Waltzing with Widgets

Holiday Season

2011-12-31T23:04:00.000-08:00

Both kids have been enjoying the holidays and family visits, and we are happy to see they are starting to play with each other now (though RR still spends plenty of time with her toy trains, as well.) Without any profound summing-up coming to mind, here in the last hour of 2011, I'll just report a few vignettes from RR.

When admiring some fall colors: "I like both seasons: Fall and Christmas!"

One of the kids' presents was a songbook. I realized my rendition of "Clementine" was more effective than expected, when I saw RR was in tears after a few verses. She said several times "I'm so sad! Why 'lost and gone forever'?" She wasn't satisfied with "it's just a story" and T eventually offered that Clementine later resurfaces and lives with the narrator happily ever after (and with some additional comments about swimming lessons.) This version was accepted I think with some suspicion.

We have a large rug in the living room which mysteriously, and incessantly, gets pulled sideways and forms wrinkles. Due to its size, and number of toy bins sitting around the edges, straightening the rug is a several step process. RR surveyed my efforts with a critical eye. "What do you think, is it flat?" I asked while lifting one corner of the sofa and tugging at the rug, expecting approval. "No, there is another bump over there!" she replied, pointing at the opposite corner. This was repeated several more times as I realized I was not going to get away with any half-hearted rug-straightening jobs. Finally I pulled a minor wrinkle flat and asked once more. RR surveyed the floor and pronounced her judgment. "It is a splendid rug, daddy."

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, and we wish you a Splendid New Year!

Baby K: first steps

2011-11-20T23:09:00.001-08:00

The big news here is that Baby K is graduating into Toddler K! She started making her first, very small steps this weekend. She isn't yet 1, so I think she is earlier than her sister. RR was excited to see the first steps too.

They grow up fast these days

2011-10-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

I recently succumbed to the inevitable, and got a smartphone. This did not escape RR's eagle eyes, who of course wanted to play with the widget. I was curious to see what she would do, so I handed it over (remember, this girl is 3 years old). I don't know if this was by chance or on purpose, but within twenty seconds or so, she had (1) unlocked the phone, (2) opened the web browser, (3) searched for popular images, and pulled one up on the screen: "Daddy, is this you?" she asked, showing me the picture. (Note, this photo bears very little resemblance to me).

"Er, no sweetie, that isn't me. I think that is some actor."
She swiped her finger across the screen and studied a few more photos. She found another one to try and turned the phone to me again. "Daddy, is this you? (Note: this photo bears NO resemblance to me!) "Um, no that photo is not me. Maybe we should look at something else..."

"I don't know, I think he looks kind of... cute." said little RR. (I'm still not sure if this whole thing was some sort of setup on her part, or not.)

Another morning at breakfast, we had this conversation:

RR: Daddy, when you were a little girl, did you go to school?
Me: Yes, when I was a little boy I went to school just like you.
RR: (sigh) I said, when you were a little *girl*, daddy. I was making a *joke*.

Sliding through Summer

2011-08-01T21:17:00.001-07:00

I don't know how it can be August yet, what happened to Summer? We've been busy with the daily routines, and time has been slipping by- as a lack of blog posts may witness. Baby K has been busy growing, and her smile now includes two front teeth. She seems happiest when bouncing up and down. She's not quite crawling yet, but can sometimes sort of wriggle backwards. She is definitely more alert and aware of things than just a month ago and she avidly watches her big sister's every move.

Big sister RR still enjoys watching trains (both real, and the cartoony Thomas the Tank Engine), and playing with an unending stream of stuffed animals which somehow keep showing up- the chicken, for example, was a loan wheedled out of a teacher at her daycare.

Memorable moment: RR edges over to my chair at the table, saying, "Daddy I can have a bite of your sandwich? Nibble nibble?"

And even more endearing- "Daddy can you show me how to cha-cha-cha?" (Which we've tried, as she stands on my feet, but I think she mostly enjoys me just moving her around, and hasn't yet paid attention to rhythm or steps.)

Spending Money

2011-05-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

On the occasion of RR's recent birthday, she got a card from her great-grandma with a nice note, and some money. We had not made specific plans, but it happened that RR was due for a haircut, and she announced that she now had money and would like to pay herself! We parents were quite impressed, and this also seemed quite a switch given she had been reluctant on the whole idea of the haircut (despite needing to push the hair out of her eyes every other minute). T pointed out the bright side, that she might get a balloon after the haircut- we feel that's a better choice than the lollipops they also have.

RR proudly tucked the bill into her purse, along with a few of her most important toys, and we set off for the haircut place. She sat patiently in the waiting area, and braved the actual haircut without too many fidgets. Afterwards I held her up to the counter, and she solemnly produced the money from her purse and said "I would like to buy a balloon!"

Three Years Old

2011-05-02T22:48:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe that little RR is now Three Years Old! She had cupcakes at Preschool 1 on her birthday, and a small party with presents at home that evening, and then another party yesterday afternoon with several relatives over and more presents and a proper birthday cake. Of course, the first thing she said upon awakening today was "I want another party!"

She has been showing signs she's no longer a baby all along, of course. One of those is that she is picky about what clothing she wears, often preferring dresses, and wants several laid out for her choice and approval. She is showing an interest in puzzles, now assembling her 24-piece Thomas the Tank Engine puzzle in record time, and is becoming more helpful carrying and putting away groceries. She recently had her 3-year checkup at the doctor's office and the procedure was different- they took her blood pressure this time, checked her vision, and gave her a hospital gown to wear as she waited for the doctor to arrive. Gray and red, open in the back. She looked down at it and said, "Mommy, this dress is terrible!"

The Evening Hours

2011-04-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

Both RR and Baby K have been showing some reluctance to go down for the night recently, requiring quite a bit more time in the transition to sleep. I was holding baby K while contemplating this task, and a perhaps a bit annoyed when T urged me outside to see something last night, but this turned out to be a quite worthwhile view of a dramatic misty moon rising through the trees.

I know you can never really capture these moments, but you have to try, so I hurried inside to get some things. So it happened, that I was squinting through the viewfinder while T explained to the quizzical neighbors bringing out their trash bins, that I was really just taking a picture of the moon while standing there in my socks with my camera and tripod and Lens Of Unusual Size, and not really trying to see into their windows. "Oh no, it's ok", they said, "you can take a picture of our house any time..."

A New House

2011-02-24T22:49:00.001-08:00

Not-so-little-anymore RR has found a new way to enjoy the sofa. She takes all the cushions off, sometimes stacking them carefully to the side to form walls and a door, and calls it her house. As you see, it's good for bouncing in.

