i don't think lil miss has enough clothes...

April 30, 2009

My little bunny rabbit and I had a long day. (For some reason that pose above reminds me of a rabbit -- she does it a lot, which is one of the reasons I call her bunny)

Lil Miss decided to wake up at nine am this morning (not a problem -- Mommy's up at that time anyway) and then decided, specifically, that she was going to be so not tired! all day long. As in, from nine am until about fifteen minutes ago she didn't sleep for more than ten minutes at a time and those were few and far between -- she was awake all day.

She hasn't done that yet. And she wanted to be held most of the day too. Not bad, but makes things interesting. I learned to use the copier one handed today and I did a good bit of one handed typing. She was still a very good girl at work, I just had to hold her.

So yeah. Long day. Mommy is glad tomorrow is Friday, if only because it means the next day is Saturday. While I don't specifically get "a day off", I'll at least be able to be home all day and maybe get some more stuff done here.

She tried to pet a dog today. At least I think she was trying to pet her. Sarah Belle (Charles' dog) was at the office today like she is most days and Charles was in with a client, so Sarah Belle was sitting behind me. She decided to say hi to Lil Miss, so she started sniffing Lil Miss' foot and gave it a lick. Lil Miss immediately reached out for her. I think she was trying to pet Sarah Belle, which I found extremely cute.

Hey, Lil Miss pets Mommy, why shouldn't she pet the dog?

No, she doesn't have enough clothes at all!!!

Can't you just see the sarcasm dripping off the words? And that's not even all her clothes -- that's just the newborn / 0-3 month clothes that haven't been put away yet!!

Last night, when I was coming home from work, I ran into one of our old neighbors while she was visiting a friend across the street. Of course she had to see Lil Miss (she saw me walking by and came running out). Well, she has a little girl who is about a year and a half. She had kept all of her daughter's clothes because her cousins was pregnant, but her cousin ended up having a little boy. So she asked if I could use a few things and I said sure it couldn't hurt.

Well, "a few things" ended up being about four garbage bags FULL of baby clothes -- most of it under three month size, which is exactly where Lil Miss is. There are also some cute bigger things (oh yeah -- and none of the stuff Grandmas Lynn or Barbara have sent us are in the above picture -- that's ALL new stuff from today) which are in the pile (not folded) that's like half on the right of the picture. And there are so many cute things! I swear there are enough sleepers for her to wear a different one each night for a month!

We aren't going to keep all of it. There's just too many and we don't have room for all of it. I didn't realize just how much it was until I was unpacking. So I haven't put it away yet. I'm going to go through everything tomorrow and pick out the stuff I like the best to keep (and some of the sleepers are really probably too heavy for her anyway) and then put the rest aside to go to Second Hand Sams, or maybe home with Grandma Barbara when she's here next week to go to the flea market. But we definitely have enough clothes to last us for quite awhile.

It's amazing.

Watching Daddy adoringly. I think it's one of her favorite things to do!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand it's chocolate pie and then bath time for this Mommy -- then sleep. Love you all!

"i'm a rockstar!!"

April 29, 2009

Yes, Lil Miss has a mohawk. Yes, Mommy and Daddy are dorks. Our daughter is a rockstar and I love it. (c:

So, Lil Miss had her first bath in the new apartment tonight, in the bathtub. She seemed to like it. We filled it enough that there was some water above the very bottom of the seat so she was sitting in warm water. She liked that a good bit. But, she's a little wiggle worm so we have to be really careful. Cause she tries to wiggle her way out of the seat (not good!) or down in the seat (again, not good). Not good cause I don't want her getting her down in the water and, you know, going INTO the water. Bad bad bad, of course. So you have to keep one hand on her at all times.

Not a bad thing, not hard, it's just something we have to remember to do cause she's my little wiggle worm. But she likes the warm and the water and the feeling of being bathed. She doesn't even fuss when you pour water over he head. She just doesn't like the cold world once she's taken OUT of the water. (c:

Hence the fussiness in her cute little mohawk picture.

Pictures of her "faces". Clockwise from the top left: her "confused" face, her "grumpy" face, her "sleepy" face, her "happy" face, her "my-parents-are-crazy" face, her "yuck" face (the face she makes when she spits out her binky or pushes away a bottle cause she's done) and her "suprised" face.

Lil Miss makes some of the cutest faces. The above is compiled from just taking pictures rapidly over and over for about five minutes this afternoon at work. I have a video of her too; I'll try to get it up soon cause it's very cute. Her making her little faces and noises. They're awfully cute.

So we finished moving completely today. Everything is in the new apartment and the old apartment is clean. Almost everything is unpacked. I cleaned this morning while Daddy watched the baby (it was his day off again) and then Lil Miss and I went to work. She was actually awake most of the morning and a good bit of the afternoon. She's started staying awake a good bit. It's very cute and fun cause it means I actually get to play with her, which is cool.

She's also started being able to get herself back to sleep when she starts to wake up if she's not hungry or wet. That's nice too.

