18 months!

Sweet Eden,

You’re a year and a half old now and you are definitely a toddler! You’re an expert walker and runner; you can even walk backwards now! My favorite mobility-related move is when you get a book, bring it to me, and back up to sit in my lap, your bottom all stuck out and leading your way!

You love to dance; any time there is music going, you will stop what you’re doing, bend over, and shake your arms and head to the beat. You’ve got rhythm, baby girl! It’s adorable!
You have really started talking a lot. You’ve added a bunch of words to your vocabulary (including “dance” of course). I love listening to your little voice! You’ve started replacing some signs with words (like “more” and “eat”) and you’re putting words together. Yesterday you saw Daddy’s hat and you said, “Hat. Daddy. Bye-bye.” It’s so amazing to see your little mind make connections!!

You are expressing your (STRONG) will more and more, especially during diaper changes. For some reason you really, really hate having your diaper changed. I think it’s because you don’t like to sit still. Last weekend we started trying to potty train you. Daddy brought a potty home on Christmas Eve and we let you go diaper-free periodically over the next few days. You love your potty; if we ask you to sit on it you’ll happily sit, and you even go in there by yourself to have a seat sometimes! On Saturday you finally used the potty and I got VERY excited. You didn’t think it was such a big deal. And about 2 hours later I was cleaning up a puddle. Oh well. It’s a process!

You are so much fun, sweet girl. There is so much I would like to tell you about yourself but I couldn’t even express half of the things I enjoy about being around you. You’re so happy and excited and giggly most of the time, it is impossible not to smile. You explore everything and it is really refreshing to see things through your little eighteen-month-old eyes, to watch you figure things out.

Your hands and arms are healing beautifully - my, you're fearfully and wonderfully made! You will always be able to tell you were burned, but you won't notice right away and the scars will not interfere with daily function. You are dealing pretty well with the continued scar management issues. We're doing massage on your scars at least twice a day, and you're becoming slightly more tolerant; in fact you know getting a massage comes with watching a little TV (a REAL treat) so you sometimes willingly grab the Eucerin cream, take it to the couch, climb up, and point to the TV!

I love you, Miss Eden. Keep learning and growing, but don’t grow up too fast! We love you just how you are!

Love,

Mommy

How lucky am I?

I get to be married to this cutie pie:


And I get to be Mommy to this cutie pie*:


Thanks to our friend BB for the great pictures, and thanks to the Hope Fellowship community for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner last Friday!

_____________________________

*Note that Eden is (possibly temporarily) bandage-free... her skin is super-sensitive and is reacting to everything so they've decided to leave it be - with the exception of Eucerin and massage 3x a day - and see what happens for a while. We will see on Dec. 1.

Halloween 2009

I'm a few days late but I wanted to post about our happy, happy Halloween!

A few days before the holiday Eden came to work with me for our annual Halloween party. Everyone brings in their kids (grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc) for a costume parade, magic show, pizza, Goldfish, snacks, and LOTS of candy. It's crazy but it's really fun - there's something about having a ton of kids around, and seeing people with their kids, that seems to remind everyone that we've all got lives outside the office! Eden was adorable, dressed as her favorite animal - a duck!


Our good friend Mr. B (Eden calls him "Bubba") was born on Halloween, so we went over to his house for an early dinner to celebrate his 8th birthday. Since it was a beautiful day (Why, hello, 70 degrees!! I was worried I wouldn't see you again until May!!) we walked - they live at the end of the block. Since OSU had a big game against UT and we needed all the help we could get (which ended up not helping...) Eden dressed up as an OSU cheerleader:



(Funny thing about this is, this was B's sister H's costume. Eden's costume last year was B's first costume!)

We had a great time at dinner. Eden played with the kids at the party and loved playing pin the tail on the donkey! After dinner we walked home. On the way we passed a house with people sitting outside handing out candy, and they asked us to stop, so Eden had her first trick-or-treat. She got Daddy a Reese's and a Starburst! And then we stopped downstairs for a quick hello to our neighbor.

Scar Management

Miss Eden's healing process is going very well. We went to the hospital last Tuesday and they said that her wound is healed! Yay!! So we've moved from wound care to scar management. That is all very good news.

However, I don't think we knew what we were in for with "scar management." They told us it means massaging her scars for at least 5 minutes at a time, twice a day. Doesn't sound so bad, right? Well... Eden hates it. The forearms she can deal with - not really a big deal, though it makes her a little nervous. But head toward her palms and she fights and cries, kicks and screams and yanks her hands away. Tuesday evening I did it by myself (after being told by the OT that we needed to massage harder or her scars would start to really be thick and unmanageable) and that resulted in both of us sobbing and holding each other at the end.

Bryan, the next morning, when he had the job to himself, came up with a brilliant idea: distraction. And what better distraction than a boy band for preschoolers?

Oh, the Wiggles. Yes, she does still hate the palm massage, and yes, she does still kick and scream, but less so... and she calms down ever so easily - and honestly, so do I - with their happy songs and colorful videos playing! (It helps, I think, that she is normally not allowed to watch TV - it's weird that she's so mesmerized, but we're glad!) Thank you Zek for sending the video!

72 hour sale...

Southwest is having a HUGE sale on airfare right now... but ONLY until TOMORROW, OCT 29!

Flights at $25 (0-374 mi); $50 (375-549 mi); $75 (550-999 mi); and $100 (1000+ mi) when you fly on Dec 2-16 and Jan 5 - Feb 10.

I think we're going to come home for Christmas a little later this year. It will make our whole family's airfare (taxes included) under $500!! That's what we usually pay for one ticket!

(Anyone want to come to Boston in early December??)

You're welcome.

EDIT: Did you buy tickets? Just got ours... We'll be in OK mid-January!

Happy Naptime!

So... work has been insanely busy lately. I didn't see Eden at all on Monday, which was the first time in a year I had completely missed her awake. Tuesday we went to the hospital for her doctor's appointment and got excellent news - no more surgery for our baby for at least another couple of months! Yay!

After the appointment I headed right to work, and rushed home, arriving at about 7:00 to find this:

Yes, my daughter, who usually goes to bed at about 8:00-8:30pm, fell asleep in her highchair before even taking the first bite of her grilled cheese sandwich. And the best part? Daddy caught the whole thing on video!

Again...

7:00 Tuesday morning, October 20, almost exactly one month after surgery #1, the surgeon will decide whether to go forward with surgery #2. We are to come to the hospital prepared for it, and if he says it's a go, it's a go, right then and there.

A little dime-sized spot in the center of Eden's palm is still not healed. Another graft may be in our future.

As I was leaving for work this morning

I heard the sweetest thing:

Buh Bye... Eye yuh you....

Seriously? Omigoodness. Knock me over with cuteness.

Eden has fingers again!

OK, to be fair, she always had fingers, she just couldn't use them because they were covered in her dressings. But today her fingers were sprung from their gauze prison, and little Eden re-discovered picking up Cheerios the old way and feeding herself, holding toys in one hand, and all other sorts of fine motor magic.

The doctor's appointment went as well as we could possibly hope today. The doctor said that her hands look great. She won't need surgery anytime in the near future, as far as he can tell. He also authorized much smaller bandages, so her fingers and forearms are exposed now. And he said we could give her a bath - she hadn't had a bath since September 9. That's 27 days.

