Monday, December 08, 2008
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Kiki's First Halloween
Kiki had a very eventful first Halloween. Her school had a costume parade, followed by a party.
When we got to her classroom shortly before the parade, there was activity everywhere as kids got into their costumes. The room heated up very quickly, so all the kids had some water. Halloween is hard work!
After everyone was ready, the little ones got strapped into the buggy for their big debut, and parents lined the sidewalk in front of the school for the parade. There were some great costumes. Kiki was a bit indifferent to the situation...until she saw Mom and Dad with the cameras. Then she really started hamming.
Once Kiki's buggy reached the end of the line, there was a period of waiting around as the other kids paraded. Kiks got a bit impatient and started crying.
When the parade was over, everyone went back inside. The babies were stripped of their costumes and treated to pizza. Kiki learned the lesson of sharing when she was asked NOT to take pizza from other children (she does love pizza).
After the party, we headed home to get ready to welcome trick-or-treaters. Kiki used the trip as an opportunity to "refresh" herself before the evenings festivities.
Aunt Rae came over for a bit to help prepare for the candy distribution portion of the night. Unfortunately, just about the time Kiki was going to hit the sack, her cousin made Aunt Rae want to do the same, so it was a short visit.
There was one little pack of 4 trick-or-treaters that came right before Kiki went to bed. She just smiled, happy to have more visitors.
All in all, we only got about 20 kids. What a disappointment! We saw tons of kids in the neighborhood, but they all went in the opposite direction of our house!! Not even Ray's super-awesome jack-o-lanterns could attract them to our house.
I think we will need to advertise some good candy in the week before Halloween next year.
When we got to her classroom shortly before the parade, there was activity everywhere as kids got into their costumes. The room heated up very quickly, so all the kids had some water. Halloween is hard work!
After everyone was ready, the little ones got strapped into the buggy for their big debut, and parents lined the sidewalk in front of the school for the parade. There were some great costumes. Kiki was a bit indifferent to the situation...until she saw Mom and Dad with the cameras. Then she really started hamming.
Once Kiki's buggy reached the end of the line, there was a period of waiting around as the other kids paraded. Kiks got a bit impatient and started crying.
When the parade was over, everyone went back inside. The babies were stripped of their costumes and treated to pizza. Kiki learned the lesson of sharing when she was asked NOT to take pizza from other children (she does love pizza).
After the party, we headed home to get ready to welcome trick-or-treaters. Kiki used the trip as an opportunity to "refresh" herself before the evenings festivities.
Aunt Rae came over for a bit to help prepare for the candy distribution portion of the night. Unfortunately, just about the time Kiki was going to hit the sack, her cousin made Aunt Rae want to do the same, so it was a short visit.
There was one little pack of 4 trick-or-treaters that came right before Kiki went to bed. She just smiled, happy to have more visitors.
All in all, we only got about 20 kids. What a disappointment! We saw tons of kids in the neighborhood, but they all went in the opposite direction of our house!! Not even Ray's super-awesome jack-o-lanterns could attract them to our house.
I think we will need to advertise some good candy in the week before Halloween next year.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Taking orders!!
Just a quick post.
We got Kiki's school pictures today. SO CUTE!!! We order the digital version instead of old school printed pictures. We figure this way anyone who wants a picture can just let us know what size they want, we will custom print, and then we don't have extra photos laying around for eternity.
There are two available images: Image 1 or Image 2. If you would like a print (or prints), just let me know which image(s) and which size(s). Available sizes are:
Wallet (2x3)
4x6
5x7
8x10
We got Kiki's school pictures today. SO CUTE!!! We order the digital version instead of old school printed pictures. We figure this way anyone who wants a picture can just let us know what size they want, we will custom print, and then we don't have extra photos laying around for eternity.
There are two available images: Image 1 or Image 2. If you would like a print (or prints), just let me know which image(s) and which size(s). Available sizes are:
Wallet (2x3)
4x6
5x7
8x10
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Kiki in the 9's
Kiki is now 9 months old. It's so hard to believe, but she's come a long way in 9 months. She had her 9 month well baby visit yesterday, and we got nothing but good news.
She is currently 19 pounds 5.5. ounces, 29 inches long. The Dr. was pleased with how she looked in every way, and was very happy on the motor progress that she has made, as well.
Kiki is all over the place these days. She started the army crawl several weeks ago, with the occasional on-the-knees crawl thrown in for kicks. She also started pulling herself up on furniture about 2 weeks ago. She is now cruising around the room with some significant speed. She walks along furniture to move about the room as much as she can, and otherwise uses the on-the-knees crawl. She will occasionally take the daring step away from the furniture. Terrifying for us, and often painful for her, but I think she is well on her way to taking the plunge into walking. As her school said, we will probably begin to see an increasing amount of "Ouch Reports" coming home.
Poor Squirt is terrorized. Kiki LOVES to pet him, and advances upon him whenever possible. He, on the other hand, misses the days when she could only look from afar.
The most exciting news to come out of Kiki's appointment was the info on new foods. She is now encouraged to start having dinner with Mom and Dad. For the most part, she will be able to have a smooshed version of our dinner. The meal that the Dr. specifically mentioned was pot roast and veggies. I was super surprised to hear this, but it is also very exciting. We are anxious to start trying her with some real foods, but it will also be a bit of adjustment for us, as we have grown accustomed to not even starting preparations for dinner until she is in bed.
Overall, she is a happy, growing girl. She recently discovered the joys of clapping, and clapped the entire way home from school on Friday. She has also taken an extreme interest in her books lately, especially the Touch and Feel Baby Animals Book with the soft bunny she can kiss (read slobber on). She is growing out of her clothes like crazy, largely due to her length. We even had to retire one 12 month outfit yesterday!!
She is currently 19 pounds 5.5. ounces, 29 inches long. The Dr. was pleased with how she looked in every way, and was very happy on the motor progress that she has made, as well.
Kiki is all over the place these days. She started the army crawl several weeks ago, with the occasional on-the-knees crawl thrown in for kicks. She also started pulling herself up on furniture about 2 weeks ago. She is now cruising around the room with some significant speed. She walks along furniture to move about the room as much as she can, and otherwise uses the on-the-knees crawl. She will occasionally take the daring step away from the furniture. Terrifying for us, and often painful for her, but I think she is well on her way to taking the plunge into walking. As her school said, we will probably begin to see an increasing amount of "Ouch Reports" coming home.
Poor Squirt is terrorized. Kiki LOVES to pet him, and advances upon him whenever possible. He, on the other hand, misses the days when she could only look from afar.
