Event Planning with a Baby

This weekend I was on charge of a rather large event. It involved quite a bit of planning and quite a bit of work as the day got closer.
Last year I did a similar event and worked like crazy. I remember coming home tired to the bone and crashing. It was the next day we found out I was pregnant.

This year I recognized that I would not be able to keep up the same pace in preparation. For some reason having a 4-month-old really makes things happen at a different pace. And overall, I was successful in both the mothering of the day and the event itself. I took things an hour at a time, worked while he slept, got help for when he was awake, etc.

The only rough part for kiddo was going to sleep in a strange place (his stroller in a dark room) and having to wake up to come home.

Oh well, you can't win them all. But I won most of it!

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Cute as a puppy

When I was almost 8, my only sibling was born: a brother. And he was adorable!

I think my mother did a good job of preparing me for the change and for helping me cope with the new challenges that came with no longer being an only child. When I struggled with not being noticed anymore in favor of the cute new baby, she told me "The day will come when only you and I and dad will think he is cute. Kind of like with kittens and puppies. There will come a day when we are the ones who like him."

Trouble was, it never quite happened that way. He stayed cute and still is.

But hearing this made me feel really good as an eight-year-old. Like I was in on some secret. Some secret you say? Well, after 21 years (Happy Birthday, Bro!), I think I've figured it out.

I think what she meant was that it is a privilege to be family. Because it means sticking it out with someone even when things aren't hunky-dory.

Why is that a privilege? Because serving when it isn't convenient, giving your all even when you're exhausted, and laughing when the jokes aren't funny makes you happy. Giving to another on that level is what it means to be a sister, a wife, and now a mother.

So when Kiddo smiles and charms everyone else and then cries in my arms for an hour, I smile. Because I have the blessing of being there even when he isn't charming, when I'm really tired, and I'll be there when the jokes aren't funny. That is what it means to be a mother.

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Shrinking Cabbage Patch Doll

Do you remember my post in February where I showed a comparison picture of how Kiddo had grown?

It turns out, I think the Cabbage Patch doll is shrinking. They just don't make them like they used to. Check this picture out...



Can you believe how the doll is shrinking over time? It's amazing, isn't it? :)

(And because of the way the images are cropped--to Kiddo's size--it does seem that the doll is shrinking. Maybe to show Kiddo's growth it would be better to re-crop the images, keeping the doll a consistent size. Ahh well, another project for a day when I don't have an impending work deadline...)

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Making it Look Easy

For my birthday (yes, I had one of those recently) we went out to a Japanese steakhouse for dinner. We decided to take Kiddo with us, in part because I couldn't imagine celebrating my birthday without him.

He was so good he made being a parent look easy.


First, he was cute and smiley to all of the table neighbors. Then he got a bit fussy and I nursed him right there at the table thanks to my Bebe au Lait. I don't even think the other half of the table even noticed. Then he watched the table show and was adorably startled when the chef lit the table on fire.

And then he fell asleep in the stroller for the second half of the meal. It really was a lucky night; at the end I turned to DH and said "Kiddo makes this parenting thing look way too easy."

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The Psychology of Sleep

Last night Kiddo slept for another 6 1/2 hour stretch. The great news of the day? I slept through 5 hours of it. Now, kiddo did wake up three times; and three times my DH (and I mean dear) got up and put the plug back in and Kiddo went back to sleep. What is weird is that I never heard him cry...

It turns out that even though the monitor is right over my head and I am very attuned to his noises, when I feel no responsibility for responding to Kiddo--based on a previous tactical decision--I don't hear Kiddo, much less wake up for it.

What is funny is that 2 weeks ago, DH could sleep through any nighttime escapades without stirring. Now he wakes up and takes care of the Kiddo before I even hear him.

Seems that the person who feels the responsibility is more likely to wake up.

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Daily dose of antibodies

When C and Kiddo came back from California, they came home to:

• A clean bedroom


• A straightened kitchen


• A cleaned bathroom


• A kiddo-ready crib and bedroom AND


• A sick husband

Welcome home.

I was actually feeling fine until about 2 hours after they got home, when I started to get a sore throat. I wondered for a bit whether or not it really was a cold, but by Tuesday morning, it was abundantly clear: I was sick.

