Tub

Rowan loves baths. Loves being in the water, waving her arms and legs, doesn't mind getting her face wet or even "going under". Just like her Daddy, she is a water baby. She'll sit in there until the water is cold, and not fuss a bit.

But a little advice: it's a good idea to put in your ear plugs before you take her out.

Abundance

Tomorrow my father is coming to pick up me and the kid (dog is staying at the in-laws'), and we're off to a wedding, and then 10 days at his house in Bismarck, with excursions to visit the GG's (Great Grandparents). So tonight, I packed.

Oy vey. (Am I allowed to say that?)

Thanks to the incredible generosity of my sister-in-law (who recently mailed another 3 boxes of clothes) and gifts from friends, Rowan has enough clothes to outfit the entire state of North Dakota. And maybe Pennsylvania, too.

And me? Yeah, I've always been a clothes-horse. And the fear of no Old Navy in State College forced me to pick up a couple of tops and pairs of capris. You know, because I'll be deprived of inexpensive, trendy clothes that are made in China. (Yes, there's one in Altoona, 45 minutes away. I've already staked it out.)

Plus, with the cloth diapers, disposables (for when we're not at home), burp rags, play mats, blankies, nuks, vitamins, gripe water and wipes, well... let's just say it's a good thing I brought the big suitcase.

And I'm only taking stuff for 10 days. Yikes.

Looks like we'll be mailing stuff to our new home. Maybe we should have bought a bigger house?

Squawk!

Squawk! from Ronica and Vimeo.

Yeah, I'm having fun with the Vimeo. This was taken last week. She makes strange noises like this all the time, including when sleeping.

Yep, she's her mom's daughter.

Nature Girl

Nature Girl from Ronica and Vimeo.

Our little girl loves to be outside, and walking up and down the sidewalk is sometimes the only thing that calms her down. Yesterday was a beautiful day, so we spent some time lying under a tree staring up at the leaves. She has also recently discovered her fist, so it was an exciting time, to say the least!

I have no idea what we'll do come January.

Birthday Gift

I got this for my birthday.

Not perfume. No jewelry. Not a new outfit.

And I don't care.

Yeah, I'm a Mom. It's not all about me anymore.

This thing totally rocks. She loves it. She lays under it, squeaking and waving her arms and looking at herself in the mirror until she passes out from exhaustion.

I sit nearby, eating chocolate, reading blogs, folding diapers, watching TV, and not trying to soothe a baby who's crying and fussing for no apparent reason.

At least today. (I make no promises about tomorrow.)

Oh, and did I tell you the best part? The mat is machine washable (for those spit up stains. She's already christened it. Twice.)




PS: Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

I Look Like a Monkey, and I Sing Like One, Too

Yesterday was another one of them. Hell days. She started the night before, and carried it over into Sunday. 2 naps, 15 minutes each. The rest of the time? Yelling and crying. Lots of it. (Some from me, admittedly.)

She finally went to sleep around 11, and I knew, I *knew* that tomorrow would be better. It had to be.

After all, it's my birthday.

I woke up, peered over the end of the bed into the portable crib, expecting a sweet smile and a lovely nursing session, followed by another hour of sleep curled up together in the big bed.

And I got a rude awakening.

No smile.

Oh crap... I thought.

Yep. She's now got the stamina for two full days.

I think I cried just about as many tears as she did.

But, finally she settled down around 3 PM and we all jumped in the car to drive to Fargo to pick up the Jimmy, newly and very expensively repaired, and to go out to Johnny Carino's for my birthday dinner. I got a good start on the baby bolero I'm knitting for her (thanks, Flare!), and she was an angel, most of the time (except for about 5 minutes around Hillsboro, but I don't blame her. That sugar beet plant stinks.)

We got home, and I had to use my "crank the music and sing really loudly right in her face making up the words you don't know" trick for about a half an hour, but she's sleeping again.

I think I subbed too many days in music classrooms, if all that calms her is loud music and me singing my heart out.

Too bad I didn't get a karaoke machine for my birthday...

Following Zeb the Zebra

Following Zeb the Zebra from Ronica and Vimeo.

My first video upload--I hope this works. This is Rowan with her new Zebra toy. She loves to watch the black and white patterns on the bottom of its feet!

