Home Birth:

Home birth was a fabulous experience for both of us. So you have an aunt in Tulsa who said her's didn't go so well. Or your OB said that you were risking your life by doing it. Be that as it may, for us it was a fabulous experience. For more information about home birth check out our midwife's website at www.goodnewsnet.org

What's in a Name?

Where does her name come from? Well Celine is Ginny's great grandmother's name. She was Celine Bonheur, niece of the famous proto-feminist painter Rosa Bonheur. You can see her most famous work, "The Horse Fair" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

And as for Natasha, well it was either after watching Rocky and Bullwinkle or reading "War and Peace" that I decided it was a beautiful name.
Natasha 4/99

Natasha Celine Mendelsohn joined us at 6:50 AM on April 20, 1999. She weighed 8 lbs. 8 oz at birth and was 21" long. She was born at home, the best place for normal, uncomplicated births. Here are her first pictures.

Here's Natasha at age 30 sec. She's not happy. Dad has just cut the cord.  She's been shoved around for the last 7 hours and for what? So she can be poked and prodded by strangers. And on top of everything it's her first day on earth and it's a bad hair day.

OK. She's been dressed, her hair washed but evidently she still isn't in the greatest mood. Hang in there kid.

Now things are shaping up. A hat. A couple more blankets for warmth. Maybe the world isn't so bad after all.

This is one of those shots where I think you can get a perfect picture of what the old woman will look like in the face of the infant.

Sleep at last. Which is what she's been doing for the last 48 hours. Which is fine with us. Stay tuned for more Natasha soon!

 
[Andrew] [Virginia] [Ben] [Natasha]

Here she's just had her first meal. Satisfaction. This look lasted about 30 seconds before.....

Someone, at least, was glad the whole thing was over.