Santababyland Diaries

I realized this week that I have not blogged since Thanksgiving. The holiday season has been extra busy this year with baby in tow, and I have been ever mindful of the need to start some family traditions, which has essentially translated into extra work. Christmas is a week away and I have to say that I am nearly depleted of the energy necessary to do much more than lay around in my p.j.'s, drink cocoa and play with Em and her presents. I have been in a bit of a holiday mania, where I want to do things with Emmy, write letters to Santa, cook things, pretend I'm Martha Stewart and redecorate the front door wreath, make goodie bags for friends and co-workers, decorate the house inside and out, shop, sing, etc. I have been so excited about the holidays that I can hardly fall asleep at night! At least until last night. Last night the sudden and inexplicable burst of energy disappeared. On my way to pick up Emmy from daycare, I found myself sitting at the gas station unable to muster the strength to pump my own gas and pay for it. So I pumped the gas and drove off. Just kidding! I paid for it but it really was a challenge. So the outcome of all of this is that I am done. For this remaining week, I shall attend our last few parties and family functions and not worry about what we're all wearing or bringing. I will try to wrap the presents I ordered online that have not yet arrived, or at least slap a bow on them. Otherwise, I will be at home, in sweats, playing with the kiddo. Do drop in! We'll sing you a carol or even two if you let us. I vow to soak up this last week and not mess it up with too much scurrying about. I also vow to go to church and remember the real reason for the season, and to share this joy with my daughter. And lastly, I vow to finish rereading Holidays on Ice (David Sedaris) for bookclub on Monday night. I love his zany accounts of holiday experiences as a Macy's elf and with his nutty family, and I need to finish reading it before Emmy eats my book! She has been chewing it to the point that it looks like the dog tried to eat it. Happy holidays to all! I can't wait to report on how Ms. Em likes Christmas morning. Until then, be more nice than naughty!

Hair Bows and Gender Roles

This weekend was Emmy's Aunt Polly's birthday, and we went to visit her of course. For this special occasion, Ms. Em decided to dress up like a birthday present and wear a bow in her hair for the very first time ever! It was beyond precious. I am quickly realizing that I have this deeply rooted, girly side of me that I suppressed for many years. I have certainly indulged this side of my personality at various times in my life, and I'm pretty in touch with my feminine side now (i.e. I love to shop, love makeup, would be into dressing up/fixing up more if I had the time, love musicals, dance, knitting, even starting to enjoy cooking, etc.), which is all in a bit of a contrast to my early 20's grungy-hippy phase (Yes, I had a bit of a time finding my self! Cue the image of a thrift store fashioned, makeup-less, moccasin wearing, strange person). I know the things I listed aren't exclusively in the female domain but I guess I am sometimes surprised at how traditional I am/have become in regard to gender roles. For example, this weekend I was mopping the floor with Emmy watching me in her exersaucer. I was telling her how to do it, you know, step by excruciatingly detailed step in order to keep talking and hopefully pacify her while keeping her contained. I was telling her how important it would be to learn to take care of a home for herself and her family, but that I really hope she will find a man who will enjoy mopping the floor, cooking, etc. I explained that her daddy is actually pretty progressive in his willingness to engage in all forms of domesticity, but that often he and I can be a little traditional in our approaches to getting things done. G does all of the outside work and I work a lot on the inside. You can tell this because our yard usually looks great, but the inside of our house is often a wreck. G would probably argue that he does all of the outside work and half of the inside work, and he would probably be right . But it made me wonder what "traditional" will even mean when Emmy is my age? Because boundaries are being broken and lines being crossed or blurred more and more it seems important to give children, especially young girls, a range of experiences. Of course I plan to follow Emmy's interests, but until her interests are more fully formed, I guess I'm going to have to remember to encourage her exploration of "traditionally" male oriented activities. Maybe G should talk to her about how to fix the lawn mower. And I think I'll start by buying her a dump truck for Christmas. Maybe she can drive her baby doll around in it!

Random Things

Vacuumed the rug with a baby on my hip last night. This was a first because until now, Em screamed bloody murder at the sound of a vacuum. She, like I, hates to do housework, but she was fine with it last night. I felt so domestic...

I love that song Beautiful Boy by John Lennon. Always have, even before I had a child of my own. We were listening to it last night while playing and I re-realized how much I love it. Not only is it a sweet song of a parent's love and hopes for his child, but such a tender moment of love expressed by a daddy. John Lennon was quite the renaissance man. Men still don't openly express such love for their children all that often in our culture, but this song came 20 years ago or so. It is such a shame he is gone.

So I took Em to the museum to see the new photography exhibit the other night, but there was a board meeting going on in that room. The new, main exhibit right now is The American West. I'm not so much into this one, but Em loved the Native American headdresses. They really are cool. She also liked some of the jewelry and apparel. I was on campus the other day and saw a young, hippy-ish fellow who was wearing moccasins. Reminded me of my moccasin phase (yes, I had a moccasin phase, unfortunate though it was...). I hesitated to show the American West exhibit to Emmy because I had flashes of how this might inspire some future, disastrous fashion moments for her as well. I really empathized with the Native American plight when I was about 17-18 or so (Mom, I know you remember this! Reference college dorm room decor circa 1993). I still do have empathy for Native Americans, of course, but there was something about the whole situation that really resonated with my teenage angst. Mmm mmm mmm. What will it be when Em is full of angst, energy and bold albeit strange fashion sensibilities? As Lennon said, "I can hardly wait to see you come of age!"