Meltdown

Our little girl is having more good days than bad days now, and has strings of 3 or 4 days in a row when she takes naps, is happy when she's active, and is generally no trouble at all. She's beginning to smile, follows us with her eyes, loves staring at the TV and the pink star that hangs from the bouncy chair, and is "cooing" (though to me it sounds more like squeaks, squawks, and some "Maaaagghhooowaaaghhoooiiikk????") Her GI tract is figuring itself out, and we no longer dread the one big poop every three days that is thick and sticky--she's now more regular and "looser". This is a very good thing. (And yes, I have become the typical new mom that discusses her kid's poop on a regular basis. Sorry.)

But she still has bad days.

When we'd talk to our family from Madison, they thought we were exaggerating. "Oh, all babies have times like that," they'd say. "Babies cry, it's what they do!" and "But she's good most of the time, you just have to be patient when she has a fussy time."

Dr. B and I knew that they had no idea what kind power Rowan has.

As she screamed for the third hour in a row, Dr. B would say to me, "she's not a nuclear reactor. She has to wear out sometime and fall asleep." Most days, he's right. But not always.

Now, I am back in North Dakota staying with my inlaws, and Dr. B has begun his new job in Pennsylvania. Rowan was great on the trip despite the issues we had, and had several good days after that, leading my inlaws to believe that she was a wonderful, easy baby.

Then it came.

Black Wednesday.

Or, as Jean called it, "The Day From Hell."

Up at 8:30, she had a fussy morning. Lots of crying.

No nap.

More crying.

Lunch time.

Again with the crying.

Coffee with Jean's school gang, and again, no nap.

And more crying.

Afternoon. We were dead. All three of us were in desperate need of a nap, but no dice. More crying. No nap.

"She can't go on like this!" Jean said. "She's got to wear out. I am beat. I don't know how she does it."

We drove around. And around. And around. So long, in fact, that she got hungry again and we had to go home and feed her.

Late afternoon. Dick came home. "What have you been doing to my granddaughter?" he joked.

"You're lucky I like you, or I'd hand her off to you and go to the movies. And take a nap there." I said.

Again, more crying and no nap.

Supper. More crying. No sleeping.

Coffee. (Decaf). Ditto.

Dilly Bar. More of the same.

She finally conked out at 11 PM.

Jean, the next day, in a phone call to her son:

"You're wrong. I'm pretty sure she is a nuclear reactor."

But now, at least, I have an ally. Jean understands. And when people say, "oh, she's such a good baby!" I have someone to exchange "if you only knew" looks with.



*Note: after an "episode", she will usually have a few good days. She made it until Monday this time, but at least when she was awake she wasn't crying this time. Though she was up from 3 AM to 10 PM.

Maybe she'll be a doctor. Seems like she could handle the hours during residency. At least once every 3 or 4 days.

There's No Place Like Home...

We made it. Finally.

The movers came, packed, loaded, and took all of our junk (of which we still have way too much) off to Pennsylvania. Dr. B loaded Wonda the Honda on Friday morning, and drove all the way to State College while I helped the movers finish everything, cleaned our house, and got ready to stay at a dear friends' that night. Rowan was an angel, until I locked the door. Then all the bad luck that seemed to cruise right past us during the move came crashing in.

As we were loading the (now screaming) baby into the car, (near as we can figure) some yoho came by and stole my bag.

Not the one with the computer or the one with the Ipod.

They took the one with all my makeup, toiletries, hair dryer, glasses, contact lenses, prescriptions, dirty laundry and my favorite capri pants. Plus Rowan's cute new outfit from her second cousin Angie. Everything I needed for the next few days. Check that, months. They even got my toenail clippers and eyebrow plucking things.

Argh!

We went back and scoured the area, but it was nowhere to be found. So, Target was hit and even just replacing a small portion of those items was quite a hit to the pocketbook.

Rowan had a fussy night, and I had insomnia. (Sigh.) Our friends were angels, helping us, feeding me and putting up with a screaming baby and a frustrated mommy who didn't even have shampoo to shower away the icky moving grit.

But, Saturday morning dawned, and the inlaws came to pick us up.

Then we tried to fit all our stuff we did have in their Jimmy.

Whoa.

Maybe it was a good thing I didn't have that bag. (Note to self: buy smaller suitcase. With that, Lucy's crate, and Rowan's car seat, there wasn't much space.)

So, I breathed shallowly on the way up to Minneapolis. We stopped for dinner at another good friend's house. It was wonderful.

