Monday, November 16, 2009

The 4-kiloer




One of the gems of living in Denmark with a baby is that all new parents get a visiting nurse. This is a nurse who comes to you during the first year of the baby's life to answer questions, check on both the baby's and the parents' well-being, gives help with breastfeeding, and weighs the baby. The nurse comes more during the baby's first month and less later, but can visit any time she is needed and leaves a phone number parents can call for questions. This system takes time away from doctors, who in other places may be answering questions that a nurse is qualified to answer, and makes it easier for the parents to talk about their feelings and not have to cart their baby to the doctor's office. Estelle gets a doctor's appointment at 5 weeks and her shots at five months, but other routine visits are handled by the nurse. So far this system has worked wonderfully for us, given that as new parents we have a lot of small questions that we might not have bothered to call a doctor to ask but are still nice to know the answers to.

At this week's check-up we found that Estelle has reached 4 kilos, or 8.8 pounds, up from 7.5 pounds at birth. Here's a picture of the nurse weighing her in the "stork" fashion - using a cloth diaper to hold her. We think that her growth spurt is over, given that she is eating less frequently. She has also established somewhat of a sleeping routine, waking up every 4-5 hours at night and going to bed relatively easy. I think we're lucky in that department!

We've also started our cloth diaper system last week. Estelle is outfitted in Bummis hemp diapers and Bum Genius and Happy Heinys cloth diapers - whoever thought up the names of those diapers should win a prize for best way of making the rear-end sound cute. The diapers are great because they're one-size and grow with the baby via a snap-system. They also work just like disposables with velcro to put them on (no more old-fashioned pins), and are made of a fleece interior so the baby can't even feel it is wet because the wet stays away from the skin. We use a regular diaper pail and throw them in the wash every two days - so far it's not too gross or difficult. Also, with disposables costing about 30 cents a piece we are saving a ton of money. By my calculation we will save over $2,000 with this system, and even more if we use them with a second child. We still use paper diapers when we travel or go out for more than a few hours, though, because it's more convenient than carting dirty cloth diapers in our suitcase or backpack. It's OK to be Eco-friendly, but not if you smell like poop in public... that's where I draw the line.

Next up tomorrow: Estelle goes to the American Embassy of Denmark for her American citizenship!

Friday, November 13, 2009

The Next Hipster

The blog Appellation Mountain recently featured the name Estelle. Here's what they have to say:

She’s a star. But in recent years, this once-popular pick has been eclipsed by similar choices. Can she shine brightly again?

Thanks to Toni for suggesting Estelle as Name of the Day.

Even before 90210 alum-turned-reality TV maven Tori Spelling called her darling daughter Stella, the name was on the rise. As of 2008, Stella came in at #186, up from #244 the year before.

Stella was a smash in the nineteenth century, too. If you check out the US rankings from the era, you’ll find Stella, Estella and Estelle were all Top 200 choices or better, with a few variant spellings, like Estell, also charting.

They all come from the Latin stella – star. Various versions of the name have popped up in literature for centuries, including:

  • Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney penned Astrophel and Stella in 1581;
  • Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations included Estella Havisham, Pip’s crush with a heart of ice;
  • Tennesse Williams’ 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire immortalized Stella as a long-suffering, down-on-her-luck Southern belle.

But while Stella and Estella seem fashion-forward, and the Latina Estrella is also winning over parents, Estelle seems left in the dark. She hasn’t appeared in the US Top 1000 since 1963.

Today, Estelle is most likely to bring to mind Emmy-winning actress Estelle Getty, the most senior of television’s Golden Girls. The quick-witted, tough-love mom to Bea Arthur’s Dorothy embraced all the little old lady stereotypes. So maybe it isn’t a surprise that Estelle brings to mind early bird specials and support hose. Except that Estelle Getty’s character was named Sophia – a Top Ten pick for newborns, and one that climbed in use even as the Golden Girls aired in the 1980s.

Two other small screen Estelles might’ve added to the name’s feel. Estelle Costanza – played by actress Estelle Harris – was George’s mother on Seinfeld. And on Friends, Joey’s barely competent agent was named Estelle Leonard.

While Estelle might seem trapped in fashion limbo, there is one bright spot for her revival: American parents’ embrace of French names. Denise and Danielle might fade; Nicole might find herself reserved for the middle spot. But in every decade, there are always a few French-inspired monikers high on the charts. Why not Estelle? The names gained as a group in the nineteenth century.

So if Claire can sound fashion-forward once more, and if celeb parents like the Jolie-Pitts choose Vivienne, perhaps Estelle is just a smidge ahead of the curve – a logical (dare I say stellar?) discovery for parents dismayed to see how popular Charlotte has become.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Estelle's First Music Video

Next on her playlist, "You're So Vain," by Carly Simon.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L20bgO8-Rk

We think Estelle is going through her first growth spurt, as she wants to eat every hour or two and has been especially fussy (our fingers are crossed that we don't have a colicky baby on our hands). Apparently between 2-3 weeks is when the first big growth spurt often comes and she hasn't had one yet, so that might explain her sudden need to binge.

Estelle will be making a big trip tomorrow, all the way across town to the Copenhagen airport to greet a very special visitor: Memere, who arrives from Massachusetts tomorrow! Mommy is also very happy about this, because Memere comes bearing lots of stuff she ordered on-line - and of course it's nice to for a Mommy to have her Mommy around.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Our Little Meatball



When we were picking out a name for Estelle, Kjartan and I thought about all the nicknames kids could call her at school. For example, with Stephanie there's "Step-on-Me" and for Kjartan there's, well, there's just Kjartan - or there's Tarzan. We couldn't think of many crazy nicknames for Estelle - Ellie Belly? Jelly Estelly? Alls Well Estelle?

But now, less than two weeks after her birth, Kjartan's friend pointed out the obvious:

Estelle Frikadelle

That's Estelle the Meatball in Danish, with Frikadelle being a cornerstone of Danish cuisine. Since Frikadelle are pretty much Denmark's greatest contribution to world cuisine (except, of course, the hot dog), I'm OK with it.

So welcome to week three, my little meatball!

Monday, November 2, 2009


Sunday, November 1, 2009

Estelle's Movie Debut

See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oba8pwIltks

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Newspapers

In my hormone-induced haze, I forgot to ask my American counterparts to get a newspaper from last Sunday (October 25) when estelle was born. Can someone dig into their recycling bin and find a copy for me? National, Ithaca, canandaigua, and western mass papers are best!


-- Posted from my iPhone