One last thing... Upon viewing the permanent collection at the UK Art Museum, Em and I were pleasantly surprised to see that they have an Alexander Calder mobile (The Star). I have no idea how we have missed this before other than I am sad to say that perhaps we failed to look up???? Anyway, it is magnificent and our cool, art student-docent du jour set it into motion for us. Em was mesmerized, as was I. There is also a beautiful sound sculpture right below, which we had noticed before but had never heard as it is clearly labeled "do not touch" and we can be rule-followers at times. The docent also set this into motion for us and we loved it. Check these out if you can!

Where is Julie the Cruise Ship Director When You Need Her?

We are quickly approaching winter here in KY- the days are short and the temperatures are falling. Until now, Em and I have spent a good half of our weekday evening hours outside. This has involved playing, walking the dog, going to the park, visiting friends and neighbors, etc. Good times really. I pick her up every day at 4 o'clock or a little before, and G does not get home until 6:30pm. This gives me over two hours of solo responsibility for entertaining the baby. This used to be easy because of the above listed outdoor activities and her being a mostly immobile, little blobish baby girl. Sitting on my lap on the porch swing and reading the occasional book was really all the added entertainment needed in addition to our outdoor rec. Oh, but the times they are a changin'! Playing outside is out of the picture most days now, though you can that believe any day 50 degrees or above and we will be at the park (maybe even in the high 40's if we bundle up!). And Ms. Em is an expert crawler and non-stop cruiser. She thinks she can walk, and needs constant play and exploration opportunities yet my options are more limited than before. Oh, and did I mention that Mommy is a generally, low-energy thirtysomething who lacks in creativity when tired? Poor Em! I try to combat against these obstacles by structuring our time somewhat. We have days when we visit family and friends or have visitors, which are really nice. Em loves to visit and so do I. But we also have our Mommy-Daughter days, which are truly special but also times when I occasionally lose steam. Em has pretty intense needs for stimulation right now, and if you don't keep her occupied she just wants to get into trouble! She tries to mess with the dog (poor Bobby!), fall on her head, eat the mail, lick the glass while looking out the front door, etc. So sometimes field trips are in order! Em still has no idea about half of the stuff that exists in this world, so I figure it is all pretty interesting to her. I can take her along on errands and tell her about what we see, and she loves all people so there is always that point of interest. Sometimes our trips are more fun. Today I'm going to take her to see the new photography exhibit at the UK Art Museum. I know she is a little young to have any true artistic appreciation for it, but she loves photographs right now. Especially photos of people, and this is an exhibit of rural life which should satisfy this artistic inclination of hers. Last time I took her there I got some strange looks, and she was much quieter then. I am curious to see how long we last before she starts squealing or trying to lick the displays! I'll let you know how it goes. Actually, you'll know it went poorly if I report that our next field trip was to a demolition derby or chainsaw factory instead of a museum.

Blessings

It is nearing Thanksgiving so I guess it is time to start counting our blessings, and it seems like they just keep coming this year. Yesterday was Emmy's baby dedication (our version of baptism, christening, etc.), and it was truly one of the best days of my life! It was a beautiful fall day, we presented our sweet little daughter to her church family for a lovely blessing, and we got to spend the entire day with dear family and friends. It was wonderful! I was so happy that I nearly couldn't fall asleep because really the whole day was like a beautiful dream. Don't you love days like that? We should all get to have more of them than we do, but you have to savor them when they come. One of the sweetest moments for me was when the preacher acknowledged what a crowd of supporters Emmy had present and asked all of our family and friends to raise their hands. When we looked out and saw how many were there, Greg and I were both touched by the support that our little family has. It meant so much! But the best part came when the preacher said that with a support group like that, he knew Emmy would never be neglected. Simple words really, but given that I have spent my entire adult life trying to end the heartbreaking neglect of little children, this was especially touching. He is right, and the difference for Emmy (unlike the precious foster children I meet every day) is a little bit of good fortune and a big supportive family. We could not do it without our loved ones and God's blessing. What a day!

