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Oh, I have so many things to say, so many things to write, but for now, this will have to serve as a blog place-holder to first of all:

ANNOUNCE THE SAFE AND HAPPY BIRTH OF MIRIAM NORA KURTIC AND LYDIA SARA KURTIC!!!!

Miriam was nearly 5 lbs at birth and was born at 12:41am on June 3rd

Lydia was exactly 6 lbs at birth and was born at 12:54am on June 3rd

It was a double vaginal birth, expertly managed by Dr. R, with four hours of labor and less than one hour of pushing. Both girls are healthy and neither needed the NICU for even a moment. Gratitude does not even begin to describe our feelings....

Birth story soon; for a now a few observations:

Adrenaline and endorphins are an amazing combo and can allow you to stay awake for 48 hours straight while performing herculean tasks all the while feeling like the luckiest creature G-d ever made and so full of love you think you might explode with it.

Curious and unexpected side-effect of absolute exhaustion: everything your spouse says is unbelievably funny, causing you to laugh with such abandon you fall in love with each other all over again.

I used to listen to new parents describe how they were so busy some days they couldn't even make time for a shower. I thought, "What kind of unorganized idiot can't make time to shower." I went for more than 36 hours after the slaughterhouse that is giving birth before making time to shower. Give birth, and learn.

My new favorite moment, probably of my life, was listening to Bruno make up a song about poop and happily sing it to his daughter while changing her diaper at 5 in the morning.

I thought I was doing pretty well with the whole postpartum emotion thing until the nurse arrived to give me my booster shot against whatever whooping cough thing is happening in San Francisco right now and I started sobbing hysterically about the idea that something could happen to our children or to me that would make me unable to care for our children. The nurse nicely patted my hand and told me this was all quite normal. Thank you, nice nurse.

Seconds after Bruno and I arrived back home with the girls today we felt an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment. Minutes after we arrived back home today both girls were screaming bloody murder, one against a diaper change the other against her mother's ungraceful attempts to breastfeed, the phone was ringing, and, improbably, there was a knock at the door. Bruno and I looked at each other, and started laughing hysterically. Welcome to our new life, and welcome Miriam and Lydia!