Baby is One!

That's right, our Delphinium has turned the big o-n-e! I am shocked, shocked! that the time has gone by so quickly, but it seems that a whole year has passed already. Wasn't I just at the hospital last month? Didn't I have swollen feet last week? I know we had a tiny newborn just a minute ago. Apparently it really has been a year already. Of course looking at our girl, you would know for sure that she's getting quite big and mature. She's standing by herself, eating real food, saying actual words, and pointing out all her favorite people in the photos around our house. She's also got an adorably toothy grin and her daddy's beautiful hair. I am one lucky lady! I would not trade places with the president, a Nobel winner, or even an astronaut because then I wouldn't get to be her mommy. Mushy I know, but it is the absolute truth.

Cute Baby Bits #3821

Delphinium is never so happy as when she's crunching up magazines and newspapers.  The other morning she was cheerfully doing just that when she came across a picture of a photo-shopped pug dog with a human smile.  She froze in mid-crumple, and then laughed out loud as if it was the funniest thing she'd ever seen.  Then she closed up the magazine, patted the cover, and opened it again to find the dog.  Another laugh, another close, more patting, you get the idea.  And that was that.

Baby Food

It turns out Delphinium enjoys food. A LOT. There are really very few foods she's ever come across that do not tempt her. It started out with milk, but now we have gone so far beyond. First came those purees and cereal goos that so many babies get to try, and she was a fan of those from the beginning. Then we moved on to combination foods like applesauce with carrots or peas with pears. Oh the face she used to make when she got pears. First delight, then confusion, and finally puzzled acceptance. It seems pears taste good, have a weird texture, but, ultimately, are entirely worthwhile.

Now we are on to real solids. As in chunks of food we can eat with our fat little fists. Baby cereal puffs were first because they melt so nicely in a tiny mouth. However, that only lasted a very short time before we moved on to the classic Cheerios. Okay, so they're not really Cheerios having been purchased at Trader Joes, but we still call them by the famous name. So sue us. Next came steamed veggies such as carrots and zucchini. She really enjoys those, but not quite so much as the ever-fabulous cheese. Cheese actually makes this baby crow with excitement. Then there are blueberries, asparagus, bread, bagels, rice cakes, almond butter, eggs, etc, etc, etc. You get the idea. It's great fun thinking up meals for a person as appreciative of food as Delphinium. May the picky phase please be short and light.

The Cert Monster Part 3

I'm happy to say that I'm now safely registered for a five credit class through an online service (with ties to a real university even!) that I've used before.  I'm also happy to say that it isn't proving nearly as difficult as I'd first thought.  I got the book used from Amazon, and now all I have to do is read the thing, take the open-book quiz, and write three essays.  As compared to some five credit classes I've taken this seems like a walk in the park.  The best part is (okay aside from the large number of credits) the book is actually halfway decent.  Challenging behavior in the Elementary and Middle Grades has a fair amount to offer in the way of real and useful information.  I'm actually finding myself getting invested in the reading!  At this rate I should complete the course in only a few weeks.  Of course that assumes no WAB-ing behavior sets in...

Caspar Babypants Rocks!

Little miss and I recently got the chance to enjoy Caspar Babypants at the library near our house, and we had a wonderful time!  It was a high-energy show that got all the kids (big and little) bopping to the music.  One day maybe our baby will be up there dancing with the big kids.  I love that the music is not overly sweet or sentimental, and "Caspar" really seems to understand what topics really interest kids.  That show was completely packed, but we will definitely be going out to find another one in the future.  Yay for Caspar Babypants!

Fake Food

The personal worldviews of other people never cease to amaze and surprise me.  We were recently chatting with another mother whose baby is a few months younger than Delphinium.  The subject of food came up, and she asked if we knew anything about that "protein stuff".  We cocked our heads to one side, and tried to think what she must be on about.  Then she said "oh you know that fake food stuff that vegetarians eat?" I was still a little too taken aback to answer, but M didn't miss a beat.  "Do you mean tofu?" he asked without so much as a chuckle.  "Yes!  That's it!"  Oy vey!  I can perhaps understand calling it fake meat, but fake food?!  Here we are, living in one of the richest areas for Asian cuisine in the United States, and she is calling tofu fake food.  Yikes.

Kids Quest Museum

We finally managed to make our way over to the Kids Quest Museum in Factoria.  What fun!  Delphinium was thrilled by the under three area.  She climbed giant leaves, slid down the other side, played Lego, went in the boat, drove trains, admired the dollhouse vignettes in the floor, and that was only one little section.  The machines in the "garage" are fun too, and I think we parents had the best time with scarf sucker.  There is no question that we will be back, and perhaps there will even be a membership in our future. 

Trouble Thy Name is Baby

All of a sudden we seem to have a little brownie living in our house.  You can walk into any room and find evidence of this mischievous little beastie.  Everywhere there are piles.  Laundry that used to be neatly folded in careful stacks is suddenly heaped on the floor.  The contents of certainly lower drawers may be found liberally distributed on the kitchen floor.  Books on the first two shelves don't stand a chance.  Toys are strewn from heck to breakfast.  And it's getting worse.  As time goes by, things higher and higher up in the house are being purloined.  Still, it's hard to get upset.  She is just SO PLEASED with herself for all that hard work! Then she turns on that chubby, new-tooth smile and you're done for.  Who needs order and tidiness anyway?

The Cert Monster Part 2

Ah another lovely discovery from the wonderful world of bureaucracy!  It seems that OSPI will only allow a person to "count" classes that they take after the issuance of their most recent teaching certificate.  In other words, if my cert was issued on November, 2006, I can only count classes I've taken after that date towards renewal.  Sounds reasonable right?  Only the last time I renewed it took several months to receive the new certificate.  This means if a person submitted a renewal in June, and it only arrived in November, that means all the start of school year clock hours they earned DO NOT COUNT!  Gah!  What's that?  I should pony up a bunch of money and time to get online credits because they won't let me use the ones legitimately earned the inexpensive way?  Why sure!  That sounds just fabulous!

The Cert Monster

It has only been ten years since I first held a teaching certificate, but it seems like I've been on this treadmill forever. Just like doctors, teachers (of my generation anyway) are never allowed to simply rest on their proverbial laurels. No, no, no we must prove ourselves again and again by taking ever more courses to keep our brains from rusting (or something like that). Every five years we are required to take at least fifteen quarter hours or 150 clock hours pertaining to our area of expertise. For those who are not familiar with the system, that's one and one third of a full-time college load. If we would just take two quarters off from our lives every five years, we would be in fine shape!

Are these courses hard? Generally no. Are they time consuming and expensive? You bet your rusty brain they are. It's a bit like being stalked by a very slow and stupid monster. It isn't that hard to stay ahead of him, but mercy to you if he actually catches you. If you stop paying attention, stop collecting clock hours, or stop taking courses for even a little while (to have a baby for example?), then WHAM! If he gets you, and your certificate expires, not only can you not work, but you are also unhooked from the set of rules they used when you first got your license. This can lead to all sorts of nasty little surprises. It definitely behooves a person to remain up-to-date even if their current teaching assignment involves cutting up blueberries and playing peak-a-boo.

Thus I'm going to have to belly up to the graduate level bar, and take some classes. I've already taken one, and I have a few clock hours hanging around that will help. However, if you don't see much of me in the next few months please send out a search party. I'll be at my computer with a textbook clutched to my chest. If I seem to be immobilized, perhaps you would be so kind as to grab the oil can? Just beware of the monster. He may be slow and stupid, but he's fiercer than he looks.

When I Grow Up

The other day Delphinium and I were waiting in line, and we got to pass the time by listening to a three or four year old boy chatting with his mother.  Actually I should probably have said chatting AT his mother because he was going a million miles an hour with barely a chance for her to slip in a word.  Among many other topics, he told her all about his future career plans, and it seems that he would like to be a hair dresser/pilot/snowman/teacher/backhoe driver/chef/dentist.  I kid you not, he went through the entire list in about two minutes (and no I do not have any idea how you can be a snowman). 

Remember when you used to wonder how you would turn out?  It was such a thrill to imagine the possibilities of grown up responsibility.  Younger Niece said she wanted to be a waitress for the longest time (maybe just to get her dad's goat?) and Elder Niece was fully intending to be a pilot and tiger vet.  My mom used to have a drawing by me at three where I pictured myself as  a ballet dancing farmer.  Somehow that particular dream just never came to pass.  Sigh.  If you were to ask Delphinium right now what she wants to be she might tell you she wanted to be a kitty rancher.  Who knows.

Bad News for Japan

What an awful few days it's been for Japan.  A record earthquake, a record tidal wave, and now all these worries about the nuclear plant.  Let's hope all the fail safes are more safe than fail.  Watching that wave of black water eating up homes and cars was terribly sad, but it was the "poof" from the reactor that had me on edge.  What an awful thing to survive the earthquake only to be faced with fears over radiation.   

First Words

Well, well, well not only do we have a teether and a crawler and a cruiser, but it seems that we have a talker too!  Actually Delphinium has been saying mammamama and dadada for quite a while now, but I've never been sure how much was purposeful and how much was the joy of babbling.  However, with this new word, there can be no doubt.  Our baby now says "teetee" on a regular basis!  No, no she isn't asking for milk.  She says it when she sees the kitties.  Not only that, but she says "meow" to them too!  The meow is much harder to pin down as a word, but she absolutely imitates that high-pitched inflection that we do when we're talking to the cats.  The combination of "teetee meow" is positively the cutest thing on two chubby legs.  I'm sure there will be a day when I wish she would be quieter, but for now I'm loving the new sounds.

