The Small Santa Claus

Early this morning, Graham DEMANDED to be a festive addition to the Christmas times we all enjoy. Luckily, his Auntie Katie had the forethought of a Vegas oddsmaker, and had picked up an outfit for her nephew's Christmas Spirit.

I give you...

The World's Smallest Santa Claus


MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Most Happy Elf

Every year, all over the world, millions of kids wait with millions of parents in hundreds of thousands of lines for their chance to have their picture taken while losing their sh*t on the lap of some guy who is trying his best to make a few bucks at the holidays being dressed as Santa Claus, Papa Noel, St. Nick, L'Elf Grande, and/or "Doug, Santa's Half-Brother With a Drankin' Issue."

For hours of entertainment, net-search "Scary Santa Photos." Brilliant stuff comes back, thank you internet!

We had our go yesterday with Graham!, takin' him to the local mall for his shot at getting his first pic with Santa Claus.

He slept an hour in line before we got there. The 2 families in front of us each had a kid in their group melt-down, one of them refusing to get anywhere near the Jolly One. Graham was limp with excitement. OUT.

And as I get up to our turn, they say he'll just get a pic where Santa holds him in a cradled position and it will be really cute.

Then his eyes pop open, he looks at me, then his mom, looks around, yawns...
We hand him to Santa...

and got THIS

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My canner's not hooked up, THAT's why...

2Months And Steamin' Ahead

Holy moly...
Being a parent is as enrapturing and exciting as riding a unicycle through firecrackers while holding a Molotov Cocktail on the way to a massage.

Love love love this kid, this Graham Gerald Lott.

He is surrounded by love, family, and admirers. I had only a small inkling of how wonderful it was going to be at the Holidays to share Graham with everyone. And he's grown so much it's amazing.

9/23/09 = 7lbs 8oz, 20.5in
10/23/09 = 10lbs 3oz, 22in
11/23/09 = 12lbs, 24.5in

And he now has his own room, changing table, armoire, and crib! He's got me blogging from the dining room/unpacked boxes area.

Here are some recent, fave pics of of Graham:

The thoughtful Junior Senator from Kirkland via Culver City

The Huskies are 1-0 when Graham dons this onesie. GO DAWGS!

With his Great Aunt Pam on Thanksgiving, having a much better time than it shows!

Kids These Nights

Last night we enjoyed about 5+ hours of uninterrupted sleep.
HUGE.

Graham had spent the previous 2 days napping for about an hour at a time, then grumpin' and beepin' through another 50minutes, then gearing up to tell the block he's hungry and somebody's late with "His Highness' Every 2 Hours Exactly" food.

It was superb. We needed it in the worst way. The home stretch of moving is TODAY. And had he not finally slept last night, we'd be draggin' our butts around even moreso.

At one point yesterday, I was sure a shoulder-carry had finally put him out. He'll often go Tree-Sloth on me after about 10minutes. At the quarter-hour mark he hadn't "heeeeep"'ed in a while, so I reached my cell phone around to see what he was doing...

This...

Picture Time!

Sometimes... you gots a doody diaper.

Sometimes you don't.

New Pic of Graham!

Hey All!

We snapped this pic of Graham early last week, and the hand in the picture is only for support while he holds his head up and ponders his next well-timed moment of being super.

It's these little looks that're drivin' us crazy. We're blessed with a healthy, happy little guy who is growing daily, in that healthy, cute arm-fat way.

Here he is. Ready?

The Graham Gerald Experience, Week 2

Today marks Graham's 2nd week into the world, and he's doing greatly. In the midst of Geoff's discussion with him the other night over the proliferation of the Wildcat/Spread-Option offense in the NFL, and how it's really geared towards teams with talented running backs but a lack of receivers, he blinked, looked out the window, sighed, then looked back at Geoff, who then forgot what they were talking about. I know, I'm more of a Pro-Style guy, myself.