The most exciting news to come out of Kiki's appointment was the info on new foods. She is now encouraged to start having dinner with Mom and Dad. For the most part, she will be able to have a smooshed version of our dinner. The meal that the Dr. specifically mentioned was pot roast and veggies. I was super surprised to hear this, but it is also very exciting. We are anxious to start trying her with some real foods, but it will also be a bit of adjustment for us, as we have grown accustomed to not even starting preparations for dinner until she is in bed.
Overall, she is a happy, growing girl. She recently discovered the joys of clapping, and clapped the entire way home from school on Friday. She has also taken an extreme interest in her books lately, especially the Touch and Feel Baby Animals Book with the soft bunny she can kiss (read slobber on). She is growing out of her clothes like crazy, largely due to her length. We even had to retire one 12 month outfit yesterday!!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
An update
I know it has been forever and a day since I last posted, so let me bring things up to date.
Kiki is growing like a weed. 18 lbs. 3.5 oz as of Monday. She has been fighting a sinus infection for about a month now. She is also officially out of the incubation period for chicken pox, so she weathered her exposure with NO POX!! YAY!!!!!!!
Kiki's top two teeth are peeking through, so I think we will start getting a bit more adventurous with the new foods we try. She has pretty much been restricted to baby mush and her baby puffs to this point. Kiks has also begun the "I like to see how far I can spit my food" phase, so THAT'S a lot of fun!
We have had to move into super-baby proofing mode recently, as Kiki is mastering the speedy-tummy-scoot and has started pulling herself up on shelves/furniture/anything she can get her hands on.
Things have been busy around the house, with work, school, house/yardwork, and general summer fun. The Olympics have been on pretty much constantly. I will be happy to see them end, Ray will be very sad. He has enjoyed watching the pursuit for American gold.
Kiki is growing like a weed. 18 lbs. 3.5 oz as of Monday. She has been fighting a sinus infection for about a month now. She is also officially out of the incubation period for chicken pox, so she weathered her exposure with NO POX!! YAY!!!!!!!
Kiki's top two teeth are peeking through, so I think we will start getting a bit more adventurous with the new foods we try. She has pretty much been restricted to baby mush and her baby puffs to this point. Kiks has also begun the "I like to see how far I can spit my food" phase, so THAT'S a lot of fun!
We have had to move into super-baby proofing mode recently, as Kiki is mastering the speedy-tummy-scoot and has started pulling herself up on shelves/furniture/anything she can get her hands on.
Things have been busy around the house, with work, school, house/yardwork, and general summer fun. The Olympics have been on pretty much constantly. I will be happy to see them end, Ray will be very sad. He has enjoyed watching the pursuit for American gold.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Props to my fellow Blogger blogger
This blog is hilarious. Professionally decorated cakes gone terribly wrong. I warn you, read only a bit at a time, or you will get a laughter tummy ache!!
Cake Wrecks
Cake Wrecks
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
My New Passion
Uh...What's Coming Out of Your Nose?
Yeah, I know. Gross. But that one word pretty much sums up the last 2 weeks with the Kikster. She has had a persistent cold over the last two weeks that has kept us busy in the Kleenex department. Then came the pink eye. Then the sad and sleepless nights (and one LOOOONG weekend!)
When her daycare called yesterday to say that she had developed a cough that was waking other kids, we knew it was time for a trip to the doctor. One sinus infection diagnosis and a dose of Amoxacillin later, she was a much happier baby.
I have to say, this is one part of parenting that I really despise. Yes, I dislike the runny noses and the sleepless nights, but mostly I hate not being able to ask what hurts, to tell her I can make it better, or even to know what is making her so very sad.
Needless to say, when she perked up a bit yesterday, I was quite happy. She and I were sitting on the bed while she played and I tried to put her PJs on. Try as I may, the playing won out, but not before I got the PJs around the top of her head. When I gave up, I thought she would surely pull them off, but she seemed to take delight in her new hat. As she giggled, I giggled in response, which made her giggle more...and you get the idea. Ray captured our fun together.
When her daycare called yesterday to say that she had developed a cough that was waking other kids, we knew it was time for a trip to the doctor. One sinus infection diagnosis and a dose of Amoxacillin later, she was a much happier baby.
I have to say, this is one part of parenting that I really despise. Yes, I dislike the runny noses and the sleepless nights, but mostly I hate not being able to ask what hurts, to tell her I can make it better, or even to know what is making her so very sad.
Needless to say, when she perked up a bit yesterday, I was quite happy. She and I were sitting on the bed while she played and I tried to put her PJs on. Try as I may, the playing won out, but not before I got the PJs around the top of her head. When I gave up, I thought she would surely pull them off, but she seemed to take delight in her new hat. As she giggled, I giggled in response, which made her giggle more...and you get the idea. Ray captured our fun together.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Oh Happy Day...
My birthday. I've said it before, I'll say it again, I love it. I know it's a bit egocentric, but I love the celebration of it. One day a year when I can really stop and say, "Hey, this is the day I was born. I'm sure glad I was. I have a pretty great life and live in a pretty great world. It needs a little work, but I'm ALIVE and can help make it even better!"
This year was even better, because I had one more person to celebrate with (I love you Kiki-boo). Since my birthday fell on a weekday, I was in my usual 5:00am schedule. Get up to make bottles and prep for the start of baby's day before she decides to start it. When I got to the kitchen, on the counter to greet me was a shirt I really wanted and a card from my dearest husband. What a GREAT start to my day!!
When I got to work, there were doughnuts to celebrate my birthday, as well as a co-worker's. Yum!! Later that day, cake and ice cream and a card to celebrate our birthdays AGAIN!!! I was allowed to depart from work a few hours early, which was great because Ray and I planned to take our little family to the baseball game that night.
Kiki was an angel at the game. She slept through much of it. When she woke up, she was happy to watch all the colors around her (it was Red Hat Society day at the stadium). Tons of fun.
Lots of cards to open from the mail that night, and they continued to trickle in for a few days.
Then the crowning event for the birthday. As you may remember from my birthday post last year, there is a birthday club in my office. I know I am perhaps bias here, but I think the team that does the June birthdays is the most creative and imaginative team. This year's theme was baseball. The food was cotton candy, little hot dogs, a baseball cookie, popcorn, pretzels, and root beer floats. The room was decorated with baseball themed decorations, and a package of baseball temporary tattoos circulated the room (I AM an MVP!) Then on the table for the birthday girls, Cracker Jacks and, get this, a real baseball signed by everyone on the birthday team and each of our respective bosses. IT WAS AWESOME!!!
