Will enjoying his toes!
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Word(s) of the Day
Will's vocabulary, from most used (and articulate) to least:
1. Ma-ma (sometimes said non-stop for several minutes)
2. Uh-oh (also used in sequence over long periods of time)
3. Hi!
4. Da-da
5. Gato ("Ga-doh") -- as in "cat" in spanish.
6. Ah-ah-ah! (like the Count on Sesame Street)
7. Agua ("Ah-ga") -- as in "water" in spanish
8. Thank you ("ank u") -- this one is a stretch, but it's there
Other fun sounds:
- zerbers
- raspberries
- hah-heh-heh (like heavy breathing, with him mouth wide open -- he does this when he gets really happy)
- La-la-la (copying us when we sing - particularly when we sing "William's Song", which has many "la" sounds)
Sunday, November 28, 2004
ah-ah-ah!
Story as told by Granna (Mom handed off Will at 7:30am after 2 hours of wrestling with a squirmy Will and went back to bed.)
Sesame Street came on the television this morning at breakfast. During the opening song of the show ("Sunny days...") the Count comes past the screen and says "ah-ah-ah!" As if on queue, Will pops out his binky and parrots back, "ah-ah-ah!"
So precious that I almost wish I had been awake for it.
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Funniest Moment...?
We may have an entry for America's Funniest Home Videos.
Paul and Will making silly faces to each other back and forth. Specifically, Paul placing his finger sideways in front of his lips and making his finger go up and down while making a humming sound... we've all done it, yet I have no idea what it is called. Paul does this to Will, Will tries to do it back. Paul reaches out his hand to Will's lips, and Will provides the sound as Paul provides the finger movement. And they go back and forth like this for several minutes. So very hard to explain in writing, yet so very easy to explain by demonstrating!! Anyway, it's hysterical. Thank goodness for the joy of being able to capture these moments on video!
First Birthday Number 2!
Will celebrated his first birthday again with Granna and PapPap Scheib (and Paul and I) last night here in Mobile. Will was showered in gifts and is enjoying his "incredi-block" -- a big cube that plays music and allows for a thousand ways to play with 'peek-a-blocks' --- he fires up the music and uses the block as support to dance, dance, dance! Other gifts included large wooden puzzle shapes (Will likes to crawl around with the "circle"), a frog puppet that will "ribbet" out Old MacDonald and three other songs (WAY cool) and a little tool chest.
He is having a blast here and is still amazing us with his lasting power in the spa tub. This baby is swimming before he is walking!
Friday, November 26, 2004
Happy Will's First Poop Day!
This year, we gave thanks in Granna and PapPap's home in Mobile in the traditional way: stuffing, potatoes, Randy's famous mushroom gravy, and lots of veggies.
It may have looked like a Thanksgiving Day celebration, but for Will's parents, this day will always be celebrated as:
Will's First Poop Day!
Last year, on Thanksgiving Day, Will (a mere 6 days old) had the bowel movement we (and most of the pediatric staff in the UM Mott hospital) were waiting 2 days for! The bowel movement let us know that Will was safely working the excess bilirubin out of his bloodstream and was safe to go HOME*. It was a relief for us, being in the hospital seriously sucked. So, we decided that the day held extra special meaning in our lives as Will's First Poop Day! The day we REALLY got to start being a family! So, this is our special holiday.
Happy Will's First Poop Day!
*The basic technical details: Will was jaundice after birth, a very common problem shared by the majority of newborns. His was aggravated both by his having a poor latch (a breastfeeding issue) that meant he wasn't getting a whole lot to eat just yet. Another issue was that the two of us had different RH blood factors. I am RH negative (my blood type is AB-, which means my blood does not have that particular protein). Paul's blood is RH positive. Which means that Will and I had a blood incompatibility issue: I had injections during pregnancy to keep my body from developing antibodies and all was fine on that end. However, after birth, it was up to Will's little liver to process all the blood in his tiny body -- a big task! The build up of the excess bilirubin is what caused the jaundice. His output (poop) was our signal that his body was working to process everything normally.
A birthday greeting for Will
This was too special and fun to not have archived here. An email from Raja and Chiya Sahota, dear friends of ours in New Delhi, India:
==========
HI there Will (And Of Course Paul and Holly!!)
