(If you’re not a Sims2 player or familiar with the game, I apologize if this post is a little cryptic.)
So, in the past I have remarked that, as a parent, I am finding myself faced with some striking similarities to a parent in Sims2. For example, but not limited to, having put my child down on the floor of the bathroom so I could get a shower. (Granted, she was on a play mat with a couple of toys, but STILL. How far a leap from that is it to putting a child down in the yard and going in and turning on the Yummy Channel on TV, I ask you? Or wandering off to dance the Smustle with bottles and diapers littering the floor?)
So, yes. I alarm myself sometimes when I think of the fine line between some of my Sims and real life.
Well, yesterday, I inched a little bit closer to that line.
I fed my daughter a bottle yesterday — holding her, mind you, not just setting her down on the floor to feed herself — and when she was done, I sat her beside me on the sofa with one of her toys to play a little bit. After a few minutes, I began to notice a scent. More like an aroma, actually, emanating from the other end of the couch. Had this really been Sims, there would have been a greenish cloud forming around my child.
Now, with babies, waftiness happens in a number of forms. It might not be a poop. Could be she was just farting up a storm, and a diaper change would not be required. And THAT would save me trotting with her up and down stairs, not to mention buy me a few more minutes of rest on the couch.
So, like any parent would… I decided to do a sniff-test diaper check.
(WHAT??? You KNOW everybody does it.)
Now, in Sims2, you can choose to have various interactions with your child, and you get relationship points between your Sim and your Sim baby from these interactions. (This is good. You want this.) You can cuddle them, and talk to them, and play with them. If you select “Play With” and your Sim is holding a baby, they can tickle them, and make them giggle, or hold them up in the air and make that “choochie-choochie” baby talk noise. If these are your Sims, you want your Sim parent to just tickle the baby, and not do the “choochie-choochie” flying-baby thing. Because sometimes, with that, you gamble and lose, and the baby barfs on your Sim’s head, and her hygeine meter goes into red and she will need a shower, PRONTO. So tickling… definitely the better option.
Should have remembered that yesterday when I did the bum check.
I hoisted my daughter up in the air to sniff the ol’ diaper and… she barfed all over me.
My hygiene meter went into red.
And I didn’t even get any relationship points out if it.
(And to add insult to injury, she had a MASSIVE poop. One of those up-the-back, all-over-the-inside-of-the-sleeper numbers. So I ended up not only with barf all over me, but poop all over my hands.)
November 21st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
3 comments
One of the best pieces of advice I was given when I talked to people about becoming a parent came from my good friend Heather, who said, “When you get your daughter, give yourself six weeks to settle in.”
She told me, and when she had her first child, someone told her, that when you have a new baby, the first six weeks are the adjustment period. The first six weeks will be rough, and exhausting, and when you are really challenged. The first six weeks are when you and your child are getting to know one another, and getting to know one another’s quirks and behaviours. The first six weeks are when you’ll cry the most.
So, we went into this whole parenting adventure knowing that we should not put any pressure on ourselves for that first six weeks to do anything other than adjust and learn. We knew that the first six weeks would be our big challenge, and we should just roll with things, and that we should cut ourselves some slack.
And she was right.
The first six weeks together were when we were truly sleep deprived. It was a time when we adjusted to life as parents, and our daughter adjusted to life with us as parents. It was when we learned a lot of her cries and cues and habits. It was when our daughter was sick for the first time. It was, because she is such an easygoing kid, not a bad six weeks compared to most new parents’ experience, but still there were a lot of trying times.
So it was excellent advice. But I would add to it, if I were going to pass it on.
I would say that after that first six weeks, there is another six-week period of adjustment. That second six weeks is when you begin to get your life back, in a sense.