All day long I was looking forward to giving that little girl a bath. I was totally fixated on that little tiny detail - it was the thing I couldn't wait for. I left work and skipped to the T, came home and scarfed down my dinner so that we could get to it. She loved the bath, just like normal. She splashed and giggled and smiled and loved on her ducks! I know it seems strange, it seems so little, but that was such an amazing moment. For some reason it became the symbol of the beginning of the end of this whole ordeal, and I get all teary-eyed just thinking about it.

It's almost a little weird to see her use her hands like it's no big deal. It's amazing that she can just pick right back up where she left off, but I'm so used to her having to struggle that it's strange to see her do things with such ease. But it is beautiful.

I am so thankful that God has answered our prayers and healed our baby.

15 1/2 months

Sweet Eden,

This is not a milestone post, you're not at any particular age necessitating an update on yourself, you're just amazing and I wanted to let you know. This past almost-month has been difficult, to say the least. You've been through a lot; we all have. But you are such a trooper. Instead of being frustrated about all the things you can't do, you're figuring out new ways to do them (like eating Cheerios - you lick your unbandaged thumb and stick it to a Cheerio to pick it up). Instead of being weirded out by your bandages, you're falling in love with your reflection.

And you're taking the opportunity to take huge strides in language development. You've learned so many new words over the past month! You can now say no; duck ("duh"); mama; dada; mommy (my favorite!); daddy; uh-oh; hi; bye; eye; night-night ("nigh-nigh"); "this" (which, accompanied by a point, means you want something); hot (when you spit out your food); balloon ("ba-oon"); ball ("bah"); woah; whee; and most recently, "daaaaisy" (for whoops-a-daisy - Angela gets credit for that one!). I also think you can say Nino but I'm not certain because you've only done it once and it might have been an accident.

You have learned that food coming out of the microwave is hot, and if you see us blow on it to cool it off before we give it to you, you blow on it before taking a bite. Then you spit it out and say "hot." If I tell you it's not hot and offer it again, you smile and eat it. This is what happens with every bite.

Also, though it's been somewhat overshadowed by all the drama of the last month, you had your first camping trip over Labor Day weekend. I am so glad we had that trip, that we made those memories. You loved camping. You got incredibly dirty, you walked all over the campsite, pushed the stroller around, and made piles of pinecones. We went to the lake nearby and you got in with me and splashed like crazy. Then we saw a real duck - you LOVE ducks, and you were chasing it and saying "duh! duh! duh!" and trying to catch it. It was faster than you, though, and ran away. I love that moment.

You amaze me, Little One, and I hope you know how loved you are - by your Mommy and Daddy, by the people around you (and around the world!), and most of all by your Father in Heaven.

Keep surprising us, Love, and keep getting better.

Love,

Mommy

You had me at "Hi"

Just a little glimpse into our days at home post-surgery:

This cracks me up. (And I know my family back home is thinking she takes after her mama.... :))

It's so comforting that Eden is so happy and normal. We are so blessed with such a strong, brave little girl! Bryan and I are both heading back to work tomorrow, leaving Eden in Angela's capable hands. We will see what next Tuesday brings (the surgeon will make a decision at that point about more grafting - for now we're changing dressings at home).

Trying to Trust

Yesterday was a tough day, emotionally, for me. First of all, Eden didn't sleep well. She was awake from 4:00-5:30 crying - she's been so used to being held whenever she cries that she's completely spoiled. Our good sleeper now needs sleep training, which completely stinks. I am so thankful that we never had to do this when she was little, but it's still hard to listen to her cry and know that if I just went in there and rocked her, she'd sleep. But I keep thinking of that whole give-a-man-a-fish/teach-a-man-to-fish thing and realizing that I need to let this run its course.

Because none of us slept well, 7:30 came very early. Bryan brought Eden into bed with us and we were snuggling as a family when I realized she had bled through her bandage and the hospital sock on top of the bandage. I was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen. I called the hospital and they asked us to bring her in for dressing take-down a day early.

Turns out Eden has hematomas on both of her palms. This may or may not be (but probably is) impeding the grafts from attaching in those areas. We are headed back to the hospital today for another look by Eden's actual surgeon, but from what yesterday's attending surgeon told us, the likely outcome is more surgery. This is hard for us because we thought we were going to be coming out of this nightmare this week. I was planning to go back to work on Thursday (I still might, depending on how today goes and what the surgeon decides to do). We are getting a little bit impatient for this to be over, to be able to return to normal life. But I know that God has a big plan, bigger and better than ours. I am trying to completely trust Him in this - I know that He's in control and that He should be (and I shouldn't!). But I am struggling with impatience. This is probably a sign of my imperfect trust, my inability to completely turn over control of the situation. I'm trying, Lord!

We are praying that today the hematomas look miraculously better (the one that was bleeding yesterday doesn't seem to be bleeding as badly today) and there will be no more grafting right now. But we are also trying to be prepared for them to look worse, for surgery to be certain, and for a longer battle with this nightmare.

As I type this I keep thinking of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This is where I am trying to turn my heart every day:

Daniel 3:15-18
"Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

This Shane & Shane song (aptly titled "Burn Us Up") says it in an amazingly powerful way:



The point is, if Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego can face certain death in reliance on God's plan, and recognize even in the face of a firey furnace that following God does not mean that our comfort is paramount but that His glory IS, our little family can deal with a slightly longer healing period for our baby girl.

On the Flip Side

Here we are, on the flip side of surgery.

Everything went well, and as expected. The surgeon who worked on her is a plastic surgeon who is very well known for his work on hands. What a blessing! He is very optimistic. He did sheet grafts on both palms (the entire right palm and a u-shape on the left palm), a triangle on her right forearm, a small, very thin graft on her forehead, and a few "scraps" in some of her fingertips.

She came out of surgery just fine. The breathing tube made her throat really sore and she was pretty croupy, which was scary, but they just kept an eye on her and she was fine. She slept pretty much all day Tuesday, and all night Tuesday night. Wednesday after lunch they sent us home.

It was so great to be home, and to know that we're done with this nightmare for at least a few days. No daily trips to the hospital for torturous dressing changes. Those were getting to be unbearable for all three of us. We don't have to go back until Tuesday, when she gets the primary dressings removed.

Eden is pretty much herself - she is eating well (thankfully) and learning new words every day again. She is learning to use her hands and only occasionally gets frustrated at something she used to be able to do that she just can't now. But she is happy, and hilarious, as usual. And we are so thankful for that.

Eden Update

Eden is sleeping and Bryan has taken our guests to the Freedom Trail for some sightseeing, and I have a moment to sit and process and type up a quick update here.

Little Missy is doing as well as can be expected. She is eating MUCH better now that we're home, and she is usually happy to play with her toys and cuddle with Mommy and Daddy. Occasionally she will be just fine and all of a sudden out of nowhere start screaming, which is terrible, but with a little medication and about half an hour we can make that go away.

The nurse practitioner we have seen at the hospital has said her arms are looking much better, and even we can see that. There is a lot of "budding" which is new skin starting to form. That is very encouraging. Her palms still look unrecognizable, but there are promising areas on the edges. She will certainly need grafts on her hands. Her head, on the other hand, is really healing nicely. It is going to be just fine on its own.