Alicia's doing a super job as his mommy. Nature must have given Women another level of operation that defies my ability to get up every 2.5 hours. She is just a superb mother; Caring, interested, involved, and not totally biting my face off when I grab the wrong onesie. She's been as attentive, involved, caring, playful and Momly as anybody could imagine. She really misses wine and sushi. It's been 10 months now.

I'm learning a lot about the What and How of parenting. The sleep situation isn't being graded, there're no report cards. For the most part, parenting at this stage is PASS-FAIL; did he Pass His Business or Fail To Pass Said Bidnoos? Ultimately, we're blessed with health in all areas. We've learned SO MUCH about babies, and in turn, poop and pee, in the past 2 weeks. As long as he's eatin', poopin', and sleepin' without much fussin', PASS.

And we couldn't have done this as smoothly without the help of some very awesome people.

sMother-in-Law, Grandma Stacy! She was there when Graham was born, and spent the next week helping us in every way imaginable to transition into parenthood. Also, she was able to curb speeding in the alley behind our house, faced-down a whack-ass neighbor, and was elected Captain of the McManus BlockWatch.

Meredith was also a tremendous help and it was wonderful to have her visiting. Her daughter Charlie is turning 3 in December, so these recent experiences of ours are fresh in her banks. Graham enjoyed being around Meredith, and Meredith enjoyed sleeping in a little.

Johanna stopped by to photograph a playdate between her beautiful and intensely cuddle-able daughter Avalon and Graham, and share news of new mommyhood with Alicia. It helped in the most immeasurable ways.

So here's a pic of the guy, which is why you're here. As of Monday morning, he was lookin' like this. Right at YOU!

Singing Tell A Graham

I totally "get it," the rush of Parenting and carrying the mantel of Mommy or Daddy. My Wife! is doing the major work here, and again, my love, admiration, and respect for her finds a higher level. The schedule of feeding Graham isn't for the heavy sleeper, nor the night owl. This is The Gig, and OKAY EVERYBODY... Life isn't the same.

I've never been around a baby this much, other than the years in Corporate America, of course (BOOO HARDY HAR), but Graham seems just sooooo chiiilled out. Alicia's been so great as a Mother, and I'm fully embracing the diaper detail. I haven't laughed or comforted a pants-pooper so often since my days in HAX. I enjoy burping him, holding him, cradling, reading to him (he's digging "Creative Mind" by Ernest Holmes at night, and Beatrix Potter in the day).

Looks like Life's going full steam ahead. I'm so Thankful that Graham's healthy, Alicia's healthy, and that I'm part of this. He's got Grandpa Gerry, Granny Victoria, and a great family of Angels looking out for him. And he sat through 3 hours of pre-game with me on Sunday.

We're just so in love with him.

We Are Humbly, Happily Pleased To Announce...

Graham Gerald Lott

Born 9/23/09
4:25pm
7# 8oz
20.5in

Alicia was heroic, having contractions for over 30hours. TOTAL CHAMPION OF LABOR. She, and women who go through this, certainly gained a new level of respect from me.
She is in good spirits and health, resting and feeding this really incredible addition to our lives.

Graham is doing superbly. He's feeding, sleeping, pooping, and cryin' when he needs to say how much he loves being around.

What DOES he look like?

At first, it was THIS


Then it was this...

And I look like this when I hold him...

Better quality pics to come as time allows.

Thank you to all for you love, support, encouragement, generosity, and interest.

Back to parenting. News as news warrants...

Almost, But Not Quite

Oh life.
It's bigger.
Bigger than You.

So sayeth Michael "It's All Too Serious" Stipe, lead singer of R.E.M. in their hit song "The Love My Parents Never Gave Me."

As we wait, wait, wait on the arrival of the first sign of impending labor, our neighbor has decided to put his yardkeeper to work with a circular saw.

The Huskies have just finished beating the USC Trojans 16-13.
It's breezy and sunny in Culver City, CA.

