The BabyGirl is a major Daddy's girl.
And understandably so, he is a world-class Daddy. I happen to love him quite a bit myself, so I'm not surprised that she thinks he is great too.
Sometimes, however, i want to tell her, "Back off; he's mine! I had him first!" She seems to think that his sole purpose in life is to spend every waking moment with her. This doesn't always work for him. Or for me.
So with Bright Eyes i hoped that she would not be a Daddy's girl, cause it's getting to be stiff competition around here! Sometimes there isn't enough of him to go around.
Well guess what, Bright Eyes ADORES Daddy. Thinks he's the greatest thing ever. Whenever he enters the room, she drops whatever she is doing and insists that he hold her right that very minute. If i happen to be holding her when she lays eyes on Daddy, she leaps out of my arms like a flying squirrel. They are very sweet together. They have this cute thing where The Professor rubs his face on her cheek (kind of like a kitty does), and then she rubs her face on his cheek. Of course Daddy gives the best tickles and the best raspberries on her tummy.
It is an unbearable hardship for the BabyGirl to be parted from Daddy during the course of the workday. It then becomes an unbearable hardship for me to deal with the BabyGirl and her anguish. To cope, we have instituted two "Daddy Songs." The first one we composed a year ago, and it goes like this:
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Where is Daddy, Where is Daddy?
He's at work
He's at work
Daaaaaddy loves you
Daaaaaddy loves you
Yes he does, Yes he does
This past week, we came up with another one. It was about 4:30pm and Daddy was due home at 5:30. The BabyGirl had asked if Daddy was coming home. I told her that yes! he was coming soon. Well she needed to know the specifics of how soon is soon. Is he driving in his car right now? No. In that case, it's not soon at all and the devastation shall continue. We got into a debate of semantics. I could easily tell her that he would be home in an hour, but that had no significance to her. For some reason she kept saying, "Is he coming home soon, or sooner?" And thus our next Daddy song was born:
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
I think i sang that song for a solid hour until Daddy got home.
Recently the BabyGirl and Daddy have begun a tradition of eating popsicles together outside on the doorstep after dinner. When The Professor was little, Grandma Jackie always made homemade Koolaid popsicles. To this day, every time he visits Grandma Jackie's house (which regrettably is not very often), she always has homemade popsicles for him. Years and years ago she gave us a set of popsicle molds so we could make them too! The BabyGirl loves them and loves eating them together with Daddy even more. They made a game out of sneaking bites from the other's popsicle. It's a very special time that they share together.
Even though at times i'm kind of unwilling to share The Professor with these little usurpers, I'm unendingly greatful for what a great father he is. Both our girls love him with their whole hearts. Thank you Professor for your devotion to our family!
Showing posts with label BE infant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BE infant. Show all posts
Monday, May 13, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
They Are Both Napping!
Oh my gosh people! Today both girls are napping! Simultaneously! It's a miracle!
Naptime has become the worse part of my day. The BabyGirl is in the midst of some horrible sleeping problems, and it has been a good long while since she took a nap. The last time she actually slept during naptime, Bright Eyes was teething, and did not take a nap.
It feels like millenia since the last time i had a moment to myself to think my own personal thoughts.
But today we have silence and stillness. Had i known this was going to happen, i would have taken a much-needed nap myself. I can't decide what to do with this free time!!! Should i run a marathon? Or discover the cure for cancer? Or balance the nation's budget?
I have 78 stories i want to blog about, and 79 articles to edit. There are oodles of dishes to wash, and mountains of laundry. It's been forever since i called my sister Kay, and i need to write back to Emily.
Truthfully, i just want to sit still.
Naptime has become the worse part of my day. The BabyGirl is in the midst of some horrible sleeping problems, and it has been a good long while since she took a nap. The last time she actually slept during naptime, Bright Eyes was teething, and did not take a nap.
It feels like millenia since the last time i had a moment to myself to think my own personal thoughts.
But today we have silence and stillness. Had i known this was going to happen, i would have taken a much-needed nap myself. I can't decide what to do with this free time!!! Should i run a marathon? Or discover the cure for cancer? Or balance the nation's budget?
I have 78 stories i want to blog about, and 79 articles to edit. There are oodles of dishes to wash, and mountains of laundry. It's been forever since i called my sister Kay, and i need to write back to Emily.
Truthfully, i just want to sit still.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Just Because It's Sunny, Doesn't Mean It's Warm
Easter this year was very hard. The week leading up to Easter was difficult, exhausting, draining, and painful. It was reminiscent of the suffering that Jesus Himself endured that week. Easter Sunday is supposed to be a joyful time of celebration, but we didn't feel like celebrating. Honestly, had it not been Easter Sunday, we would have stayed home from church because we just didn't have it in us. We were tired, worn, and broken.
