Quinn really likes getting dried off by the hair dryer after his baths, but we have to make sure that there are no surprises...or the hair dryer will short circuit.
There really hasn't been that many good picture opps these last days since Quinn has been crying a lot these two days - maxing out our (mainly my) patience. At the end of the day, babies cry for no real reason...but it is still very frustrating to see this lovely creature crying so loud - as if someone is pulling his arms apart - not knowing why, and not knowing how to make it go away. All we can do is show him that we are there for him...
This pic below would be titled: "Hey, waitress, I said I wanted two beers. I'm getting cranky." We did not stage this picture.
We had absolutely awesome weather today. It definitely felt like spring, and it was the first day I could go for a walk outside without a jacket. It was probably in the high 50's with tons of sunshine. We went for a long walk as a family in our neighborhood and then to a coffee shop that had its grand opening today. We sat on the terrace, relaxed, had some coffee, and enjoyed the sun!
This is the green strip looking north. Our condo is about 50 meters to the left.
Below a quick family pic taken from our back yard. Today was just one of those days to enjoy the weather, friends, and family. I love spring!
Today was also very significant for another reason: the 5th season began today...the Grilling Season! I brought the grill from the garage and fired her up. Quinn wanted to help.
Here we are, father and son...grilling.
This picture won't pass Eva's editorial control, so I have to hurry up and post this before she wakes up...
We've got about 4,000 pictures of Quinn in this pose: sleeping in his cradle...and each of the many pictures in this pose are just as cute.
Similar shot from later in the day, with a 'picnic pooh' outfit. The feet are shaped in the form of a pooh bear with extra ears. 
Today, Quinn had his first bath! He took the whole experience really well and seemed to have a good time. Thankfully, he didn't poop in the water.
He was a bit annoyed after he got out of the bath (read: he was crying like a stuck pig), but he really calmed down once the midwife started drying him off with the hairdryer. He also really liked having his hair combed.
We also had great weather for a walk this afternoon. Eva is feeling better and can walk a bit further, so we ventured out to the park near our house. We think we'll be spending lots of time there in the future! It's definitely great to have so much open space near our place, so Quinn can go out and play when he gets a bit older. 
Quinn is already trying to push the limits: below, you see him trying to take on the BMX track that is close to our house. We had to tell him that he was a bit too young for the track, but that he could try it as soon as the training wheels are off his stroller.
Thankfully, Quinn is sleeping well through the night and only has a few hours in the late evening where he is really awake. This has allowed Eva and I to sleep pretty well at night. I've been taking the 'first shift' in the late evening so that Eva can sleep if Quinn is active. As a general rule, he hasn't been crying much, and after he wakes up, he tends to look around a lot before he starts crying for his parents. At the end of the day, he's sleeping a lot...
Yesterday, we took our first walk together as a family. It's definitely a surreal experience walking with a child in a stroller...yet very cool! The weather is still a bit cool, but it is great getting some fresh air.
Quinn in his carriage. To answer the obvious question you probably have: no, this is not a customized carriage with Quinn's name. The company is actually named Quinny. For your next question, no, we did not name our son after the baby carriage.
Quinn's arms don't yet come out of his winter snowsuit...
Quinn is definitely taking after his father by taking lots of naps. I'm particularly happy about this because I now have a great excuse for taking a nap. The breast that is pictured is mine and not Eva's.
Here's Quinn in his hospital crib with his name tag.
Another picture I took while Quinn was napping. I'm getting pretty good at taking pics with one hand...
When the little guy is napping, you can tell he is dreaming about something because of how he moves his eyes and hands. I definitely wonder what he is dreaming about...maybe about the 'good ol' days' of swimming around in Eva's belly.
As is tradition from Eva's part of town, when the mother and child is still in the hospital, the father throws a party for their family and friends.
Eva'a parents and Nina did a great job getting everything prepared for our guests! Only on very rare occasions does one see Eva's mom drinking...and below we have proof of the special occasion.
As is becoming 'tradition', the Gould-Göttgens party was a great time. We played the music louder than we should have and we drank more schnapps that we needed. It got especially loud when I played Quinn's theme song: "The Mighty Quinn". 
Nina hamming it up for the camera with a beer cap in her eye.
Before we picked Eva up from the hospital, we got the condo all ready for our new arrival. I even cleaned the toilets!
Here I am with Quinn shortly before leaving the hospital. The weather was perfect for the event - a beautiful spring day.
At the hospital, they had a map of the world, where we could put stickers denoting origins of the newborns' parents. I put a sticker over Borger, my hometown.
Now we are all home. Quinn has been perfect since we got him home. He's barely crying. He showed extreme patience when I was changing his diaper for the first time. I'm definitely going to have to get better at it (and faster). But, I think Quinn will give me tons of opportunities to practice.
