The anatomy of eating a Christmas cookie.

Isabelle has never really had any sweets. I have given her a taste of ice cream here and there, but only a few times. When I made brightly colored Christmas cookies last week, she lunged for them every time she saw them on the counter. I think, of course, it had zero to do with her knowledge they were cookies as she has never had cookies (unless she is Mensa-baby as Liz claims), and everything to do with the fact they were bright red and green or purple.

So when we took her to Linda and Clark's on Christmas Eve, I figured I would let her try a cookie. I picked a smallish red tree (I ran out of green frosting...) and plopped the cookie down in front of her (she was being held by her unsuspecting neat-freak father...HA!). After a moment of questioning and trepidation, this is what followed:

And that, ladies and gentleman, is how you eat your first Christmas cookie!

From one blog to another

From my favorite blog (www.sundrymourning.com) comes the following meme. Feel free to cut and paste the questions and send me your own responses.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before? Had a baby.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any last year, I don't know that I will make any formal resolutions this year (i.e. lose weight, exercise etc), but I will make goals for myself, such as how I view myself and treat others, trying to be more patient (Lord knows I need to be) and less caustic generally.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Me, my friend Elise, and another friend David, his wife had a baby.

4. Did anyone close to you die? My Mother in Law Charlene, and Mickey (my beloved black cat), and Mama Kitty too. It was a hard few months in 2006.

5. What countries did you visit? Sadly, none other than that in which I live.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? Travel somewhere fun. Enjoy more of my husband (it's hard to remember your marriage when you have a baby). Settle into life in one state.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 17, 2006: Isabelle was born. April 21, 2006: Charlene died. May 5, 2006: we found Mickey's body.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Personally: having a wonderful, healthy baby. Professionally: getting a nice bonus at work and being complimented by their desire to promote me to partnership within 2 years. Of course, then I resigned and moved back to Oregon....

9. What was your biggest failure? Allowing other people to pressure me into making decisions I may not have otherwise made.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Other than having a baby and a heck of an episiotomy? No.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Hmmm, that's a tough one. My new digital camera probably. Although Isabelle's jumperoo ranks right up there. I also love my Kate Spade gold wallet.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Isabelle's on almost a daily basis. She is such a good baby and a real trouper on the airplane, in the car, and being carted around everywhere during the move. Plus she maintains happiness even when she is sick. Her shining little personality is an inspiration.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? A family member's. Maybe I shouldn't say that here, but it's true. I am working on learning to live with it though and to readjust my expectations of what a "parent" and "grandparent" should be. Well, and Mini's. She is such a mean cat. She torments poor Meeko and is a lap hog. She lies in wait for him and them blocks him from getting into or out of a particular room.

14. Where did most of your money go? To a new house. What the hell happened to the Portland real estate market when we were gone for 2 years???!!! It's almost like being in California, only without the sunshine (or the really skinny, tan people...it's nice to be back in Portland where as a size 8 with medium skin I am thin and not considered frighteningly white).

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Isabelle being born (sorry about the continuing theme here, but hey, she MY BABY! How did I become somebody's mother???)

16. What song will always remind you of 2006? Kenny Chesney, The Road and the Radio.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier socially, sadder professionally.
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner. I weighed 175 pounds at this time last year (of course I was carrying one large critter inside my belly).
c) richer or poorer? Poorer (see sadder professionally above, taking a 50% pay cut to move back to Portland sucks no matter how you slice it).

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Enjoy life. Things just seemed so stressful and sad for many parts of 2006. Isabelle was a wonderful addition and is the most amazing little person. I should have appreciated that more and tried to let the crap roll off of me more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Obsess on things I didn't have control over.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? With Paul and Isabelle Christmas morning and joining Linda, Clark, Zach and Molly for dinner.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006? Yes, with Isabelle, and it is the greatest deepest love of my life.

22. How many one-night stands? None (see episiotomy above). Well that and I am married and not a swinger.

23. What was your favorite TV program? Big Love (early 2006) and Ugly Betty (late 2006).

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don't hate anyone other than your generalized child molesters, rapists, animal abusers etc.