I stayed home from work, in an effort to quarantine myself and keep my co-workers safe from my bio-hazard cold, but that means that instead of sharing with my co-workers, I shared with C and with Kiddo.

Who are both now sick.

And it's C's birthday today. Um, happy birthday, honey?

I did have hope for a while that they wouldn't get sick. In fact, I hoped that C's body would produce the necessary antibodies to keep both her and Kiddo from getting whatever ugly virus had invaded my system.

As Kiddo would eat, I'd inform him of the necessity of getting good antibodies to prevent him from getting sick.

Unfortunately it didn't work. Kiddo started getting sick on Wednesday evening, and C started getting sick last night. Kiddo's temperature is hovering near 310.9 Kelvin. Sounds pretty bad, huh.

Anyway, now I'm headed back to work (albeit late) and leaving poor Kiddo and C to fend for themselves at home today. I'm hoping they'll get better.

C and I promised to share everything when we got married. Is it too late to amend the agreement to exclude viruses?

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Getting in touch with the inner Hawaiian

I never believed people when they said you could see a baby start to demonstrate individual personality before the first birthday. As far as I was concerned, babies were just babies, and they were all alike.

I was wrong.

Kiddo definitely has personality.

In fact, one of the funniest things about him is his love for Hawaiian music. I know this sounds crazy, but it is true: when Kiddo is crying (especially in his car seat), if we turn on Hawaiian music, he calms down and stops crying.

In particular, he seems to respond to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (from his album "Facing Future").

Kiddo encountered this song while in California visiting his grandparents, and I ended up buying the whole album on iTunes and buring a CD. Now we have a copy in the house and a copy in the car. When he starts to fuss, we turn on the CD, and he calms right down.

It works like a drug. Its bizarre. But he likes getting in touch with his inner Hawaiian, I suppose.

No wonder he loves it when we go eat at Rumbi Island Grill. Maybe we'll have to take him to see the real thing.

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A great night

Last night Kiddo slept for 6 hours straight. Well, he did kind of wake up and DH went and put the plug back in. And then he fussed and DH carried him in to put him back in the bassinet.

But then he slept without getting up for his 2am feeding. Wonder if it'll ever happen again! Ok, it'll happen again; he won't be getting up to eat at 2am between the ages of 4 and 14 for sure. But I wonder if it will happen again in the next 2 weeks!

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Back from California

Kiddo and I had a great time in California visiting the grandparents. We...
-ate yummy Chinese food (well, I did, Kiddo had it on the delayed menu)
-took long baths (true for each of us in our relative spheres)
-slept in uncle J's room

-planned our trip this summer to pick up uncle J from his mission
-napped at odd times and got up lots of times at night
-went on lots of walks in the warm California sunshine

Basically we were on vacation.

It is nice to be home, though.

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The bi-annual interview

Since C and Kiddo are still out of town, I don't have much "daddy-related" stuff to write about, but I thought I'd share a funny experience that happened to me this week.

It was time for my bi-annual temple recommend interview this week, so I made my appointment with the stake and even showed up on time. I serve as the EQ president in my ward, so I'm very familiar with the Stake Presidency. The counselor I met with was the one that I do my regular PPI interviews with for the EQ.

When he got to the question where he asks if I regularly attend my church meetings including Priesthood meeting, I started to laugh, then replied in the affirmative.

He looked at me quizzically.

"Well," I explained, "I would imagine that if an EQ president had stopped attending meetings regularly, a temple recommend interview probably wouldn't be the first time you'd hear about it."

Well, I was amused. I recognize the standard-ness of the question, and the need to ask it, but it just struck me as funny when I heard it this time.

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Home Alone

I've been left to my own devices for 10 days while C and Kiddo are in California. For the most part, I'm doing okay. How do I cope?

By keeping busy. Very, very busy.

C left last Friday. I had a big deadline at work, so I stayed late on Friday (something like 9:30 PM). Saturday I got up and went to my Presidency meeting, then in the afternoon went with my mom to a movie (we saw "Bridge to Terabithia") and then went car shopping (for my mom). My brother (who was running for student body office) needed some help getting supplies from Sam's Club, and I have the only Sam's card in the family.

