the world of babycue

My monster cookie has Christmas colored M and M's

2011-12-21T14:13:00.002-06:00

I just noticed the colors. Until Q's last post about ice, it had been a while. I guess we've been adjusting. Q left his job and started a new business right before Hanna was born. My uncle died. Hanna was born. I went back to work. Hanna started half time daycare. We struggle just to keep on top of the dishes and laundry, let alone picking up the clutter we sometimes just walk over, or blogging. Extras, though ideal, just don't win over finding clean spoons in the drawer or rinsing a onesie that has just been poopsploded on or feeding Hanna. So, we are behind. It took me two months to get around to making the muffins I had been craving for a couple of weeks before Hanna came. I've been wanting to iron my blue corduroy shirt for almost that long. Right now I manage to wrap about one gift a night.

Christmas is upon us. I hadn't been feeling my usual anticipation yet, until maybe yesterday. The kids at school are in hyper mode, and that helps. I haven't really been shopping (did 98% of it online), and we're not traveling this year (first time in 14 years for me). We only baked one batch of cookies (though I'm planning an eggnog cheesecake for Christmas day). We're adjusting. We get to start our own tradition this year (no idea what it will be). And there is my anticipation feeling. Unknown territory. But for now I will just eat my monster cookie. And attempt to keep on. And love on my girls. And maybe even pick up a second coffee on my way home from school.

Building a backyard rink (when you have two children)

2011-12-15T11:46:00.000-06:00

We built a backyard rink again this year. Sort of. As I type, a December thaw (?) has rendered most of our ice slushy. More worrisome, the rain that the thaw brought has lowered the level of water in the rink, not raised it. I hope we don't have a leak in the liner.

We have had a few friends ask how to build one themselves. Here's what we did. Note: there are many great resources for building rinks, so don't take our method as gospel. Experiment, improvise, and find a way that works for you. Any time spent building a rink is better than time spent grousing about the cold of winter.

Steps to building your own backyard rink:

Find a flat, level footprint for your rink. This could be your yard, this could be a basketball court. Flat does not equal level, and vice versa. If you're feeling fancy, you might use some string and a level to get the stakes at the right height, but this year we just laid the boards flat on the ground. Our 32'x30' rink is flatish and (sort of) level, with unexpected and unexplained rises and depressions. The SW corner of the rink fills first, taking 3-4" water (higher than my boot) before the NE corner floods.
Buy materials (prices)

Plywood - for holding the water for your rink. we used untreated 1/2", 4'x8', cut lengthwise into thirds (8' x 1 1/3'). Five sheets will give you enough. Our rink was 24'x32' last year and 30'x32' this year. You could use 2"x8" boards for this, we just went with a taller board to be safe. (5 boards, $15/board = $75)
Rebar - as stakes to support the boards and the water. We used 1/2" diameter, cut in 2' lengths, 2 per board. (28 stakes, ~$2/stake = $56)
Zip ties - to bind the boards to the rebar. We use 4 per board (2 per stake).
Plastic sheeting - to hold the water, like a bathtub or crockpot liner. We use 6 mil thick, clear sheeting. We bought a 40'x100' roll last year which gave us enough for this year. ($200 for two years)
Hose - to fill your rink. Get a hose long enough to reach the back of the rink and durable enough to handle the cold. We have a 100', 500psi-rated hose that has survived single-digit temps so far without cracking. ($65)
Sprinkler - to distribute the water evenly. An oscillating lawn sprinkler will suffice. ($10)

Staple gun and staples - to attach the liner to the boards. ($25)

Drill your holes for the zip ties. Eight holes per board, in pairs, two pairs about 12-18" from each end. One set 3" from the edge, the other in the middle. The two holes should be 1-2" apart. If you have clamps and a sawhorse, you can drill multiple holes at once. Make sure the holes are large enough (1/4" for us) to thread the zip ties.
Start building the rink.
Pound stakes to a depth of 1', half the stake. If the ground is frozen, use a hammer or sledge. We laid the stakes while the ground was soft, so they went in by hand.
Bind the boards to the stakes, leaving the zip tie tails on the outside of the rink.
Line the rink and be sure to avoid snagging or tearing the plastic. Leave enough to drape excess over the sides.
Start filling. We prefer to use a sprinkler to even the distribution. Getting droplets air cooled also helps to freeze faster and may help to avoid air pockets.
How deep? Backyard-hockey.com has a great rink calculator. Ours takes about 3,000 gallons of water to fill to an even depth of 2".
Stay off the ice until the ice is at least 2" thick. You do not want to gouge your liner with a skate blade.
To keep the boards from herniating the liner, put some fabric scraps (old socks, t-shirts, etc.) between the ends of each board.

That's what we do. Slane and I were on the frozen half of the rink last week in boots. If we can sustain a cold spell this week, maybe I'll be able to lace up the skates and enjoy the first skate of the season!

Pete and RePete...

2011-09-03T17:59:00.003-05:00

Or why I choose a C--peat.

My c-section experience with Slane was not wonderful. 25 hours of labor, more than 2 hours of pushing, and a stuck baby do not make for a pleasant experience. I remember the surgeon telling me that any more babies I had would also be c-sections.

When we got pregnant again, we weren't thrilled with the idea of a repeat c-section. We talked to people who did VBACs, and heard mostly good things. We tried to talk the doctor out of it. Maybe I could just go into labor and then have the c-section. Maybe we could try the VBAC.

But, in the end, we decided to go for the c-peat. Having a VBAC means going to a hospital that supports the liability insurance, but ours does not. I didn't want to travel to a larger city, with a doctor I didn't know, and then after hours of labor end up with a C-section anyway. This baby is going to be very big, and chances are it would get stuck again.

I like our doctor, and I like that she is going to do the surgery. I like our hospital's OB wing, I had a great experience with the nurses, and I want to be in town, so that if Q needs to slip home for something he can and only be gone for a short while. I got so much personal attention with Slane, and I want that again.

Sure, I'm sad that this baby won't get to choose it's birthday, but being in a place that I am comfortable is a tradeoff I'm willing to take.

The end is upon us

2011-08-18T09:49:00.002-05:00

of summer, that is.

We haven't posted all summer. Where have we been? Well, enjoying our summer. And I have felt this need to post pictures but have had troubles doing that, so haven't posted anything. Pictures do exist, and are on the computer (at home, not at school where I am right now). I will bug Q until he can help me figure out what is going on with the pictures.

In the meantime...Here is what happened in June.

We went on our big family vacation. We rented a cabin on Lost Island Lake and spent time boating there (thanks Tim for bringing the boat), checking out Okoboji and Arnold's Park, checking out the Grotto of the Redemption, and having fun as a family. It was a relaxing week.

The rest of June was me working on my two online classes and at the Iowa Speedway, going to Mother Goose story time at the library, going to art in the park a couple of times, and Granniecue and Papa came for a week to spend time with Slane.

And on to July...

The first week was camp, which Q was unable to attend, but Slane and I did. Later in the month my mom traveled with Slane and I to West Michigan to spend time with family and friends. Slane got to play with baby Elaina and meet baby Claire, as well as play with our Michigan cousins. I got to catch up with some friends and pick blueberries. Q drove in on Thursday that week and stopped at IKEA on the way so that when my mom left on Friday she could drop our furniture off at our house. We all spent an evening at the lake (75 degrees!!) and had a great time relaxing. Then Q, Slane, and I headed to King's Island in Ohio for a day with his parents, and we all headed back to Columbus to spend a couple more days with them. Our trek home included a visit and lots of playtime with Q's cousin's kids, and then on home. Of course, there were crazy things that happened that week. My grandma fell and broke her kneecap, so after mom got home Grandma moved in with her for a while so she could be taken care of. My uncle went back into the hospital, and as we were leaving Indianapolis we got a text that my cousin (his daughter) had decided to bump up her wedding by almost a year, and it was going to be that night in the hospital chapel. We did make it to the wedding, but it was a stressful drive since we didn't stop to let Slane play and get her wiggles out.

August...

We spent enjoying time together, hiring a landscaper for our yard, and trying to get back on a school schedule. We biked a lot, we visited the coffee shop a lot, and we began preparing for our new baby's arrival. Q cleaned the basement, and we built a lot of furniture. And now we are trying to get back into some kind of routine.

And we WILL get pics up soon. Somehow.

Oops, we skipped May

2011-06-06T09:30:00.003-05:00

We were busy. Enjoying the weather, going to concerts, directing concerts, preparing for big work things, setting up big girl beds.

Some May highlights.

Tulip Time. Slane and I met Ema, Ella, and Aunt Brenda for an afternoon among tulips and the parade. Slane insisted I cover her ears for the entire first half of the parade, and Ella drank coffee. The girls had fun and slept well.

Inauguration. Slane and I watched the ceremony with Ahsan, and Q got to represent Hope as a delegate (gown and all).

Goo Goo Ga Ga. We have finally switched Slane from an obsession with the Disney movie Cars to Lion King. Yes, she loves the mommy and we watch that scene 10 or 12 times before we convince her to let us keep watching the rest of the movie. We often spend Saturday mornings all cuddling in bed, and one of those mornings Slane kept saying, "goo goo ga ga." We could not figure out where that was coming from. She kind of knows there is a baby coming, and maybe she was slipping into baby mode or something. Until one day we were watching Lion King, and when Hakuna Matata came up, she said it again, "goo goo ga ga." She was trying to say hakuna matata!

