2009: Year in review

Blessing n.

A thing conducive to happiness or welfare; a special favor, mercy, or benefit.

Yeah, that describes 2009 for the McCues. This year especially, we have been reminded that we truly have the best, most generous, most caring family and friends. Thanks again for all of your wonderful gifts, cards, prayers, and good thoughts this year.

• Most of our blessings center around our special little girl, Slane Augusta, born March 23. Initially she had some thriving issues, but now she's a happy, chatty baby, crawling everywhere. She loves people and other kids and doesn't seem to be intimidated by anything. She is expanding her vocabulary, too and can say “dada,” “mama,” “nom-nom” (when her food is good), “kigee” (kitty, or any animal, really), “hi!”, and “yeah, yeah, yeah!” She is also excellent at clapping/patty-caking and giving out the high fives.
• Mamacue has been blessed with full-time employment. She started off the year teaching music at both Grinnell Community Daycare and Central Iowa Christian School. Over the summer she served as co-director of music at Pilgrim Heights camp and ticket agent at the Iowa Speedway. This spring, Marshalltown School District offered her a full-time position, teaching music at Fisher Elementary and Lenihan Intermediate. She didn't really plan to take the job, but things just fell into place. She teaches grades 3-6 general music (and the 5th grade flutes) and gets along with her administrators, fellow teachers, and students, even though she sees 21 classes every 3 days. Mamacue continues teaching piano to the children of Grinnell. She also joined the board of the Kodaly Educators of Iowa.
• Q has been blessed with his work, too. Q continues his job in alumni relations at Grinnell College. In addition to alumni events, volunteering, and...relations, he has worked hard on the launch of their new online community for alumni. He remains active in the community, serving on the boards of Grinnell United Way and First Presbyterian Church. He helped to raise funds and build the first 18-hole disc golf course in Grinnell and officiated football games from mites to varsity.
• The opportunity to travel has been a blessing as well. The summer and fall brought many adventures. Fortunately, we are all good travelers. We served again as counselors at Win-Some Bible Camp. Slane loved camp and camp loved her back! We visited Michigan three times: first, the wedding of Mamacue's friend Andrea, then Q's 10-year reunion at Hope College. Each trip gave us opportunities to visit with family and friends. We also traveled to Ohio (with a stop in Ann Arbor for a Grinnell College alumni event) to introduce Slane to aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. We will return to Columbus this Christmas.
• We've been blessed with excellent childcare. Finding childcare was an adventure. Following Slane's birth, Q pulled daddy duty during his six-week paternity leave (thank you, Grinnell College!). Over the summer, Mamacue's cousin Lisa helped with Slane and around the house. (Her chocolate chip muffins are delish!) Since Mamacue began teaching in Marshalltown, we take Slane to Miss Denise, an in-home childcare provider. Slane is her only full-time child, so she gets lots of love and attention. We couldn't have asked for a better person to take care of Slane. Many friends, family, and members of our church have also helped watch Slane; we're not sure who enjoys the time more.
• Our new friends and family members have blessed us. There have been several other babies in our lives this year, bringing new cousins and friends. The list could take up the whole page. Slane has met several of them, and played with them too (if stealing their food and toys counts!). We also welcomed our first niece, Ella Jean, who was born on October 2. Yes, Mamacue's parents got two granddaughters within 6 months!

Ours has truly been a year of blessings. May the Christmas season and 2010 bring you blessings as well!

With love,
Q, Mamacue, and Slane

Slane and the Incrediball

Slane has a ball with a ball.

Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi....

Slane's newest word is "hi." Miss Denise blames herself for teaching it to Slane, but I think we did it too. And we think it is crazy cute. She almost whispers it, and never says just one. It is always, "hi, hi, hi, hi, hi..." with a big smile and a scrunched nose. Between that and "kigee" we really can't get a word in.



Hi. Hi. Hi.

Hi. Hi.

Hi.

Don't high five me. Hold me.

Slane is now more direct in her non-verbal communication. I offer her high fives (one of our favorite games to play together), but she grabs my arm and puts it around her side. It's as if she's saying, "Dada, you need to pick me up. I am not interested in high fiving you when you could be holding me." Hint taken, Slane.

PS: If you haven't already seen it, definitely watch They Might Be Giants' "High Five" from They Might Be Giants Sing the 123s.

Slane: Lover of Playscapes

Over the weekend, we made the trek with GrannieCue and Papa Smurf to Des Moines to do a little holiday shopping. The crowds were large, but not overwhelming. We found parking with relative ease. We also found things that parted us from our money. Most importantly, we found that Slane is ready to play in the Jordan Creek playscape and loved it.



I admit, I was nervous about this. Big Kids bounding from turtle to hippopotamus might mistake Slane for a pony and bound off her, too. Instead, little kids smiled and played with her.


She slid down slides (with assistance)...


...and greeted sliders as they departed the slide.



She loved it. Look at this expression of joy:



Don't you want to be that happy? The girl was euphoric. She loves People. She loves New. She loves Adventure. Have you met our daughter, Slane de Gama?

Thanksgiving

Slane's first. I'm not sure it meant anything to her, but it was great for all of us. We have so much to be thankful this year, especially Slane. What a blessing!

She loved playing with other people and seeing both sets of grandparents at once. She also got to play in the padded playground at the mall, and had a fabulous time. She pulled herself up on a turtle, and crawled to the bottom of a slide and greeted the kids as they came down. She had a great time with all of the other kids running around.

Halloween and a gourd

For the last couple of weeks Slane has had a constant companion:


That's right, a gourd. She is on her third gourd at the moment, and people keep giving us more. She has been teething and it must feel really nice on her gums, because she chews on it so much that it squeaks. We had some professional pictures taken a couple of weeks ago and had to bring the current gourd along, and it is in almost every picture.


For Halloween, Slane was a pony, and we were her cowhands. Q and I borrowed Stetsons from my mom's boss and wore flannel shirts. On Friday, we were in Des Moines so we stopped by my sister's to see baby Ella and hand out candy with them. Ema was there too. Both girls were in costume for a while until Slane got too hot. Ella was a ghost (which, by the way, took searching at 3 Wal-Marts to find a onesie small enough).


On Saturday, we took Slane to see several friends in town until she got tired of getting in and out of the carseat, then we crashed at her godparents' house to finish out the night. The horse was even more cute because Slane is crawling now, and she looked like a pony on the go.


Here's a picture of the pony and her cowhands:

It's not easy being green

"Cloth or disposable?" This was the third most popular question we heard before Slane was born. ("Boy or girl?" and "Don't you want to know?" were first and second.) We had grand plans to use cloth diapers. We bought and received as gifts cloth diapers. We purchased and received accessories. By the end of April, we had given into the convenience of disposables (Huggies).

We have many excuses, of course. Part of the time that would have gone to diaper cleaning went instead to formula and bottle feeding. Our "dry" runs became sloppy messes: The diaper was too big for Slane's tiny bottom and we didn't master the finer points of fasteners and gussets. The hospital used disposable diapers. The devil, Rumpelstiltskin, and shady mortgage lenders may have also made me choose to use disposables instead of sticking with cloth. We are using the cloth diapers anyway as burp cloths, impromptu bibs and rags, and a mat on the changing pad.

In an article about eco-friendly disposable diapers, Laura Doser noted that over two percent of our landfills are disposable diapers. Slane and her diaper-clad peers generate 3.6 million tons of dirty diapers. Does this mean babies are bad for the environment? Sara and I do more laundry. We have more dishes. We take out more trash. Our power and water bills are higher now than they were a year ago. To save the planet, do we need to practice abstinence? Is safe sex is good for us but better for mother nature?