The second six weeks, after you have adjusted to the whole “OMG-there’s-a-KID-in-our-house!” thing, is when you begin to feel a bit more like a normal functioning human. The second six weeks are when you start to establish (or TRY to establish) some “normal” again in your life. You begin to figure out how you can shower when you are on your own with a child. You begin to figure out how to stay on top of the laundry. You begin to venture outside your house on your own with your child to do things like buy groceries and run errands. You get into a daily rhythm with your child. It can be frustrating and challenging at times, and there will be some rough patches as you try to figure things out. But it is a little bit different from the challenges and adjustments of that initial six week period.
You begin to feel — REALLY feel — like somebody’s parent.
Because honestly? A lot of that first six weeks, it doesn’t REALLY feel like you are a parent. Oh sure, you KNOW you are, but it does not really FEEL that way. A lot of the time you are just muddling through, trying to figure out this new life that you have chosen for yourself and this small person who is lying there staring up at you. A lot of the time, you feel like you are babysitting. For that first six weeks, you are essentially strangers.
But in the second six weeks, along with the figuring out of routines and getting some normal back in your life, you begin to get to know your child. You begin to find you have special ways of making them smile or laugh, or they begin to show their likes or dislikes, or you begin to see they come to you for comfort or when they are tired. Some people would call it bonding, I guess.
But those are the times it will hit you that you are starting to feel like somebody’s parent. And that this little stranger is becoming less and less of a stranger, and more and more your child.
So, yes, if I were to pass on Heather’s excellent advice, I would say you should give yourselves six weeks when you first are home with your child to adjust. The first six weeks are the roughest. But I would add that there is a second six weeks of adjustment to prepare for. And that the second six weeks are when the magic begins to happen.
November 19th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Adoption |
9 comments
Two months have passed since we brought our daughter into our family. It’s hard to imagine life without her, now that she is here. Our life revolves completely around her. And that’s good.
She just passed the 7-month mark on this planet, and she’s less and less like the frail, helpless little infant we met two months ago in Addis. She’s becoming a little person with personality and likes and dislikes, and making her mark on us.
She can sit by herself — as long as Mum is behind her to crash into, as she inevitably does, when she throws her head back and arches her back, as if to see what will happen.
She has declared herself a vegetarian — so long as we keep trying to feed her baby food meat.
She MUST find out how all her seatbelt restraints work, as though they hold the secret of the universe within.
She has figured out how her legs work, and is learning to bounce in her Jolly Jumper chair thing.
She LOVESLOVESLOVES to talk on the phone.
She hates socks, but the bunny slippers are a favourite.
She has a fondness for all foods orange — sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, peaches. She ADORES sweet potatoes and peaches.
She loves to splash and kick in the bath. If she’s crabby, we give her a bath and she perks right up.
She thinks Mum’s ponytail is HILARIOUS.
She goes to sleep without a fight at 10 am and 2 pm. Other times, she makes us earn it.
She can roll over from back to front and from front to back, but does not see the point, really. So she just DOESN’T.
She loves to take a sip out of a Big Girl Cup. Water is just fine, because it is the EVENT that counts.
She enjoys Doctor Who. The Ninth Doctor, obviously.
She thinks it’s great fun to sit on the sofa like a big girl and “have a talk” with Mom and even sometimes Daddy, when he’s home.
She is starting to sleep through the night.
She has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger.
She rules her Mommy’s life with a chubby iron fist.
She’s the best thing ever to happen to us.
November 17th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Her Babyness |
7 comments
Okay. I know you have read all the baby books, and all the documentation, and gotten lots of advice from people. I know I did when we first began this parenting journey.
But I am here to tell you about something that they DIDN’T tell you about. Something you should be warned about, and prepared for, and be ever watchful and ready. It wasn’t in any baby book anywhere, or in any of the adoption documentation… NOTHING. But I want you all to be prepared.
Because I have learned something that every parent should know. Something so horrifying, so terrible, so scary… that you need to know about it. And prepare yourself.
The fact is that BABIES CAN EXPLODE, SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING.
It’s true.
It happened to me today. THREE TIMES.
I know.
Now, I am sure you are thinking to yourself, “Self? That could NEVER happen to me. Not to MY CHILD. Not to this cute little bundle of love, the apple of my eye…”
OH, but it CAN.