So a big thank you to everyone who made my birthday so special for another year. And thanks, Mom and Dad, for giving me birthdays in the first place!!!!
This year was even better, because I had one more person to celebrate with (I love you Kiki-boo). Since my birthday fell on a weekday, I was in my usual 5:00am schedule. Get up to make bottles and prep for the start of baby's day before she decides to start it. When I got to the kitchen, on the counter to greet me was a shirt I really wanted and a card from my dearest husband. What a GREAT start to my day!!
When I got to work, there were doughnuts to celebrate my birthday, as well as a co-worker's. Yum!! Later that day, cake and ice cream and a card to celebrate our birthdays AGAIN!!! I was allowed to depart from work a few hours early, which was great because Ray and I planned to take our little family to the baseball game that night.
Kiki was an angel at the game. She slept through much of it. When she woke up, she was happy to watch all the colors around her (it was Red Hat Society day at the stadium). Tons of fun.
Lots of cards to open from the mail that night, and they continued to trickle in for a few days.
Then the crowning event for the birthday. As you may remember from my birthday post last year, there is a birthday club in my office. I know I am perhaps bias here, but I think the team that does the June birthdays is the most creative and imaginative team. This year's theme was baseball. The food was cotton candy, little hot dogs, a baseball cookie, popcorn, pretzels, and root beer floats. The room was decorated with baseball themed decorations, and a package of baseball temporary tattoos circulated the room (I AM an MVP!) Then on the table for the birthday girls, Cracker Jacks and, get this, a real baseball signed by everyone on the birthday team and each of our respective bosses. IT WAS AWESOME!!!
So a big thank you to everyone who made my birthday so special for another year. And thanks, Mom and Dad, for giving me birthdays in the first place!!!!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
News I can use...
While browsing one of my favorite blogs, 43 folders, I became aware of a Boston Globe article that may revolutionize my life. And thanks to 43 folders, I am so organized, I have time to take a nap!!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Giving Aunt Sue A Run For Her Money...
Kiki went to the doctor for her 6 month well-baby checkup on Monday. According to her pediatrician, she is basically awesome, which of course, we already knew. All areas of growth are on course. Kiki put on quite a show of being an active baby for the doctor, who was very pleased to see how she is progressing.
Here are her stats:
Weight: 16lb. 11oz (52nd percentile)
Length: 27in. (89%, watch out, Aunt Sue. She might be taller than YOU!!)
Head Circumference: 43.25in. (74%)
Kiki has been experiencing all sorts of new foods. Peaches, barley cereal and apple juice are the latest additions to her repertoire.
She is also making progress on her sitting up and mobilization. She can sit up unassisted, just needs a hand behind her for the occasional backward slip. She is also making more use of her rolling abilities. Now that she can roll front-to-back and back-to-front, she is starting to roll a short distance to a destination.
No teeth new yet, although the drool is flowing freely enough to imply that more are not too far away.
Here are her stats:
Weight: 16lb. 11oz (52nd percentile)
Length: 27in. (89%, watch out, Aunt Sue. She might be taller than YOU!!)
Head Circumference: 43.25in. (74%)
Kiki has been experiencing all sorts of new foods. Peaches, barley cereal and apple juice are the latest additions to her repertoire.
She is also making progress on her sitting up and mobilization. She can sit up unassisted, just needs a hand behind her for the occasional backward slip. She is also making more use of her rolling abilities. Now that she can roll front-to-back and back-to-front, she is starting to roll a short distance to a destination.
No teeth new yet, although the drool is flowing freely enough to imply that more are not too far away.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Pool Party
Kiki's Aunt Rachael has been concerned. She knows how Kiki likes to splash in the tub and felt that Kiki needed a pool. So after about a week of urging from Aunt Rachael, Kiki got a pool.
After considering several models, we decided on the whale pool. It's a blow up pool that is large enough for Kiki and either Ray or I (we could probably all fit on a hot day if we squeezed.) The whale's tail inflates to create a shaded portion of the pool, and there is a working blowhole.
Ray was a trooper and inflated the pool himself. The weather has been so hot lately, it only took about 20 minutes for the inch and a half of water to heat up to an acceptable temperature for Kiki.
We changed Kiki into the bathing suit that her Grandma R bought her. When we put her in the pool, she happily started splashing and playing. I got in the pool with her while Ray took pictures, and then we switched places. About 15 minutes after she got in, the wind picked up, so pool time ended for the day.
We got the pool on sale for $10.00, so I would say that it was a pretty good deal. A few pictures of Kiki's pool experience are below.
After considering several models, we decided on the whale pool. It's a blow up pool that is large enough for Kiki and either Ray or I (we could probably all fit on a hot day if we squeezed.) The whale's tail inflates to create a shaded portion of the pool, and there is a working blowhole.
Ray was a trooper and inflated the pool himself. The weather has been so hot lately, it only took about 20 minutes for the inch and a half of water to heat up to an acceptable temperature for Kiki.
We changed Kiki into the bathing suit that her Grandma R bought her. When we put her in the pool, she happily started splashing and playing. I got in the pool with her while Ray took pictures, and then we switched places. About 15 minutes after she got in, the wind picked up, so pool time ended for the day.
We got the pool on sale for $10.00, so I would say that it was a pretty good deal. A few pictures of Kiki's pool experience are below.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
A Trip Down Memory Lane...or Street
The other day a friend and I were reminiscing about PBS programs from our childhood. It made me start thinking about some of the segments I used to love. I remembered specifics skits and got a little teary thinking about how I'd never see them again. And I thought about how my friend and my husband look at me like I'm crazy as I describe the skits in my memory (it was the late 70s/early 80's, they were a little weird). And then I got to thinking about how great the Internet is, and how you can find just about anything, so I started looking. The following are some of my all time favorites from Sesame Street and the Muppets. Enjoy!!
A loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of butta...
Geefle and Gonk (let's get some cooperation going!)
The Ladybug Picnic (1,2,3..4,5,6...7,8,9...10,11,12)
The Lost Boy and the Yo-Yo Guy (this one is a bit trippy...)
Rainy Day (I sing this to Elena in the car on rainy days)
Baby Eating Chocolate Cookie (I see Elena's future here)
Orange Opera
Robot Breakfast (I was never a big Muppets fan, but always thought this one was AWESOME!!)
A loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of butta...
Geefle and Gonk (let's get some cooperation going!)
The Ladybug Picnic (1,2,3..4,5,6...7,8,9...10,11,12)
The Lost Boy and the Yo-Yo Guy (this one is a bit trippy...)