It is shortsighted to think of our increased consumption of material goods as a zero-sum equation. As Slane grows up, she will stop wearing diapers. (We hope.) She and others in her generation will create energy- and resource-saving innovations for our world. This make every diaper, every load of laundry, every can of formula an investment in the future. Besides, the girl is cute. And a riot. She's more entertaining than anything you can see on cable TV, and sure to put a smile on your face.

To show solidarity with those of you who steadfastly support cloth diapers, Slane went without her disposable diaper one day last month:



(Really, Sara was home with her one Saturday when Slane had a bad case of diaper rash caused when I fed Slane applesauce one too many meals in a row. Still, the girl is a riot.)

Excuses...

Work. Meetings. Obligations.

We know you don't care, dear reader. You have the same noise in your life. You come to the world of babycue because you want to see pictures of the 'Cue. We have been hoarding them unintentionally. Now that we are adjusting to the new, changing rhythms of our life, we can give you more of what you want.



Slane...the funniest person I know.

techie girl

Slane is into technology. Well, sort of. Maybe I should say, Slane is into eating technology. She likes things like computers, remote controls, and cell phones. We think she might have even eaten things off of Q's phone. She has hung up on people and tried three way calls while chewing on our phones. So, we got her a baby cell phone, and we finally got out the baby computer from J and M. Slane loves them. She loves the lights and the sounds. She recognizes voices on our phones and from videos on the computer, and loves playing with hers. The phone is especially beneficial when we are on our phones, because we give her hers and she doesn't try to chew on ours. And or course, she plays with the computer while we are on ours. Silly girl.

Photoshop this....

Apparently we have given birth to a baby who can shoot LASER BEAMS from her eyes.

the club

Q and I are very excited to meet our new niece who was born yesterday. Her name is Ella Jean, and she was born at 5:53 pm on October 2. She weighed in at 6 pounds and 10 ounces, and is 19 and 3/4 inches long. She was born via emergency c-section and the last word was that she is in the NICU due to fluid in her lungs. My sister hadn't seen her yet as of 9 0'clock last night, but I was texted a picture, and she is beautiful.

So, I welcome my sister to the c-section club as I was welcomed by someone before me. It is a tough club to join. One has to be strong, and willing to let go of previous beliefs that she who gets a c-section is she who is weak. She has to believe that she did the best she could (and after 2 1/2 hours of pushing, I would say so), and now she and her baby are both healthy and happy. She has to stop telling herself she should have done something different, or that she gave up.

The woman who has a c-section is just as strong and tough of the woman who got to deliver the natural way. She will be jealous of those who did not have c-sections, and with every friend or acquaintance who also has the c-section, she will remember her own experience. She will question the circumstances of her own surgery.

Having a c-section can be traumatic, especially if one is not prepared for that possibility, or if one's c-section was super emergency due to complications. The woman who has a c-section will always have a scar to prove that she is amazing, and lucky to be among us.

Welcome to the c-section club, B.

closet battle

My sister gave Slane three big bags of clothes last week, and now Slanes clothes and mine are fighting for closet/dresser space. I think it is time to move on from the changing table and get Slane a dresser. I'm not sure where it will go, but it is definitely needed. Right now many of her things are in a big pile on the floor because we are not sure where else to put them. We also got a bag of clothes that I (and probably a few cousins ahead of me) wore back in the day, and Slane wore one of my dresses to church yesterday. So far we've been making small apartment/bad floor plan work, but as Slane gets bigger it will be more difficult. I tell myself it is just until May or so--keep your eyes open for a decent rental for us.

Speaking of my sister, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of her baby (due on Wednesday!!). We want to meet Slane's newest cousin.

Thanks J for the high chair. It makes feeding Slane her green beans, applesauce, peaches, and carrots so much easier.

One more note--I got the measurements. Last Tuesday, Slane weighed 19 pounds even and was 27 1/4 inches long/tall. What a big girl!

6 month wellness check

We miss Dr. B. Yesterday was Slane's 6 month wellness check. Q and I always make bets on weight and length, so I was so busy determining if I won or lost that I didn't pay close attention to the exact weight and height. Dr. B's nurse always wrote it down for me, but Dr. W's nurse did not. We go back on Friday for flu shots, so I will ask if someone can write it for me then.

Slane weighs somewhere around 19 pounds, and is 27 1/4 inches long/tall. Everything looks good. She did not like having her ears checked, and wasn't really in love with the tongue depresser either. She did love the paper on the scale. First she kicked at it, then began ripping shreds of paper (and loving it, laughing and smiling the whole time). Then she started to eat the paper, and that is when I removed all of the paper from the table. When the nurse walked in she put it back, and I chuckled at that. Why bother? I ask.

Dr. W seemed rushed. He didn't spend a lot of time answering my questions and didn't give me a lot of time to answer his questions. He didn't even show me the percentile chart. He wasn't as personable as Dr. B is, and I hope it was just that he was having a rough day or was trying to catch up or something.

Slane also got her 4 month shots yesterday. I had to close my eyes. Why can I handle getting my own shots, but I can't handle watching Slane get hers? It was a rough day at the public health clinic for us, because Slane also fell off of my lap just before we went in for the shots. She stabbed me in the eye, and I was cleaning my lense and she shifted her balance and landed on the floor with the diaper bag on top of her. I felt so bad, and embarrassed. She was fine, and she got over the shots quickly also.

Slane also got a treat for her 6 month birthday. Sunday we went to Des Moines and picked out a new jogging stroller. She has been trying to sit up and see more from her old stroller, so we decided it was time to upgrade to something more for "big" girls. Q tried it out last night on the disc golf course, and loved it. We got one with extra big wheels that detach so it fits in the trunk. Actually, that is why we chose that one. At first, I suggested a bigger car, but Q sent me out to the car with each stroller we were looking at so that I could try to get it in and out of the trunk by myself (make sense, if I can't do it, what is the point of getting it?). We love the extra features, like an MP3 player hookup, and lots of reflectors, and zipper pockets, and even a pedometer.

Watch out folks, she's mobile.

Q discovered what I already knew. Slane can move. I learned this on Saturday when we were trying to air out diaper rash. He learned yesterday when he stayed home sick, and to take care of Slane since Miss D had surgery.

She is getting really good at going smoothly from sitting up to her belly to her back. Tonight she went as far as her belly and did this little scoot thing to move forward. It was very cute watching, and it also means she will be crawling before we know it, and we need to get the house childproofed sooner rather than later (but high chair is higher on the priority list).

Yesterday Q had her on the bed. He turned for just a second, turned back around, and she was midair. He tried to catch her, but wasn't successful and she bonked her head as she landed. He felt so bad--but they are both okay now.

So, watch out. Slane is on her way.

doctor, doctor, give me the news

I got a bad case of being cute!

I get allergy shots, sometimes once a week, sometimes biweekly, sometimes every three weeks, depending on where I am in the regimen (being pregnant threw if off a bit, so now I am just catching up). I have been getting allergy shots for 4 years, 3 of those here in Grinnell. So between that, OB visits, and Slane wellness checks, I know everyone in the office pretty well.