She's the cutest, sweetest little baby. She's so good and doesn't really have fits unless there's a really good reason. I know I've said this before, but we are very lucky and very very spoiled by this munchkin.

Also, I want to try and do a blessing for Lil Miss at some point this summer. I was talking to Anj about it because I was thinking of doing a baptism, but that's not exactly our thing, you know? That really wasn't what I wanted to do, but I couldn't think of what to call it. She suggested doing a "blessing" instead, that we can create how we want to.

So I want to try and do it. I'm not sure when or where, but I want as much of the family to be able to be there as possible, so my guess it, well, not here, but somewhere between the two families. Maybe this summer? I don't know, we'll see. Mainly it's just a heads up and I'll keep everyone in the loop. (c:

Now, I go watch Yes Man with Jimmy and then sleep. Love you all!

Lil Miss being her cute, adorable little self. HOW can you not just adore that baby?

and now back to our regularly scheduled programming!

April 27, 2009

I apologize that we missed a day yesterday. Yesterday was the day everything was getting transferred over to the new apartment -- cable, internet, all that good stuff -- and we were moving the rest of the stuff. Jimmy was working, but I took the day off so I could be here when the techs showed up and so I could move things and we could hopefully have just the big stuff remaining when Jimmy got home.

Didn't work exactly that way, but I had a lot of it. However, our internet company switched the service over, but they conveniently forgot to check their records and see if our new apartment was wired for internet and they just had it switch over instead of sending out a tech. Well, guess what?

Our new apartment wasn't wired for internet so it didn't work. I called last night to see why we still didn't have a signal and they couldn't figure it out so they sent out a tech this morning. He knew what the problem was in five minutes and was done in less than thirty. Really -- was that so hard? Why couldn't they have done that yesterday so I could have posted last night and I wouldn't have had a grumpy Daddy who couldn't play online with his boys? (c:

April 28, 2009

But all is good now. We have electric, water, cable and internet at the new apartment. All our stuff has been moved (almost all of it put away) and everything is out of the old apartment (including the kitty, who decided to get out and go MIA for about six hours yesterday. Not fun for a worried Mommy). We've cleaned the old apartment and we're going to clean it again tomorrow. We'll be out a day and a half early, since we're doing that in the morning (cause Lil Miss and I are going to work tomorrow afternoon). The new apartment is pretty much set up. Lil Miss has her own room (even if she's not sleeping in it yet) and there's plenty of room for all our stuff -- we can spread out some. And things are actually *arranged*. It's amazing -- it looks like a real home.

It's great. I love it.

"Look at me! I'm trying to stand up!" (You might not be able to tell, but she's pushing down with her feet, trying to push herself up)

Lil Miss has been as good as she can be through this whole moving process and I'm grateful for that. She was really good at work today -- she did some absolutely *adorable* cuddling with Moo Cow, but I forgot to take the camera with me, so I didn't get pictures of it, sadly. Oh well, I'm sure she'll do something just as cute tomorrow. She always does. She makes some of the cutest faces and noises. I really should try and get them on video to show her off.

I have, I think, the cutest baby in the universe.

Sitting up (almost) on her own

I think Lil Miss is doing really good developmentally. She holds her head up really well and for a long time. Her neck muscles are getting really strong. She's eating more at each feeding and she's being awake for longer and waking up for reasons other than just "I'm wet" or "I'm hungry". There are times now she really wants to play. She's trying to turn over too, though she can't exactly figure it out.

And she gives head butts. She doesn't do it on purpose and she has no *clue* what they are, but she does it anyway and I love it. Considering that Mommy head butts people (well, mainly, Daddy and Zeus) she fits right into the family that way.

Thumbs up! I think she likes her new apartment

So yeah, it's been a LONG week of little to no sleep trying to get everything moved and watch Lil Miss, but it's worth it. We have the new apartment and we love it. Oh and Mommy got to take a bath -- a real bath -- tonight. Daddy listened for the little one for awhile (she was (and still is) asleep) and Mommy got to sit in the nice hot bath I've been craving since last fall.

It was great. Definitely going to have to do that more often. I think Lil Miss is going to get her first bath in there tomorrow night after we get home from work.

All I have left to do is reorganize and put away all the clothes (we sent out a lot of laundry today -- though hopefully there will be a washer and dryer in our near future so *I* can do our laundry easily), hang the posters / prints / pictures that are going in our room, the nursery and the living room and unpack two boxes of "the leftovers" -- just little stuff that wasn't worth carrying over one by one. After that, everything will have a home in the new apartment and we'll be ready for Grandma Barbara to come visit next week. We can't wait. Daddy is ecstatic. And I know Lil Miss will be very happy.

I'm pretty excited too. (c:

Big Brother decided that Lil Miss needed to share her crib. Until we get a mat for it, he can sit there. Once we get a mat? No more.

already getting older...