The Ravel'd Sleave of Care

2010-12-21T22:28:00.000-08:00

We should not complain too much, actually, as Baby K will often sleep for 3 to 4 hours at a time. In the early weeks RR was more often 2-3 hours and that makes for a *large* difference in parental comfort, not to mention sanity.

Little RR is enjoying nightly readings of "The Night Before Christmas" and pouring through the illustrations. She pays special attention to the cats. "The cat is surprised!" she notes, pointing to the kitty on alert by the hearth as St. Nicholas bounds down the chimney. I think I would be pretty surprised too.

A New Addition

2010-12-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

We welcomed Baby K to the family on Nov. 30th. Everyone is doing well (mmm, or as well as can be expected under limited-sleep circumstances.) She has been keeping us entertained with her coy smiles and gurgles, and reminders that her last meal was so five minutes ago, already. But in fact she seems to sleep more and spit up less than her sister did, if my foggy memory serves, and that is much welcomed.

We are now figuring out how this whole "kid" -> "kids" transition works. Little RR has been very considerate of her baby sister, but her parents are sometimes confusing the names, now that there are two little ones where before there was only one! Though by comparison, RR seems practically an adult since she walks and talks and is over four times Baby K's weight.

Meanwhile RR has been showing signs of really learning how to use the bathroom, at least during the day, which is certainly an encouraging development.

A Widget Repurposed

2010-11-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last post, and we've been busy... among other things, a family visit including RR's first trip to the seashore. She enjoyed the large sandbox and the ocean which is "Really wet. Really, really wet".

But now we're back home and it's bedtime, and she's wanting to fall asleep with T these days. However T being 8 months along, needs help lifting her over the crib rail. It's counterproductive to call out to me in the other room while holding a just-asleep child, even quietly via baby monitor. So I searched my gear bag and gave her a small push-button remote to summon assistance...

Some time later, sitting at my laptop, I heard a sharp ker-clack! nearby. Time to go, and a brand new use for my radio remote camera trigger.

Stepping Up

2010-09-20T22:44:00.001-07:00

We put a step stool in front of the bathroom sink to make it easier for RR to reach the faucet. She usually enjoys playing with the water more than washing her hands, but that's a different story. She recently discovered that this stool is portable and can be readily moved about the house. It can serve as a soap box for orchestra conducting exercises in the living room, but she has found it can also bring light switches and many other things previously out of reach, in-reach. Gulp!

Going, going, gone.

Cooking Dinner

2010-09-07T23:23:00.000-07:00

I chopped up and steamed some broccoli in the kitchen one recent afternoon. RR was playing with some shoes in the living room as I took a bag of scraps out to the trash, but apparently she was keeping a close eye on me as well. At dinner later that day, she looked at her plate and said, "pasta... broccoli!" She paused, and added, "Daddy take broccoli for a walk!"

Nursery Rhymes

2010-08-22T23:25:00.000-07:00

RR has been repeating more rhymes she has learned either from us or at preschool. However, sometimes she comes up with her own take on it. We laughed at this one which she repeated recently:

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it and pat it and mark it with a "B"
...and give it to me!

(none of that time-consuming baking stuff)

Growing Up

2010-07-12T22:19:00.001-07:00

Little RR spent a few hours this morning in the "Preschool 1" room, as she starts her transition out of "Toddlers". By all accounts she wasn't too thrilled at this development; however equanimity was restored by the afternoon.

I worked a little later than usual this evening before calling home, and this did not go un-noticed. At home, RR sat down and pointed at the sofa beside her. "Daddy sit right here!" "Talk Daddy!" T dialed for her, and she repeated the demand to me over the phone. Clearly, it was high time to go home.

I had been catching up at work, since I started the morning sitting in on T's ultrasound. The doctor says everything looks good, and in early December RR can expect to greet her baby sister. Yay! We've been talking in general terms about it with her, but I don't think she has entirely grasped the concept.

4th of July

2010-07-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

We took a long road trip (some 355 miles) on July 3 to visit relatives. Little RR managed pretty well during the trip, helped by having D.G. at her elbow the whole way. A few more relatives dropped by on July 4th, and RR greatly enjoyed playing with T's cousin G, see photo at right. Generally speaking it seems she likes bouncing around, either by herself or with some help! I think she'll do quite well at gymnastics, if she keeps up this kind of activity.

This week one of T's co-workers gave us a pair of "duck glasses" with rims in the shape of ducks. This was an immediate hit and RR wanted to wear them all day, either on her face or up in her hair. She enjoys putting them on T as well. She is becoming more particular about her clothing, and helped pick out the last pair of shoes, showing them off proudly at daycare.

Next week she will start transitioning from the "Toddler" room into "Preschool 1" (sounds very advanced for a 2 year old!) and they asked us for a family photo. At first all of my photos of RR were pretty much candid shots. Some months ago, the teachers at her daycare taught her to say "cheese", so I started to get a lot of rather odd-looking smiles in photos. Recently she has managed some better smiles, and appears to actually enjoy the process. "Again, Daddy!" she said after I took a shot today. "Again! ...Again!" I don't know how long this camera enthusiasm will last, but it is certainly welcome as long as it does.

Private Investigations

2010-05-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Little RR is two years old! She is more actively exploring in all directions- she has recently discovered flashlights, and enjoys looking under the sofa, and across the floor, and just waving it around a lot. One discovery has taken awhile: for the past two years, she's been sleeping in a "sleep sack" (real sheets being more dangerous for toddlers, we're told). On morning recently, she woke up patting the outside of the sleep sack with a worried expression and said "No pockets! Oh no!"

She is learning more songs, and the alphabet, and days of the week, although sometimes they get mixed up a bit.

RR: A, B, C, D...
Mommy: That's very good! What comes next?
RR: Tuesday!

Conversation Piece

2010-03-04T22:28:00.000-08:00

When I dropped my cell phone a few weeks ago, it fell apart permanently. I got a very basic replacement phone, which does little more than make calls, but the screen lights up when you press a key and it is clearly an important toy that needs frequent attention. Little RR understands such things. She calls my phone the "Daddy widget".

Tonight while trying to put her to sleep, I was pleased to see how she has started to move from single words into a little conversation of sorts.

RR: Daddy. Daddy. Daddy.
Me: Sweetie!
RR: Daddy widget.
Me: I'm sorry sweetie, I don't have it right now.
RR: (sadly) No widget.
Me: You can play with it tomorrow, ok?
RR: Oh, no! (...sigh) (...eventually, goes to sleep)

A Bit of Rain

2010-01-27T23:06:00.001-08:00

It's been a bit rainy here this past month, but little RR enjoys wearing her raincoat and boots. Actually she enjoys boots and shoes of all kinds, and finding them, and picking them up, and carrying them singly or in pairs from place to place. Lest this seem disorganized, she does her best to help out in the mornings, rushing to my nightstand and handing me the contents: Daddy wallet! Daddy semsum (cell phone)! Daddy glasses! -and sometimes, if she finds them: Daddy shoes! She has been careful to note all these items as present and accounted for when I come home from work, also.