I have to write to them directly as they are the only two in your house that can read!! Anyway, I have your photograph in which you are wearing the shades up on my desk and you look great. One year already! Wow, you are growing up fast - faster than me. I am so jealous of your cake andI bet your parents aren't showing us the presents on purpose. I know your Mom, she is like that. Seriously, tell your Mom and Dad that I am always thinking of you all and love you immensely. I will meet you soon as I want to hang with you. I bet we'll both get along famously. Anyway, since it is your first Birthday, it should last all week. I wanted to wish you personally and hence this letter. Now you are old enough for that. From me and Chiya, lots of love to you and may God Bless you with happiness and health. I will speak to your parents and tell them to spoil you a lot and never say No to you and... I know what to say
Love and Hugs from your Faraway Uncle and Aunt
Raja and Chiya
==========
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Ouch!
Somehow, Will slipped his hand under the high chair tray just as I was slipping it into place. It took a few seconds for his "ouch" to set in: I had already turned away to get his cheerios before the crying started. I turned and noticed then that his hand was somehow under the tray. I quickly moved the tray --- to see his tiny little right hand ring finger-fingernail all white (smashed between the snap top tray and bottom base!!) I freaked. Paul took a look and in his most supportive manner said, "It's okay... he'll probably have a blood blister or at least lose his nail." I freaked even more. How could I not have noticed his hand?!
I quickly picked up my crying child and felt his little body shake, with him holding out his hand all limp as if it was paralyzed by the hurt. I carried him around, calmed him down, and decided to try to give him a little food. One bite of sesame tofu -- and suddenly, he was fine. Within seconds, he was fine. Within a minute, it was like it never happened! How could something that turns into such a non-event have been such a freak-out session for me?!
I need to learn to bounce back as quickly as my kid!
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Will's Favorite Foods
What's on Will's plate these days? A list of the most popular:
- Sesame Tofu (we think this is his number one favorite)
- Earth's Harvest Organic Plums, Bananas, and Rice
- Cheerios
- Bananas
- Daal (lentils) in coconut curry
- Kung Pao Tofu
- Matar Paneer
- Earth's Harvest Organic Peach, Banana, and Oatmeal
- Corn
- Green beans
- Earth's Harvest Organic Sweet Potatoes
- Cooked Red, Yellow, and Orange peppers
- Gerber Biter Biscuits
- Del Monte Fruit Cups (Pears)
- Bluebird Cafe's Veggie Hash (onions, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, carrots)
First Birthday Cake
Will enjoying his first birthday cake -- reaching for that first candle! (Daddy blew it out for him!)
STANDING!
Last night, Will STOOD on two feet -- unsupported, unfettered -- simply standing.
Twice.
For a good 30 seconds each time.
After our initial surprise and accolades, the reality of the situation set in. And as Will would say, "Uh-ho!"
Monday, November 22, 2004
The dark side of age one
This morning was Will's one-year wellness exam.
What a traumatic experience!!
The good news: Will is perfect. His diet "could not be better", his weight and height are fine (he's caught up to his normal progression), and his milestones are great.
The bad news: He had to endure routine blood draw (standard in this office for one year wellness exams) and after, a vaccination.
The phlebotomist was horrible -- she couldn't decide where to stick him, made us switch rooms after spending over 5 minutes torturing him with a plastic tourniquet, and had me tightly squeeze his little body and limbs as he laid on my chest. It was awful -- I've never heard Will so miserable. I did my best to remain composed and calm (so he wouldn't feed off my nervousness) and softly sang to him. It was all I could do to not cry with him!
THEN... he had to get his 4th DTP. It's important to note here that in previous injections, when I have held Will and sung to him and distracted him, he barely cries. So, I used our method again: held Will and distracted him with a favorite toy. The nurse didn't pay attention to how she was holding his leg, and when she stuck him with the needle, he kicked. The needle turned under his skin, had to be pushed back in and the rest of the serum pushed... it caused lots of blood and a huge, red, swollen bruise. (To match the one on his little hand from the blood draw!)
Even when Will was a few weeks old and dealing with colic-like gas pains he didn't cry as much as he did today.
It was awful... definitely, the hardest part of parenting!
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Will's First Birthday!
This afternoon, we (Will, Paul, Grandpa and Nana Wisneskey, and I) enjoyed a lunch at Italian Pie (the little pizza and pasta place a stone's throw from our front door) and then went the 7 blocks west to Audubon Zoo.