I hate that this is what I have to blog about. I wanted to be posting pictures of our camping trip and talking about how Eden's really starting to parrot us and is picking up new words at an alarming pace. This past week has been terrible. It 100% sucks to watch my baby in so much pain and frustration, and to know that her little body is working so hard to fix itself from something so horrifying. It turns my stomach to think about what is underneath those bandages, and it makes me cry that those images are from my little girl's own hands - flesh of my flesh. I ache inside with the desire to take it away, to go back in time and make it never have happened, to fast forward to being through this healing process. And I am heartbroken for my husband, love of my life, who is so haunted and guilt-ridden over the whole thing.

But, as I keep saying, there have been bright spots in this ordeal. God has been good to us. He protected her body from more serious injury. He allowed me to keep it together enough the day it happened to make sure the things that needed to get done got done (getting our keys to someone, calling my secretary, passing off work, letting our families know, making sure Bryan was eating and drinking). He provided an amazing community of brothers and sisters here in Boston and literally all over the world who immediately enveloped us in love and support, praying for our little girl and taking care of our physical needs. He provided an amazing hospital with first-rate doctors to care for Eden, right in our hometown. He is slowly healing our hearts as He heals Eden's body.

I remember once before Eden was born watching an episode of Oprah where they interviewed a mom who had driven to work and accidentally left her baby in the car, in August, all day. The baby died and it was absolutely heartbreaking, but what stuck with me was the interview with the dad. He said he never, even for a minute, blamed his wife for what happened. I remember thinking that was total crap. Of course you would blame the mom - I did! It was her fault, right? If she had just had her act together their child would still be alive. But now, I get it. From the very beginning, I never blamed Bryan, not even for a minute. I instantly ached for him, I felt his pain, I felt that he blamed himself, but I never ever blamed him. It could have just as easily been me, or a babysitter, or anyone. I thank God for that instant sympathy for my husband that drew me to him, drew us together, rather than the blame I thought I would feel which would have ripped us apart.

This is hard, this is unbelievably awful, but we are getting through it day by day, by His grace.

Our Family Mini-Vacation

Our seven glorious days and six amazing nights in our little downtown accomodations have come to an end.

We are home.

It feels so good.

I wish I could get my fingers to type all of the crazy things I'm feeling, the wild roller coaster ride we've been on the past week, but I honestly just want to sleep. So you will get the Cliffs Notes version:

• This week has been wicked hard, but every day gets a little easier.
  
• Eden is doing great - physically she's still very hurt but doesn't seem to be in too much pain. And she's eating a little more, which is great.
• We are home for now, taking her back every day for dressing changes and assessment by the doctor and NP and the rest of the team.
• (Thank the Lord) Coming home was not too traumatic for any of us
  
• Surgery tentatively scheduled for Tuesday.
• We've met a few families, and are seriously relieved that it wasn't much worse (there is some heartbreaking stuff at Shriner's).
• God is faithful to our prayers and our baby's precious skin and our own hearts.

She is, for the most part, herself: happy and giggly and sweet and cuddily. Evidence:

If you're praying for us, here are some specific things you can pray for:

1. Continued healing and improvement on Miss Eden's hands and arms - the more she heals on her own the less grafting she will need, and the less surgery later
2. Eden to not get too frustrated about not being able to use her hands
3. Continued improvement in Eden's appetite and peace for Bryan and me about her eating
4. We have friends in town from back home this weekend. Please pray for a great visit and relatively easy baby.

Thank you so much for walking with us on this journey.

Update on Little Missy

So we didn't end up with surgery yesterday. The doctor decided to wait and see how much they can get her hands to heal on their own before they graft. This might reduce the amount of grafting necessary, but will not eliminate the need for a graft completely. Everyone is pretty much in agreement that she will need grafts on her hands, and probably her right forearm. The burn on her forehead is much more superficial and will probably heal on its own.

They thought we might be able to bring her home today, but she still has a little redness and swelling that the doctors are wanting to keep an eye on. They say we might be able to go home tomorrow.

When we go home we will have to bring her back to the hospital every day for dressing changes, and when they decide to do surgery she will be re-admitted. They're thinking that will probably happen early next week but it changes all the time so we're not sure.

Bryan and I are doing much better... God's been good to our hearts. It's been nice to have distractions, and since she is happier now she is playing more. The one source of trouble is that she isn't really eating. It's frustrating for us because she needs the calories and protein to heal but she completely refuses food, milk, supplements, everything. The past two days combined she has had less than 1000 calories. The good news is she's acting fine. She's getting just enough so that she's not too dehydrated. But it is frustrating for us.

Overall, though, we've sort of settled into a routine here. I suppose five days in a place will do that...

If you're praying for us, here are a few specific things you can pray for:

1. That Eden would EAT!
2. For continued peace for Bryan and me.
3. For Eden to keep her spirits up like they've been so far today

(That's all I've got time for - it's time to try lunch... but you get the gist.)

What a trip

Well we've had a very interesting last few days.

I am typing this email from a computer in Shriner's Hospital. Eden is walking around the playroom with Bryan, happily hugging him and listening to him bang on a drum. Her head is wrapped in gauze like a little helmet and her hands are covered by gauze and hospital socks to the elbow.

It all started Thursday morning. I was headed to work, and I was one subway stop away. I got a call from Bryan, so I answered the phone. All I could hear was Eden screaming and Bryan sobbing uncontrollably and asking, "What do I do?" I jumped off the train just before the doors closed, ran above ground, and searched desperately for a cab while I tried to get him to calm down enough to tell me what had happened. Eden burned herself on the glass of our gas fireplace. Bryan had turned it on because it was chilly in the morning, and had forgotten about it. (It was the first time in several months we'd had it on). He sat her down and went to the bathroom. Mere seconds later she was sitting in front of the fire staring at her burned hands and arms in shock and he was on the phone with me, holding her in the cold shower and trying to calm down enough to figure out what to do.

He called 911 and I got home in the cab just minutes after the ambulance got there. It was the most terrible cab ride I'd ever experienced, not quite knowing what was happening. I rode with her to Children's Hospital and had to lay on top of her while they tried to put in an IV. As soon as they got it in I passed out. Bryan had followed us in our car (our pastor lives just down the street and drove him) and he got there right after they'd put me in the bed next to Eden.

I was totally fine, just in shock at seeing my baby's palms all white and leathery and her forearms peeling away, and knowing she was screaming from pain and there was nothing I could do - I couldn't even hold her.

Eden, on the other hand, was badly burned. They immediately transferred us here (it is a pediatric burn hospital). It was several hours before they had her calm and her wounds dressed, and I finally got to hold my little girl.

She has very deep what used to be called second degree burns on her hands, forearms, and forehead. She is going into surgery at some point tomorrow for grafting.

I still can't really believe this is happening. Just a few days ago I was on my way to work, just thinking about all of the things I needed to get done before the weekend. Now here I am at a hospital computer, trying to hold it together for my little family's sake, and my little girls' chubby palms will never, ever look the same.