Grinnell Heritage Farm. We bought a share this year in the farm, and the daughter of the owners is Slane's age. They had an asparagus picking event so we went to their farm for a few hours. It rained the whole time, but we did eat a lot of asparagus, and explore the greenhouse, and Slane got to plant a pea plant. She loved it and still asks to go back to the greenhouse.

Commencement. Ahsan, our host student from Pakistan, graduated from Grinnell. His parents came from Pakistan and his brother flew in from Texas (he is at Trinity). We had fun hosting them, getting to know them, eating their food and dressing Slane in the kameez and salwar they brought for her. I'll get pics of that up soon (the pics are all on the computer at home and I tend to post from school). We were proud to see our kid graduate and enjoyed being able to help him out for a few years. Slane will miss her big brother. We do have an open invitation to Islamabad.

They Might Be Giants. Memorial Day weekend was crazy busy, but so much fun. Saturday was rainy so we took apart the day bed in Slane's room and set up her big girl bed. Except for paint and another dresser, that room is new baby ready, and Slane is intermittently sleeping in her big girl bed. Sunday we made a good breakfast and then took Ahsan to the airport. We had tickets to Every Family Rocks, so after the airport and an excellent brunch at the Drake Diner, we headed to the state fairgrounds for the shows. We didn't realize there would be so much else to do, so we made a frame with our picture in it, and Slane did an obstacle course, and we listened to some of the other acts. We did the instrument petting zoo, and ran into some friends from Grinnell. Slane loved the show! She knew some of the songs and the look of pure joy on her face while she and Q were dancing was priceless! She was so into it that she fell asleep a few songs before the end...she is still asking to listen to the Alphabet CD in the car. Then on Monday we went to the family picnic for Grandma's birthday and got to play with several cousins around the same age (give or take a year).

Grandma Camp. Yesterday we swung by Ema's to pick Slane up. It was reunion on campus and Q and I were both working in different capacities (that is his job, I was just doing child care, and as it turned out, rock wall supervising and security at the Harris party), so Slane went to Grandma Camp. She had so much fun! She got to feed chickens and pigs, and ride a horse (I'll have to get that pic from my mom), and "drive" my dad's truck. She was just all smiles when we picked her up. She is at an age where most of the time she is just a lot of fun to hang out with (though she is also testing the waters with a few tatrums here and there).

Other stuff. We had a Level 2 ultrasound a couple of weeks ago. Dr. T asked if there was a history of heart defects in the family, and I have a cousin who was born with a hole in her heart among other issues, so we got the big guns for an ultrasound. It wasn't much different than any other ultrasound, except that they took video of the baby's heartbeat and checked a few other organs as well. We did not find out the gender and that is making my students crazy. They don't understand why one wouldn't find out in advance. Pregnancy is going well otherwise, though I have had a lot of foot and ankle swelling and am extra sweaty.

The shirt has something to say!

2011-04-28T21:21:00.002-05:00

At some point during Slane's birthday party a month ago, after the friends left but while the parents and grandparents and godparents were still here, Q changed Slane's shirt...and this is what it said:

How happy is happy?

2011-04-22T14:13:00.001-05:00

Wunder-blogger Penelope Trunk writes about families and happiness today. She highlights an article about a super-busy family and raises this question: are they happy, or just engaged?

We've asked ourselves that a few times. We both work full-time in jobs that don't strictly obey business hours. Our most recent date night was our Maundy Thursday service at church. (Yeah, we live large.) Each of us has significant volunteer interests. Are we happy? Sometimes. Our family is curious - we like interesting, even if interesting is complicated. And our curiosity contributes to our happiness. We make connections at the campus Passover seder, at Saints Rest, taking Slane for a walk. Slane gets invited to participate in the ISO fashion show. These are good things, even if they make life messy and complicated and cause us to think twice about doing the dishes or the laundry.

Our pursuit of interesting is our pursuit of happiness.

Slaneycue

2011-04-18T13:15:00.002-05:00

Slane is so funny. I love to listen to her commentary on life and the things she sees.

Things like:

See the moon! The moon is flying!

Hear that! The bird is singin'!

Flag!

You daddycue. I'm Slaneycue. That's mommycue.

I need to see my (insert name of person of the day)!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also love to watch her play on her own. Her imagination is amazing!

I've seen her do these things lately:

Saturday we were raking leaves. We had just gotten Slane a toy rake, so she "helped," but as she helped, she was moving leaves out of the piles, all while carrying a purse.

She races her toy cars on the piano or the couch. Sometimes she races her "BIG TRUCK" from Epa!

She carries around a cabbage patch and tells us the baby is crying or sleeping.

She is very concerned about the hungry animals in her barn.

She plays with her hockey guys (and sometimes they get into fights and go to timeout!).

Worth a read

2011-04-12T12:48:00.000-05:00

Miscellaneous reflections after an entire week of parenting - Amid celebrating Slane's second birthday and preparing for BabyCue #2, I liked reading Chris' observations. Maybe we should start a baby girl's clothing collection free of pink. Of course, it now seems to be Slane's favorite color. (h/t to Tyler Cowen)

R.I.P. Flip Camera - We love our flip and we don't have an iPhone (yet). It fits us now - quick videos, but able to shoot higher quality, too. MamaCue has used it for her music classes and performances. But phones have better cameras now and if/when we get a dSLR, the Flip may become Slane's camera of choice. (h/t to Jason Kottke, who also notes, "There's an app for that")

Here's looking at two

2011-03-29T13:12:00.002-05:00

Slane turned two last week. And this year more than last year I remembered all that went with her birth. The labor, her being stuck, the C-section, the feeding issues, etc. But, all worth it for our healthy, happy, spunky little girl. It was spring break so I even got to spend the day with her. We had lunch with my mom and sister and went to the science center to play for a while. She knows she is two, and if you ask her she will hold up five fingers and tell you she is two. She can't figure out how to hold up two fingers yet. She'll get it. Her party is Saturday, and we'll have birthday pictures then. We haven't had camera batteries for a while and since we rearranged and redid our living room, our computer has been out of commission, so we will get to it. Promise.

infected!

2011-03-15T09:57:00.002-05:00

Poor Slane has a double ear infection. This time I called it, about halfway through the Wizard of Oz production that we probably shouldn't have taken a feverish, moany child to. But she loved the show and I knew she would, so we took her anyway. At least we weren't infecting other kids with some horribly contagious disease. But she will have to be on antibiotics for her birthday, which is not fun.

We have cabin fever. It was nice enough Friday to go for a walk, and once I convinced Slane to ride in the stroller that I picked, and not the wagon, we had a nice walk. We headed to the athletic center on campus and watched a bit of the high school indoor track meet. It was crazy packed and there was no way I could let Slane out and run so we only stayed for 5 races before we headed home. But Saturday was not so nice and we only went to the post office. Slane was starting to get sick that afternoon and spent a lot of time just lying on the couch while I made massive amounts of muffins.

We are anxiously awaiting weather that is nice enough to stay outside until the sun sets. Next week is Spring Break, maybe it will be nice for us. Maybe. I intend to get in as much Slane time as possible before we go back to the grind.

May the pants be with you!

2011-03-11T15:35:00.003-06:00

Now that the last post is published, I can add this as well. I wrote it several weeks ago.

I vaguely remember playing a Star Wars game in which the word "force" was replaced with the word "pants." This is not about that.

In the fall, when I was pregnant with Hyfrydol, when I had the opportunity to purchase pants, I did not do it. I thought I would be wearing maternity pants soon enough and could make it with just a few pairs of pants.

For Christmas, I asked for pants. I was given a generous gift card with the instructions to buy pants. I couldn't find a single pair at that particular store that fit me (I tried on over 14 pairs over the course of 2 days). I bought a Glee shirt and a hat and scarf with most of the money instead. That was my lone shopping chance.

So, again, here I am with 4 pairs of pants, not wanting to get new ones, because I just need to make it to skirt weather and maternity clothes and things will be fine.

Except that I have before school playground duty and Monday when I bent over to retrieve the football that had been kicked at me, I ripped the crotch out of my khakis. Fortunately, the good art teacher next door had khaki colored duct tape and it held up for the day. Q told me to go to the mall and get pants after school. I went to one store and they had none. They sent me to another store, and they had none in my size. I finally found a pair at the Maurice's in Grinnell.

I hated that I had to get pants right now. I won't be able to wear them again until sometime in November. But I guess at least I have pants. May the pants be with you.

choir and books

2011-02-28T10:06:00.003-06:00

Slane loves a good book. She asks us to read many books before bed, and is starting to ask for the story two or three times. Sometimes she even "reads" part of the book to us. She can quote all of "Five Little Monkeys" and almost has "Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing" down.

Q and I have been fortunate enough to continue to participate in the church choir even though we have a busy toddler to entertain. When she was first born, we took a break but then managed to stick with it last year. This year it has been more difficult, due in large part to the fact that Slane is fully mobile and verbal. At first it looked like one of us was just chasing her around during rehearsals. It got to the point that I told Q that maybe one of us should not do choir because we weren't getting much out of it (or contributing much). Just a few days after I said that the church hired a nursery worker to watch Slane while we were in rehearsal. It has been wonderful! Slane loves to play and we love to sing, so it works out.