Rainy Day (I sing this to Elena in the car on rainy days)
Baby Eating Chocolate Cookie (I see Elena's future here)
Orange Opera
Robot Breakfast (I was never a big Muppets fan, but always thought this one was AWESOME!!)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
T is for...
Tummy Time...
Elena has been working hard on her tummy time lately. She is getting really good at holding her upper body up, even without the assistance of her hands. she can also, get up on her knees, but not at the same time that her torso is up. She can also getting her legs kicking SO FAST when she is on her belly. I con;t know how soon she'll be crawling, but she is gonna be a GREAT swimmer!
Tunes...
We got the new Barenaked Ladies children's album. IT IS AWESOME!!! I love it so much. I bought it for Elena, but I have been listening to it non-stop. I would recommend it for any parent who is tired of hearing the same old kids songs.
Tub...
Elena has graduated to baths in the big tub. She loves her baths so much and kicks her feet so hard, that she was sliding herself right off the seat of the baby tub. I was afraid she was going to hurt herself, so into the big tub she goes. She can kick and splash and play with her turtles and be a happy little baby.
Tooth...
This was going to be T for Teething, but I got side tracked. So we had one day of a bit of crabbiness and then there it was. 1 little tooth (bottom, middle) and another trying to poke through.
Elena has been working hard on her tummy time lately. She is getting really good at holding her upper body up, even without the assistance of her hands. she can also, get up on her knees, but not at the same time that her torso is up. She can also getting her legs kicking SO FAST when she is on her belly. I con;t know how soon she'll be crawling, but she is gonna be a GREAT swimmer!
Tunes...
We got the new Barenaked Ladies children's album. IT IS AWESOME!!! I love it so much. I bought it for Elena, but I have been listening to it non-stop. I would recommend it for any parent who is tired of hearing the same old kids songs.
Tub...
Elena has graduated to baths in the big tub. She loves her baths so much and kicks her feet so hard, that she was sliding herself right off the seat of the baby tub. I was afraid she was going to hurt herself, so into the big tub she goes. She can kick and splash and play with her turtles and be a happy little baby.
Tooth...
This was going to be T for Teething, but I got side tracked. So we had one day of a bit of crabbiness and then there it was. 1 little tooth (bottom, middle) and another trying to poke through.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Baby Whirlwind
Elena is just a little busy baby. She really enjoys her Jumping Jack jumper. She spends lots of happy time bouncing in the doorway as Mommy does dishes or Daddy makes dinner. She also got an Exersaucer today. She hasn't tried it out much yet. Today was a busy day and she was just too tired to focus on her new toy. She tried out the saucers at Grandma and Grandpa H's house, as well as at school, and LOVED it, so we have high hopes.
Elena also started veggies this past week. Green beans have been the pick of the week; peas will start on Wednesday. She REALLY loves her beans. I admit, I tried them as well. They are really good (I can't say the same of the rice cereal.)
There isn't too much else happening in our household. We are all very excited by the news that a new cousin for Elena is on the way! We are also starting to get the yard into shape. Ray's uncle was very generous, buying and tuning up a lawn mower for us. How much fun it is to be mowing the lawn again!!
Here are some new Kiki pics.
Elena also started veggies this past week. Green beans have been the pick of the week; peas will start on Wednesday. She REALLY loves her beans. I admit, I tried them as well. They are really good (I can't say the same of the rice cereal.)
There isn't too much else happening in our household. We are all very excited by the news that a new cousin for Elena is on the way! We are also starting to get the yard into shape. Ray's uncle was very generous, buying and tuning up a lawn mower for us. How much fun it is to be mowing the lawn again!!
Here are some new Kiki pics.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Milestones
Elena has had another busy month. This is the Month of the Young Child, so they have had activities at school. Today was pajama day, so she was super cute in her polka dot PJs.
She was baptized earlier this month. We were so busy planning to party, and subsequently partying that we forgot to take any pictures. Luckily, there are lots of shutterbugs in the family, so there are lots of pics out there. Some of my faves can be found at Cousin Jill's website.
Elena also had her 4 month well-baby visit. The doctor was very happy with what she saw. Elena is now 14 lbs 5.5 oz (60th percentile), 25.5 inches long (89th percentile), and 41 inch head (50th percentile). She is also (dum-da-da-DA) teething!! This explains the drooling, fussiness, and the steel trap biting.
The other big news for Elena was that she started eating cereal. She has taken very well to it. She seems to think it is quite yummy, thought her stamina isn't that great yet. A proud daddy got lots of video of her first time with cereal. He also got one of a little indiscretion that she will NOT be happy about when she is 13.
Finally, she has spent a lot of time kicking her legs. It seems to be one of her favorite things to do. Luckily, it's happy kicking from a happy, happy little girl.
She was baptized earlier this month. We were so busy planning to party, and subsequently partying that we forgot to take any pictures. Luckily, there are lots of shutterbugs in the family, so there are lots of pics out there. Some of my faves can be found at Cousin Jill's website.
Elena also had her 4 month well-baby visit. The doctor was very happy with what she saw. Elena is now 14 lbs 5.5 oz (60th percentile), 25.5 inches long (89th percentile), and 41 inch head (50th percentile). She is also (dum-da-da-DA) teething!! This explains the drooling, fussiness, and the steel trap biting.
The other big news for Elena was that she started eating cereal. She has taken very well to it. She seems to think it is quite yummy, thought her stamina isn't that great yet. A proud daddy got lots of video of her first time with cereal. He also got one of a little indiscretion that she will NOT be happy about when she is 13.
Finally, she has spent a lot of time kicking her legs. It seems to be one of her favorite things to do. Luckily, it's happy kicking from a happy, happy little girl.
Friday, April 04, 2008
The Quick and Dirty
I have been so busy with work and an active baby lately that I have neglected my poor little blog. So, for those if you who use this site as the main means of keeping track of us, here is the quick and dirty run down of what's been going on:
3/13ish-Sarah's email review of the "Lullabies from the Axis of Evil" CD is read on Jumping Monkeys Episode 36. They also mention Elena's birth and she is instant internet SuperStar.
3/21-Elena's school pictures come in. We realize that we can take much better pictures and will not be purchasing any of these!! (Ask Rae and Sue, she looked a bit odd.)
3/22-Per AAA "You need a new roof."
3/23-Move completed.
3/24-Per roofer "You will get a new roof."
3/30-Elena learns to roll, back to front. She also learns she never wants to stay on her back again.
3/31-Lots of rain, basement floods, Ray triumphs over drain snake and empties the basement of water.