I was comfortable in my motherhood role, happily parenting the gorgeous girl, just having an average day, and then WHAMMO. The baby just EXPLODES.
And let me tell you — IT WASN’T PRETTY.
The first time it happened, it was early this morning. We had no prior warning. We were ASLEEP, for the love of doG! There was nothing that could be done!
We walked in to the baby’s room to find the explosion had happened all over the bedding. Looks like the diaper contained some of it… but it’s a diaper, Jim, it’s not a bomb shelter! There’s only so much a diaper can take!
The next time there was a mess where the back of her onesie used to be. A little pink onesie, just minding it’s own business, when BLAM. So, so sad. *sniff* (But don’t sniff too hard.)
The third time it happened, a pair of pants AND a onesie took a direct hit to the flank. There was nothing that could be done for them, nothing. You take a hit like that, and well… it’s not pretty.
So. I am telling you this so you can be forewarned. BABIES CAN EXPLODE! Be on your guard! Be vigilant!
DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
(I would have posted pictures — erm… PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE — but nobody needs to see that.)
November 14th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
11 comments
So, yesterday was not one of my best mommy days ever. Nor was it one of Stinkerbelle’s best baby days.
She had been up half the night the night before, and we were both very tired, very crabby, and very unreasonable. It happens. And the best you can do is to just try to remain calm and get through it. But some days, you work each other up and it just makes things that much worse.
Yesterday was one of those days. We spent a good deal of the day annoying each other and yelling at each other and just generally being crabby to each other. But we also had things to get done, and when 1 o’clock approached, I knew it was time to start getting ready to go out and run some errands.
I started getting her dressed and she fought and fussed and generally was a weenie, but she was dressed and ready to go by 1:30. I still had to get myself ready, which annoyed her. But by quarter to 2 we were ready and heading out the door.
We went to the first grocery store, which stocks 2 things we need: distilled water and Butt Paste. As we were walking through the store, a very old man came over, and peeked at Her Babyness. And then, he began speaking to her VERY LOUDLY. (I think he has some hearing issues, myself. DUDE was SHOUTING, man.) Well, this startled the already crabby Stinkerbelle, and she began to cry.
So I excused myself, wheeled her around to calm her down, and headed through the checkout. Where ANOTHER well-meaning old person got in her face and upset her.
I put her in the car with our bags, and off we went to the next store. This is the grocery store she is accustomed to, so she was calmer and more relaxed to be there. As we wheeled around the store, she dozed off. But then, MORE people would get in her face and, while meaning to coo over her and compliment her and such, would only just wake her up again. And wake up none too happy, I might add.
And because of that? LONGEST TRIP TO THE GROCERY STORE IN OUR LIVES, MAN. (I mean seriously. I know she’s beautiful and all, but SERIOUSLY. Do I need to HANG A FRIGGING SIGN?? “Baby Sleeping. Shut the F*** Up.” Sheesh.)
But we got everything we needed, and I got her back in the car. The ride is only 3 minutes from the store to our house, so there was no chance she was going to sleep. I got her and the groceries inside, and I decided I was going to give her a nice big bottle and get her to nap. And she was so tired, she was in agreement.
I settled into the rocking chair and she finished up her bottle and was beginning to doze off, when another old person struck: Opus. Our ancient Bubby came into the room and started shrieking for all she was worth. And in so doing, woke The Girl up again.
I threw something in Opus’s general direction to scare her off, and tried to get Stinkerbelle settled back into a sleep. And once I thought she was asleep, I headed up to her room to put her into her crib.
The moment I tried to lay her down, she started wailing. So I pulled her close and rocked her again. And once she was asleep again, I tried to lay her down. Same result: lots of wailing, not so much sleeping.
At this point, I was hell bent and determined that THIS CHILD WAS GOING TO NAP. So I took her upstairs, and very quietly managed to lie down on the couch with Stinkerbelle asleep on my chest.
And we napped. For something like 45 minutes. 45 WONDERFUL minutes.