But the truth of the matter is that tired, worn, and broken people are exactly why Jesus came to earth in the first place. So we took ourselves to church with gratitude for His sacrifice and with hope in His victory.
It was quite a task to get everyone dressed, primped, and beautified in time arrive at church 30 minutes early. Not our usual 10 minutes late, but EARLY. The minute we walked in the door, the BabyGirl spotted her best friend and kindred spirit, Addy. Addy was also wearing a purple dress and they made an adorable pair. Anytime the BabyGirl and Addy are together, a massive hugfest ensues. They embraced each other tightly and everyone around ooo-ed and ahh-ed. It was very sweet.
Since we went through the ordeal of getting all dressed up, gosh darn it i wanted some pictures to commemorate. And not just ordinary sitting-on-the-same-old-couch pictures. I wanted great pictures! Clearly, the place to take great Easter pictures is outside. Growing up, we always took pictures in our elaborate handmade Easter dresses standing in front of blooming azaleas, tulip trees, or daffodils.
Well, we don't have blooming azaleas here in the frozen tundra. But on that particular day we had abundant sunshine! With glorious sunlight, how can you go wrong? I herded all the younglings outside for some wonderful family photos. Once we got outside, the reality became obvious: it was freezing cold.
Bright Eyes was the first one to voice her opinion. She's never had an Easter before, so she wasn't aware of my childhood photo-taking traditions.
What bothered the BabyGirl was the frigid wind. She complained, "I need a hat!!! My hair is blowing everywhere!!! I don't want my hair blowing!!!"
We all tromped back inside for warmer clothes, and then went out to try again.
It was short-lived, however. Eventually we had to face the facts and take pictures in the same place we always take pictures. The only spot in our entire house that has decent light is the living room couch.
But the truth of the matter is that tired, worn, and broken people are exactly why Jesus came to earth in the first place. So we took ourselves to church with gratitude for His sacrifice and with hope in His victory.
It was quite a task to get everyone dressed, primped, and beautified in time arrive at church 30 minutes early. Not our usual 10 minutes late, but EARLY. The minute we walked in the door, the BabyGirl spotted her best friend and kindred spirit, Addy. Addy was also wearing a purple dress and they made an adorable pair. Anytime the BabyGirl and Addy are together, a massive hugfest ensues. They embraced each other tightly and everyone around ooo-ed and ahh-ed. It was very sweet.
Since we went through the ordeal of getting all dressed up, gosh darn it i wanted some pictures to commemorate. And not just ordinary sitting-on-the-same-old-couch pictures. I wanted great pictures! Clearly, the place to take great Easter pictures is outside. Growing up, we always took pictures in our elaborate handmade Easter dresses standing in front of blooming azaleas, tulip trees, or daffodils.
Well, we don't have blooming azaleas here in the frozen tundra. But on that particular day we had abundant sunshine! With glorious sunlight, how can you go wrong? I herded all the younglings outside for some wonderful family photos. Once we got outside, the reality became obvious: it was freezing cold.
Bright Eyes was the first one to voice her opinion. She's never had an Easter before, so she wasn't aware of my childhood photo-taking traditions.
What's wrong with you people??? It's freezing out here!!!
What bothered the BabyGirl was the frigid wind. She complained, "I need a hat!!! My hair is blowing everywhere!!! I don't want my hair blowing!!!"
We all tromped back inside for warmer clothes, and then went out to try again.
It was short-lived, however. Eventually we had to face the facts and take pictures in the same place we always take pictures. The only spot in our entire house that has decent light is the living room couch.
Much better.
For Easter dinner, we were invited out into the country to visit the Griffiths. We had such a wonderful time! They have a beautiful home on 40 acres with a picturesque view in every direction. Their middle-school aged daughter Selena was so sweet and patient with the BabyGirl, helping her to feel comfortable in a new environment. Because we had such stimulating conversation, we stayed well past the girls' bedtime, a costly sacrifice that we don't make for just anyone. Our time together with them was so rejuvenating after our draining week.
My main disappointment was that i didn't get to do as much teaching with the BabyGirl during Holy Week as i wanted to. We weren't able to properly focus on Jesus' death and resurrection because of other issues going on. Yet somehow, she managed to absorb a lot and i'm so thankful! During the church service, in that quiet moment when the singing has finished and everyone just sat down, she exclaimed excitedly, "We're here because Jesus' boo-boos are all better!" And later at home she said to The Professor, "Silly Jesus! He needs to put His cross away when He is done with it!"
