Hanging out in Texas with little Ethan Elliott

First thing I did when we arrived at the Marriott Residence Inn on South University in Fort Worth was to set up our technology infrastructure: an airport express hooked up to the hotel's wired high-speed internet access to create a local wireless network for each of our laptops; the iPod in a base on the microwave and plugged into little speakers sitting on top of the fridge; a battery charger for the video camera. Renée is all set up on the kitchen counter and I have a workspace on a small desk tucked in the corner, with a hard drive on the floor containing my video project I'm working on for one of my clients. I even had to go to Albertson's and buy 3 plug adapters that turned the 2 socket plugs into 6 sockets because we have so much stuff to plug in...computers, network device, cell phones, hard drive, chargers, iPod...crazy, but now we have a fully functional office and communications center.

But who cares about all that. Day before yesterday we brought little Ethan Elliot home. Before that we spent some wonderful amazing time in the hospital with our birthmother, but since this blog is about being a father, I'll cover the adoption part of things elsewhere. Suffice it to say that we are both incredibly happy and tired parents learning as we go and discovering this amazing little creature.

Although Renée is doing most of the changing an feeding, I'm doing a good amount myself and I feel like I'm getting reasonably good at making up the bottle, feeding and burping him, and changing his diaper. We are really lucky because he is so calm and easy going...he cries a little when he is hungry or when we are changing him but he stops very quickly once he is either being fed or is swaddled back up.

So far being a new dad is great. I worry about my work, I've been over on the computer, doing my conference calls, editing, etc...worry about money...but I'm so excited about being his dad and thinking about all the things we are going to do together, all the things I get to teach him.

Since he's been here, we've been making more modifcations to our living space...I replaced all the 100 watt bulbs with 40 or 60 watts; the office loaned us an office chair that doesn't really rock but it does swivel which isn't half-bad...and we've been keeping the place dark and playing lots of soft music...Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Nina Simeone. It's actually quite nice in here, although it really helps to get out. Just had a soup and sandwich dinner at a place called Panera's across the highway (there's a bicycle/walking path that goes under so you don't have to cross it) and we had a nice stroll along the rather stanky-looking river. Beautiful warm evening, sky streaked with clouds, folks riding and roller blading on the path and Elliott tucked into his little sling over my shoulder. Feeling very tired, but life is good.