4/2-Elena learns to roll front to back. Not so easy as the other direction! Needs a little more practice to do it consistently.
4/3-Per roofer "Your roof will go on this weekend."
You can fill in the gaps with lots of time at work/school for everyone. Free time filled with visit from family (Elena is very popular) and time spent playing. I'll try to keep the blog up a bit better, but you know you've heard this before. Just don't abandon me completely and I'll do my best to keep updated.
Until next time...
3/13ish-Sarah's email review of the "Lullabies from the Axis of Evil" CD is read on Jumping Monkeys Episode 36. They also mention Elena's birth and she is instant internet SuperStar.
3/21-Elena's school pictures come in. We realize that we can take much better pictures and will not be purchasing any of these!! (Ask Rae and Sue, she looked a bit odd.)
3/22-Per AAA "You need a new roof."
3/23-Move completed.
3/24-Per roofer "You will get a new roof."
3/30-Elena learns to roll, back to front. She also learns she never wants to stay on her back again.
3/31-Lots of rain, basement floods, Ray triumphs over drain snake and empties the basement of water.
4/2-Elena learns to roll front to back. Not so easy as the other direction! Needs a little more practice to do it consistently.
4/3-Per roofer "Your roof will go on this weekend."
You can fill in the gaps with lots of time at work/school for everyone. Free time filled with visit from family (Elena is very popular) and time spent playing. I'll try to keep the blog up a bit better, but you know you've heard this before. Just don't abandon me completely and I'll do my best to keep updated.
Until next time...
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
This was moving weekend.
On Friday, Ray's parents and Patty were here to whip the house into shape before the move began on Saturday morning. The house doesn't even look like the one we bought. More color, less broken stuff, and MUCH cleaner.
The snow storm that hit Friday night didn't even deter us. Ray, his dad, and I did a few loads in the snow. The Hernandez family came out in force Saturday morning to move stuff from the apartment to the house. We got all but a few things out of the apartment on Saturday, which is amazing. Ray and I were able to get the last of it out on Sunday before we left for Easter festivities.
So now we unpack. I'm off through Wednesday to get everything out of boxes, onto shelves and walls, and into cupboards. I have enough done right now that we can sleep, change Elena's diapers, and I can be here surfing the net, drinking my hot chocolate. There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Our moving adventure is drawing to a close. We can begin to relax, enjoy the new house, wait for the snow to melt. And then do yard work....
On Friday, Ray's parents and Patty were here to whip the house into shape before the move began on Saturday morning. The house doesn't even look like the one we bought. More color, less broken stuff, and MUCH cleaner.
The snow storm that hit Friday night didn't even deter us. Ray, his dad, and I did a few loads in the snow. The Hernandez family came out in force Saturday morning to move stuff from the apartment to the house. We got all but a few things out of the apartment on Saturday, which is amazing. Ray and I were able to get the last of it out on Sunday before we left for Easter festivities.
So now we unpack. I'm off through Wednesday to get everything out of boxes, onto shelves and walls, and into cupboards. I have enough done right now that we can sleep, change Elena's diapers, and I can be here surfing the net, drinking my hot chocolate. There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Our moving adventure is drawing to a close. We can begin to relax, enjoy the new house, wait for the snow to melt. And then do yard work....
Thursday, February 28, 2008
I have but a moment...
It's 5:48 am on Thursday morning. All is quiet for the moment, but I hear Kiki stirring over the monitor. I have been up for an hour, am eating Crispix and taking a minute to read the news.
Our days have been hectic lately. As you may imagine, we've been busy with the house. Ray and I take turns running to do a little of this and that. We can't really take the baby over yet. She gets too bored and probably shouldn't be exposed to the paint and cleaning products (in the hectic life of a new mommy, I've given her VERY LITTLE exposure to cleaning products thus far.) Hopefully this weekend we will be able to complete most of the remaining repairs and updates necessary. (Come one, come all, who wish to lend a hand!!)
Things are really busy at work as well. Still trying to get caught up from when I was on leave. Long/early days this week and next. Ray's car has been in the shop, so Kiki and I have been dropping him off on our way to work/school. Kiki is usually first to arrive at school each morning. I can usually get the best spot in the parking lot.
Kiki is growing fast. For those that were wondering how it would pan out, her eyes are beginning to turn a dark brown, just like her dad's. She discovered her hand last week, and often looks to be acid tripping as she ponders the meaning of it all. She has also learned to scoot. Although she isn't really doing it during floor play yet, she moves around her crib like crazy. Imagine my surprise when I put her to bed with her head on one end of the bed, and got her up the next morning with her completely turned the other direction!!
There is the 6:00 alarm. There is a baby to dressed, a husband to be awakened, bags to be packed, bottles to be fed. But this was a great morning moment for me!!
Our days have been hectic lately. As you may imagine, we've been busy with the house. Ray and I take turns running to do a little of this and that. We can't really take the baby over yet. She gets too bored and probably shouldn't be exposed to the paint and cleaning products (in the hectic life of a new mommy, I've given her VERY LITTLE exposure to cleaning products thus far.) Hopefully this weekend we will be able to complete most of the remaining repairs and updates necessary. (Come one, come all, who wish to lend a hand!!)
Things are really busy at work as well. Still trying to get caught up from when I was on leave. Long/early days this week and next. Ray's car has been in the shop, so Kiki and I have been dropping him off on our way to work/school. Kiki is usually first to arrive at school each morning. I can usually get the best spot in the parking lot.
Kiki is growing fast. For those that were wondering how it would pan out, her eyes are beginning to turn a dark brown, just like her dad's. She discovered her hand last week, and often looks to be acid tripping as she ponders the meaning of it all. She has also learned to scoot. Although she isn't really doing it during floor play yet, she moves around her crib like crazy. Imagine my surprise when I put her to bed with her head on one end of the bed, and got her up the next morning with her completely turned the other direction!!
There is the 6:00 alarm. There is a baby to dressed, a husband to be awakened, bags to be packed, bottles to be fed. But this was a great morning moment for me!!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
What's New in the 'Hood?
Elena had her 2 month check-up today. Lots of pokes (boo), a new weight (11 lbs 4 oz), and a belly button check (the infection is gone, inside and out). She was a brave little girl for her Papa and only cried for a short while. Her doctor is very happy with her progress. Next appointment is in 2 months. Hopefully we won't have any illness between appointments this time (knock on wood).
We have the signing for the house on Friday morning. Renovations begin promptly Saturday morning. We have roughly 4 weekends and a few after-work hours to do everything before we have to be out of the apartment. Hopefully things will move along quickly and we start moving our stuff in mid-March; definitely by the end of March.