Driving into Fargo at 12:30, trying to wake up for fear that my contact lenses would need to be surgically removed from my eyes, I heard a WHAM!!! from the backseat.

We hit a deer. Came out of nowhere, and took out the headlights and rammed the front real good.

We drove slowly on the side of the road, flashers blinking and a state patroller following us into the next town, where most of the lights were out for some unexplained reason. Found the first hotel with lights on, and got a room. There were no cribs left, so Rowan slept with me, and Lucy slept right next to me on the floor. The next morning, we had breakfast, rented another SUV (which my inlaws are presently driving back to Fargo because they wouldn't let us return it up here), and came home.

It felt so good to walk through those doors.

So now we're here, with spotty cell phone reception (call me at Jean and Dick's if you can't get me), comfy couches, air conditioning, and Harry Potter.

And the all-important swing that Great Aunt B. let Rowan borrow. Thank you, B! That's a lifesaver, that is.

So now? Time to rest and relax and do nothing. (Except the cooking and cleaning--Cinderellie owes her in-laws, BIG TIME.)

Primp

Pre-Baby:

Plan outfit carefully, with appropriate undergarments. Iron as needed.
Shower, shave, shampoo, condition, cleanse with some lovely-smelling shower gel, pumice feet.
Paint toenails, with base coat, two coats of color (Berry Berry Broadway is my favorite), top coat.
Paint fingernails, with base coat, two coats of color (more understated than toes, Sheer Sugarplum is my top choice), top coat.
Apply anti-perspirant, body lotion, perfume.
Carefully apply makeup, including foundation, concealer, blush, eyeshadow (two types), eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, mascara (lashes appropriately curled, of course).
Dry and style hair, using several hair care products for that touseled look.
Choose jewelry, scarves and shoes to compliment outfit.
Don appropriate outerwear for the weather.
Apply a final coat of lipstick and/or gloss, checking teeth to make sure there are no stray lipstick marks.


Post-Baby:

"Honey?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you see the poop stain on my shirt?"*



*Yes, I really did ask this just before leaving the house.


***NOTE: The movers have packed the house, Dr. B is leaving this morning for PA, and my job is to clean the place while avoiding a baby meltdown when they load the truck. Dr. B will be taking the cable box, remote, and router thingee back to the cable company on his way out of town, so I will be wireless-less for a few days. Please be patient, and I'll post comments as soon as I can! My in-laws are coming to get us tomorrow, and we'll be back in the land of Ice and Snow, Tornadoes and 109 degree heat by late Saturday night.

Kabillion

We bought a home, found temporary housing for Dr. B, planned a 6-week stay in ND for me, the girl and the pup, and now are in the midst of a kabillion things that we have to do to prepare. We have movers coming to pack and haul everything, but that doesn't change the fact that things are a disorganized mess, and the house is in serious need of cleaning (yeah, like that's going to happen!) We're selling surplus items on Craig's List, hoping to see friends before leaving, and trying to ignore the fact that we're leaving the town we love so much (though from our week in SC,PA, we are pretty sure we're going to love it there, too.)

So posts may be infrequent for a bit, and I'm not sure when I'll get pictures up on Flickr (working on it!), but I do have to share this one with you.

Our lives may be caught in a whirlwind right now, but we do have the most beautiful little girl in the whole wide world. Don't you agree?

PS: She wore a hat for a few days, which made some of the hair in the front of her head rub off. She kind of looks like Ed Asner, but it's growing back. And her eyelashes are getting really long, so it kind of makes up for the baldie-mullet look.

House

This week, we're spending some time in our future hometown, State College, PA. It's a charming college town, nestled in the Allegheny Mountain Range of the Appalachian Mountains, and is full of students and people who really, really like Penn State. (And we thought Bucky Fever was bad...) Cute shops and restaurants are everywhere, the mountain views are amazing, and there are lots of neat little towns in the area to explore.

We went house hunting, found a townhouse, made an offer, and signed the papers, so we are officially homeowners in debt up to our eyeballs.

But it's cute. Not a lot of storage, but completely updated and redone throughout, so I never have to set foot in Home Depot. (Phew!)

Only problem is that it's not available when we need it, so we are planning a trip for me, the girl and the dog back to ND to visit family in August, and Dr. B will come alone for a while and live somewhere (still working on that.)

Scary, but exciting. I think we're going to like it here. More details soon...