There is so much in my head, so much I could say about this whole ordeal. But for now I'll leave it at a positive. I am so thankful for the people who are getting us through this. Our community here has been so amazing. Even the nurses have mentioned how loved Eden must be. We have had multiple visitors every day. I remember 1L year mourning the fact that all of our good friends lived so far away. While many of our good friends, and all of our family, are still far away, we feel so enveloped in love right now it's honestly amazing.

God has been faithful in this. I have had moments, I admit, when I think "Why? Why is this happening to my baby girl?" and then I know that while there is an answer to that question, I don't know it, and that is ok. Because He knit her together in my womb, and He is working all things together for her good. And we serve Him (not the other way around).

It's hard to see my baby so hurt, but we're doing OK, and He is bringing much-needed peace.

If you're praying for us, here are some specific things you can pray for:

1. Wisdom for the surgeons tomorrow
2. Comfort and peace surpassing understanding for Eden
   
3. Peace for Bryan - the images of the day are already haunting him, and he feels responsible. I know I would feel the same way, but I am trying to help him see that it's not his fault.
4. Rest for all three of us tonight; tomorrow is going to be a long day
5. That God would continue to pull us together as a family unit

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and I apologize for the stream-of-consciousness. I just needed to get it out there, hopefully I can be more coherent later.

The No-'Poo Challenge (Part TWO)

Since so many of you have asked for MORE DETAILS! for The No-'Poo Challenge, I thought I'd post a separate post about the nitty gritty (um... no pun intended?). If I had time I'd put together a whole Tutorial Tuesday-ish post on this but since I need to be packing (going CAMPING this weekend!! YAY!!) I will have to make it text-only and short.

Baking soda: I keep a small container in the shower of baking soda. I usually use about a tablespoon or so in the palm of my hand and mix just enough water to make a paste. Then I smooth it on the crown of my head, and sometimes let it sit for a bit before I rinse. The amount is hard to get exactly right; you have to play with it until it's not soo much that it dries out your hair and not too little so that it's ineffective. But I think better to err on the too little side when you're figuring it out.

Vinegar: OK. First, be sure to use apple cider vinegar. Second, dilute it a lot. I put about a tablespoon or so into a squirt bottle and fill the rest up with water. If you use too much the smell won't wear off! It's not terrible but it's definitely vinegar-y!

Friction: Scrub, scrub, scrub your scalp. Bryan has a scalp massager thing that he bought at the barber shop and I sometimes use it. The point is to stimulate your scalp, and also to make sure you're rinsing well all the way to the base of the hair.

One final sell: I've heard (from a few different sources) that people with thick, curly hair can really benefit from this. I don't understand either of those adjectives as they relate to hair so I cannot attest, but I've heard that it can make curly hair more manageable. Not sure why. Just reporting.

Everything else is normal: You should still blow dry, straighten, etc. as usual (though, as I mentioned before, I don't use product in my hair anymore, primarily because I don't have to). My point here is that everything else about your hair routine should be just the same, though in the early days it might get a little dicey. Trust me, it gets better. (And yes, Mrs. Douglas, you can keep shaving. In fact, please do. :))

GOOD LUCK! Let me know how it goes!

The No-'Poo Challenge

So... I stopped shampooing my hair in May.

There - I said it. My amazing hairdresser once told me I didn't have to shampoo my hair every day (or at all), and that in fact shampooing it and removing the natural oils makes the scalp overproduce oil and actually makes the hair look even more greasy. And then my friend Susan stopped shampooing completely and her hair still looked great, so I gave it a shot.

My goal was to make it 10 days with no shampoo. This does not mean I didn't wash my hair - I used water and friction to scrub it. I also stopped using products so that I wouldn't have a huge buildup to worry about.

I made it to about a week and I had to do something. It was getting pretty nasty (and I'm, like, a professional and all...). So I did a little research, and tried a baking soda paste on the crown and an apple cider vinegar rinse afterward.

It was awesome. My fine, thin, very straight, flat hair all of a sudden had volume! It was crazy! And the baking soda somehow absorbed the oil without making my scalp freak out. I don't know how!

I ended up going two full months without any shampoo. And then I decided to try it again just so I could have a comparison. The shampooed hair was definitely sleeker and smoother, and silkier. I did miss that. But it was incredibly flat. And for a girl who's had trouble with volume her whole life, this was a major downer. Knowing that my hair can actually look like it's not plastered to my head, without any product, without any worrying, and in fact without even shampooing, made it impossible to go back to shampoo every day.

Ultimately I have settled in a sort of compromise. I have started using baking soda/vinegar once a week, and shampooing about every 7-10 days, or whenever I feel like I want the "sleek" look. But I certainly do not shampoo as often as I used to, and my hair is none the worse for it. I don't think it looks greasy or dirty at all; in fact I think it feels healthier and stronger.

SO: I challenge you, brave soul, to consider the No-'Poo challenge! Give it a try. Set a goal - 10 days with no shampoo. Feel free to use the baking soda/vinegar combo, but seriously give it at least 5-6 days of just water and friction. It takes some getting used to but your hair will love you. Let me know how it goes!!

Toddling!

After the first couple of steps, Eden decided she wasn't ready to walk anymore.

Last night, she changed her mind!

On a lighter note

Does anybody recognize this big girl??


She may have a baby mullet, but those are some adorable little curly pigtails, if I do say so myself...

Just another Sunday afternoon...

At church on Sunday, a woman who's about to have a baby asked when we could get together to talk about being a working mom, etc. I thought about it, and told her that Sunday afternoons are probably best - they're the most predictable time of my week. Bryan's always working, and Eden and I are almost always home.

I shouldn't have said anything.

As usual, on the way home from church, Eden fell asleep in the car. As usual, I put her in her bed, snoring away. Very UN-usually, she woke up crying, wheezing and rattling really terribly, struggling to breathe, and burning hot. I immediately called Bryan and told him to come home RIGHT NOW, I was calling the doctor. I called the doc, and was told to take her to the ER immediately. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200. And take someone with you so that you can sit in the backseat with her. If anything changes, pull over and call 911.

As you can imagine, I was completely terrified, and barely holding it together at this point, clinging to Eden, who was also completely terrified and barely holding it together.

Bryan made it home in record time and we rushed to the ER. We only had to wait a few minutes before they took us back to triage, where we learned that Eden had a 103 degree fever and a very hoarse voice. We'd barely made it back to the waiting room before they called us back to a room. A blur of people came in and out, and listened to her and poked and prodded her, and somehow over her screaming and wheezing I heard "croup." (This was actually relieving to me, because while I didn't know exactly what croup was, I knew I'd heard of it, friends' kids had had it, and it was really treatable).

Next thing we know, there's a respiratory therapist in the room, holding a nebulizer tube in front of her face and she's still crying it out. After that treatment she fell asleep in my arms (which she never does anymore) and slept for 2 hours while we gave her some cool mist treatment.

She woke up happy, but still a little bit wheezy. They gave her an oral steroid, and discharged us.

Long story (sort of) short, we ended up almost going back to the ER Sunday night, but she relaxed and fell asleep so we just put her in our bed so we could keep an ear on her. None of us slept very well. We took her to the doctor's office yesterday, and they gave her a prescription for more steroids. Today I'm home with her, and she still sounds really wheezy, but definitely not as bad as Sunday afternoon.