We have a solid date for Elena's baptism. For those of you interested, plan on April 13 at 1:00pm. I'll be sending out info regarding the location of the church and directions to our new place (cuz we gonna PARty after!)
Elena has found her smile and is working on her laugh (she sounds a bit psychotic when she tries). We are trying to get a good minute or so of smiles on video, but she clams up when the spotlight is on her.
Elena is also beginning to recognize faces. I'm putting together a project for her new room so she can start to learn faces of family members that live far away. If you have a good, clear shot of your face, send it my way. Digital pics sent via email or flikr link are best, since I can print a large size. I hear that babies especially like pictures of other babies' faces (hint, hint, M and L) Thanks in advance for all donations!!
We have the signing for the house on Friday morning. Renovations begin promptly Saturday morning. We have roughly 4 weekends and a few after-work hours to do everything before we have to be out of the apartment. Hopefully things will move along quickly and we start moving our stuff in mid-March; definitely by the end of March.
We have a solid date for Elena's baptism. For those of you interested, plan on April 13 at 1:00pm. I'll be sending out info regarding the location of the church and directions to our new place (cuz we gonna PARty after!)
Elena has found her smile and is working on her laugh (she sounds a bit psychotic when she tries). We are trying to get a good minute or so of smiles on video, but she clams up when the spotlight is on her.
Elena is also beginning to recognize faces. I'm putting together a project for her new room so she can start to learn faces of family members that live far away. If you have a good, clear shot of your face, send it my way. Digital pics sent via email or flikr link are best, since I can print a large size. I hear that babies especially like pictures of other babies' faces (hint, hint, M and L) Thanks in advance for all donations!!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Superbowl Baby
I know this is a little late, but here is a picture of Elena's first Superbowl. As you can probably tell, the picture was taken a few moments before bedtime.
Jersey courtesy of Uncle Jeff. Football courtesy of the Detroit Lions.
Jersey courtesy of Uncle Jeff. Football courtesy of the Detroit Lions.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Did I ever tell you...?
So, in the excitement of Elena's birth, I don't think I ever told the story of what REALLY happened when I went into labor.
It was a Wednesday. I came home from work early that day. There wasn't much to do at work, as all elements of my job had already transitioned to the temp that would be filling in for me. I was to the point in the pregnancy where my energy was tapped by about 3pm everyday, so I was grateful that my supervisors were flexible enough to let me go early.
I had eaten two frozen burritos for lunch when I got home, and then rested through the afternoon. After Ray got home, the evening progressed as normal. By 10pm, I was in bed. I needed plenty of sleep to recoop and get up for work in the morning.
Unfortunately, those burritos had come back to haunt me. I was having some pretty annoying lower abdominal pressure. "I really need some sleep tonight. This is just great," I thought. "I hope I can sleep this off."
By the time Ray went to bed, the pressure was no better. At midnight, I was up and walking around, trying to relieve the pressure somehow. I was a few days overdue at this point, so I figured I might as well put some of those techniques from the child birth classes to use for SOMETHING!! I walked, I massaged, I walked more. No relief; it was worse, if nothing else. By 2, I thought, "This doesn't feel the way labor is described, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'd better start timing these pains."
So I started timing. The pains came at odd intervals. 8 minutes, 6 minutes, 10 minutes. No, this wasn't labor. This was bad burritos. More walking, more massaging. God love Ray, he got up every now and again to check on me. I'd tell him there was nothing he could do to help. He'd go back to bed, only to get up a half hour later to check again.
Finally around 4am, we decided to go to the hospital. Maybe the Birth Center in town could give me something to help with the pain. So off we went to the hospital. of course we took all our "going to have a baby" stuff, but this was just bad burritos.
When we arrived at the hospital, I told the nurse that I was having gas pains and just needed an assessment. The glance that passed between nurses was not lost on Ray or I. It was a knowing glance. Here's another woman who is having "gas pains."
A nurse took me into an exam room, strapped on the monitors and within a short time told me that my contractions (contractions?! What?! No, gas pains!!!) were 4 minutes apart. How could this be? When my contractions are 10 minutes apart, I will leave for Ann Arbor. That is the plan. We planned this. This plan has been in place for months. Nope, back up, do over.
At that point everything went into fast forward for a few hours. I needed to get to Ann Arbor. Would we make it? The doctors weren't sure. If we were going to go, it would have to be with some speed. More speed that we could legally do on our own. So the ambulance came, the "going to have a baby" stuff stayed in the car, and we rushed off to Ann Arbor.
Once we got to Ann Arbor, fast forward ended, slow motion began, labor progressed SL-O-O-O-WLY, 19 hours passed, and the rest is Elena's history. As stressful as the situation was at the time, this was a really good lesson for me at a critical time. As a result of this experience, I realized very quickly that I would not be able to plan my life the way I had in the past. I realized that life with Elena would be VERY different!
It was a Wednesday. I came home from work early that day. There wasn't much to do at work, as all elements of my job had already transitioned to the temp that would be filling in for me. I was to the point in the pregnancy where my energy was tapped by about 3pm everyday, so I was grateful that my supervisors were flexible enough to let me go early.
I had eaten two frozen burritos for lunch when I got home, and then rested through the afternoon. After Ray got home, the evening progressed as normal. By 10pm, I was in bed. I needed plenty of sleep to recoop and get up for work in the morning.
Unfortunately, those burritos had come back to haunt me. I was having some pretty annoying lower abdominal pressure. "I really need some sleep tonight. This is just great," I thought. "I hope I can sleep this off."
By the time Ray went to bed, the pressure was no better. At midnight, I was up and walking around, trying to relieve the pressure somehow. I was a few days overdue at this point, so I figured I might as well put some of those techniques from the child birth classes to use for SOMETHING!! I walked, I massaged, I walked more. No relief; it was worse, if nothing else. By 2, I thought, "This doesn't feel the way labor is described, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'd better start timing these pains."
So I started timing. The pains came at odd intervals. 8 minutes, 6 minutes, 10 minutes. No, this wasn't labor. This was bad burritos. More walking, more massaging. God love Ray, he got up every now and again to check on me. I'd tell him there was nothing he could do to help. He'd go back to bed, only to get up a half hour later to check again.
Finally around 4am, we decided to go to the hospital. Maybe the Birth Center in town could give me something to help with the pain. So off we went to the hospital. of course we took all our "going to have a baby" stuff, but this was just bad burritos.