But, what about actually singing during church? Well.....at first it was easy to just hand a tiny, social, baby to anyone who had free hands. Then it got a little bit harder, and sometimes Slane didn't take being passed off very well. We tend to give her to the same person, Karla, who sits near our spots (yes, we are that kind of church, where we all sit in basically the same locations each week).

This week when I passed Slane off to Karla, Karla showed me that she had been coming prepared to church. She has been bringing Slane appropriate books to church in her purse! Brilliant. Slane is occupied, Karla gets to enjoy the anthem (not always the case with Slane), and we get to sing.

a walk outside

2011-02-18T09:53:00.002-06:00

It was warm enough yesterday that much of our neighborhood had escaped their houses and were enjoying the weather. I could smell several grills going, lots of dogs were being walked, runners were out, and everyone was in a good mood. It was muddy, and messy, but no one cared.

Slane and I took two walks. First she wanted to walk, and we did. There was a little boy (littler than Slane anyway) down the block and first we went to say hi to him. As is her way lately, she slightly accosted the poor child with hugs and her constant flow of commentary about life and babies. We then walked back home and cleaned up our driveway a bit (the recyclers did not pick up our stuff, instead I found it upside down in the middle of the driveway).

We went into the sunroom, opened a couple of windows, and played kitchen and cars for a bit before Slane discovered her strollers, and begged to go for a ride. So I packed her up in a stroller and we walked the neighborhood until we came to impassable mud and turned around.

It felt so good to get outside. We have been just going, going, going lately and it was great to slow down and enjoy life outside our house for a bit.

There are several pictures on the camera that I would love to get up soon, but I need to find batteries for the camera first, and then install the new computer mouse, and take care of a few other things first. Pics to come!

healthy

2011-01-14T14:57:00.002-06:00

Last year in January, illness held us down, and this year, it looked like it might happen again.

We got home from Ohio. We started our week like normal. Monday night, Slane threw up in bed around 10:30 p.m. And over and over and over until a mostly naked baby and I were wrapped in blankets on the bathroom floor so the clean up would be easier. We eventually transitioned back into her room and I texted in sick for Tuesday. I woke Q up around 4:30 so that I could get some sleep. I stayed home Tuesday. She went to daycare on Wednesday and came back home with Q about an hour later when she threw up again.

Wednesday night we thought we were in the clear, until I threw up. And over and over and over before I texted in sick again. By Thursday night I felt better.

Sunday morning Slane was very cuddly during church, took an extended nap, and developed a fever. At 5 a.m. we had the argument I'm sure many working parents have: who is calling in sick this time. Whose work projects need the most attention. I had grades due at the end of the week; Q was supposed to give a morning presentation at an all-staff meeting. We split the day. I took morning, and he took afternoon. He also got to do the doctor appointment to figure out what was going on. Double ear infection. Slane was so upset during the examination that she threw up multiple times. Great. She was up most of the night screaming in pain because her ears hurt so much. She would kick. And hit. Me and herself. We finally found sleep sitting up in a chair. But not much sleep. Add to that a snowstorm, and me having issues on the road, and there went yet another sick day.

But now we all appear to be healthy. Hopefully this sickness thing swerves around us for a while.

Juicebox

2011-01-03T13:08:00.004-06:00

Besides being into Baby Jesus, Slane is into hockey. Anything hockey excites her. When she sees players, sticks, ice, pucks, billboards, logos, etc. she points out the "hockey" to us. Last week we went to two Columbus Blue Jackets games and a practice, which she was very excited about.

At the first game, early in the week, Q happened to get into a conversation with the lady next to him. She is the wife of Kristian Huselius. She had their two daughters with her and I think his brother and dad. She was so sweet and kind, and was telling Q that her youngest daughter goes to preschool with the daughter of another player and the girls were comparing their dads' nicknames one day. So, the other girl says that her dad is called "Clarky," and the Huselius girl said that her dad is called "Juicebox." His nickname is actually Juice, but I think he will be referred to as Juicebox in our house.

Slane also likes juiceboxes, though we try to limit them. We keep hiding the case we received from a grandparent in various places around the house (I found an 8-pack under the couch last week). Slane especially likes Elmo juice, as she calls it.

Baby Jesus

2010-12-26T12:42:00.001-06:00

MamaCue's family joined us Christmas Eve for supper, gift exchanging, and stories and carols at our church. One of Slane's great-grandparents got Slane a new doll for Christmas, clad in lavender clothes. Up to now, Slane's babies have never had names, but she has named her new doll Baby Jesus.

An acquaintance of mine warned us about this. As a little girl, she had named one of her dolls Jesus. Then she lost that doll. She went looking for it, calling out, "Where is Jesus?"

I hope we do not lose this doll because I am not ready for the deep theological discussions with Slane that may spring from figuring out where Jesus is.

I NEEEEED Baby Jesus!!!

2010-12-20T10:02:00.003-06:00

Lately Slane NEEEEEEEEDS things. She can put a lot of emotion behind that. "I neeeeed fruit snacks!" "I neeeeeeeed Street!" "I neeeeeeeed yogurt!"

Lately Slane has also been into Baby Jesus and the Christmas story. We read it in her rhyming story Bible every night, multiple times. She skips ahead to the baby part every time. Last week at church while we were in the nursery she found the Little People nativity and grabbed baby Jesus, trying to give him to various people. Last night she discovered two nativity scenes at my parents' church, and had to go check out the baby Jesus in each one. She even snagged a doll from the nursery and named it baby Jesus.

Our nativity scene at home is a very small ceramic set with all characters connected together and connected to the base. Slane was upset recently when she wanted baby Jesus and couldn't have him, because I could just picture the whole thing being thrown and shattered. So to tell me how upset she was by this, she yelled, "I NEEEEEED baby Jesus!!!" If I were a pastor, there would so be a sermon here, but since I'm not, well, doesn't this seem like a lesson for us?

All I want for Christmas is a cardboard box

2010-12-12T11:22:00.000-06:00

Did you know that the lowly cardboard box is a member of the National Toy Hall of Fame? Jason at Dad-o-Matic says the cardboard box is the best gift "Because it leaves a little to the imagination." The box is a palette for possibility.

Slane does have toys that flash and beep, but lately she has been most interested in art, dolls, physical play (dancing and climbing) and reading. Yes, she requests Yo Gabba Gabba!, Sesame Street, and hockey, but those seem to the soundtrack to her play.

Because Slane does not know this blog exists, I can share that she will get gifts that encourage her creativity and curiosity: building blocks, duplos, and art supplies will be coming Christmas morning. I don't think we will give her a cardboard box for Christmas, but we did save the large box from her new car seat. It's a Slane-sized playhouse. With the latest blast of cold and the arrival of plastic sheeting, our other Christmas gift, a backyard rink, just needs water.

(Photo credit: Buddhalabs.)

boots

2010-12-07T10:03:00.003-06:00

We were out of essentials, like yogurt and cheese, so I took Slane to the store with me after I picked her up. On a Friday, at 5:00, with a potential snow coming. We had finally found a pair of snowboots that fit Slane (thanks Land's End), and she is alternately all about wearing them and all about not wearing them.

When I picked her up, she was wearing them. By the time we got to the store (all of 5 minutes) they were off. I put them back on, got her out of the carseat, and went into the store. Now, this store has "car" carts, unfortunately. Slane loves riding in the car. So we start our shopping. She immediately needed an apple, so I grabbed a bag, opened it, and gave her an apple. We continued shopping. When we got to the meat counter, Slane started to climb out of the car. But, she didn't have her boots on. So, we searched the store as far as we had been, and no boots anywhere. I pulled aside a worker and asked if anyone had turned in any boots. She searched the store, and offered to check the parking lot for me. I waited for her for a while but she never came back, so I continued shopping.

Of course, by this point Slane was done with the car, and I was carrying her. And wearing a down coat, and trying to push the car around the store. The store was very busy, and our car was in the way quite often. Slane wanted to walk, but I wouldn't let her without shoes on, and so I was holding a squirmy toddler for most of the rest of our shopping. I remembered that we were also out of bread, so I grabbed a loaf, which Slane hijacked from me, and hugged like a teddy bear the rest of the way through the store. Eventually we made it to the checkout, still no boots to be found. I asked our checker if anyone had found them yet. Then I told her I would check our car, and if they weren't there I would come back. Slane refused to give up the now smashed loaf of bread, and I had to hold her and the bread over the scanner.

Well, when we got out to the car, there they were, on the floor. I don't know how I missed that she had kicked them off again. Oh, and I forgot some of the important things on my list and had to go to the store again on Saturday.

Remembering our veterans, part II

2010-11-13T12:55:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I posted a story about Slane's great-grandfather and his military service. In writing the post, I asked my parents (GrannieCue and Papa Smurf) to share their stories of family who served and their own stories. Today, I post a story from GrannieCue about a wedding proposal she received from a solider:

That guy was a man I met on one of our family vacations. I was a teenager and ordered to watch Aunt D in the swimming pool at a motel. This guy, who was on vacation with his family as well, kept swimming around us. Eventually, he asked D for my name. (I was really mad at her for telling him cause he was kind of creepy, but very good- looking.) We started talking and vowed we would write each other when we returned to our homes. He was from Dixon, Illinois.

We wrote to each other for quite a while. He also came by bus to Columbus several times, often arriving at 5:30 AM, so your grandfather would drive me down to the bus station to pick him up. Your grandfather, by the way, liked him very much because he always addressed him as "Sir."