That might have been the most frightening experience of my life so far. Knowing that she was struggling and there was nothing I could do but hold her was absolutely terrible. And not knowing what was wrong, not knowing what to do, was maybe worse. Bryan and I kept saying over and over, "Parenting is so hard!" We just wanted someone to tell us what to do, how to make her better. We wanted to make the hurt go away, right away. And that was just croup. I can't imagine dealing with something worse - and I don't want to try.

Big Development

So, in my memory-hazed state I forgot to mention that we're looking forward to mobility in our household.

Eden took 2 steps today!

She was standing (she's an expert stander now, and can even stoop down and stand back up; she practices this particular move quite often) in the living room, holding onto a wooden ball (part of a new toy we got her today at Ben Franklin) and she was trying to hand it to one of us. We, being the sly parents we are, scooted away from her just enough so that she couldn't reach us. She took one tiny little step, and then another, and then sat down.

And then many, many kisses were showered on our sweet little girl.

Memory Lane

I was just looking through some old pictures of Eden for her scrapbook* when I came across this picture from last year's Independence Day party - I had forgotten all about it:

Eden looks a little bit out of it (and probably was - all three of us were at this point, she was 2 weeks old), but it made me get all teary-eyed thinking about J&C and little Soren, and how much has changed in the past couple of years. We've shared a whole lot of life together in the just-under-two-years we've known each other, and this picture just made me realize that. And now they've moved away.

It's hard to put down roots in a place where everyone is transient. People come for a season, as our pastor says, and then move on with their lives. It's refreshing to always have new faces, I suppose, but it's also so, so sad to see such great friends leave (and that is only a sampling!!). I suppose the good part of is, we now have friends all over the country! And now, thanks to these special people, if we ever drive home again, we'll have somewhere to stay near the halfway point! But it's really hard to know that this is probably the nature of our life here. There are a few people who plan to stay forever (we're starting a club, actually) but we're a pretty rare breed.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that moment of bittersweet, especially given the fact that I just posted a July 4 picture of these two.

* I'm really not a scrapbooker, but Ruthless is, and she was kind enough to make Eden an "all-you-have-to-do-is-insert-photos" book as a baby gift.

Happy 4th!

This day has been awesome - we didn't host a barbecue this year (as we did last year) but we headed out to one in Medford at the home of one of our small group members' apartment. It was a neat mix of people we knew and people we didn't know, and Eden was very patriotic, rockin' a cute little red jumper and some sweet shades:


We got to hang out with Jeremy and Carol and Soren, who are leaving next week for Indy... Here's Eden lovin' on her buddy:


We hung out there for a couple of hours before Eden got a little warm and tired (Boston finally realized it was SUMMER!) and we took her home, gave her a quick bath to cool her down, and she headed down for a quick nap before dinner. When she woke up, she had dinner and then the three of us were playing in her room, and guess what happened? She STOOD UP!! ALL BY HERSELF!!* (Sorry, we didn't get a picture of that one...) She was leaning toward me, sitting down, and then she just decided to stand, and she slowly got there. I scooted away and she just stood there grinning, holding a toy!!

We then commenced squealing with excitement (which seems to be what we do with milestones), and she smiled really big and kept on standing. Then she slooooowly crouched down to sitting, and we commenced kisses and snuggling (which is what we do all the time...). Then we spent the next half hour trying to get her to stand up again, or walk. Of course she didn't but we were excited so we didn't really care!!

She went happily off to bed, and now I'm taking some time to blog (finally!) and sipping on a fuzzy navel while my husband watches some TV - ahhh, relaxation. Later we'll watch the fireworks and hit the hay in preparation for our usual crazy Sunday!

Happy Independence Day!!!

*This was particularly funny to me because I had just this morning read Lag Liv's post about her weekend and noted that Landon had done the same thing on the 4th last year (well, technically, the 5th, but close enough)! Must be something about Independence Day, I guess!

One Whole Year

Sweet Eden,

I can distinctly remember the very first time I kissed your tiny, pink, puffy cheek. You felt so little and so big at the same time, and I felt incredibly excited and very anxious when they handed you to me. I remember staring at your little face and trying to take it in, to memorize it as quickly as I could. I remember thinking that just a few moments before, when you were still inside me, you were familiar, and now you were completely new and unknown.

One year later I kiss that sweet cheek every day. And even better than that, I know you. I can close my eyes and see your face, hear your infectious giggle. I can feel your beautiful little marshmallow cheeks on my lips. You know me, too. One of my favorite parts of the day is coming up the stairs and hearing your palms slap the hardwood as you thunder to the gate, squealing with excitement, to meet me.

You have changed so much in a year! And though I was sure that when we reached this place I would be sad, mourning the loss of your babyhood, the truth is I'm not, really. I loved the cuddily bundle of milky sleep you were a year ago, but it just keeps getting better! How can I be sad when you're so much fun?

Your first birthday party was so much fun. You were surrounded by many, many people who love you very much, and I am assured that there were many, many more wishing they could be there, from all over the country. I made a strawberry layer cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting and I made you a mini version of the same thing. You did so great! You picked off the strawberries first, and then started to shove the cake in your mouth just like you were supposed to! You were a little freaked out by having thirty pairs of eyes watch you, I think, but you seemed to like the cake! You made a big mess on your hands and face and high chair tray, but not a drop got in your hair, on your dress, or on the floor! That's my girl!!


The list of things you can do keeps getting longer and longer, and I'm often awestruck that every one of them was learned. From holding your head up to re-arranging furniture, you figured it out one step at a time. And now you can give kisses to your stuffed animals, give high fives (thanks to Aunt Kelli), clap, point, attempt to put on shoes, brush your hair, and pick out the toy duck, among other things.

You say "No," "duck," and "da-da," and Daddy told me the other day you said "mama" but I haven't had the benefit of hearing that one yet (even though it is the one word I've been longing to hear from those sweet little lips since forever).

You aren't yet walking on your own, but we know it is coming very soon. Daddy and I take you for "walks" around the apartment every day, your little fists clenched around our fingers.

You have always transitioned effortlessly, requiring at most mere suggestion on the part of your parents. You have transitioned completely to whole cow's milk, without complaint. And last week we put away your bottles - you're all sippy cup now. The latest change was to one nap - now you sleep from 8-8:30pm to at least 7:30 (sometimes as late as 9!) am, and then you nap at 1:00 for a couple of hours. Daddy loves the new schedule but I admit I miss our morning cuddles when I don't get them!!

It seems like at one, maybe more noticably than at other stages, you're full of rapid, very visible change. You are truly leaving your babyhood behind you. Daddy and I love you just how you are, and we can't wait to see what's next!!

Love,

Mommy

Anybody else think it is weird

to drop your kid off with strangers?

Eden went to backup daycare for the first time today. It's choking me up a little and I'm not quite sure why. I went during lunch to check on her, and she was completely uninterested in me. A softspoken "teacher" was reading a book and she was actually sort of paying attention. (In between trying to grab the book, presumably so she could eat it). The teacher said they've been commenting that even though Eden is the only one who's never been in daycare, she's the only one who actually gets it... she's been an angel, apparently. She slept for them, ate well for them, and from what I could see she was playing hard too. (NEW TOYS! BABIES!)

