spinning-jennie: Baby Archives

spinning-jennie: Baby archives

Soaked
Happy post-bath bub burrito.

11/20/05 02:45 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Sometimes, When Things Get Quiet...
it doesn't always mean trouble.

11/19/05 03:09 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Warming the Cockles of My Cranky Ticker
I'll admit it: I was worried that Daniel wasn't going to be, well, very cuddly. For the longest time, he wanted to be held, but only if it meant we were moving. He was screamy. "Mellow" and "content" were not part of his repetoire.

But now! He'll just plop down wherever I happen to be, curl up, and snuggle. Or glom onto my leg, squeeze, and say "mmmm."

On days when he's really pleased with how I'm progressing as his Mommy Trainee... Then, he'll even feed me the very last Cheerio on his tray with a giant grin.

11/17/05 02:16 PM in Baby | Comments

Mwah-Ha-Ha-Ha
If you cackle like The Count, Daniel will now mimic you. And it seems almost as if he knows how to use it on his own, too - yesterday he did it while making off with the Media Center remote.

11/02/05 04:21 PM in Baby | Comments

Fourteen
Tomorrow Daniel is fourteen months old.

He's suddenly walking much, much more. This morning he'd managed to grab one of my new (still empty) travel bottles off the bedroom vanity, and staggered around while "drinking" it, so much like a tiny pyjamaed drunk.

Pants that were too big a month ago are suddenly showing ankle. A baby, I've read, can grow as much as half a centimeter overnight. I think he's doing this every night, which is where he puts all the eggs Florentine and Gerb*r Puffs.

Last night he slept through again. For the most part, he's only been waking once a night, going back to sleep easily. This morning I had a good half hour to myself before he woke up, bliss. While transitioning to the crib has been pretty painless, I don't at all begrudge him the months we co-slept - it was the best thing for both of us at the time.

10/12/05 10:05 AM in Baby | Comments

Ambiguity
Apparently if Daniel's not wearing clothes covered in baseballs or dinosaurs, he magically becomes a girl that day.

I don't think he looks like a girl at all, but then, I don't know how objective I can really be about it. Maybe it's the giant doe eyes that throw people off.

09/26/05 11:57 AM in Baby | Comments

Coming to an Understanding
It seems the bub offers up a new surprise almost daily now.

This morning - the same as almost all other cold autumn mornings - he had removed one of his wee socks. I spotted it among a scatter of Little People and farm animals. Not pointing at it, I said "Bring the sock to mama!"

And he did. So not only does he know what the word sock means (not terribly surprising, since we often talk to him about inappropriate sock removal), but he understood that I wanted him to do something specific with it. Prior, if he had a miscellaneous object already in his hand, and you asked for it, he'd give it over (if only for a second before snatching it back).

Pretty exciting stuff, this learning!

09/25/05 12:31 AM in Baby | Comments

Slacking
Wow, nearly a week since I've updated. Guess I have no right to complain about the lack elsewhere, huh?

Let's see, what's happening. Illustrator I is done in two weeks, but I decided to go ahead and carry on with II for the second half of the semester. I'm going to attempt to earn the certificate, which, while only fourteen credits, still offers many hurdles in the way of daytime class offerings, and things not at this campus. It was just lucky that this semester was in Petaluma and in the evening. A couple of classes are offered online, and the rest I'll just put off as long as possible so that he'll hopefully be old enough that I feel comfortable leaving him in care by the time it's an issue.

Daniel's vocabulary:

mama

dada

buh-buh (for both hello and bye)

bah (ball)

all done (I haven't heard this one myself, yet)

And of course we can't forget "meow."

His favorite activities at the moment are screaming for the fun of it (ouch) and pushing the garage door button. He's still wary of strangers depending on the day.

Last night, for the very first time ever, he slept his entire eleven hours without waking even once. And he did it in the crib! If it continues, I'll be one very, very happy (and rested) momma.

09/21/05 07:40 PM in Baby , Misc | Comments

The Inevitable...
...finally happened. Wednesday evening, D. turned to find little legs disappearing through the cat door. Apparently Daniel was pretty pleased with himself. Elli was in the kennel, so of course getting him back inside was a bit of a struggle.

Today he'll experience his first crayons. Under armed guard, of course, because the white walls aren't ours.

No one's ever died from wax ingestion, right? Right?

Update: Red teeth, frustration, and the only marks on the paper are mine. Guess he's not quite ready yet.

09/02/05 10:20 AM in Baby | Comments

Arr.
Daniel just broke the eighth tooth we've been expecting for about five months now. Since yesterday, things have been a little... well, screamy. And bitey. Ow. Today was the first time ever he flat-out refused to eat food.

He was, though, momentarily happy at Michael's yesterday, as this pic that D. snapped proves.

08/21/05 04:05 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

One
So the bub turned one on Saturday! I guess I'm still in a bit of denial.