Slate Article About NPR Listeners

I love this article about how NPR listeners can be such snobby grumps.  When I first read the title (I hate, hate, hate NPR listeners) I was taken aback, but the author actually makes a very good point about the fuddy-duddy elitism that exists in their (our) ranks.  If NPR is to survive the recent upheaval and the graying of its primary audience (boomers) it must appeal to a broader range of people, and that can't just be a bunch of pseudo-cogno-intellectuals. 

Swim Lessons

I've been forgetting and forgetting to mention the swim lessons!  Delphinium and her dad have been attending baby swim classes for the last several weeks now, and they are the cutest pair of swimmers you will ever see.  We get up early on Sunday mornings, grab suits and towels and head off to the pool.  Once there it's a mad dash to suit both before the teacher calls for the next class to come down.  I hold her at the edge of the pool so she can learn to "wait" for Daddy.

Once in the pool, she becomes not a giggly fish, but a very solemn little person.  This is serious!  She watches everything, and waits to see what the next activity might be.  The funny part is that M is equally intent.  The two of them are even working on dunking her head under water after he gives her a signal to let her know it's coming.  I must admit that first time was a little shocking for me, but she seems to be figuring it out quite well.  The other kids, songs, games, and toys also help out quite bit in making it an entertaining activity.  The last bit is playtime on a big foam board.  All the kids crowd on, and there is a pile of floatie toys in the middle.  It is such a cute moment watching them all out there together, but of course none are as cute as our own little Delphinium in her pink ruffled bathing suit.

McDonald's Bowl of Wholesome or Not

By now I'm sure you've heard about the grand to-do over the introduction of the McDonald's oatmeal bowl.  Actually I should be saying "to-dos" as in plural because they've managed to upset several different camps.  To be fair, I think they probably get a touch more scrutiny than many other companies, but, to be fair again, I think perhaps they deserve it.  The "Bowl full of wholesome" was introduced nationally in January, and it seems that the health people are mad about the sugar content (more than a Snickers bar) the dairy people are upset about the "light cream" (which has seven ingredients), and the Vermont people are upset by the use of the term "maple."  Gah!  How hard can it be to make a simple bowl of oatmeal?  You know, at home with a pot?

Happy Vegetarians

Ha! Ha!  I just have to toot the vegetarian horn a little bit.  Reasearchers often use Seventh Day Adventists as subjects because they tend to be the longest lived group of Americans (of any significant size).  Some have tried to claim that these people live so long because they follow a strict lacto-ova vegetarian diet.  Others claim this is not the case, and it is the lack of alcohol or tobacco, the sense of community, or the religious purpose that lead to longevity.  Along comes this study and a companion that compare meat eating vegetarians to the rest.  It seems that not only are the vegetarians longer lived, but they are also happier!  As far as I am concerned, a long and happy life is all once can hope for in the end. 

Baby's Favorite Toys --- Ten Months

Delphinium is a girl of many strong passions, but they are as changeable as the wind.  One moment she is in love with one particular toy, and then the next moment she's on to something else.  Therefore, I thought it would be fun to occasionally list her top favorites.  That way we can keep track of the way her tastes mature.  Also it will probably be hilarious to her in a few years to know what objects used to be so entertaining.  If only I'd done this four or five months ago!  Oh well.

10.Big blue spiky ball (she can roll back and forth to another)
9. Fluffy black and white doggie, Jack (thanks Grandma)
8. Books! (she will cheerfully sit through a dozen if you will keep reading)
7. Chewy raspberry binkies (thanks Auntie C.)
6. Bath time dinosaurs (sometimes they migrate out of the bathroom too)
5. Bug jar with fabric bugs (you can take them out and put them in and out and in and...)
4. Singing piggy bank (thanks again Auntie C. though at times I curse you! JK!)
3. Sophie the giraffe (in all her rubbery goodness)
2. Stacking rings (a true classic)
1. Tigger airplane walking/riding toy (it lights up and sings!)

Baby Wants a Duck

Two other activities we very much enjoyed on our trip to California were the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Safari Park.  They seemed like a good choice for our little girl, and we were not disappointed when we got inside the gates.  As soon as we saw the first animals, the chattering and waving began.  Perhaps all kids love animals?  Ours is certainly a fan. 

Our very first display at the zoo was an enclosure of mixed water birds.  Ducks have always been popular with Delphinium, so she was very excited to see more.  We were able to push her stroller right up to the barrier, and she made all sorts of excited noises about them.  Then, all of a sudden, she noticed the flamingoes in the background.  Silence.  All wiggling and commenting stopped.  She just looked and looked with her mouth open.  Her attention was completely rapt, and it took several minutes before she started making "oooo" noises again.

Nothing else was ever quite as exciting as the birds.  Meerkats came a close second, but she also got a little mad because she couldn't actually play with them.  The lions were not at all interesting until one decided to get up and wander around.  That got her attention.  Those were some seriously big kitties!  It's such fun watching her discover things.  I hope that never loses its charm. 

Ten Things That Amuse Baby and Kitty

10. Small balls
9. Flashlights
8. Birds seen outside the window
7. Squirrels
6. Ribbons
5. Bugs
4. Dancing  rainbows thrown by a prism
3. Baby blankets
2. The vaccuum
1. Daddy!

Cute Baby Bits #5879

A few weeks ago Delphinium was the lucky recipient of a helium balloon.  It was shaped like a purple heart, and had a weight on the bottom to make it float around near the ground.  She thought this was pretty much the most exciting thing she'd ever seen, and she was especially thrilled when it got in the car to come home with us.  It had been a very exciting morning all around, so we weren't in the car for long before she was yawning and rubbing her eyes.  Nevertheless, the pull of the balloon was strong.  She kept chatting to it and trying to bat the string.  Finally, as we were about to get on the highway, I could see her giving one last little exhausted wave to the wonderful balloon.  It really looked like she was moving both chubby little hands in slow motion.  Then she conked out completely for the rest of the trip.   

Miss Him

Yesterday would have been my grandfather's birthday, if he were still with us, and I still miss him ever so much.  He was one of those people whom everybody loves.  He always played up a loveable but slightly bumbling persona (at least with us grandkids) but his kindness and intelligence always came pouring through.  I'm still so grumpy that he's gone (he would have loved Delphinium) but I try to be grateful that I got to have him as a grandfather for as long as I did.

Valentine's '11

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.  (Shakespeare)

Happy Valentine's Day to everybody near and far, but most especially to my own sweet M.

Teeth!

In all the excitement of the last few weeks I've completely forgotten to mention the teeth!  Delphinium got to her nine month doctor check without a single one, and I was actually starting to wonder.  She's been drooling and chewing for months now, and I wasn't sure anything would EVER come of it.  However, just a few days after the doctor visit, she had a VERY bad night and wouldn't sleep from 1am to 4am.  I wasn't sure what it might mean, but then the next day M felt a tiny point in her mouth! 

She got a front bottom tooth first, unlike all her teething friends, she got a top tooth after that.  The second one was a big surprise for us since she didn't even get a bump on her gum before popping it through.  I should have known though because the night before was another no sleeper.  Now we are up to three teeth with a forth one very much in the offing. Delphinium may have started slow, but she's making up for lost time.

Top Five Movies? How About Fifteen?

In honor of the Oscars coming up at the beginning of March, some bloggers are putting out lists of their top five favorite movies of all time.  Now don't get me wrong, I love lists, they're just so wonderful and orderly, but FIVE!?  Really?  That's just way too hard.  How about the top five in a few different categories?  That makes it a little easier to swallow.  How about you?  Any great ones on your personal list?

Note:  We are playing with Elder Niece's rule: a multi-part series may be considered one entry (she loves list-making too)

Top Five Animated

1. Spirited Away
2. Howl's Moving Castle
3. Finding Nemo
4. Sleeping Beauty
5. Titan A.E.

Top Five Action/Adventure/Fantasy

1. The Princess Bride
2. Indiana Jones (the first three)
3. Star Wars (the original three)
4. Lord of the Rings (all)
5. Blade Runner

Top Five Drama/Mystery

1. Rebecca
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Schindler's List
4. Good Will Hunting
5. Dead Poets Society

Disneyland with Baby

Ah Disneyland, that famous landmark of childhood. I love to visit whenever I can (yes even as a young adult with no kids) but now I have a baby, and I wondered how things would be. Taking a nine month old baby to Disneyland may sound insane to some people, but I just had to give it a try. Lucky for us, we found that our little girl really seemed to enjoy her time in the magic kingdom. There are many rides and attractions that are suitable for babies, and several little perks that make taking a baby to the park a very reasonable proposition.

We started out by purchasing a three day park-hopper pass. These passes are often available for a discount, so it was not actually that much more than purchasing one day passes for each of the parks. The three day pass allowed us to break up our time into smaller chunks, just a few hours at a go, which was much more baby-friendly. When you have just a one day pass, one often feels like staying as long as humanly possible to get the most out of the experience.

Next, we rented a Disneyland stroller. Now this would not be necessary if we lived nearby, but since we had only our very small travel stroller along on this trip, it was better to pony up. The rental strollers are larger jogging type, and they offer much more comfort, storage, and sun protection that our little umbrella. Delphinium seemed quite happy to tool around in style. One stroller tip. Put a diaper in a clear plastic bag, and tie it to the handle of the stroller. There are so many of the same rental stroller around the park that some people make mistakes and take the wrong one. A seemingly dirty diaper keeps this from happening.