Like a Very Tiny Rolling Stone

We have had some family trips of late, and Ms. Em has been riding the rails with us (actually, we took our station wagon, but isn't it more fun to picture her as a little, baby hobo?). I think I can speak for us all when I say that we had a blast! The first trip was to the mountains, where G did some serious kayaking. The plan was for Em and I to do some serious hiking, but the weather did not cooperate. It was freezing cold and snaining that weekend at the Breaks (snain being my bro's favorite term to describe that lovely sleet-snow-rain combo). This was a bummer, but we still had fun. We took beautiful drives, took pictures at the many scenic overlooks and introduced Emmy to the Russell Fork River, where she will have many good times and create countless childhood memories. She seemed to like it and enjoyed watching some boaters carve it up on the play wave at Rat Hole. That is a good thing because I spend much time hanging out at Ratliff Hole (river take out) waiting on her daddy, and now she can keep me company. In warmer times, this is a great swimming hole too. So Em got to meet a few more of G's boating community, and she and I met all sorts of friendly locals at the lodge. We had a great time! True to baby form, I think the highlight of the trip was Em's discovery that our lodge room had a ceiling fan. You know she loves them! I must say this was about the only highlight of that lodge room. It was pretty bad, but I was glad to have it given how cold it was that weekend. Fortunately by the end of the weekend, it had warmed up a bit. On our way home, we decided to do some hiking in the Red River Gorge. It was beautiful and so many fellow hikers stopped to comment on the tiniest hiker in the Gorge and to commend us for getting her started early. This was so fun and the golden autumn day was surreally beautiful. G and Emmy were a hoot, and we laughed and squealed so much that we probably scared off all forms of wildlife. G and I may never see a deer again!

So that was the country, but our next stop was the city by the lake. Chicago, though a totally different experience, was absolutely wonderful. I think G and I were both energized by being in the city for a week, and Em loved all of the people. I have to tell you that I never realized what a friendly city Chicago was until I went there with a baby. Folks everywhere stopped to interact with her, open the doors for us and comment on our cute little one. She loved the throngs of people walking toward us on the street, and in the museums she was convinced that the people were the art! Em was in heaven as was I! We enjoyed the Museum of Contemporary Art, which was actually pretty cool to see with a baby. So many of the installations there are quite large and easier for a baby to experience, albeit on her pint-sized level. Our mutual favorite was a photography exhibit titled, Disco Ball in a Forest. This involved a dark room, where a large-format, video of a forest scene was projected onto a wall. It was a typical, snowy, nighttime forest scene except there was a shining, spinning disco ball suspended from one of the trees. Emmy laughed and clapped for this one, and I did too. I can't quite convey its grooviness, but it is worth seeing. We also loved the Art Institute, of course, and Em got her first taste of some of the greats. I was a little concerned at first because every time we entered the Impressionist wing, she would cry. I thought perhaps impressionism is not her cup of tea? But alas, she just needed a new diaper. So I changed her and then we were off to enjoy Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Pissaro, etc., etc. What a day! For me the highlights were the Jackson Pollack pieces. Em was worn out by this time, so I have a lovely photo of her passed out in front of Greyed Rainbow. Such inspiration to be had in a city. The beautiful art. The architecture of Millennium Park and city block after city block of impressive buildings. G and I vowed to work at making sure Emmy is exposed to creativity and big thinking, which can be harder to find in some ways in a small town.

Overall, both trips were such successes that I can't wait for our next adventure. It will likely be spring before we motor on again because G will be busy making the legislature happy over the winter months. I hope we can pack a little lighter and I'd really rather fly than drive more than 3 hours ever again, but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing!

Ramblings

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.... what? what? Did I miss something??? Sorry, I just haven't been getting much sleep lately. The wee one has taken to waking up at 3 a.m. wanting to eat, play or whatever. She is clearly getting another tooth or teeth, which I now know disturbs her sleep. Because my sleep has also been disturbed, I feel like I don't have a clear thought in my head. Even some casual blogging seems to require the mental energy of splitting atoms, but there have been a few thoughts rolling around in my head and there are events to be recorded.

This weekend was Emmy's 7 month birthday, and she decided to suddenly start crawling like she has been doing it all of her life. She is also starting to talk, I swear. She calls G "Da Da," rather than just randomly making the sounds. She also refers to her bottle ("baba") properly. This morning I said, "say bye bye, Bob-Bob" in reference to our dog, and Em said "by by Bob Bob." Crazy! She has also said "hi" and "bye" sounding noises to her daycare gals, whom she loves. They are my witnesses, which I know I need since I am clearly an overly proud mama! I guess I am not surprised that the kid is trying to talk. Anyone who knows us knows that G and I talk to the girl and each other probably way too much, so I'm sure she is just trying to get a word in edgewise. Also, I think she has a pretty strong Southern accent. Awesome!

On another note, we have two more weeks of swimming left in this session. Last week went well again, though she was a little sleepy from fighting a cold. The best part was that Em had a whole crowd cheering her on, and she loved that! Daddy, Granny, Papa, Katie and Sienna all came to watch, and she couldn't take her eyes off of them. I have the sweetest family. Also, we are getting ready for some fall traveling, which is very exciting! The one thing about being pregnant and having a newborn is that I have traveled less this year and a half or so than ever in my adult life. It has been killing me! I cannot wait to go on these little mini-trips, and I am really excited to experience them with Emmy. We are just going to the Breaks with G for some outdoor rec this weekend (We got Emmy a super-cool, Euro backpack carrier for hiking and city walking. She loves it!). Then, on Wednesday we leave for Chicago for 5 days. G has meetings during the day, so Mama and baby will cruise the city together. I plan to take her to the Shedd Aquarium (I think she will like looking at the big fish), and I plan to take me to the Art Institute. She may not enjoy this as much, but it will be good for her to be surrounded by all the fabulous art nonetheless. We are very excited! Pictures and hopefully good stories to come....

