April 6, 2006

6:39 p.m.

7 pounds, 12 ounces

New York University Hospital

When Alison Lowenstein’s water broke, it was in the middle of morning rush hour. She instructed her husband, Peter Isaacs, 34, vice president of recruiting at GradyLevkov and Co., to take the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel: “There’s never traffic there.” After an hour spent in traffic, the five-years-married couple made it to the hospital, where there was an epidural backlog. When Ms. Lowenstein’s anesthesiologist finally extended his hand in greeting, she snapped, “Just give me the drugs!” An hour later, out came her chubby, bald and adorable son, who’s currently sharing a bedroom with his parents in their Carroll Gardens two-bedroom. “He’s a really good sleeper,” marveled Mom, 33, adjunct professor of English at York College and author of the City Baby Brooklyn guidebook, “and he loves the bath.” Big sister Lucinda, 3, enjoys singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” to baby Max, which calms him immediately. “I think she’s a better parent than I am, actually,” Ms. Lowenstein said.