Her numbers have now moved beyond two. I pointed out two buttons on my shirt and she said "three", prompting me to realize that shirt indeed had a third button under the collar, which I'd forgotten. However, as she looked at a book she counted the boxes on the page "One, Two... Something... Ten, Eleven.. Eight, Seven... "

Holidays 2009

2009-12-31T23:52:00.000-08:00

We had a sparsely decorated but quite satisfactory Christmas this year, with little RR getting all the presents her attention span could handle. We enjoyed dinner at Aunt K's with Grandma E, where RR had a game of hide-and-seek with Aunt K. We also enjoyed brunch the next day at Aunt I's.

These past few weeks RR has been using several two-word phrases, including big box, Mommy's chair, DG's phone, and wet diaper (!)

Best wishes to all for a wonderful New Year.

Hanging In There

2009-12-17T21:41:00.000-08:00

Nina has been in daycare approaching two months now, and the last sentence of my previous blog post has proven all too true. Little RR's most recent cold has affected her disposition in addition to her sinuses, so we're hoping even more for a quick recovery. In between colds, we are doing well. The photo shows the breakfast table scene on a recent very chilly morning.

And Now, A Few Words From Our Little Girl...

2009-10-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

Little RR isn't always very vocal, but she seems (relatively) talkative just after waking up, and around dinnertime. So, I thought it would be fun to make a little compilation of her words. These were extracted from a recording about 8 minutes long during dinner. Admittedly, some of her "words" do require some interpretation.

In other news, she came back from her 18-month checkup with a clean bill of health, which we hope continues! She's just starting in daycare now, which everyone tells us will be the end of our good luck so far with colds and the like.

Yes, We Have No Negativity...

2009-10-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

I guess it was inevitable. Just a few days after my last post, little RR got into a kitchen cabinet which I had neglected to secure and T, alarmed, said "NO! No! the cabinet stays shut..." which apparently made an impression.

The next day, T heard a commotion behind her, and turned around to find that RR had opened another cabinet and was sternly admonishing the apparently naughty saucepans, shouting at the shelf "No! No! No! ...."

I hasten to add, though, that most of the time she is not at all negative and continues to give us many wonderful smiles! Below she is peering around a tree by the local library.

More Words!

2009-09-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

Little RR has been steadily increasing her vocabulary, and it is exciting to frequently hear her try out new words. Some she will only repeat if we say them first, but the below list that T. has been keeping are words she has said spontaneously. A glimpse of the intersection of what we say to her, what captures her attention, and what sounds she can make:

First Words: Dada, Momma, Done, Baa (for sheep), bah(balloon), ba(ball), buh(button), boh(bottle), wa-wa(water), doh(dog), duh(duck), ??-?? (a version of her name)
Later: Off, Down, Up, On, Burp, Bath, Wash, Nose, Toes, More, Mouth, Bounce, Hi, Bye
8/1/09: Grass, Watch (noun), Watch (verb), Woof, Pants
By 8/17/09: arms, high, train, purse, yes, one, tree, blinds, bonk, truck, bus, dog, ball, duck, bump, dirt, ground, home, around, (to)morrow, vroom-vroom
8/20/09: pig, cow, milk
By 8/27/09: hair, dance, rock, music, uh-oh, noise, neh(no), bird, whoa
early 9/09: walk, D.G.(doting grandmother), yeah, boo(boo-boo), block, hippo, dress(as verb), rock (as verb)
9/2/09: bunt(button)
9/4/09: wind(window)
9/9/09: bread
9/11/09: app(apple), 'gin(again), yuck(yogurt), bits(broccoli), moon
9/19/09: girl
Recently by 9/24/09: ch(cheerios), juice, suns(sunscreen), sin(fan), sun(phone), book, dolly, moo, steps, winnie, kiss, snuh(snail), dass(glasses)
9/24/09: ring, broccog-e (broccoli), big, me
9/25/09: sing
---
I thought it interesting that she almost never says "no" (neh), although I know many kids say that a lot. She can say it, but usually just when she is reading a specific book ("No no, you say, that isn't right/ The pigs say 'oink' all day and night"). She does say "done" to mean many things, though. The "f/ph" sound isn't really working yet, so phone sounds more like"sun".

A Funny Letter

2009-09-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

If I may be permitted my very first non-baby-related blog post (as far as I can remember)... I got a funny letter in the mail today.

To appreciate the joke I should mention that I gave blood at a Red Cross drive last month. It hadn't been on my agenda but a co-worker suggested we stop in at the drive next door during our lunch break, so I went along. I contributed my unit of blood, and I also fainted, was revived, threw up, spent the rest of the day lying flat on a couch at work, and that evening had the wife, child and mother-in-law spend two hours on the road to come up and retrieve me & car and drive my unhappy self back home gritting my teeth whereupon I lurched out and redecorated the driveway. I was woozy all the next day, but was more-or-less recovered and back at work the second day. I was later told the person whose afternoon meeting I cancelled thought I was probably just lazy.

At any rate, the cheery letter today from the Red Cross said,

"...You really have done something amazing. And now you can do something even more remarkable. Come back, and give blood again. [...] Has anything else you've done lately made you feel this good?"

Ha ha. Fortunately, no.

Less Baby, more Little Girl

2009-08-16T23:40:00.000-07:00

I don't suppose there is any one moment when you leave "baby" behind and really start growing up, but looking at RR now, it certainly seems she is well on her way. I don't know if it's the dress that is no longer too big for her, a different pair of shoes, the more confident walk and posture, or her increasingly engaging expressions. She is more frequently repeating words she hears us say, although not all of them have reached her permanent vocabulary yet.

When she pulled a small (empty) camera bag off a cabinet and started playing with it, I said "Oooh... please put that back." To my surprise, she immediately picked it up and put it back on the shelf. I suppose my tone of voice was as clear as any specific words, but I was encouraged that she not only understood my meaning but actually followed through on my request as well.

The Dinner Tower

2009-07-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Lately, RR has been distracted while eating. She tends to reach for random remote objects and becomes more difficult to feed, but a few toys on the dinner tray have placated her. Just this evening, we were excited to see her build up her very own tower with the available toys! Previously, she has confined her tower activities to knocking over what we had stacked up for her. I am sure she has a great future in architecture or engineering.

