HE'S HERE!!!

 

My brother is FINALLY here! He arrived last Monday, July 22nd in the evening. His name is Gates Hudson Piantanida, and I've nicknamed him Lightening. He was 7lbs 10oz and 20" long. He's super tiny and I really, really love him.

Before my mom went to the hospital to deliver, we all played a round of golf in the morning. I've been told they did this on the day I arrived as well, so I guess it's become sort of a tradition. My mom beat my dad (again), so I guess that too, has become a tradition! Though I should probably note that my grandpa crushed them both, so really, he's the one we were impressed by. I received a nice, long lecture before this round of golf about NEVER stepping on the golf cart's gas pedal (see a previous post "Gas Pedal" for more explanation). This time I followed the rules and we had a great day.

The best surprise - besides Gates, of course - was that my Uncle Rick had a last-minute business trip to DC and flew in for Gates' birth. My mom had no idea he was coming and she just kept saying, "This is the BEST surprise EVER!" He was in town for like 24 hours and the only bummer, no one took a picture of him. My mom was delivering the baby so she says it wasn't her responsibility - dad, grandma, grandpa... one of you goofed.

My grandma and grandpa flew into town for Gates' arrival and I got to spend a bunch of time with them too. We went to the pool, got Slurpees, played with my new Stomp Rocket (my dad made it fly over our house, over our backyard, and onto the neighbor's roof), raced cars, went to the park, and ate lots of popsicles.

At the hospital, Gates left me a present each day. He's definitely related to me because we have the same good taste in toys - he likes cars also! He gave me a race track with a loop-dee-loop. This was awesome in my mom's hospital room. We hooked it up to a chair and if the cars had enough speed they would shoot through the ring of fire at the end of the track, leap onto the floor, rocket under my mom's door, across the hospital hallway, and under the door of the patient across the hall - so cool! Apparently I was the only one who thought this was cool so a garbage can barrier was set up to block any more cars from escaping the room. But several nurses still walked in to a speeding car shooting across the room - they loved it.

Gates sleeps and eats a lot...a WHOLE lot. In fact, we went to his one week appointment at the doctor's today and he has gained a pound since Thursday - A POUND! The doctor asked my mom what she was feeding him - which I thought was a funny question because baby's only drink milk, doesn't the doctor know that?!?! My mom and dad have told friends that they will "keep him" because he's sleeping 4-5 hours at a time so they only get woken up once a night to feed him; I didn't know they could return him.

While Gates is a bit too small to play with me, he's a good sport about me playing on him. I drive my cars around his head and up his legs. I've rolled the ball to him a few times but he just looks at it. And I showed him how to walk on my monster stilts - my mom said he needs to walk first before he can try out the stilts. My mom keeps finding the toys I leave next to Gates in his crib, on his stomach, and hidden under his blankets.

 

We've have several awesome visitors who've brought us dinner and gifts for Gates AND me (who knew becoming a big brother was a gift-worthy occasion!). My dad says we're eating like a king - kings must be really fat, eat the most delicious food, and get lots of treats - I love it. My buddy Dru came over for a slip n' slide play date as well as my cousins. My parents keep thanking people who help "tire me out," I guess I've been a bit excitable since Gates arrived. My mom asked me, "What's better, Christmas or getting a new baby?" "Getting a new baby!" was my reply, of course. So every second of every day has been like Christmas for me this past week - it's awesome.

I've taken on a bit more responsibility since my little brother arrived. I am the official "dirty diaper assistant" in our house - this job was totally my idea and I love it. Feel free to ask me about the job's details, I am happy to discuss my skills. I also feed the baby and loudly announce when a bottle is half empty and yell, "Time to burp!" Lastly, I have deemed myself as the one in charge of checking on the baby when he naps. I run at full speed into his room, fling open his door, check he's still sleeping, and yell to my parents, "Yep, he's still asleep!" Oddly, Gates often wakes up right after I check on him - he must want to play with me.