Warning

Rowan in her cute Baby Gap top, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

Rowan was up today at 5 AM. After nursing, changing her clothes and sheets (she either wet everywhere or just got really, really sweaty while sleeping), and rocking her for a while, Dr. B took over and let me go back to bed before putting her back down around 7.

She slept until 11 AM.

I awoke at 10, ate breakfast, drank coffee, read my email, made the bed, cleaned the bathroom, showered, got dressed, combed my hair, brushed my teeth, put in my contacts and even moisturized before she woke up.

I think this means we're in for it tonight. Beware.

And if you hear wailing off in the distance? It's her.

Or me.

(Just close your windows tight.)

The Fountain

The first week as a new mom was tough. There were lots of people around, I was exhausted, my hormones were waaaaayyyy whacked out, it was really HOT, and Rowan screamed. A lot. You know, once everyone had gone back to their air-conditioned hotel rooms. (Sigh.)

A few days later, everyone left, my hormones calmed down, and the Ambien helped me sleep a little bit. (Doctor approved, btw.) Dr. B was a big help, and things started to get easier.

But it was still really HOT, and she still screamed. A lot.

Then Dr. B went back to work. And I was all alone with her. And I was scared.

The first day wasn't bad, though. She had a few fussy times, but slept well for the most part.

Then came day 2 (bum Bum BUUUMMMMMM!!!!)

After a night where she allowed me a total of 4 hours of sleep (not consecutive), she woke at 5. And didn't go back to sleep. At all. She wouldn't let me set her down for a second, or she would scream with amazing fury. She was gassy, and before each fart would scream. Then she'd fart. Then she'd scream some more. And it was hot. Really hot. So, we sat in her nursery, lights off, fan on, drapes drawn.

She sat leaning on my chest. And nursed a lot. I sweated a lot, the sweat dripping off my greasy, hormonal face. I watched banal morning television, and desperately wanted a shower.

Then, around 9 AM, she pooped. This was great news, as she had some issues with the whole pooping thing prior to this. I happily changed her diaper.

Then, around 9:30, she pooped again.

And again at 10:15.

And at 11.

And 12:30.

I gave birth to the Bellagio of Poop. Holy Crap.

So, I lay on the couch in my underwear and a tank top, eating granola bars and teddy grahams, drinking water, nursing her every hour and a half, holding her on my chest, changing dirty diapers, and flipping channels.

Just as she started to calm down and *think* about sleeping, the batteries in the remote control died.

As I was mid flip.

And I had just happened to land on ... motorcross. Great.

Finally, around 1, she fell deeply asleep and I was able to shower. That lasted all of 20 minutes, and she was wide awake again. And wanted to nurse. Again. My boobs felt like humongous raw sacks of pain.

At 2 PM, I had had it. It was 92 degrees, and I couldn't take another minute in our hot house. I loaded the screaming banshee in the car, and we went for a drive. I was nearly hallucinating from exhaustion, tears running down my face, begging her to sleep. It took me about 25 minutes of driving before she closed her eyes. At 2:45, I returned home, set her car seat down, and fell onto the couch and passed out.

Dr. B called a little after 3 and came home early, let me cry for a while, took her and changed her diaper (I admit, I was scared to check. And yes. She pooped AGAIN.) Then he poured me a glass of wine and brought me a whole box of chocolate truffles.

And she started screaming again.

So we took another drive until she fell asleep, and went out to dinner. For some reason, she slept the whole time. I guess all that screaming wore her out.

Thankfully, the days since then haven't been nearly as bad, and we are starting to develop a bit of a routine. She's not sleeping through the night by any means, but now will go 4-5 hours at a stretch, allowing Mom to sleep more deeply without the Ambien. I am still not getting a lot done during the day, but each day I go without crying is a victory. It's getting easier to enjoy her--watching her take in the world around her, seeing her turn her head when she hears my voice, wiping her face when she slops milk all down her face as she eats. I wish I could say it was easy now, but it's not. The doctor says she's perfect, and is doing incredibly well. She's gained a lot of weight in her first two weeks of life, so I guess I am doing my job right, even though it may not always feel like it. It's hard, but it's getting easier.

But it will be worth it. She is worth it. And when she wraps her little arms around my neck, I can feel the future tugging at my heart strings. And it feels good.

Belle

Belle, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

New photos are up on Flickr (click the above photo to go there). I'll blog soon, I hope, but for now it is a little difficult--hard to type with a baby in your arms or leaning against your chest (her favorite spot.)