So, when Slane was littler, I would leave her in her car seat in the lobby while I got my shot. I knew they were watching her and she wasn't going anywhere. Some people give me strange looks when I tell them that. If I lived in the city, I would never do that. But here, I'm not worried. When I get back to the lobby after my shot, it is true, Slane is usually not there. That's because she is behind the receptionist counter, out of her car seat, getting lots of love and attention from the receptionists and nurses. There are times when I am not sure I will get her back.

At my 6-week post-partum checkup, I brought Slane along. And then Dr. B decided we needed someone to watch her, so he took her to the nurses' station, and they had a great time with her.

These days, I take her back with me for the shot. Last time, she tried to grab the syringe, and Friday she tried to get the serum. Silly baby. And then we went to check out. First, I had to put her on the counter so she could be admired. Then she discovered that the window panes move. She had a great time playing with the window while everyone who was still there at 4:45 on a Friday cooed over her and said it seemed like I should still be pregnant, not carrying around an almost 6 month old baby.

Slane is definitely loved by the people who take care of her. And she is quite popular among the people at the doctor's office.

Why is there desitin on the floor?

If you walked into the ghettoplex kitchen right now, you would see an interesting sight. There is/are: two frosted cakes, a tube of desitin, some dirty bottles, a pile of wet cloth diapers, one uneaten ham and cheese sandwich, one bumbo-covered in pureed carrots and rice rusk, one massive pile of dishes, one unused disposable diaper, one mom-still unshowered and wearing one of Q's shirts which also has carrots, rice rusk, pee, and spitup on it, and a naked baby coated in desitin and sitting in the middle of the floor.

Slane has some serious diaper rash, so for most of the day we have been hanging out in the kitchen so she can air out and I can mop up the mess later. Every time she pees or poops she just screams and I felt so bad I just took the clothes and diaper off and let her go. So, yes there is some desitin smeared on the floor, but Slane is currently cooing contentedly. I think her little booty is very sensitive (we wouldn't know anything about sensitive skin in our family) and every time we try a new food it takes a while for that skin to grow accustomed. Hopefully a few hours of airing out will help. And when Q comes home from football it will be clean up time.

Drool

Booger journalist Dave Barry wrote once that babies have two glands: a poop gland and a drool gland. He was right. We know this because Slane drools. Big time.

You know that leaky faucet, the one in your kitchen that drips and dribbles incessantly? Slane is the embodiment of your leaky faucet. Sometimes I think the drool glands are not just in her mouth, but on her chin and neck. We have tried to keep her dry but it was an exercise in futility. Bibs are no match. This would explain how her onesies get so damp, having that sopping wet two-tone effect.

There was a time when Slane was drool free. Around two months the drooling began. Friends and strangers alike would say "She must be teething!" While her gums are getting harder (for a toothless baby, she has quite a bite), there are no teeth yet. And the drool goes on.

Here is set of photos of Slane from the past four months of Slane and her drool. You may want to wipe down your monitor when you are done.

daycare

While finding daycare was initially a challenge, I think we have found a good one. We were on the waiting list for the community daycare where I taught music last year. I assumed (wrongly) that I had an in there and we would not have a problem. Not so. So, I started calling people from the list provided by the childcare referral service. Every one that I liked and lived in a part of town we felt comfortable with (I know, it is a small town, but still, we didn't want someone who lived in an apartment or on a major highway, that kind of thing) didn't have openings. We started calling second choices. Keep in mind that school was about to start, I was in orientation, and we were desperate (but special thanks to T who covered for us). Finally, it came down to two people. I had actually visited someone earlier in the summer but we never decided for sure, and then when we did we had contact issues and she wasn't sure if she wanted another baby. The other person had kids of her own, and we liked them both, but in the end we chose the first lady because she didn't have kids at home and could send Slane home and relax and start the next day new, rather than never getting a break from kids. And we know the other family she takes care of (though after this week Slane will be the only one...).

Slane loves D. She gets to play all she wants and watch the bigger kids and gets so overstimulated that sometimes she won't even take a nap there. They go to the park, and for walks, and swinging, and hang out in the exersaucer or bumbo or bouncy seat. She spends a lot of time outside (is starting to show some sun) and sometimes cries when it is time to leave. D takes good care of her. Sometimes when she is changing dirty diapers, she wipes all of Slane down, lotions her, and does her hair. D doesn't like Slane to be soggy from her constant drooling, so frequently changes her outfits (which creates more laundry for me, but I can deal with that). We often leave with the favorite toy of the day,as well as extra bibs and burp cloths.

So far, we made a good choice. Slane is about to be the only kid, and she gets lots of love and attention that way, whereas at the daycare she would have been one of eight, and would still have gotten love and attention, but not necessarily the personal care.

Oh, and by the way, two days after we signed a contract with D, the daycare called saying they had room for us. Too late...

Watching cars go by

MamaCue was Piano Teacher tonight, so Slane and I went for a long walk. The highlight for Slane was watching cars and buses drive up and down 6th Avenue. Sixth is a four-lane highway, U.S. 6, and the main east-west drag through town. As each car passed us, Slane followed it with her entire head until the car disappeared around the bend or another car was in view. We must have stood on the corner for 15 minutes. Both MamaCue and I share this fascination with traffic passing by. Do you?

30 days, 30 posts?

It's been a summer of adventure and excitement. If you read this blog, you'd be surprised to hear that. We've been busy being parents and workers and travelers and birthday girls and hosts and...and...and...now it's time to get back to sharing more about our adventures with Little Miss BabyCue.

Here's our promise to you, dear reader: a post every day for the next 30 days. Some posts will be current events, others will highlight our summertime adventure and excitement. After all, Slane has now visited seven (!) states and many friends and family.

Slane is now eating solid food. We have rice cereal (in the can, it looks like the love child of fish flakes, Cream of Wheat, and Potato Buds) and have been experimenting with fresh foods. Ema brought unsweetened applesauce from the farm. We have pureed pears, peaches, carrots, and green beans. (Not all at once. That would be disgusting.) The pears disagreed with Slane, giving her diarrhea. Afterwards, we discovered that we should have cooked the pears. (Sorry, Slane.)

Slane likes to feed herself. She wants to hold the bottle. She wants to hold the spoon - the handle and the spoony part. (What is the spoon part of the spoon called?) This usually means the food is everywhere - her face, her hands, her bib, her feet, her chair. Slane also wants to eat paper. First, she studies the paper, then decides that no one else can read it so it must be eaten. Today while at the Evil Empire (Always Low Prices!), we discovered a solution: Baby Mum-Mums, a rice rusk. She devoured the first one and most of the second. She looks like the kid on the box, except with Baby Mum-Mum debris on her face, hand, clothes, Bumbo seat, MamaCue, etc. Apparently, Slane's a fan. (Hot Kid marketing department: need an endorsement? Contact us.)

Finally, here's your moment of cute. Last weekend was unusually cold with lows in the 30s - we're pretty sure we got a frost, as trees, corn, and soybeans are all beginning to turn color. Here's a photo of Slane in her fall finery:

In the last month or so

we have gone to Ohio (which included the zoo, a carousel ride, a trip to Cleveland, making friends with big dogs, a baseball game, hanging out with friends we met during our time in Vegas, and time with GrannyCue, Papa Smurf, and extended family).

we have stopped pumping, and gone from exclusively formula to formula and rice cereal, and even some apple sauce.

we have begun to adjust to full time teaching and full time daycare, though some days I cry because I should be home taking care of Slane, instead of doing what I love to do and loving it at my new school. She, on the other hand, loves daycare and sometimes cries when it is time to leave.

we met some new cousins, including L and A. Slane and A were so cute during tummy time together.

we missed having cousin Lisa from Michigan stay with us and help out so much (seriously, we are thinking of hiring someone to help with cleaning once we get the budget evened out).

we are getting superexcited to meet Baby E, when she arrives!

we have missed Q while he is working on the new disc golf course, but we are proud of his involvement and leadership with it.

we have welcomed back one of our international students, and met our new student and her parents, who adore Slane (this means we have 5 kids counting Slane).

we have accumulated two SD cards with pictures of Slane, and promise we will get them on here soon.

we have gained weight and filled out.

we have gotten a Bumbo seat, which we love, and are in the market for a high chair. We also love the exersaucer.