He was drafted to go to Vietnam, which made me sad even though I still didn't have romantic feelings for him. I didn't want anyone I knew to go there. He was ready to go and fight for his country and wrote me from there many times. Your grandmother and I would bake cookies (her famous oatmeal chocolate chip) and pack them in popped corn so they had that to eat, too. We sent many gifts of food during his tour. He sent me many pictures and gifts as well.

When he finished his tour in Vietnam, he went home to Illinois and almost immediately came to Columbus to see me. Without my knowledge (or consent, for that matter), he went to my parents and asked my father for my hand in marriage. I wasn't ready to marry anyone and still had spent more time writing him than spending time WITH him. He was very upset with me and told me that he would sign up for a second tour of duty in Vietnam if I did not marry him right away. I told him I couldn't so he went back to Vietnam. I never saw nor heard from him again. I have always felt in my heart than he must have died in Vietnam, although his name is not on the memorial.

Remembering our veterans

2010-11-12T14:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, the United States paused and recognized military service on Veterans Day. (Learn more about the history of Veterans Day.) Many in the U.S. and abroad recognized military veterans. If you watch a hockey game tonight, you may still see a poppy on the lapels of the bench coaches. (Explanation here, courtesy of Paul Lukas.)

In a provocative post about Veterans Day, Penelope Trunk reflects on choices we make to serve (or not serve) in the military make and how these choices ripple through our lives and the lives of those around us. The story she shares about her parents inspired me to share my own story of the ways war affected my life.

Grandpa Daniel graduated from Tri-State University (now Trine) in 1940. He went to work after graduation, but recognized that the United States was headed into World War II. Congress had recently passed a law instituting a military draft signed into law by then-president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Rather than wait to be drafted, Grandpa and his friends enlisted before their draft numbers were called. He had some prior health conditions that could affect his eligibility, so he made sure found a recruiting office with standards he could exceed. Grandpa served in the Pacific theatre, putting his engineering and mechanical skills to work for the U.S. Army Air Forces (now its own branch of military, the U.S. Air Force). He never shared with me all that he saw and experienced, but it was clear to me that his military service during had a profound effect on his life.

Following the end of the war, he came to Columbus, Ohio. After meeting and marrying my Grandma (another story for another day), having GrannieCue and Aunt J, and moving into a house, the United States military prepared for a skirmish on the Korean Peninsula. Grandpa, a reserve officer at the time, was called up to active duty. They sought volunteers to work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 70 miles away in Dayton. Grandpa volunteered, not knowing what would happen. He spent the duration of the Korean War (1951-55) communting between home and Wright-Pat, having Aunt D during the war. (Lori Tagg wrote On The Front Line Of R&D, about Wright-Pat and the Korean War.)

Following the Korean War, Grandpa served the rest of his professional career as an officer at the Defense Construction and Supply Center in Columbus (now the Defense Supply Center Columbus). He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel two months before I was born.

I emailed GrannieCue for her memories of Grandpa's service. Here's what she wrote back:

Your grandfather retired from the Air Force as a Lt Col. He was very proud of his service in both WWII and Korea. His dream was to be a pilot (one he had from childhood) and, although he piloted several planes, he was never at the helm when they took off or landed. (He was never trained for that.). Although we know he was in the South Pacific, he didn't talk about it much. After viewing some of what our guys had to endure at Rantoul AFB when captured by the Japanese, I am not surprised. (Q note: GrannieCue and Papa Smurf visited the Chanute Air Museum in Rantoul, Illinois.) He spent some time training before going overseas at Rantoul. As a matter of fact, he actually met someone there from McConnelsville, his home town!

After we kids grew up and left home, he and your grandmother travelled all over the world EXCEPT anywhere near Asia. He refused to go there. He spent his time in the Korean War stateside, but far from home. When he left, I was about Slanes's age and Aunt J was a baby. He cried the day he left us to, once again, go to war. (Aunt D was born nine months after he returned home!). He made many lifelong friends during his time in the service and corresponded with and met with them until he was too ill to travel.

Interesting note: His two brothers went into the Navy and Marines. I have always found that interesting that the three of them enlisted in different branches of the service.

In a future post, I hope to share more stories of how our family has been affected by military service.

a different kind of corsage

2010-11-08T09:10:00.002-06:00

The weather this weekend was beautiful, and we chose to spend Saturday afternoon strolling around town. We went downtown for lunch, stopped at various stores looking at various items, stopped to pick up the mail, and then after a couple hours of that headed home. Now, before we left, Slane insisted on wearing a Little Swimmer. If you have any experience with Little Swimmers, they are not made for absorption. We put a real diaper on top of the swimmer.

Slane was starting to get really fussy on our way home, we just assumed it was time for a nap. Then Q got her out of the stroller, and she was soaked. She had soaked through the stroller. We happened to be in front of Bates Flower Shop. So, we stopped in and asked Mr. Jim if we could do a diaper change in his shop. "Sure," he said, "you can use the corsage room. It is more private."

So, after we got some of the glitter off of Slane's little bottom, we thanked everyone there and got ready to leave. But, Mr. Jim has grandkids about Slane's age, and wouldn't let us leave without a pink helium filled balloon. It only lasted three blocks, but Slane loved it! She bounced it around and watched what the wind did with it.

I was prepared for a meltdown when the balloon was let go of and lost forever, but Slane took it very well. "Bye bye balloon. Bye bye," she said, as she watched it get stuck in a tree branch. She looked at it longingly as we kept walking, and then moved on to the fact that her hat had fallen off.

So, the next time you get a corsage, be warned that Slane has also been there.

Hyfrydol

2010-10-25T10:54:00.003-05:00

We had a date night on September 22nd. We decided we had some shopping to do so we headed to our nearest outlet mall. Shopping without a toddler is a wonderful thing. I bought a new maternity shirt, realizing that I didn't have enough for a full-time job. Before we left I used the ladies room and noticed some spotting. I told Q, we decided I would keep an eye on it but it was probably nothing to worry about. At the time I thought I was 8 weeks pregnant, but it turned out I was 10 weeks along. We hadn't told a lot of people (not even our moms), and had nicknamed the baby Hyfrydol (following in our use of hymn tunes for a name).

The next day there was more spotting, and I was a little concerned since I hadn't had that with Slane, so I called the clinic and they had me come in. Our doctor was out that day so we saw the doc who delivered Slane (well, was there anyway, the surgeon should really get the credit for delivery). Dr. W ordered an ultrasound and I went in Friday morning bright and early.

We saw the baby on the ultrasound, and commented on how it looked like a shrimp. As we sat in the waiting room watching the birds that we visited so often when I was in labor with Slane, I convinced myself that everything was okay.

Then Dr. W pulled us aside into a private room, and we knew the results were not good. Dr. W told us that there wasn't a heartbeat detected, and I would lose the baby. He gave me his cell number and told me to call him as things progressed.

Now, we had purposely not done anything to prevent this pregnancy, as we had waited the year we were told after a C-section, and I specifically wanted a baby to come in the late spring/early summer so I could spend more than 6 weeks with the little one. I only got two weeks of leave (and 5 days of that was in the hospital) with Slane and wanted more with this one. Hyfrydol was due April 23rd, the week of Easter, and I already had an argument why the C-section should be on the 20th, which will be my Grandpa's 90th birthday. We were very "if it happens, great, and if it doesn't, that's okay too" with this baby, and initially that was our shock protector.

Fortunately there weren't any students at school that day and my co-teacher did a wonderful job of distracting me and we sang songs all day and left early. Q had to officiate a game that night, so I was home alone with Slane and I was a wreck, so I put her in the stroller and went for a walk, hoping Slane's godparents were home and could help me out. They were home, and were having steak, and once I told them what was up they played with Slane and distracted me some more (thanks so much J and D). We spent the next day at home as a family, and I went out and bought a cheesecake (confort food).

I was feeling fine the next week, though I was bleeding more steadily, and had no idea when the actual miscarriage would happen. The people I immediately work with all knew in case I had to leave suddenly or did not show up at school. I did not tell my administrators, as they didn't even know I was pregnant. This week was a strange week. I remember that I had stopped taking prenatal vitamins, but technically was still pregnant so was careful about other stuff. It was like being in limbo. We went out for dinner one night that week and I had wine and felt so guilty. Being pregnant with a baby that is not alive, a baby that the doctor says "you just need to wait for the tissue to die as the body does not receive feedback from the baby."

Friday, October 1, I woke up not feeling great. I was crampy. I knew we had a sub shortage that day, and went to school. I had my toughest class first thing that day, and they were not doing well. I was not doing well. I remember wanting to be like, "I'm losing my baby, please be good to me today. I can't handle behavior issues today." But it didn't matter. They were awful. As soon as they left I knew I couldn't handle school. I needed to be away where I could worry about me and not much else. I spent the first half hour of my planning time in tears.

I went to the nurse first, but she was in a meeting. I went on to the office, and told the secretary that I needed to go home. Now. She said if I could find people to cover my classes I could go. There wasn't anyone to cover my classes as classes were already being covered for an hour at a time by other specialists. I went back to my room and sent two emails. The first I sent to the teachers whose classes I had later in the day, asking if they could please have the "be respectful" talk with their kids as I wasn't feeling well but couldn't go home. The second email went to my union rep, asking who I could file a complaint with in human resources.

While all of this was going on, Dan had called our pastor and she was praying about the situation, and I had a message from an old friend saying she was praying for comfort for me that day (she knew what was going on, C, you are the best!).