We acquired an annual membership -- one that allows Paul and I, our child(ren), and any two guests into the Zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (downtown) for free. (So, to all visitors -- free outtings to the zoo and aquarium with Will!)
The Zoo was a blast. Will loved the animals and spent the whole visit talking away, pointing, cooing, and being just the cutest kid. The highlight was when Will and I fed the giraffe!! I held the biscuit as "Murray" (one of the big males) bent down and licked up my hand for his treat -- and Will reached out and touched his head! Murray stayed there awhile and let us pet him and scratch his nose. (No pictures, unfortunately. Paul was outside the exhibit and missed it all!)
We took tons of pictures of Will pointing and talking away and can't wait to go back!
THEN... we came back home. We thought Will would be tired and ready for a nap. Not so!! He was totally charged up. So, we ordered a pizza and started opening presents. He had wonderful gifts from Grandpa and Nana Wisneskey, Aunt Amy and Uncle Kevin, Uncle Skip and Aunt Emily, and friends Randy and Katherine Musgrove. (Granna and PapPap Scheib sent Will a card and a check for his college fund and have presents to give him at birthday party #2 later this week.)
Randy and Katherine sent a Leap Frog baby tag (so cute -- Will is learning to press the buttons!) and music table that he loves to stand up and dance to (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10! Apparently, he loves this tune...! Paul and I have all the songs and sayings memorized, that tells you how much Will likes them!) Aunt Julie Stanton sent the classic "Elmer the Elephant" story with a stuff Elmer to go with it! Aunt Amy and Uncle Kevin sent a sports ball set (way cool!), a nikey sport suit, and a Leap Frog alphabet pal that does several alphabet and color learning games -- really neat! Uncle Skip and Aunt Emily sent magnetic letters, a fun dinosaur book (Dinosaur Roar!), and beach toys and watering can that Emily specially decorated and designed especially for Will! Grandpa and Nana gave Will a beautiful Osh Kosh onesie and jacket (with adorable matching socks), a quack-along duck set, a musical block set that squeeks when you put the sounders in place (hard to describe, but TOTALLY cool) and his first Richard Scary book. This was an especially precious gift, as Paul's Ga (Ga was young Paul speak for Grandma) gave him his first Richard Scary book for his first birthday. Other family and friends sent birthday greetings as well. All were thoughtful, fun, and so appreciated!!
Of course, Will had a blast with just the ribbon and paper (especially the ribbon)!!
In between presents, we breaked for dinner. Pizza was the menu (Will also had some, along with leftover tofu and a jar of Plums, Banana, and Rice). And then birthday cake!!! We neglected to think about getting a cake until the last minute, so yesterday, I bought a small cake at a bakery across the street from Whole Fodds (Chez Nous). It was the perfect type of cake -- white with butter cream frosting, my favorite! But had blue flowers --- maybe not the perfect for a boy's birthday?? Even so, that was our cake! Will had a BLAST eating his piece.... or, rather, feeding it to Daddy, rubbing it all over his head, face, arms, chair, back (really, he got it on his back!), and even some on the floor. It was right into the shower from there!
After a long night of fun, it took two swings on the front porch swing to put him out for the night. (A big deal for a boy who is next to impossible to get to sleep!) What a wonderful first birthday for our little man!
St. Charles Famous Streetcar
The morning streetcar on a quiet Sunday morning... on Will's first birthday!
Will's First Birthday!
We just got back from a wonderful walk on a goregous morning in our beautiful city!
After a quick stop at CC's for famous iced coffee and bagels, we walked up to St. Charles Street and then back down through our lovely neighborhood to home. What a great day to be in New Orleans and what a great day to be ONE YEAR OLD!
Saturday, November 20, 2004
Riverwalk
A rainy day kept us inside today!
Paul and Dad Wisneskey installed speakers into the kitchen ceiling first thing this morning. Then we enjoyed brunch at Bluebird Cafe (a yummy veggie-friendly eatery on Prytania Street!) The drizzle (and lack of convenient outdoor partking) kept us inside for the short tour of the Garden District and French Quarter. We ended up parking on the 8th (!) floor at the Wyndam Hotel across from the pier and walking over the Riverwalk, the mall that extends from the Aquarium to the Convention Center. We window shopped, enjoyed some beignets and chickory coffee at Cafe du Monde, and watched the ships in the Mississippi.