The B's came from Sacramento for a walk to the airport diner, some play at the nearby park, and then cake and ice cream. Daniel liked his cake very much, and it didn't even disturb his sleep at all.

We're determined to keep his gift load small at birthdays and holidays, and this was a good start: board books, some clothes and Duplo blocks from the Grandmas, and of course the Learning Home. I agonized over that last for some months, so you can imagine how happy I am that it's a huge hit.

He still can't walk yet. I mean, he'll take a few steps if you're holding his hands, or sometimes if you open your arms to him while he's standing. We're in no hurry for the chaos that will come along with that, really, but I just assumed he would be by now.

Things learned recently: waving and "buh-buh" when someone is leaving. Smacking his lips and saying "ahh!" after taking a drink (still makes me laugh). Clapping! Stacking, versus always destroying. His own little version of a "meow" to attract a kitty (uber cute).

08/15/05 09:06 AM in Baby | Comments

Eleven!
Today Daniel is eleven months old. His biggest achievements this month:

He loves to pick up and chew Puffs or bits of banana

Standing up in the middle of the room - and staying up - is no problem

He's just beginning to use his walker toy to mosey down the hall

Stacking things - not just destroying them - is getting interesting

Car rides are rarely problematic now (even the long stints to Washington were fairly easy; I only needed to be in back with him a couple of hours)

I picked up a cute Cookie Monster cake pan on eBay (complete with googly eyes and special spatula). The auction even came with a fleecy CM hoodie, sweet! As our target date appears to be a couple of days before his birthday, we'll probably be celebrating a bit late. His present from us will be big, and we won't get that before moving.

07/13/05 09:43 AM in Baby | Comments

Little Monkeys...
...can be serious about their swinging.

07/10/05 11:01 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Baby Snacks
Thank goodness for incredibly timely development of Puffs. I can give him a highchair trayful, and he'll happily chomp away. And I needn't be obsessive about choking (merely worried), since they're so light. Learning the very first steps to self-feeding without generating a hee-uge, disgusting mess is a great bonus, too.

07/10/05 12:52 PM in Baby | Comments

Vampire Mini
I'd been at the computer for just a few minutes, bub on my lap, seemingly content enough.

"OWWWWWWWWWW!!!"

With no warning, he leaned over and bit my inner upper arm, hard. I have red tooth marks and a bruise there now. And this was through my sleeve. I can't figure - usually hands and lower arms are his thing. And I've certainly never sustained visible damage before.

06/15/05 09:57 PM in Baby | Comments

10 Months!
I know you probably tire of hearing about how fast it goes by, from anyone with a kid. But, man. It so does.

We celebrated by getting an air mattress, which will go in his room tomorrow, and I'll sleep there until he's used to being in his crib at night. Made that sound easy, huh? I guarantee - nothing easy about it. And I'm sure I'll spend the next few months trudging back and forth between rooms half the night, too.

Wait... why am I doing this, again?

06/13/05 10:40 PM in Baby | Comments

Splashin' Bub
Enjoy! We sure did.

Windows Media (hi)
Windows Media (lo)

06/12/05 08:01 PM in Baby | Comments

Bub Chronicles
Daniel is becoming more "interactive" every day.

Yesterday I was on the livingroom floor with him. He dropped a toy over my legs, and crawled over them to get it. Which made me laugh (kind of tickled!). Seeing this, he began dropping things over on purpose, and crawling after them each time, me laughing. This went on for a good twenty minutes.

He has this musical toy that plays one of about, oh, twenty songs when he hits a button. I'd tap my feet to the music whenever it played, stopping when it was finished. Realizing this, he'd push the button, and then immediately look at my feet to make sure I was tapping.

When he's headed towards something something he shouldn't be (like the cat food, ugh), he'll glance back, waiting for a reaction.

We've just recently started watching Supernanny. What fodder for nightmares, that stuff. Thanks to which, my new nightmare is that he completely stops being so endearing at some point, becoming a full-time screaming little hellion instead.

06/04/05 07:07 AM in Baby | Comments

A Daffy Duck Band-Aid Kind of Day
Checkup day for the bub, finally, after a lapse of six months (moving and no insurance can do that). Got caught up on his shots, and was a real champ about it this time! Screamed during, of course, but stopped pretty much as soon as I picked him up. And hasn't been too cranky today, either. Well, not moreso than normal.

Sigh.

Of course I've tried to keep him distracted by moving (walking and a longish drive to Santa Rosa for Target). Since he's happiest being out and about, trying to grab things off shelves as we go.

His weight growth has dropped significantly (from 75th to 19th percentile), but our old awesome doctor told us we might expect that from such a crazy little motorbutt. So we're not going to worry about it. News to us that the water here isn't fluoridated, though, so now he'll be on drops.

It's verging on miserably warm in this house in the afternoons, and so I'm feeling quite betrayed by the landowners when they told us that we could get by here just fine without A/C. Today I finally let Daniel run 'round in his diaper - he was just so sweaty even only in his little shorts and tee. With no sleep, and the round-the-clock whining/crying, and now the heat... well, let's just say I'm not sure the old sanity can handle my aggressive diet plans at the moment. Tomorrow we're getting fans, I think.