After the first two classes, I got a phone call from the associate principal telling me to go home and offering to send someone to help me to my car. Two minutes later my union rep came in and told me to go home. She said she had responded as soon as she was finished subbing for someone. I don't know what she said to the associate principal, but I will be forever thankful. I do know she had a meeting with the superintendent about this issue.

I went home and slept for a while and then headed over to pick up Slane from daycare, but the miscarriage started on the way. I was on campus looking for Q so he could tell me where the carseat car was parked, and bled through my jeans before I could make it to the car. I met one of our international students as I was looking for Q, and I appreciate that she helped me find him, as she could tell something was very wrong with me. I picked up Slane, and we hung out in the bathroom at home.

She was getting restless though, and I needed help, so I called Q whose acting director let him take a break from the registration table at family weekend so he could bring over one of our student babysitters (guess we hired them for a reason), and she hung out with Slane until Q could come home. By then the worst was over. I called in sick on Monday, and about a week later it was all over.

I've had a lot of thoughts about what has happened, and sometimes the littlest things make me cry. Like, last week I read in the minutes of some meeting at school how thankful the administration is that people are willing to reschedule medical stuff so they can be at school, or when the principal mentioned that we have to give people their planning time (two classes had to give up their planning time that day with barely any notice). I've appreciated the emails from the union saying that if we are sick, we need to say that we are sick and go home. It is not our responsibility to find a replacement. Too little, too late? and no apology.

Right now the hardest thing is seeing other people talking about their babies, having babies, or posting their ultrasounds on facebook. Last week, on October 15th, I learned about a support website (thanks cousin-in-law K), and that has been helpful. But the same day a dear cousin announced that his second baby would be due in May. I didn't handle that well. I am excited, but I can't say that yet.

I wish there was more out there about miscarriage, both to help others understand, but to help those of us who have gone through it realize that there is nothing to be embarrassed about, and that it happens to more people than we think or know. Why do we keep this a secret? Is it too awkward? If people knew, would they be more sensitive? Do we think that maybe if we share we will jinx someone else's pregnancy?

I tell people that I'm lucky. I have one healthy, happy child already. I hadn't been trying for years only to lose hope again, as some I've talked to have (and one acquaintance miscarried an in vitro pregnancy, which seems worse somehow). We will likely have more chances. But I still lost a baby.

The people who knew before this have been so nice. I appreciate the cards and emails and messages. I am thankful for the counseling session with our pastor. I am glad other family members have shared their experiences. I will always wonder what Hyfrydol would have been like.

no use crying over spilled...juice

2010-10-19T13:07:00.003-05:00

Well. Our last 36 hours have been carazy! Let's start with Sunday morning when Slane refused to get dressed for church and we were 20 minutes late. She screamed, cried, wriggled away from us, and the outfit we ended up getting on her was, well, interesting. She wore a long-sleeved onesie that wasn't snapped at the bottom, a floral patterned pink skirt, pink and brown argyle leg-warmers, black maryjanes, and her cream and brown down vest, which she refused to take off, no matter that she was sweaty. In fact, she hasn't taken if off yet, except when Q forced her into a shirt and sweater yesterday morning when she refused clothes again.

Sunday day was pretty good. We went to the pumpkin farm and Slane loved jumping, and picking out her pumpkin, and jumping, and the "puppies," which were what most of us would call goats. When we got home, as I was getting Slane ready for bed, Q somehow caused a gallon of cherry pomegranate juice to fall from the top of the refrigerator as he was opening the freezer. Juice everywhere. I mean everywhere, so much so that it was dripping in the basement below the kitchen. And even though it was cleaned up and mopped, the kitchen is still a bit sticky.

So, Monday arrived and Q was about 45 minutes late for work because a certain little girl would not let him get clothes on her. Monday was a bit of an overcommited day for us. We signed up to bring a family with a new baby a meal, and we had a meeting out of town at 7. Slane refused to get out of the car when we got home, Q forgot his car keys so he had to walk home, and he had a phone call at work that caused him to leave late anyway (but then, he was late getting there, so he rightly stayed late). Once I finally convinced Slane to come in the house she was upset about something, and then we went upstairs and she took her shoes off and was upset that she couldn't get them back on. I was attempting to cook a dinner for someone else, and the meat was burning, and Slane was upstairs crying, and then the fire alarm went off, causing Slane to continue crying, but need me to pick her up. I went back to cooking a burnt dinner and being frustrated that every step I took was sticky, and the alarm went off again. Later today we will need to find the rest of the parts of the alarm, because I don't know what I did with them. I ended up cooking new meat, Q finally made it home, we delivered the meal, and left for our meeting about the time it started, but when we got there we hadn't missed much.

Notice the part where we still didn't get dinner. We hit the Taco John's drive thru around 10:30, after a stop at the store for a few provisions for the week.

This morning, dressing Slane must have gone better. I hope so, because I got to help with socks, and that didn't go well. I'm not sure what is up with Slane, but we need to find a way to work through that.

Slane gets bangs

2010-10-13T11:55:00.000-05:00

Slane swimming in a tub.

2010-10-13T11:54:00.000-05:00

Pictures from the summer

2010-10-10T17:30:00.003-05:00

Finally, here are five of my favorite summer pictures of Slane, in backwards order. There are more pictures on my phone, which always seems to be at hand more than the camera. Enjoy!

Slane playing tetherball at camp while a group of campers stand oblivious.

Slane "swimming" in Lake Erie.

Slane in the pond at Aunt Sharie's in Cleveland.

Slane and Ella with Epa at the cabin in Backbone State Park.

At least one of them is happy about it.

This is at a lock and dam near Dubuque. Slane is taking a break from the action.

Reactive

2010-10-07T13:06:00.002-05:00

When the school year started we had a pretty good family rhythm going. We planned meals ahead of time, we planned activities ahead of time, and we talked through our schedules. We came home from work at a consistent time and kept mostly to a routine.

The last two weeks have been grueling for us. We have gone through a lot physically, emotionally, and mentally. Our routine has been tossed about and we are not ahead of the bowling ball anymore, we are stuck in the thumb hole and trying not to get smashed. We are reactive, no longer proactive.

I think last night it all came to a head. Q is ready for a break at work, and came home late. I don't start dinner until he gets home (lessons learned the hard way). I had no idea what we were having for dinner anyway. I never did get dinner. Q got home and we decided to go for a bike ride to get dinner (after playing outside with Slane for a long time). We should have been folding laundry, mowing the lawn, putting things away in the kitchen, etc. So we go biking but I don't know what I want, just that I need to eat now, and he doesn't want anything. We find ourselves at McNally's wandering the isle. Slane sees bananas and asks for one, so we get her a banana, which she eats most of and then squishes the rest all over the cart. We decide to buy a block of cheese. We pay and leave, but now it is dark and we can't bike because we don't have a headlight, so we have to walk. While we are figuring this out, Slane decides she wants to eat the cheese, so Q runs back inside and buys a cheesestick. We try to leave again, successfully this time, and we walk home, singing Slane's version of the ABC's (now I know my, now I know my, now I know my abc's). I eventually had a bowl of cereal that Slane insisted I share with her.

After this weekend, I think there is a chance we can get caught up again. Q's big work events will be over, my issues are almost over, and conferences time at school means I have 6.5 hours after school to get caught up there. Q and Slane are taking a vacation soon, and maybe they can chill for a while.

Home videos

2010-09-30T22:46:00.000-05:00

"Most family home videos are boring. You film your kid doing something, like tying his shoes for the first time. It seems really exciting the first time, but years later you’ve seen your kid do that every day for years. The better videos are of things that are boring now because you currently do them all the time. Someday you will no longer be doing them and the video will bring back memories." - Jeff Ely, Cheap Talk

I keep meaning to capture more of the mundane moments of our family - daily photos, audio, video. It's a dilemma - living fully in the moment or documenting the moment for posterity? Lately, by necessity and by inattention, we have taken fewer pictures and recorded less. I'm okay with this, except when I'm not. MamaCue and I feel like this commercial is a glimpse into our future:

Poopie

2010-09-20T13:14:00.003-05:00

Slane is becoming obsessed with the potty. She tells us when she goes poopie (any action in that area is considered poopie), and gets her little toilet seat and insists on sitting there. Saturday she was there for a half hour, just hanging out. She insisted on using mass amounts of toilet paper, so now we tell her that she can only use it if she goes. She did go Saturday while sitting on her little seat, and got upset everytime I tried to take her off. It is super cute, but takes lots of patience, because she wants to sit there all the time.

I guess she is growing into a big girl.

"What does this animal say?" "Baa."

2010-09-15T13:46:00.000-05:00

While Slane continues to say that all animals speak sheep, there are signs that her thoughts on the matter are changing. We have a baby animal peek-a-boo book. In that book, the kitten says "Meow" and the penguin chicks go "Peep peep." (What do penguin chicks say, anyway?) Her bear cub growl is both cute and ferocious. But when you ask what the bear says without the book in hand, the bear says "Baa."

All of this reminds me of a very funny song from Sesame Street, "The Question Song." A girl muppet sings to Grover a question. The answer is supposed to begin with the letter Q, but Grover gets stuck on a bovine theme:

Girl (sung):
Now here is a question,
A question for you.
Remember, the answer
Will start with a "Q".
Just think of a duck,
Be it white, brown, or black.
What sound does it make?
Why, a duckie goes...