I fell in love with a local jewelry shop featuring work exclusively from New Orleans artists... wow!
Friday, November 19, 2004
Visit from Grandparents!
Last night, Paul's parents flew in from North Carolina. They are spending the weekend here to celebrate Will's birthday.
Will has been a delight. He is working on saying words ("Ma-Ma" is still his best, and he definitely seems to associate it with me). Other words he seems to be trying to say are "Gato" ("cat" in spanish... one of our babysitters only speaks spanish) and "Thank You." "Uh-oh" is another bit in his vocabulary -- and he correcty says it when he does things like drop his sippy cup on the floor.
They are so enthralled with him and entertained by his little faces, laughter, and constant curiousity.
The five of us (mom and dad, Paul, Will, and I) all went on a long walk through Aubudon Park this morning. I took lots of pictures with our new SLR digital camera (wow -- what an amazing camera!!!) and Will enjoyed being carried a good bit of the way by Grandpap George and riding the stroller the rest of the time. It was a beautiful morning and has been a beautiful New Orleans day -- low humidity, warm, some sun. A great November day!
Will in the Duck, Audubon Park, Nov. 19
A friendly duck in Audubon Park -- Will did his best to "quack" with him.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Muppet Radio!
I admit I was skeptical about the internet radio. But Muppet Radio has changed my mind! All muppets (including Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock) all the time!! Some of our most recent favorites:
- John Denver on the Muppet Show singing "Grandma's featherbed" to all the muppet animals
- The Count and Cookie Monster "If I Knew You Were Coming, I'd have Baked a Cake"
- Billy Joel singing "Just the Way You Are" to Oscar the Grouch (..."ew, yuck! Grouch's hate to be told that!!")
Will is still a bit too young to appreciate it. But Mom and Dad LOVE it.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Checking in with Will
Will is going to be ONE YEAR old on Sunday. It is all very overwhelming.
He has recently hit a much-anticipated growth spurt. It is amazing how much bigger he looks and feels. It is so hard to see him grow -- you want it to happen, but it still hurts all the same. It is exciting to buy new clothes in the next size, but bittersweet to put away the ones that are too small.
He is waving so sweetly now. And saying "Mama". And lots of other sounds. He does seem to copy our sounds -- the new exciting one is "Ga" for "Gato". He has four teeth on top and 2 on bottom... with one more on the bottom right coming through. (With all the teeth up top, he's like a little vampire!!) He is getting closer and closer to walking each day, but still wants to be held and "toted" everywhere.
He is so much fun. There is just so much to love about him. I understand so much in the world better now -- having a child, raising a child, loving a child -- these are life changing and incredibly maturing events. Nothing can prepare you for it, nothing compares to it. It adds a richness and dimension that is so unexpected that you can't anticipate or predict it. I think it is like discovering another way that your heart and soul can love -- it's falling in love but in surprising, heart-won ways.
I make this blog to help document Will's early days. I hope someday he can look back on it and realize how much time and thought his mom (and really, his whole family) put into everything about his life. How much we treasure every moment and work through the tough spots together.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Old Posts
Changing sites, so here are the old logs:
Fri, Oct. 22nd, 2004, 09:58 am How to Survive a PhD, part 1
1. Talk to other PhD students. Discover they are just as insecure as you are. Feel relieved.2. Remember that "Doctoral student" is a job title. Correct all of those who refer to it as "going to school," "being a student," or "attending college." 3. Have a supportive spouse who reads your papers.4. Make the department administrators your best friends.... I'm learning the ropes!!!
Thu, Oct. 21st, 2004, 10:59 pm Saturation Point!
I think that we may be O.D.ing on the Wiggles. There are no less than 20 episodes on TiVo... and counting. And this does not include the episodes that have already been downloaded off TiVo and burned to DVD!!! Maybe I should be grateful... after all, it could be Barney...?
Mon, Oct. 18th, 2004, 08:26 am Riot Act
Workmen are removing trees from the lot next door. I read them the riot act for banging on my doors and windows and ringing my bell until the buzzer went super-sonic. Beware the wrath of a woman with a sick child.