But that doesn't change the fact that it is really really strange to have people I don't know in charge of my baby. And it's also really strange that it's not strange, it's perfectly acceptable. WEIRD.

Eleven Months!

Sweet Eden,

You're eleven months old, and you're really growing up. You're becoming a toddler, and I can't believe how quickly it happened!!

This month you learned to mimic, and it has been really fun teaching you things! You learned to put your little red phone rattle up to your ear and say "AHHH?" which is your way of saying "hello." Once you figured that out you extended it to all of your other toys. Other rattles, keys, stuffed animals... everything gets put put to that adorable little ear and gets a sweet little greeting.

You've also learned what some things are for. You'll try to brush your hair with your hairbrush (usually with the handle instead of the bristles, but whatever...) and just the other day you figured out how to put your sunglasses on your head like Mommy! So fun!

You've also expanded the "drop" game. You now drop things on the ground and wait for me to say "Uh-oh" and then say "uuuuuooooooh." When I had it back to you we do it all over again. If we count "uuuuoooh" as an actual word, you're up to two.

You are such a social baby. You really love other kids. You're sometimes a little bit skiddish around other adults, but when you see a kid you get this really serious "GIVE ME THAT" look and squeal like crazy.

You had your first international trip this month! We went to London via Iceland, and you had a great time. Admittedly you slept through much of the trip, but when you were awake you were a hoot! You LOVED B&P's little boy Michael, and I think he was a little afraid of you because you went at him full-bore upon your first meeting, and had him pinned on the floor in seconds. You grinned like crazy from the backpack Daddy had you in. And you ate your first banana like a big girl - straight from the peel, no cutting it up!

You got a new, big girl car seat on your eleventh month birthday. You LOVE it! It has all sorts of cubby holes for all of your "phones" and sunglasses! And you look like such a big girl in it. When we came home from running around the day we got it and installed it, we walked in and your infant seat was sitting in the entryway. I had a moment of sadness, realizing that you're getting so big and that you're never going back in that little seat. It was a pang, and then it was gone, because we've been there already and we're here now and I can't wait to see what's next. You bring such joy into our lives at every stage. I can't imagine it any other way. I love you so much, Precious.

Love,

Mommy

Puree in a Pouch

(Source)

When we were in England B&P had some fruit puree in awesome little pouches with a spout called Pom Potes for little M. They let Eden have some and I fell in LOVE because they're easy to take along, no spoon required, and she can actually feed herself (if you can keep her from taking it out of her mouth and squeezing it all over herself…). Anyway, apparently that brand is only available in France. Devastating, I know... But this morning during breakfast I did a little digging, and lo and behold, there are actually similar products available in the US!

The same company that makes the Pom Potes makes an American version, called GoGo Squeez.

And another company makes a version called Smashies which I can buy at Whole Foods! Yay!

I will check them out at let you know how they stack up - B&P were so gracious as to send us home with some Pom Potes, and I will certainly be heading to Whole Foods to pick up some Smashies.

Has anyone out there tried these things? M is 2 1/2 and still loves them (and asks for them by name - so cute!) so I think they're going to be useful for many, many years (I could even see putting these in school lunches).

London Trip: Unpictured

I would've posted earlier (like Saturday night when we returned) but I fell asleep face-down on the rug waiting for the computer to start up so I figured I'd better go to bed... Now I've got a little time before work but I don't have any of the pictures yet, so I will just say we're back and give you some of the little memorable moments from the trip not captured in pictoral form (but these are the things that made the vacation real):

• We changed diapers in the following places: Starbucks; the stroller; on the grass in a sunny spot overlooking the Thames and Tower Bridge; a few restaurant booths; on some steps outside Westminster Abbey after Evensong.
• I fell down the stairs in our rented apartment while trying to get downstairs to the bathroom. And proceeded to further embarrass myself by peeing a little in my pants. And proceeded to even further embarrass myself by blogging about it.
• I tripped and nearly fell down the stairs getting on the subway a mere 36 hours later.
• The second night the guys decided to have a gas-passing contest while watching a movie. Not sure who won that one, but I'm pretty sure the girls lost; we had to watch from the dining room. (Boys.)
  
• When we were just flying into Boston, Eden was sleeping very soundly in the seat next to me, but I had to pick her up for landing. She didn't even stir. I cradled her close and stared at her peaceful baby face, mouth slightly open in that beautiful triangle I fell in love with on the ultrasound before she was even born. Her sweet baby breath blew softly in my face, and I wanted to freeze the moment. Bryan came over to the seat next to me and put his arm around us and all I could think was thank you God for this little slice of perfection this side of eternity. If the entire trip had consisted of just that one moment I think it would have been a complete success.

That's it for now. If you want more details before I get around to blogging about it again, you can check out J&K's blog or B&P's blog (each with Installment #1).

I'll leave you with this beautiful picture of Eden that P took just before she got sprayed with water from the fountains behind her (another unpictured but hilarious moment):

2.5 more days

and we'll be on our way.

I need a break. I can't wait.

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday Bryan, Eden, and I went to Babies R Us to get a few things for our trip. As we were leaving the store, I was pushing Eden in the stroller and Bryan was a few strides ahead of us, carrying the bag (why do they always give us such a huge bag?). The way he was walking, confident and sure, and the fact that he was happily carrying diapers and formula and disposable changing table covers, made me realize I'm married to a man. And I am so proud to be his wife, so proud of who he has become. He is a father, and a really amazing one at that. He's a saint of a husband to put up with my garbage. He is completely devoted to both of his girls.

I remember on our wedding night, when we checked into the hotel, I came out of the bathroom to see him sitting on the end of the bed, kicking his legs. At that moment I realized we were children. We were eighteen and most of the time we thought we knew it all, but there and then I realized we were still babies. And as the years have passed I have realized more and more how young we were then.

But growing up with my best friend has been incredible. We know each other so well. We have a wealth of shared experience - including four years of college, a semester abroad, three years of grad school, and a beautiful baby girl. And now we're grownups - we're parents, we've got real jobs, big bills, and real responsibility. I don't know when it happened, but we're grownups.

Yes, we've changed, but I am still so happy he is the one I wake up next to every day, he's the one I lay down with every night, he's the one who loves me so much I can't even fathom how he puts up with me, and he's the one I love so much it hurts sometimes to even look at his sleeping face.

Eight years after I saw him kicking his legs at the foot of a hotel bed, I know we're different people. But I love him even more now that I ever thought possible back then. The past eight years have not always been easy, but at the end of the day I wouldn't trade them for anything. And I can't wait to see where the next eight years, and the next eighty years, take us.

Happy Anniversary, Babe.

Since no one is guessing

where we're going on our vacation, I guess I will just out with it.

We're returning... to London!!!

We leave a week from Friday on an overnight flight to London, with a layover in Iceland just long enough to see some stuff. I'm so excited! We're going with J&K, too... and J's brother and his wife and baby will meet us there.