Have Hat, Will Travel

2009-07-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

Ever vigilant against the possibility of sunburn, we bring a hat for little RR whenever we go out with her, and we usually put it on her head before opening the door. She has quickly picked up on this cue, so now if she finds a hat (of any size) she seizes upon it eagerly and marches towards the door. In a pinch, some non-hat items have also been pressed into service this way.

When we visited her Ohio grandparents last week, she got hold of one of my mother's hats and made a beeline for the door. She was clearly anticipating further exciting outdoor adventures, though the poignant gaze over her shoulder suggested a worry the door might never open.

She's Walking!

2009-06-13T23:43:00.001-07:00

Little RR had taken a few steps on her own back around her first birthday, but not much after that. However starting on May 31 she began walking practice in earnest. Within days she went from five steps in a row to twenty-five before plopping down on the ground, and after a week she has really gotten the hang of it.

All Done!

2009-05-20T23:09:00.000-07:00

The AAP recommends that children under 2 should watch no TV at all. However, bad parents that we are, we turned on the insidious box as a distraction while T attempted to trim a fingernail.

Since this was our own home video of playing in the park, it was hopefully not too harmful. Little RR watched with rapt attention, and the fingernail was successfully trimmed. The video came to an end, whereupon RR immediately said "All done!"

Now, this has been her favorite phrase around meal times, but sometimes it's not clear if she really is full, or she just likes saying the words. The issue is confused further by the fact that there may not be much room in the tummy for more potatoes or vegetable beef pilaf, but there is always more room for Oo-oo-os.* (*small, round, comes in a yellow box, registered trademark of General Mills)

At this point it must be mentioned that T, looking over my shoulder, protests that RR is clear on the meaning of the phrase. For example she says "all done" when reaching the end of a bottle. But be that as it may, she has recognized and announced the end of a video as well, and in fact, she also seemed unhappy that the video had concluded, and clearly wanted to see more. Is she falling into the clutches of the TV already? Wondering about this, I started another of our home videos, this one showing her crawling around the living room and playing with a few toys.

She watched the screen attentively, not being distracted by daddy playing nearby with his camera, but she did not seem as enthralled with this one. Not as much exciting movement as the swings at the park, I suppose.

There wasn't much of real interest until the very end of the video. At the end we see that exciting moment where the star of the show suddenly manages to grab that special black toy with so many buttons on one side, the one that the grown ups seem to think is important, and is usually kept out of reach on top of the TV. That moment was of course the high point of the show.

"All done!" she said cheerfully.

The First Birthday

2009-05-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

Our little RR turned one year old on April 27, 2009. Counted by the minutes before she falls asleep, the time drags, but from a longer view the time really has flown by. We had a small party on Saturday 5/2 attended by Great Aunt K, Great Aunt I, the Doting Grandmother, and the Proud but Still A Bit Tired Parents. To commemorate her first year, she stood up on her own for the very first time this week, and even took a few tiny steps.

At her 12-month checkup, her pediatrician confirmed that RR is a big girl- at 31 3/4" she is the height of an average 18 month-old, and about 99th percentile for 12 months. In fact the Dr. got confused and started going through the 18-month material, before being reminded she's only 1 year old. It turns out that height before age 2 does not correlate to adult height, but evidently she has been eating well.

On her strolls around the neighborhood, RR uses one of her few words "Doh!" with great excitement whenever she notices a dog. However, this term applies to a select cross-section of animals, including large dogs, some cats, and even a squirrel, but not necessarily small dogs. In new food developments, she can pick up cheerios one by one from a tray to eat, but the process has about a 15% loss rate. I had not appreciated before how well cheerios can roll, but our kitchen cleanups discover them hiding in every corner.

A New Word

2009-03-31T23:34:00.000-07:00

Our little Redowa Rose is really growing up! She has already been saying "dada" and "mama" for some time, although that includes some interpretation on our part. To be more complete, she usually says "da-da-da-da... da..." or variations on that theme. But just this week while watching a dog outside, she has said "do-guh" pretty distinctly, so that's an exciting development.

In other news, after pushing herself up on a small, knee-high toy box she actually stood up without support for a moment, before sitting down. More progress!

In the photo she's wearing a shirt from the D.G. (doting grandmother) featuring her namesake flower.

March Updates

2009-03-15T20:44:00.001-07:00

We put up the baby fence in the living room in part to protect the electronics from curious little fingers, and that worked for awhile. Little RR is now standing up by the TV and "cruising" sideways along the railing to the stereo, which she turns on and selects tape, CD or radio, often listening to NPR. After playing elsewhere for a bit, she comes back and turns it off again. Her musical taste also extends to various toys that play tunes, ranging from Beethoven's 5th to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She has become very adept at pushing buttons to play her tunes, and tonight was regularly getting two toys to play the same tune concurrently.

Having seen us use the computer she is anxious to join in the fun, and she has taught us several things about the laptop that we didn't know. In just seconds she called up "This Computer is Locked- Please Login" which I'd never seen on this system, causing some consternation (fortunately, a simple return instead of a password turned out to work.) The next time, while we were viewing some of her baby photos, a few brisk keystrokes popped up a form to report the web page as an online scam. On another page, she found a feature that reads it out loud in a synthesized voice. The computer is certainly more interesting with her around.

Just last month she would pick up a book and attempt to open it from the top, bottom or spine edge, but now she usually holds books right-side-up and is better able to turn the board-type pages. She can scoot across the floor quickly on her hands and knees, but curiously pays no attention to toys or books in her way. Items caught in the undercarriage are dragged some distance in her haste to get from here to there. She is getting a little heavier to pick up now; this evening after her bath, the scale reported 10.05 kg.

Nine Months

2009-02-15T23:37:00.000-08:00

RR got a clean bill of health on her 9-month checkup, at which time she was the height and weight of the median 12-month old (!) In related news, she has already outgrown some 12-month outfits and we have been buying more baby clothes. So far she wears them contentedly, however mismatched or over-the-top pink they may be.

She is making rapid progress in the world of widgets. After watching us at the computer she wants to join in, and so far seems to understand using the scroll wheel on the mouse to move through pages on the screen. Her random mouse-clicks have uncovered several menus on the computer which I had not seen before. Phone calls within reach are often subject to surprise touch-tone bleeps and sudden hangups.

Although she won't speak into the phone yet, RR is working hard on "ma-ma" and "da-da" and a few other similar sounds. "Da-da" seems to be a happy identification, but so far "ma-ma" seems as much a general distress signal as a reference to a specific person.

She now frequently stands up by herself, using some nearby object for balance. This is often a low table, but she has managed to stand using a nearby parental leg and even just a smooth wall. Attempts to stand using a small toy or round ball have not yet succeeded. Just today she made a small side-step while standing in her crib, so "cruising" along parallel to a support is no doubt just around the corner.