Thu, Oct. 14th, 2004, 10:35 pm Will Update
Will is still a bit sick. He has fever that comes and goes and a little cough. But the big issue is that he just isn't eating!!! He is still happy, laughing, and playing... but has moments where he isn't comfortable, clingy, and clearly not happy. I don't know what I will do if (when...) he actually gets really sick. I am very concerned over his eating and am nervous about his weight (he is very light for his age/height.) I am hoping that he will catch up by his 12 month check-up. I can't wait until he is eating normally again... I want to feed my baby!!Second biostats exam tomorrow (anxiety!) Kitchen still mostly a disaster. Mom is here (Paul is in Chicago through Monday for Pinball Expo) and she is helping to try and make sense of the mess. Only a few more weeks until the counter tops come and then we'll have a stove, sink, oven.... a kitchen!!
Wed, Oct. 13th, 2004, 10:58 am First Cold!
Will is sick for the first time! Just a slight cold... but it spurred me to find him a doctor. So, now we have a pediatrician (who I really like) and he is in the Tulane medical system. He has no appetite (an issue with his weight, see below) a chest cough (which he does in his sleep!), sneezes, a bit of a runny nose, some diarrhea, and has woken up screaming with ear pain (at least, I think it is ear pain because he is banging on his left ear.) He may possibly have an ear infection, but since those are pretty controversial right now (they usually go away without meds) I decided not to push the anti-boditic issue. Apparently, his diarrhea is an indicator that he probably doesn't have an ear infection, so hopefully it's just a bug working through his little system. So, lots of motrin and hopefully lots of sleep for our little man! Other not so great news... Will needs to gain weight!! He's a little light for his age and size. Not a big issue (he looks great, according to the MD) but still something to monitor. You can believe I've been practically force feeding him as many calorie rich foods as I can!!
Fri, Oct. 8th, 2004, 02:16 pm Waving Hello!
Last weekend (Oct. 2-5) Will and I went to the greater Pittsburgh area to visit family -- most especially my Grandma Betty, who lives in an assisted living facility due to severe memory loss (believed to be Alzheimer's). Grandma remembers that she has another grandchild, although she forgets that he is a great grandchild (she gets my mother and I sometimes confused). It is wonderful to see her light up when she sees the baby ("What a beautiful baby!" She says.) She held him while he had some juice and watched him play (ie: crawl around the floor with me) with some of the other residents. They all loved Will (how could they not... he is adorable and so sweet!) Will also began a new skill over the weekend: he is waving hello and good-bye!! He doesn't get the context of what waving is or means, but he is copying the behavior... it's precious. What is even more cute is that he waves to himself (rather than hand pointed out toward the other person). He also does a "wild man head shake" where he'll make babble sounds and shake his head back and forth. (Sometimes he does this while making raspberry sounds, which is particularly funny!)
Fri, Oct. 1st, 2004, 10:14 am Child care... got some?
Venting here...We are desperately seeking affordable child care! It is insane that anything involving families is so inflexible, expensive, and crazy to figure out. Just a few hours a day... not full time! It would be easier to put him in full time care, and probably cheaper! Argh. We're totally frustrated... Personal vow::: I promise to do whatever I need to do to help my children when they have children.
Sun, Sep. 26th, 2004, 01:33 pm Will and the Walker
Will now has a walker (compliments of my mother). Paul and I were pretty much against this idea (do we *really* want this child *more* mobile??) but Mom thought it would be a good idea to make it easier to do stuff (from empty the dishwasher to use the toliet) without panicking that Will is putting his fingers in electrical sockets or playing with the toliet plunger. (From this perspective, we have to admit that it does seem like a good idea.) It is really interesting to watch him in a new device. He currently uses it the way he uses the other two contraptions in his life. One is a bouncy chair, which is stationary and responds to him bouncing up and down with his legs. So, when placed inside it, he uses the walker as a bouncy chair. The other contraption is his music table, which he interacts with by pulling himself up to standing. So, when not placed inside it, he pulls himself up on the walker (and then usually chews and pulls on the fixtures on top of it). Although he has moved a tiny bit foward in it, the act of moving in it hasn't registered. It has not yet occurred to him that he can use it to move around. It's little things like this that fill parenting with so much awe -- just watching Will figure out the world around him, bit by bit, makes me stop and give pause to the magic of life. I've often said that bringing a life into the world is the closest thing to magic that exists in our reality. Now I am thinking that this magic doesn't end there, but continues as that new life learns it's independence and discovers itself.