05/31/05 05:45 PM in Baby | Comments

Jumpin' Bub, Take Two
He went through a rather lengthy period of disinterest in jumping. Looks like that's past.

05/30/05 05:29 PM in Baby | Comments

Broken Record
No sleep. No sleep. No. Sleep.

Pardon if I seem obsessed, but I'm getting... NO SLEEP.

Honestly. I never thought things would still be this bad at nine months. Last night we came very close to a crash course in crying-it-out. And you know how I feel about that, at least for bubs under a year. But wouldn't it make certain grandparents fond of doing the I Told You So! Shuffle™ downright giddy?

Last night we watched Meet the Fockers. Blue dogs are funny! HA! But I digress... Mrs. Focker told Greg to put a bit of rum in the baby's milk for teething. Daniel might be teething. I'm not certain. I already have stubs for four fingers and I'm missing a nipple, so perhaps you can take a peek in his little dragon mouth for me. I wonder what Dr. Sears has to say about drunking up your infant...

05/17/05 08:01 AM in Baby | Comments

9 Months Old
So fast. Happy 3/4 birthday, little bub!

I just taught him something more useful than zerberts - if you wave at him, he waves back. I'm working on trying to get him to extend that to me just saying "hello."

He's been much better in the car lately. Which, needless to say, has made life easier. And he plays with his toys so well now, I can eat breakfast with a book, or spend some real quality time online. It's... well, it's awesome.

05/13/05 04:13 PM in Baby | Comments

My Little Kewpie...
...had quite a case of bedhead today!

05/04/05 08:04 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

H.R. Bubbinstuf
Gah. Tail-end of his cold, and now he's breaking a new tooth on the bottom, too (that's seven, if you're counting). Up at five this morning. Not. Fair.

I'm thinking this might make a good first birthday present. Doesn't it look like fun? Got great reviews (hey, what happened to the user-submitted photos? I loved looking at those!), and look at all the toy awards!

The older he gets, the tougher it becomes to find simple jammies (like, say, the Gerber sets of three you can get at Target). We'll have to raid the Carter's outlet next week. Anyone want any Flops while we're there?

Been having morbid daydreams lately. Precariously, neither D. nor I can think of one family member we'd want to (or that would/could) take in the bub if something happened to us. Is it terribly pathetic that I'd trust some of you first? Sigh. I wish I could stop obsessing over it.

05/04/05 12:23 PM in Baby | Comments

Poor Bub
Daniel has his first cold. I'm grateful it's held off so long. But, man. No one slept last night, because I foolishly didn't have any cold medicines stocked for him. Tonight will be different.

Off for some steam and, hopefully, a nap.

04/25/05 09:24 AM in Baby | Comments

Still Hasn't Learned That it Won't Work on Cats, Though
The first thing I've been able to teach my son is not how to wave, or say "Mama," or give dumb fancy car cell phone ladies the finger. Nope.

Apparently, I've taught him how to zerbert. He'll find your stomach (or arm, or leg), pucker his lips, and blow. I'm not totally not kidding. It makes me laugh so hard, I cry.

04/22/05 08:32 AM in Baby | Comments

That's Why They Call Him The Streak
Eight months old yesterday, yikes. Here's a small Snapfish gallery; only a couple have been posted here on the site.

04/14/05 03:04 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Standing Elation
Yank.

Yank-yank. Yank. The laptop jerks across the endtable. "Daniel!"

But it sure is hard to maintain your exasperation when you look down and find that, yes, he may be pulling the cord with all his might - but he's doing it standing up.

03/30/05 11:04 AM in Baby | Comments

...and Suckry.
Well, both drives in my PC went kaput. And in the data transfer to the new drives from the better one, something went wacko. Hear tell I may have to reinstall. Never, ever fails. Just when I get things the way I like 'em, it's time to start over from scratch. Pfft.

Well, here's a new pic, anyhow. I'm honestly quite surprised that Daniel hasn't gotten scratched yet, the way he plays a little rough with Elmo's tail and hind legs. Elmo seems to realize that he just doesn't know any better, and continues to take it like a champ.

03/30/05 09:59 AM in Baby , Moaning , Photo | Comments

And Now, Our Feature Presentation
"Daniel in the Key of Jaws." In your choice of much larger, yet puzzlingly crappier QuickTime (7.7 MB), or Windows Media (2.7 MB).

03/23/05 09:55 PM in Baby | Comments

Screw The Rain
Finally, I got smart and ordered a nifty sun/wind/rain/insect shade for the stroller. So now we don't have to be trapped inside for the remainder of the rainy season. Yeah, you're right - I could be all She-Ra and sling him around town with an umbrella, but frankly that removes an awful lot of the enjoyment part of walking for yours truly, who shamefully has little to no upper body strength.