Slane has started rolling over from back to belly, and loves to sleep on her side. She has also discovered that she likes to talk, during church, and spit and make smacky sounds. My glasses are always covered with Slane fingerprints, and when she eats, she rubs the food in her eyes.

we told Dr. B goodbye. We miss him already (and his family, including his newest addition, Baby I).

oh, and someone in our neighborhood has acquired nonFirewalled internet, so we have access again...which means we can stay on top of this more.

And now we prepare for Slane's first football season (and yes, she has Buckeye gear).

Local Celebrity

catching up part two

I know several of you out there think we just quit blogging and are wondering what is up with baby Slane. But we still don't have internet and taking a baby to the library is difficult unless I skip my own nap to take her during hers (which is what I am doing right now).

She is getting so big and heavy and so much fun. She laughs and coos and smiles and spits and buzzes and plays with her crinkle books and rattles and jingly toys. She loved the 4th of July parade, but I think every emergency vehicle in the county was in the parade and I had to cover her ears for most of it. I didn't catch one in time and it scared her and she cried. Her scared cry makes me sad. She is becoming a traveler. Last week she was the littlest camper (yup, we stayed in the cabin with the girls), and then she endured two long rides in a car to get to and from Michigan for a wedding. She loves walks outside around dusk, and yesterday rolled over all on her own (from belly to back).

I am still pumping a few times a day so she gets some breastmilk but not much. It is mostly discouraging for me because I just don't get a lot and I wish I did. Q reminds me that I have a healthy, happy baby who has been sleeping through the night for a while now and there are people out there who would trade their breastfed, not sleeping through the night babies for that.

Slane's 4 month appointment checkup is Friday, and maybe Q can put some pictures up at work so you all can see how big and beautiful she is.

For the next two weeks my cousin is visiting from Michigan to help with Slane. She has been a big help so far too. I can just ask her to hold Slane and then I get to do things around the house..like unpack my last year school stuff and get ready for this year, and catch up laundry, and organize closets and things. It really is nice.

catching up

We have been super busy since our last post. We had Slane's baptism, the end of school, the college's reunion, my orientation for my summer camp job, switching piano lessons to a summer schedule, trying to find a toddler friendly apartment, and grandparents visiting, and on top of all of that our internet connection moved out (congrats on graduating, but I wish you could have left your connection behind). I have tried to take Slane to the college library, but she "talks" too much, and it closes at 5. Q came home one day at lunch so I could run over and take care of a few things (both my MI and NV teaching licenses expire in a few weeks, so I had to do application stuff). And I have also borrowed a friend's connection, but don't want to overuse it. As soon as I start my new teaching job we can get our own.

We will get pictures up soon--of baptism and other things going on.

Slane has been getting better and better at holding rattles and grabbing things. But on Thursdsay, she figured out something else new. I was feeding Slane when she decided to poop. I could feel it oozing out of the diaper so I ran upstairs to the changing table, only to discover that I had a handful of poop, it was running down my shirt, and I got it all over the changing table too. I got my shirt off, Slane's clothes off, and the rag I was holding that caught some of the poop, and then Q called. I told him he needed to come home NOW. He did, and while I was starting to clean up some more, Slane rolled over onto her right side on the changing table. I moved naked baby to the floor on a blanket and she just kept rolling to her back and then to her right side. I was so excited and Q made it home in time to see for himself. Then as he was in the process of changing out of work clothes while I started hosing things down (so glad we got that shower attachment sprayer), Q picked her up while only wearing boxers. She proceeded to both spit up and pee on him...so he went straight to the shower and Slane went straight to a bath. And then, she was still hungry.

We also took her on her first road trip last week, and I am typing this while on our second trip. Last week we celebrated our 5th anniversary by taking Slane to our friends' inn in Illinois. She did pretty well in the car and let us know when she needed to stop. I have become very adept at using the breast pump in strange bathrooms, and have given up on modesty, especially when it is difficult to find an outlet, or it is right in the middle of the sinks and mirrors. She did well on the drive to Kansas City yesterday too, and even slept well in a hotel room. All of this should prime us for the trip to Michigan in July. And help us to pack too--it takes a lot to go on a trip with a baby...we even busted out the ginormous diaper bag, and then packed backups for it as well.

I promise those pictures will be up soon...so you can see the cuteness we have been enjoying.

Children's book fail

How many bananas do you see?























Schadenfreude is delightful.

(Image courtesy of the excellent site FAILBlog.)

Nine pounds, nine ounces

Woohoo! We don't have to go back to the doctor until our two month wellness check (which is really only in two weeks, but nonetheless). Slane is eating like a champ and growing!

Today we also went to Tulip Time. Slane did really well and slept through most of the parade. She met some aunts and uncles and cousins for the first time, and some friends too. She even got her picture taken with some tulips. The cutest part: it started to storm as we were leaving, and even though she was being pushed through the rain (the canopy was up) she was laughing and smiling. I hope that means the thunder doesn't scare her. The most frustrating part, after finding a bathroom and claiming it to pump (still measuring ounces), I apparently took too long. The patrons waiting in line went to get the manager to check on the person in the bathroom. My fault-I thought rechargeable batteries would work in the pump and they didn't so I had to plug in...People were banging on the door and I kept saying "just a minute" but they didn't hear me. When I finally left the bathroom, I just berated the people in line about having respect for a breastfeeding mother seeking a little privacy. Then I left as quickly as possible.

There are things I should be doing,

but taking some time for myself seems like a better idea. The bottles to clean and dishes to do will still be there later. I doubt tomorrow's babysitter notices the mess.

Slane is gaining weight. I hate that I have to give her formula (no place in the budget for that), and am disappointed by my own lack of production, but it does mean she is gaining weight. Right now she is eating about half breast milk (measured out in bottles, of course) and half formula. It makes life more convenient and less convenient in different ways. Now I have to pump a lot (had to borrow an electric pump) and that is less convenient because I need to be in a more private place to do that. Before, I could just cover Slane with a blanket and go about my business while feeding. Now I can feed her whenever and wherever we are, and before I couldn't always feed right when she was hungry (like when I was in the middle of a piano lesson, though I did feed her once during a lesson). It has been a tough adjustment for all of us.

The Incredibles and Jack-Jack's clever super power

As I sit here at 2:30 a.m. feeding Miss Slane, I am reminded of a conversation MamaCue and I had about the excellent animated film The Incredibles, directed by genius Brad Bird. (SPOILER ALERT: This post reveals the secret super power of Jack-Jack, a character in the film which came out in 2004.) Thursday, we watched it for the first time since Slane was born.