The next day we had some Christian music playing on Pandora. I don't even remember which song it was, but there was a line that said, "He is risen." The BabyGirl was so energetic, "They said 'He is risen' just like Jesus is risen!"
He is risen indeed!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Anticipatory Helping
(This is a story from February that i never found the time to finish. Now that spring might actually happen, I am trying to wrap up all my winter posts!)
The adjustment to life with a new baby sister was a difficult one for the BabyGirl. She loved her sister, you better believe it, but all of a sudden life was different. It was uncertain and unpredictable. These bleary-eyed zombies who had replaced Mama and Daddy didn't act right. They hardly ever smiled, they didn't play as much, and they constantly demanded silence.
The BabyGirl's confusion intensified when The Professor first went back to work and left me to keep the two girls alive all on my own. In those early months, it took FOREVER to put Bright Eyes down for a nap. During the seemingly interminable process, the BabyGirl would stand in the corner and bawl her eyes out. Because of her loud crying, it then took double-forever to get Bright Eyes to sleep. I employed my most creative age-appropriate logic to inform her that as soon as Bright Eyes went to sleep, she would have me all to herself! We could snuggle and laugh and read books and play dolls just the two of us. But the louder that she was during the put-down process, the longer it would take, and the longer until i could devote myself to her.
She could not grasp the concept.
Eventually though, life settled down and the uncertainty abated. Or at least it settled down a little. She understood our new rhythm and no longer cried during Bright Eyes' sleeping procedures.
And then, one magical day, she was a step ahead of me.
I was changing Bright Eyes' diaper in preparation for a nap. The BabyGirl was perched in her spot, standing on the arm of a chair next to the changing table so she could interact with Bright Eyes. In my head i thought about asking the BabyGirl to grab the Woombie from Bright Eyes' crib. I decided against it because it sounded so lazy of me; for crying out loud it was four steps to the left.
Well that BabyGirl hopped down from the arm of the chair, got the woombie, and proudly presented it to me at the changing table! IT WAS LIKE SHE READ MY MIND. Since i never verbalized my request to her, it was kinda creepy that she did it immediately.
I gushed with thanks to her because i truly was impressed. Then she abruptly ran out of the rooom. I thought it was odd, but whatever. I continued woombying up Bright Eyes. A moment later the BabyGirl returned, lugging one of her little chairs. Ugh, i thought. We're having such a happy time, i don't want to get onto her for that right now.
She had recently realized that if you want something that is out of your reach, simply use a chair! Need something from the very back of the kitchen counter? Bring a chair over! Want something from on top of the dresser? Get a chair!
There were chairs in every room of the house. She was constantly taking those things into the kitchen to reach all kinds of dangerous things. Her favorite was to take a chair into the bathroom to turn on the bathroom sink and play in the water for 30 minutes while i was occupied with Bright Eyes. I was SO OVER IT with her chairs. All of a sudden the only safe place to hide things i didn't want her to have was on top of the fridge. You can only fit so many things on top of the fridge, and i had exceeded capacity.
It was our daily struggle; her bringing the chairs out of the living room and me taking them back.
So when i saw her schlepping a chair into Bright Eyes' room at the exact minute i needed stillness and silence for the naptime protocol, i was annoyed. But i held back for a minute to see what would develop before i laid down the law on the chair.
She placed the chair in front of the light switch. Then she stood on it with her hand hovering over the switch. She was at the ready for my command. She said to me, "I'll turn the light out for you, Mama!"
Once again, i was amazed. She knew the naptime sequence by heart, and was helping me before i could even ask! She anticipated my next move and started working to meet my needs without me having to request it.
It was so beautiful. My sweet girl had come such a long way from the days when she had stood in the corner and cried her eyes out. She studied my every move for months until she figured things out, and now here she is confidently participating. It reminded me of Jesus saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business." The BabyGirl knew my business, and was actively involved.
Anticipatory helping is a very valuable gift. It requires insight into a person's needs, and a well-timed intervention. It involves an understanding of the situation.
During the past few weeks, we have been blessed by a wonderful act of anticipatory helping by The Professor's dad, aka The Judge.
You see, our tiny little rental house comes with two driveways and 17 miles of sidewalks. Seriously, i think that we have more square footage of concrete outside our house than we have flooring inside it. When we first looked at this house, it was summer. It did not occur to us at the time what all that concrete signified: HOURS OF SHOVELLING IN THE WINTER.