Now what did we do with the baby once we got into the park? There were two different approaches, and we used them both at different times. On our first visit, we had several other family members along as well. This is when we took advantage of the Kid Switch Pass. On a ride with Fastpass, go up to the castmember working this line, and ask for a Kid Switch Pass. Then, the group goes and waits in line and rides the attraction as they normally would. One adult remains with the baby, and then when the rest return he or she uses the Kid Switch Pass to go up the Fastpass return with one other adult. It's a great way to ensure that everyone gets to ride without having to wait in line twice. We got to ride Splash Mountain that way, and it worked perfectly! Wheeeee! We got soaked!

We took the baby on the haunted mansion (it was a little loud in the elevator, but I covered her ears) without any sadness, and then the Jungle Cruise got more than one "oooo" of appreciation from her. Adults also rode Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Big Thunder, and Pirate of the Caribbean. It was a great day, and our girl stayed awake the ENTIRE time. The last thing we did was visit Small World which is definitely a baby-friendly attraction if ever there was one.

Small World was, hands down, the baby's favorite ride. She was dancing in our arms while we were still waiting to get in the boat. The fabulous '60's era decorations, and the magical clock-work figures were just her cup of tea, and she made it clear to everyone in a ten foot radius how excited she was. It only got better once we got inside. She sat on Grandma's lap and watched it all with her mouth open. Anyone who says a baby can't really appreciate Disneyland is crazy.

Our very last day in the park it was only Mommy, Daddy, and Baby. On this day, we used the second approach to taking Baby to Disney. The whole day we did only things she could do with us. We rode the Finding Nemo submarines, went for a spin on the carousel (the only thing in the whole park that threatened to make her cry), rode the river boat (I haven't done that in years), and visited the petting zoo. Did you even know there was a petting zoo? Neither did I, but she had a ball meeting the world's cleanest goats. In short, we made it all about her. The pace was slow, the activities were limited, and it was such a wonderful time for all of us. I love seeing things from her perspective.

Some argue that babies don't really belong in Disneyland since they won't remember their experience. However, her enjoyment is something that will remain with her if in a less tangible way. Also, watching her enjoy the place is now one of my most memorable experiences there. I would take her back in a heartbeat.

Lunar New Year '11

Happy new year to all those who follow the lunar calendar!  I am told we are now entering the year of the metal rabbit, and this translates into a very polite and decorous time to come.  Diplomacy will be the order of the day, and we will all take time to stop and appreciate beauty in the world around us.  It sounds very nice.  Of course this is also supposed to describe the personalities of the people born in rabbit years.  Given that my eldest brother is a rabbit, I am really very suspicion about such predictions.  No matter what you believe; have a happy new year.  May it be a good one for you and yours.

Flying with Baby Six Months vs. Nine

I was completely floored by how well the baby did on our airplane flights to South Africa.  She slept for much of the trip, and when she was awake, she was cheerful and easily amused.  We got compliments from other passengers.  That was at six months old.  Now that we are nine months, things have changed. 

Our trip to LA was only just under three hours, but for that short time, it was much tougher to manage Delphinium.  She is so much stronger now that just keeping her in the seat and not on the other passengers was a challenge.  She wanted to explore and investigate EVERYTHING.  Can I chew the seat in front?  Can I kick it?  Can I take the things out of the back pocket?  Can I chew them?  Can I chew our seat?  What about the man next to us?  I can't say she wasn't good-natured because she was, but it was still far more exhausting.  I can understand why some parents just give up and let them run wild.  Maybe we can just drive everywhere until she's six or seven. 

Cute Baby Bits #8543

While in her walker, Delphinium likes to steal the dish towels off the rail of the oven door.  Sometimes you'll find her festooned with three or four of them to the point where she can hardly see where she's going.  However, removal of said towels is cause for much indignation.  I've found it best just to let her have her fun even if it does mean she's cruising around at approximately 800mph with zero visibility.  The only thing she can really injure is unsuspecting grown-up feet. 

Baby Loves Picasso

Recently we were lucky enough (thanks M for organizing) to see the visiting Picasso exhibition at our local art museum.  We went because we wanted to see the work, and we thought the baby wouldn't mind tagging along.  There was a fair amount of waiting in line and crowding involved, and I started to worry that Delphinium would not enjoy herself at all, but it turns out there is a lot for a baby to look at in an art museum. 

She observed many paintings and sculptures without comment, but showed some preference for one or two pieces (mostly featuring naked bosoms surprise surprise) with waving hands.  Then, near the end of the collection, we came upon this painting.  Delphinium went wild.  She waved her arms and legs like mad, and then she started chattering away.  I don't know why she loved it so much, but we tested it out more than once, taking her away to view similar work (no response) and then back again to her favorite (huge enthusiasm).  I don't know if we should buy her a print or not.  Being eight feet tall may have been a part of the appeal.  I wonder what she'd think of Monet...

Vacation Silence

I'm afraid I've been a very bad mommy blogger of late.  Ten days without a post is pretty shocking I admit.  We've been away on vacation for the last many days, and unfortunatley I didn't save up anything to post while I was gone.  Nonetheless, I have many cute stories (Disneyland!) from our trip plus a few other things I've been meaning to write up.  Baby willing we should be up and running soon.

Crawling Part 2

Well that didn't take long!  We enjoyed about one week of Delphinium being contained to the living room with her crawling.  It was nice to be able to leave her in there while we ran to the bathroom or got the laundry going.  We can't do that any more because last night she figured out the trick to getting up the one step into the rest of the house.  I'm not sure exactly how she did it, but some combination of wriggling and squiggling got those knees up on the higher level. 

After successfully summiting the step, our girl made a grand tour of all those rooms she hasn't been able to visit before.  Who knew that the bathroom, hallway, and laundry could be so interesting?  Also, the family room is a whole different place when you aren't hampered by your huge walker.  It was an especially impressive feat given that she was crawling on the smooth laminate floors which takes a lot more work than the nice grippy carpet.  Luckily, she didn't seem to notice the stairs, but I'm sure that will also be coming right up.

M and I just sat on the floor and watched her cruise around.  She was incredibly proud of herself for the accomplishment, and I think she would have crawled around all night if we'd let her.  It was one of those smack you in the heart moments where you realize just how much your little noodle baby has grown up.  Is it just me or does it seem like the first year is nothing but those kinds of moments? 

The Walker

While in South Africa, the baby made the acquaintance of that wonderful invention known as the walker. Not the kind your grandmother used in her later years, but the ring with wheels and a seat for babies who are too young to walk on their own. She was a little hesitant at first getting her feet under her and learning to push off. For one who afternoon she could only go backwards and very, very slowly at that. Soon enough she was exploring granny's house and patio and generally having a ball with all that new-found independence. When we left that thing behind (it was only borrowed) it was with more than one backward glance.

That is why, when we got home again, I knew we had to get our own walker. At first I thought we might not be able to get one at all since I knew they were frowned upon by the medical establishment (it seems that some people do not realize the damage a baby can do if they go over an edge). However, we soon spotted one in our favorite baby store, and I was happy to see that it was not a relic from the '80's. It seems that walkers are still sold in the U.S. with just a few modifications to make them safer.

Once we got the thing home I did have a quiver of doubt. The fixed back wheels made it purposefully clunky so that babies are not as maneuverable as they were in the old version which moved like a nimble office chair. I shouldn't have worried. Within a very short time Delphinium was racing around our family room (properly cordoned off so she won't escape) with all the finesse of a racing driver. Not only is she fast, but she can avoid obstacles, correct her course before she gets stuck, and even reverse on a dime.

Now she chases us around. When I'm cooking she often comes into the kitchen to see what I'm doing. She does not hesitate to roll right over your toes in her desire to get right up to the action. On more than one occasion she's run up behind me and grabbed the ties on my apron as a means of getting my attention. She also likes to "help" with unloading the dishwasher. Luckily there are many fascinating things for a baby to do when she's so mobile, so she often has to race off and inspect the kitty or wave at herself in the glass door of the oven. I'm not sure how long the joy of the walker can last, but it stays fun for a while yet.

P.C. Run Amok?

Perhaps the Christmas season brings it out in people, but questions about being politically correct seem all-pervasive these days.  Lately I've even been accused of being overly sensitive about some things.  It's true that I have suffered through quite a large number of "sensitivity" classes during my time as a teacher (No! no! not as a punishment for bad behavior!).  Let me explain the situations, and you can be the judge.

It all started back around Thanksgiving.  I noticed that those so-bad-they're-good pilgrim candles from our childhoods are back on the shelves as centerpieces.  The only difference is that they now include some "natives" (their words not mine) with the puritans.  Now it just seems to me that this is an uncomfortable Thanksgiving theme given that the indigenous people went on to suffer so much at the hands of the invaders.  Should we include even the pilgrims on our table? Others maintain that being inclusive is always better than being exclusive.  Hmmm.

Next came the book I picked up for Delphinium.  It's a cute little counting book featuring a black family who make dinner together.  Only when I got it home and looked closely did I realize that the family is cooking fried chicken, collard greens, and other traditional (stereotypical?) foods.  I think this is in poor taste, but other say it is simply a celebration of cultural heritage.  Hmmm

Last comes the naming of a new road in our community.  The road is there solely to serve as a feeder for the new Catholic high school.  The name of this new road?  Crusader Way!  I do not think this is appropriate at all given the tragic nature of the crusades and the dubious-at-best reputation of the "crusaders."  Some say these are simply historical figures and therefore a fine source for school pride and the city grid.  Hmmm.

Crawling!

When we put up the Christmas tree, I was able to set the baby on a blanket so she could watch us and play with her toys if she wanted.  We had a wonderful time showing her the ornaments and listening to her cute sounds of amazement when the tree first appeared and the lights first came on.  Now we are in the process of taking down the tree, and the baby is crawling (CRAWLING!) up to help out.  I actually caught her stretching up as far as she could to try and grab one of the lower branches in her mouth (luckily I'm faster than she is). 