Here's a brief synopsis: superheroes who once lived among us now must live "normal" lives, maintaining their super identities a secret. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, now Bob and Helen Parr, have two super children and an infant: Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. In interviews, Bird admits raising his own family was inspiration for The Incredibles' super powers. A father (Mr. Incredible) thinks he needs to be strong, providing and defending for his family. A mother (Elastigirl) must be flexible as she is stretched to her limits. Some adolescent girls (Violet) want to be invisible, while some little boys (Dash) are full of boundless energy.

I don't remember how Bird explained Jack-Jack's super powers, but now that we have an infant, we get why Jack-Jack has the super powers he reveals in the film. During a feeding, Sara shared her revelation about his powers. "The fact that he can go from fire, to dead weight, to monster: Slane does all of those things! It's what babies do."

They also poop through their outfits and spit up twice -- at least that's what Slane has done since I started typing this post on the Blackberry. And wear four changes of clothes in an hour. Maybe we can all return to sleep now?

Soft spots and blowholes:

DaddyCue (after singing to Slane and giving her a kiss on the forehead): Did that just blow your mind?

(Slane stares blankly at DaddyCue.)

MamaCue: No, daddy. If that had blown her mind, her soft spot would open up like a whale's blowhole and start spouting things.

DaddyCue: Uhh...right. Thanks for that image. Blech.

(Photo Credit: Daylife.com/Getty Images)

things I want to say but don't have time to in 5 minutes or less

So, I have a list of things I want to blog about, but time to myself is almost nil (does in the shower count?). I want to talk about the lady who parked in the expectant/new mother spot in front of us and her youngest kid was at least 8, or what it was like in the OB wing, or my frustration with this whole feeding thing and me not producing enough milk, or how blessed we have been with gifts, meals, and general help, or how we would continue to use cloth diapers if we had time to wash the ones that have been dirty for about a week, or how the soy allergy is going, or just how cute Slane is, or the fact that Q goes back to work next week, and how will I accomplish things that we aren't accomplishing with both of us home, especially now that our baby has turned cranky and I can't feed her one handed anymore, or the thank you notes I keep trying to get to (we really are working on that).

But my five minutes are up and I have a piano student at the door...maybe in another 4 weeks when I get 5 more minutes of free time.

Why can't we sleep? (Emphasis on we.)

I love that Slane is a cuddler, except a bedtime. This would be the third time tonight I have rocked her to sleep. Let's hope she stays asleep when I put her in her crib. Daddy needs sleep, too.

What works for us: A sling for Slane

When it comes to parenting, everyone has an opinion; some are eager to share it. Now that we're parents, we have one, too. This is the first post in a series we'll call What works for us. Have a suggestion for a product, book, technique, or service we should try? Contact us.

Our parents are wonderful, getting us many useful things for Slane, as well as a few indulgences. One of the more practical things that Ema did was make a homemade Maya wrap for us. All she needed was a few yards of fabric and two sturdy cattle rings.



Slane and I are still learning how to use the wrap comfortably, but it is a life changer. If she's drowsy or asleep, she'll hang out in the sling for hours without any fuss. However, if she's awake or cranky, she'll cry and thrash until I take her out of the sling. Since Slane loves to cuddle and be held, now she can nap in the sling and I can do things with both hands...like update the blog, because typing with a baby in your lap can be a challenge.



I can also take a self-portrait:



Or take a picture of Slane sleeping in the sling.



Maya Wrap also has videos explaining how to "wear" your wrap and your child. If you have a child and access to a sewing machine (or Ema), we highly encourage making your own Maya Wrap.

Sew your own baby sling (Maya Wrap)

Full disclosure: We have had no contact with Maya Wrap about this post or any of their products.

Sleep deprivation is not the hardest thing about being a parent.

Prior to Slane's birth, many people -- friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, and total strangers -- warned us that the biggest challenge in the first days of parenthood is sleep deprivation. At our baby shower, Susan wrote, "Sleep when the baby sleeps! Call if you need encouragement." Pastor Kirsten wrote, "Call on neighbors for help and to just vent to when you are sleep deprived." And Erik wrote, "Everybody says to sleep when the baby sleeps. But REALLY. Sleep when the baby sleeps."

From Slane Augusta McCue - Week 2

Fortunately for us, Slane sleeps like...well, she sleeps like her mom. A lot. Slane has been getting 4-6 hours most nights, making us the envy of our friends with newborns. We are grateful that Slane sleeps. However, my productivity has tanked. This is a combination of choice, opportunity, and necessity. My employer has a generous six week paternity leave. The weeks leading up to my leave I worked like I was going to be gone for six weeks. Other than occasionally checking email and answering a few phone calls, I have unplugged from work. In the current economy, I recognize that this is a privilege. As a contract employee with two local schools and a private music instructor, MamaCue has not had the same luxury. This week, she has returned to her full schedule - three mornings in the classroom and most of her 15 private lessons.

Here's the funny thing: I'm doing exactly what I thought I would do during my paternity leave. I am home, taking care of my firstborn and bonding with her. And yet I don't feel like I'm doing enough because when I go to bed there are dirty dishes in the sink, dirty clothes in the hamper, clean clothes in the dryer, bills to be paid, emails to be read and answered...you get the idea. I'm learning that even when I'm doing exactly what I envisioned doing, it doesn't feel like it's enough. This reorientation of priorities and routine has been the biggest adjustment of all, one that will be even more profound when I return to work in May.

[h/t to Teresa, Penelope, and Ariel for writing posts that provided food for these thoughts.]

Since bringing Slane home two weeks ago, we've had three visits to the doctor's office. The first was a one week checkup; the others were to check her weight. Since Slane entered our world March 23, she has yet to return to her birth weight of eight pounds, fourteen ounces (roughly four kilograms). The night before we left the hospital, she dropped to seven pounds, 15 ounces. Postpartum weight loss is normal, usually about ten percent of birth weight and Slane was slightly higher, 10.5 percent.

During Slane's first weekend home, she gained three ounces. Since then she's actually lost two ounces. Our doctor is concerned, encouraging supplement which she doesn't like. In fact, she makes a frowny face (which is adorable, of course) and pushes the bottle away. Slane prefers the breastmilk, in bottle or straight from the source.

The funny thing is that weight gain is the only measure where Slane appears unhealthy. She has good color and skin tone. Her eyes look alive. She's active. She produces normal baby fluids in copious amounts. She eats well -- and often. She cries. She sleeps well, so well that this week that at night this week we've slept five hours, six hours, three hours, six hours, and four hours. The only thing she isn't doing is gaining weight.

Someday, Slane will pine for the days when she couldn't gain an ounce. In the meantime, did your child ever have a phase when he or she did not gain weight?

Four generations

Four generations. One picture.

From Slane Augusta McCue - Week 2

During the visit with Grandma, we learned that Slane's birthmarks and ear hair are hereditary. Without a flinch, Grandma looked at the birthmarks on Slane's eye, lip, and neck and said that those were a family trait. Ema, MamaCue's mom, had the ear hair, which is more like a downy fuzz on the outside of the ear. This may be the first time I've used the term "ear hair" and it's a strange phrase to type. Ear hair ear hair ear hair. Weird.

Saturday, we have a family gathering with MamaCue's grandparents. More family photos to follow.

Two weeks!

Wowsers, we've had BabyCue for two weeks. This must mean it's time for more pictures!

what's in a name

We knew we'd have to explain Slane's name, and we like explaining, so here is an explanation. In a much earlier post we joked that we would name our child after a hymn, and every Sunday in church we would laugh at the names of hymns we were singing, or would say, yeah, I like that one.