And then, the old folks struck again. Opus came up the stairs, looking for us, shouting all the while.
Stinkerbelle awoke with a start. I shushed Bubby, and tried to lull Stinkerbelle back to sleep. But she was startled, and pushed up looking from one side to another. She was awake.
And then, she barfed all over the front of my shirt.
I lay there for a moment, stunned. But then the look on her face — “EWWWW”, combined with a bit of shock, really — made me burst out laughing. I said, “Look, Lady… I am the one who just got barfed on. So if anyone is going to have that look on their face, it’ll be me.”
And then we both started laughing. Big old belly laughs.
We were a little rested, and that made all the difference in our moods.
So we spent the rest of the evening — once I changed out of my barf shirt — goofing around on the couch and watching her favourite video. It was nice.
But when bedtime rolled around, there was no fussing, no messing about. Straight to bed. Both of us were happy to go.
November 12th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
7 comments
It’s gotten cold again. Our lovely warm weather is gone, replaced by 3 degree days, and rain or snow flurries.
BAH. So much for basking in the sunshine. Time to bundle Her Babyness up in fleece and quilted warmth like a little sausage with eyes. Walks are going to get chilly in a hurry.
November 9th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
10 comments
The first quilt square we got for our Good Wishes Quilt, other than from us, is from Stinkerbelle’s Auntie Vicki.
Now, Auntie Vicki is not technically Stinkerbelle’s aunt — she’s actually our good friend and hairdresser. But she has been with us through a lot of our big life events. She made us gorgeous for our wedding. She consoled us over our miscarriage. She talked with us often about our adventures in infertility treatment. And she waited, ever so patiently for our our adoption to be complete. Not to mention, she is a big fan of my gingerbread.
So she’s TOTALLY an honourary Auntie.
She was so very excited when we finally DID bring Her Babyness home, and, as she stood holding the girl in her arms, looked a little shocked and said, “I cannot BELIEVE I am holding YOUR DAUGHTER.” She’s been following our quest for a family so long, it was the end of a long journey for her, too.
When she went to give me the fabric, she got all flustered and said, “Okay. I saw this and thought it would be PERFECT: pink because she’s a girl, and lots of cats on it because you have lots of cats… But I bought you this BEFORE I saw the fabric you posted. And I realized it TOTALLY DOESN’T MATCH. So if you want, I can get a different one.” Which was really sweet.
I told Vicki not to worry, that this fabric would be just perfect. I explained that this quilt is going to be like a story: every square comes from someone special, and there’s a reason they chose it, and a wish behind it. So they don’t all have to match — it’s the story behind how each square came to be there that counts. And it’s a story I can tell our daughter. over and over again, as the years go by and her wishes come true.
So I said this one would be perfect, and I was keeping it.
Vicki didn’t have a wish for Stinkerbelle yet. She said that would come later. But that’s okay, there’s lots of time: the girl doesn’t have any hair yet, and so we’ll be sure to visit Vicki for her first haircut, but not for a LONG time yet, I think.
So thanks Vicki!
November 8th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Adoption, Friends and Family, Craftiness |
4 comments
19. It’s been 19 GLORIOUS degrees here in the wilds of suburban southern Ontario. It’s been clear and sunny and warm.
So if you wonder where I have been… I’ve been OUTSIDE.
If it were summer, we’d be complaining about how cool it is, probably wearing pants instead of shorts, or long sleeves instead of short sleeves. But in November, where this part of the country is almost always cold and rainy and miserable, 19 degrees is nigh unto paradise.
Her Babyness and I have taken long walks in the sunshine, or sat out on the porch, or just generally enjoyed the gorgeous weather for the last couple of days. It’s one of those freaky weeks we sometimes get of unseasonable warmth in the midst of a whole bunch of cold — like the Christmas Day a few years ago when we went for a walk in t-shirts — and when these weeks come, you have to enjoy them. Yesterday, we walked in the morning for an hour and a bit, down to the grocery store and around the neighbourhood… and we enjoyed that so much, we went for another walk for an hour and a half in the afternoon. Baby’s getting to see the big wide world, while Mom’s getting a workout putting more than a few kilometres on the stroller.