I just can't believe how quickly this has happened.  She's been up on all fours for some time now, but just a few weeks ago she started rocking, and that seemed to be the final piece.  Now she's working on coordination, but she can zip across the room faster than you'd believe.  Now that the world is her oyster, she is no longer satisfied by the toys on her blanket.  She'd rather enjoy some computer cables, a magazine, or the kitty instead.  At least our fat old kitties are getting some exercise this way! 

The next step?  She's working on getting up the single step so she can leave the living room and explore the rest of the rooms.   Of course this means we need to redouble our child-proofing efforts.  Very, very soon she's going to be discovering the stairs, and then there will be trouble if they aren't gated.  I get the feeling that life is never going to be the same. 

New Year's Resolutions '11

Looking back on previous years it seems that I usually focus fairly heavily on resolutions involving work.  That means this year is a whole new game.  One of the hardest parts about losing your working identity to stay at home is that you can no longer talk about what you do without sounding trivial.  Don't get me wrong, I know my mommy job is extremely important, but the component pieces don't exactly sound that way.  Therefore, forgive me if these resolutions seem a bit small scale:

1. Exercise at least three times a week (Isn't this one perennial?)
2. Write at least three cards or letters per month
3. Divide house into seven parts and clean one part each day
4. Cook more foods/meals from scratch (I used to be able to do this, and I know I can again)
5. Eat less sugar
6. Get more news (I've been really bad about this since the baby arrived)
7. Do fun outings for Baby
8. Be patient
9. Judge less
10. Go on dates with M.

Happy New Year '11

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman

2010 in Review

Yeah, yeah, all sorts of big things happened in the outside world; some were good and some bad.   However, this was a very introspective year for us.  The most important events of 2010 in no particular order:

1. The late stages of pregnancy

2. Hawaii

3. Childbirth!

4. The best baby that ever there was!

5. Caring for the sick baby

6. Learning to breastfeed

7. Our second wedding anniversary

8. Travel to South Africa

9. All those glorious firsts

10. Our first Christmas as a little family
 

Words of the Year '10

Now we come down to the last few days of the year, and I always enjoy reading the little round ups of '10. It just takes you back to all the news stories, articles, and events that filled the TV, radio, and print, and populated your head with their vocabulary. One of the first to come out was the Top Ten Words of the Year as determined by The Global Language Monitor. Some are immediately familiar, while others require a bit of coaching to remember. Spillcam and Shellacking both bring out mental winces for me.

10. Simplexity

9. Shellacking

8. 3-D

7. Snowmageddon

6. Deficit

5. Guido

4. Refudiate

3. the Narrative

2. Vuvuzela

1. Spillcam

Baby's First Christmas

Yes, yes, I know Delphinium is too young to remember her first Christmas, but we certainly will. For weeks she's enjoyed the tree with all its splendor, and actual Christmas was even better. First there was the astonishing early morning appearance of many of her favorite family members. Finding your cousins on your doorstep before breakfast is a surprising and wonderful thing. Then came the stockings. Did you know that there are toys in stockings?! Before she could fully comprehend (and nibble) her stocking presents (a blue mesh ball and a small penguin with huge eyes were the best) it was time to move on to unwrapping.


Many other parents warned us that the wrapping and boxes are far better than the actual gifts, and this was absolutely the case. Delphinium wanted to eat all the paper and crepe, and I kept having to wrestle ribbons and other decorations out of her chubby fists. Still, when she did actually get down to a present she was quite interested. The biggest challenge for her was the pace. Her cousins are capable of unwrapping and appreciating each gift in about thirty seconds flat. She wanted to take her time. Then, about half way through, all just got to be too much. She started to rub her eyes, and I knew she needed a break. We went upstairs for a little nap, and left the family to finish with the presents.

I was quite impressed with the restraint we managed to maintain when it came to buying her presents. Among her gifts were a bug jar full of soft rattle bugs, a pull along frog, an orange rattle creature, a skwish toy, and a fuzzy gray and white dog. She also got many new books and clothes as well. Even now, days later, she still hasn't finished investigating the new goodies. We will also have to come up with names for her new favorites.

On the whole though, I think her favorite part about it all was the attention. I think she would be quite happy to have Daddy quit work and just stay home to play with her. She would also love to see cousins, uncles, and Grandma on her doorstep any morning of the week. Whatever will I do to console her when holiday time is over? Oh I know, we'll read a dozen new stories, and play with all kinds of new toys. Next year should be even better.

 

Baby's Christmas List

Okay, so I don't really know for sure what Delphinium wants to see under the tree on Christmas morning, but I think I can make a fairly educated guess based on the things I know she loves.  Just to name a few:

10. Kitties!

9.  Bananas

8.  Giraffes (stuffed animals, printed on things, rubber toy version, you name it)

7.  Grandma

6.  Her cousins

5.  Books (but only certain ones)

4.  Mirrors

3.  Rattles

2.  Mommy and Daddy

1.  Boobies!    

Holiday Firsts

I will not soon forget Delphinium's first visit with Santa. It was supposed to be a regular week day, but circumstances made M available in the early afternoon, so we decided to play hooky. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to do something Christmas-y without all the holiday crowds of a Saturday or Sunday. Acting on an email tip (go M for figuring this whole plan out) we headed down to The Bravern building where were supposed to find The Man in Red.


Delphinium was looking very smart in her little red dress with red and white spotted tights (with ruffled bottom!) and we had high hopes for a fabulous photo. When those elevator doors opened, we were not disappointed. There he was, Santa, and he had a real beard! Not only that but his eyes how the twinkled, his dimples so merry, and... but I digress. He was quite a convincing Santa. And he did not smell of gin (or anything else he shouldn't).

With that auspicious beginning how could we go wrong? We sat Delphinium, as cute as a button, down on his lap, and... she burst into tears. Unlike her picture with Frosty the Snowman, where she just stared at him, Santa was scary. It started as a trembling of the lip, and went on into full-blown terror. I scooped her up, we went with the very first photo (the least unhappy one), and that was it for us.

Away from the frightening stranger, the baby returned to her cheerful self, and we strolled off to the main mall. Happy in the knowledge that we did not have to wait in line for the more central Santa. While I'm sorry Delphinium was discomfited, it was an experience with lots of warm fuzzies for me. I imagine our visits with Santa will only get more significant as time goes by, but this very first one was special to me.

Holiday Finery

Goodness gracious whoever would have thought that a Christmas tree could be so sublime.  Delphinium is in love with the thing, and she doesn't even know what usually appears UNDER the tree! The first time she saw the naked tree just brought into the house, she chuckled at it.  Then it got dressed! She just thinks the lights and the decorations and the color and sparkle are something entirely cool.  I catch her just gazing up at it while she's playing on her blanket in the living room.

The first few days it was up, she was sick and teething at the same time, and more than once we "broke" a sad mood by visiting (and sometimes petting) the tree.  There are even a couple of ornaments that are baby-friendly and can be taken off and loved for a few minutes.  Christmas suddenly has a whole new value for jaded old me. 

Waving

The baby skill of the week is really two related talents.  First came the two arm wave as if our girl were conducting her own (crazy) symphony.  Sometimes it takes a form that more closely resembles a rabid fan at a sporting event.  Another great feature about waving both hands in the air is that you can then bring those hands crashing down onto your tray.  Pounding the table is now one of her favorite after dinner activities, and I'm afraid that Mom and Dad do nothing but encourage the behavior (picture all three of us slapping our placemats). 

The other half of this skill is also waving, but a much more subtle kind.  Delphinium is now able to hold up one hand and open and close the fingers in a "hello/goodbye" gesture.  At first she would only do it to herself when seeing her reflection.  It was SO cute to see her sitting in her walker in front of the sliding door waving away at the baby in the glass.  Now she's moving up to waving at real live people.  It's still quite hit or miss, but one day soon she may decide to wave at you. 

Baby's First Concert

I absolutely cannot believe that it's been nearly a year since M. and I attended a symphony concert, but life with Baby just flies by.  That's why I was so excited when M. found tickets for all of us to a family-friendly holiday concert.  Dressed in our holiday best (Delphinium has the cutest little red corduroy dress with smocking and tiny white flowers) we made our way into Seattle and Benaroya Hall.

The concert was held in the small upper hall (can't remember the name!) and it was jam-packed with kids.  I think Delphinium would have been just fine with going to the hall, sitting down, and watching all those big kids for half an hour.  However, the music began soon after we arrived.  Our girl stood on Daddy's lap and watched the stage with open mouth for the first half of the show.  Then, in true baby fashion, she fell soundly asleep and did not see the rest of the performance.  A great time was had by all.

Bad Parenting Part 1 of ?

Delphinium and I are sitting in the doctor's office waiting for her flu shot booster.  My baby is cheerful as ever.  Many other parents and kids are also waiting, and some have struck up conversations to pass the time.  A lady and her son decide to chat with us, and this is how it goes:

Lady:  Oh what a cute baby!

Me:  Thank you!

Lady: I love her hat!

Me: Thank you!

Lady:  She has the prettiest blue eyes!

Me:  Thank you!

Lady:  How old is she?

Me:  Thank you, er, nearly eight months.

Lady:  Is she sick?

Me:  No, we just need a flu booster.

Lady:  Has she been crying?

Me:  No, not recently.

Lady:  What's that on her eye then?

Me (turning the baby the face me, and then noticing that I did an incomplete cleaning job after her last meal):  Oh that would be the pears she smeared on herself for lunch.

