The Romano Family welcomed Luca in March and gosh aren’t they just the cutest family?! We caught up with them this week to find out how the transition to parenthood is going, hear about the adorable way Gabby shared the news with Tony that she was pregnant, and get some great words of advice to share with other new parents.
Tell us about your family!
Hello! We are the Romanos - my name is Gabby and I married my high school sweetheart, Tony. We welcomed our first child (who is a bit hairy!) - our dog Henry (Hank) Romano in 2018, and most recently our first human child on March 1st of this year. We are both originally from South Glens Falls, NY but moved to Queensbury in 2018 after falling in love with the schools and close knit community. Our favorite family time is spent with weekend road trips, guessing the real antagonist on Dateline and testing the amazing restaurants in the 518.
Sharing the News
How did you share your pregnancy news with your husband, family, and friends?
On the eve of my husband’s birthday, I decided to take a pregnancy test because we had been trying and I figured why not?! To my surprise it was positive! I gifted my husband a onesie that read “hello daddy” in a box labeled “I can’t wait to meet you”. That birthday gift will always be a tough act to follow!
To share the news with our family and friends, we invited them to dinner and our dog Henry had the pleasure of sharing the news with a “puppy book” full of photos of Henry and a page at the end with Henry wearing a bandana that so sweetly read “I’m going to be a big brother”.
Did you find out the gender prior to giving birth? Any inklings as to whether it was a boy or a girl, and were you right?
Although the surprise of the pregnancy was mine to share, my husband actually found out the gender first and surprised me with an entire room of blue balloons.
Everyone but me thought the baby was a boy! I didn’t have any inklings per say but a dream years prior of a little girl opening all of the Christmas gifts. Maybe a girl down the road but for now I am outnumbered and couldn’t be happier.
Photo courtesy of Gabby Romano
All about Luca
Luca Anthony Romano was born on March 1, 2020 at 12:03 PM weighing 7 pounds 8 oz and measuring 20.5 inches.
How did you decide on his name?
Luca came from a city we saw on our trip to Florence, Italy which is actually Lucca but we preferred Luca. Anthony is my husband’s first name and his grandfather’s middle name so certainly a very special name in our family.
What are a few things you love about him so far?
What’s not to love? His sweet little toes, amazing baby smell, etc. We just love everything about our sweet boy but his beautiful smile is so wonderful. We have to work for it but oh man is it worth it.
How about some of your favorite things to do together?
While the quarantine has made this season of life not what we expected, it has made family time so much more valuable. We’ve learned to appreciate just being together, cuddling up and watching movies and staring at our sweet baby and every new noise and expression he makes.
Does he have any similarities to the two of you?
Right now Luca looks a lot like Daddy from an overall perspective and has Momma’s smile and eyes.
Photo courtesy of Gabby Romano
On Parenthood
What is your favorite part and the biggest challenge about parenthood thus far?
The best part of parenthood is watching your child grow and develop. Each new milestone is major and brings us so much joy!
The biggest challenges are just the endless worries that come with parenthood. We’ve Googled more in the last 8 weeks than high school and college combined.
What are you most looking forward to with the addition of Luca to your family?
We are so looking forward to new adventures with Luca, traveling and experiencing new traditions.
What has being a parent taught you?
Being a parent taught us how much we truly love each other and were made for one another. I can’t imagine raising babies with anyone else.
I also think we are more confident than we were before becoming parents. There’s something so empowering about raising a child.
The best advice someone has given you?
“Soak it in” short and sweet but true. Drop the laundry, answer that call or message later, the kitchen will eventually be clean but those sweet snuggles are irreplaceable.
Do you have any advice you’d like to share with other new parents?
You’re amazing and everything your baby needs. Your baby is so loved and that’s all that matters.
Some advice for loved ones of new parents: I know your first instinct is to share every nugget of wisdom you’ve acquired with your experience but also remember that every baby is different and what that new mom and dad need the most is support. When you are asked to share in this special time with new parents save those nuggets of advice for the time they are needed the most and instead share your encouraging words and a reminder that they are doing an amazing job…and a hot meal or two is ALWAYS welcome. :)
Photo courtesy of Gabby Romano
Just for Fun
What are the top products that got you through the first few months?
Our son loved his swing! 4 moms is compact and quiet, highly recommend.
We tried approximately eight thousand swaddles…maybe not, but it felt like it! Love to Dream was the best because it allowed Luca’s arms to be near his face like he preferred but also kept him snug so he didn’t startle himself awake.
Lou Lou and Company gowns are amazing. They are incredibly soft, allow for easy diaper changes and were created by a NICU nurse in Utah. We love their products.
This one is more for parents, but the Nespresso Espresso machine kept us going after those sleepless nights.
If you could have one night out (post-pandemic!) with a trusted babysitter at home, what would you do?
What a dream! We would probably head to our favorite spot, Lake Placid, and enjoy Smoke Signals after an afternoon wandering through their local shops.
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Thanks so much, and congratulations Romano Family!
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