We did not own a snow blower when we moved here from the Big City. We did at least own a shovel, but through some mix-up it got left behind (and subsequently stolen). During that first winter here, we could barely afford toilet paper, let alone a snow blower. We bought the cheapest, humblest snow blower that money could buy. In its defense, it is better than shovelling by hand. But it is no match for the 17 miles of sidewalks. On an average snowfall, it takes four hours to clear one driveway and all the sidewalks (we gave up on driveway #2). It is a huge time commitment for the poor Professor, with many late nights and early mornings out in the snow.
In a huge act of love and generosity, The Judge gave us a wonderful gift! He arranged for a snow removal company to come clear our snow. He did all the research, got estimates, selected a company, and paid for it all behind our backs. We were not involved at all. A big winter storm was headed our way with a forecasted 12 inches of snow. The Judge called and said that he had handled everything! All we had to do was sit back and wait for the snow man to come!
Because of The Judge's generosity, we were able to have the best snow day of our lives. We made some beautiful family memories that i will carry with me always. Relieved of the burden of snow removal, we were able to have a completely carefree day playing in the snow and enjoying ourselves. The BabyGirl in particular had the time of her life! We tromped and sledded and made snowmen to our hearts' content! The BabyGirl thinks that the best thing to do with snow is to eat it, so she chowed down. It was so much fun.
Without The Judge's gift, our day would have been much different. The BabyGirl would have been elated to find that Daddy was not going to work! And then she would have been crushed to discover that he had to spend the equivalent of a work day outside clearing snow. When he finally finished, she would have said, "Now can we go play in the snow???" But he would be sick and tired of snow, having just spent six hours fighting to subdue it.
Another benefit of all that free time was that The Professor was able to help our elderly backyard neighbor with her sidewalks. It was the gift that kept on giving!
We are SO THANKFUL to The Judge for giving us a wonderful day together as a family! Well, Bright Eyes might not be quite so thankful. She did not enjoy being stuffed into her bunny suit and dragged out into the cold:
However, the rest of us enjoyed it enough to make up for her!
The adjustment to life with a new baby sister was a difficult one for the BabyGirl. She loved her sister, you better believe it, but all of a sudden life was different. It was uncertain and unpredictable. These bleary-eyed zombies who had replaced Mama and Daddy didn't act right. They hardly ever smiled, they didn't play as much, and they constantly demanded silence.
The BabyGirl's confusion intensified when The Professor first went back to work and left me to keep the two girls alive all on my own. In those early months, it took FOREVER to put Bright Eyes down for a nap. During the seemingly interminable process, the BabyGirl would stand in the corner and bawl her eyes out. Because of her loud crying, it then took double-forever to get Bright Eyes to sleep. I employed my most creative age-appropriate logic to inform her that as soon as Bright Eyes went to sleep, she would have me all to herself! We could snuggle and laugh and read books and play dolls just the two of us. But the louder that she was during the put-down process, the longer it would take, and the longer until i could devote myself to her.
She could not grasp the concept.
Eventually though, life settled down and the uncertainty abated. Or at least it settled down a little. She understood our new rhythm and no longer cried during Bright Eyes' sleeping procedures.
And then, one magical day, she was a step ahead of me.
I was changing Bright Eyes' diaper in preparation for a nap. The BabyGirl was perched in her spot, standing on the arm of a chair next to the changing table so she could interact with Bright Eyes. In my head i thought about asking the BabyGirl to grab the Woombie from Bright Eyes' crib. I decided against it because it sounded so lazy of me; for crying out loud it was four steps to the left.
Well that BabyGirl hopped down from the arm of the chair, got the woombie, and proudly presented it to me at the changing table! IT WAS LIKE SHE READ MY MIND. Since i never verbalized my request to her, it was kinda creepy that she did it immediately.
I gushed with thanks to her because i truly was impressed. Then she abruptly ran out of the rooom. I thought it was odd, but whatever. I continued woombying up Bright Eyes. A moment later the BabyGirl returned, lugging one of her little chairs. Ugh, i thought. We're having such a happy time, i don't want to get onto her for that right now.
She had recently realized that if you want something that is out of your reach, simply use a chair! Need something from the very back of the kitchen counter? Bring a chair over! Want something from on top of the dresser? Get a chair!
There were chairs in every room of the house. She was constantly taking those things into the kitchen to reach all kinds of dangerous things. Her favorite was to take a chair into the bathroom to turn on the bathroom sink and play in the water for 30 minutes while i was occupied with Bright Eyes. I was SO OVER IT with her chairs. All of a sudden the only safe place to hide things i didn't want her to have was on top of the fridge. You can only fit so many things on top of the fridge, and i had exceeded capacity.
It was our daily struggle; her bringing the chairs out of the living room and me taking them back.
