Hello, I am Iris Maria. I was born to this world on 23rd of June, 2000, at 2:39am. All this happened in America, California, city called Santa Rosa. The hospital was Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. 

We came to the hospital with my daddy and mommy already the previous evening. It was funny that so many other babies wanted to be born also that there was no delivery room available. So the nurses had to prepare one room specially for us. They brought in all kinds of clever machines and other stuff, just in case, if I needed any immediate help after being born. 

Birthgiving went really well and was totally natural - no pain reliefs used. We came to the hospital the previous evening at 9 o'clock and just after about 5 hours I was ready to enter this world. So my mommy started to push and suddenly I flew out like a bullet. I'm glad the doctor caught me on time. As an active and moving baby, I had the cord around my neck four times and also around my arm. But no problem, the doctor unwrapped it put me on my mom's chest. Of course first I saw my dad, who was closely examining everything that happened. He had the honor to cut the cord. I started to eat right away and enjoyed it for a full hour. I had my eyes open and I could hold my head right away. After eating I and my dad went to the nursery to take my measurements, wash me, and get the first shots. 

Here are the results: birth weight 6 pounds and 7 ounces, length 19 inches, head 13¼ inches, chest 12¼ inches. I have a lot of long dark hear and my eyes are blueish-grayish. 

We spent the rest of the day in the hospital (mostly sleeping) and at 9 o'clock, about 18 hours after my birth, we came home. I like it here. I have my own room and everything. Right now I am sleeping in my parents' bedroom, where I have a small crib. So what do I do? As all babies - sleep, eat, burp, boop, pii, and spit. For some strange reason, my parents like this and are telling me how good I am in doing all this. Oh, if life could continue like that... 

Today (I am four days old now) I and daddy took our first walk in the neighborhood, we went to the creek and back. It is nice and peaceful around here, just the sunshine is a bit too bright for me. My dad took time off from work and now we have time to do stuff and give mommy some rest. My parents play me nice music. Also, very interesting coincidence - my birthday is at the same time as our neighbor Elisabeth's. So she is very excited about me and promised to read me German books and teach me German (she is German), as well as play piano and sing. I would love that. 

When I was five days old we took our first shopping trip. We went to Santa Rosa CostCo, Target and Best Buy. Daddy wanted to buy me colorful shelves and so I had to go with to tell which colors I like. 

I have now learned a new habit. As I don't like the diaper changing, then to tease my mommy and daddy, I pii or boop the changing pad every time they try to change my diapers. It's cool to see how big eyes they make at that. 

Now I am one week old. I had my first full bath today and I liked it a lot. It is so nice to swim in warm water on my mom's hands. In the evening we had my birthday party, my dad's colleagues with their families came over to see me. I got lots of presents and I think I have more dresses now than my mom. And daddy finished building the shelves, so there is enough room for all my clothes. 

Today is my second week birthday. Most of my life I have spent at home with my mommy and daddy. We go for a walk quite often. Laying in the stroller makes me real sleepy and so I don't even know all the places we have been. One day we made a huge walk, about 10 miles. We walked at the golf courses and small streets. We discovered a nice botanical garden in our neighborhood. 

Today we also went to the doctor's office to get me measured. I weigh now 8 pounds and am 21 inches long. And then we also had my official passport photos taken. Now I have my first official document - birth certificate. Passport should arrive in ten days and then I can start traveling. 

On my sixteenth day my belly-button fell off. 

For now, that's all I can speak in English. If you want to see some pictures of me, please go to my family page and look under pictures (Remember to click on the pictures to see them bigger. 

© 2000 Iris Maria