When we arrived at the hospital, I told the nurse that I was having gas pains and just needed an assessment. The glance that passed between nurses was not lost on Ray or I. It was a knowing glance. Here's another woman who is having "gas pains."
A nurse took me into an exam room, strapped on the monitors and within a short time told me that my contractions (contractions?! What?! No, gas pains!!!) were 4 minutes apart. How could this be? When my contractions are 10 minutes apart, I will leave for Ann Arbor. That is the plan. We planned this. This plan has been in place for months. Nope, back up, do over.
At that point everything went into fast forward for a few hours. I needed to get to Ann Arbor. Would we make it? The doctors weren't sure. If we were going to go, it would have to be with some speed. More speed that we could legally do on our own. So the ambulance came, the "going to have a baby" stuff stayed in the car, and we rushed off to Ann Arbor.
Once we got to Ann Arbor, fast forward ended, slow motion began, labor progressed SL-O-O-O-WLY, 19 hours passed, and the rest is Elena's history. As stressful as the situation was at the time, this was a really good lesson for me at a critical time. As a result of this experience, I realized very quickly that I would not be able to plan my life the way I had in the past. I realized that life with Elena would be VERY different!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Her Smile Isn't the Only Thing Infectious...
I am happy to report that Elena is over her stomach flu bug. I am also happy to report that the same bug is done being passed around the house. That's right, we all got it.
By Thursday night, it was obvious that I was coming down with the flu. My dear baby was very considerate and slept through most of the night, so I was not up and down with her through my nighttime shift, and was able to get a little sleep.
By noon on Friday, Ray was clearly the next victim. Luckily, we had already made arrangements to visit his parents in Troy for the weekend, and they welcomed us with open arms, despite our germs.
Ray's dad did baby duty all Friday and Saturday night, giving Ray and I two solid nights of sleep, something we have not had since Elena was born. It was heaven!!
Unfortunately, the germs didn't stop their momentum. By Sunday morning, Ray's mom had the bug. This is a tenacious illness, but we are all feeling better now!!
On a lighter note, unless some other crazy thing happens in the interim, we will be homeowners by the end of February. We won the auction for the house we wanted. Yay!!!
By Thursday night, it was obvious that I was coming down with the flu. My dear baby was very considerate and slept through most of the night, so I was not up and down with her through my nighttime shift, and was able to get a little sleep.
By noon on Friday, Ray was clearly the next victim. Luckily, we had already made arrangements to visit his parents in Troy for the weekend, and they welcomed us with open arms, despite our germs.
Ray's dad did baby duty all Friday and Saturday night, giving Ray and I two solid nights of sleep, something we have not had since Elena was born. It was heaven!!
Unfortunately, the germs didn't stop their momentum. By Sunday morning, Ray's mom had the bug. This is a tenacious illness, but we are all feeling better now!!
On a lighter note, unless some other crazy thing happens in the interim, we will be homeowners by the end of February. We won the auction for the house we wanted. Yay!!!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
She's In The System
Elena has been initiated. She has joined the ranks of children across the nation who are bound by an unfortunate circumstance. She caught the flu at daycare.
Yes, it's true. I got a call just before 5:00 today to say that she had thrown up. By the time I got to the facility to get her, she had thrown up again (on a teacher.) She threw up a few more times at home and is now sleeping in her chair. She has been banished from daycare until she had a doctors note.
Poor, Kiki. Hang in there baby!!
Yes, it's true. I got a call just before 5:00 today to say that she had thrown up. By the time I got to the facility to get her, she had thrown up again (on a teacher.) She threw up a few more times at home and is now sleeping in her chair. She has been banished from daycare until she had a doctors note.
Poor, Kiki. Hang in there baby!!
So, whatever happened with......
First Day Back At Work/Daycare
My first day back at work was great. There is a ton of stuff to do and it is awesome being back with my work friends.
Elena's first day of daycare went very well. She got a very good report card (curios all day and only fussy when she was hungry or sleepy). I think she had fun and she slept almost straight through the night (to bed at 7:30, up at 2 and 5 for a bottle, and as of this moment, not yet up for the day.)
It wasn't too hard to leave her. Probably partly because the 2 weeks in the hospital trained me up for this, and also because she is so close to work. But by the end of the day, I was certainly looking forward to picking her up.
The House
A continuing saga. Long story short, the bank that owns the house and their agent were not communicating very well. The agent took our offer to the bank, the bank said they had just put the house up for auction. So, we are doing an inspection today, and if all goes well, we will be bidding in the auction for the house. We won't know the outcome until the end of the weekend. I think I jinxed the situation by picking paint colors!!
My first day back at work was great. There is a ton of stuff to do and it is awesome being back with my work friends.
Elena's first day of daycare went very well. She got a very good report card (curios all day and only fussy when she was hungry or sleepy). I think she had fun and she slept almost straight through the night (to bed at 7:30, up at 2 and 5 for a bottle, and as of this moment, not yet up for the day.)
It wasn't too hard to leave her. Probably partly because the 2 weeks in the hospital trained me up for this, and also because she is so close to work. But by the end of the day, I was certainly looking forward to picking her up.
The House
A continuing saga. Long story short, the bank that owns the house and their agent were not communicating very well. The agent took our offer to the bank, the bank said they had just put the house up for auction. So, we are doing an inspection today, and if all goes well, we will be bidding in the auction for the house. We won't know the outcome until the end of the weekend. I think I jinxed the situation by picking paint colors!!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
What was I thinking?
It's simply a bad equation:
Impatient Sarah + Making an offer on a house on Friday + Holiday weekend = Horrible anticipation!!!
Impatient Sarah + Making an offer on a house on Friday + Holiday weekend = Horrible anticipation!!!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Hi Ho, Hi Ho....
...it's off to work we go.
On Tuesday, I return to work (Monday is a holiday.) Elena will be going to daycare. I am excited to go back to work, being that I enjoy my job.
I also look forward to (hopefully) getting Elena into a schedule. I'm thinking that the teachers at the daycare will be a bit more successful in keeping Elena occupied and engaged during the day. I'm afraid that my library of things to do with her during the day is quite limited, so I think that she was bored much of the time, leading to sleep filled days and sleepless nights.
I am interested to see how I will react to leaving Elena at daycare for the first time. I don't think that I will be upset, especially since she will be so close. It's really not like me to get emotional in that type of situation. But time will tell. This IS a totally new situation. Either way, I WILL miss my baby all day long!!
On Tuesday, I return to work (Monday is a holiday.) Elena will be going to daycare. I am excited to go back to work, being that I enjoy my job.