Sunday I got up and went to meetings and church. Then I ran to a neighbor's house for our monthly dinner. Than I ran to a meeting with a member of the stake presidency. Then I ran to my mom's house. Monday I went to work and stayed late again. My brother called half way through the day and needed me to run to Sam's again, so I took a couple-hour break to take care of that.

Tuesday I worked an hour late and then ended up running all over for stuff for my brother again. Wednesday was the first day I really had much time by myself. Thursday was the day they announced the winner of the elections; I ran to my Weight Watcher's meeting, and then over to the election results announcement--not the desired results--so we went back to my mom's to commiserate.

Today I wasn't feeling well, and got up late and went to work. Then I came home early and have been sitting on the couch wishing I weren't home alone on a Friday night--especially when I feel as crummy as I do tonight.

Good thing is that there are only 71 hours until C and Kiddo are back home.

Golly I can't wait. Maybe I'll be able to get some rest.... :)

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A question of heat

Greetings from sunny California! We are having a great time with the
grandparents and loving the sunny weather. Which brings up a question...

Kiddo has been nursing much more frequently since we arrived. Back home he
was eating every 3 hours or so. Here it has been every two. My mom
thinks that may be because it is warmer and he is sweating more. Anyone
have any experience with this or ideas? Thanks!

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To Grandmother's House We Go

Kiddo and I are off to visit the California grandparents today. DH is being left behind as Daring Young Mom says, to "earn ye olde family dollar."
Wish dad luck as he fends for himself for 10 days, and stay tuned for updates as I visit the land of my ancestors. (Parents are ancestors, right?)

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An open apology to all geese everywhere

So it turns out that geese in general aren't pigs. It seems to just be a particular goose. Kiddo and I went to feed the ducks geese yesterday. Our duck pond is slowly getting taken over by a flock of Canadian geese. The goose I mentioned earlier is still there, but he (or she? How do you know?) has been joined by about seven other geese.

Well, when we got to the pond, I tried to avoid the geese because of our last experience. However, there were some geese that came up and were eating with the ducks, sharing nicely. Then Piggy came over and started chasing away the other ducks and geese.

So, I wish to apologize to all the offended geese out there, for calling you all pigs. It turns out that geese, like humans, have their own personalities. And just like you shouldn't judge humanity by one person, I guess you ought not judge geesedom by one stray goose. Even if he is a pig in disguise.

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Terms of Endearment

So I have never been big on using terms of endearment like dear, honey, snugglebuns, etc. DH and I even have a standing joke about "darling" since for the first couple of years we were married, he inadvertently would only use the term when he was slightly annoyed with what I had done or was gently teasing me about something brainless I had done. In fact, we really only use one term of endearment for each of us; in both cases one derived from our names.

So nothing has surprised me more than how many names I can come up with to call Kiddo.

Cutie, sweetie, honey, sweetums, love bug, sweetheart, cute boy, buddy... and that is where I get myself into trouble.

These words have started flowing so freely for me that I have accidentally started calling DH buddy. Every time I do it, he raises his eyebrows at me and says "Buddy?"

But I can't help it. It seems the dam has broken and he really ought to be glad it isn't snugglebuns!

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Leaving the house

Leaving the house in the morning has never been easy for me. Not that I don't like my job, because I do. Its just that I really like being with my wife. Having a baby has only complicated the situation.

We were married for almost four years before Kiddo came along. C and I met at work, so for the first year and a half of our marriage, we were able to get up and go together in the morning. Then I graduated from college and got a "real" job.

For the first time leaving for work meant leaving my beautiful wife behind. It meant being by myself for hours and hours. That made if kind of hard to get out the door.

Last summer I got a new job; it's a job I love, and C noted that for the first time in a while I was getting up early to get out the door for work. In fact, on average I was getting to work about an hour earlier than I had been for my previous job (both jobs have flexible schedules).

Then Kiddo came along. Now I'm finding it is really hard to get out the door in the morning.

To tell the truth, I do all right when he's asleep. The past week I've been trying to leave before 7. If I can get out the door before I see his smile, then I'm fine. But if I don't get out the door before that first smile of the morning comes, well then I'm toast.