So when i saw her schlepping a chair into Bright Eyes' room at the exact minute i needed stillness and silence for the naptime protocol, i was annoyed. But i held back for a minute to see what would develop before i laid down the law on the chair.
She placed the chair in front of the light switch. Then she stood on it with her hand hovering over the switch. She was at the ready for my command. She said to me, "I'll turn the light out for you, Mama!"
Once again, i was amazed. She knew the naptime sequence by heart, and was helping me before i could even ask! She anticipated my next move and started working to meet my needs without me having to request it.
It was so beautiful. My sweet girl had come such a long way from the days when she had stood in the corner and cried her eyes out. She studied my every move for months until she figured things out, and now here she is confidently participating. It reminded me of Jesus saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business." The BabyGirl knew my business, and was actively involved.
Anticipatory helping is a very valuable gift. It requires insight into a person's needs, and a well-timed intervention. It involves an understanding of the situation.
During the past few weeks, we have been blessed by a wonderful act of anticipatory helping by The Professor's dad, aka The Judge.
You see, our tiny little rental house comes with two driveways and 17 miles of sidewalks. Seriously, i think that we have more square footage of concrete outside our house than we have flooring inside it. When we first looked at this house, it was summer. It did not occur to us at the time what all that concrete signified: HOURS OF SHOVELLING IN THE WINTER.
We did not own a snow blower when we moved here from the Big City. We did at least own a shovel, but through some mix-up it got left behind (and subsequently stolen). During that first winter here, we could barely afford toilet paper, let alone a snow blower. We bought the cheapest, humblest snow blower that money could buy. In its defense, it is better than shovelling by hand. But it is no match for the 17 miles of sidewalks. On an average snowfall, it takes four hours to clear one driveway and all the sidewalks (we gave up on driveway #2). It is a huge time commitment for the poor Professor, with many late nights and early mornings out in the snow.
In a huge act of love and generosity, The Judge gave us a wonderful gift! He arranged for a snow removal company to come clear our snow. He did all the research, got estimates, selected a company, and paid for it all behind our backs. We were not involved at all. A big winter storm was headed our way with a forecasted 12 inches of snow. The Judge called and said that he had handled everything! All we had to do was sit back and wait for the snow man to come!
Because of The Judge's generosity, we were able to have the best snow day of our lives. We made some beautiful family memories that i will carry with me always. Relieved of the burden of snow removal, we were able to have a completely carefree day playing in the snow and enjoying ourselves. The BabyGirl in particular had the time of her life! We tromped and sledded and made snowmen to our hearts' content! The BabyGirl thinks that the best thing to do with snow is to eat it, so she chowed down. It was so much fun.
Without The Judge's gift, our day would have been much different. The BabyGirl would have been elated to find that Daddy was not going to work! And then she would have been crushed to discover that he had to spend the equivalent of a work day outside clearing snow. When he finally finished, she would have said, "Now can we go play in the snow???" But he would be sick and tired of snow, having just spent six hours fighting to subdue it.
Another benefit of all that free time was that The Professor was able to help our elderly backyard neighbor with her sidewalks. It was the gift that kept on giving!
We are SO THANKFUL to The Judge for giving us a wonderful day together as a family! Well, Bright Eyes might not be quite so thankful. She did not enjoy being stuffed into her bunny suit and dragged out into the cold:
However, the rest of us enjoyed it enough to make up for her!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Five Good Reasons Why I Simply Cannot Look at the Camera Right Now
Mama, i know that you are trying to take a good picture of me in my cute outfit from Gammer and socks from Aunt Kay, but i simply cannot look at the camera right now because:
You see Mama, babies are very busy people are we are not always available to be photographed just because the time is convenient for you.
Look! The kitties are walking by!
I'm chewing on my zebra.
Wow, there is a pattern on this blanket!
Woops, dropped my zebra.
I'm contemplating something i see out the window.
You see Mama, babies are very busy people are we are not always available to be photographed just because the time is convenient for you.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Playtime Whodunit Solved!
We have a mystery on our hands. One minute Bright Eyes was lying on her playmat, minding her own business:
And the next minute she wasn't!
Who can guess what happened?
Laura is right, big sister was the perpetrator! Big surprise, i know. The thing i find funny about it was that she did it right under my nose! I was sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea and reading something while the girls were playing nicely on the floor. I remember overhearing the BabyGirl saying, "Excuse me! Excuse me, Bright Eyes!"
I am clearly not a multitasker, because the information did not penetrate deep enough into my consciousness to cause me to look up from what i was doing. By the time i did look up, the BabyGirl had moved on to play somewhere else, and poor Bright Eyes was left all alone on the hard kitchen floor with no sister in sight.