Growing Up

BG is now 7 months old. It is hard to believe that 7 months have already passed, yet it also seems like she has been with us forever. I have said many times how it pains me to watch her growing so fast, but it is also a delight. She becomes more fun every day, and I know that each phase brings new accomplishments and experiences. Papa said to me the other night that he wished we could keep her this little forever and I agreed, but I don't think either of us really meant it. We know we will love her more and more as time goes on. I really do want to see her fly!

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg." C.S. Lewis

Our Little Goldfish

Emmy love, loved swim class. We had so much fun that I cannot wait to take her back next week! I wish I had pictures. G should be able to stop by on his way home from work next time, so perhaps he can be our sports photographer. She had no fear, kicked and used her arms like Michael Phelps, jumped in and out of the pool like a cliff diver, and splashed herself silly! At one point, I took a pool toy away from her that she was trying to put in her mouth (of course), and she stuck her head under the water to go find it. Didn't seem to bother her one bit! This kid is so much fun...

So, last night G and I took our first trip out of town (though just for the evening), and left Emmy behind at Granny and Papa's. By all accounts, she did great and seemed delighted to be there. She couldn't quit smiling at Granny and Papa, even when I woke her up in the middle of the night to take her home. Too sweet!

Another major first will occur this weekend. I will be home alone with the baby all weekend while G is out of town kayaking. I must be ready for this now because I'm not even anxious about it. When he suggested going out of town in June and leaving me to be a single parent for one night, I nearly had a panic attack. All good things come in time. Now I actually feel sorry for G that he will miss her all weekend. I know he will (and she will miss him, too!), but he will have a great time. He really deserves it. I know some great daddies out there (my own dad, my brother, many friends), but I have to say that G is definitely one of the best! He does it all, never complains and he shows Em so much love. She adores him. So do I. But cheers to our first girls weekend! Keep your fingers crossed for us, and I'll let you know how it goes...

Some More Firsts

This girl of ours just keeps on suprising us! This week was as eventful as the last. Emmy decided she would crawl this week. She has been on the verge for a few weeks now, but has largely been pulling herself along with arms only. This week, however, she incorporated the use of knees in order to assemble a legitimate crawl. God bless her, she does not look like the smoothest or most coordinated crawler just yet, but she gets it done and is fairly fast. I may never sit down again! She had me hopping all weekend to keep her from crawling over and rewiring the tv or taste testing dust bunnies under the table. I have to play man-man defense now to keep her safely contained to her blanket or whatever play area I have designated. Good times! While it is great to see her so mobile and independent, it kind of breaks my heart. The snuggly, newborn days are officially over for this little girl! She is so excited to explore the world that she just can't sit still or stop looking around her for the next new discovery. It is pretty awesome.

Other events of note... We took Em for a big hike yesterday at Raven Run. It was the biggest hike we have done there, and really only the second legitimate hike of her life. We have a little infant carrier that she still fits into, but we really need a hiking backpack if we are going to do anything more extensive (G, get to work on finding this apparatus! Fall is here and we have hiking to do!!). She loved it!!! Most of our family and friends know that Emmy is a little tree-hugger at heart. That girl has loved trees, both looking at them and touching them, since day one. She seems to feel quite at home in a forest. She and her dad stopped to inspect half the trees on the red trail, and Emmy talked and sang to them with a look of pure delight on her face! Well, yesterday G introduced her to creeks, and she seems to love them as well. He is trying to train her to be his future boating partner. Of course, before she can become a kayaker like her dad, she must become a good swimmer. Em starts swim lessons at the YMCA tomorrow, and I can't wait to see how she does. I will keep you posted!

Additional events of the weekend... Emmy can now count to one! G has been counting with her and she will raise her finger up to show "number one" on cue. It is adorable! She unfortunately did not get to show off her "we're number one!" skills this weekend while watching the UK game. We were terrible and she passed out during the first quarter. It was too miserable to watch!

A Weekend of Firsts

Emmy's first concert... Tony Rice and Peter Rowan. It was lovely. She and our friend's baby were starting to get a little fussy, but when Uncle Pete started singing they quieted right down! Thank God the girl seems to love music!

Emmy's first family reunion... Cox family. Good people, good food, good times. She was all smiles! Thank God the girl seems to love a party!

Emmy's first UK/UofL game and glimpse of what it does to our neighborhood...We won. Hallelujah! She seemed pretty surprised at all the commotion around here. We were supposed to take her tailgating but I stayed out too late with friends the night before and the game started at noon. We plan to tailgate before the Florida game next weekend. Go Cats! She seems to have the C-A-T-S arm motions down already!

Emmy's first flu shot... made her sick. She ran a low grade fever all weekend, but still had a good time. Thank God our girl is a trooper!