April 26, 2009

Lil Miss is a month old. Well, actually, she was a month old yesterday, but, being sick, I forgot to mention that in last night's post. Sorry about that! I can't believe she's already a month old. It's a little crazy. She's growing too -- I mean seriously. Check out the daily picture, from up there, and compare it to this one right here, taken the night she came home from the hospital -- March 27, 2009.

Just coming to her new home -- March 27, 2009

So yeah -- she's definitely grown some and she's definitely getting bigger. I have no clue HOW big, as we don't have a scale in the house (Mommy has some.......issues with things like weight, so it's best if I just don't know what I weigh and don't have the temptation to look at a scale), so I can't weigh her. I need to go get her weight or something, I dunno. Maybe I'll just wait til her two month check up and her vaccinations (oh Lordy am I NOT looking forward to that!) cause I know they'll weigh her then. But I kinda want to know before that!

Oh well. I'll figure something out.

Being a cute little attachment cuddle bug -- like she was most of the day.

Now, Mommy had plans for today. I was going to move as much stuff as possible (while, of course, keeping an eye on the draft and who Miami and Philly were taking) so that tomorrow, when everything had been switched over and turned on, we could maybe get the last of the big stuff (there's really only four or five things I can't move on my own) when Jimmy got home from work and maybe we could sleep in the new apartment tomorrow night. I would love that.

However, Lil Miss had her own ideas about what to do today. And they involved being held.

Constantly.

All day long.

And letting Mommy know -- in no uncertain terms -- that it was NOT acceptable if she was put down.

So, this created a bit of a problem, as I couldn't exactly hold her and move stuff at the same time. I ended up putting her in the sling and moving the lighter stuff and things I could carry with her right there. Then, late in the afternoon, she finally crashed and I was able to move some stuff while carrying the baby monitor. Didn't get as much as I wanted done, but I got some done. And I'm about to go move even more in a few minutes.

Oh yeah, just before I took that picture up there at the top? Lil Miss was trying to eat Moo cow again. She was asleep, but had grabbed ahold of him at some point (his arm) and was gnawing on it or gumming on it. I took it away (don't want her to choke / suffocate or anything like that) and put it up in the corner, but that little girl -- she loves to eat.

She's a little porker (isn't it obvious?) and she loves her bottle. She's so funny when she eats -- there are times you would think we starve her or something the way she goes after that bottle and tries to grab at it and such. We'll have to get video of her eating at some point or something. It's kinda funny and she makes some of the cutest little noises (not just when she's eating, also just in general, but also especially when she's eating). But she's a cutie and a good one.

I think we might just keep her.

this may not be very long

April 25, 2009

And I apologize for that. But Mommy doesn't feel very well and wants to go to sleep.

We had a pretty good day. I got some stuff moved over to the new apartment (stuff we don't use every day, like everything that was in the little shed behind the apartment, my off season clothes, Christmas stuff, some of Lil Miss' stuff that we won't need for months). Daddy was on call today since the weather wasn't that great, so he helped me a lot today in taking care of Lil Miss which, considering how tired and yucky I felt all day, was really really nice.

It was also draft day, so Lil Miss got her first look at Daddy's dolphin craziness, which was pretty funny. (She also got to see Mommy get excited because one of her Bulldog's went number one over all and three went on the first day -- very cool)

We had another little crying fit today. Seems to be one a day and it seems to be just about an hour or so before she has a really messy diaper, so I thin they're related. Is there anything I can do to make it easier on her system? Any suggestions?

Other than the crying fits that I'm pretty sure are her trying to do what her body is supposed to do, she's a very good baby. We really are lucky. Daddy doesn't like to hear her crying though. I guess I've kind of gotten used to the little fits -- I know there's not much I can do, so I do what I can and just let her cry it out. But Daddy really doesn't like that and wants to fix it. It's really cute.

Okay. Mommy is sick and needs sleep, since Lil Miss is finally sleeping. So -- finish dinner and then sleep. I promise I'll do better with this tomorrow. (c:

Sitting on the couch and watching the draft with Mommy. It put her to sleep.

at least the day is almost over....

April 24, 2009

........cause it's been a LONG one.

Don't let the above picture deceive you -- she may be a cuddle bug, but when she is grumpy, she is grumpy. And some of it is my fault and I feel horrible about that too. )c:

So, like I said yesterday, we're moving. So the landlord dropped off the papers I needed for the utility companies (saying that yes, we had the right to turn on / transfer to this new apartment) early this morning. So I went down to get everything transferred.

So I went to do the water early today, cause it hadn't been turned off yet and I wanted to catch them before it was turned off because, if I could, there would be no transfer / connection fee. So we go do that and, when I leave the house, I'm planning to come back home and then go downtown and do the electric and then go to work (water company is in New Town, work and electric in Old Town), so I don't go out with extra bottles, just one full one.