However, the BabyGirl's motives were true. At church they cover the nursery floor with interlocking foam mats like these, only bigger and multi-colored. When church is over, everyone pitches in to take the squares apart and stack them up. The little kids love to help. That is why the BabyGirl has been pre-programmed to take the squares apart. Hopefully next time she will learn to wait until Bright Eyes is finished using them!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Bright Eyes Speaks Her Mind
Bright Eyes is now four months old! Thankfully, she seems to be understanding life a lot better now. She has become more mellow and predictable during the day. However, she's still wild and crazy at night.
She had her four month checkup this week, and the verdict was: healthy with a touch of reflux. They said she was a very fine specimen of a baby girl. Her favorite activities currently are sucking on her hands, wiggling and watching her big sister. She devotes 100% of her wakeful moments to the pursuit of sucking her thumb. She's not quite there yet, and she will do nothing else until she masters it. This means that she's a big drooly mess all day long. She used to go through multiple outfits a day due to spitting up; now she goes through clothes because of the drool. Nonetheless, she's adorable and we're glad that she is ours!
She's definitely been making herself heard recently. Being a person naturally given to extremes, she likes to be as loud and shrill as she can. It gives her great satisfaction to make a lot of high-pitched noise:
She had her four month checkup this week, and the verdict was: healthy with a touch of reflux. They said she was a very fine specimen of a baby girl. Her favorite activities currently are sucking on her hands, wiggling and watching her big sister. She devotes 100% of her wakeful moments to the pursuit of sucking her thumb. She's not quite there yet, and she will do nothing else until she masters it. This means that she's a big drooly mess all day long. She used to go through multiple outfits a day due to spitting up; now she goes through clothes because of the drool. Nonetheless, she's adorable and we're glad that she is ours!
 |
| Sucking on her hands, of course |
 |
| Smiling, but with a finger in her mouth |
 |
| Big smile |
She's definitely been making herself heard recently. Being a person naturally given to extremes, she likes to be as loud and shrill as she can. It gives her great satisfaction to make a lot of high-pitched noise:
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Silly Songs With Mama
I love hearing the songs that other mamas invent for their babies. Making up baby songs is so much fun! My sister Kay and my friend Laura are real professionals when it comes to baby songs. Kay has a whole anthology of songs on YouTube. My favorites include "Bath Day" and "Miss Eliz She Is the Shiz".
I remember one year on a church women's retreat, a couple of people were sitting around chatting with Clare Adella about her singer\songwriter career. I chimed in, "Laura is a songwriter too!" Everyone gave a surprised facial expression, thinking, "Really? I know Laura pretty well, how did i not hear about this?"
Laura said enthusiastically, "Oh yes, i write songs all the time!"
I exclaimed, "Sing the one about 'He likes to burp and eat potatoes!'"
She then entertained us with a rousing rendition of "He Likes To Burp and Eat Potatoes".
Our family's songs may not be as exciting as Kay and Laura's, but i would like to record them for posterity, so here you have a few of our favorites:
Who's My Baby Muffin Pie
to the tune of Camptown Races
Who's my baby muffin pie?
BabyGirl, BabyGirl!
Who's my baby muffin pie?
BabyGirl Alaina!
She's my muffin pie,
She's so very sweet.
Who's my baby muffin pie?
BabyGirl Alaina!
Very Hungry Girl
to the tune of La Cucaracha
Oh my Bright Eyes, she is so pretty
She's a very hungry girl
Oh my Bright Eyes, she is so pretty
She's a very hungry girl
We need to feed her; we need to smooch her
She's a very hungry girl
We need to feed her; we need to smooch her
She's a very hungry girl!
Carseat Song
Written by The Professor and BabyGirl
To the tune of Rockabye Baby
Rockabye Bright Eyes in your carseat
We will go driving til you're asleep
Then you will wake up and you'll be fed
And then we will lay you down in your bed
Bright Eyes' Sleeping Song
to the tune of the chorus of Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes
Why do you wake up
Eightteen million times a night?
Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes
O! My Bright Eyes -
When will you start sleeping right?
When it comes to real songs, here is one of the best for little girls:
I remember one year on a church women's retreat, a couple of people were sitting around chatting with Clare Adella about her singer\songwriter career. I chimed in, "Laura is a songwriter too!" Everyone gave a surprised facial expression, thinking, "Really? I know Laura pretty well, how did i not hear about this?"
Laura said enthusiastically, "Oh yes, i write songs all the time!"
I exclaimed, "Sing the one about 'He likes to burp and eat potatoes!'"