Emmy's first utterances of "dadadada" and "mamamama"...Too cool! She is trying to talk, love her little heart. Such a sweetie! At some point, every day, I'll be holding her and stop and look over at G and say softly, "I love this baby." He just shakes his head, laughs, and says "I know babe... I know." I can't help but be taken aback by some of her sweet little ways. Hearing her voice more and more is like music to my soul. One of our sweet neighbor friends gave us this awesome card that says, "A baby's laugh is the heart set to music." I feel that her laughter, which I also thankfully hear all the time, as well as her happy little babbling noises are just that. The heart set to music. Mmm.. love it!

Thank God she is our girl! I mean it... Thank you, God.

Moving and Shaking

"For the first six months or so, your opponent has been unable to escape. Alas, the rules are about to change drastically... The enemy is now mobile." Peter Mayle

Oh my goodness! Just when I thought I had a handle on things, BG has become another creature entirely and the rules have certainly changed. She had lulled me into a sense of calm over the past few months of sitting, rocking, and putting her in her swing or bouncy seat when I needed to do something. Forget all of that! Those activities are long gone. Now we are busy, busy, busy! We play, we walk, she rolls, she writhes, she screams, and I just try to keep up. Today, I changed a diaper upside down for the first time. Every time I lay her down to change her diaper anymore, she immediately rolls onto her tummy. So I had no choice but to change the diaper with her in "tummy time." She is wild! She is also even more fun than I ever imagined. BG is much more interactive, and strong and into physical play. She loves, strangely enough, for us to swing her in the air and pretend we are going to throw her out into the street like a little orphan child. Twisted, I know, but she loves it. She has also gotten so smart. BG has begun imitating me (Lord, help us all!). If I snap my fingers, she tries to snap her little fingers. If I dance, then she dances. It is too precious! Guess I better start watching how I act and what I say. Little eyes are watching! I need to start inventing some alternative curse words....

Emmy-bear is so smart...

Emmy-bear is so smart she can even do this! She can even make a sound like a gold fish kiss! Seriously. She can. Sounds just like one. Pip!

*N.B. Reference Dr. Seuss' Book of Wonderful Noises, Mr. Brown Can Moo Can You? It is a family favorite, for sure.

Half-Birthday Present

Poor, poor little BG got a tooth for her half-birthday. What a lame gift! A tip of one of her lower, front teeth just broke the surface this week. It is somewhat exciting because she is growing up, but I feel sorry for her because it obviously hurts at times. She doesn't really cry about it, but she is babbling constantly, and her talking gets quite loud on occasion. I think she is trying to express her frustration, which is good. No need to keep it in! She has always been on the loud end of the spectrum, so it really isn't all that different. I went out and bought her every teething aid I could find. I bought numbing gel, Motrin, Tylenol, gel chew toys, and baby toothbrushes (my friends say their kids loved chewing on these when teething!). I don't know if anything helps other than the Motrin and Tylenol, but I figured it was worth a shot.

As for other half-birthday events, we had a nice family dinner (BG slept through half of it!) and bought her some big girl toys. We got her a ring stacker (she just takes the rings off and eats them) and a lion-shaped boppy toy that is bigger than her. It is supposed to help the babies develop gross motor skills, but it will probably just make her aggressive. We'll see! Also, I had to buy her some new clothes for fall not that she needs them, as G pointed out. I couldn't help myself because they were just so cute! All sorts of stuff with owls on them, which I love (I find these nocturnal creatures to be super-adorable!). G and I finally got our camera, and we do love it. We've taken about 300 pictures in the past few days and some video, so we'll be adding this on soon. G has promised to be my technical support. Well, that is all for now. Here's to another 6 more months of baby bliss, and then we will have a real celebration!

An Achievement of Monumental Significance

Emmy can sit up on her own!!! She actually sat up and played with her blocks for 15 minutes without any support or toppling over, that is until Bobby (dog) came into the room and she fell over laughing at him. It is crazy how my little, bitty baby can do so much on her own now. She thinks she is Miss Independence, though I try to tell her otherwise. Actually, I am quite proud of her and her intense desire to always be doing more. She is so curious and loves to explore her world around her. I don't know how, but I swear she is also on the verge of crawling, standing and even pretty close to walking. She just needs the slightest support (like holding on to my fingers) to do these things. Maybe I am reading too much into it all, but it also seems like her personality is really emerging as well. First and foremost, Emmy seems to be very happy (thank you, Lord!). She laughs deliriously with minimal provocation- this week it is blankets. All I have to do is throw a blanket or towel over her head or mine, and the kid will crack up. So while light-hearted and a lover of a good laugh, Emmy is also a real go-getter. She loves to explore and do things on her own. I can't wait to see what she will do next.

P.S. The camera purchase really is going to happen this weekend. So hopefully next week's posts will contain pictures and/or video. I'm so excited!!!

Baby's First Fall (the season, that is!)

