft and smooth and innocent and did I mention soft? As baby bum. It’s like it’s not even human. It’s like angel-skin or something.
Oh, to cuddle a baby.
On no. The next time will be a long time in the future. I’m just back from the hospital and am tired. She’s tired, and Anya is tired. Looks like a normal situation for newborns!
It’s remarkable the difference between fathers and mothers. I’ve talked to many mothers, including my sister, who got really anxious the moment her baby starts to cry. My wife is just like that now. Really worried about everything. Of course, she’s got a lot a hormones kicking around inside her at the moment.
Anya’s not getting that much to drink yet. She sucks really well, but the milk hasn’t arrived in force yet. Since it take a few days, we expect that will come soon.
Poor Anya was getting dehydrated, so they supplemented with some sort of special low-allergy drink made from potatoes, of all things. When I got there tonight, Anya had been feeding for 20 minutes, but getting very little.
The nurse took my wife and squeezed about 5 cc of milk, while I held a hungry, crying kid. Once they gave this milk and the drink, Anya was able to sleep some. Once Anya was laying down, I was able to get my wife to go to relax enough to sleep.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, I was stroking my wife’s arm with my left hand and patting Anya asleep with my right. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more useful in my life when both of my wonderful girls conked out at the same time. Naturally, 20 minutes later, Anya wakes up, which get her mother up instantly. Still, you fight for each moment of sleep.
I’m sure this is something that everyone who has or has had children goes though, but it’s such a new experience for us. I can see how new parent’s conversations become entirely about their babies!
Fortunately, tomorrow is the start of a three-day weekend, so I’ll get to spend all day each day with them.
Milk made from POTATOS??
Careful, your beautiful daughter will end up Irish! Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Jeez, make me cry at work, why don’t you?
Congratulations and best wishes to you, Mrs. Player and the little one!
I had a dream about you guys last night. I was visiting Tokyo for some unknown reason and had a chance to meet you and your wife, and, like every Doper visiting Tokyo before me had done, we got to meet your lovely Anya (I finally did get flickr to work for me!) Thing is, in the dream, Anya was already 7, and she had a 3 year old little sister, whose name started with a K and was a very Japanese name.
So you have to wait 4 years, have another girl, and name her a Japanese name that starts with a K, just so that I can then say that my dream was a premonition!
Anya also loved Seattle, since she had been there once and thought it was a pretty city.
Maybe this dream should go into a “You know you’re a doper when…” tread?
I haven’t been paying much attention to the boards recently, so I’m a little late. But I’d like to give you guys a hearty:
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Thank you so much for posting photos! It’s beautiful to see the three of you, a new and happy family!
Ah I’ve been so busy at work lately that I haven’t had a chance to stop in and say
CONGRATULATIONS! The SO and I wish you and your ladies the best!
Be the best papa that you can be!
Please come over! All four of us will be waiting.
I wrote this today at the hospital.
Looking forward, we see two score plus years of cash outflow, of one expense after another and others beyond. We’re committed now, no backing away. Restless nights as the enormous reality hit home.
And this was just for our new house, the mortgage and loan! All this before our newest acquisition, an investment in a future, not for financial gain, but whose magnitude dwarfs all others.
To be fed, changed, held and bathed. For now. To be guided as she grows. To be taught, played with and walked with. To share in the wonder of the world, of flowers bright and critters fuzzy.
But, above all, this precious daughter is to be loved. Wanted and loved. For long is the road, rough and rocky at times, but the love of this, the sweetest soul, will smooth the sojourn and lighten the load.
From one who knew, from the youngest of age, not but fear and a terrible, terrible rage. Has trekked a lifetime over mountains of pain and valleys of doubt to find solace in a warm sun.
Found at last, a soul mate, and together they build a house of smiles and happy spells. Of light and laughter of love.
Which, in 25 years, will be ours. But our precious one is ours now. And tomorrow and forever.
A (childless) acquaintance once remarked on how expensive children are. I guess that’s when it really hit home to me that I was really&truly a parent: my reflex comeback was that they’re not expensive, they’re priceless.
At the risk of raining on your parade (if such be possible), I feel that I need to give you a warning based on the phase I’m currently going through: at some time in the future you’re going to have to let go of the hand that curls itself around your little finger now — and in a miracle of (meta)physics, has your entire being wrapped around its little finger. But you will have this consolation: that as Anya is a gift to you now, at that point she will be your gift to the world. And I think I can firmly predict that the world will be a far better place for it.
milk made from potatos? in russian that is called vodka!
i hope you are enjoying your weekend with your womenfolk. i imagine anya will be spending most of her time being held by dad.
I’ve been horribly behind on reading due to a virus infestation (of the computer kind), but:
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
TokyoPlayer, you look rightfully proud and loving, and your words have touched me greatly. Hang in there, the sleep issue will eventually get A LITTLE better.
Much love to Mrs. Player and Anya!