Lady: Oh.

Baby Cradles on International Flights

Bassinets or cots are available on many international flights, and they can be a wonderful help. You simply reserve the baby bed when you book your tickets, and make certain that you've paid all appropriate fees (the cot is free, but the baby probably isn't). The baby cradle we were given on KLM (I think it was a Boeing plane) was a wonderful little basket that zipped closed over our child's middle. She slept quite happily there for more than seven hours.


Unfortunately, the Delta (I think it was an Airbus) baby bed was not very comfortable for her because the zipper went all the way to the top meaning we would have been closing it right over her face! I did not think that was healthy or safe, and you could not zip it part way, so we did not use the cot. However, the cots are worth booking if only because they guarantee you the bulkhead, and that is definitely worth having if you are travelling with a little person or not.

Delta Airlines Sucks

The short story: Delta Airlines Sucks


We booked several legs of our Seattle to South Africa trip on Delta and several other parts on their partner, KLM. Without fail, the KLM experience was very pleasant and everything we could have wished. Also without fail the treatment we received from Delta was nothing short of shocking. Delta employees were rude, ineffective, and either unable or unwilling to do the simple things required to do their jobs in a reasonable fashion.

From the ticketing agents (who took nearly two hours to print out our tickets AND double charged us for the infant fee) to the flight attendants (who were grumpy, rude, failed to bring an infant seatbelt, and one who actually fell asleep during take-off!) to the gate agents (who sent M running across the airport to fix THEIR mistake) to the finance department (who refuse to refund the double charge) we were not impressed.

As if that were not enough, all three adults (but not the baby) got serious food poisoning from eating the airline meals on our last flight. We didn't eat anything else, so we know it was their food. Delta is in serious need of a figurative smacking. I will be doing my best to avoid buying tickets from them in the future.

To Gift or Not to Gift

Our extended family is currently going through a crisis.  Okay that might be over-stating things just a tiny bit, but at least we're engaging in a debate.  The issue?  Christmas.  Not the holiday as a whole, I think everyone is pretty much in favor of that, but the question of gift-giving.  The brothers and I (and M too actually) all grew up with the idea that Christmas was, well, a time of plenty.  In other words, there was always and excess of special treats, an excess of decorations, and an excess of presents.  We (I hope I can speak for them) enjoyed things to the hilt.  Christmases were absolutely magic.

As a grown up I have always wanted to recreate such feelings.  Now that I have a child I would very much like for her to have a holiday as wonderful as mine.  However, not everyone in our family feels this way.  Some point out that the crass commercialism of it all is neither healthy nor charming, and that if we want to truly appreciate each other on Christmas we would do it without so many (any?) gifts.  I can absolutely understand the point, but I still can't pry myself away from the desire to shower people with goodies.  I still love the pile of beautiful presents underneath the tree, and that is a pale shadow of how much I loved the scene when I was a kid.

Couldn't we all agree to bump up or charitable giving, buy nothing in January, or do some volunteering to contribute to the greater good?  That way we could still have our Christmas and eat it too.  I know the one thing does not cancel out the other, and I also know that I'm starting to sound whiney and shrill, but this is an issue that causes me a certain amount of angst.  If you celebrate, where does your family fall on the festive vs. frugal spectrum?     

Happy Birthday Mom '10

Happy birthday to my most favorite mom.  I really REALLY appreciate your work, and so do a lot of other people.  Love from all of us. 

Baby's First Cold

Our poor little girl started to get sick the day before Thanksgiving, but I didn't realize it in time and dragged her out to visit family.  Every day since I keep thinking "okay now she must be getting better" but so far this crud just hangs around.  We are now on day nine, and she is still snuffly and sad.  Nursing is not easy due to the congestion, and every morning her eyes are goopy.  Then there's the sleeping.  Actually what I mean to say is that there isn't much in the way of sleeping.  When her nose gets completely blocked she wakes up crying.  This happens about every one to two hours.  She tries to smile and play normally, sweet little thing, but she spends a lot of time leaning back on the pillows to rest.  I know she really isn't that sick, but it is hard to watch anyway.

Planning to Kick the Bucket

No, no M and I do not plan on dying any time soon.  However, now that we have Delphinium we thought it would be prudent to have a will and such to cover the possibilities.  Thus we met with a lawyer and filled out a questionnaire about our "wishes" (hmmm, not to die?).  It was very odd to be thinking about funeral arrangements and bequests and trust funds, but it was worth it to know that everything would be okay for the kid.

Recently we went back to the lawyers office to sign and finalize the whole thing.  The two parts that made me chuckle were the repeated use of the word "testatrix" to describe me (M got "testator" which is not nearly as cool) and the reading of the official script.  That's right, in order for the testatrix to finalize her will, she must read OUT LOUD a statement of intent about this being the actual will and testament blah, blah, blah.  It was really hard not to laugh at that point, but I managed to remain dignified. 

At the end, I did have a weird moment of feeling like I was looking into the future.  Here we were, two young (ish) adults with our baby daughter, tying up our plans in the form of this will.  At some point down the line (hopefully a long time away) a grown Delphinium will probably sit in some similar conference room and unwind the very same document.  Strange thought, but I guess that's the way it's supposed to go. 

Thanksgiving 2010

Usually around Thanksgiving time I make a list of on hundred things for which I am thankful.  This was always part of an assignment for my English students, but this year I do not have a class.  That is actually fine because this year I am not collecting the huge list.  It's not that I don't appreciate all those wonderful bits and pieces.  It's just that this year I am so especially thankful for Delphinium that she eclipes everything else. 

Bundling

Delphinium thinks the snow is all very well and good (we are on day three) but she does not much care for the dressing required to actually get outside.  The first layer of thermal onsie is fine, and she cheerfully pushes her fists through the little sleeves.  Mom does the snapping, and voila! the first layer is done!  Then comes the full body sleeper suit, and again the baby is pretty helpful about sleeves and feet and snaps and all.  However by the time we get to the pants and sweater, she is really not feeling so good about things. 

All that finally accomplished, you would think that any normal mom and dad would call it good, but not poor Delphinium's parents.  They make her put on a huge coat on top of it all, and by the time she's squeezing into the 8th sleeve, this baby has really had enough.  Luckily, that's about the time that we actually go outside, and the view of the world turned completely white is so arresting that our little girl forgets why she was annoyed. 

First Snow

Delphinium's very first sight of snow was eeeearly on Sunday morning.  She didn't seem to take much notice of the change outside the window, but when I wrapped her in a blanket and hat and took her outside, there was definitely recognition.  At first she just seemed sort of perplexed by all the excitement, but then she actually started looking at the little flakes falling on her sleeve.  I made a little ball of snow and touched it to her cheek.  That got a smile at last.  Then she just snuggled in close and watched the white come down.  It really wasn't that much of a snow, and what we did get was gone quite soon, but I have high hopes for more in the near future!

Teething

I know, I know this has become nothing but a baby log, but that's pretty much my whole life right now (M too of course!).  What else would I write? 

Can't remember if I've mentioned the teething.  For those who don't get to see little Delphinium on a regular basis, the teething fairy is definitely hovering around our house.  We don't have any actual teeth, mind you, just lots and lots and lots of drool with occasional lashings of itchiness and pain.  Our poor little girl goes through about half a dozen bibs a day sometimes, and often I am still not changing them fast enough.  She also rubs her ear (or occasionally scratches it) when the discomfort radiates throughout the jaw. 

Then of course there's the chewing.  She is quite determined to get her entire fist in her mouth, and when that isn't enough she tries anything and everything else she can grab.  Bumpy binkies are popular (thanks Auntie C. for the fabulous raspberries) as are burp clothes, all sorts of toys, boardbooks (they all have sodden edges), and even the kitty's tail if only it would sit still long enough.  Frozen rings and rags are not poplar because they make her hands cold, and then that makes her cry.  The sweetest is when she grabs mom's or dad's hand and pulls it to her mouth for some quality chewing.  Hands down (har!) Daddy's fingers taste the best.

Baby's First Gymboree or Proof We are Yuppies

Yes, yes, I finally caved.  My PEPS group has been attending Gymboree baby classes for some time now, but Delphinium and I were in South Africa when it all began.  Now that we're back, we were invited to go along.  I had some qualms since I've always seen Gymboree as a silly activity for people who didn't know how to play with their own children.  However, peer pressure is large, so I bundled the baby into the car on a rainy afternoon, and we headed off to the class.

My first impression was not so good.  The circle of babies included ones as young as three months and as old as seven.  How much can a little baby get from a singing and movement class?  Then the shockingly young teachers (they seemed about fourteen but probably weren't) got things going with a welcome song.  For the next few minutes I was in agony.  The songs were beyond twee, and chatter from the teachers was irritating, and they had stupid names for the toys.  I love playing with my baby, but this was ridiculous. 

Then I noticed something.  Delphinium was having a ball.  She loved looking in the mirror on the floor.  She giggled and cooed for the clapping games, and she thought the "sensory time" was fascinating.  Even the parachute, which made other babies cry, was amazing.  "Aha!" I said to myself "this is one of those times when I need to get over myself!" and then I did.   We had a lovely time together, and I only winced a little when they brought out the "Gymbo" puppets. 

Food! Glorious Food!

These days the laundry is always tinged with a sort of golden orange.  No, M has not joined a cult.  It's all the butternut squash that edges most of the baby clothes.  That's right, we have moved beyond the age of milk and we are no experimenting with actual food.  It started with rice cereal made with breast milk (to keep things a little familiar) and that was such a success that we went to squash in the second week. 