At the end of October, I had a sinus infection and stayed home from church. Q came home and told me he had the perfect name. They had sung "Be Thou My Vision" and the tune name was Slane. That hymn has always been special to us. I played it at my Profession of Faith when I was in college, and Dan and I had played it together on our Louisiana trip too...and we had our friend Megan sing it and friend Julian accompany at our wedding.

We spent a few days rolling it around on our tongues, and decided it was perfect, boy or girl. It seemed even more appropriate when we considered that she was due on St. Patrick's Day and would have an Irish last name. I did a bit of research to make sure it didn't have any terrible connotations, and Wikipedia assured me it didn't.

Augusta comes from Q's grandfather. Grandpa Daniel's middle name was Augustus. We wanted to use a family name, and most of mine are taken, what with almost 30 great-grandchildren between my two sets of grandparents. Grandpa Daniel was a very special person to both of us. I lived with him for almost 3 summers, and he taught me and Q a lot about life. We wanted to honor him by giving our child part of his name.

So, we've known Slane's name since October, but we did a pretty good job of keeping it a secret...

Home

Slane, MamaCue and I came home yesterday after over five days at the local hospital. Slane is adjusting to her new digs and all the new sights, sounds, and smells.



One of our nurses, Kari, had a baby at our hospital a few months ago. We asked her what she felt was her biggest adjustment from hospital to home. Kari said the first few nights are rough. Kari was right. Slane's cries and fussiness gave us a few stretches of sleeplessness and tested our patience. I figured much of it came from Slane's desire to communicate, limited by her vocabulary of cries and wiggles.



We're still learning the difference between hungry, diaper, hold me, and chatty. We joked last night that we should invent a machine that translates her cries into generic adult communication: term papers, salon gossip, infomercial, etc.



Posts will be sporadic the next few days as our world reorients itself to the addition of Slane. More stories and pictures will come as we find moments to steal away and share more stories with you.

Photos

I've snuck away from the hospital to share a few photos. Slane and MamaCue are doing well. We'll leave the hospital Friday.




Coming soon: What's in a name?

BabyCue by the numbers:

Born: 6:24 am
Weight: 8 lbs., 14 oz.
Length: 20"
Head and chest both 14"

It's a girl

MamaCue delivered a baby girl by C-section. More details soon.

C-section

BabyCue will be born later this morning by C-section.

Labor Day

MamaCue is still dilating and contracting. NuBain has helped with the pain. We're taking naps. More details soon.

MamaCue update

MamaCue received her first pain medication a few minutes ago, 5mg of Nubain. It has taken the edge off of the contractions, helping her relax.

We're now in our 14th hour of labor, just over 12 hours at the hospital. We're still the only ones in the OB wing. Given the contractions and dilation, we may be parents very soon. Stay tuned.

Non stress test and spring break is almost over

So, here is how that works. They put two belts on the belly. The pink one tracks baby's heartbeat (it sounds like a horse running, or squeaky rubber), and the blue one tracks contractions (which I wasn't aware I was having, I mean, I felt them, but didn't know that's what they were). For about a half hour this machine monitors all of that, and then the nurse looks at it, says all is well, and after calling Dr. B, sends you on your way. We get to do it again on Monday.

Today is the last day of Spring Break, and it looks like I might be headed to school on Monday. I hadn't planned on going next week, but I might as well earn a little more cash before the baby comes. I told Q that I really need to get out of the house today, or I need something to do, and he suggested I do more laundry. Not the answer I was looking for. So I have laundry going, and I took a big morning nap (again). After I finish with this, I'll head to the post office to see if we got anything interesting in the mail. Then maybe I'll get a coffee or a chai before heading home. Everyone should have a spring break this exciting.

the other guy

Yesterday we met the "back-up" doctor, who is on call while Dr. B goes on vacation. He tried to reassure me by telling me that he has delivered over 500 babies and all will be well. I took that to mean, "you're just another notch on my belt." Woo-hoo. I really don't want a different doctor, but I know I'm not the first in this situation. My mom tells me that our family doctor was in Germany when my sister decided to show up. I guess it would be hard for doctors to go on vacation if they had to schedule around the babies that might show up while they are gone.

On facebook last night Dr. B's wife did mention that her house, especially Dr. B and their son, is on standby and trying to be patient. So are we.

I really hope that the baby comes before the induce day, though, because going that late means I get only two weeks with baby before I have to go back to school to get my kids ready for a concert. I wanted more than two weeks, but we've been working on this concert since January, and we can't afford for me to take more time off. I did cancel all of my piano lessons next week though, which may be too hopeful of thinking on my part.

So we celebrated St. Patrick's Day and no baby by grilling steaks ( a splurge, but I needed to splurge) and walking to Dairy Queen for some soft serve happiness. Dan has stopped telling the baby to wait a couple more days, and now in the mornings tells Babycue to come today. That would be good. I am not patient when it comes to schedules and being on time, and this is I guess a good lesson for me. What I think is good timing is not always good timing and things will work out, or come out, as the daycare kids say.

No baby yet.

The due date has come and gone with only a few irregular contractions. We'll post a message when "it's time."



We've scheduled a non-stress test for Thursday. It will measure BabyCue's heart rate and response to movement to see if it is under any stress. If nothing happens, we'll induce March 26. We really hope BabyCue comes this week.



For now, think good thoughts, send karma, and say a prayer for MamaCue and BabyCue. We'd like the little one to come this week, but more importantly, we want health and safety for mother and child.

000:00:00:00

The countdown clock is all zeroes, but BabyCue remains in the womb. We have a doctor's appointment this afternoon. It looks like BabyCue will be neither a St. Patrick's Day baby nor a due date baby. This is not a surprise, as 95% of babies enter the world on a day other than their due date.

4 days

That's right. The counter on the bottom of the blog says 4 days to go. Yesterday we had a checkup, and I am dilated a little bit. Not much, but enough for Dr. B to say any day. He is hoping it is soon too, because he wants to be here when the time comes. He goes on vacation the 21st.

At the daycare this week, everyone kept saying, "hope we don't see you next week." One little girl said she hopes I get the baby out. Another lovely child tried to look up my shirt for the baby.

Yesterday morning I stopped for some coffee, and saw Dr. B's wife and daughter. I teach their kids at the daycare, and E was very excited to see me. Even when I was standing in front of her, and talking to her, she kept asking to see me. Cute. Dr. B's wife mentioned that their 4 year old son wants to come see me and the baby in the hospital and would that be okay. Sure. I don't mind. I'm a little flattered. One of my piano students also asked if he could come to the hospital to see the baby.

So, back to waiting. Every morning Q tells the baby not to come yet, because he has more to catch up on at work. I tell the baby today is as good as any. Meanwhile, I tell my piano students who are sticking around for spring break that if there isn't a baby, I'll see them next week.

When will BabyCue arrive and what will BabyCue look like?

If Linda is right, BabyCue comes tomorrow morning at 8:30. (Good thing we packed last night.) But what if Erik is right? Then BabyCue won't come until Friday, March 27. SmileyCue gets to enjoy nearly three more weeks of pregnancy. Awesome! (Says the not pregnant one...)

We learned these predictions at the Avenue BabyCue, a baby shower held last month by two colleagues. Fancying myself a social scientist, I present some findings from the (highly un)scientific survey of guests.

When will BabyCue be born? Everyone chose a date between March 10 and 27. In fact, all responses except Erik's (March 27) were between March 10 and 20. The median date was March 15, the mode was March 14. As far as time of day, both the median and mode are high noon, though the mean time is 11:54 a.m. The time of birth ranged from midnight (Suzanne) to 9:15 p.m. (Erik).