We've rented a flat near Notting Hill, and for eight days we'll be walking streets we've walked before in another lifetime. (If you're only recently following my blog and never followed the old one (Warning: it's livejournal, and archives are impossible to navigate... one reason I switched... but you can click "Calendar" and find your way there), you might not know Bryan and I studied abroad in England in 2004... that's when I started blogging - five years ago. Crazy.) Anyway, it's going to be a trip down memory lane, but we're going to try to experience it fresh - and it will be fresh because it's been 5 years since we've been there, and we're returning with great friends who've never been there, and our daughter who's never been there.

Bryan's really excited because his favorite soccer team is paying John's favorite soccer team in London while we're there!! He's trying really hard to get tickets. We'll see... I hope he does - it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

We're a little nervous about how Eden will react to the 5-hour time difference. Our plan is to (1) have low expectations about what we'll get to do/how she'll react; (2) try to change her schedule, at least a little bit, so she's not partying all night long; but (3) listen to our baby above all - let her be our guide about what she needs. Having the flat will help, because we can return and rest whenever we need to, and hopefully we can mitigate the noise at night at least somewhat (we were planning to share a hotel room - ouch). We're also taking a backpack for her to ride in (so she can sleep). Anyone done this before? Tips?

In any event, I'm just excited for the sights, the smells, the people, the experience. And the break, honestly. It's been awhile since we've had a vacation vacation, and we're both really excited. Work has been pretty crazy this month, but that's another post for another day... Right now I just want to be excited about what's ahead... As Ellen N. would say, only 11 more "sleeps!"

New Look

Thanks to the monkey's mama for the new look on the blog... I love it!! :)

Double Digits!

Eden,

Double-digits are upon us once again. I remember clearly when you were double digit days old. And now we're in double-digit months!! Crazy! Just don't get to double digit years too soon, OK?

You're really becoming such a little person. Your personality is starting to shine through. You're incredibly social - especially with babies, and especially with boys. Ever since Zek kissed you, you're in love with him. You see him in the church nursery and you crawl to him so fast you'd think he was Nino. And then if we don't stop you, you tackle him. And kiss him. You know what you want and you go for it. I like that about you. You are starting to get a little more skiddish around adults, though. If someone new starts talking to you, you lean in and cling to me or your Daddy. Eventually you warm up, though, if they keep trying. And soon you're talking up a storm.

You said your first real word this month. It started out because you were shaking your head a lot, and we kept saying "no" when you did it. Then we started telling you "no" when you'd start heading for a cord (to chew) or toward Nino's food (also, to chew). (When we told you no, you'd throw yourself onto the floor, face down, and cry. I have a feeling we're in for colossal tantrums in about a year or so - you're already acting like a toddler!) Eventually you put it together and now you can say "no" and shake your head. Usually you say it in context, but sometimes you just want to practice.

You've also learned "bye-bye"/"hi." You're not quite saying it yet, but you can wave like a pro. Sometimes you're a little late (like today when Daddy left and was down the stairs and out the door before you started waving at him) but you get so excited when someone waves back at you! Today I took you into the bathroom and let you wave at the baby in the mirror. It totally cracked you up!!

You're almost standing up by yourself. You just need a little confidence, and you'll be off. We're not rushing you though. :) You're an expert crawler, and you've got stairs down pat (well, going up anyway).

This month you really got into Angela, who watches you on Tuesdays. She is the only one you'll go to from me (except Daddy, sometimes). That makes me feel good - I know you're having fun with her while Daddy and I are at work.

Daddy taught you this month how to put the rings back on the stacker. He spent a loooong time on that one, very patiently showing you how to do it and lavishing you with praise when you did it. Now you'll put a ring on and look up and smile, as if to say, "Hey! Look at what I did! Yay!"

Finally, this month we cut back on nursing significantly. We're still nursing first thing in the morning, but that's it. It was a very easy transition for you, and physically it was fine for me, but it was a hard thing for me emotionally. I loved having that connection, and that feeling of knowing I'm the one who provides so much of your nutrition. But it was getting to be a lot of work for little output, and we were supplementing with formula already anyway. I'm glad we're still nursing in the mornings, because it's a great time for us to snuggle and connect in our special way, but I think that it won't be long until that nursing session is replaced as well. I wish we could've kept going for another couple of months, but I'm glad we got off to such a great start, and you're so healthy and happy in part because of that.

Beautiful Girl, I love you more that you know. Keep growing, but not too fast. Keep surprising us like you do. And keep being your sweet, loving, adorable self.

Love,

Mommy

First Word

"No."

She crawls to Nino's food bowl, turns to look at Bryan, shakes her head, and says "No." And crawls away. That's my girl!!

I know one day that word will be used for evil, but I'm so proud of her I don't care. :)

Eden's first Easter

Today was Miss Eden's first Easter!

First of all there was the obligatory new Easter dress. Daddy had to leave early to get to the church to help set up so Eden and I were on our own. She was a little clingy this morning and would NOT let me get a good picture before we left. Here's our little princess:

We headed to church, and enjoyed an excellent Easter message by Curtis (download here - go to Worship Gatherings / Sermons) about hope - and how in our world today, hope has a connotation of uncertainty (we hope because we're not sure). But Biblical Hope, true Hope, is sure Hope. We Hope in Christ because we know He has saved us. I am really not doing it justice, but it was a really good sermon - it's still sinking into my brain. After the sermon the band totally rocked "My Redeemer Lives." It was really funky and everyone got really excited - I think Jesus must have loved it.

After church we went to J&K's for a late Easter lunch, complete with honey glazed ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and a summery salad. Eden hung out with John while Kel and I cooked (Bryan joined us after the second service). She was in a much better mood so she let Kel take her picture:

After lunch we all went our separate ways (E and I to our place, Bryan to the evening church service, and J&K obviously stayed home), and Eden and I took a two and a half hour nap! I dreamed about flying on a beach chair. It was one of those afternoon-nap-on-the-couch-type dreams... weird. I need Ruthless to interpret for me.

All in all it was a great Easter - complete with beautiful baby, great friends, and a celebration of our risen King!

Night Waking Agreement

Sunday night Eden woke up every 45 min - 1 hour crying, and wouldn't go back to sleep unless we got up and found her pacifier (yeah, we're going to have to work on that one). Monday night I was up really late drafting an Option agreement, and that night I dreamed about drafting an agreement between Bryan and I about who would get up with her at night. Last night I was up late doing due diligence review of contracts and I dreamed it again. Obviously it won't let me go until I type it out, so for your enjoyment (yes, I realize this is incredibly sad, on so many levels... hopefully it's at least somewhat entertaining for my legally-minded friends):

NIGHT WAKING AGREEMENT

This Night Waking Agreement (this "Agreement"), signed this 2nd day of April, 2009 (the "Effective Date""), by and between Bryan ("Father") and Katie ("Mother):

WHEREAS, Father and Mother are parents of that certain infant born June 15, 2008 and named Eden Elizabeth ("Baby");

WHEREAS, Baby occasionally wakes between the hours of 10:00 pm EST and 7:00 am EST (each instance a "Waking") and needs either Father or Mother to either help her back to sleep or bring her to breakfast;

WHEREAS, Father and Mother desire to memorialize their agreement as to which one of them shall deal with Baby in the event of a Waking;

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1. Term. This Agreement shall commence upon the Effective Date and shall continue thereafter until the earlier of (i) June 15, 2026; (ii) the date upon which Baby discontinues living with Father and Mother; or (iii) the date upon which Baby learns to self-soothe.