You should have seen Delphinium's face when she got her first bite.  I don't think I've ever seen anyone that excited over plain porridge.  She eats with both hands, and it is actually quite a challenge to get the spoon into her mouth before she can grab it away from you.  The first spoonful of butternut was a bit more of a shock (this is certainly NOT milk!) but it too became very popular in no time at all.  By the end of a meal she is liberally coated in orange goo, but she is happy.  Next week we may try peas.  I sincerely hope she and food have a long and happy life together. 

Did You Call?

Earlier this week I wouldn't know if you'd called because my cel phone was, well, unavailable. It wasn't missing, but I couldn't exactly answer it if it rang. It all started when I went to pick up the nieces from their respective schools. Both kids in tow, I asked Elder Niece (newly promoted to the front seat after turning twelve) to call my mom since I'm not the sort of person who calls and drives. When in the car, I often leave my phone in the niche next to the emergency brake, so it was easy for her to make the call and then put the phone back where she found it. We went off on our merry way, and I didn't think another thing about it.

Eventually, we got home, bundled out of the car like a heard of elephants, ate snack, began homework, and started to make some dinner. Since we were still waiting to hear from my mom, I thought I would check my phone for messages. Oh noes! I left it in the car! Running out to the garage, I found that the phone was not in the usual niche. Instead, it was about four inches to the right wedged in another little crevice, but this one was the rubber gasket for the emergency brake! Are you visualizing this? I could just see the top sticking out next to the lever. I tried to pull it out, but of course it slipped down inside the housing like a ship beneath the waves (sigh).

Ten thousand attempts to retrieve the phone were unsuccessful, so the next day Delphinium and I made a pilgrimage to our favorite mechanic. We got to spend some quality time in the beautiful autumn sunshine while they fished the phone out for us. No harm done! Of course I know Elder Niece did not intend to do this, she doesn't have a trouble-making bone in her body, but I may need to be more careful next time. Who knows, with Delphinium learning to crawl soon this may be only the beginning.

South African Blergh

Ah the joy of souvenirs from your vacation.  Cute little doodads, postcards, candy from foreign lands, and also bacteria and viruses.  It seems we brought a Norwalk-type thing home with us because I was driving the porcelain bus all day on Friday, and now M is feeling quite poorly.  Nausea has got to be the worst of the standard illnesses.  Let's just hope that our Little Miss remains immune. 

Monkey Feet

The other night, I was trying to put Delphinium to bed.  She has trouble going to sleep on her own (surprise, surprise) so I usually nurse her and rock her at bedtime.  This evening she was wearing a little sleeper printed with monkeys and the feet were monkey faces.  She looked so cute as I put her in her crib.  As I put her down, she started to shuffle and wake up a bit.  I covered her with blankets and then sat down in the rocker to see if she would sooth herself back to sleep.  For a while all was quiet, and I thought she might have have gone down on her own, but then I saw two monkey faces bobbing around above the level of the bumper.  She was wide awake and amusing herself by waving both feet in the air.  One of those sweet pictures I won't soon forget.

Bird Battle

A few days ago we ate lunch at a restaurant with a deck that looked out over the ocean.  It was an amazing spot due to the views, but it did have one small problem.  The local birds viewed this outdoor dining area as a wonderful snack bar.  Having been fed by hundreds of stupid tourists, they were bold as brass about coming on to your table, getting right up next to you, and stealing things off your very plate (if you let them).  Some might find this amusing, but I do not think we should feed wild birds or encourage them to be so familiar.  Therefore, armed with a drinking straw I whacked any bird that can within arms reach.  Okay, so maybe "whack" is too strong a word.  I wasn't trying to hurt them, but I did want to encourage them to head elsewhere.  Unfortunately, the striped mice were too fast for me.  It was a most memorable meal.

South Africa Part 2

This computer sucks, so I'm keeping this short (soorry for the errors)

Yesterday and the day before were our outings from the valley where M's mom lives and into the city of Capetown.  Our first stop was Kerstenbosch gardens where we met up with an old school friend of M's and his family.  We had a wonderful time doing lunch and wandering the acres upon acres of flower s, trees, and artwork.  Delphinium was especially happy due to her passionate love of trees.  I could visit the gardens weekly and never be bored.

The next stop was the suburb of Simon's Town.  We stayed in a sun-washed guest house with the most impressive view of the bay and the navy yards.   At one point we heard the boom of a ships horn, and the battleship glided out to sea.  We kept trying to drink up the sun and the setting as much as possible.  After one night there, we set off for more sights.

Still in Simon's Town we headed down to one special beach where we could view the penguins.  Yes, yes, there are penguins in South Africa.  Jack Ass Penguins enjoy the warm water, and many of them come to the sunny beach to molt and breed.  They are very sweet in their black and white suits, but the smell is a bit like a hen house. 

Lastly, we drove the winding road to the Cape Point Reserve.  This is the point where the Indian and Atlantic ocean currents meet.  The point itself is a startling piece of rock jutting up out of the surrounding water.  A classic lighthouse perches on the edge, and visitors can take the "Funicular" tram up to the highest point.  The views were quite startling.  It certainly didn't hurt that the sky was brilliant blue, and the cormerants were screaming over head.  A good time was had by all.

News from South Africa

Please pardon the mistakes.  I'm typing this on a trying computer.
What a long strange trip it's been.  However, it's really been a very good one.  We left Seattle on Sunday afternoon, flew for nine hours to Amsterdam, and then took a twelve hour flight to Cape Town.  During the entire trip, Delphinium barely cried at all.  When getting on each of the planes, you could see the people around us staring and glaring at being seated near a baby.  By the end, we were getting compliments about what a good passenger she was.  I was completely floored.  The air part of this trip has been worrying me for months, and it was no problem at all.  She ate, slept, played, and charmed others and did not really cry at all.  May it please continue on our flight home.
We've been at M's mom's house for several days now, and the time change is what is really effecting us.  The first "night" the baby did not want to go to sleep at all, and then when she did, she was up again four hours later.  From 4am on, we drank tea and played with her.  Now, a few more days in, she is still struggling to adjust.  We're a bit tired, but otherwise doing just fine.As far as activities, we've been taking it pretty easy.  We've had some very nice meals out, and we got the chance to visit a vineyard and goat dairy the other day.  We tried about ten different kinds of cheese as well as olives, candied fruit, salads, and crusty bread.  Mmmmm.  Aside from the beautiful formal garden, they also had an impressive veggie patch including a scarecrow dressed in world cup finery.  In many ways it doesn't feel very different here, but then you notice the springbok in among the goats.

Travel Prep

I am officially beginning to freak out.  Our trip is just a few days away, and that means we have to face the realities of flying with an infant for TWENTY hours!  Usually I make a deal with myself that if I can't do anything to change a situation I might as well skip getting upset about it.  Somehow the zen approach just isn't working this time.  I feel like there is something I ought to be doing to prepare.  What can it be?  Then I go around and around trying to imagine the possibilities. 

Packing is another challenge.  I've accepted that we will not be going lightly now that we have the baby, but I'm still trying not to let it get too ridiculous.  M bought us two new hard-sided suitcases, so we have plenty of space, but the trick is not to exceed the weight limit.  Fortunately, we have access to a washer once we get there, so we don't have to pack too crazy much.  The part that's most confusing me is packing for the baby.

What does a baby really need for a long trip?  We use so many different toys, swings, bouncers, strollers, rockers, cribs, etc. during the course of our day that I can't quite imagine not having them.  However, we can't take it all, so we'll just have to make do.  I'm also trying to figure out which things need to come in our carry-on for the actual plane flight.  The only thing I'm sure of right now is the need for lots of diapers and changes of clothes.  If you've flown with an infant before, feel free to leave me your advice. 

Five Months of Baby

Better late than never!

At five months old, Delphinium is working on many of the same skills she started on last month:

-she can really control and coordinate her movements now, so reaching and grabbing is far more successful

-she shows preferences for certain toys such as Green Bunny, raspberry binkies, Gerald the Giraffe, and Miss Mousey

-she can now actively throw away toys she no longer wants

-she can roll over but mostly chooses not too

-she loves to do situps which consists of pulling her head and shoulder and feet and legs off the ground in an attempt to sit up

-she loves to put her feet up in the air and sometimes grab them with her hands, and shoes quickly become chew toys

-she's still drooling waterfalls, but no teeth in sight

-she turns to the sound of her name, and will happily chat with you through long conversations

-she loves to read stories such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, I am a Bunny, and Great Day for Up

-she sleeps through the night very well, but does not like to nap during the day

-she NO LONGER hates the stroller!  Woot!

-she NO LONGER hates the carseat!  (unless she's really tired)

she is about to become a world traveler, so wish us luck!

Basic Vaccines Done!

I took my poor little miss to the doctor again today.  She's not due for her six month check-up for another couple of weeks, but the doctor wanted to make sure she got her full course of regular shots before we head off to the third world.  Therefore, we made a special "jabs only" visit today.  It makes my heart turn over to see her smiling and giggling while we wait.  Little does she know.  Luckily this was not such a tramatic visit.  I was playing with her and tickling her while the nurse gave the shots and she didn't even cry until the second one went in.  Even then, it was only a moment or two.  Now she's sleeping off the effects (was there ever a sweeter picture than a sleeping baby?), and hopefully by tomorrow she'll be all better.   

Banned Books Week 2010

Banned books week is here once again, and I almost missed it!  It seems that requests to remove literature from American libraries and schools are once again on the rise.  The American Library Association keeps track of official challenges and tabulates the most frequently challenged titles for each year.  This year's list includes Twilight, The Color Purple, and The Chocolate War.  Interestingly, many of these titles were challenged on the grounds of "religious perspective" which must mean that of the challenger because Twilight does not include a religious perspective as far as I can tell.