25. What was the best book you read? In 2006 - the Georgia Nicholson series (Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging). I loved them. Light and funny.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? I am still waiting for a musical discovery.

27. What did you want and get? An I-Pod Nano.

28. What did you want and not get? A million dollars and a time share to the Four Seasons.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? Batman Begins. I liked the batsuit and the cape...

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 36. Had a BBQ and hung out with the family.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Family peace.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Losing baby weight = just trying not to still look pregnant and as if I was wearing a sack.

33. What kept you sane? That begs the question that I was kept sane.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Fancy = have the hots for? Christian Bale - in the batsuit and cape.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? Darfur. Where is the UN - why aren't we there?

36. Who did you miss? Charlene and Mickey. Terribly.

37. Who was the best new person you met? Isabelle, duh!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. Don't let the negativity and pressure of others bury themselves and fester in you. Appreciate the wonderful things and people that you have because life is fragile.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "Clarity and inspiration, happiness is a destination that's hard to find, it may take some time. In my mind there's something more and I'll open up a brand new door and find the strength to close the ones I left behind." From Kenny Chesney, the Road and the Radio.

Christmas morning.

Although she was sick, with what turned out to be croup (thanks Uncle Clark...), Isabelle had a nice Christmas morning. She was non-plussed by the tree, the boxes, and even the paper, but really liked her new musical instruments set and ball (see below).

She also liked her lemon wedge (and sitting on the dishwasher). You have got to love babies!

Cousins

Last weekend, Emily and my Mom came to visit. Isabelle and Emily had a very fun time together. We took a stroll (in the very cold weather) to Smith School, which is a few blocks away. Emily pulled Isabelle in her wagon the entire way, including up some hills and over a bumpy grass field. Emily is such a strong girl!

The next day, Isabelle's other cousin, Molly cam to visit. The big girls decorated Christmas cookies. I think they ate a little frosting too - what do you think? And did they just maybe have a good time?

Go Bolts!

It's (finally) a good year to be a Charger fan! And Isabelle, being truly a San Diego native much to her father's chagrin, must be raised as one. Let's hope of course that she isn't the pessimist I am when it comes to the bolts...Anyhow, Grammy bought her an L.T. jersey, which looked great with her white lace-up pants. She is the littlest runningback (or crawlingback as it where). Enjoy!

How much is too much?

Other than the week when she had food poisoning (or the flu or whatever it was) Isabelle has always been a "good eater." Lately, however, she seems to have taken that moniker to new heights. The child, all 26.5 pounds of her (and yes that puts her in the 110th percentile) can put away some food. The other night, for instance, she ate and entire chicken breast. And I am not talking about some puny bit of meat. This was a full sized breast - the size I take for lunch - and don't often finish. On top of that she had some fruit and rice and her 8 oz. bottle. Her little tummy sticks out like Santa's after a full night of milk and cookies. Her legs look like toothpicks supporting the Great Egg of a body perched on top. When I asked how much solid food to feed her the pediatrician said "until she turns away." Do you think he knew just how much she eats?

I am also not sure he knows what she eats. Isabelle, as I am sure all baby's do, goes through periods of "favorite" foods. For a while it was peaches and then cheese (until the House o'Vomit period). Now its meat. And let me just say the child is like an angry predator if you don't give her the meat, especially if you are eating it. She will howl at you and demand some cooked flesh until you give in. And it doesn't matter the type of meat: steak, buffalo, chicken, turkey, ham, sausage, beer sausage (mit kasse fondue), chicken schnitzel, apple sausage, or even elk pepperoni stick. The child loves meat. She grabs it with her greasy little pinchers and stuffs it into her mouth. Then she rubs her eyes...why I don't know (I suppose she is tired or they itch?), but it never ceases that she ends up with meat bits and grease smeared in her eyes and across her face. She is a dainty flower indeed.

In other ITL news she loves to scream. I don't mean in protest or out if anger, she just loves to do it. And she loves it more when you scream back at her (its a high pitched guttural scream from the back of the throat). It's really pretty funny I must say. Here will be sitting this adorable little plump cherub who is happily playing and who busts out a scream. It gives her much delight.