How long will BabyCue be? With a range of six inches, most people think BabyCue will be 19-20 inches long, with a mean of 19.64". (That's 48-51 cm for the rest of the world, with a mean of 49.9 cm.) Chris (not my brother) thought it will be a diminutive 17" (43 cm); at the other extreme, Mollie guessed a GoGoGadget 23" (58 cm). Maggie wisely predicted, "long enough."

How much will BabyCue weigh? With a range of 4 pounds, 5 ounces (nearly 2 kg), MamaCue may be giving birth to anything from a melon to a Thanksgiving turkey. Katie guessed the lightest weight at 6 pounds, 2 ounces (2.77 kg) and Chris (again, not my bro) guessed a scale-breaking 10 pounds, 7 ounces (4.73 kg), nearly twice as heavy as Katie's prediction. Despite the range, the median averages out to just under 7 pounds, 15 ounces (3.60 kg). The median is 8 pounds, 1 ounce (3.66 kg), and the mode is both 8 pounds, 1 ounce (3.66 kg) and 8 pounds, 2 ounces (3.69 kg).

What color of hair will BabyCue have? The overwhelming choice is brown. A few answered blonde. Taking note of our mechanic's looks, Tom chose black. Two others chose bald.

What eye color will BabyCue have? Brown wins, 12-8, over blue. Green received two votes, and the mysterious "hazel" received a vote from Elaine.

We've tallied the results, which are available online through Google Docs.

birth day

Babycue is due to join us soon. Fortunately, if Babycue does not arrive on the predicted day (the 17th), there are many days in March that would still make us happy parents. Some days we like because of their personal significance, others because we like the number combinations, and still others just because. We would prefer an odd numbered day, because we were both born on odd numbered days in odd numbered months in odd numbered years. Here is a list of days and why we like them:

3/6/9 -- 3 is a magic number.
3/9/9 -- Smileycue was born on the 9th.
3/11/9 -- Smileycue's parents' anniversary, and a rock band (311) has claimed it too! This day is also a non-emergency number.
3/12/9 -- 3 is a magic number, but not as magical as 3/6/9.
3/13/9 -- Q's half birthday, and a Friday this year!
3/14/9 -- Pi, enough said.
3/15/9 -- Ides of March, Smileycue's grandma's birthday, and Q's cousin's wedding anniversary. Et tu, Babycue?
3/16/9 -- like John 3:16, except this is Babycue, not the Messiah.
3/17/9 -- this is the actual due date, and St. Patrick's Day. Babycue will have an Irish last name, so this is appropriate, and also cool since only 1 in 20 people are actually born on the day they are due!
3/20/9 -- a day for celebration, the first day of Spring!!!
3/21/9 -- Q thinks it is cool because it is sequential, and Smileycue thinks it is cool because it reminds her of a locker combination she had in Junior High.

Given our preferences, naturally this means BabyCue will be born on 3/10, 3/18, or 3/19.

So, it isn't too late to make your prediction...leave one in the comments, and tell us why that day is significant to you.

Watch SmileyCue Grow.

It's two weeks to D-day. Here's a montage showing MamaCue's growing belly:

Avenue BabyCue

Today was the BabyCue baby shower. Thank you to all of you who attended or sent gifts. We're humbled and speechless. BabyCue will look cute in the outfits, on the blankets, and with the stuffed animals and other playthings. Big thanks goes to my colleagues Jayn and Rachel for co-hosting the shower! Jayn worked with a local baker, Yumi's, to get an Avenue Q-themed cake and Rachel made frog mints. Plus. the shower "game" was making picture frames. Very crafty.



If you prefer your slideshow as a music video, try this:

Sneak Preview

The emergency ultrasound did have a silver lining. We got to see BabyCue again:



For those of you keeping score at home, I am convinced he looks like my brother. There may be a reason for this: SmileyCue had wanted BabyCue to get UncleCue's curly locks and piercing blue eyes. Apparently, the hair and eyes were part of a package deal: we got the cheeks, nose, and lips, too. As Sesame Street's Ernie and Elmo would say, they're all part of one fine face. A face we'll see face to face in a few weeks.

Some readers and friends have asked if we have a name. We have a few names in mind. We had thought about Rickrolling you, an internet prank. We would have posted a teaser, "BabyCue's Name Revealed!" and then a link -- except the link would not have gone to BabyCue's name, but a YouTube video of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You up." SmileyCue wisely talked me out of it. We figured a third of you would have had a good laugh about it, another third thought we were going with the name "Rick Astley McCue," and the other third would have emailed us, politely letting us know that the link to BabyCue's name did not go to the intended site but to a music video.

We promise that when BabyCue arrives, you'll hear it here. No RickRolling. But if you want a hint...

Watch SmileyCue Grow.

Any way you look, SmileyCue's belly has been growing.

From the left:


From the right:


From the bottom:


And up close:

pineapple upside-down cake

It was kind of fun getting an ultrasound so late in the pregnancy. We saw feet and toes and fists and the head exactly where it is supposed to be! We got some great pictures of Babycue, and are trying already to figure out who he/she looks like. Now that we are reassured about that, and we have a crib mattress (the last big thing we needed), we are in better moods.

We are also excited to welcome a new female cousin to Q's family! She joined her parents and brother on Ash Wednesday, and we look forward to meeting her. Babycue will be blessed with several cousins, both recently born or on the way, and that is something to look forward to.

My piano student got to see the ultrasound pictures, and tried to subtly ask if he and his mom can come see the baby once Babycue is on the outside. It was really cute to see his fascination with the baby pictures and seeing the baby. I told him we'll see how things go, and when I call to cancel lessons we'll talk about it.

Just bouncing around in there

Tomorrow we get a third ultrasound. Dr. B is 80% sure Babycue's head is where it should be, but he said the baby is "bouncing around" above my pelvis too much and he couldn't tell for sure. Keep in mind he's trying to do this while I have been sitting for over 30 minutes in a gown on the exam table, after drinking a big glass of chocolate milk, and my stomach is growling and the baby really is bouncing around.

So he ordered an ultrasound immediately, and told us to stay at the hospital after and he will share the results as soon as he gets them. If the head is down, no worries, but if it isn't, then we have options, which all basically end in c-section.

We could go to a specialist in Des Moines or Iowa City who will try to turn the baby, but it may not work, and they may need to do an emergency c-section. Or, we just schedule a c-section here in town at 39 weeks.

I guess we'll know more tomorrow. I hope Babycue is doing what he/she is supposed to.

Busted!!!

Apparently, when one eats most of a bag of Valentine's jelly hearts before bed, and then wakes up at 4:30 a.m. hungry and eats homemade pink frosting followed by chocolate milk, her urine has glucose in it. So, they had to prick my finger and check my blood sugar. I still hate having my finger poked. Fortunately I had the best shot nurse in the clinic, and Q distracted me by talking about soup, and it wasn't so bad. My blood sugar came back fine, by the way, but I have been cut off from candy. Unfortunately, sour candy has been my one pregnancy craving.

In other news, Babycue's head is in the right place, and I am not dilated at all. And I wish the doctor's office would get bigger cover-up sheets.

Prenatal class

By the time Dr. B mentioned taking prenatal classes, we had missed the January sessions. We couldn't have made most of them anyway, so we figured we would just take the February ones, except the next classes aren't being offered until March. That is a little late for us, so we set up a one-on-one class, which was really nice of the hospital to do.