Today we drove into the big town where she had lunch with BDH while I went to the dentist. It was “bring your child to work day” at his office — so we stretched the rules a little bit, so what? — and Stinkerbelle joined the IT team for an hour. Then we drove to visit Auntie Heather and the Little Man for a little while, which was Stinkerbelle’s first visit with someone her own size and/or weight class. The Little Man had his boogie on today, which Stinkerbelle found FASCINATING, although she was unfortunately generally pretty crabby, given this was her first real “visiting” outing since we’ve been home and her routine was all over the place.
BUT… we enjoyed riding around in the car, windows open, she with bare feet so the breeze caught her toes, and it was nice to turn up the radio and sing along. Or, rather, I sang along, while she snoozed in her bucket in the sunshine.
And tomorrow, if the weather holds, Auntie Heather loaned us a bouncy chair which would be perfect for sitting out in the backyard and letting Stinkerbelle see if she can figure out what those chubby little legs are for, while Mom enjoys a rest and a drink on the new patio.
If you’re in the neighbourhood, come on by. I’m sure there are beverages and chairs, bouncy or no, enough for all.
November 5th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
5 comments
I’m having a bad mommy/good mommy sort of day.
First, it was the day of Stinkerbelle’s doctor’s appointment. After a time change, a 9:15 appointment is perhaps not the BEST time to go anywhere with just a short ride in the car, because one just settles in for a nap when one is unceremoniously dragged from the nice warm confines of the car, through the rain, and into a noisy office. And although one remains in the bucket, and begins to settle in during a long-ish wait with a bit of a bottle, and begins to drift off to a comfy sleep… one is pulled from the bucket and stripped naked.
No, that was STINKERBELLE’s morning. Not mine. But that’s not the half of it.
Once she was stripped down to her diaper, the doctor came in. And that’s fine, because the doctor is a man, and Her Babyness loves to flirt. She was all charm and smiles and cooing and breezed through her exam. She had him wrapped around her little finger.
Until he said, “…and the nurse will be in shortly to weigh and measure her and give her her needles.”
So, the pediatrician had called our family doctor on Friday, and they agreed that her vaccinations would all have to be done again. I was in agreement. I had not, however, asked Herself if it was okay.
The doctor left, and the nurse came in. Immediately Stinkerbelle was put out. “Where had the lovely man gone? Why is this woman talking to me and making pen marks on this paper by my head and feet?” She was tolerant, but as you know, it’s all fun and games until somebody tries to pick you up and take you away.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
My baby burst into loud, long, shrill wails of panic. Somebody was trying to take her away from her mommy!
I felt bad for her, because she was clearly VERY upset. But secretly? I was THRILLED that my daughter was “making strange”. It means she is starting to bond. She knows me and she wants me. I love that.
So once the weighing was done, she was handed back to me and I calmed her down. She was mad, but she began to forgive me.
The nurse came in with some Tylenol, and told me to give her a dose. And while Stinkerbelle played with the crinkly paper on the exam table, the nurse explained the shot and the possible side effects. Her Babyness might be tired, or irritable, or have a low-grade fever. I was to call them if there was anything at all I was concerned about. And then she told me to hold my daughter’s leg firmly, one hand at the top near her hip and the other above her knee.
The next wail, this one of pain, rang out through the office. But she was not done. She needed a shot in the other leg, too. More wailing. Big, sad tears.
I picked her up to comfort her. She was furious with me. I had betrayed her tiny trust. I was a Bad Mommy.
Once she was calmer, I put her down to dress her. I felt pretty bad. There were little blood stains on my shirt where her legs had been. There was a big wet patch where she had cried big tears into my chest as she looked for comfort.
I got her dressed and packed her into her car seat, and we headed out.