She then entertained us with a rousing rendition of "He Likes To Burp and Eat Potatoes".
Our family's songs may not be as exciting as Kay and Laura's, but i would like to record them for posterity, so here you have a few of our favorites:
Who's My Baby Muffin Pie
to the tune of Camptown Races
Who's my baby muffin pie?
BabyGirl, BabyGirl!
Who's my baby muffin pie?
BabyGirl Alaina!
She's my muffin pie,
She's so very sweet.
Who's my baby muffin pie?
BabyGirl Alaina!
Very Hungry Girl
to the tune of La Cucaracha
Oh my Bright Eyes, she is so pretty
She's a very hungry girl
Oh my Bright Eyes, she is so pretty
She's a very hungry girl
We need to feed her; we need to smooch her
She's a very hungry girl
We need to feed her; we need to smooch her
She's a very hungry girl!
Carseat Song
Written by The Professor and BabyGirl
To the tune of Rockabye Baby
Rockabye Bright Eyes in your carseat
We will go driving til you're asleep
Then you will wake up and you'll be fed
And then we will lay you down in your bed
Bright Eyes' Sleeping Song
to the tune of the chorus of Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes
Why do you wake up
Eightteen million times a night?
Bright Eyes, Bright Eyes
O! My Bright Eyes -
When will you start sleeping right?
When it comes to real songs, here is one of the best for little girls:
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Baby Train
Fact #1: The BabyGirl loves library books.
Fact #2: The BabyGirl loves her little chairs.
Fact #3: The BabyGirl loves her sister.
And when she can combine those three loves, the results are extremely cute.
The BabyGirl was given this table\chairs set for her 2nd birthday. She spent a great deal of time arranging the chairs. Lining them up, putting them in a circle, putting them back-to-back, etc. She played with those chairs quite a bit.
Fact #2: The BabyGirl loves her little chairs.
Fact #3: The BabyGirl loves her sister.
And when she can combine those three loves, the results are extremely cute.
The BabyGirl was given this table\chairs set for her 2nd birthday. She spent a great deal of time arranging the chairs. Lining them up, putting them in a circle, putting them back-to-back, etc. She played with those chairs quite a bit.
When i saw a book at the library about a cat who makes something clever out of his chairs, i knew she would enjoy it.
Spoiler alert: they make a train! Of course the BabyGirl wanted to make a train also. She made a train over and over again. She made a train for The Professor and i to sit on. She made a train for her stuffed animals. And one evening while Bright Eyes was hanging out in the kitchen while i prepared dinner, she made a train for Bright Eyes! It was so thoughtful. The chairs are in the living room, you see. But Bright Eyes was in the kitchen. Since Bright Eyes can't go to the chairs (she can't walk), she brought the chairs to Bright Eyes. She built the train so that Bright Eyes was right smack in the middle.
In the book they say, "Ding, ding! Choo, choo!"
(You probably want to read this book yourself now, so here it is: http://www.amazon.com/Meeow-Little-Chairs-Sebastien-Braun/dp/190625088X)
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Attempts to Take Two-Month Pictures Were Largely Unsuccessful
Bright Eyes is two months old! I did my darnedest to take her two month pictures while the BabyGirl was napping. You are about to see why. Taking pictures of Bright Eyes is quite a challenge when the BabyGirl is around. Unfortunately, Bright Eyes was uncooperative with my photo shoot during the BabyGirl's nap. Therefore her two month pictures include the BabyGirl. Usually you have to take 100 shots of a baby in order to get one decent picture. In this case, 100 shots resulted in 0 decent pictures. Here are the outtakes:
Wait, my eye itches
Bright Eyes not looking
BabyGirl not looking
Seriously, Mama? Lay off with the pictures
Getting silly
Finally, a cute one! BabyGirl is washing Bright Eyes' feet
The BabyGirl with her two babies
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Bringing Cosmic Back
Were you starting to get bored with how peaceful and happy this blog had become? The last several months were all "we're so thankful for this" and "we're praying for that." There was a significant lack of drama or emotional crisis, and it was starting to creep me out. I was afraid that i'd have to rename the blog "Life Is Going Fine," because it had become a misnomer to say that Life Is Cosmic.
Well, never fear! A new development in our lives is definitely bringing cosmic back.
Allow me to introduce Bright Eyes:
Bright Eyes is VERY cosmic. Whatever particular thing she is experiencing at a given moment, she experiences it 150%. Most human beings go through a progression of "I'm a little bit hungry" to "Yes i'm definitely hungry" to "Okay I'm very hungry now." Bright Eyes, on the other hand, is completely non-hungry one minute and the very next she's screaming, "GOOD LORD I'M HUNGRY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!? DON'T YOU KNOW A HUNGRY BABY WHEN YOU SEE ONE?!?"