Tomato Funeral

The blight has come to our tomato patch.  It seems that the large amount of summer rain encouraged the growth of a fungus, and all the tomato plants are paying the price.  The vines died from the ground up, and all the fruit that was still green has now turned black.  We salvaged about one more pound from the wreckage.  That makes maybe five pounds of tomatoes in all this year.  We spent $36 for plants plus perhaps $6 for soil  this year, so we put in $42 in total.  $42/5 pounds is $8.40 per pound for organic home-grown tomatoes.  That's even more expensive than the farmers' market!  Still when you factor in the hundred times the baby and I went out to watch them grow it comes out all right. 

Gold Stars

Hello everybody, my name is Joy, and I'm a gold star addict.  No, no, gold star is not the latest designer gin or raver drug.  It is that rush many of us get from being patted on the back.  I think it starts out very young when our parents say things like "Good job Joy!  You went pee in the potty!" or "Wow!  I'm so impressed by how much you ate of that mashed banana!" Praise!  Validation!  A warm, happy feeling spreads through your tummy.  You eat it up, and another gold star addict is born. 

And there's really nothing wrong  with gold stars and kids.  It helps them to make good choices, and to feel happy about their accomplishments.  A good mark (and maybe some praise from teachers and parents?) on a paper at school makes you feel so good that you want to work hard on the next paper too.  All through childhood I really do not see a problem, but at some point we have to be weaned away from this habit.

Once you're an adult it just doesn't work so well.  Sometimes, at work, you can find that kind of validation, but even there it's not going to be consistent.  Most of the time at work people simply expect you to do what needs to be done (or not but that's a whole other topic).  At home you really aren't going to get a lot of back patting.  You empty the dish washer and, hey presto, the crowd goes wild!  Not so much.  The key is to learn to do things for the sake of getting them done.

Becoming a mom has really brought this home to me.  M. is very good about helping out and offering encouragement.  However, most of the time it is just the two of us here at home, and the baby is really not capable of being a cheerleader.  At this point you just have to dig in and do the laundry, diapering, dishes, vacuuming, etc because you are the mommy and that's what mommies do.  Suddenly the gold stars seem to matter less.  A clean (ish!) house and a happy baby are their own rewards.  Most of the time.

It Gets Better

The gay rights movement has had an up and down week. In Florida, gays and lesbians are now able to adopt children after the state supreme court found the ban to be unconstitutional. On the other hand, Don't Ask Don't Tell remains in effect in the U.S. military. How some of this can still be allowed to stand in 2010 is beyond me. 

The challenges experienced by gay adults are nothing compared to those faced by children and teens. The suicide rates for homosexual (or even just those perceived as gay) teens are far above the norm. This type of abuse remains one of the most accepted forms of harassment because many parents still believe that homosexuality is wrong. School administrators and teachers often feel hog-tied in their ability to help because parents object to anything that might be deemed "pro-gay". Or at least that's the excuse.

Many students report feeling hopeless as their peers and even their families reject or abuse them.  For some it must seem as though a normal life may never be possible.  In response to the suicide of 15 year old Billy Lucas, Dan Savage made the video, It Gets Better.  You've got to see it.

Swaddler No More

Yesterday, we went to the store to purchase yet another box of diapers (go ahead judge me). We needed the next size up, but for some reason I just couldn't find our preferred brand in the correct size. Then M pointed out that the box I was looking for was right there on the shelf in front of me. Why couldn't I see it? It seems that size three diapers are a new category, and so the name and packaging change. I was used to looking for those nice green and teal "swaddler" boxes, but no, it seems that we are now purple "cruisers." I know this is a silly little thing, but it made me sniff a little. My baby is tiny no more.

The Hunger Games

Just a quick plug for my favorite series of late, The Hunger Games. While this author can be found in the Young Adult section, her stories are quite readable by all ages so long as you enjoy sci. fi. dystopian future stuff. All three books deal with issues around authoritarian governments, poverty, and human rights. However, the main theme in all three is actually the power of media to shape opinion. The Hunger Games themselves are the world's worst reality TV show where young people from all over the country are forced to fight to the death in a giant arena. The cameras are always on, and the rest of the population gets to enjoy the spectacle. Of course there's always that one person who can't seem to play by the rules. Just do your best to ignore the love triangle which is trite and unnecesarry.

Elder Niece Grows Up

Our first little girl (of her generation anyway) is really and truly growing up. Elder Niece turned twelve a few weeks ago, and I can hardly pick my jaw up off the floor. She is tall, graceful, well-spoken, and self-possessed these days; a far cry from the little kid she was about five minutes ago. I can so clearly remember that solemn little face, and I am very glad to notice that she smiles much more than in earlier times. She might even be, dare I say it, a tolerable teen when the time comes. Happy birthday big girl!

Corn and Blueberry Salad

I've been meaning to post this for ages. I saw a recipe like this one in a magazine, and I couldn't believe corn and blueberries would be a nice combo. Provided you get good ingrediants, it is an incredible (and pretty) salad. Red pepper and cucumber are nice additions too:

Ingredients
6 ears fresh sweet corn, husked
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. ground cumin (preferably whole, toasted, and then ground)

Try it out I dare you!

Ten Years Since 9/11

It was my second week of teaching (in my whole career) when I heard about the first plane. I remember going into my principal's office and watching the smoke pour from the first tower. I wish I'd kept a blog back then to remember the rest of the details. I do remember the kids having lots of questions. It was probably quite different then because most kids didn't have cel phones. If something like that happened today; it would be a different story. I saw a TV piece about how many of the soldiers who are currently in Afghanistan can barely remember 9/11 since so many of them were elementary kids at the time that it happened. The world will never be the same.

Rolling Over

Delphinium did it! She rolled over! She's been doing a lot of almost sit-ups and side curls for some time now, and today, just after her dad got home from work, she rolled all the way over. She seemed truly surprised to find herself on her tummy all of a sudden. Then she proceeded to do it again just for good measure. M tried very hard to capture it on video, but she refused to perform. Next up, crawling, and then the world!

First Day of School

Yesterday was Elder Niece's first day of middle school! She was really, really nervous about going, but I have no doubt it will be a good transition. She is, of course, in the high performing program which is a great fit for her intelligence and her dedication (but I'm not biased!). Proof that she's in the right place? She took herself to the bookstore over the summer and bought a middle school prep book and a spelling book. She spent a portion of her summer studying up (not that she needed it) and it was all of her own free will. I wish she could be in my class!

Rainy Walk

Ever since Delphinium was very tiny, we've struggled over walks. This is due to the fact that I like them and she doesn't. It seems to stem from her dislike of most baby carrying methods such as strollers, baby packs, and other strollers. Were I willing to carry her in my arms the whole way, she would be a big fan of the walk. Unfortunately, after about the first half mile, this gets very tiring for maternal backs.

Then we hit on something big. We've been using the Baby Bjorn since she was born, but it was not until Delphinium was strong enough to face out that it became popular. Now you can put her in it, and she will remain happy for an hour or more. This is exciting for all kinds of reasons.

Yesterday, we decided to put the Bjorn to good use by going for a walk. We'd been cooped up in the car during the morning, so it seems like a good idea to get out and move around. I'd never taken her out in the rain before, but since she's so close to me while in the Bjorn I knew an umbrella would work well. We bundled up a little, grabbed our sunny yellow umbrella, and headed out into the world.

The umbrella turned out to be half the fun. She kept looking up at it (do admire the color?) and chatting out loud about it. We looked at flowers of all colors, watched crows hopping around in the road, and admired the big kids who were playing in the yard at the school. The best part, though, was the deer. She was standing in a forested spot near the school, and she did not seem in the least worried about our presence. She calmly stood there eating dripping blackberries about twenty feet from where we were standing.

Camping at Penrose Point

For the past five years, a sub-set of the family has used the last weekend of August for our traditional camping weekend. We love to pitch our tents in some beautiful site, build fires, cook our meals over the coals, and then sit around singing songs and trading puns and word play. It's a great chance to catch up with one another before the craziness of the school year hits. This year, everything seems to have changed, but we still didn't want to miss out on this chance.

This year, we had a few more challenges than before. Not only do we have a new baby to think about, but my broken tailbone is still bothering me too. Nevertheless, we remained undaunted, so off we set for Penrose State Park near Purdy. The car trip was a bit uncomfortable for me, but the baby did a fabulous job and did not cry even once. After about an hour and a half of driving, we crossed over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. This was very exciting for all of us (having never been) since we've seen the old video of "galloping Gertie" many times. Luckily she stayed safely aloft for our trip over.

A little more driving brought us to the park where the rest of the family was already waiting. It is a beautiful park set on the water with the camp sites back in the woods. Sites are close together, but if you went on a less popular weekend, the might not be an issue. For us, it turned out to be a bad thing because the 50-something lady in the campsite next to ours decided to stay up late drinking boxed wine and talking, talking, talking about anything and everything. We heard her opinion on dozens of topics, but we did not hear quiet until two or three in the morning.

It was also a bit anxious to camp with the baby because the temperature got down into the low 50s, and it was very tough to be sure that she was staying warm enough. At one point in the night I found that she'd poked her little hand out of the blankets, and it felt as cold as a popsicle. I kept waking up to check that she was warm enough all night long. It was not what you would call a restful night.