So after I go to the water company and run one errand, Lil Miss is getting overwhelmed, so I figure I'll go do the electric and call Charles and tell him the munchikin is having a bad day, so I'll come in Saturday morning instead of this afternoon. I knew he would be fine with that. But then I get to the electric company and there's a hitch in getting everything transferred. It all worked out in the end, but it ended up with me having to go drop something off and get some things from work and I figured while I was there, I might as well go ahead and get the things done.

After Charles leaves, Lil Miss starts to have a fit and nothing I do really helps. Best I can figure (if you don't want to hear about the baby's bodily functions, you might want to skip this part) is that she was having a bowel movement and it hurt. Cause she seemed in pain and was crying really bad and nothing I did worked and, when it was all over, she had a messy diaper.

Is that normal? That hurting them? Is there anything I can do other than hold her and cuddle her and tell her she's okay? Is there something I should be doing differently in feeding her?

And then, after that, she got fussy again and I realized she was hungry.

That was about the point I realized I hadn't packed any extra bottles and she'd already polished off the one we had.

I took the next bus that would get me home quickest, but it was still over an hour and a half before we got home. She was not happy with Mommy and I felt so horrible. I am never leaving the house without at least two bottles again.

And she's been awake most of the evening too (she's finally asleep now). It's been a long long day.

But the water and electric are on at the new apartment. I can start moving stuff tomorrow and then everything else is switching over Monday. So we're moving completely on Tuesday. Yay more space!

One of Lil Miss' cute faces. This is the best shot of the "surprised" face I can get.

And now? This tired Mommy is going to sleep.

moving on up in the world

April 23, 2009

Yep, we're moving up in the world -- well, not in the world, per sae, but we are moving. I know, I know, but don't worry -- it's not far. Not even fifty yards from our front door! The address is going to be the exact same, it's just going to be "Apartment 1" instead of "Apartment 5".

So I leave yesterday to go to work and notice there's a moving truck in the yard and it looks like the people in apartment one are moving their stuff. So when we get home, cause Daddy came and picked us up, we're talking to one of our neighbors and she confirms that, yes, our neighbors moved out yesterday. So we call one of the landlords right away and say that we want the apartment if possible. He talked to the other landlord this morning and it's official -- the apartment is ours.

It's got two bedrooms, so we'll have a guest room / nursery. It also has a bathtub (YAY!!!) and a little yard and washer/dryer hook ups out back (so we're going to watch for a good used set -- two of our neighbors are probably actually going to split them with us and then we'll all have them to use). It's also right up at the front and the porch is larger. There's more room for storage and, in general, the apartment is bigger. It's great. We have the keys (actually changed the locks today, because they had broken the key off in the front door dead bolt and it couldn't be locked from the outside) and I'm getting the electric turned on tomorrow and the water switched to our name. (so that we can move some stuff this weekend and so they'll definitely be one when the other thigns are switch Monday). The internet and cable are being switchedmoved over on Monday. Jimmy has Tuesday and Wednesday off, so we can move in completely on Tuesday and still have a few days to give the old apartment a good cleaning and scrub down before the 1st (when we've told the landlords it will be ready for move in). I'm going to have the electric and water over there turned off on the 30th.

So we're excited. Well, Daddy and I are. Lil Miss and Zeus have no idea what's happening (though Lil Miss should be excited -- she's about to get her own room! (even if she doesn't sleep in it for a few more months!)) I'll go over and take pictures tomorrow when I have some light so you all can see it. Or maybe I'll wait til our stuff is in it. We'll see.

"Don't I look all snuggly and comfy?"

So the picture above is more for Grandma Lynn than anyone else. THANK YOU!!!!!!! for the sling we got for Christmas -- Mommy and Lil Miss are LOVING that. Now that she's awake more in the mornings, we're using the sling so she can be close to Mommy when she doesn't want to sleep or play but Mommy can still get things done (like cleaning the kitchen or putting away laundry). Also, it's great at work when she wants to be held but Mommy needs to type or when we need to run a quick errand (the bank, the post office, the drugstore) but Mommy doesn't want to drag out the stroller (there are a lot of businesses downtown (like the law office and the bank and the courthouse) that do not have easy ways up -- no ramps (if they have to have someting, they have lifts -- not easy), just stairs. Not always easy to navigate with a stroller. So I just put her in her sling and run the less than a block to the bank or whatever. It's great -- she's happy cause she's close to Mommy, Mommy's happy because she has both hands and doesn't have to worry about dropping the baby.

I love the sling. Every Mommy should have one.

So yeah, we went to work today (looks like I'll probably be working most afternoons, since she does so well -- YAY 20 hours a week!) and, as always, Lil Miss did pretty good. She slept most of it, since she'd been awake most of the morning. She did get to meet Sarah Belle (Charles' dog) today though. She hadn't met a big dog before -- our neighbor just has little dogs and Chip's client's dog that she met last week was a miniature poodle -- Sarah Belle is a full grown poodle. Charles was trying to lock Sarah Belle up but I told him not to. We don't walk on eggshells around Lil Miss.