Oh, I love fall. Such a beautiful season. I'd say it was my favorite except that for me it is a three-way tie between spring, summer and fall. I love them all, just not a big fan of winter. Winter is fine but there is too little sunshine and it inhibits the amount of time you can spend outdoors, which is something that I am really dreading now that we have the baby. So many of our recreational activities involve spending time as a family or with our friends outdoors. Emmy has gotten to enjoy Tuesday night bluegrass, Thursday Night Live downtown, a few other concerts, pool parties, cookouts, a tour of every park in Fayette County, regular strolls, hanging out with neighbors on porches, and the list goes on and on. We try to spend as much time as possible being outside (in spite of the vicious mosquitos), and we are going to miss this soon enough. For now, at least, we are soaking up the gloriousness that is warm weather. Yesterday we spent three straight hours walking to the park, visiting neighbors and walking Bobby (aka Hobbs, our dog) because it was just so nice. It was sunny and beautiful and the air had the crispness of fall even though it is still three weeks away. Emmy seemed to enjoy herself, and it was nice to see that she wasn't a sweaty mess when I got her out of her stroller. She is such a sweater, that one! I am already dreaming of taking her hiking and showing her the golden glow of fall. One of the most magical places I know in late October/early November is the Pinnacle. It is so beautiful there in the late afternoon sunlight with the trees aglow that I always think that this must be what heaven looks like. I hope she likes it too.

Peas, please!

Emmy loves peas! I love that Emmy loves peas, because I love peas, but G hates peas. Of course, I don't actually love pureed peas, but I am hopeful that in the near future Em and I will be enjoying peas with our dinner. Actually, G will eat sugar snap peas, but I love all kinds including regular-old peas and apparently our girl does too. She is so cute when she eats them! I wish I could post a picture of her eating them because she gets all green and gooey around her mouth, and it is precious! A picture would really make this blog entry, but I am boycotting our current camera due to its interminable crappiness. We were all set to go out and buy our new camera on Sunday when just before we left, G nearly cut his thumb off. We decided that an emergency room was no place to bring a baby (unless of course you have to), so Em and I just dropped Daddy off and wished him luck. Fortunately, we live across the street from a hospital, so G didn't have too far of a walk home. Isn't that sad? I felt kind of bad for the guy, but he is a trooper. Anyway, all of this to say that this weekend (barring any emergencies) we are buying a new camera. Pictures and videos of baby cuteness are coming soon!

It's Official

I am officially a mom. This occurred to me last night as I found myself at Krogers at 9:30pm, doing a full grocery shop (not just popping in to get ice cream or beer) and violating every possible rule of fashion. I had on navy leggings, an aqua tunic, a brown hoodie, and black shoes. I'm pretty sure I had a spit up stain somewhere on me, and my hair was in my standard pony-tail. All of this, and I couldn't have cared less who saw me! This must be true because I run into someone I know every time I go to the store (frequently my brother, not that he would care or notice how I look!). I love that about Lexington, but it does mean you can't just run out in your jammies. Or you need to learn to not care how you look as I clearly have. I am hoping to eventually become one of those gloriously fashionable and put-together moms, but I'm not there yet. I have many friends who fit this description, so I guess I need to get some tips on how to look less scary in my day-to-day life. In the meantime, I hope my niece, Katie, keeps nominating me for "What Not to Wear." I could definitely use the makeover and $5,000 wardrobe boost, though I'm afraid I would still go out in the outfit described above!

Doctor, Is My Baby Bulimic?

I should begin by stating that I am aware that bulimia is no laughing matter- I'm a mental health professional for goodness sakes! But I couldn't help but wonder if Baby Girl had developed an acute case of bulimia this weekend. Perhaps all the talk about how gloriously chubby she is finally got to her... or maybe it was that ill-advised afternoon spent watching the America's Next Top Model marathon when I was 9 months pregnant (I'm embarrassed by this but in my sluggish, late pregnancy phase I watched a lot of crap. Just ask G, he'll gladly vent about this one!). Poor Emmy had a rather violent stomach bug beginning on Friday, which she undoubtedly contracted at daycare though really it could have come from anywhere. She is currently in the phase where she would lick the bottom of your shoe if you let her. Everything goes into her mouth! I really struggle with this because I am slightly obsessive-compulsive when it comes to germs, and I don't want to let her put anything in her mouth yet I know she needs to. This is how they explore their world, and she is probably teething. I try make sure she "explores" clean things, but really what can you do? Well, needless to say I am no longer concerned that Emmy has bulimia. Why the sudden glimpse of clarity on my part? Because I'm pretty sure bulimia isn't contagious. G and I caught this bug, too, and got our first taste of parenting while sick. There were some good times and some bad times, but we survived. Together.