Plus, umbrellas suck.

03/21/05 04:32 PM in Baby | Comments

Just Checking In
So, suddenly, my PC has decided that it won't accept photos from my phone. And that's no fun for anyone. Friggin' Motorola. Here's a cute little AVI clip to tide you over, though. From last weekend, before the screaming began in earnest. And also, by popular demand, a "before" shot. Blurry, but I think his high-frequency emanations may have damaged the Canon.

Harold and Kumar was funnier than I thought it'd be, and I wasn't drunk. Or stoned. Not even a little bit! You do have to be in a silly mood, though. Today I can't help but wonder if WC appreciates their name being "officially" endorsed as a purveyor of post-high munchies. Maybe it's just a matter of "can't beat 'em, join 'em" at this point.

I can see the second pointy upper cuspid lurking just beneath the surface of Daniel's gum, eruption imminent. If you're keeping track, that'd be tooth number four. Far too early, says me.

03/19/05 09:52 PM in Baby , Movies , Photo | Comments

Screaming Is Only Fun if You're the One Doing It.
More teething. I'm feeling incredibly frazzled and frustrated, yet exruciatingly bored at the same time. Is that possible?

Anyhoo. Here's a short reprieve brought to you by the fine folks that make infant painkillers. Now if you'll excuse me - I'm off to drown myself in the nearest toilet bowl.

03/16/05 01:46 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Deep Thoughts?
Such a serious face for a little guy with a fuzzy blue elephant.

03/08/05 01:11 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

We Only Meant to Go to the Library...
...but ended up driving over to Bodega Bay, too. So nice that the ocean is now reachable on a whim! Gorgeous clear day, unlike any I've seen here yet. The fresh salt air was fantastic. Daniel took the waves and wind and crowds very seriously.

And here's an unrelated bonus photo of pre-crawling hijinks.

03/05/05 07:41 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Monkey in a Frog Pond
Sometimes I can't believe how big he is already.

Rachel, those shoes were such an appropriate choice, since he's Mister Monkeytoes!

02/24/05 08:27 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Rice Rice Baby
You know it's time to bring on the Real Food when you're at IHoP, and the bub keeps trying to grab stuff off your fork and plate. We'd planned to start him on cereal anyhow, when things settled down a bit. So last night he got his first solid. If you can call it that - it was more like Cream of Rice Puree Soup, but he loved it regardless. Ended up wearing most of it on his bib, but he couldn't have been more enthusiastic (D had to hold down his hands so he wouldn't grab the spoon and try to ram it into his mouth). Wish we could've clicked a few messy photos, but here's a happy After, at least.

02/20/05 08:28 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Super Bub
Daniel at six months:

Has two teeth

Can do pushups with just his hands and toes (!?!)

Almost sits up unsupported - "tripods" pretty well

Can stealth-scootch around a room so fast, it's almost frightening

Doesn't sleep through the night all that well

Will try cereal this weekend!

Can say "mama," but doesn't know it means anything yet

Sometimes mimics facial expressions and hand movements

Adores Teletubbies

Just enjoyed his first ride in the stroller without the carseat

Still hates the car (*sigh*)

Is wearing a lot of 12-month clothing

Opens his mouth like a baby bird when he sees the medicine dropper

Hasn't been sick once!

Squirms so much on the changing table, he usually ends up with a crooked diaper

Can't keep a pair of socks on for anything

Is ticklish beneath the chin

Literally squeals when he sees me put on the carrier

Sucks his teeny little thumb a lot

Is hopefully better at getting portraits taken...

02/18/05 08:18 AM in Baby | Comments

Friends
Elmo is the only cat that will, on occasion, actively seek out Daniel's abuses. It looks like he's being nice here, but seconds later the ear-pulling will begin.

02/15/05 08:49 AM in Baby , Cats , Photo | Comments

Six Months!
Somebody turned six months old today. No, we can't believe it, either.

02/13/05 01:17 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

19 More of These to Go???
Ugh. Teething fever. Thanks be to the pediatric gods, or I wouldn't have known that ibuprofen is indeed safe for infants, after all. Because acetaminophen is apparently almost worthless, and this exacerbated by the fact that the suspension tastes like crap (I concur with Daniel on this). Both D. and I just now taste-tested the ibuprofen drops, and pronounced them mild and delicious. "Like Starburst." Or the sweet taste of an almost full-night's sleep.

01/21/05 07:27 PM in Baby | Comments

Sprouts 'o Pain
The little tooth is clearly there now, visible and sharp, and I'm very much not looking forward to the day it bites me. He doesn't grab my fingers to suck on anymore - they've become his favorite teethers. Amazingly, he's not much crankier than usual. I've only felt I had to break out the Baby Orajel twice so far.

If you see a hunchbacked, baggy-eyed woman, hair and clothes caked with various baby liquids, tiny lacerations all over her hands, and bandaged boobs - that just may be me.