Thursday we showed up at 5 p.m. for our class. We were sent to room 221, and started with our preadmit stuff before getting into the book the nurse gave us. The Gift of Motherhood is very thorough, and we really only spent about an hour and a half going through what the nurse thought we should definitely see or know about. We learned about old placentas, the stages of labor, some medical jargon, the various happy pills available, and breathing. Q was reassured when the nurse kept mentioning that the doctor will want to rush things but the nurses will get him out of the room and take care of things their way.

The nurse left us with a video and suggested which parts we should watch. Before we got into that though, we headed down the hall to visit a coworker of Q's who had just had a beautiful little girl on Monday.

We watched about an hour of the video, and were finished. We are glad we didn't do all four sessions or spend a whole Saturday doing the class.

Baby Name Update

Many people have asked us what we will be naming BabyCue. Here is one name that we won't be using:



(h/t to FailBlog for the image.)

How does the baby come out?

I teach music at a daycare once a week. There are seven classes from 1 year old up to preschool, and I spend a half hour with each class. (By the way, why are daycare classes named after animals?) Lately they have really taken an interest in my belly and what is inside. The babies don't seem to notice, except that they don't fit on my lap anymore, but the older kids definitely notice.

They've started asking questions. One asked me, "how does the baby come out?" I distracted that one with something else and didn't have to answer. One kids always wants to know why the baby is still inside. And last week, the best question yet was, "Why are you so fat?" After his teachers and I looked at each other with 'yeah, he really did just ask that' looks on our faces, I said something like, "oh, you've noticed that my belly is getting bigger, haven't you? Well, there is a baby inside..." and this week he kissed my belly button.

That is another thing. They all want to show affection to the unborn, either by crashing into me, or by timidly touching, kissing, or hugging my belly. I'm glad the baby hasn't jabbed anyone yet, and I'm curious what they will do when there isn't a baby inside anymore.

1...2...3...break!

I am an unabashed fan of what I will call the "spirit huddle." You know the drill: circle up, everyone puts a hand in the middle, pulsing the hands down while chanting "One...two...three...break!" On the "Break!", hands go up and out of the circle, and everyone is on their way.



Last night, Smileycue and I were on the couch but needed to go to bed. I convened a spirit huddle on her belly so BabyCue could participate, too. With hands on the belly, we chanted "One...two...three...break!" A moment later, BabyCue gave a wiggle where are hands had been. Coincidence?

We spirit huddled again. "One...two..three...break!" Again, a moment later, another wiggle by Babycue. I tempted fate by trying a third time. BabyCue delivered.

Yes, BabyCue is my child. My nerdy, spirit huddle-participating child. Woot woot! Go team. One...two...three...break!

not reassuring

Yesterday was yet another uneventful OB appointment. We talked about pain management and doulas, birth plans and Dr. B's son teaching him songs from daycare (where I teach music). Then Dr. B took a look at the calendar. "Oh," he says, "you're due date is coming up soon." Then, "oh, I will be on vacation not long after your due date. Don't worry. The baby will come before I go..." and he lets that sentence trail off. Sure, Dr. B, that is reassuring.

On Wednesday my mom came and brought all the baby stuff she had worked on so far. She made a few surprises she didn't tell me about (even wrapped for the shower that was planned in Ohio, and now isn't), and she found my baby book. Q and I have had fun reading about little me. Now, if only we could find a baby book we like for Babycue...

Mom also helped with some stuff around the house, and we figured out how to put the crib together, and then that there are a couple of parts missing. So, we got online and found the company and they actually sell individual parts, so we should be all set as long as we order soon.

We've almost figured out when Q's family will come. Q's brother is going to spend a couple of weeks (we're all excited about this, even though some of us won't admit it), so Q's mom will bring him and stay a couple of days, then leave and Q's dad will pick him up a couple of weeks later.

My belly button is almost gone. Yesterday I found the bottom of it. I didn't know there was a bottom, but now I do. There are a couple of funny pictures of it, and maybe they will get posted soon.

I think it is time to make some brownies, then take a nap before working a junior high dance tonight. This week I have been extra exhausted, which I am tired of hearing that I should just get used to. And, Babycue has been extra active, especially when I try to sleep.

I've got hygiene, how about you?

As I type this, Q is cutting my toenails because I can't see them, nor contort myself to trim them myself. But my fingernails are long and strong...And then I realized that I can't see my belly button either. I hope there isn't fuzz inside. Oh wait, there isn't really much inside for there to be fuzz in. And speaking of fuzz, why is my head hair growing like crazy, but my leg hair is barely growing at all? My belly is hairy, and the hairs on the scars on my hands? They are twice as long as usual.

I have also discovered that I really like soaping up my belly. It is fun to go round and round. I probably clean it way more than necessary, which makes up for the feet I can't quite get to.

My skin is very clear, and I love to feel my inside out belly button. So smooth.

It is a very good thing Q is around to help with some of these issues.

with today being the exception

In the spring of 2003, I realized I was having out of control mood swings just prior to that time of the month. I went to this really nice Mormon doctor, who prescribed Sarafem, a very mild version of Zoloft. It didn't really help. It made me sleep a lot (more than usual, for those of you who know about me and my sleeping habits) and gain weight even though I was not eating. I went back and the nice Mormon doctor diagnosed me with PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). He had done some research, and I definitely fit all of the symptoms (this was before it was a popular diagnosis). He told me the only way to really fix it was to be pregnant or in menopause. So he put me on the pill and sent me on my way.

The pill helped some, but Q will tell you not enough. And now Q comments on how even-tempered I am, how calmly I handle things, and how mostly on top of things I am. And I remind him what the Mormon doctor said. It seems he was onto something. *I remember his being Mormon but not his name...

Of course, today was a rough day at school, and I am thankful to the poor stranger who happened upon me standing next to the stuck-in-the-snow car (for the second time today) holding a shovel and bawling...

Six months without brownies

After six months without brownies, I have finally made it to a Trader Joe's and stocked up on some of my favorites. As it turns out, No Pudge! Brownie mix is totally and completely chemical free! I can eat it. I got to eat not just brownies, but my favorite kind.

We had an OB appointment this week, and I must say that besides learning that I have to take 4 iron pills every day, it was a boring appointment. Dr. B didn't have much to say, and we had nothing to report. He gave me some swollen leg advice (keep my feet up and drink more water), and we left. However, today I got the bill for ultrasound #1...ouch. A bit painful.

Finally, while driving through Indianapolis in heavy fog and being cut off by someone driving like they should have been at the Brickyard driving a race car, I realized that my version of "swearing" at other cars will have to change. While I don't call bad drivers bad things necessarily (like the alternate name for a donkey), I will not want Babycue running around calling real people those things. I need new words, that aren't bad, but get the point across while driving. Any suggestions?

organic poptarts

I have to give props to Trader Joe's for carrying some amazing organic poptarts. We originally found them at Giant Eagle, in cherry pomegranate flavor, and TJ had them too. Poptarts were previously high on the things Smileycue's eats list, and now then can return.

Christmas and New Year celebrations were a whirlwind for us, both in Iowa and Ohio, and now that we are home (to an unshoveled back sidewalk), we have both crashed. We got to see a lot of people and friends, and toddlers and babies, and experienced some serious generosity. Thanks to all.

Tomorrow is our return to reality, despite Q's cold and my just wanting to sleep a few more hours. Back to the grind...