Fletcher Augustus DeRouen

A diary for our son, by Joe and Andrea DeRouen

Thursday, November 22, 2001

Today Fletcher celebrated his first Thanksgiving, and tomorrow he'll celebrate his first month of birth. He's such a busy baby! His Grandmother Judy SoRelle and his uncle William SoRelle were here today to help him (along with Andee and myself) celebrate Thanksgiving (check out the new photos) and while Fletcher didn't actually get any turkey, he did get plenty of kisses and hugs.

Can't wait for my family to see Fletcher. They live in Illinois so it's a bit harder, but hopefully we'll all be able to get together soon for my mother to meet her grandson, my sister to meet her nephew, and my grandmother to meet her great-grandson!

.: posted by Joe 8:35 PM

Saturday, November 17, 2001

Just a few days ago, Fletcher turned three weeks old. He seems advanced for his age, but of course I'm not exactly unbiased. Still, he can already flip from his stomach to his back, and he recites the alphabet up to the letter "P". Well, okay, maybe not that last one yet, but he does the flip really well. :)

We continue to get messages both personal and publically to the guestbook, which we really and truly appreciate. Thanks to anyone and everyone reading this and visiting the page for indulging Fletcher's new parents. It's been a great experience so far, and I can't wait for whatever happens next!

.: posted by Joe 11:12 PM

Tuesday, November 13, 2001

Fletcher is three weeks old today. In just another week, he'll be a month old... then two months... then six months. Boy, time sure does fly. It seems like it was just yesterday when I first saw my son enter the world. I suppose someday I'll look back fondly on writing these diary entries and think the same thing.

Fletcher is really strong. Already, he can roll around (from side to side and on his back) and move his head around just about anywhere he wants. He's also managed to grab his pacifier a few times and actually stick it in his own mouth. Coincidence, you say? I say not! And you couldn't convince me otherwise if you tried.

.: posted by Joe 9:03 PM

Monday, November 12, 2001

I just added a bunch of new photos to Fletcher's picture gallery. Boy, by the time he's 18, I'll be out of server space and he'll be complaining to me for putting all those photos up on the Web!

.: posted by Joe 2:04 PM

Wednesday, November 07, 2001

We took Fletch to the doctor on Monday for his two week (actually, one week and six days) appointment and found out he's about the weight and length he should be. Our boy is pretty much average in terms of size, but he's above-average in terms of reflex and movement. He seems to be a very healthy, energetic little boy, and I couldn't be more proud of him if I tried!

.: posted by Joe 8:41 PM

Sunday, November 04, 2001

Boy . . . I'm a father now. Of course, I have been for nearly two weeks - but I'm still not quite used to it yet, even though I had nearly nine months to prepare for it. Until a child is born, I think, he or she is just a concept. You know it's going to happen, but you don't really KNOW it. Or at least I didn't. But in there in the delivery room with Andee, when he was born, when he finally left the comfort of the womb to enter the brightness of the world at large, I finally knew. He stopped being a concept and became something real, something tangible. My knees started to buckle, my eyes filled up with tears, and my heart swelled at the first sight of my little baby boy. Utterly amazing.

.: posted by Joe 9:06 PM

Friday, November 02, 2001

Today, we sent off a check for Fletcher's birth certificate. Does that mean he's not officially born until the US Government receives and processes our check? What if we had failed to send it in at all? Could Fletcher then not legally have birthdays? Would the Birth Certificate Police burst into our house on our son's 1st birthday, water pistol in hand, and squirt out the candle on his cake? Something to think about, isn't it? (Well, okay, something for ME to think about - I'm easily amused, so sue me.)

.: posted by Joe 8:48 PM

Thursday, November 01, 2001

Fletcher is a week and two days old today. Before I had a son, I always thought it was funny that people referred to children under a certain age in months rather than years. And now I'm referring to to my child in weeks! It just goes to show you . . . be careful what you mock, lest it come back to bite you in the rump!