Grover (spoken):
Mooooooooooo!

At our house, the duckie goes "Baa!"

PS: Sesame Street now has a Tumblr, with video clips!

Video: Slane the climber, the animal talker

2010-09-09T10:42:00.001-05:00

Slane likes going for rides. Sometimes she'll just climb into the stroller like this:

She's working on her animal sounds. Usually every animal says "Baa." Not this time.

internet coming soon, and cute things Slane does

2010-08-24T09:42:00.002-05:00

We are getting internet next week, and that means pictures! The wait is almost over.

And now, cute things Slane does.

She feeds her stuffed animals bananas and her babies "bottles." She answers questions with yes and no. Last night she pushed me away from her crib because she was ready for bed. Sunday, we were at a picnic, and another small child spilled his plate. Slane picked up a chip from the ground and force-fed it to him. I think she was trying to be helpful. She climbs into her stroller and asks for a ride when she wants to go for a walk. She insisted Grover sit in a booster seat next to her high chair while eating dinner the other night.

Still here

2010-07-28T08:44:00.001-05:00

I'm sure you all thought we disappeared. It has been a crazy summer (general consensus all around, I think). We were traveling quite a bit, and now that we are home, we still don't have internet up and running. So my internet access is limited to trips to the library, which only happens on a daycare day. Here is a quick recap of our summer, with real posts and many pics to follow (when we get internet going).

School got out and the college's reunion happened. I enjoyed a week off, then we went on the family vacation to Backbone State Park. The park is beautiful and we explored Dubuque, Strawberry Point, Spook Cave, Effigy Mounds (Mr. Sharar, my junior high science teacher, would be so proud), and Elkader. We planned to hike much more in the park, but it rained every day and the park flooded, so that didn't happen. Next time. We squeezed 6 adults and 2 babies in a small cabin, and that in itself was an adventure.

We got home on a Wednesday, and then I worked at the speedway on Saturday. Sunday we headed to Cleveland for my class at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The class was amazing and I am going to use everything I learned in one way or another. My students won't know what hit them. We stayed with Q's aunt, and had a great time.

We got home on Sunday, and spent the next three days moving across town to a better neighborhood (and a house!!!). I was home for three days and then Slane and I headed to camp. My cousin, Rachel, came from Michigan to help (thanks Rachel, couldn't have done it without you!). Now I have been home for a while, but of course, there is still unpacking to do, and now we have a lawn to keep mowed, and I have crazy research and planning to do for school. Also, last week my mom was in the hospital in Des Moines, so there were many trips to the city.

That is summer so far. I have to get back to researching so that I can get home and mow the lawn, and other house things.

Oh, and Slane is growing taller, she is talking even more, she refuses to use her high chair any more, and can drink out of a glass like a big girl. She is a big girl!

Mother Goose reading time

2010-06-09T12:18:00.002-05:00

I waited 9 months to take Slane to the library for Mother Goose story time. What a let-down. I mean, I see where they are going with it, and why they did the things they did, but I was disappointed.

Now, I also realize that reading or doing anything with 15 toddlers and their mothers can be difficult, but don't try to do something you shouldn't be doing. So, we went into the room. The library is only a few months old, so it is a pretty sweet space, really. There is this paper snowflake type thing on the ceiling, and these great climbable steps in one corner. In fact, that is what Slane spent most of the time exploring. We sat on a colored square (well, I did, Slane was already climbing, then eventually she stole another kids colored square).

Story time started with introductions. I knew a couple of the other moms and their kids, which was nice. They we sang a couple of songs, and then the lady read a story. Then we did a rhyme, sang another song, and heard another story. Then we got to play with instruments while singing another song. Story time was then over, and we got some graham bunnies and little cups of water. The theme was oceans, so everything was about water. Nice, but here is the part where the music teacher in me almost went ballistic...how could they ever expect little ones to sing in keys so low even the alto in me had to stretch and it hurt?

I realize the lady was not a music teacher, but a librarian who is attempting to expose little ones to books and literacy and what-not, but if they were going to do that type of thing, wouldn't they consult a music teacher who is trained to teach and sing those songs?

I, of course, tried to give them the benefit. Maybe the regular person who is better at this is gone, or maybe I'm just too new to the whole taking my child to story time thing that I don't know how it works. Or maybe my training in literacy and music was bogus. Don't know.

I do know that we will probably go to story time again, and I will set low expectations. Slane just went for the climbing anyway. :)

Mealtime is funtime

2010-05-25T13:33:00.000-05:00

Just read a nice article from The New York Times about eating out with children. Writer Susan Dominus talks with New York restaurateur Nicola Marzovilla who has this to say about children and dining:

Children’s menus aim too low, he argues — they’re a parenting crutch.

“The table is very important,” Mr. Marzovilla explained as we sat around one at his restaurant early Sunday evening with our five collective children. “It’s about nutrition, it’s about family; you go right down the line. And the children’s menu is about the opposite — it’s about making it quick, making it easy, and moving on.”

We've tried to expose Slane to a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. She's liking big people food and now ignores food that's been cut up. It's as if she is saying, "I'm a big girl now. I don't need your gastronomical patronizing. Cut up your own food, daddy." She is a slow warmer to new foods, but like Sam-I-Am, she tries it and likes it.

Fellow parents, how do you manage to introduce new foods to your kids?

Image from Suessville

clean and climbing

2010-05-24T12:49:00.003-05:00

I think Slane is slowly getting over her fear of the bath. For quite some time bathtime has been something we all dread. Slane would cry as soon as we took her into the bathroom, and then scream and try to climb out of the tub. Toys didn't help, me attemting to take a bath with her didn't help. Then we tried a shower. We took a shower, sang a silly song about the shower, danced, and played with foam letters that stuck to the side of the shower. Twice now, that has worked. So, we can now have a clean baby without the tears. I hope that trips to the pool and possibly a sprinkler this summer will help even more.

Slane is a climber. Last week she pushed her stroller over to the piano, climbed up on it, climbed up on the piano bench, climbed up on the piano itself, and got a crayon from the top. Then I helped her climb down again. She is good as pushing that stroller over to things so she can climb. I've even heard that she did it in the church nursery a couple of weeks ago...

Slane also likes to go out our front door, down the steps (she is stepping down the steps now, not climbing down), and take the sidewalk to our nearest neighbor (which happens to be a big party house). We do this almost nightly, so I wasn't totally surprised when she insisted on doing it during block party. I didn't necessarily appreciate drunk students proclaiming over a baby at block party, or accusing me of bringing my baby back for block party, but Slane loved watching all of the kids and gave out a lot of high fives.

How do you do it?

2010-05-10T11:00:00.002-05:00

I have been struggling lately. I want to know how some moms work full time, have clean houses, make dinners, do laundry, eat well, exercise, and still have time to play with the kids and have some personal time. I feel like I have to do it all, and most of the time I am too exhausted to do that. I know Dan helps, probably more than most dads, but it still seems like I have to do it, and if I don't then I have let the team down. And somewhere in there I would really like the baby belly to go away and my clothes to fit better. I keep thinking if I can just hang on until summer then I will be at parks all day and playing and biking around town...but how do I get that exercise in the winter? When? And still keep up on laundry without forgetting I washed a load two days ago and never got it into the dryer, or have dinner prepared in a timely manner for those of us who need to eat, eat, eat right now.

I want to spend more time with Slane but when I am spending time with her I feel like I should be doing dishes or unloading the dishwasher or cleaning out the fridge or something more useful, when I know the best thing I could be doing is chasing a toddler down the sidewalk or playing ball with her.

I never had intentions of working full time when I had a baby, but it seems like I didn't have a choice, and I couldn't pass up a full time job, even if it is not necessarily the grade level I would rather be teaching.

I feel guilty if I have to stay at work late, and even more guilty if I have a meeting and leave Slane with Q (though I don't think he feels the same guilt). Taking time for myself doesn't seem like an option, and Q often tells me my Sunday nap (which never really catches me up) is my time to myself.

It just seems like by the time I get home, pick up Slane, attempt to start dinner, wait until Q gets home so I can really start dinner, feed everyone, do the dishes, pick up a bit, and maybe, just maybe get a walk in, I'm done. Nothing left. Even if Q helps with some of that (which he often does), there is nothing left.

So, I was just wondering, how do you do it?

bubbles

2010-04-28T11:07:00.002-05:00

The last few weeks a lot of opportunities have come our way. We have learned the hard way to take a good look at what we want for now, what we want for later, and what our goals are. But so many of these opportunities seem like bubbles. They are floating, they are pretty, but who knows where they will land and if they will pop in the process. Some of them are very big bubbles, and those are the most exciting, and some are small, and don't last very long. Some might break deals we had made with each other, some may become new deals. And the hardest part, most are not developed enough to even share with others who could offer discernment and advice. They are just bubbles that we get to watch...We are in a good place either way with most of them, but some could offer some significant changes for us. The timing is incredible, it seems that every bubble has started floating in the last couple of weeks, and it is fun too, to see where they all might land if they do land. And if they don't, we are mostly good with that too.

One of those bubbles that has developed and should not pop is the new car we are going to pick up tomorrow. We have known for some time that a tiny 3-door Saturn Coupe and a small not-so-great-in-Winter Toyota Tacoma would not fit us as a family. The fact is, when we bought those cars, 10 and 8 years ago respectively, they served just the purpose we needed then. Who thinks about buying a family car right out of college? Now that our family has grown (and hopefully will continue to grow), we need something that we fit in, and maybe a fourth person as well. So, we gave in, found an interest rate that is great, got a loan, set up a trade-in of the Toyota, and will drive home our Subaru Forester tomorrow. It is blue!