Sarah Belle sniffed her foot and then pretty much ignored her. I think she figured Lil Miss was too small to pet her and therefore not worth her time when there was a full grown Mommy there to pet and play with her (Sarah Belle knows I love her! (c: ) Lil Miss didn't even flinch or wake up at all. Even when Charles was getting ready to leave and Sarah Belle, therefore, started barking (she always barks when she wants to go), Lil Miss just slept.

She's such a good baby. She's spoiling me!

She smiles! Really -- she does!!

changing my world in just four weeks

April 22, 2009

Day I-don't-even-know-anymore of cow attachment. We've started calling him Moo Cow (as evident in a couple of my previous posts). He goes everywhere with us. We need to go by the florist that did the flowers (where Moo Cow came from) and see if they'll sell us a couple more. Luckily, they are local and not far from work.

Lil Miss is still having night terrors. I can sometime hear cues that tell me they're coming on, but not always. She made that sound again -- this little scream, not a cry - a scream, that is very much a "scared" sound, not a "sad" sound -- at work today and also tonight when Daddy was holding her and seeing if she was going to stay asleep. I hate hate hate hate hate that sound. It breaks my heart and makes me sad. I just want to scoop her up and hold her and never let her go again. God that's a horrible sound.

She's awake a lot more now. That's taking some getting used to. She's actually playing and focusing on things too, which is awesome. She's holding her head up pretty well and getting her neck strength slowly. I even saw her smile tonight when we were playing on the floor. She's doing really well.

Question -- since she was born at 39 weeks instead of 40 weeks, is she still considered premature? All the books say that, for premature babies, you should judge their development in weeks from when they would have been 40 weeks or full term, not from when they were born. Is that true for her? Should I be judging her by 3 week standards or 4 week standards?

Aren't they so cute? I love this picture!

Daddy has the magic touch, it seems. He can always get her to go down, even when Mommy can't. Makes me somewhat jealous. But hey, we knew long ago that she was going to be a Daddy's girl. She never listened to Mommy when she was in the womb, but all it took was Daddy putting his hands on my belly and saying one word to her, and she calmed down and stopped whatever she was doing.

Brat. (c:

Daddy, Lil Miss and Zeus. My whole world in one picture.

I can't believe she's already four weeks old. She'll be a month on Saturday. It doesn't seem like that long, but then again, there are already moments I can't even begin to think what we did when she wasn't here. I was talking to Rae today about something and I was like "it's amazing how much has changed in four weeks". A month ago, I wouldn't have left the house without my Ipod and organizer and a book and my purse. Now it's diapers and wipes and Moo Cow and pacifiers. And I love it. I couldn't be happier.

It's crazy. Seriously, who ever thought I would like carrying a diaper bag more than any of my cute purses?

Definitely a zombie. She's trying to eat my arm!

nothing better than a clean baby

April 21, 2009

We had a pretty big first today -- it was Lil Miss Priss' first real bath. Obviously, she's been getting "sponge" (washcloth) baths either daily or every other day since she came home, but she got her first real bath bath today.

"Look at me! In the water! Nothing better than reclining in warm water -- just ask my Momma!"

Since our apartment is small and we have only a shower (no bathtub -- which made Mommy a sad sad panda when she was pregnant because she SO wanted a bath), we bathed her in the sink. Her Aunt Anjie had the forsight to send her a bathing chair for Christmas, so we set it up and put her in it. I had NO idea how she was going to react.

She didn't seem to mind it too much. I wouldn't say she necessarily LIKED it at first, but once she realized the water was, well, warm and felt good, she stopped threatening to cry. I covered her eyes when pouring water over her head, which I think she appreciated. By the end, I think she was deciding this might actually be okay, maybe this would be cool.

And then she was taken out of the bath and the world got cold. She didn't like that so much. So we bundled her in the ducky towel and dried her off then went ahead and put her in her sleeper (she sleeps in long sleeved footed pajamas since we keep the room cooler. During the day, its all short sleeves).

But let me tell you, there is nothing better than a clean and happy baby. She was all cuddly and cooing until she fell asleep just a little bit ago. Her soap smells like, well, soap, so now she smells like a mixture of formula, soap, baby wipes and a tiny bit of something that is just, well, baby.

Whoever thought that my favorite smell would become baby formula and soap?

Oh, and Lil Miss is definitely a zombie. She tried to eat Moo Cow today. (c:

My sleeping little angel (yep -- that's Moo Cow in the top corner. He has to always be close by)

i've grown!!!

April 20, 2009

It's official -- Lil Miss Priss is already growing up. *tear*

I measured her this evening because her newborn sleepers are getting a little snug (in the feet -- it felt like she was getting a little long for them). Miss Priss is officially 20 inches long! I tried to take a picture, but she wasn't cooperating. She wants to wiggle and squirm and kick and such. I'll try to get a proof picture tomorrow or some point when she's sleeping. But she's definitely getting taller and she's definitely gaining weight (we don't have a scale in the house, so I don't know how much she weighs, but she's definitely growing. My guess is eight pounds).