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2004, 10:11 am Sept. 24
First Biostats Exam today in just a few hours. We survived Ivan the first time, now experiencing him as mild rain and cloud cover. How crazy!Will is playfully saying "BAH!" regularly -- we love it.Classes are starting to pick up (despite missing a week of them due to Ivan) and my "second semester" classes start in just a few weeks. Then things will really hit the fan!I was remembering being pregnant with Will last year.The first time I felt Will move in my belly, I was in Copan Ruinas, Honduras. I had been there for a little over a week, by myself, and was felling particularly lonely. It was bedtime and I was in bed, rubbing my growing belly, and talking to the baby. Being pregnant made me feel like there was always someone around with me (like a secret friend) and I often talked to the baby. I told the baby I was lonely and that it would mean so much for him (or her) to let me know they were there, too. And by golly -- he did!!! That was the first time I felt him...
Wed, Sep. 15th, 2004, 12:57 pm House Update
This past weekend (Sept 11-12) my Mom and Dad came to NOLA to help us with the house. Paul and Dad hung attic stairs from the ceilings (this sounds like an easy task, but we have 12 foot ceilings and a 100+ year old house). They ended up getting a saws-all to cut through the old lathe board, plaster, and beams to lengthen the existing opening. SERIOUS work... I have pictures and will put them up on the ofoto.com site soon. The next morning, the used a jackhammer (borrowed from local contractor) to remove the existing stairs on the front porch. Friday, Paul removed another 200 bricks from the side of the house and powerwashed them along with several hundred others. These old bricks (original to the house) will be used to construct the new front steps and pathway. (We have to move the existing steps since they extend into the lot next door where a house will be being built starting in the fall.)Construction began Monday. The mason, who had dug and poured the foundation for the new walkway, began laying bricks Monday morning. Also, a crew came in to turn the hallway bathroom door, move the light switch, and prep the kitchen area for cabinets and appliances. So, the center of our house is a series of long plastic sheets, taped floors, and open walls. This was all very exciting until the hurricane!!!So, we had to move tons of construction debris under or to the side of the house in the hopes that the several hundred bricks Paul worked so hard to release and clean aren't going to become missiles. Not to mention the huge shards of concrete from the old stairs. And the old toliet from the hall bath!!! It was a lot of work... we did board up the front door and closed the hurricane shutters along the outside of the house. The bummer is that the crews will be busy with post-storm work and won't be able to get back to our house in awhile (at least, this is what we're guessing) so, we're back to the waiting game. Really, I am first hoping that our house is totally secure and dry after all this is over... then I'll worry about the rest!
Wed, Sep. 15th, 2004, 12:35 pm Ivan Update!
After much excitement over the past few days, we finally decided to pack up and flee New Orleans. And went to Mobile, Alabama! Although it sounds crazy to head TOWARDS the strike zone of a Class 4 hurricane, we made the decision based on several factors. One was that we truly had no idea where the hurricane was going. Forecasters had been saying it would turn right for weeks and had not. The risk of being in New Orleans if it continued on its direct path was a great risk, particularly because it would not have left enough time to evacuate the city. Also, city officials were asking residents to leave (they said that they would not do a mandatory evacuation due to the limited infrastructure they had to support it, so instead, could only strongly recommend us to leave). The city was expecting 12-18 feet of storm surge in the city -- this doesn't fare as bad as it sounds for our house, which is on the highest ground in the city and has not flooded in it's 100+ year history. But, with the middle of the city flooded (New Orleans is shaped like a soup bowl), we would be stuck. And with the likely power outages and lack of water, we would have run the risk of being stuck and possibly in trouble. So, we decided to leave. We tried to get a hotel room in Texas... as far as 500+ miles away in Texas... to no avail. And with the cost of travel and lodging (with my Mom, the baby, and the cats) it didn't really make sense. Enter Mobile. My Dad couldn't leave Mobile due to his duties in the shipyard. We didn't want him to be alone (my Mom was with us helping with Will since I was suppose to have a huge biostats exam this week). Dad has a generator, propane gas for the grill, and a pool in the backyard for extra water for bucket baths and toliet flushing. And, they are on high ground and about 30 miles from the Bay (as opposed to New Orleans, which is 9 feet BELOW sea level.) Sooo... it made sense to weather through the storm in Mobile. But, we had to leave the city first. It took us EIGHT hours to travel the 28 miles out of Orleans and St. Tammany Parishes to the Mississippi line. 28 miles in eight hours. We called my Uncle Corky from the road and when we told him how far we'd gotten he asked, "Are you Walking?!" The situation (as we understand it) was that folks were traveling east to go north and west (the western route was so tight that people chose to go "the long way" around to miss traffic.) So, the normally 2-2 1/2 hour drive to Mobile (140 miles) took us from 4:45pm until 3:30am. But, we got here. (A difficult trip to be in traffic with a baby who needs to be fed regularly!) And now we are waiting for the storm. Dad is at work and should be home in a few hours. It is dark here (feels like early morning still) and rainy. The coastline pictures on local tv show an impressively active surf. The local weather is actually somewhat funny... things like "expect 100 mph winds, possible tornadic activity, and 20 foot storm surge" while playing elevator music as if they were reporting a normal, sunny day. We aren't sure what exactly to expect, but are expecting something big!We are happy to be here and hopeful that the storm is gentle on us and parts West. (We love our new city!!)
