Thursday, November 20, 2008

Tummy Time Blues


Sometimes we just need a buddy to hang out with us while we cry.



Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Progress


I can calculate our progress by remembering doctor visits since Maiya was born. At those first couple of check ups, not only was I unable to remember percentiles spouted to me by the nurse, but we were late and unbathed. Haven was unable to cross a parking lot holding my hand because he was just too slow, so I hooked Maiya's car seat around my arm and him on my hip. I lured him away from various no-nos with whatever snack was in the diaper bag. When Maiya got her shots, they both howled. Some memories of their babyhood will be okay to forget. Today, we began what I hope was an upward trend. We were on time. We were all wearing clean clothes. I had even showered. Haven walked into the office. He played contentedly in the waiting room. In the exam room I had to discourage his kissing the monkeys on the wallpaper, but otherwise, he safely entertained himself with a toy car throughout Maiya's check. When she got her shots, she screamed for just a moment and puckered his lips and dropped his eyebrows in a frown, and then returned to the toy car. Sometimes aging is beautiful.
In other news, my exercise classes prove to be awesome. They're worth the weekly hour of babysitting torture (I exagerate) to attend them free. So far I've taken one pilates class and one yogalates class. I took ballet for many years and the difference I see so far is that pilates aims for strength and balance, while ballet pinpoints precision and competition. I have to say at this point in my life, I strongly prefer the former. The classes are a little bit like going to a spa that not only relaxes, but brings fitness back to my life. I'm sure I will write much more about this soon.
In closing, I send many wishes for a happy, happy first birthday to baby Lauren!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Girls just want .... to be held.

That goes for my girl, anyway. Unless she's asleep - and in the deepest of sleeps - she prefers to be in my arms. If she's not, she is happy to provide a whiney cry that will progress to a shrill scream if I do not answer promptly.

Hungry? No. Needs a change? Nope - dry as a bone. Tired? Sick? Teething? Oh baby, I just don't know.

I would like to empty the dishwasher or bring the dirty laundry downstairs. Or, maybe, write a blog entry without her sitting in my lap, gumming my arms. I guess this is too much to ask.

All day I make the choice between holding her and getting nothing done or putting her down and listening to her scream. When she cries, Haven says, "Noooo, nooo."

Okay, just discovered a baby hickey on my arm. That's all for now.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Parenting books, anyone?

I'm interested in reading some parenting books and would like to get a few suggestions. Of what I've read so far, I agree a lot with the books from Focus on the Family.

Two topics I'd like to read about:
  • Discipline (a loving, well-rounded approach).
  • Handling this tolerant world - teaching kids to both show love to all people and to maintain our own values and morals.

I'll take suggestions on other topics as well. I'm planning to read Bringing up Boys by Dobson next. I prefer books with authors who have some decent credentials - either formally (MDs, psychologists) or informally (successful parents). Please tell me why you liked the book and its title.

Thanks!

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

I love my Dad.

My Dad lives about a 3 hours drive away from us, and I don't get to see him as often as I would like. This past weekend, we went for a visit. Here are some pictures from our weekend, taken by Gail, my stepmom.




At the zoo...
Maiya & Me.
Dave & Haven
Our fam...



My Dad & Maiya...


About my Dad....
  • I can have a different opinion than his and he neither backs down nor tries to change my mind.
  • He cooks delicious food for me (with the exception of the eggs with scotch while I was pregnant, which he will never live down).
  • He laughs easily and often and loud.
  • I've never felt like I had to try to impress him - just being me is good enough.
  • Through his life he's taught me that time together is the best gift, I hope to pass this on to my children.
  • When I was growing up, he worked long and hard with little to spend on himself. Although he enjoys buying himself some toys these days (that is, fancy knives), I don't hear him complain about the years he raised us. He calls us, his four kids, his investments.
  • When we were growing up, he always concocted some herbal potion for us to drink when we were sick. Since we were homeschooled I never realized that most girls, when they had menstrual cramps, took Aleve and not a cup of crampbark tea.
  • How did your Dad embarrass you when you were a teenager? Mine practiced sword fighting in a dimly lit family room. Beat that.
  • He proudly identifies himself as a redneck. How a kid who grew up in Queens calls himself a redneck, I don't know, but he will always be 99% hippie to me.
  • He's strong, solid and reliable. And he attended all of my dance recitals with a bouquet of flowers in hand.

This would all be written more eloquently if I didn't have a baby squirming in my lap. In closing, I love you, Dad!

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Goody Gumdrops

I feel like I got three wishes granted....


We didn't buy a crib for Maiya because we assumed she could transfer to Haven's crib and he could transfer to a toddler bed. However, Haven is content in his crib and we would like to leave him in there as long as he's willing to stay. Since it will only be a few months until he is able to climb out of the crib, we did not want to buy a second crib for that short interum. Yes, I realize I just wrote a long post about the joys of cosleeping, but Maiya can't nap in a swing forever. So, I stumbled on a wonderful online network where people give and take things for free and there I was able to get a free, used crib for Maiya. Commence wish number one.

I've been looking for a part time job. I want to use my degree so much - I studied psychology for so long because I love it. However, I am as picky as a job seeker can be in terms of scheduling. That's made it tough to find a position in this job market. Yesterday I had a phone interview for contract work in which I can take positions on a case by case basis. In other words, I could work 1 hour a week or 20. I could work only at night or only on Saturday. Totally flex. And, I'll be using that degree I just completed! Commence wish number two.

I have fond memories of being in shape. Not being thin specifically, but being able to walk around the block or climb a flight of stairs without gasping for breath. Of being able to touch my toes without bending my knees. You know, the things that are tough with a) a pregnant belly or b) pushing/carrying the weight of two children under two and all of their junk. I love to walk for exercise, but it's getting too cold to take the kiddies outside for long stretches. Anyway ... there is a local exercise studio that offers babysitting. If I babysit during a class once a week, they will give me free classes all week long. I plan to go meet the woman at the studio tomorrow. Hopefully H&M will be there normal cool, collected selves and the woman at the stuido will agree that I can handle a roomful of kids for one hour. Almost commence wish number three.

Sometimes it's just so easy to be thankful.