The BabyGirl was a very peaceful and serene baby. I remember when she got some shots at her 2 month checkup, it was the first time i heard her really cry. It broke my heart. Bright Eyes, however, cries at that level on a daily basis. In her defense, she's been having some tummy trouble. We recently started her on reflux medication and she's much happier as a result.
It's not just Bright Eyes herself that is making life cosmic. The general combination of sleep deprivation, post partum hormones, and weeks of physical pain from a difficult delivery adds to the chaos. We all love Bright Eyes dearly, but we will love her much more when we don't have to see her at 2:00 am.
The newborn period is sooooo hard. It's a wonder anyone survives. Mostly i just want to fast-forward a few months. But then i feel guilty because she's my precious daughter yet i want to skip part of her life.
I was watching something on youtube the other day, and before the video played i saw one of the P & G Olympic mom ads. I've googled this ad a million times to try to find it again and it's nowhere to be found. It would be so much better if you could just watch it rather than me describing it to you. It was about one of the gymnasts. It showed a clip of her in the Olympics and her mom up in the stands cheering. The narrator said, "Jordyn Wieber knows that her biggest fan . . . is also her first fan." Then it showed a picture of Jordyn's mom holding teeny baby Jordyn.
Of course my poor hormonal, overtired self cried my eyes out. Because right now i'm holding teeny baby Bright Eyes, but one day she may be an Olympian. Or an astronaut. Or a Nobel Prize winner. Or President of the United States. And even if she's the checkout lady at the Evil Dominion of Hy-Vee, i'm her first fan. I'll always be cheering. Right now i cheer when she lifts her head off the floor during tummy time. I'll cheer when she rolls over, and when she walks. I'll cheer at her ballet recitals or softball games or track meets. I'll cheer when she graduates from high school and college.
Yes, Bright Eyes is cosmic. She spits up all over the place and she's more likely to smile at the ceiling fan than at me. But i love her and i'm her first fan.
Well, never fear! A new development in our lives is definitely bringing cosmic back.
Allow me to introduce Bright Eyes:
Bright Eyes is VERY cosmic. Whatever particular thing she is experiencing at a given moment, she experiences it 150%. Most human beings go through a progression of "I'm a little bit hungry" to "Yes i'm definitely hungry" to "Okay I'm very hungry now." Bright Eyes, on the other hand, is completely non-hungry one minute and the very next she's screaming, "GOOD LORD I'M HUNGRY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!? DON'T YOU KNOW A HUNGRY BABY WHEN YOU SEE ONE?!?"
The BabyGirl was a very peaceful and serene baby. I remember when she got some shots at her 2 month checkup, it was the first time i heard her really cry. It broke my heart. Bright Eyes, however, cries at that level on a daily basis. In her defense, she's been having some tummy trouble. We recently started her on reflux medication and she's much happier as a result.
It's not just Bright Eyes herself that is making life cosmic. The general combination of sleep deprivation, post partum hormones, and weeks of physical pain from a difficult delivery adds to the chaos. We all love Bright Eyes dearly, but we will love her much more when we don't have to see her at 2:00 am.
The newborn period is sooooo hard. It's a wonder anyone survives. Mostly i just want to fast-forward a few months. But then i feel guilty because she's my precious daughter yet i want to skip part of her life.
I was watching something on youtube the other day, and before the video played i saw one of the P & G Olympic mom ads. I've googled this ad a million times to try to find it again and it's nowhere to be found. It would be so much better if you could just watch it rather than me describing it to you. It was about one of the gymnasts. It showed a clip of her in the Olympics and her mom up in the stands cheering. The narrator said, "Jordyn Wieber knows that her biggest fan . . . is also her first fan." Then it showed a picture of Jordyn's mom holding teeny baby Jordyn.
Of course my poor hormonal, overtired self cried my eyes out. Because right now i'm holding teeny baby Bright Eyes, but one day she may be an Olympian. Or an astronaut. Or a Nobel Prize winner. Or President of the United States. And even if she's the checkout lady at the Evil Dominion of Hy-Vee, i'm her first fan. I'll always be cheering. Right now i cheer when she lifts her head off the floor during tummy time. I'll cheer when she rolls over, and when she walks. I'll cheer at her ballet recitals or softball games or track meets. I'll cheer when she graduates from high school and college.
Yes, Bright Eyes is cosmic. She spits up all over the place and she's more likely to smile at the ceiling fan than at me. But i love her and i'm her first fan.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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