Why isn't every store a drive through?

Don't they know how much time it takes to get a baby out of the car?  I'd imagine that the coffee and convenience store people are missing out on the 'mothers-with-more-than-4-or-more-kids-in-the-car' demographic entirely.  No coffee for you droggy moms!!

Week 7

New Tricks: LAUGHS; CHATTER. She'll say agoo, gaaa, cooo, and other vowel sounds. But she'll look at our faces and smile, smile bigger and then laugh so big her eyes close. She must've done some other things too, but all we could focus on was her new language. ;)

Life: Wow, there is absolutely nothing better than watching your baby crack up and coo

Why it's hard to leave for work...

Dave sent me a text including this picture (that he snapped early one morning right before he left) with the words, "it's so hard to leave you two." We couldn't do this without him.  He's my constant; our protector. He makes all of this possible, with God's guidance.  We wouldn't be able to raise our daughter the way we want without his hard work and the small sacrifices on both of our parts.  Small, because of the gigantic gift being able to stay home and raise her provides.

Thank you dearest, sweet husband.  We love you so much.

Caption: It was nearly an all-nighter - this is what recovery mode looks like.

Week 6

New Tricks: she can stare at us, hold our gaze, sees dog, sees herself and us in mirror, can start clasping things when we put them in her hands

Life: Has somehow gotten easier - I'm able to shower on most days (big victory and something I couldn't begin to imagine possible in those early weeks).  I'm able to make feel like I'm pulling my weight around here again.  Feels good!

Doc Update: 10.9 pounds (85th %), 22.5 inches (95th %)

Aunt Molly

Molly and Michael came to visit and we were thrilled to have them. People think that when you have a baby that you don't want company... WRONG! you crave it; or at least we did. It was so nice to spend some time relaxing with family and watching others love your child. It really makes my heart smile.

I was saying, M&M came up from Baltimore to visit and they were a bit later than it should've taken them. Well we found out why! They came in with so many bags of groceries and yummy food - I'm not sure how we could've gotten through these first few weeks without their loving stock-up!  So sweet and a cute picture od the baby in a porcelein pink frame to top it off. Her first and still the only framed picture that we have of her.  Love you Molly!!!

Gift of Chai

After 4 requests for the recipe and several other comments, here it is, I tried to post to FB, but wasn't successful.

Ingredients:

2 cups nonfat dry milk (or 1 cup dry milk and 1 cup non-dairy powdered creamer)
2.5 cups white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 cups unsweetened tea (decaf for preggers)
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cardamom
Optional: 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. allspice and 1/4 tsp. white pepper

Mix the vanilla into the sugar, let dry, then break the sugar into small lumps. In a large bowl, combine milk powder, sugar and tea. Stir in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time, until mixture is the consistency of fine powder. Stir 2 heaping tablespoons Chai tea mixture into a mug of hot water to serve. Enjoy.

Week 5

New Tricks: I think she can smile on her own (read: on purpose) She can also kick and move her arms with serious force! She's also begun reaching for things on the bouncy chair.

Life: There might be a light at the end of the tunnel?  We finally figured out that sometimes she just needs to suck on something to calm herself down.  And after my finger was a bit pruned-out, I opted for the pacifier - seems to be working nicely. :)  Just feeling cautious to make sure we don't overuse it.

Mommy Dates

We went to childbirth classes (Bradley Method - focusing on natural labor & delivery) in Yardley.  We'd meet with 4 other couples in the home of the instructors.  The classes were good in prepping us, but there wasn't much time to mingle. 

We'd traded birth story emails and another mom, Heather had her baby, Pippa (short for Phillippa) a week before we had Elizabeth. 

Well, she just emailed me asking to get together - how exciting!!! We both feel rammy and need to 'test ourselves' in getting out.  We've planned lunch next week - can't wait!

"Hi Mary,
How's it going? I've been thinking about you lately. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling very cooped up these days and would love to get together. Pippa and I are willing to travel! Want to have lunch sometime next week?
Heather*"
The update:  here's a picture from my Mommy Date with Heather & Pippa.  First, Pippa is a doll and an amazing sleeper.  Elizabeth, on the other hand...my snacking, erratic sleeping, crying baby didn't put her best face on for our newest friends.  She pooped all over me (I tried to conceal my dismay).  Heather made a scrumptious cream of celery root soup with basil infused olive oil and a great turkey club on rye.  Um...yeah, I was lucky that I'd showered that morning.  

On my way back home, I phoned Annie for advice/support.

I guess this is my welcome to Mommy-hood-comparison-land.

Week 4

New Tricks: She stares at her mobile, over and over and over.

Life: This mobile has offered a nice few minutes for me to tidy a room or get dressed or run to the bathroom. That said, it's also provided 2 broken nails (in a flurry to recrank it as quickly as possible) Her hair is falling out! She might be a toe-head yet!

Fear of the Phone

I love having people call to check on us, see what's new and say hello. The problem is the unpredictability of a newborn. We don't have a schedule, so there's really no good time to call chat on the phone. I've made several attempts to return calls or answer then with a sleeping baby, only to have to yell over the baby that I'll need to call them back later.

I'm still working on when 'later' will come. :)

Lamest New Year's Eve Ever

After 2 days of battling a cold, I looked at the clock and realized it was seven o'clock on New Years Eve. My husband was home looking a little bored. We hadn't really talked about what we'd like to do to ring in the New Year, but I'm sure that neither of us imagined we'd be sitting on a couch, (me, not having showered in 3 days) ready to fall asleep at any moment.

So here's a recap of the night: leftovers for dinner (eaten separately), a half shower, put the baby to sleep in her bed (1st successful attempt lasted for about 2 hours) followed by the vow to David that we will never have such a lame New Years Eve again as we both fell asleep on the couch (not together)...yes, completely lame.

Lesson: I have back-up plans for next year already in place. :)