Baby Bliss

There are a few things going on this week with our baby girl that I just adore. I want to write about them because they are seemingly small things that could easily be forgotten, yet they are special to G and me. In the past few weeks, Emmy has really discovered laughter. Sure she has been laughing here and there for a while now, but now she has daily periods of uncontrollable, chest-heaving laughter. It is awesome! She thinks everything is soooo funny. Daddy's face, the porch, me saying "chicky chicky," her pink towel, Eeyore, our dog, you name it- hillarious! She has even been laughing in her sleep! BG has been so joyful of late that she wakes up startled, with hands waving in the air and a smile on her face just by the sheer pleasure of being alive. What a beautiful way to live, a way of being that we must forget as we age. I try to see the world through this 6 month old's eyes, and I get glimpses of pure joy from the little, every day things in life, too. For example, early this morning we were swinging on the front porch (like we do all day, every day- we are professional porch swingers!), and it was raining. Every time the wind would blow the leaves with any force she would smile and laugh, and it was beautiful yet something you might not even pay attention to unless you had a small, child guide to reintroduce you to the beauty of the ordinary. What a wonderful time in this little girl's life... I can only hope that this happiness or at least some of it stays with her throughout her days. Her dad and I are not the most exuberant people in the world, so we are not sure where she got such a joyful personality, but we are sure glad she did!

Untreated Ear Infection = Major Parenting Infraction

Baby's first illness requiring actual medical attention occured this week, and I now feel a new level of parental guilt. Poor, sweet little Baby Girl is always so sunny and pleasant that I had no idea she was sick! However, I now know there were clues, pretty obvious clues, that we overlooked or explained away. So here is how it all went down...

"I just wanted to bring her in to be checked out but I'm sure she is fine," said Mom.
"Well, let's just have a look at her and see... let me check her right ear," said Dr. Mack.
"Whaaaaaaaaa!" screamed Emmy.
"Your little girl definitely has an ear infection! Has she been pulling at her ear or coughing any?"
"Um... yes, for about a week or so," said Mom very quietly as she had now shrunk to the size of an ant.

So at this point, I begin to feel physically ill. The guilt has gripped my heart with an intensity that is palpable. We did notice her coughing a little, but she was so smiley when she did it that G and I decided she was showing off her acting skills and doing it for attention. It was cute, so we laughed along with her. I also noticed her pulling her ear, but decided it was a nervous tic developed from the stress of starting daycare. These are explanations only contrived by self-involved, therapist-parents. Poor kid doesn't stand a chance! All behaviors are not psychologically motivated, perhaps there is an underlying medical reason to be considered (real a-ha! moment here). But I don't know medical reasons, therefore, they are scary and to be avoided. Well, not anymore! Good thing about learning things the hard way is you are less likely to forget. Emmy so much as brushes her ear with her hand and we are calling the pediatrician! I need the doctor and a shrink (for me) on speed-dial.

Cute on Babies

Okay, so it has to be said that there are some things that are simply adorable on babies that would otherwise be unsightly or simply obnoxious when displayed by adults. Of course, it helps if it is something involving your baby, and you think everything they do is cute and precious. I think Em's every little movement, gesture, expression, smell (Seriously! Well, not all smells...)etc. is wonderful and entertaining. I guess I am a wee bit enamored of her! So here are the top 5 cutest little things about her that even I recognize are only cute because she is a baby.

1. Her Buddha belly- I love it! The fatter the better, I say! It is so big some days that you would think she just downed a six pack and a bowl of beer nuts. But I promise that the only bottles she is hitting hard have milk in them!
2. Her "thunder thighs," as our friend, Norma calls them- They are huge and have several rolls of fat. They are so cute that I can't help but pinch them every time I get the chance!
3. Her first, full-fledged scream- This occurred for the first time this morning as her father and I were attempting to suction her stuffy nose. She did not like this one darn bit, and she let us know with a seriously loud scream. Sounded like an angry 7 year old was in the room! We laughed at her, which probably psychologically damaged her in some way but it was just so cute!
4. Her thinning hair- Many middle aged men would disagree that there is anything adorable or humorous about hair loss, but I love Em's little bald head! She was born with a head full of thick, black hair, but now she is going bald (or "going egg head,"as G so sensitively puts it) everywhere except for a ring of hair on the back of her neck. Looks like she has a mullet, or as our friends Aimee and Joey more aptly named it a "skullet."
5. Her tooties- Okay! Okay! I know this one is sick, but I don't really think they're cute, I just think they are funny. Sometimes you would swear a drunken sailor is in the room, and that there is no way a tiny little girl could unleash something like that. Em will be mortified by stories of her epic tooties when she brings home her first date!

Well, that is the whole list, for now anyway. I'm sure it will grow as she grows, and we'll find new things to love about this little person every step of the way.

Romantic, Anniversary Celebrations... "Table for three, please!"

So this past week was our first anniversary celebrated with baby. Who knew that the traditional gift for five years of wedded bliss was a little baby girl? G and I are both actually very happy with this gift as long as we don't get a new one every five years.