Plus, we soon have to start packing for the big move to Pennsylvania. Anybody free to wrap china?

...It Pours

We got a phone call today.

Nothing's in writing yet, but it looks like we'll soon be packing up this lovely nursery and moving to Pennsylvania.

Prayers answered. Thank you for all your kind thoughts!

Woo-hoooooo!!!!!

our new family!

our new family!, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

She's here, after 29 hours of labor. Long story, and I don't have the energy to write it now, but know that she's beautiful, and perfect, and has a heck of a set of lungs on her! (I just wish she didn't like to give us a concert every morning from 2-5.)

Rowan Amelia

born June 9, 2007; 8:03 AM

7 lbs. 5 oz., 19.5 inches long

Light brown hair, great big eyes, and she smells like a sugar cookie.

We love her so very much.

More later, when we've recovered a bit...

More pictures on my flickr page, and more to come.

Oh, and if you've tried to call, sorry--I don't often get a chance to answer the phone. When she's not eating, awake or screaming, I'm doing my very best to sleep. It doesn't always work, but I'm trying. I would love to hear from you soon, but will need a little time to adjust.

Water

I think my water may have broken, at about 3:20 this morning. I have had some intermittent back pain, and couldn't sleep any more, and really, really needed some peanut butter toast. I read until 6:30, then called the nurse.

So right now, we're getting things ready, showering, eating breakfast, walking the dog (him), putting away clean towels and scouring the sink (me), and preparing to go in and find out if it has.

Broken? I stay and have a baby.

Not? I come home and blog about how frustrated I am.

So if you don't hear anything, you know what's happening.

Comments won't be posted until I get back (as there's no Wifi at the hospital), whether that's in a few hours or a few days, so please post them only once. Thanks!)

No News is No News

Nothing's happening yet, but there is some major severe weather on the way.

If you don't hear anything from our end, it could be that the power is out and we can't post.

Hopefully, the baby will come and everything will be fine.

But wouldn't that be a story to tell, if she chose the biggest storm of the century to make her appearance? My daughter, a drama queen?

I wouldn't be surprised...

Due

Woo hoo!, originally uploaded by MrsBinParis.

I found this on a roll that was missed in my camera bag, so I decided to spend the afternoon of my due date walking around Walmart for an hour and wait for it to be developed, hoping it would launch me into labor.

It didn't.

But, there are new photos on Flickr, so click that one to go there, if you like. There's a few of the nursery (in progress--the finished room is on the roll that's currently in the camera), some of the April shower, one of the May shower, a few taken this last week when my cousin visited, and some Dr. B took to record what I looked like during my last trimester of pregnancy.

I am smiling, so obviously those were taken before I got completely fed up with the whole being pregnant thing. My due date has come (and nearly gone) and I am still here, swollen, bloated, crampy and waiting. Unfortunately, a due date is not an expiration date.

So, I have been trying to keep busy. This week, I said I'd only work if they requested me specifically. I guess most people have either not needed a sub, or they know my time is close, so I haven't gotten any calls. Thus, my surfaces are dusted, floors are swept, floors are mopped, laundry is (mostly) done, bathroom is clean and the dishes are done.

The nursery is ready, there is extra toilet paper in the closet, the fridge is stocked (except for fruit, yogurt and eggs which we keep eating), and there are even new tomato plants and eggplant plants on the porch (though I haven't potted the eggplants yet.) Lucy has had an excursion to the country for exercise, gotten her rabies shot, and even got a new bag of peanut butter cookies in her Boîte à Toutou.

The finished and overdue library books are returned, my hair is freshly cut and styled, and I even finished knitting that scarf I started for my stepsister a long time ago. Even Lucy is freshly trimmed (thanks to Dr. B with the clippers on the porch).

The new-to-us baby stuff is 409'd and washed, the G diapers are loaded and ready, and there is a brand-new crib, with freshly ironed dust ruffle, lined with a duck and frog sheet and waiting for its occupant to make her appearance.

But we are still waiting. On the job for him, and the baby for both of us. Feels a bit like suspended animation--difficult to keep busy, not get too bored, and try to keep the house clean for the visitors that will come as soon as we make the announcement (though we know they love us and don't care if the bathroom is spotless.) We get a lot of "have you had it yet?" phone calls. It's nice to talk to people, but if I hear that question one more time, I think I'll scream.

Maybe that will trigger labor. One can hope.