And we're waiting. Waiting waiting waiting.
Next on the docket is a short nap, a hard workout, then some dinner with the just-arrived sMother-in-Law. Then baby.

Maybe.

NO, we are not telling the name until he's born! And Strongbow DiCaprio would want it that way OOOOPS.

I leave you with this picture of my gorgeous wife at 8.5 months pregnant in San Pedro, CA.

Cribbage

In one of the final nesting moves, we're getting ready to put the crib together for Baby Boy!, and place it here in the Studio/Office/Guest Room/Nursery/Exercise Pit. I need desperately to put together a video tour of our home and let you guys know what we're talking about when we mention the following:

1) The Fudge Factory
2) Kathaus die ganze Modernisierungsproblematik
3) The No-No Nook
4) Brousseau's Permanent Mark

Others, of course, but truly, this place is an interesting home layout we are bringing out baby to. Our cat, Lola Fay Cattaraugus Lott (named for her glamour and the 2 streets West of us), is all up in this place like she's on the lease, which she kind-of is, via cat deposit. But overall, we gots work to do here to make it baby-ready.

So hang in there a sec... pics to come along shortly.

Month 7!? Bump In The Front!

It's been fart oolong since a date was upped on this here blooger.

And it's been somethin' of a ride, let us tell YOU.
Seriously, stop screaming with excitement for a second so we can tells ya.
Finish your schnapps.

It is time to show you the progress of The Bump! Alicia is super-healthy, looking great, and barely ever loses it 4 times a day with a bit of hormonal surging
BUMP! What started out with a nice little roundness is growing every week. She can feel the little guy kicking and moving around, which is still pretty mind-blowing for me. He reacts the most after breakfast, and gets settled in at night with a few nudges. A lot of guys poo-poo the fatherhood thing, but I'm down for it. It's a grand part of Life, and we're really happy and kinda freaked we're part of it.

So here are some Bump-Progress pictures from 'round the Southern California area.

3 Months, at Venice Beach

5 Months, Easter in Valencia

Sherman Oaks, A Party Brousseau a la King

Recently, from Playa Del Mar

Hey, don't look so happy!

California Baby Shower!
(forthcoming!)

(our deepest Thanks to Marc&Liza - Aloha! - and Johanna & John Kim)

What you DON'T know is that we finally found our digital camera and can STOP taking pictures with my cell phone. Lookin' forward to fewer pixelates.

Truth is, Alicia's doing GREAT. In all phases of this miraculous process, Alicia's been healthy, Little Guy's been healthy, and Geoff's been handling mood swings the best he can. Most importantly, the health of Baby Lott and Alicia Mom are superb. Hard to believe it's just about 10 weeks away now.

Football season. Sweet.

Now, if you're wondering what the little Lott's gonna look like... Killorn thinks it'll be something close to below. We're hoping her ESP hasn't advanced this far, but here ya go...

More to come, stay tuned.

Hey, what's all this news about the Mucus Plug?

No Names

Ummmb...
A list of popular baby names was released recently, and per yoozh (short for "usual", now a longer explanation instead), and two names gained a LOT of popularity.

Miley, for females.
And
Barack, for males.

B'okay.
From the article:
"Baby naming experts said Americans are pulled by sometimes conflicting impulses when choosing names for their children. They gravitate toward the popular, wanting their child to fit in. But many also want their child's name to be unique, so they don't have to share it with four other kids in class at school."

I once took a class at Green River Community College with a woman whose son (his father is African American) was named "Jordan Isaiah." After 2 of the most successful NBA players of all time. Really. That's pressure on the kid. He won't get "there," sorry lady. And now he'll be lugging around as much Name as he is Expectation for his life. But here's to hoping he does turn out a winner.

So it's a tough call, finding a name for a baby that they must be called by the rest of their life, unless they develop some sort of personality to where they change their name and go off-center and go with Sunflower or "The Fudge." People try and find ways to tag their kids with something that sounds strong and cool, but really, it usually comes out a muddled concoction of the parent's narcissism. As long as little Pitt Kanye Lott loves his mum and dad, we're cool.