We got the last of the things we ordered from Target (thanks to her great-aunt -- thanks Anne!) today. Some more onesies and sleepers that are 0-3 months instead of newborn. They're a little big, but she'll grow into them. She still fits in her newborn onesies, so I'm holding off on the new ones (they're in her dresser for in a month or so), but she's already wearing one of the sleepers, because the other three all need to be washed and are getting slightly small. I rolled up the sleeves (just so they weren't hanging over her hands) and they're a little long, but they fit and are cute and she'll grow into them and be able to wear them for a couple of months at least.

She's such a cute little well dressed baby. (c:

We're on day three of cow attachment. I checked the card from the flowers -- they came from a local shop that's only a few blocks from work (heck -- anything in Old Town is only a few blocks from work!) so I think I may walk down there before or after one day next week and see if they can tell me how to get ahold of an extra cow or two -- maybe they'd be able to sell me just the cow. Especially if I showed them Miss Priss, asleep, with her death grip on Moo Cow. I told Rae (the assistant to the other attorney at work) this afternoon that the cow better be glad it's a stuffed animal -- when Miss Priss gets a hold of it, she is LOCKED on. The only time she lets go is when she's eating and gets so excited about the food (see? Porker!) that she forgets to hold onto Moo Cow.

My little one is funny.

She did good at work today. She was actually in a fussy mood today and awake most of the afternoon, but she never squalled and she let Mommy work while she was fussing. I've learned to feed or burp her one handed (I'm pretty proud of myself on that one) and type or go through filing or papers with the other hand. She whimpered some, but she never cried when I was on the phone and was really good when I tried to calm her.

I think this might work.

Apparently, though, bringing babies into work isn't all that uncommon, at least in most of the law offices down here in Key West. Rae and I were talking about it today. The law offices, like everything else down here, are a little more laid back than every where else, and with the whole cost of living thing, day care being expensive, apparently a lot of people have to work but can't afford day care (we could if we needed to, but I'm just not willing to leave Miss Priss with strangers, even well recommended ones). Rae says she took Jen into work with her until Jen was about three.

Guess I'm lucky.

brains.................brains..............

April 19, 2009

It was a pretty lazy day today. Daddy was off work, Mommy was off work, so we just hung around the house and had a lazy day. It was pretty fun, actually.

I went through and sorted (and found space for) all Lil Miss' clothes -- she has a lot of them! I think I've finally found a place for all her stuff. She also watched (well, listened to (c: ) her first musical, because I found Oklahoma! on TV and watched it while sorting and folding. Such a good movie. She also watched part of her first Miami Heat playoff game (though they didn't play so hot tonight. Bummer).

Watching the Heat play. If Daddy looks disgusted, it's cause they were playing pretty badly.

It's day two of "cow attachment". She still loves that thing. It was also a general attachment day -- she really didn't want to be put down most of the day. She just wanted to be held. We really can't complain. She cute and cuddly and it's hard not to just hold her when she wants to be held. Mommy is getting really good at making bottles and cooking and doing general every day things one handed and off balance with a baby in my arms. Talk about multitasking.

Also, because Daddy and I were talking about it today, our Lil Miss is, according to various and asundry people (including, sometimes, us) a: gremlin, bunny rabbit, porker, piglet, angel, princess, wide receiver, munchkin, fish, gnome, furby, grand dragon (LONG story), muppett, priss pot, cabbage patch kid, squeaky toy, grumpy butt, stinky butt, cuddle bug and, best of all, zombie.

Yep. We're weird. So are our friends.

See? Zombie. Definitely a zombie.

well, part of it was good!

April 18, 2009

We went up to Rockland Key to try and watch the fights on the BIG screen tonight. Comcast was having problems so the box never managed to update fully and we couldn't get the fights, so we came home early.

But it was also Lil Miss' first real big outing. It was windy and sorta cold so, of course, we bundled her up. And she did really good. Even with all the people talking and some shouting and the sound turned up (not so bad it would hurt her ears but louder than we keep it at home) she was still perfect. She slept through most of it. Got hungry and ate, then went right back to sleep.

And had her cow with her the whole time. The same cow that's in the picture above and the one below.

If she keeps up like this, Mommy's gonna have to find some duplicates of that cow. I'm NOT going to worry about losing the cow. We WILL have a back up of whatever her security toy / blanket / whatever is. (c: I still remember being devastated when I lost blankie.

Cuddling with Mommy and the moo cow. It doesn't get much better than that.

i think we might have our "security"

So I know that a lot of kids have their little "security" items or a toy they're really attached to. I had my blankie and pillow. Rainey has Pinky. I think Anj had one. I know it's not uncommon.

I just didn't think we'd have it YET!! (c:

I know, I know, she's too young, you say. And I agree. But Lil Miss did something very cute today. We went to work this morning to get some things done and, again, she was very very good. As we were leaving, I added a toy to the diaper bag.