We stopped off quickly at the grocery store. She fell asleep a few minutes into the trip, somewhere in the bakery aisle, a combination of the need for a nap, the trauma of the morning, and the effects of the Tylenol and needles. And she slept hard for the next hour.
She woke up happy sometime after 11, in her car seat in the middle of the foyer, two of her cats checking up on her. She grinned at me, and I think she had forgiven me.
For the rest of the day, she is perfectly content to lie quietly playing on a blanket in front of her favourite video, as long as Mommy does not leave her sight. She’s tired, she’s feeling off, but she’s the happy baby we know and love.
But she needs her mommy — the Good Mommy — nearby at all times, just in case. And hey, spending a quiet day on standby for snuggles with my beautiful girl… Can’t think of a better way to spend the day than that.
November 3rd, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Fitness and fatness, Her Babyness |
4 comments
Yesterday was our daughter’s first pediatrician’s appointment. And, hopefully, our last. (Although we really liked the pediatrician, we have a family doctor, so hopefully we have no future need for anything particularly specialized in terms of medical care for the little peanut.)
Our family doctor has seen Stinkerbelle twice, and pronounced her healthy. But he is cautious. Since she is adopted from another country, he wanted to be completely sure that everything was properly checked out by a specialist. And I appreciate that.
HOWEVER.
The last time we visited the family doctor, the thing he was most concerned about was her HIV tests. It seems that, although our child had two HIV tests before her adoption, and both of them were clear… our doctor is aware of some cases locally in which patients from Ethiopia had tested negative in Ethiopia, but when they arrived in Canada, were found to be HIV positive.
EXCUSE ME??
Now, the doctor just kind of mentioned this matter-of-factly to us during her last appointment. “Just because she tested negative while in Ethiopia does not necessarily MEAN she is negative” was basically the gist of the conversation. And although it is uncommon, as our doctor can attest, it DOES happen. So, he booked us an appointment with a pediatrician.
So for the last couple of weeks, this little niggling factoid has been sitting in my subconscious. I know our daughter is healthy, but still…
So yesterday, we went to the pediatrician’s office. It was quiet, and a nice, bright, friendly place. The receptionist was very nice, very gentle with us and the baby, and she took us to the exam room where we stripped Stinkerbelle down to her altogethers and had her weighed and measured. And she’s growing: 24.5 inches and 14.5 pounds. Still tiny by national averages, but growing and growing well.
And then the doctor came in.
I detected an accent… he is from South Africa! Whee! And this turned out to be AWESOME on a number of levels.
First off, and most importantly, he knows African medicine, so reading all her charts and whatnot from her care while in Ethiopia was a breeze. He understood it all. AND… he immediately put us at ease about HIV. The tests she received for HIV in Ethiopia were checking for the virus in the DNA (or something along those lines… the medi-speak kind of lost me eventually), which means they are the most technically advanced tests you can get and are completely accurate. The other type of test is an antibody test and in the case of infants, the antibody test can be incorrect because the antibodies can be passed from mother to child. So while our family doctor was cautious — and given the different tests people use for the virus, rightly so — there is no need to worry about that.
But another reason this doctor’s background came in handy was that he recognized all the vaccinations she has already received, and recognized that one of them is not going to be suitable enough for life here in Canada. Don’t ask me which one, I don’t know… polio maybe? But basically it goes like this: the vaccine provided in Ethiopia protects a patient from, let’s say, 4 different strains of the disease, because that’s all they have to be concerned with there. But here in Canada, the vaccine we use protects us from 5 strains. So he recommends we do the course of vaccinations again. It sounded like a plan to us, so on Monday, when she returns to the family doctor for a follow up, no doubt we’ll be scheduling Stinkerbelle for some shots.