The next day we did get the chance to enjoy the dramatic scenery. The park is surrounded on two sides by water, so there are many impressive views. Rocky beaches and mud flats are also common, and the girls had a wonderful time cruising the edge of the mud flats looking for sand dollars and tiny fish. There were kayaking and fishing opportunities as well, but we never got that far.

As much as we enjoyed ourselves on Saturday, as it got closer to bedtime, I just couldn't face another night in the tent. Our noisy neighbor was still in residence next door, and the overnight temperatures were not supposed to be any warmer. Thus we admitted defeat. After a lovely campfire dinner, we headed for home. Next time maybe we'll last the whole weekend. Still, I'm very glad we went.

Four Months of Baby

At four months old, Delphinium can now:

-Hold up her head, neck, and back well enough to ride on your hip

-Happily ride forward facing in the baby bjorn (hooray! going out in public just got SO much easier)

-Laugh out loud (especially when Dad is being hilarious)

-Coo and make all sorts of talking sounds (sometimes when she's unhappy she doesn't cry, but instead tells you, in very earnest tones, about all the things she thinks need fixing)

-Hold up her head and shoulders when turned on her tummy

-Lift her bottom in the air by pushing off with hands and knees

-Scream for an entire mile while hating on the stroller

-Scream for an entire car trip while hating on the car seat

-Grab all sorts of things and stuff them in her mouth (towels, blankets, her own clothes, toys)

-Drool, drool, drool

-Suck her thumb

-Sleep all night (for about the last seven weeks fingers crossed, crossed, crossed!)

-Kick off ALL those stupid blankets

-Streeeetch like super baby

-Melt family members through extreme cuteness and a highly lovable nature

All Things Big and Small

Hard to believe but little Delphinium is four months old! She just went to see the doctor for her well baby appointment and was pronounced in excellent health. We also had the traditional parental fun of finding out her growth compared to other children her age. Her height and weight are in the 95th percentile, so we can relax in the knowlege that she's getting enough to eat.

Then came the shocker, her head circumfrence is in the 5th percentile. Yes, you heard that correctly, the 5th percentile. I should not be too surprised since M also has quite a small head (you'd never guess by looking at him!) but the comparison between body and head is just so strange. Oh well we know her brain is growing because she learns new and fabulous skills all the time. Perhaps I can find a place to order custom-made hats.

Hornets - But Not the Green Kind

It all started when the pregnant yard worker got stung by a hornet in our front yard. It seems we've been harboring a huge hornet nest without even realizing. After making sure the poor lady was not going to swell up and die (her partner took her home), we headed inside and closed all the doors and windows. M got right on the phone and found an exterminator very quickly. They were able to come in only half an hour, and soon we had a man in a full bee suit in our yard. He sprayed the next and took it away without much fuss, but as he was working M could see the hornets shooting out of the hive and landing on the house and yard. I was afraid for the neighboring kids, so I went out the back door and went to warn the houses nearby. As far as I know, nobody but the orignial person ever got stung. All in all, not the way you want to spend your time (or money) but at least the results were good.

And Then I Went Crunch

Yesterday, Delphinium and I were getting ready to go have dinner with my mom. We went upstairs to change into fresh clothes, came back down, and then realized we'd forgotten baby socks. For the 400th time that day, we trudged back up, grabbed a lovely pale green pair with colorful spots, and headed back down again. About half way down the stairs we ran into trouble.

Honestly, I'm not really sure what went wrong, but all of a sudden I was tumbling. You hear stories about the inborn impulse to keep the baby safe, and I can say that it is true. With no actual thought involved, she ended up on top of me even though I'd been carrying her on my hip. For myself, I landed on my back and tailbone and then slid several steps before coming to rest near the bottom. Somehow a wall hanging came down too, so there was quite a little pile of me, baby, hanging, and socks.

I wanted to just lay there for a moment and catch my breath, but I really, really needed to know that the baby was okay. She did not seem to be anything other than startled, but I still patted her down and checked all over her head and especially her eyes to look for damage. Seeing nothing wrong, I picked her up and moved her down to the couch so I could undress her and do a further check. Nothing appeared wrong, but she was still crying and crying. Finally I realized that I was probably making horrible grimaces at her, so I tried smiling instead. Sure enough, she started to hiccup and sigh instead of screaming. Within a few minutes, she was her normal happy self.

I was not my normal happy self. In addition to various scrapes and tweaks, my back side was screaming. My tailbone got the worst of the experience, and sitting down was extremely painful. I called my mom, and she arrived about an hour later. That was very good news since she was able to take the baby. Within a few hours, I had a visit from Mobile Medicine, and they said my tailbone was either bruised, sprained, or broken, but it didn't really matter which since there's no treatment for any of them. Today I'm feeling a bit better, sitting on a boppy, and taking ibuprofen. M says it happens to everyone sooner or later. The lesson of the hour is to use the handrail EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Remembering How Lucky We Are

Yesterday I went to the dentist ALL BY MYSELF! It was pretty unsettling to be on my own even though Delphinium was with her dad and then her grandma during my appointment. I have absolute faith in both of those people, but it was still just very odd. Over time, perhaps that feeling like I've accidentally left one of my arms at home will fade.

When I got to the dentist, all the office folks and hygienists asked after the baby since I'd been seven months pregnant the last time I'd been. We chatted for a while about the joys and challenges of parenthood, and then I remembered that the last time I'd also talked to the office manager who was also expecting a baby this summer. I asked the hygienist about her, and the story she told was exceptionally heartbreaking.

It seems that the office manager was due at the end of July about three months after our baby. Early in her pregnancy she got the news that her baby was chromosomally abnormal, but she chose to carry the pregnancy to term in hopes that the abnormalities would not be significant. When the baby was born, they discovered that it had no diaphragm, and the lower organs had risen to fill the chest. This meant there was no room for lungs, and they barely formed at all. The baby lived for half a day.

In the miracle that is childbearing, we often forget how incredibly complex the whole system is and how many chances there are for things to go wrong. The amazement should lie in how often the process goes well. I went home to hug, hug, hug my beautiful, strong, little girl. I hope with all my heart that things go differently for that family next time.

Vanishing Elders

The Japanese are known as one of the longest-lived cultures due to their healthy diet and lifestyle. Or are they? This article is about the scandal currently emerging in Japan over the care of the nation's oldest people. It seems that the whole thing was touched off when officials went to check up on the nation's oldest man only to discover that he'd been dead for more than thirty years. Now it seems that many of those listed as centenarians are actually missing in action. Does Japan really revere its elders?

Summer Reading Cont.

I just have to brag a little. Some kids have to be coaxed, pushed, and tricked into summer reading, but not my nieces. This summer, both nieces have been visiting the public library on a regular basis with their nanny. They've also both enrolled in the summer reading program which began when school let out. The rules are something like "read ten books (appropriate to age) and win a free book as a prize." Elder Niece casually announced that she'd already won her free book and was doing the program over again to get a second. As if that were not enough, this girl reads real books. There are no biographies of Britney Spears on her list.

Summer Reading

I am shocked to discover that summer reading is good for kids. The New York Times recently ran this article about a study of elementary students who were given free books to take home over the summer. Half were allowed to choose from various age-appropriate fiction and non-fiction picks while the other group were given puzzle and activity books. After three such summers, the children who had access to extra reading practice during the summer scored far higher in reading than their puzzle working peers.

This is doubly significant because the children were allowed to pick their books AND how much they read over the summer. In other words, even seemingly schlocky books can be the avenue to choice (not parent or teacher forced) reading. Once kids get the knack for reading as fun, the sky is the proverbial limit. Those of us who might want to impose our own literary standards need to sit on our collective thumbs.

Two Thumbs Up

The big baby news of the last week has been all about the thumbs. Delphinium has been trying for some time to get her hands into her mouth, but recently a break through occurred. Ladies and gentlemen, the thumb has been located! Yes, it's true, it came away from the hand and found its way into our girl's mouth without the rest of the fist. This was BIG NEWS in our world because it means that Delphinium now has a built-in pacifier that she can deploy at will.

The only difficulty we've encountered (other than wondering where that thumb may have been) has to do with the rest of the fingers. It turns out that if you put your thumb in your mouth without first curling the other fingers you tend to poke yourself in the eye. Of course you do not realize the cause and effect, and glare at your parents wondering why they've allowed some mysterious force to injure you in this shocking way. For the moment, we're keeping her nails as short as possible and hoping the second half of the lesson comes as quickly as the first.

Being a Grown-up

Recently, I was watching a toddler play with bubbles. This made me think about how easy it is for little kids to find amazement and joy in the world. Flickering lights and tree boughs over head make my daughter stare in wonder. How sad it is that we adults can't find such simple pleasures. Then I realized this is a double edged sword. If we were so easily distracted, there would be all sorts of things we couldn't do. Driving would be impossible if the sight of sun on water so diverted our attention that we then crashed the car. Also, the young brain that so readily becomes elated has the flip side of being always on the edge of despair. One advantage of being an adult is the perspective on what is or is not a terrible tragedy.

Things that do not make me cry:



10. Falling asleep

9. Slow food service

8. Red traffic lights

7. Strangers smiling at me

6. Potty moments

5. Losing things

4. Loud noises

3. Riding in the car

2. Being alone

1. Changing clothes

Inception

Last week's mommy movie was actually more of a daddy movie. I've never seen so many fathers at one of these weekly baby-friendly movie showings. I guess that's due to the fact that it was sci-fi and not some schlocky chick flick. Inception is certainly no chick flick. It aims to be a more of a mind bleep (if you know what I mean). The plot is incredibly complicated (I won't even try) and it requires you to put the realistic part of your brain on vacation. That being said; it was a fun ride. Just make sure you don't go while sleepy, or your head might fall off.