Before I became a parent my exposure to babies was brief and infrequent, and I somehow had the idea that they were mostly passive items that sat quietly in their parents' arms. In practice I have found that is almost never the case, as RR is always going somewhere, but there is a brief period of calm before sleep which is a nice moment.

Trying New Skills

2009-01-31T23:32:00.000-08:00

We have reached several new milestones in the past few weeks. When she woke up before, she would usually be lying down or sometimes sitting, but now when get her after a nap, we usually find her standing up! She can pull herself up on the crib railing. Another big moment for me came this week, just after getting home, I heard her high clear voice distinctly say "da-da". Probably not intentional, but a wonderful moment nevertheless. Last week she was doing a caterpillar-like crawl with her tummy on the ground, but this week she has started doing a real hands-and-knees crawl. That means she can get around much more quickly now, so we're going to have to make sure to keep up!

Moving Up

2009-01-18T15:28:00.000-08:00

With her feet extending past the front edge of her infant carseat, little RR has grown into the next size up. The new "True Fit" model is quite a bit bigger (it even has its own cup holder) but should last her several more years. Add one to the list of baby items now outgrown. Note, this is a composite photo- we do not have twins.

In other news, while she is not yet really crawling, she has managed some forward wriggles using her elbows. She can also cover ground surprisingly quickly by a series of sideways rolls; flipping from back to tummy and continuing over to her back again, so she is quite the mobile little girl. Which reminds us that it is really past time to get the baby-proofing done.

A Gentle Touch

2009-01-11T23:09:00.000-08:00

In the last month, little RR has seemed more awake and aware than before, paying attention to us (at times) as if understanding something of what we are saying, and looking at each person speaking in turn. Several times she has indicated by looking at the water bottle and saying "Mmmm! Mmmm" that she wants a drink. She also continues to improve her hand control- no longer just flexing all fingers at once for grabbing, she is now picking up toys deliberately and tracing along edges with a single finger, seeking out interesting bumps and textures. She will clap her hands, and bang two toys together.

She will consistently turn the pages in the books we read to her (if often a bit faster than we would) and sometimes picks out a book she wants. She lies on her side to play with toys, and will easily turn herself over, sometimes making changing difficult! On the other hand she helps when dressing, pulling her arms in and out of sleeves, ducking her head when pulling off a shirt. We are working on getting her to fall asleep in her crib by herself, and have succeeded at least once. We always put her down on her back, but she now sometimes ends up sleeping on her tummy. One thing that hasn't changed is her big cheery smile greeting us each morning, a great boost for her sleepy parents.

Reaching Out

2008-12-27T19:56:00.000-08:00

Little RR has started to make crawling movements, but so far the resulting motion has only been backwards or turning in circles. Consequently, toys dropped out of reach tend to remain that way, although she is better at reaching for things. A few times she has pulled herself up to standing against the side of her crib. She has better dexterity, handling toys more easily, turning pages, and feeling each fuzzy and textured area in her touch-feel books. Her diet has become more varied, now including oatmeal and several varieties of veggies (fruits are so far not as appetizing). She listens attentively to classical music for short periods. Her currently vocabulary is mostly "Ooooo", "Auugh" and "Booof", but she will take turns in conversation making them. She responds to certain words such as mirror, bouncer, bye-bye and be right back.

Christmas this year was a low-key affair, with both parents down with a cold all week. Thank goodness for D.G. (the Doting Grandmother) who spent many hours with RR and running errands, as mom & dad rested. So far the younger and older generations have escaped the bug. Meanwhile, RR has been enjoying all of her new toys.

A Taste of Paste

2008-11-08T22:28:00.000-08:00

My last post mentioned no teeth visible yet, but that has now changed. At little RR's 6-month checkup, Dr. B pointed out her first tooth just starting to poke through. She is growing well, coming in at the 82nd percentile for weight (17 lbs 12 oz) and 90th for length (27"). One consequence of this is that we will need to get a new car seat soon!

Now having considered the multifarious signs and portents, and finding the planets moved to their appointed positions, we decided it was time to try solid food. The recommended cuisine in this case is rice cereal, which we duly procured, along with some colored baby spoons which turn white if the food is too hot.

The cereal box was labeled "Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Rice Cereal", presumably because "papier-mâché paste" doesn't sound so appetizing. I demonstrated the proper procedure for RR and had a few bites myself, and verified that paste is definitely what it is.

In any event, we mixed some up and doled it out, assuring her in the process that this was really super-yummy food. Somewhat to our surprise, she managed to get some of it inside, and she didn't even seem to mind too much. Another testament to the power of advertising, I suppose.

Six Months Old

2008-10-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

It's a bit hard to believe that our little baby will be six months old tomorrow. Time has apparently passed right by while we were busy with other things! It was impressive to me to see how much she has already outgrown, including every item in the photo at right (not counting her mommy.) She is now over twice her birth weight. She still isn't wild about "tummy time" but this week she did manage to accidentally work her way backwards about a foot. Not quite a genuine crawl, admittedly, but I think you can see it from here.

With both parents working during the day, she's been enjoying her time with Nanny G. In the past her attention would quickly wander when we read books to her, but now she usually follows along. Her favorites are the "baby faces" books, and she enjoys playing "peek a boo" with them. No teeth visible yet, but she's been watching us intently as we eat so I'm guessing it's time to try solid (well, mushy) foods. She plays more with toys, and I think it's easier to get her to smile now. Her favorite activity is hopping up and down, in her bouncy chair or any convenient set of arms- her uncle's, in this photo.

Everywhere a Moo-Moo

2008-10-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

Has it really been almost a month since my last post? Time has rushed by. The new job is fine, but with the 35 mile commute each way, it is an adjustment to be getting home just as RR is going to bed each day. She is doing well with the nanny we have to cover the time that both of us are gone. During the weekend, I get to slow down enough to notice how much RR has grown- she's up to 7.5 kg (16.5 lbs), often able to sit up without support, and can (briefly) hold her own bottle. She seems more aware of things, and enjoyed a game of "peek a boo" with T this evening.

One of T's friends donated an activity center with several different distractions for the curious baby. One of these is a set of five buttons which make different animal sounds when pressed. If pressed often or long enough they also play a little melody. Four of these melodies are short pieces of familiar classical music, though the fifth one (under the "cow" label) is for some reason "Old MacDonald had a Farm". That button is on the inner side and apparently, by far the most easily pressed. So there's one tune that we've been hearing a very great deal of recently.... E-I-E-I-O.