01/21/05 09:18 AM in Baby | Comments

This Little Piggie
He really found his toes a few days ago.

01/20/05 08:55 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Location, Location, Location
It's colder in Petaluma than it is here. Don't know why I didn't think it would be. But that bodes very well for summer. As in, fewer eyeball-melting days.

It only took one day of driving around to find a good condo/townhouse (what's the difference? really?) to rent in a nice Petaluma neighborhood, and only minutes from where D. will work! Private owners, super friendly retired folks who live on a tiny farm. The place is definitely 80's - mirrors everywhere, those weird ornate gold-glass lanterns hanging above the stairs. D. digs that. Lots of room, with three bedrooms, a double garage, 2.5 baths, and tons of storage (my favorite is the closet right off the living room, awesome for toys?). It'll take some getting used to, having neighbors living on either side again, when the neighbors we have on only one side now are often gone for days at a time.

It'll also certainly take some getting used to, living in a town without Target or Raley's (oh, the hardships, huh?). The hills are pretty, there's Whole Foods and Borders, and the library looks interesting enough. The town is a big antique center, so that may be what everyone gets for gifts from now on. It could take weeks to explore all the shops. And it sounds like there'll be no end to fresh local produce - can't wait to get my hands on some nice brown eggs.

Daniel did okay on his first overnight trip away - only one real screaming incident when he'd seen just one too many rentals on Saturday. And we're not allowed to eat in sit-down restaurants anymore, hrmpfh. We left town in such a hurry on Friday that he missed his bath night, so I ended up sponging him off with our room ice bucket, of all things, which he seemed to find as humorous as I did. Luckily we didn't seem to screw up his sleep schedule too badly.

Daniel and I took a little nap when we got home, awaking to find that D. had been out on an aggressive box-scouting mission. Guess there's no excuse not to pack something or other tonight now.

01/16/05 02:54 PM in Babble , Baby , Photo | Comments

Five
Daniel is five months old today. No, I can't believe it, either. He learned to turn from back-to-belly a couple of days ago, and I think he's well on his way to sitting up. He's definitely laughing, but in a strange, low-pitched gurgly way. Not the way I always think of baby laughs. But it still makes zerberts lots of fun.

He's really noticing his surroundings now, not staring at me exclusively when we're out for walks, but taking everything in. Toys are interesting now, if only to ultimately end up gummed and drool-soaked.

One more month, and we can break out the rice cereal. I don't think I'll be ready by then. But many report better sleep with a little cereal before bed, so I guess that's a pretty good motivator.

01/13/05 08:56 PM in Baby | Comments

Inexplicably Better
Eight hours. He slept eight hours straight last night. I don't know why. But, damn, it was nice to have him in the co-sleeper until 2:30! Wheeeeeee!!! Can we do it again?

01/05/05 11:47 AM in Baby | Comments

Hot Like Wasabe When I Bust Rhymes
Dear Megan,

I got lots of clothes for Christmas. But none of them came close to my Hot Green Peas tee for coolness. You are definitely among the small number of people worthy of sharing my drooly fist. Maybe someday I can eat your hair!

Hugs and gummy grins,
Daniel

12/30/04 01:16 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Awwwwed
Sometimes, we're awed. How did we make such an adorable being?

12/28/04 10:33 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Bubbaroo
If you feel like waiting on a bit of a download, you can see more of Daniel in action.

12/22/04 09:44 PM in Baby | Comments

'S Wonderful
The best way to wake up is with a round little face four inches from your nose, eyes wide and serving up a whopper of a gummy grin when you open yours.

It's even better if you've had over eight hours of sleep two nights in a row!

12/17/04 10:12 AM in Baby | Comments

Whew.
I can't believe it. Daniel's four months old today.

This morning he was in the Jumperoo in the kitchen, while I washed dishes and threw together a cake (the ugliest cake you've ever seen, because of course he started to shriek in the middle of frosting it later on). Elli walked by, and he "talked" to her. It was the cutest thing. Of course Elli had nothing of it. But cute, nonetheless.

Mother Nature does give bitchslaps for whining, people. I know it's true. Daniel had had a fairly long stretch of really good sleep nights - six or seven hours at a time! But he went back down to four, and stayed there. Of course, I really wasn't happy about this turn of events, and I complained.

Mistake. Because, I suppose as a lesson in what truly bad nights with a baby are, for the past few nights he's hardly been sleeping at all. Saturday night had me in tears; I think I may have gotten four very patchy hours. Last night was better - after we struggled to get him down for three hours past his bedtime, he did sleep about seven hours on and off.

He's noticing toys more and more every day. This is a great development, one that hopefully means soon he won't be yowling almost every second one of us isn't carrying him around!

12/13/04 04:28 PM in Baby | Comments

...and a Ho Ho Ho
Jumperoo: $65.
Santa hat: 99 cents.
Jaunty jumpin' bub: priceless.