So for the first time ever, I did not so much as get G a card. I feel quite badly about this, but I could not find the time. We are not big gift-givers in our little family, but I usually like to make him something or get him something small yet meaningful. He actually bought me flowers and wrote me the sweetest card I have ever received in my life. I get sentimental just thinking about it, and how our entry into parenthood has shaped our marriage in new ways. I recently read a quote by writer-director, Nora Ephron that struck me as being fairly accurate. She said, "When you have a baby, you set off an explosion in your marriage, and when the dust settles, your marriage is different from what it was. Not better, necessarily; not worse, necessarily; but different." Having a baby did change our marriage, and things seem reorganized, though I must say that I believe it is better overall. At times, we bicker more, which I regret. This was especially true in the super-sleep deprived, early days. However, we also seem to work as a team better than ever before, and I feel that G is my equal partner in raising our child. More than anything, I enjoy seeing this whole new, sweet and wonderful side of him emerging in his relationship with our daughter. So even though we rarely have time alone, have an extra guest at the table for anniversary dates, bicker more, and honor special occasions less, I wouldn't change a thing! And I'm pretty sure he feels the same.

Top 5 Reasons Not to Wait to Have Children in Your Thirties

I have to issue a warning that I have not slept well this week, which may somewhat color the following statements. Maybe just a tiny, teensy bit.

Having children is a wonderful part of life, and it is certainly a serious endeavor. One might think you ought to wait until you are older to have children for a variety of legitimate reasons. In my case, I was concerned about getting married first (which took me a while), having a willing partner (which took him a while), and achieving financial stability (which took us a while). These seemed to be appropriate concerns yet in the meantime something happened... we got old! Seriously. I haven't pulled an all nighter in well over 10 years, and back then I had two very handy assistants- nicotine and caffeine. I haven't smoked in over 5 years, and I can't drink caffeine past sundown. Why you might ask? Because I am old and way too tired to stay up all night or to even stay up late and get up early. Also, my back hurts. I know this is whiney and pathetic, but it is true. There are other similarly pathetic reasons, which shall be summarized as follows:

Top 5 Reasons Not to Wait to Have Children in Your Thirties
1. Staying up all night hurts
2. Hunching over tiny babies to clean them, diaper them, etc. hurts
3. Finding enough energy to get through the day is a challenge
4. Finding enough energy to stay alive long enough to get said kids through high school will be a challenge
5. You may wish to retire someday but instead will be working double shifts as a Walmart greeter to pay for your kid's dorm room

Seriously now, I am convinced that having kids in your twenties is easier, but this could be a "grass is greener" phenomenon. Anyway, I love my kid more than I ever could have imagined and somehow I find energy to be present for her that I never thought I had. I've said it before and I'll say it again, SHE IS DELIGHTFUL. She really is. The true, best reason to not wait to have kids until you are in your thirties is because the sooner you have them, the sooner you get to love them.

We find a delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Poopapalooza

No one is interested in this one, but I am merely making memories (just the facts, ma'am)! I can't make an accurate record of my journey with BG without saying something about poop. All parents know that poop is a typically, daily part of life with your kids. For some reason, my baby loves to get me with a poo-splosion every time. This morning, still half asleep, thinking it's time to close the diaper up and get out of there, and bam! She got me. When will I learn to be alert, on guard, and prepared to defend myself against enemy attack? I was ill prepared at best- out of wipes, cursing, and wishing for a third hand. Ahh, I'll miss these times with her soon enough, I suppose!

Daycares are Just Covers for Little Baby Sweatshops

Did you know this? It must be true. I imagine that Emmy is making hundreds of pairs of tiny little Nikes each day, and she is exhausted from the sweat and the hand cramps and being hunched over her tiny little sewing machine. All of the machinery and sweat and mean bosses with switches are whisked away just in time before the mommies and daddies show up at the end of the day. Perhaps Kathy Lee is even there.

This must be so because my daughter is exhausted, ex-haus-ted! She has slept so much the past two evenings and just seems worn out. G says it is because she is not being "coddled" and held all the time, and she is simply exhausted by her new found freedom. Since when is he Mr. Optimistic? Well, I guess we are both adjusting. The daycare gals tell me that she is all smiles and seems to enjoy herself during the day. I suppose I will believe them!

Bienvenidos!

I can't believe I am actually blogging! I swear I am much more likely to be clogging than to be doing something as high tech, new millenium as blogging! My husband and I just got the internet hooked up this very weekend after a 2 year hiatus, and let me tell you a whole new world was created during this time! You may be thinking, "Welcome to the 90's!" and you are right, I am out of touch. Anyway, it's good to be back, and I think blogging is one of the cooler developments of recent times and I intend to make good use of it. So in my years off the grid, one very important thing happened to me- I became a mom! My husband/homeboy, G, and I recently had a beautiful baby girl, whom I shall refer to as Emmy, Emerson, Baby Girl, BG, Bear, Teddybear, Ladybug, Boo, Monkey, Ducky, the list goes on & on! As most parents know, creating nicknames for your baby is an entertaining and nonsensical process. G and I love it, though not nearly as much as we love creating songs in her honor (that girl of ours is rather inspirational!). My husband is the master of this activity, though I have to say I can hold my own in the goofy song department. It is these activities exactly that motivate me to create this blog. Some dear family and friends may choose to read this or perhaps no one will, but I wanted to create this blog to record memories both for us and for our sweet girl. I have been writing in journals (with paper and pen- can you imagine!), but I have decided to take advantage of some modern conveniences in my journey through parenthood and this is one of them. Stay tuned! Things happen fast in baby world...