Now, Lil Miss tends to be awake more in the mornings than the evenings. And when we're awake in the mornings, we play. I got this little set before she was born that has a leaf shaped mat that has toys that hook to it and a little boppy pillow. It's specifically made for infants and small babies, to be used for "tummy time". So we play on that a little each day. And I also have other things down there -- her rattle, her easter bunny and I've also been keeping her cow down there. (Right after she was born, Troy and Miss Sherry (the couple that own the jet ski booth) sent us flowers in the hospital. And, with the flowers, a stuffed cow that is extremely soft and has a rattle in it for Lil Miss. So we've been playing with it on the floor). Now the Easter bunny is a little big, so I grabbed her rattle and the cow and put them in the diaper bag.

Well, waiting for the bus, Lil Miss was a bit fussy, so I played with her with the cow and it calmed her down. When the bus came, I put the cow in the car seat (it attaches to the stroller -- it's more of a carrier) next to her.

When we get to work, I notice she's holding the cow. I figured it was a fluke. So once inside, I lay her down in her stroller (which lays flat) so she doesn't have to nap sitting up. As an after thought, I put the cow near her.

Next time I look, she's holding the cow again. She held it most of the morning -- either an arm all the way around it, or just her fist around it's arm. She held it on the car ride home when Daddy picked us up. When I got her up to change her diaper after we'd been home for awhile, she was a bit fussy again so I said "Do you want your cow?" and put it beside her.

She automatically reaches out and grabs it's arm. Doesn't let go. I pick her up after changing her -- the cow comes too because she won't let go.

I think she might like the cow. Wonder if the attachment will stay? (I'll try to get a picture next time she wakes up -- when she's sleeping in her bassinet, I put it up at the top, but not with her.)

for grandma barbara and grandpa charlie

"Hey, look! I'm awake! And kinda smiling!"

So I got "fussed at" this week for two reasons -- 1) because I wouldn't open the box Grandma Barbara sent (hey -- it had Daddy's name on it -- and he doesn't get many boxes. I let HIM open it!) and 2) because Grandma Barbara and Grandpa Charlie were getting plenty of pictures of Lil Miss and of Lil Miss and Daddy, but none of Lil Miss and Mommy. So I explained that I was the camera person in the house.

But Daddy is home from work and Lil Miss was very cute eating a little bit ago, so I had him get out the camera and take pictures. So here, Grandma and Grandpa -- pictures of Mommy and Lil Miss. I'll try and be a good girl and get some more at regular intervals! (And also -- a picture of her awake, so I DID make good on my promise today!)

"Mommy calls me 'porker' cause I love my bottle so much. Should I be offended?"

buddah. belly. (and meeting family)

April 17, 2009

I know, I know, I said today's photo wouldn't be of her sleeping. But I have to share with all of you the wonder that is one of my (many) favorite parts of my little girl: her buddah belly. I think it's so cute and I just love it. She gets lots of belly kisses (from Mommy) and raspberries (from Daddy) at bath time cause we both LOVE the belly. Such a baby thing!

Besides, it can be difficult to get "awake" pictures when you're the only one around and, hence, the one playing with her and taking care of her DURING said "awake time". But I'll do my best. And get Daddy to take some on his next day off. We'll probably also take pictures tomorrow night at the UFC fight (no -- we're not going to the fight. We're going to watch the fight broadcast on the side of a house (even better than the biggest screen you've seen) with a bunch of our friends up on Rockland Key tomorrow night. Lil Miss gets to go to her first big fight! (Yes, I'm taking warm clothes. Yes, I'm prepared to spend most of the evening in the car or come home early if we need to) It's gonna be a good one!)

Lil Miss got to "meet" Anne, Noell and Laura, Judy, Miriam and Sarah Grace today via the webcam. I haven't seen most of them in I don't even know how long -- Christmas a few years ago maybe? Probably at least 3 years, maybe longer. The girls are growing up -- I could have sworn Miriam was Judy until I was told otherwise.

Makes me feel old. (c:

But it did mean waking her up and keeping her awake for a bit when she would usually be asleep, so now she's out cold and down for the count (for at least a little while). Mommy's going to take advantage of this and the fact that Daddy's home and go take a long shower.

Yay showers.

cuteness overload!!!

Lil Miss is sleeping right now, so I'll post her daily picture a little later. I want some of her pictures to be awake! (c:

We had a long morning. We had an appointment at the WIC office to get recertified and it took a long time. But, as expected, the nutritionist declared that Lil Miss is perfectly healthy and "thriving". That makes me happy. I worry sometimes because there are days that it seems she just cannot get enough food. I worry about her. But everyone promises me she's okay. Guess I should trust the professionals, huh? Yeah, I thought so.

Well, because the appointment took so long, I decided to go into the office to do filing and subpoenas and such tomorrow instead of today. Charles is fine with it. Besides, when I called Rae to tell her not to expect me, she said Chip had some people coming in this afternoon anyway, so it's a good thing. She's a good baby, but sometimes she is, well, a baby and she just needs to cry. It happens.