Mon, Sep. 6th, 2004, 11:16 am Rough Night!
It is important that I recount the not-so-thrilling parts of motherhood along with the super-fun.Last night was a not-so-fun night! Will is teething and is going through periods of fever and pain. Last night, he was very restless, clingy, and uncomfortable throughout the night. As Mom, my job is to make him feel loved, safe, and secure all the time -- so I was on duty! My parents helped. At around 2:30, Dad moved into the guest room and Will and I shared the bed with my Mom. We took turns walking around with him, watching parts of Baby Beethoven (it calms him) and holding him. I managed to burn my chest, upper arms, and part of my neck yesterday while studying outside... so cuddling Will was not so fun last night! I did manage to get just under 2 hours of straight sleep, with a few 1 hour or 30 minute naps here and there, but I am still dragging today! The secret to surviving is to sleep when the baby sleeps -- I am just not very good at this!
Sun, Sep. 5th, 2004, 03:15 pm Hurricane Frances Update
We just got a call from The Boy (my brother) who lives in Jacksonville, Florida. Until now, the local Jacksonville authorities had the area under a tropical storm warning... ie: no big deal. So, Skip and Emily gassed up the cars, made sure they had some water, and went on with life. Skip just called to say that they had just lost power -- huh oh! They have some staples and will be eating their fridge leftovers in the next few hours and are currently filling the bathtub with water. It had only started raining (Skip said it had been windy all morning, though) and they are regularly going out and taking short movies of the storm. Apparently, their local news is reporting that most of Jacksonville is without power, so it could be some time before they get it back. (Especially since the rest of the state seems to really be getting hit!)
Sun, Sep. 5th, 2004, 02:43 pm Mobile
Will and I came to Mobile for the Labor Day holiday weekend. Granna Cheryl ("Granna C") and PapPap Tim are providing some childcare to allow me some much-needed time for study. (And of course, plenty of pool time!)Will, Dad and I played in the pool for about an hour yesterday. Will LOVES the water and surprises me with how comfortable he is in it. He puts his face right into the water, and although may gasp and cough a bit, is quick to laugh and do it again. He seems to intutiatively grasp the concept of swimming (free-style) and wants to put his body in position (including face down). I love that he is comfortable in the water, but at the same time, make note that he will have to watched closely once he is more independently mobile. I had hoped to enroll in a "Water Babies" class with him, but can not find any in New Orleans! This is a disappointment - I am very eager to continue to have water time with him. Aside all of this, Will continues to chew, drool, and make zerber and raspberry sounds with gusto. He also is babbling more and more -- making him undeniably adorable. He is getting very big (and so tall!) but is still perfectly proportioned, with healthy weight, round face, and wonderfully red hair. My father was home from work yesterday afternoon (a Saturday - he worked only in the morning) and just came home this afternoon to be with Will. This is the greatest testiment to how much we all are crazy about this child -- that dad would leave work behind, and not to golf, but to spend an afternoon at home! Paul is spending the weekend getting caught up on work hours and working on the house. He is removing the old brick from the right side walkway of the house and pressure washing each brick to be made into our front stairs/walkway. He tried to chisel away the existing brick stairs (which must be removed since they go into the lot next door) but the bricks were much too old to be salvaged. (He will jackhammer those out in the next few days.)