I also look forward to (hopefully) getting Elena into a schedule. I'm thinking that the teachers at the daycare will be a bit more successful in keeping Elena occupied and engaged during the day. I'm afraid that my library of things to do with her during the day is quite limited, so I think that she was bored much of the time, leading to sleep filled days and sleepless nights.
I am interested to see how I will react to leaving Elena at daycare for the first time. I don't think that I will be upset, especially since she will be so close. It's really not like me to get emotional in that type of situation. But time will tell. This IS a totally new situation. Either way, I WILL miss my baby all day long!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Fingers Crossed
We put an offer in on a house in East Lansing today. Send us good thoughts that it gets accepted!!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Music Picks from the Cradle
Anyone who knows us knows that Elena will be a tech savvy baby. As such, she already has an MP3 playlist for the iPod. This playlist includes several lullaby compilations, as well some silly songs (thanks Garrison Keillor!!)
By far the favorite so far (and Kiki's music pick from the cradle) is the album "Lullabies from the Axis of Evil." She received this as a gift and it has been played MANY times already.
In 2002, President Bush coined the term "Axis of Evil," identifying specific countries as the enemy in the fight on terrorism. Acts such as these do much harm to divide the peoples of the world, to set us all apart as fundamentally different. The producer of this album identified one thing that makes us fundamentally the same the world over. The lullaby. So simple, and used around the globe to soothe and comfort.
This album is a collection of traditional lullabies from artists in these "Axis" countries with translations from a variety of Western artists. The songs are beautiful performed and exquisitely arranged. There are some that are great for a bit of calming dancing, and others that are perfect to listen to as you fall asleep.
This is by no means only an album for babies. Elena and I would recommend it for anyone. Some of our favorite tracks are Lalolalo-Don't Worry My Child (Kulsoom Syed Ghulam & Lila Downs), Stars Are Rising (Sun Ju Lee & Eddi Reader), and Garibe-Watch Over Me (Halla Bassam & Ricki Lee Jones).
(E and J-If you want to borrow, just let me know.)
By far the favorite so far (and Kiki's music pick from the cradle) is the album "Lullabies from the Axis of Evil." She received this as a gift and it has been played MANY times already.
In 2002, President Bush coined the term "Axis of Evil," identifying specific countries as the enemy in the fight on terrorism. Acts such as these do much harm to divide the peoples of the world, to set us all apart as fundamentally different. The producer of this album identified one thing that makes us fundamentally the same the world over. The lullaby. So simple, and used around the globe to soothe and comfort.
This album is a collection of traditional lullabies from artists in these "Axis" countries with translations from a variety of Western artists. The songs are beautiful performed and exquisitely arranged. There are some that are great for a bit of calming dancing, and others that are perfect to listen to as you fall asleep.
This is by no means only an album for babies. Elena and I would recommend it for anyone. Some of our favorite tracks are Lalolalo-Don't Worry My Child (Kulsoom Syed Ghulam & Lila Downs), Stars Are Rising (Sun Ju Lee & Eddi Reader), and Garibe-Watch Over Me (Halla Bassam & Ricki Lee Jones).
(E and J-If you want to borrow, just let me know.)
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Last Trip to Ann Arbor
Yesterday Elena officially had her last appointment in Ann Arbor. Her 1 month surgical follow-up was performed and it was deemed that all future checkups will be conducted with the pediatrician at home. We basically just need to monitor her weight, to see that she continues gaining. She no longer has to take Zantac and she had her first "real" bath today (not a huge hit with the baby).
The trip itself was a challenge. The peds surgery office was a bit backed up, so our 2:40 appointment really began around 4:45. Luckily, we brought a few bottles with us. One we used during our time in the waiting room. The second we used in an emergency pit stop at Aunt Carol's house.
We thought we were going to make it home before feeding Elena, but she had other ideas. She began crying almost as soon as we got on the expressway. Thankfully, Carol lives in Brighton, so we made a quick stop to mix some formula and to feed Elena. We visited with Carol and played with Everett a bit, and then continued on our way.
Very exciting not to have to go back to Ann Arbor and to know that Elena does not have any further restrictions or medications. Good job, my quick healing baby!!
The trip itself was a challenge. The peds surgery office was a bit backed up, so our 2:40 appointment really began around 4:45. Luckily, we brought a few bottles with us. One we used during our time in the waiting room. The second we used in an emergency pit stop at Aunt Carol's house.
We thought we were going to make it home before feeding Elena, but she had other ideas. She began crying almost as soon as we got on the expressway. Thankfully, Carol lives in Brighton, so we made a quick stop to mix some formula and to feed Elena. We visited with Carol and played with Everett a bit, and then continued on our way.
Very exciting not to have to go back to Ann Arbor and to know that Elena does not have any further restrictions or medications. Good job, my quick healing baby!!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
4 Weeks Already!?
As of Friday, Elena is 4 weeks old. She has had a very busy first 4 weeks of life. 2 weeks in the hospital. Christmas with both sides of the family. Ringing in a new year. And sadly, her first cold (RSV without the bronchiolitis).
With so much going on, it has been a bit difficult for her to settle into a schedule. But slowly, as she begins to get over her cold and all the holiday activities draw to an end, we begin to get acclimated to our life together.
Ray is back at work, so Elena and I currently spend our days together. Last week, Aunts Suz and Rae came over two days to help mom and get to know Elena a bit better. It was much appreciated and they really worked their magic with her. She will sleep in her bouncer or even her crib occasionally now!!
Monday brings a visit to Ann Arbor to check in with the surgeon. Hopefully our last trip! I will return to work on January 22nd, so the schedule this Tuesday will include a visit to daycare, just to check things out one last time. Friday will hopefully include a visit from Grandma R.
As things continue to settle down, I'll keep you all updated. Sorry it was so long between posts this time, but I've been busy, as you can imagine!!!
With so much going on, it has been a bit difficult for her to settle into a schedule. But slowly, as she begins to get over her cold and all the holiday activities draw to an end, we begin to get acclimated to our life together.
Ray is back at work, so Elena and I currently spend our days together. Last week, Aunts Suz and Rae came over two days to help mom and get to know Elena a bit better. It was much appreciated and they really worked their magic with her. She will sleep in her bouncer or even her crib occasionally now!!
Monday brings a visit to Ann Arbor to check in with the surgeon. Hopefully our last trip! I will return to work on January 22nd, so the schedule this Tuesday will include a visit to daycare, just to check things out one last time. Friday will hopefully include a visit from Grandma R.
As things continue to settle down, I'll keep you all updated. Sorry it was so long between posts this time, but I've been busy, as you can imagine!!!
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