12/03/04 01:59 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

All Over But the Crying
We drove to the coast while my mom and sister were here last week. Daniel doesn't like roadtrips, and, while he was surprisingly good on the way out - even in really bad traffic - by the time we headed back from Stinson Beach and were stuck in a Vallejo outskirts jam, he'd had MORE THAN ENOUGH.

Yessiree. Lesson learned: when mother's instinct tells you something is a bad idea above and beyond any you've had yet... you'd best damn well listen.

But we did get a few pics at the north head of the Golden Gate:

Daniel, me, Mom, and Becky
"Yes, I'm cute in the hat, I know."
"Yes, I'm CUTE in the HAT, I KNOW!"
"I am now going to eat San Francisco."

11/27/04 03:51 PM in Baby , Photo , Travel | Comments

Little Boy Blue
Dear Ellen,

Thanks again for the lovely warm hat! I enjoy it so much I could eat my mittens!

Hugs and drool,
Daniel

P.S. Still growing into the booties!

11/22/04 12:26 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

And Now, Your Moment of Zen
Our camera, as many now do, takes low-quality short movies. I really should've been using the feature since the Bean came along, but. Anyhoo. Here's a smidge of slurpy gumminess as an appetizer.

11/16/04 07:06 PM in Baby | Comments

Jump Around
My mom and sister arrived from Michigan on Saturday, so things'll probably be even sparser than usual around here this week. Yesterday Danny got a new toy, so I'll leave you with this.

11/15/04 07:51 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Do We Have to Go For a Walk?
Really?

Oh-kay.

11/10/04 10:28 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

And the Froggies Jumped for Joy
"Look what I can do!"

11/01/04 09:15 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Do Your Teeth Ache Yet?
Sleepy fuzzy puppy .

10/30/04 12:04 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Mellow Morn
I still don't believe it. Little Mister Move Me NOW Or I Will Gnash and Wail played with his Gymini for almost a half an hour today. He really was much happier than this, but it seems camera reticence strikes yet again.

10/29/04 10:51 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Happy Hunting
One day, we will capture the elusive giant gummy grin for posterity. Until then, this will have to do.

10/25/04 10:00 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Rough Morning
Rear-facing carseats and vaccinations. Both now top our List of Loathing.

If they give you EMLA cream for prior, make sure you slather it on good and thick. Ours apparently didn't penetrate Daniel's thigh muscles, and the screams were... well. Four long needles, two in each leg, while D. and I each held an arm, and the assistant doing the shooting restrained his legs against the end of the table. I could barely contain my own tears long enough to get back out to the waiting room.

But he's back to normal now, all smile and squirm. I hope he doesn't get too feverish.

I can't believe the little chunk gained over two pounds in a month!

10/22/04 02:26 PM in Baby | Comments

Mommy's Little License Point Generator
I know that a rear-facing infant seat is safest in most crashes. I know that. I'll use it until he's big enough not to. Don't send letters.

But I can't help but wonder... Have they ever done a study on crashes caused by the distracted driving habits of parents when their small baby freaks out because he can't see them? To the point of choking on his own cries? Sending mommy into full-on must-get-off-the-road-NOW-get-out-of-my-way-slow-lady-or-I'll-GRIND-YOU-INTO-THE-MEDIAN panic?

Sometimes I really hate the rear-facing carseat.

10/20/04 02:40 PM in Baby | Comments

Get Thee to a Mall (With Covered Parking)
Don't get me wrong. Personally, I dig rainy fall days.

Professionally, however, it's killing me.

10/19/04 11:21 AM in Baby | Comments

Chewy Chomp
Daniel is getting pretty good at grasping things. Of course, they all end up near or in his mouth.

10/16/04 08:26 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

7.5 Weeks Later...
...the hospital photo is finally up, after I nagged 'em. Not nearly as attractive as the one D. took first, but there it is.

10/06/04 05:34 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Cool Bean
The temps may be dropping, but it's still sunny in Sacramento.

10/02/04 02:32 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Observations
The soft spot on top of his head - if you watch it very carefully, you'll see that it... throbs. It must be his little monster Stewie brain plotting and growing.

Absolutely no spitting up for weeks, then suddenly, it's all the time. Am I eating something offensive?

Why am I having such a difficult time finding tee shirts? Especially long-sleeved ones? Not onesies, but tees that he can wear beneath overalls, so we don't have to mess with two sets of snaps when diapering every hour.

Not to brag (okay - to brag), but he's terribly precocious. He's been doing almost everything early - smiling, cooing, mini push-ups, keeping his head up, holding weight on his legs. Everywhere we go, people just don't believe that he's only seven weeks old.

He's been sleeping long enough that I can, for the first time in memorable history, eat a meal without him on me. Yes, something drippy and magma hot, and I won't singe my poor baby's ears. It's almost scary.

10/01/04 07:23 PM in Baby | Comments

Kojak Moment
He's lost some of his hair since birth, but even though you can't see it here, it's slowly growing back in.