Oh Boy!

It's a Boy!

That's what we were told, and that's what we're marketing from here until The Arrival! Boy child, and we're very excited. Since the get-go, we had both been feeling "boy" would be the call. But the past 6 weeks changed up for Alicia, and she started thinking it was a girl. But this is MY kid.

Once it gets started in one direction, best to not change plans. Things could get raccoon-crazy.

NAMES?
Yes, we have names picked out, but are getting some great suggestions for the "Are you crazy?" list.

Arlon, Artemis, Braden, Briden, Boilover, Curth (not Curt), Daven (what the hell?), Derion (not gonna be a power-forward), Fuudå (family name), and for now... Geoffrey Jr. (still in the running)

What you see here is a Bottom View of LottBabyLA. His carriage is in the upper-1/3rd of the picture.

See that black, backwards "C" shape on the upper-right of the cone, kind-0f looks like a shadow-puppet of a dog? The white and gray pod to the left with the white dots is his "business." The bright-white line is his left femur and shin bone, and he's kind of sittin' on the ultrasound wand.

Face Time!
What you see here are face pics
First one, you can see a "C" shape, then an "X". The C is the crown of his head, and the X is his face. Those little dark spots on the X are his eyeballs. We're hoping the mind-melding alien look will be grown out-of in the next few months.

So there we go! Very excited, Alicia's looking great, doing great, and everybody's healthy. In changing her diet - getting away from dairy and meat and doing more grains and beans and a lot of fruits and veggies - we're both feeling, looking, and sleeping better. When the helicopters aren't buzzing Fort Lott looking for other people's overgrown aliens, that is.

Come see us in Culver City! Round trip on Virgin America is less than $200 right now!

Will We Be Moms Or Dads?

TOMORROW! We find out on Monday, 4/27/09 if we're having a boy or a girl! WOOT!

Very exciting. For a while now, we've both thought "boy!" Alicia has lately been feeling "girl!" and I'm still feeling "boy!" We have a girl's name picked out, and have narrowed our male monikers to a couple. They will be classic, classy names, of course. Here's what's out for sure:
D'Ammit, Jodeci, Smokehouse, The Bone, M. Night, Spencer Pratt, Fahim Anwaranpeace, Diosyphus, Octopus, West Coast Offense, Jackson, Hunter, Disappearing Vacation Time, and Geoffrey.

Here's the HotNess Momster on the Venice pier in March!

The HotNess Momster in Valencia at The Moulton's for Easter!

And, making its debut... Lott Baby! Taken 6 weeks ago, this pic clearly shows a head capable of containing the mind to solve world unrest revolving around misplaced shopping carts, and a body rivaling that of Heracles.

We want baby.
We love baby.
We need baby.
You're welcome, world.

Baby Faces

Next week we'll be finding out the gender o' the Lott Baby. It's odd sometimes to think that this child is the most-recent addition to the Lott lineage. My super-cheeky-cutest-talky-talk-talk-chatter-punkin Riley, a.k.a. Nieces Pieces, is close to it, though my cousin Eric's latest daughter...

The guy made 3 beautiful girls... invest now in paper products...

is the most-recently recent with Lott blood nourishing her carriage.

I want to do the best I can as a future-dad to take care of my wife during pregnancy, and therefore LoBaLA (LottBabyLA). For now, it's taken the form of talking to the bump and feeding extra foods to them. This kid's getting a lot of organic materials, fo' sure.

We will indeed be finding out the gender of the baby, so that we can prepare ourselves and our closest for Who's Next. We're feelin' Boy, people are saying "Girl," but what do they know?

Last chance to buy into the Gender Pool! $10 at my PayPal account.