Last night, at the end of her supper (she had beer sausage and fondue with a little chicken schnitzel from Gustav's) I gave her a lemon wedge. You know from a prior post that she loved eating a lime wedge. The lemon wedge, it turns out, was also much revered. She ate the entire thing. Of course she rubbed the lemon wedge in her eye too, which didn't go over so well and led to a bath. Needless to say the lemon wedge came into the bath with Isabelle. She then proceeded to carry it around with her while riding in her car, bouncing in her jumperoo, and playing in the mirror (one of her favourite pastimes). I finally sneaked the now slippery, deflated rind away from her before she went to bed. Unfortunately, I didn't throw it away and this morning she discovered its hiding place and happily picked it up and popped in into her moth again. Because she now had the whole thing stuffed into her mouth and because, well it was gross, I decided to throw Wedgie away. The child cried. She cried because I took away a slimy, nasty, completely used lemon wedge. Babies are odd.

In other news she is getting a fifth tooth -- the other upper font tooth. Or at least I think she is. You can clearly see her other upper front and tooth next to it coming in. But she doesn't really like you peering into her mouth to get a good look, so its tough to know. When you do try to feel around in there she happily bites you with her sharp little teeth. I think she thinks its a game. Whatever, your reaction of surprise and pain makes her rather gleeful.

Pictures of wintertime in Oregon

Santa Baby

We took the busy baby to see Santa today. She was grumpy and so I was very worried that she would cry, you know you always hear stories of babies and kids screaming as soon as they get sat in Santa's lap. Thankfully she didn't scream and cry. She actually was very interested in Santa, and spent a good deal of time inspecting his beard and glasses. I tried to get the lady to take some of the pictures of Isabelle looking at Santa, but she was slow to it and they didn't turn out as cute as they were in person.

She was a good girl and it was fun.

When it rains it pours.

Isabelle had a no-vomit Friday, which was great. She still had no appetite, but the not throwing up was a relief. I have been so worried about her little self. Saturday she started to want to eat more than just formula and a few Cheerios. I was at work all day, but Paul said he gave her a few pieces of chicken and some cheese...da-da-DA (read in menacing music whenever you read the word CHEESE).

I got home around 10 pm and took a bath and got ready for bed. As is my normal routine, when I was ready to head to bed I checked in on Isabelle. As soon as I opened the door I knew something had gone awry. You could just smell it.

We turned on the hall light and sure enough she had thrown up all over in her crib. She was peacefully sleeping in the stench. We got her up and changed her sheet and her clothes. Her beautiful soft baby hair was pungent with the stink of fermented bile. We wiped her off and put her back to sleep. I opted to sleep in her room on the floor in case she threw up again. It took her a long time to go to sleep. It took me longer and I woke up every time she coughed or rolled over. Thankfully she didn't throw up again. And like clockwork at 7 am she was up and smiling.

I went for a nap while Paul tended to her in the morning. When I got up Paul reported she was very grumpy and had been so all morning. She played happily for the most part of the day, however, with a few minor complaints and a lot of me acting like a loon on loon-tablets.

Around 5 pm I went to put her down for her late nap. And after about 15 minutes of sleep she was wailing in her room. This isn't really like Isabelle so I went in and she was just sobbing. Her cries seemed to have a familiar tone to them. So I put my finger in her mouth and sure enough a new tooth (upper left front) is sprouting. So its not enough she has been throwing up for almost a week, but now she is getting a new tooth. Poor sweet baby.

Hopefully she will weather this tooth like she did the last two and in a few days will be her old self. On a different and better note, by this evening she seemed to be getting her appetite back. She ate some pizza (sans CHEESE) and some chicken along with a full bottle. Here's hoping she is on the road to mend.

Vomit central.