09/28/04 03:54 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

6-Week Magic Mark, Indeed
He only woke up twice last night. Yes, this is a Very Big Deal! And then, after waking up at the normal before-six - we slept until eight!

I take very little for granted these days.

09/25/04 10:52 AM in Baby | Comments

Pants Rants
Daniel wears 3-6 month tops now (!!!), but his short little legs don't quite fit the pants yet. He doesn't seem to mind his stubby legs, though.

I now weigh less than I did before starting Weight Watchers last year, but I don't have a single pair of jeans from that era that fit. And I don't mean just because of the bit of gut I've got left - I can barely squeeze them on at all. I knew I lost some muscle mass over the pregnancy, mostly being too tired and barfy to do much of anything. And then I wasn't working, too, not constantly lifting all those book boxes. But it still came as a bit of a shock that so much more of my weight is now fat. I should've bought some pants a size up, I guess. Ah, for some foresight. Now it'll be all I can do to order them online, forget trying anything on.

09/20/04 10:59 PM in Babble , Baby , Photo | Comments

This Little Piggy...
...gained 2.4 pounds in less than a month. Doc tells me he's in the 75th percentile for weight now. Not for nothing is his nickname Boobula.

She gave me a bit of Emla to numb Daniel's poor fat little thighs before his appointment in another month, when he gets two vaccinations in each leg. Never had the benefit of topical anaesthetic for my vaccines as a small kid (and I do actually remember a couple of horrible outings to the local Milwaukee County Health Clinic, ugh), so I'm glad they give this bit of relief to babies.

09/17/04 01:43 PM in Baby | Comments

Personality
Have my recent posts given you cavities yet? No, you say?

Well, this one should take care of that.

09/13/04 10:26 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

One Month
Daniel wasn't much in the mood for cameras, but yesterday was his first "professional" photo shoot. It turned into a most-of-day affair, because the initial attempt ended in total meltdown. I think we tried this a tad too young. Oh. well...

We couldn't leave any of the poses behind:

Full Length
Hands
Basket
Blanket

Picture People is far more expensive than I was expecting, but the prints are fast and of high quality. Though - especially considering cost - we were kind of miffed that they didn't allow at least a little time (five minutes???) for babies to un-fuss without rescheduling.

09/12/04 08:20 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

No Sleep For You!
Darling little Sleep Nazi won't take a nice nap with me in bed or on the cozy couch. But he'll sleep an hour in a carrier or sling. And in case you're thinking "you could sleep with the sling on..." No such luck there. He usually wakes up when I stop moving!

09/10/04 04:43 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Tube Tush
My favorite outfit ever, front and back

09/09/04 05:04 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Itsy
A few of my favorite things: hands, feets, and wee cinnabon.

09/04/04 09:22 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Clean Bean
First tub bath today. We think that he liked it much better than the sponge baths. Except for the hair. But if I had mushy spots in my head, I probably wouldn't want people messing with it, either.

09/02/04 10:04 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Yesterday's Discovery
Projectile poop - it's not a myth. And, no, I was lucky... this time.

09/01/04 11:21 AM in Baby | Comments

More of the Same
I get up at six now, because there's no way I'll get a shower if I don't before D. goes to work. Doesn't matter - Daniel and I weren't sleeping, anyhow, and I may as well be clean and exhausted!

It appears he has, at least for mornings, shunned the stroller as a means of non-boob comfort, which kind of puts a kink in my walking plans. He hates his slings with a passion (he screams as if I'm killing him, ack), so I'm left with the Snugli, which does let me get a few things done, and even go outside for a couple of minutes to check the mail or water flowers (poor neglected half-dead things they are). I don't see us going out in public anytime soon, unless we happen to get lucky with the Snugli.

PSA for the currently pregnant readers: Things You Should Know So as to be Prepared or Unsurprised, But May Not Be Told.

All those onesies you have? They're great - for after the cord falls off. If it's as warm as it was here for the life of the stump, make sure you have some newborn-sized snap-front tees, to leave it exposed to as much air as possible. I only had two, and more would've made things much easier. I believe that keeping it open is why it fell off so quickly.

Using alcohol on the cord will actually make it take longer to fall off, contrary to traditional instruction.

Newborns peel, and sometimes dramatically - don't use lotion! The whole top layer, which has of course been soaking in amniotic fluid, has to come off on its own. Daniel's ankles are still shedding in swathes.

Pampers size one are bigger than Huggies size one.

No, he won't permanently have furry ears! it'll disappear in a few weeks.

I'm sure that I'll be able to resume more regular posting someday. Now that I've scared half the readership away with all this baby talk. Given my mental state these days, it's a wonder I can string this many words together in any coherent fashion at all!

08/31/04 10:02 PM in Baby | Comments

Temporarily a Photo Blog?
Another short snooze, and post-bath (he'll have his first tub bath in a couple of days, I hope he likes it more than the sponge baths!).