12 Weeks, 2 Kinda Freaked Out People, 1 More Scan

Last week we got a much better ultrasound - and experience - from a new clinic.
With the constant repositioning of life overall, our health insurance only covers certain places for certain appointments at certain times on the Mayan calendar. Our first technician's scan, in the first/previous post, will now be recounted in this short play:

Interior - Doctor's Office - Day
Alicia is in a half-gown with ultrasound jelly smeared across her lower abdomen. The Technician is staring at the screen and pushing buttons silently on a keyboard directly in front of herself. Geoff is on the opposite side of the room, trying to decipher what they are looking at, while the Technician stares at the screen and silently pushes buttons at random.

ALICIA:
(to Technician)
Can you see anything?
Is that dark part the womb?

TECH:
(heavy accent)
Nyo. Iut iuz... yizz, dis is voom.

GEOFF:
Can you see anything in there?
Can you tell us what we are looking at?

TECH:
(3 seconds of silence, before...)
Voom. And baby. About 7 and a half veek.

She punches at more buttons for 10 minutes.
Alicia and Geoff leave after that.

THE END.
==========
So, that was that. Nothing really great about the experience.

This time was much different. Our tech was a bit older, more experienced, and made our first tech look like a wax figure of a thought. We joked a bit, got to hear the baby's heartbeat (157pbm!), and she showed us some great stuff. We watched the little Lott move around, and readjust its position from facing outward to rolling over to one side.

Alicia is looking lovely, despite her avoidance of mirrors. Her slight bump is being well tended-to, spoken-to, and rubbed regularly. She is going to be a gorgeous and glowing mother, sunkissed and only slightly grumpy. She's past most of the "What smells bad?" stage, which took hold slightly after we married. A walk around our local Farmer's Market yesterday tired her out, but the extra hour of sunlight is changing moods all over here.

Geoff is FOR the whole parenthood thing, even as many comics like to joke about being anti-kid and Down With Fatherhood! Yes, he is embracing the fact that he's got responsibilities to this child and his wife and will surely use it all for as much comedy as it can produce.

And to close it out, the latest pic of the newest Lott!
You can totally see how it's growing a sense of superiority... sniff... just like it's daddy.
Gorgeous.

We Did It!

That's right, folks!
For all the right reasons - ranging from "Love" to "Some People Have 14 Of Them" - Geoff & Alicia, heretofore referred to as "We," are going to have a BABY! What better way to announce it to the world than a public blog? Wow, how far we have come, huh America? It used to be that you'd announce a pregnancy at dinner, after a few drinks, and then her parents would ask you to leave the table.

BUT NOT NOW! WOO HOO!
We're quite excited, in between the bouts of restlessness, irritability, hormonal tsunamis, aches, nausea, hunger siege, and finding the best prenatal vitamins.

So, let's get going with the Q&A.
Actually, I'll just put in the A, you can imagine the Q for yourselves.

1. About 12 weeks. We'll let you count backwards to see when the Little Blessing was sent along.
2. We're feeling "boy," but truly, we want a healthy, chunky, pink baby with a proportioned head, and partiality to quick, painless entrances.
   
3. Yes, we have picked out names for either gender. We're keeping them secret, unless you already know, in which case you can tell other people and we'll deny we ever met you.
4. No, not until the baby's at least 6, unless it's born with it, then we'll just let it grow naturally.
   
5. Yes, we will find out the gender. Some people want to be "surprised," but when it's 50-50, the only surprise is giving birth to a live sturgeon.
   
6. Not really, but it would be nice to find one who speaks English as even a 3rd language.
7. NO WAY! You're gross, grow up. Go to YouTube, weirdo.
   
8. Yes, we will be banking the blood from the umbilical cord. The blood's ability to aid in healing and reversal of some diseases counts majorly toward holding on to it. Stem Cells, people.
   
9. Not in a kiddie pool, no.
10. We embrace Life just enough to let It know we Appreciate It. Then we let It do It's thing. That's why.

Please stay tuned for updates and pictures as news warrants.
So happy you can read, and care!

And with no further adieu...

LOTT BABY L.A.!!!