For the last 10 months I kept wondering how I would react when Isabelle got sick...I mean more than just a little cold. Well now I know. Since Monday around noon she has been throwing up on and off (the first night was really bad) and refusing to eat anything but a few Cheerios. She won't drink Pedialyte or any sportsdrinks or juices. She will drink some water and some formula. Of course tonight after she drank 4 tiny ounces of formula (this is the child after all that could regularly consume 10-12 ounces at 3 months old) she promptly projectile vomited out onto the sofa.

I am going to take her to the doctor tomorrow if I can get her in. She has no fever and is, strangely, still in good spirits and playful - but throwing up for 48 hours just seems like too much to me.

We think it was the cheese. Isabelle eats string cheese a few times a day. Last night Paul ate some string cheese too. And this morning he commenced vomiting. Hence - Vomit Central. Now I know these aren't "real" problems and they will both be fine, but its still sucks. Not to mention work is crazy and I already had planned working over the weekend....sigh.

It's funny how even a tiny sickness can make you worry so much when it's your child. I am not sure how people who have seriously ill children do it. They are made of stronger stuff than I am.

Tomorrow morning I am hoping to take ITL to the doctor. We were supposed to be meeting with our attorney to get our will written and guardianship papers done. Paul and I have always had wills and I have never thought twice about it. But writing a will and having guardianship papers drawn when you have a baby makes it all seem so real. Death, the fragility of life, it becomes more profound.

The idea of Paul and I dying and having to leave Isabelle breaks my heart, yes. But when our lawyer asked about what we wanted in the event of a "catastrophic" event - all three of us dying - my mind switched to the morose. Thinking of something catastrophic happening to Isabelle makes me feel claustrophobic. Like I am wrapped tighly in heavy dark sheets, blind, and can't breath. Sometimes I torment myself with such thoughts and I don't know why. I have talked to Amy and Maggie and apparently such thoughts are not unique to me. Maybe its the mother lion instinct. If you worry your senses are more sharp, your protective thoughts more keen. I don't know.


Okay, sorry about the heavy message. I am tired and stressed and smell of baby vomit (dude - what goes on in their tiny tummies that can make vomit smell like rotten goat cheese fermented in bile on a hot day???).


Here are some pictures of ITL enjoying her bath. She LOVES the bath. Drinks the bath water, splashes, squeals and generally has a smashing time. It's like a carnival ride for babies.

Snow and...uhm...vomit.

After spending four warm days in San Diego, we came back to the grey, rainy Northwest. The thing I don't like about the weather here is the boring grey days filled with drizzly rain. Well this morning when I woke up and opened the blinds I saw snow gently falling out the window. I love snow. Its delicate feather-like softness, the way it makes everything look clean and calm and peaceful. A light snow is good for the soul.

I toted ITL outside as the snow fell. As you know she loves to look at and inspect everything. And the snow was no exception. Her reaction seemed to be filled with wonderment, confusion, concentration, and delight. I loved watching her experiencing something new. Its as if you can see her mind expanding. Seeing the world through her eyes, if only in tiny fragments, never ceases to amaze and humble me.







Bad mom, didn't tame the baby's crazy morning bedhead:



And of course the chilliness means a perfect thumb-sucking opportunity.:


Oh, and about the vomit you ask? Well we think Isabelle must have eaten something bad. We are not sure it's the flu. She has been sleeping extraordinarily long the last two nights - even for her. Today Paul and ITL were on their way to do errands when Paul looked in the rearview and saw a baby covered in formula and cheese vomit. It was soaked all through her clothes and the car seat was covered. Poor baby, although she didn't seem to be really fazed by it.

She didn't really want to eat today (or last night for that matter) either. This is odd and she is usually the 26 lb. - Hoover. So tonight I have her sitting on the counter in the kitchen and BLECH out come the bottle full of water she has been consuming during the afternoon. Again it didn't seem to bother her. She doesn't have a fever and isn't lethargic, she is still playing and chipper - if not just a little extra cuddly and wanting to be held. Oh, and she has some badness in her diaper...its a good thing Paul is a Haz Mat technician because the smell of the diaper and its contents could kill you. I mean its bad. B-A-D. Poor child. Hopefully she will be feeling better tomorrow. And maybe there will even be a little more snow.