In other news, we are struggling with the sippy cup situation. We know we need to transition Slane to a sippy cup. We already have her on milk, and completely off of formula, but we need to get her off of the bottle. She is strange. She will drink water out of her Avent sippy, but not milk. Some people suggested different kinds of cups. I tried Nuk the other day. It worked great, I bought a second one (those are pricey). Then Slane started throwing things when she is done with them. When a Nuk sippy hits the floor with force, the nipple pops out and milk goes everywhere. We can deal with that at home on a linoleum floor, but when we are out to eat, it is kind of a problem. I bought a Playtex yesterday, and she would't drink out of it. I don't want to buy many different kinds that won't work. What do we do? It is harder because she still does the bottle at daycare. I guess we will have to wait until summer to fight that battle, and then I can be home all day and deal with that.

In other other news, Slane is walking everywhere now, and it is kind of nice to walk in the door at daycare and she walks up and says hello. Speaking of daycare, I love the boys there. They love Slane and Monday actually opened the window of the room they were in and yelled their goodbye's to her out of the window. When she goes in the morning, she gets a big hug from one of the boys who says he loves her. When I pick her up, one boy always says, "Baby mom here, baby mom here!"

Stay tuned, and when the next bubble lands, we'll let you know.

Slane Walk

2010-04-20T16:09:00.004-05:00

Slane...she's a-walkin' now.

2010-04-18T18:33:00.002-05:00

More pictures:

Slane eating hailstones and black beans for dinner the night of the big storm.

Slane's Easter dress.

Slane and mommy.

Double babies. Slane on the right, Einar on the left.

Slane turns 1!!!

Stop talking already, just show us pictures

2010-04-18T17:55:00.007-05:00

We are a bit behind. So, here are pictures starting in January. The next post will have a few more.

Ella, our niece was baptized on Valentine's Day. My mom made this dress.

Slane drives her car through the kitchen.

Q and I traded rooms with Slane. Ema and Epa helped (Epa got nap duty).

Slane is happy about eating.

Slane plays with balloons at the Hope/Calvin game, which Hope won!!

Bye, G'Bye!!!

2010-04-08T09:32:00.002-05:00

No, we aren't going anywhere just yet.

Slane and I got to spend a lot of time together during my 5 day weekend "spring break." We explored new places, and we got lots of appointments taken care of. On Thursday, Q took a vacation day and we ran a few errands (like dropping off the $150 our friends and family donated to Mid-Iowa Community Action in Slane's name), picked up coffee, and deposited a few checks and some of Slane's birthday money. Then we headed to Des Moines for lunch with Aunt Brenda and a visit to the Science Center. We played in the toddler area, and watched a cool black hole presentation. We checked out the turtles and snakes and prairie soil samples, and then headed to a mall to pick up some walking shoes for Slane (Pedipeds are our new favorite shoes). We rushed back home and made it to the Maundy Thursday Service, which Slane decided to talk through. Q eventually took her out to the fellowship hall so she didn't disrupt the service.

Friday, we did taxes and got a haircut. Saturday we cleaned out closets. Sunday the whole family came over for Easter and the ladies went to the park to swing and slide and the guys got in a round of disc golf.

Monday, Slane hung out in her stroller while I got a cavity filled, and then she napped and I graded my sixth graders projects that have been waiting for a few weeks. We met Q at the doctor's office for Slane's 1 year wellness check later in the afternoon. She weighed in at 23 pounds and a few ounces, and 30 inches tall. She got a clean bill of health, though we need to feed her more protein and iron.

It was cold and rainy in the afternoon, and we needed an activity. Slane wanted to play upstairs, so I put a movie in and played with her. We watched The Sound of Music. Slane loved the singing (of course), and at end, when the Von Trapp family singers are singing So Long, Farewell for the last time, Slane got the message, and said, "bye, g'bye!?!?!" It always sounds like a question when she says it, but an excited question.

And then, that quickly, my weekend was over and I got to go back to school.

a year

2010-03-30T09:00:00.003-05:00

Last week Slane turned one. Every day, I can't help but find myself thinking, "a year ago, this was happening. Remember coming home from the hospital, and the stress that was Slane's first two months?" Slane was not gaining weight, and that was very scary. It seemed like we were not as worried as the doctors, and I was constantly questioning my ability to take care of my kid. I couldn't feed her enough, and it became more stressful because we could not afford formula or a breast pump, and I NEEDED to be able to breast feed her because it seemed like the only choice. We depended on piano lesson money, because that was our grocery money.

We couldn't afford a different place to live (still not sure what to do there, another subject for a different day), finding a car to fit us was not an option (though we aren't all about taking on car payments), and I did not get a maternity break (sometimes I feel like I missed out on valuable bonding time). We weren't sure what was next. Then, I got a full-time job (totally unexpected), and Slane gained weight and is very happy and healthy, and we are make the car situation work (though I was rethinking that last night when I was trying to get the jogging stroller in the trunk). We are looking for a rental house, but those are hard to come by in Grinnell. We are hopeful about that working out for us.

Things still feel up in the air, in spite of being in a better place financially. We are feeling restless, and are just waiting for the next step to show itself. It seems like we should be doing more with ourselves, and though we love being where we are, and most of our current situation, we are as wiggly as Slane is during church. So, now most of our decisions have been put on hold because we just don't know what to do with ourselves next.

In the meantime, we have a beautiful, robust, happy, smart little girl. She is almost walking, she has been working on her top teeth for a couple of weeks, and she is growing out of most of her winter clothes. She draws attention wherever she goes, and loves to play. She is a joy to be around.

A year ago we were getting to know our tiny baby, and living in our pajamas. Now, we are getting to know our almost toddler, and not living in our pajamas (we wear actual clothes to work, our coworkers would find the pajamas a bit strange).

eating with the angels

2010-03-19T08:25:00.005-05:00

This morning I saw a beautiful sunrise. Yesterday, I saw an even better one. The sun was shining through the fog, and it was pink and floaty and then got more and more orange as I traveled. The benefit of a morning commute at sunrise is the peacefulness that it offers over the terrain. It certainly has calmed my spirits lately. Our week had a rough start, and the nice spring weather has definitely helped soften the situation.

Often, if I don't get a chance to enjoy breakfast at home, or forget to get the coffee pot ready, I stop in at the local coffee shop. They know me well enough not that they usually have my coffee poured by the time I get up to the counter. And if my favorite scone is not out yet, they go to the back room and get me one (thanks, Pat, you're the best!). I often see the same people there in the mornings. I see the music and history professors mulling over whatever it is that they mull over. On Thursdays, I see the Bible study group going at it, and frequently see the Arabic professor at the college.

Now, she LOVES Slane. Whenever we see her at campus events she gravitates toward Slane and insists on holding her and exclaims over how big Slane is and how grown up she is getting. So, this morning she asked why Slane wasn't with me. She is sleeping, I said, and having good dreams. She was smiling in her sleep when I left. "She is eating with the angels. That is what they say at home. They believe babies are angels themselves and she is enjoying herself."

It kinds of matches the sunrise this morning.

Irish wonder

2010-03-17T08:25:00.002-05:00

This morning I dressed Slane in cute yellow corduroy overalls and a white long sleeve onesie. Then I remembered what day it is, and quickly changed the onesie to an Irish one Q's very proud of being Irish aunt sent. It says "wee one" on the front and has a shamrock on the butt.

A year ago I was 40 weeks pregnant, it was Spring Break, I was cat-sitting for the students next door, and I watched my due date come and go. I was restless and bored. I didn't want to start anything, because I didn't know if I would finish it or not. The one green maternity shirt I had was not big enough for my ginormous belly.

Today I am teaching across from a kindergarten classroom. There are "leprechaun" footprints leading into the classroom, and "gold" on the students tables (it is chocolate). I was not thinking ahead enough to bring in some Irish music, and I don't have an Irish lesson plan, but it would have been easier if I had one planned. Now I am listening to kids shouting, "the leprechaun came!!, Look the leprechaun was here!"

My leprechaun came 6 days later, and she is my Irish wonder. Someday she will love or hate this day, because it will annoy her that she has an Irish name, or she will be very proud of that. I went from being the size of a pot of gold to having a pot of gold.

"big sisters"

2010-03-11T17:43:00.002-06:00

Last Sunday the International Student Office hosted a pot-luck for International students and their host families. Our ladies, Joyce and Aanchal, came over early to help make our food. We made two loaves of whole wheat bread (didn't turn out great), and they were blown away by the amount of flour added to make bread. We also used up some leftover Thanksgiving turkey that Q discovered in the freezer and made a casserole with rice, alphabet noodles, cheesy white sauce, and peas. They were so proud of their contribution, and helped carry it to campus, and set it up in the buffet line.

They both had so much fun playing with Slane, carrying her, holding her, and feeding her. They played with her hair and took her to show off to their friends. Joyce got Slane an early birthday gift, and had fun helping open it.

When the pot-luck was over our girls helped gather all of our stuff and get it ready to go.

How special for Slane to be exposed now, even if just a little bit, to the cultures of our International students. Maybe someday she can go visit them in India or Korea and they can share their babies with her. And hopefully in the Fall Slane can spend time with her "big brother," and learn more about Pakistan.