Fri, Sep. 3rd, 2004, 12:51 pm Sleep Aids
We have a new method of relaxing Will into sleep...The vaccuum cleaner!!Paul came up with the idea based on a recent Sesame Street episode. In the show, Baby Bear cannot get his little sister (Curly Bear) to sleep. Oscar, begin a grouch, tries to make things worse by making lots of noise. But instead of making her fussier, the ruckous puts her to sleep. So, Paul decided that maybe the loud, constant sound of the vaccuum would work on our very fussy and tired boy.... and did it ever!! Yet another reason to love our re-furbed Dyson.
Mon, Aug. 30th, 2004, 11:21 pm Chopper Update
Will is definitely in the throws of heavy teething! I got a chance to check out his upper gums today -- his top two teeth are at the surface (maybe another week or two before they break?) and a third above isn't far behind.He had a little pain off and on today, but with some Motrin he does better. He is drooling so much that Orajel doesn't really help much. Having the pacifer is great in helping contain his mouth (he will chew on everything and even shaved off the edge of a wooden shelf with his bottom teeth) so the binky helps keep our lives a lot less wet!He is making more and more sounds and is so much fun. He will make raspberries and zerbers back and forth with you for minutes at a time (this is seriously fun). He also is going after hidden things and loves peak-a-boo and exploring.
Sun, Aug. 29th, 2004, 07:11 pm Number three...
Two number three's right now...-- Will is cutting tooth number three (to the left of his bottom middle teeth which have already come through)... AND-- The third dder (dual degree student from our MPH/MSW masters program) is expecting a BABY!!! (And on Valentine's Day!)
Sat, Aug. 28th, 2004, 06:42 pm Will Milestone!
Last night, Will took his first tentative steps forward pushing on his stroller. (He's been standing for about a month or more, and tentatively cruising for a few weeks.) You can tell that he knows forward is the next-step (so to speak) and he is working to get there!
Fri, Aug. 27th, 2004, 08:20 pm End of week 1
It's the end of the first week of my doctoral program. Today, Paul watched Will while he tried to work... and managed just about 3 1/2 hours (a good benchmark for those thinking about working from home while watching a child.) And those hours include an early morning hour while I was nursing.Will seems to be settling back into a routine and slept pretty much through the night last night (first time in a long time). He is sleeping now from about 9-6, give or take. He tends to sleep about 8 hours and then will drift in and out while nursing in the morning. We generally nurse for about 30min-1 hour in bed and then start the day. We are still trying to work out how to continue nursing and balance a full day of work and classes. His two bottom middle teeth are definitely through. No sign of others, although he started some teething-type fussiness tonight so he maybe struggling with another tooth soon.Everyone comments to me on the difficulty of child-rearing while pursuing a career (especially an academic career, and especially an academic career focused on working in under-resourced areas of the world). We are determined to make it work.House Update: Still no kitchen, and baths are status quo. (It'll be like this for months.) Paul removed more of the confederate jasmine from the front gate. We found that there are two entrances through the wrought-iron fence (the second was engulfed by the jasmine, so we couldn't see it). The second door still has it's original door handle and it is really beautiful. He also is working on replacing the porch lights so that they don't collect so many bugs. We also noticed that most other shotgun doubles paint the underside of the porch roof light blue. We don't know why and are wondering if this is a period thing? Also, for family hungry for Will photos, I've started a page on "ofoto.com" (a kodak site) for folks to see (and if you want, buy) pictures. My picture-sending has slowed down, so hopefully this will help (you may have to register to buy prints, they are about 22 cents each, I think.)
Thu, Aug. 26th, 2004, 06:36 pm Afternoon Fun in Nola
Ignoring the piles of biostats to review, I decided to entertain Will with an outing. We checked out the local UPS store (just down the street at Prytanina and Octavia -- it used to be a pharmacy or grocery, I think!) and then decided to check out the newly opened, 1-day old Wal-Mart.Between Irish Channel and the Warehouse District, right on the Mississippi, and between two rough-looking warehouses, Wal-Mart practically glistens. New bricks, a paved lot, and two huge ceramic cows on platforms in the front -- oh boy!It was incredibly busy. We escaped the bustle by visiting the fish tanks (Will seemed to like the neon-white fish best, I think because the tank was filled with them!) We played with the Elmo dolls (they were scary). And we talked with tons of people who were interested in Will. A manager in the fabric section called him "little red" and just *had* to hold him. We have a big night along tonight because Paul has his first local hockey game!
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