Coming Changes

2008-09-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

A good opportunity has come along, and I have accepted a full-time job starting next week. So it's back to engineering, and away from video and photography, at least as the main gig. With T working also, that means we are suddenly in the market for child care in the very near future! We are quickly learning about the various options. The thought of handing over our darling baby into someone else's care is a bit daunting, but of course it's just the same for so many other parents as well.

In other news, little RR had her 4-month checkup today and seems to be doing just fine (apart from not liking the shots very much). When the doctor asked about tummy time, we tried to show how RR hates that exercise, fussing within moments of being put on her tummy. So we set her down, as she smiled up at us.... and smiled... and smiled... The doctor laughed and said this often happens.

Getting Organized

2008-08-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

"Are you still on the computer?" T peered at me from the hallway. "It's getting late and I need to show you the new drawer layout." I thought foggily about what "drawer layout" might mean as I shuffled after her, mind still on the Very Important Web Surfing which I had until very recently been enjoying. Pulling me into the nursery, T opened a dresser drawer and explained.

"I had to rearrange some things here in the second drawer, but don't worry, it's only slightly different. Here in the middle are the onesies in three stacks, the one in the rear is the long-sleeved type. On the right in the back are the gown-type sleepers. In front of that are the bodysuit sleepers, and then long-sleeve daysuits. On the left are the sunsuits towards the front, and shorts in the back, moving right are the long pants in front and shirts behind those. Behind that are some jumpers-- I think, I wasn't sure how to categorize those..."

I blinked at the neatly stacked piles as T smoothed out a light pink dress on the changing table, eyeing it tragically. "Can you put her in this one tomorrow? She has so many cute outfits in the three-month size that she hasn't even worn yet, and she's getting too big for them..."*

I judged that now was probably not the time to explain again how my choice of clothing tended towards "nearest item in drawer", as long as it didn't have too many snaps, or some construction so complicated that I couldn't tell which end went where.

"Sure honey," I said, "not a problem. I'll take care of it."

*T would like to point out that there are no dresses in drawer #2,
all of the dresses are in drawer #3.

Not entirely accurate

2008-08-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get obsessed with details. Particularly when measurements are involved, I like to have things accurate. I suppose that's why I have a scale with more precision than anyone needs to weigh letters, even though that's mostly what I use it for. It came with a nice brass 200 g proof weight, which the scale reports to be 200.01 grams.

Just for fun, I measured the 5 oz Medela bottles that we have been using for feeding RR, and found that they are not so precise as one might like. In particular, "5 oz" of water is actually a bit over 5.3 oz. Now, we feed her as much as she wants anyway, so this makes no practical difference. I just think Medela could do better with their bottle markings. The 2 oz "snappie" bottle we got at the hospital, which looks like a graduated cylinder with a snap-top cap measures to be 1.9885 oz which seems pretty good to me. 5 oz in the Adiri 8 oz measures 5.217 oz and Dr. Brown's 4 oz reads 4.157 oz.

Forwards and Backwards

2008-08-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

This past month, little RR has been doing well in sleeping through the night- so much so, that T avoided the subject at her weekly mom's group, to preclude the possible wrath of the other sleep-deprived moms. However the schedule has been changing, with her first feeding moving at least one hour earlier every day this week. Saturday morning started at 4:45 am, so I guess it's a potential conversation topic again.

In other news, she is able to hold her head up much better than before, and her legs show signs of being able to support her 6 kg weight fairly soon, if not managing actual balance. She pulls at the edge of her bib (maybe not on purpose) and will hold small items briefly. In the vocal department, she seems to be working hard on her Gkkkth sounds, which I'm sure are key elements of some language... possibly Klingon. Gkkkth.mp3

Some Assembly Required

2008-07-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

When I had a sewing project and borrowed a machine from DG (the Doting Grandmother) I realized my sewing experience was pretty minimal, and I had to rediscover how to use it. It was fun to play around with the different stitch settings on some scraps of fabric, finding many different wrong ways to sew a hem, along with a workable one. I found myself noticing the various stitches and embroidery on the baby clothing. The edges are mostly overlock which of course requires a serger, but it was fun to find out what is possible with what I had.

We have a lot of books and advice and even classes but the whole baby-raising process also seems to be learning as you go, finding things out by trial and error. Things like our baby currently being a morning person (unlike her parents), that canned formula seems to cause more gas than powdered type, that spinning around in circles is calming, and that lying flat on mommy was restful in month one but not month two.

Meanwhile, if I'm not imagining things, little RR is piecing together some things on her own. For example, she has gone from mad-orchestra-conductor mode with no hand control, to something like intentional movement, sometimes holding her shirt or bib. Now at 11 weeks she also sounds different, at least to me. What had been random squeaks are now more like babbles, with some definite syllables showing up. Hear for yourself: Babble-July17.mp3

That's Entertainment!

2008-07-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

After seeing the remarkable power of the hairdryer to calm down little RR, I made a "greatest hits" CD featuring a hairdryer solo, plus a duet with the vacuum cleaner. It wasn't long before we had occasion to play this back and it was quite amazing; the recorded sound is just as effective as the original! My own preference for relaxing music runs more towards Vivaldi, but as they say, there's no accounting for taste.

Just as I was leaving a recent video shoot for a local dance group, the director D. kindly gave us a present for RR: a beautiful yellow paper lantern decorated with butterflies. I hung it from the ceiling and she has been quite captivated by it, staring intently at it for some time on many different occasions.

There is no one panacea though, as all of these distractions seem to have effect for a relatively short time. T has found that playing the video of a dance show from last year holds her attention for quite a stretch. I assume the key factor is all the brightly colored costumes in motion- she actually cooed at one piece nicknamed the "stoplight dance" which has red, yellow and green dresses. She waves her arms almost as if keeping time, especially to the more uptempo pieces. T pointed out that this video was the last project I edited before she was born, and no doubt she became accustomed to the music in utero. (We'll try not to let the American Academy of Pediatrics know about all this, since they apparently counsel against any TV viewing for newborns.)

My first baby-related craft project was assembling two stuffed toys into a mobile, and hanging it from a small motor that turns it slowly. Like the other diversions, this usually holds her interest for a few minutes at least. She seems to like the yellow smiley face the best, and sometimes greets it with a happy sort of squawk each time it comes around.

(click play button above to see video)

Of Quiet and Noise

2008-06-25T23:04:00.001-07:00

Little RR was (mostly) well behaved at her very first play-date this afternoon with two other babies, but this evening was a different story- not her usual quiet self at all. She was really mad, judging by her tone of voice, and trotting out our usual suspects of feeding, burping, changing and rocking failed to interrupt her single-minded attention to perfecting the art of the cry.

