here are a few little milestones and events from mischa's first couple weeks in this world...
1. first outside the womb hiccups -- day 3, and pretty much daily thereafter.
2. first manicure -- day 4. grandma kucher had to file all his nails down, because they were so very long when he was born we were worried he'd scratch his eyes out. or someone else's. he behaved himself perfectly through the whole ordeal. this does not mean he will grow up to be effeminate.
3. first visitors: 1) grandma & grandpa kucher, who were here his first week & a half and filled his head with russian songs and reminders not to go outside without a hat on; 2) the entire kissing party clan (band of shane & yana) -- gregg, joe, deirdre, & corey (not really in kissing party but he IS mischa's only official extended family here in denver); 3) a bunch of friends from yana's work: dan dial & his 5-month old max, faye park w/ her 2-year old michael, mo kirk & heather kunst, jenny douglass w/ 5-month old max again, matt & sara garrington w/ their 5-month old evelyn and a delicious honey-glazed tofu & couscous meal, and ben flamm & faye hopper who came all the way from DC to see him; 5) john parks, shane's bandmate from his "real" band, They Will Use Your Bones for Tools. Frequent Visitor Award goes to 5-month old Max who has now been over to hang out w/ Mischa around 4 or 5 times. Hopefully Mischa will grow up to be as well-behaved as this little guy.
4. first outgrowing of an outfit: happened at 3 in the morning as he peed through outfit number 3 for the day. the pajamas i sleepily tried to put on him were actually too small. go mischa!
5. record number of outfits he's had to wear in one day due to peeing through all his layers: four.
6. first sounds: his original cry (which was exactly spelled "wah" and was so dang cute), his new cry (when he decided the original cry was too sweet - this one's more like a fire engine sound), many assorted squeaks, squeals, and grunts, the "hmm hmm hmm" sounds he makes when he's hungry and searching around for food, this funny pterodactyl-like squawk he sometimes makes when hanging out in his bouncy chair in his alert mode (also known as the "nippy nap" in the reid & ryan worlds), and this funny quick "AAH!" sound he makes, also when hanging out in the bouncy chair/nippy nap looking at the world when he suddenly gets excited about something.
7. first time his test scores were almost off the charts: at his 2-week pediatrician's appointment, he measured "unusually tall." the pediatrician actually didnt believe the assistant's measurements, and insisted he be re-measured. but it was no mistake: he had grown TWO inches in two weeks. measuring in now at 22.5 inches, which is the 95th percentile for his age. he had also gained a pound in a week. i guess he inherited his mama's insatiable appetite.
8. first favorite locations (besides yana's or shane's arms, of course): 1) the car (he LOVES car rides), and 2) the bouncy chair/nippynap, when the "vibrate" function is turned on. Least favorite location: his cradle, even though it is so classy looking and was lovingly handmade by our friends John Harris & Dan Dial and kindly handed down by Faye & Doug.
9. first time playing with a stuffed animal: shane brought home from Wild Oats the cute little plush elephant you can see in the "two-week photos" below -- Mischa hung out with it on his changing table for like ten minutes, staring at it and swacking at it with his hands. shane doesnt believe me, but i swear the elephant had him captivated for minutes.
10. first pieces of mail: a few days ago, ALL THREE pieces of mail that appeared at our house were addressed to mischa. 1) his social security card, 2) a survey asking him to rate his experience with kaiser permanente, and 3) a little package from Nana with a very cute christmas outfit in it. here 2 weeks and already he's the head of the household.