We're now trying to settle into our new lives as parents...the next chapter of our lives has now begun!
After a pretty hectic last few days, I'm finally making the time for a real blog post. Thanks for your patience. I knew these days would be hectic, but it is amazing how fast the days go and how little I can actually 'accomplish'.
(Above, Quinn shortly after his first bath. During his bath, he also had his first poop.)
We waited a few more hours until the contractions came every 3-4 minutes before going to the hospital around 7:30am. Of course, when we got checked in, they started measuring the contractions, and they were only every 5-6 minutes - only 2 cm of the birth canal was open, and we needed 10cm. We were afraid that they would send us home to wait a bit longer.
We went to the breakfast room and had a few bites to eat...then went back for further measurements. Around 11:30 (two hours after the last measurements), Eva was having regular contractions and the birth canal was 4cm open. Not bad progress.
(Above, Quinn getting weighed: 3450kg; 7lbs, 10oz)
Thankfully, Eva was far enough along that she went into the birthing room. A super cool room with a huge tub, two high tech birthing chairs, stereo, and a super old fashioned 'birthing stool' - circa 1920.
The midwife convinced Eva to go into the tub to relax a bit. Eva's not much of a tub person, but she was up to trying anything to make the pain go away. As it turns out, the tub was a great suggestion. Eva went from 4cm to 10cm in less than 2 hours. Now the pushing was going to begin.
(Above, Quinn getting measured: 52cm, 21.5")
Eva had to push for two hours to finally get Quinn out. There were some birth complications, but both mother and son ended up just fine.
(Above, in a pose he will hate us for. He looks like an old man here.)
It was a pretty powerful feeling when I saw Quinn's head come out. As I had been warned, he was a dark purple color. Not exactly the cute picture of youth that you imagine you'll see.
It was pretty tense for a while: first, his umbilical cord was wrapped at least 4 times really tight around his waist. His lower body was really white, as if the lower body was completely without blood for a while, and really long and skinny. I thought his legs and feet were dead and lifeless.
Second, he wouldn't cry. He was completely silent. At least I could see him move and knew that he was alive, but it was pretty scary for Eva. She asked him to cry for him (something we won't ask for again).
(Above, Quinn and his dad taking some pics while Eva was in a post birth operation. They had to take some blood and took it from his finger...hence the band-aid).
Thankfully, Quinn cried shortly thereafter and his legs were OK. Whew!
I got to cut the umbilical cord. Very cool. It was a pretty amazing moment when the midwife put Quinn on Eva's chest for the first time. Definitely an emotion that is undescribable.
(Above, Quinn and his dad)
Unfortunately, there was an emergency C-Section for another woman, so Eva had to wait about 2 hours for her post birth procedure. The nice part was that it gave us some time with Quinn before the procedure. It also gave Eva's parents a bit more time to get to Erlangen.
(Above, Quinn with his Grandmom: Oma Göttgens)
Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. So far, Eva is recovering well. She's still tired and sore, but she's taking it all like a champ. Quinn has passed all of his prenatal tests so far. He's feeding well and sleeping a lot.
He doesn't really cry that much, but we're sure that will change soon. Eva will come home from the hospital tomorrow morning. We're definitely looking forward to our new future as a family of three.
(Above, Quinn with his grandfather: Opa Göttgens)
Finally, why 'Quinn' you ask. Well, it's pretty simple, actually. Quinn is the fifth Robert Gould. It is a long tradition in my family that started with my great grandfather. When my great grandfather (RRG), his son (RRG, Jr.), out of respect for his father and the great man that he represented, refused to change his name to RRG, Sr.), which was common at the time. That tradition was passed on when my father and then when I was born.
Robert Rutledge Gould V is named after his grandfather, RRG III - a great man, from which I have learned a great many important life's lessons. It has not always been easy, and my father has not always chosen the easy path, but he has almost always picked the right one.
As with most children, the older I get, the smarter my father becomes.
So...I still haven't answered the question: Why Quinn. Well, each of us Robert Gould's have had a nickame based from our name. These names usually changed as we got older (I was Bobby when I was young, Rob since college, and I was always "Robert" when my parents were mad at me). In this same tradition, Quinn is a nickname derived from his full name: Robert Rutledge Gould V. But, slightly different, Quinn's nickname is derived not from Robert, but from the V.
Latin for the number five is Quintus...the long form of Quinn.
While I'm rambling about family tradition from my family, I will also mention a few other items about my (and Quinn's name). The name Rutledge has a direct connection on my dad's side of the family and might be (never confirmed) connected from Edward Rutledge, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independance. You can find more information about Edward Rutledge and Charles Carroll (another signer of the DoI to whom we're related) at:
Eva and Quinn are doing well, despite some complications during birth. Most of important of all, they are happy and healthy...