After that discussion, the pediatrician did an exam, and pronounced her sound and healthy. “Lovely” was a word he kept using. “Oh, she’s just lovely.” It was wonderful. And he tested her for some basic developmental milestones: pulling up with her head level, following things with her eyes, grabbing things, passing things from hand to hand… She passed with flying colours. She stole the man’s pen, for goodness’ sake. And the doctor seemed absolutely delighted with her. “She’s just lovely”. He identified some birthmarks for us, as well as explaining about Mongolian spots (not bruises! apparently some people freak out and think it’s bruising), and just generally giving her the once-over. He seemed delighted with all the rolls of baby fat, and how alert she was, and, as he was leaving, told us to “enjoy her”.
And so we shall.
November 1st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Adoption, Her Babyness |
6 comments
Okey dokey, peeps: It’s HALLOWEEN again! And you know what that means… Me, LIVE BLOGGING as I run to and fro to the front door, and keep track of the number of little monsters… er, KIDS… that come by.
(What is it they say? “Back by popular demand”?? Okay, so maybe not. But meh… it’s fun for me.)
So here we go.
5:55 - BDH is feeding an increasingly crabby baby, while I get stuff set up in the foyer for the night. A rickety card table, a pumpkin, and two bowls of candy. MY KINGDOM FOR BLACK CONSTRUCTION PAPER!! I covered the table in a vinyl tablecloth which is all blue polka dots and stuff, so I turned it over to the white side. A couple of black spots for eyes and a smiley mouth, and we’d have ourselves a nice ghost. Oh well.
5:56 - If this kid goes to sleep before the trick-o-treaters come, I’ll be surprised. She and her dad are having a battle over the cereal right now, so we’ve gone beyond tired and right into FRANTIC.
6:09 - HA! A quick search around the house found a bit of black felt and TAAA-DAAAAH, our covered card table has become a friendly ghost. Okay, so it’s lame. Maybe it’s not the Halloween spectacle that The Mayor puts on each year, but then, we have, you know, LIVES and stuff. (Okay. I admit. He did a great job again this year. I love the guy lying in his driveway under the wheels of his car and surrounded by traffic cones. I can’t lie. It’s hilarious.)
6:12 - No kids yet. But it’s still light. Although I hear screeching outside, I’m guessing it’s the ne’er-do-well kids a couple doors up. Running around, unfed, unsupervised… of course.
6:14 - There’s an errant bumblebee walking around out there. I know. That was what I thought too.
6:18 - Last year we watched Hot Fuzz, which was just the right length — once it was done, we shut off the lights and locked up for the night. I think we’ll have to do that again. Because it’s… well… MORE FUN that way. Sure keeps us amused while we wait.
6:21 - Still no kids. Although the errant bumblebee has wandered off. It’s Halloween — that stuff happens. Too bad. He gave the night the surreal quality we look for in a Halloween. I mean, it’s not everyday bumblebees just wander by… well, not since I gave up the drinking, anyway.
6:25 - Duncan is in his perch in the front window, once again this year our little festive Walmart greeter. There are kids out there, but none on our side of the street yet — or we’d hear him peep.
6:28 - And Stinkerbelle is out like a light after her bottle. Which means the doorbell should ring any second now and jolt her wide awake.
6:30 - No kids yet. I hate waiting.
6:35 - Last year some university kids came by for their Halloween charity drive for the food bank (Trick-or-Eat or something like that), so I dashed downstairs and found a couple of cans of soup for them in case they show up again. We hate the soup so it was just sitting there. We unload the soup, the homeless get soup… everybody wins. Okay, so I am giving away reject food… does that make me a bad person?
6:41 - EIGHT kids just came by, including a crowd of angels which I KNOW are not angelic in the slightest. And one very small Maple Leaf without a bag. Or a parent, that I could see. (I think he’s the spawn of The Deputy Mayor. Which explains the lack of supervision.) I gave the kid a Tootsie Roll. He seemed happy.
6:47 - Another BUNCH of kids. Including an adorable Tigger — The Mayor’s Daughter. I have to say, The Mayor’s Wife was very sweet, offering to give us baby stuff, giving us lots of congratulations… it was nice.
6:51 - 3 homicidal maniacs came by. Betcha can’t say that just any night.