D. drove us to our appointment yesterday, and luckily. There was an accident blocking access to the freeway, a long, slow train blocking the detour, another traffic backup for no apparent reason, and even a bit of road work at the very end as a cherry. I would've surely been in tears at the end if I'd gone it alone. But Daniel was given a completely clean bill of health - he's back up to his birth weight, and is even developmentally about a week ahead. We go in for a weight check in a month, but don't need to see the doctor again until late October. When, unfortunately, he gets his first big round of shots, poor baby.

My hormones seem to be levelling a bit, and I'm not crying at every tiny stimulus, now. Still having lots of trouble nursing at night - he gets too excited, arms flailing and hands in his mouth, until he screams out of frustration, and I'm ready to help him pull my hair out. I really need a third arm and hand.

His best time of day seems to be mid-morning, so that's when we'll schedule his first real photo session. Soon, before he's not so tiny...

08/28/04 01:00 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Not a Blur
Two more rare quiet moments.

08/25/04 07:42 PM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Still Here
I had to give up my short walks temporarily, because they were triggering heavier bleeding, which is a sign to slow down. I'm not terribly happy about being stuck to this couch for even more of the day, especially when I'm feeling so much better than I was before the birth, and therefore antsy, but I guess it can't go on too much longer.

I know pacifiers are supposed to be E-Vile, but Daniel is napping with one right now. Which is how I'm suddenly able to stand up a bit, assume a different sitting position, and type. Maybe he won't be quite so grumpy when he wakes up. Not that he isn't cute even when he's making That Face (gush), but a little variety in his countenance is nice.

D. goes back to work on Friday, and I'm not feeling real confident about how I'll handle that. He's been making sure I get regular doses of food and water and such, not to mention doing diaper duty, when I can sneak off for bathroom breaks. To make matters scarier, Daniel and I will have our first car trip alone that day for another pediatrician's appointment. And not a short one, either! Oy!

08/24/04 02:26 PM in Baby | Comments

15 Hours a Day. Riiiiight.
Daniel may only get eight hours of sleep of twenty-four, but at least they're mostly at night now. And this morning I extended it a couple by taking him out in the stroller for a bit. I managed to take a shower and eat breakfast all by myself - and don't I feel like a big girl now. And look, now I'm typing with two hands! This may have to become my morning routine.

And here are a couple of pics with daddy.

He appears to be stirring (as the boobs cringe). Over and out.

08/22/04 11:10 AM in Baby , Photo | Comments

Six Hours! Six Hours!
I got six hours of sleep last night! Cut up into little chunks, of course, but still - six freaking hours! I'm a whole new woman! Where's the nearest marathon?

I love our pediatrician. She's the one who wholeheartedly endorsed sleeping with the baby right next to me. I'm a very light sleeper, so I tried it for a nap yesterday after nursing, and we slept for two hours! So a lot of his every-fifteen-minute fussing for boobage at night was probably just a manifestation of his need for direct contact.

08/18/04 08:35 AM in Baby | Comments

Claire...
D. just figured out what Daniel smells like - Apple Jacks :-)

08/17/04 09:28 AM in Baby | Comments

Hanging In
Thanks all for the good wishes! I suppose I wasn't really clear in my post yesterday - the hospital was supposed to let us go Saturday evening, since all was well, but some intern changed the orders and didn't bother to tell anyone (even our nurse), and we didn't get to leave until Sunday afternoon. So I was home by the time I wrote that.

It's been difficult for me to do things like shower, sleep, eat, or use the bathroom, since the little pumpkin literally doesn't want to unlatch from me (he's attached right now). If I remove him long enough to pee, he screams holy terror. Sometimes D. can entertain him for a little bit, luckily. I'm hoping things change now that my milk is starting to come in today. I mean, I expected to get very little sleep - but not absolutely no sleep! Plus I had some rather wicked tearing, and sitting up 24-7 really isn't the greatest thing for that. It's strange to be so elated and frustrated at the same time :-)

The cats aren't freaking out at all, I'm happy to say. They're very curious, especially when Daniel cries. Elli has been making this new little noise when he does, it's kind of cute.

08/16/04 06:37 PM in Baby | Comments

He's Here!
Well, we got to the hospital at about 3:30 am Thursday, and Daniel Henry Kadrioski was born at 11:12 am! Thankfully a lot faster than I thought a first birth would be (whew). 8 lbs 4 oz, 20 inches, cute little fuzz of black hair. Won't go into details or post pics right now since I'm typing sideways on the laptop with Daniel napping on my lap (cute cute kee-yute, not that I'm biased or anything). Very tired - turns out that little Dan's a major boob man, and hospitals aren't at all conducive to rest (and they decided at the last minute not to release us yesterday when they said they would, grrr). I think that in the past 60 hours I've gotten maybe eight hours of anything resembling real sleep. Will have more to say and show tomorrow!

08/15/04 06:16 PM in Baby | Comments