2. Alternation of Responsibility. Father and Mother shall each take a turn dealing with Baby in the event of a Waking. The party responsible for dealing with the Baby shall alternate with each Waking. Thus, for example, if Father deals with Baby at a 3:00 am Waking, then Mother shall deal with Baby at a 6:30 am Waking.

3. Feeding. In no event shall Father be required to feed baby upon a Waking, unless and until Baby is weaned.

4. Breakfast. Upon a Waking after 6:00 am EST, the responsible party shall get Baby up for breakfast.

5. Amendments. Temporary deviations from this Agreement shall only be allowed by mutual agreement of Father and Mother. The parties agree to negotiate in good faith when one or the other is ill or extremely tired.

6. Breach. The remedy for breach of this Agreement shall be (i) nagging rights; and (ii) for each such breach, the breaching party may be required to take an extra turn dealing with Baby in the event of the next Waking.

7. Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by either party.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

[SIGNATURES]

Shopping with the girls

Kel and I took Eden to the mall today. And in Baby Gap, Kel found some awesome baby sunglasses. We decided to try them on (sorry about the poor quality - it's a phone picture):


Didn't buy the glasses, but I'm totally having non-buyer's remorse because she loved them so much.

Weekends Rock

Today was a good day. My life is awesome. Here's a glimpse into my typical Sunday.

7:00 am. We woke up after sleeping all night (YAY!). Bryan had to leave right away (he took the bus to the church) but Eden and I cuddled and nursed for a little while. Then the two of us got gussied up and (8:00) Eden had breakfast (Cheerios, yogurt and fruit).

8:50 am. Eden and I headed to church. Eden was tired (church is during her naptime) so she let me cuddle her for a little while, and I got lost remembering when she was tiny and would just sleep through the service in my arms. (I wasn't helped in this sentimental reverie by the three week old baby in front of us...) She was a trooper and stayed awake, so she ended up in the nursery, playing with her baby friends (and getting a yummy snack of peach-flavored stars!!), while Bryan and I enjoyed the service.

10:50 am. After church the girls went back home (Bryan had to stay for the second service, as usual). Eden fell asleep in the car (sans pacifier! We're working on slowly weaning her from it, so she only gets it when she has trouble going to sleep, and only at home) and then was so passed out she didn't even wake up when I put her in bed. Check it out - she's sleeping on her back, and she never sleeps on her back!


12:15 pm. Eden woke up and ate lunch (oatmeal and applesauce), and finished nursing just as Daddy was coming home. Then all three of us headed to Russo's for the first time. We'd been hearing about this place for what seems like forever, and we kept wanting to go but we just hadn't made it there yet. I am pretty sure trips to this place will become commonplace in our house. It is an amazing produce market.


2:45 pm. When we came home I decided to let Eden try the stairs solo. And guess what? She's amazing.

After that feat of awesomeness, we all played on the floor in the living room while Bryan and I watched OSU attempt to upset Pitt (and eventually, unfortunately, fail).

3:30 pm. Eden had a snack of strawberries (from Russo's, of course) and a cup of water. No sippy lid. She was doing so great, but every time I tried to video her, she would spill the entire cup on her tray. So no video of that. Sorry. But here is a picture I took with my phone (OK, so this picture is from dinner, but whatever...):


3:45 pm. Anyway, after her snack, we played a bit more, she had some milk, and then Bryan left, (4:15 pm) Eden took a nap, and I attempted to rest. Unfortunately it took me about an hour to finally fall asleep, and once I did, Eden woke up literally ten minutes later. But she was all smiles, so it was OK!

5:30 pm. We played like crazy for an hour or so, and then settled in for her dinner (beef, pasta, and veggies). After that, at little more playing, and then (7:40 pm) a relaxing nursing session, and (8:00 pm) glorious sleep (for Eden) while I waited for Bryan to get home from work. And blogged.

I love weekends.

I have to share this...

My friend, the monkey's mama, just posted an awesome video of her baby, C, watching a video of Eden from her Ninth Month pictures.

Glad to see we made someone smile. :)

Thanks for sharing, a.l.s.!

Summer Vacation

We are taking a summer vacation.

A REAL summer vacation.

Before the crappy economy hit close to home, we had already booked it.

Want to know where we're going?

Here's a hint (no fair guessing if you already know...):

Nine Months

Sweet Little Eden,

You're three quarters of a year old, and the time has flown by. I pick you up from your crib, smiley and happy in the morning, and I can barely remember that tiny little burrito baby we brought home from the hospital. You've changed so much since then, and I can hardly remember how it was back then. Daddy and I have changed too. The three of us have become a little family... we're integrated.

You are becoming much more independent. You love to feed yourself - if we can't get you to eat baby food we can definitely win with bits of well-cooked grown-up food. You're an expert pincer grasper. You get lots of practice with Cheerios and little Gerber stars. You also pick up any tiny thing on the floor. And try to eat it. We had to purge Nino's toys of all the small stuff. He didn't really seem to mind.

You are getting pretty good at pulling up and walking along furniture. You've learned to sit down, too, which is an important part of it. You like to walk by holding our fingers in your hands. The funny thing is, you don't bend your knees. You walk totally straight-legged. It's sort of cute.

We went to the doctor yesterday. You weigh 18 pounds, 14 oz, and you're 27.5 inches long. That puts you right at average. (Come on, we all knew you couldn't possibly have the genes to sustain 95th percentile for height...). You're doing great. The doctor was impressed. She asked if you were babbling in multiple syllables yet, and it was as if you understood - you started demonstrating away! The only worrisome thing is that your hemoglobin levels were low. We have to start watching your iron intake. I think we can handle that.

You're such a happy girl, and I love it. Sometimes you get really silly, and everything makes you laugh. Those are my favorite times - that laugh kills me. And now that you've got your four front teeth it's even cuter. You're probably the only person in the world who honestly thinks I'm hilarious. It's awesome.

Right now your favorite things are your tall toy, which you can stand up and play with (and do karaoke on), and your Mommy and Daddy. You always want to be near us - you don't like it if we leave the room. You love to just talk to us and touch our faces (or grab my glasses, which we're trying to teach you not to do). You also LOVE baths. You see the bathtub and you start going crazy, kicking your legs and rocking back and forth. And then once you're naked you REALLY freak out, making the "happy noise" and everything!

Teething hasn't been the easiest thing for any of us. When your mouth hurts you have a hard time going to sleep, because you fall asleep with your pacifier and it hurts to suck. But we're making it through, one at a time (or sometimes two at a time). And once that little pearly white pokes through, you're back to yourself.

There's this commercial where a little girl packs a monkey in her dad's briefcase when he leaves for a business trip, and I always get close to tears when I hear the song in the background because it's just how I feel about you (except I'm also always excited to come home to Daddy... but you get the point)...

Sweet Pea
Apple of My Eye
Don't know when and I don't know why
You're the only reason I keep on coming home

I love you, Precious Little Sweet Pea.

Mommy

(You LOVE riding in a laundry basket...)