Second tooth

2010-03-04T14:29:00.000-06:00

Slane's mouth is the dental negative of this child:

Congrats to Slane on sprouting a second tooth!

Image courtesy of Milnefamily

Valentine's baptism

2010-02-23T11:01:00.002-06:00

Slane turns 11 months old today! I have loved getting to know her and watching her become a person. She is a great kid!

Last Sunday, our niece Ella was baptized. It was my idea to have her baptized on Valentine's Day (not cocky about that at all). What a great day to show her she is loved so much and welcomed by a larger family. While we were there I was thinking about Slane's baptism.

I love the part about baptism that asks the church to support and take care of the child too. I think our church has certainly taken that to heart. They are always quick to jump in and hold her during choir, or play with her in the nursery, or watch her for a morning or afternoon when we are in a bind. They love her and love taking care of her. They admire her and ask what new thing she is doing or saying. They chuckle when she gets chatty during the silent prayer, and they pick up her toys and return them. They let her play with their moustaches, and love to hold her on their laps. They are patient when Slane is climbing the steps onto the stage or trying to eat the prayer cards.

A couple of Sundays ago one of the grandmas in our church took her for the end of choir rehearsal. Slane proceeded to fall asleep on Grandma Janet, and slept there the entire church service. It was so sweet to watch our little girl cuddle on someone else, and so nice for us to really enjoy a whole service together.

pyschological study

2010-02-09T17:40:00.002-06:00

All of the babies born at our hospital are invited to participate in a study that a professor in the psychology department at the college is conducting. They track eye movements to study infants scanning and memory of human faces. So, Q had finally called to get our appointment set up, and it was yesterday.

Fortunately, yesterday we got out of school early due to snow, so I was home with Slane when he called with 10 minutes notice that she needed to be on campus for her study. She had not napped yet, and was in the middle of eating dried fruit and cheerios. Rather than drive the whole block that it was to get there, I loaded Slane up in the jogging stroller and bundled us up and headed out to campus.

So, first, imagine trying to get through snow drifts with a stroller. Then imagine the looks you get as you try to cross the street, and then go on campus. We got several second looks. I'm sure people thought I was crazy. Maybe I am.

The study was interesting. I had to hold Slane and wear dark glasses so she couldn't reference my eyes or face. She got to look at faces. We both got to listen to annoying music, like Teletubbies and Elmo. She wore a headband with some connection to a camera that taped the whole thing. She did really well, and was quiet and made it through the entire 15 minute study.

We got presents for our participation. Slane got a certificate and she got to choose a toy (3 of the 4 we already had, now we know where they came from), so we got a new sippy cup. I got a Wal-Mart gift card for my effort.

So, at that point, an hour had passed and there was a lot more snow. In my 10 minutes of preparation to head out into the snow, I had remembered that I had CDs and scores that were about a month overdue, so I grabbed those, which meant a stop in the library.

So, imagine those looks from passersby, and then imagine that in a college library with a baby. Up to this point I had only taken her to Burling during the summer.

Errands finished, we made the final drive for home. The wind had picked up, and it was cold. Slane was understandably fussy as I chose to avoid the sidewalk and take to the middle of the street. I got to our door after some clever maneuvering of the stroller up the steps, and got us inside, and cheered.Then I started to get Slane out of the stroller and noticed that she was asleep.

Our daughter fell asleep in the middle of a snowstorm in her stroller. And slept until 11, took a bottle, and slept until morning.

I can eat yogurt all by myself!

2010-02-03T17:14:00.002-06:00

Feeding fail.

Twizzlers

2010-02-01T21:25:00.000-06:00

...the ladies dig 'em.

Feeling ditchy

2010-01-25T11:52:00.001-06:00

I'm watching Iowa's latest snowstorm from our truck in a ditch. The unexpected free time gives me an opportunity to write about Slane's latest exploits.

Rotavirus: it's a terrible bug and really affected Slane for over a week. Our happy child had suddenly become sleepy and lethargic, wailing from the pain and needing to be held all the time. Sunday she reverted to her happy, healthy self.

Happy and healthy now includes lots of crawling, standing, and exploration. The stairs are a magnet and she has a proud but devious smile each time we pull her off the stairs. She can stand and sit with ease, though she still needs something (wall, chair, leg, etc.) to steady her.

Happy and healthy also means thinking defying sleep. We've had to be firm with a bedtime routine (bottle, book, rocking). To this routine she adds crying, whimpers, and quiet sleep. We caved to her Monday but outlasted her protests the rest of the week. Tuesday they lasted what felt like an hour, other days they lasted no more than 10 minutes.

Here's my translation of her cries from the crib: "This is an injustice! Why are you leaving me! I won't stand for this! CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? ... I am still upset! I am going to continue to protest these unjust conditions by laying down and closing my eyes while still crying. Just wait until you come back, you'll be zzzzzzzzzzzz"

Minnesota: The people of the State of hockey (Minnesota) welcomed us this weekend. We visited with friends from college (N. and family and M.) and Grinnell (S., V., and C. and K.). A generous friend (K.) gave us tickets to the Wild-Blue Jackets game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. It was a good time, except for the part where the Wild won. Slane wore her homemade Jackets sweater which got compliments from fans of both teams. We also made a trek to the blue and gold temple that is Ikea. We made our offering and left with some items for Slane (toy bins, a lamp, and other baby-friendly items).

More pictures and stories soon.

Sick

2010-01-15T13:14:00.003-06:00

Slane is finally on the backside of Rotavirus. She started with diarhea last Friday and was screaming on and off, but we thought it was teeth. On Sunday, Slane and I were taking a nap, and when we woke up I heard the diaper before I realized that it had exploded all over the sheets on the bed. Then on Monday, Miss Denise called and she had a fever. Q was on a business trip from Saturday to Wednesday, so I tried to leave school early so I could take her to the doctor (nobody would cover my last class for me though), and finally got her there a little before closing. He said she had this virus, and she would be a sick for a couple more days and wasn't good to go to daycare. It was a rough few days for me. My mom watched her Tuesday, I took Wednesday, and Q took Thursday. Tuesday night we were up at 2am and she threw up on the clean sheets I had just put on. She is back at daycare today (no fever for 24 hours, and no diarhea). I guess the biggest fear with rotavirus is dehydration, but she kept taking bottles (not as much as usual, though) and was drinking from her sippy cup. It turns out she does NOT like Pedialyte. She would push it away every time I offered it to her. The worst was when it hurt her little intestines so much that she would just scream. She was so cuddly, but everyone could tell she just wasn't feeling like herself.

I was extremely happy to see Q pull up on Wednesday. And, one of my students stopped me in the hall today to ask how Slane was doing. I said she was feeling better, and the student said, "good, then you won't be so crabby the next time I have music."

So, needless to say, we are way behind on blogging and life and projects. We will post Christmas when we finally take Christmas down from our house.

Oh, one more thing... a big welcome to baby Einar, who was born on the 5th. I'm glad we didn't come to visit on Sunday, but we will come meet him soon!

2009: Year in review

2009-12-22T23:11:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-22T12:45:00.001-06:00

Slane has a ball with a ball.

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

2009-12-07T19:23:00.002-06:00

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.

2009-12-04T17:01:00.005-06:00

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

2009-12-03T21:15:00.000-06:00

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

2009-11-30T17:47:00.004-06:00

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

2009-11-05T17:29:00.007-06:00

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

2009-10-22T00:59:00.003-05:00

"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...

2009-10-20T23:53:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-16T20:04:00.004-05:00

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....

2009-10-06T21:40:00.003-05:00

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

the club

2009-10-03T07:47:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-28T17:52:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-23T11:19:00.002-05:00

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.

2009-09-16T20:02:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-13T16:36:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-09-12T12:38:00.005-05:00

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

2009-09-10T21:46:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-09T20:12:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-08T22:05:00.001-05:00

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?

2009-09-07T16:18:00.004-05:00

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

2009-08-27T20:49:00.006-05:00

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

2009-08-20T09:52:00.002-05:00

catching up part two

2009-07-15T15:35:00.003-05:00

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

2009-06-13T07:35:00.002-05:00

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

2009-05-13T22:02:00.003-05:00

How many bananas do you see?

Schadenfreude is delightful.

(Image courtesy of the excellent site FAILBlog.)

Nine pounds, nine ounces

2009-05-08T20:18:00.002-05:00

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,

2009-05-04T20:03:00.005-05:00

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

2009-05-02T03:42:00.001-05:00

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:

2009-04-28T20:14:00.002-05:00

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

2009-04-28T15:20:00.002-05:00

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.)

2009-04-28T03:13:00.002-05:00

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

2009-04-17T10:35:00.004-05:00

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.

2009-04-15T16:57:00.003-05:00

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.]

2009-04-11T08:24:00.000-05:00

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

2009-04-06T19:59:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-04-06T19:56:00.002-05:00

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

what's in a name

2009-03-29T11:26:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-28T10:26:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-25T20:50:00.002-05:00

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:

2009-03-23T07:17:00.001-05:00

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

It's a girl

2009-03-23T07:11:00.001-05:00

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

C-section

2009-03-23T05:41:00.000-05:00

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

Labor Day

2009-03-22T22:57:00.001-05:00

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

MamaCue update

2009-03-22T18:58:00.001-05:00

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.