As it happens, there is a hair dryer attached to the end of the changing table, which we use to dry off a damp posterior in between application of the baby wipe and the diaper. The mere sound of this device from across the room had an immediate and profound calming effect, quite unlike all of our parental ministrations.

Several people have mentioned using hair dryer noise as a pacifier, and we have noticed its effects before, but this time was more dramatic. The "sleep sheep" as mentioned previously was not as useful this go-round... perhaps she has built up a certain sheep immunity by this point.

One does wonder what curious mechanism is working inside her head, to which the magic key is apparently a hair dryer.

T's Top Ten

2008-06-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

The delights of parenthood are many, but the end of pregnancy deserves its own recognition. Here is T's list of Top Ten Postpartum Pleasures:

10. Farewell to due date calculators and baby name lists, and hello to the new-to-us world of parenting blogs and instructional DVDs (how many ways are there to fasten a sling or swaddle?)

9. Fitting behind the steering wheel

8. Ibuprofen, the wonder drug

7. Carrying laundry baskets, grocery bags and the like, All By Myself. Hooray for independence!

6. A wedding ring that fits again - yes, I am actually married

5. Being able to turn over in bed on my own (forklift not required)

4. Stairs, not elevators, and walking without conscious effort and a cheering squad

3. The freedom to eat whenever I want. Fasting before & after iron pills is SO last trimester

2. The (very occasional) well-timed splurge of a dark, delicious coca-cola

1. Belly-down back rubs. Heavenly!

Parties and Celebrations

2008-06-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the combination baby shower and farewell party for a dance friend. During the busy past month, I admit my self-centered vision had narrowed to the point of wondering how I could be going to another baby shower now... after all, we had already had our baby, and that was pretty much the last word on the subject of babies, surely? At any rate I set off to this event all footloose and fancy-free and trying not to think of T's travails at home with our little milk-fountain (who by day's end would soak her way through seven outfits.)

The party was a well-organized event replete with food and games, and included several other not-seen-for-months friends with their new babies in tow! Beyond all expectation, it seems the outside world has kept turning after all.

We were asked to choose some pattern, design or words of wisdom to decorate a quilt square in honor of the baby-to-be. With the guest of honor being a skilled dancer, my first thought was some dancing figure, but my best attempts at a sketch only suggested the extreme opposite of grace and poise. I decided that a repeating pattern of baby steps were a better match for my drawing skills. If they might double as some kind of riff on the Arthur Murray dance footprints from the 1920s, so much the better.

The other weekend event was T's birthday on Sunday, in honor of which her aunt treated us to a fine brunch while we enjoyed a visit with T's grandmother. Fortunately, RR was on her best behavior for the day, and reduced her earlier impressive output down to comparatively minor spit-up incidents. It was a pleasant day with enough smiles and hugs and pancakes and strawberries to keep everyone happy.

Sheep, that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care...

2008-06-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Our baby is 5 weeks old today, hooray! We've been told that around 3-6 weeks old they become more fussy. We've had good luck with our even-tempered little girl... up until about a week ago, when things started coming unglued. We discovered that a sustained, loud "SHHHHH" right up close to her ear had a surprisingly rapid and salubrious effect. I was unable to maintain my steam-kettle impression indefinitely, but fortunately the sleep sheep (white noise generator in the shape of a sheep) cranked all the way up, was able to take over for me. The hair dryer works too, but I don't want to leave it running.

This has not been a paid commercial endorsement. Unless someone would like to fork over some cash, in which case we can talk. Also, a radio tuned to static between stations is less cute but worked just as well.

Terra Incognita

2008-05-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

It is certainly true that a baby offers many novel experiences for a new dad. Here's a few:

Interactive TV. She'd had a tummy upset earlier, but was happy enough now so I changed into a clean shirt and we settled down in front of the TV. It was a PBS documentary on the explosion of Krakatoa in 1883. After some initial mid-size explosions there were some months of calm, when people assumed the worst was over. We sat on the sofa and RR worked quietly on finishing the bottle. Then came loud explosions on Aug. 26th, and on the 27, suddenly... Kerblooie! With precise timing, an unexpected and powerful volcano erupted right in my lap. Quite stunning, TV was never like this before. Full change of clothing for both of us, this time. (photo from wikipedia)

New social situations. With T at home taking care of the baby, the resupply mission was up to me. I ventured boldly into that grocery store aisle that men seldom tread. There was one other person in the aisle too. I hung around a bit, looked up and down. Are they going to leave? ...no, they are not. At last, I muttered quietly into the cell phone. "No, sweetie, all I'm seeing here is ultra-thin and maxi, there doesn't seem to be a 'normal' size. ...and looks like they're all scented... no wait, here's one that isn't, but it's only available in the special thong shape."

After a long pause, the man standing next to me muttered into his cell phone. "Honey, I can't find any like that, it looks like all of them have the wings."

Waking Up is Hard To Do

2008-05-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

The idea was, with RR in the same room as us at night, we would be able to wake up along with her and prepare the bottle before mild annoyance evolved into really upset. The problem with that scheme is interpreting the collection of snorts, squeaks, and odd birdlike chirps that signal her transition from blissfully asleep to ever-so-awake. For example last night, when the chorus of sound effects started around 2:30 am but an actual waking state did not pull into the station until 3:20 am.

After a tiring early morning, it is so wonderful to have the assistance of grandparents in taking care of things while the parents nap!

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T23:43:00.000-07:00

It was so nice of Aunt K. to come by and in the blink of an eye, whisk away 2 weeks of debris on our table and replace it with an elegant serving of scones and tea for Mother's Day. Magic!

Then neighbor friends dropped by with muffins and an amazing pop-up Mother's Day card made by their 4-year old, and T's mother helped again, giving us a few priceless hours of sleep. The world is full of kindness today... thank you!

Bottle, Please! Bay Area

2008-05-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

contributed by special guest writer Redowa Rose

As a new resident of the Bay Area I was excited to sample the local dining scene, but can so far only review one neighborhood mom & pop operation. While the menu options here are extremely limited, the food is satisfying. However, special off-menu requests are typically met with incomprehension, and sometimes the kitchen gets sloppy and the food does not arrive hot. The quality of service here varies: the wait staff is attentive, but orders at off hours (e.g., 4 am) are slower to arrive. In short, the house specialty remains my favorite and I'll be continuing to dine here, but am also looking forward to an expanded menu promised in the months to come. -RR

* inspired by the KQED dining show "Check, Please! Bay Area"

Taking the red eye

2008-05-08T23:01:00.000-07:00

I've heard that Native American tribes used sleep deprivation to stimulate visions. The method was working for me the other night, although instead of the Great Bear leading me across the plains, I became convinced my pillow was the baby in her sleep sack, and I was probably crushing her. Fortunately, upon further examination the pillow turned out to be actually a pillow.