Take today, for example. Today I got up at 6:15. I had hopes of catching the 6:50 train. Those hopes were dashed when I answered some e-mail before breakfast. That's okay, I decided, there is always the 7:05. But then C and Kiddo got up. We started talking. Then Kiddo started smiling. Then it was 7:15. At that point, I couldn't make it for the 7:20 train, so I kept playing with Kiddo. But I didn't stop early enough to catch the 7:35: I was pulling into the parking lot when the train pulled through my station. That meant I was on the 7:50 train.

But I ask you: who can resist a smile like this:

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Public Parenting

I have learned the secret! No more judgmental stares when your kids are out of control. Just explain your parenting philosophy to your child in a very loud voice, speaking of yourself in the third person so that everybody knows why you are torturing your children in this particular manner.

This weekend we went to the local Expo center for a Baby Expo. We had a good time, were suckered into only two purchases, and saw some pretty cool stuff. And we saw a lot of parents...

Most of the parents really never even made it on my radar, I only know they were there because there was an inordinate number of strollers present (I think I paid more attention to the strollers than to their occupants or the people pushing them!). There was, however, one major exception.

While we were waiting in line at the Babies R Us booth (I know, there was a line), there was a mother with a toddler a couple of people behind us. DH noticed them first because the child was on a leash, something he is not fond of. This image was exacerbated by the fact that the toddler was writhing on the floor, pulling at the leash attatched to his wrist and whining.

Now at this point, I really would not have given them a second thought to them; I say live and let live. But then we were treated to a loud explanation of consequences and loss of privileges, "Do you remember what privileges are? Do you remember mommy explaining them to you?"

It is one thing to be clear to your child about what is happening and why, it is another to explain things so loudly that it is obvious you want everyone else to know what you are doing and why!

Please let this not be one of those things I swear I won't do but end up doing anyway!

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What are you going to do with that?

At this moment, the boy is asleep and I am sitting at the computer making final changes on my Master's thesis. Well, technically I am taking a break from working on the thesis or I wouldn't be typing this...

Needless to say, I am very excited to be completing this phase of my schooling and proud of the work it represents. I tried very hard to finish my thesis before the baby came and I got this close. I turned it in to my committee for final review 4 days before Kiddo's birth and defended it 2 weeks after (which is a story for another day!). Now I am completing revisions and will graduate (if all goes well) this spring.

One side benefit of working on this degree has been as a conversation piece. People often asked what I was doing and I could tell them about my thesis, schooling, etc. And then came the inevitable question: What are you going to do with it?

Well, before I was obviously pregnant, I would usually answer with some general career choices available to someone with my degree. Since the arrival of our son, the answer has become much shorter: I am going to stay home and be a mom.

I always wonder what people think of this answer.

Hypothetical Response #1:
What a waste of a degree! What is the point of spending the money, putting in the effort, etc. if you aren't going to be in the work force.

Hypothetical Response #2:
How sad that someone with your education, ability and drive is going to stay home. The field could really benefit from your contributions.

Hypothetical Response #3:
That's nice. (I wonder how that hockey game ended...)

I'm sure #3 is probably the most common response, despite the scintillating description of my thesis topic!

Let it be known that I have no qualms about telling people my plans. But I am unsure enough to be caught asking myself what people think every time I answer the question: So what are you going to do with that?

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Feeding the ducks

Kiddo and I went to feed the ducks tonight while C was at work. We had a fun time. Well, at least I had a fun time. Kiddo slept through most of it. I don't know that I've ever fed ducks before.

One of C's ideas to keep Kiddo happy while she was gone was to put Kiddo in the front pack and go for a walk. I thought that sounded fun, so when Kiddo started to fuss a little bit, I put him in the front pack and off we went. Our condo complex has a couple of duck ponds near the entrance, and we have around 100 ducks who have camped out there for the winter.

Today, as we were walking towards the pond, I saw that there were two Canadian geese there as well. "Cool," I thought. I mean, Canadian geese are know for their beauty right?

When I started feeding the ducks, though, the geese crowded out all the ducks and chased them away so that the ducks couldn't get into the main area where I was throwing the bread. If I started throwing the bread towards where the ducks were cowering in the corner, the geese ran over that way and chased the ducks away. I had to keep throwing the bread in multiple directions in order to feed more than the geese.

What pigs those geese were! Beauty, apparently, isn't everything.

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