So when we got home today, there were two boxes from our mailman. And let me tell you -- CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!! One was a box of some of the clothes we had ordered from Target with a giftcard sent to us. They aren't "brand new baby" clothes, but they're the size between "newborn" and "3 months". We don't have much of that size and that's where Lil Miss is about to be. They're very cute clothes -- some onsies and sleepers, but also a couple of cute little outfits and a dress. My little one is a well dressed little girl. Also, there was a box from one of the ladies in the church I grew up in. It was very sweet of her -- a couple of sleepers, some bibs (including an "I love Mommy" bib that I love -- and let me tell you, Lil Miss is a MESSY eater, so bibs are GOOD things) and a book and a toy. All very cute.

So I'm going through and putting away all the baby clothes we've gotten in the past few weeks (thank you Grandma Lynn and Grandma Barbara (we need to figure out what your names are going to be so we can start differentiating!)) and I swear I'm going to go into sugar shock soon from the cuteness overload! (c:

I love baby clothes. Too bad they grow out of them so quickly!

hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go...

So we (Lil Miss and I) went to work today. The attorney I work for called early this week and basically said "I miss you! I can work around your schedule and you can bring the baby to work, I just need you back!" So we decided to give it a try and this afternoon was the first day at work with the baby.

"Look, everyone, I'm a working girl now!"

I was WELL prepared. I had two bottles all ready (just add water!) and what was left of the one I gave her right before we left home. Before we left I made sure she was changed, fed and all that good stuff. I had plenty of diapers and wipes and extra clothes and a bib and burp cloth and blankets and EVERYTHING in that bag. There was nothing she could possibly want! (c:

She slept the whole way down there and for about the first hour and a half we were there. About 3:15 or so she decided she was hungry and I had a bunch of filing to go through, so I fed her a bottle with one hand and sorted papers with the other (I'm the queen of multi tasking, apparently). She then went back to sleep and slept soundly until about 4:30. By this point, everyone else had left and it was just her and me.

She only had one fit and that was when she woke up at 4:30 and wanted to be changed and fed. She didn't cry long but it was just the two of us, so if she'd wanted to scream? Would have been fine. She then sat there perfectly happy in her car seat under Mommy's desk while I rocked her with my foot and she watched me work. Drifted in and out of napping. Finally fell asleep just before we got on the bus and slept the whole way home.

She was perfect! I was so proud of her! I'm going to be working afternoons, probably 4 a week, maybe even 5. I got more done this afternoon with no one there than I usually did when I would be there in the mornings when the attorney was there. I know the cases and clients and the attorney well enough now to be able to do most of the stuff he needs with little more than a list of notes and dictated specific letters. So all is going to be good. I think this might work out, which is nice!

We're going to do this again tomorrow afternoon, so wish us luck!

Sitting in her car seat, under Mommy's desk, just cooing at me. She's pretty easy to love.

and so we begin....

Little Miss' first daily picture -- April 16, 2009

I realize that most (okay, all) of our family is out of state. And looking at her yesterday, I realized that Lil Miss is already growing. So I decided to start a blog. I will do my best to post at least once a day, even if it's just to post a picture. That's my goal for this year. From today forward, I want to take at least one picture every day of Lil Miss, to show how she's growing.

So this will probably be mostly about Angelynn. And, well, because I'm writing it (she's twenty two days old, you can't expect her to be writing yet! (c: ) it will have lots of me in it too. Learning. Getting a grasp on this whole "being a full time mom" thing (let's just say it's very different. Not that I don't love it, it's just...different). There will probably be days I'm stressed out (I'm me). I might vent (hey, again, I'm me). But I'm also rave about how smart our little one is (she's trying to laugh -- seriously, you can see that she wants to but doesn't know how) and how cute and everything she does.

So yeah. This is "Growing Up Southernmost" and I'll try and keep up with it!

Today is going to be a test for us both -- in about an hour and a half, we're catching a bus and going to work. Going down to the office to meet with Charles about some of the projects he wants me to work on and then, well, Mommy will be working. Let's hope Lil Miss does well.

We had a long morning.

You know that scene in Look Who's Talking where the baby is "saying": "I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M CRYING BUT I'M CRYING!!!!!" (or something like that?) Yeah -- I think that's what Lil Miss was thinking this morning. Nothing worked. She wasn't wet. She wasn't cold. She wasn't hot. She wasn't hungry. I don't think she was tired. I tried everything and she just wanted to cry.

It was stressful.

It's over now. She's asleep and seems to have gotten out whatever she needed to cry out. But let me tell you, that was a LONG morning. I don't like those mornings. I can deal with the night terrors cause at least I know what's WRONG and I can wake her up and calm her down. This? Nothing worked. She was just a grumpy butt for an hour and a half. *sigh* Babies. I wish I could read her mind (but hey -- I do pretty well, I think. At least I try to).