To reduce glare we keep a dim red light on at night. The bulb package reads "party light", matching the theme of a baby shirt one of T's co-workers gave us. It reads "Party Time! ...Place: my crib ...Time: 3:30 am".

You can keep your hat on... (?)

2008-05-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

The baby wore a hospital-issue cotton fabric cap while we were there, and various selections from our sizable collection of baby caps since we've been home. One thing that the caps all have in common is that they don't stay on. I don't know if it's a size issue, or shape, or the smooth fine hair on her head, but no sooner are they adjusted than they pretty much just slide off. Are there any baby caps that actually stay put?

Stirred, not shaken

2008-05-01T23:20:00.000-07:00

It appears my practical chemistry skills are sadly lacking. It had not occurred to me that mixing a powder with water just by vigorous shaking would produce a lot of trapped gas in the form of bubbles, which might, if served immediately to a newborn, eventually produce volcanic results. An eruption which a few feeble pats on the back do nothing to prevent. (Interestingly, the nurse recommends burping both before and after feeding.) The problem seems to be solved by careful slow stirring to mix, instead of shaking.

On another note, it is quite humbling to a previously independent-minded person to experience the practical demands of childcare. The invaluable support and assistance of T's mother and aunt are most gratefully acknowledged!

The big day

2008-04-29T22:06:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl was born on April 27 2008. Everyone is home from the hospital now. We are exhausted and happy. I will be able to write more once our new daily routine has sorted itself out.

A bit of sewing

2008-04-27T00:40:00.001-07:00

I was able to construct a side reinforcing piece to add to the bassinet today, using some heavy fabric left over from a tripod bag, and a sewing machine helpfully loaned by T's mom. I was actually surprised that I managed to thread it without referring to instructions. My sewing job wasn't so neat that I was inspired to take a photo, though, so no illustration for today. In other news, there is no other news. But all the preparations are done now, so there's no point in waiting to come out... hey in there, yes, I'm talking to you...

ADDENDUM: apparently this worked. Labor started 3 hours after I made this post and she was born later that day.

Another day, another checkup

2008-04-25T23:17:00.000-07:00

Another checkup today, and I learned a little bit about the fetal monitor sensors: they use a doppler ultrasound to get fetal heartrate, and a spring-loaded pressure sensor to measure abdominal tension (= contractions). All indications remain good. I had not planned to perform tonight, but one of the dancers in the group was running a fever, so I filled in. I figured I could always run home if there was an urgent call, but it all worked out. So- back to waiting.

Getting the lead out (or not)

2008-04-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

After carefully collecting some paint chips from the nursery, leaching in white vinegar for 24 hours, and applying the indicator fluid per instructions, the home lead test kit indicates... that it is pretty much worthless. Paint results were negative (clear), but even the solution extracted from solder shavings of 40% lead by weight was only a faint smoggy yellow. The test solution (sodium sulfide, I'd guess by the smell) is supposed to turn brown or black with strong lead contamination. Well, so much for that idea.

So close, and yet so far

2008-04-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

As T walked past me in the waiting room, she made an small gasp and her eyes went wide. She snatched up the magazine on the table with trembling hands. It featured a larger than life image of "Double Berry Pancakes" oozing with fresh fruit, butter and syrup, alluring in a way that only glossy magazine covers can be. Sitting beside me she could hardly contain herself as she turned to the recipe. Then came a cry of outrage and despair- all that remained of p.90-97 were a few ragged edges of paper, the merest hints of long-lost breakfast secrets.

At any rate, a "non-stress test" concluded all is well on the inside, and we got another (grainy and cryptic) peek via ultrasound. Dr. S says if there was an effective natural labor-inducer, he'd be selling it- so the waiting continues. Next checkup is this Friday.

And let us know if you have an intact copy of "Sunset Magazine", Jan. 2005. UPDATE: Found! Thanks LM40s!

On tiptoe

2008-04-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today brought another walk, and some video viewing. Who might have expected a single piece of fabric (a baby sling) to come with a 1-hour instructional video?

The aforementioned pink foot balloon is now poised delicately on one toe in the living room, with occasional graceful hops and pirouettes as we walk by. Perhaps she will be a dancer.

A walk in the park

2008-04-21T23:45:00.000-07:00

We went on two walks today; one to the post office, and then later another one in the park. T has a lot more energy now than she did three months ago, when even one block was fatiguing, so that is encouraging. We'll see if all the walking helps things along.

The pink balloon has now reached neutral buoyancy and was hovering about in the nursery when we looked in on it. A few minutes later, T noticed the balloon bobbing into the living room on its own! There was no noticeable draft, but Ms Baby Foot Balloon made it out the nursery door, down the hallway, and turned again through another doorway into the living room, giving us quite a surprise.

When the balloon drops...?

2008-04-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

At her baby shower at work a month ago today, T's co-workers presented us with a number of presents. Included was a large pink mylar balloon in the shape of a foot, which came home with the other items. It has remained floating for a surprisingly long time- at first it clung flat against the ceiling, then the toes pointed gradually downwards. It is still floating up there tonight, but only... just... barely.

Stocking Up

2008-04-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

T's due date is today, though there is no particular sign of it. A checkup at the doctor indicates all is well. We have another checkup scheduled for next Wednesday, assuming nothing happens before then. T has some guilty pleasures* she's been exercising great willpower to resist until after the baby arrives. We put one in the refrigerator today for consumption at the appointed time.

*for some definition of "guilt"... I think she overdoes that a bit, but that's just me.

Many Inquiries

2008-04-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

At dinner with T's mother this evening, she advised us that she was constantly fielding inquiries, and that we should send out details as soon as available, since there were some 40 or more people she knew who were eagerly awaiting news of the (yet-to-be) birth. Perhaps it is just my inward and/or inanimate focus, but I had not realized what a social event these occasions are! Anyway it is good to hear that Baby B will have so many well-wishers.

Easier said than done.

2008-04-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Another day notable chiefly in the fact that it was not THE day. She felt something that might have been "real" contractions around 3 am, but they were apparently more of the same Braxton-Hicks type and subsequently faded away.

Once all the preparations are made, the universal advice is to get lots of rest ahead of time. That, of course, is sometimes easier said than done. T can't seem to get comfortable in any position for very long, and sleep is elusive. (At least for her... to add insult to injury, I'm still sleeping like a log.)

Real Soon Now

2008-04-15T16:33:00.001-07:00

With T expecting Real Soon Now, it's hard to make definite plans that require me to be somewhere at a particular time. Of course, apart from that it's been smooth sailing for me, and she's had to put up with all the issues and inconveniences of pregnancy. Not much longer now!