6:55 - A zombie princess! AND a zombie! All in one night! Dude. Maybe we should watch Shaun of the Dead.
6:59 - A very tired chicken just rejected the candy I offered. It’s late for chickens to be out, I think.
7:00 - Two Batmans and a Spiderman just opened the door and walked in. I LOVE that. And then they debated whether one of the Batmans was actually Spiderman.
7:01 - The happiest bat in the Universe and a Princess SO HAPPY she just danced across the porch just rang the doorbell and started hollering “Happy Halloween”… BEFORE I had even opened the door.
7:04 - Two little trick or treaters walked away before I could even give them candy. I am thinking they don’t get the drill. But one of them was Batman, and I’m up to my whatzis in superheroes tonight, so…
7:08 - A bunch of silly pre-teens just sang us Christmas Carols. I appreciate innovation. Another 3 came up and tried to say “Happy Halloween” in unison and failed miserably. So I shut the door and let them try it again.
7:11 - A TINY Joker, VERY much in character, came in and kept trying to grab my hand. “D’you wanna shake my hand?” He had a buzzer in his hand. I gave him some candy, he left, and as he was leaving he turned back and said “I have a BUZZER in my hand!” like he was fooling EVERYBODY. Best. Kid. EVAH.
7:15 - Lots and lots of princesses this year. And an adorable bumblebee named Charlotte. (Not the aforementioned wandering bumblebee, however. I think that might have been a neighbor.)
7:20 - WHOA. A crowd. I am running out of candy suddenly. 95 kids already. That’s crazy talk.
7:24 - Sir Richard of (I am assuming) Camelot just came. “Hi.” and then “Bye.” Sir Richard is not big on smalltalk.
7:27 - Duncan is NOT happy about the lack of kids.
7:30 - A recycling bin. COOL. And a half-angel, half-devil. These kids are getting creative.
7:31 - A hippie just told me “Peace out.” And his father did a “D’OH” down on the sidewalk. Not exactly the hippie ways he had taught the youngster, I am guessing.
7:36 - The world’s CUTEST fireman just came to the door with a glow stick on. Safety first.
7:37 - A little kangaroo, when prompted by a “What do you say?” by his mom down on the sidewalk, turned around, walked back, and hollered, “Trick or treat!” But he was as pleased as punch to get a lollipop despite the faux pas, so all’s well that ends well.
7:41 - Duncan sits in front of the door, staring at it, WILLING more kids to come. He loves to greet the kids. For his “tricks” he gets his own “treats” — cat cookies.
7:47 - Things are slowing down trick-or-treater-wise, but not out in the street — the place is jumpin’, man. All the families seem to be out.
7:51 - My doorknob turns, a panda walks in, announces “We want some candy”, and reaches for the candy bowl. There’s no predicting what a 3 year old hopped up on sugar will say.
7:55 - Looks like we might be coming to the end. BDH was just remarking how his favourite was the toasted marshmallow. I myself am always fond of the little ones with no social graces. The Undead were also a highlight. But I’ve had my fill of Batmans, thankyouverymuch.
8:00 - And as 8 o’clock approaches, we are closing up shop. We’ve had well over 100 kids — not as many as last year, but enough. And we are HUNGRY. So… That’s it from Halloween Central for another year here in Subdivisionland. HappyHalloween, all — and don’t eat all that candy all in one sitting.
October 31st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Holidays, Fun Stuff |
10 comments
“Dude. They didn’t get ME a saucer…
Can I have a turn?”
October 31st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Cats, Her Babyness |
4 comments
Just chillin’… watchin’ her show… in her new exersaucer!*
*Note: Prepare to clean off poop up the child’s back if child poops while in new exersaucer. Rule also applies to Snuglis, Baby Bjorns, bouncy chairs, and strollers.
October 30th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
6 comments
My daughter does not like to nap. At best, she will catnap for half an hour to 45 minutes. If I am walking with her, or we’re in the car, perhaps we can stretch it to an hour or even longer. But generally, it’s a catnap in the morning, one after lunch, and one after her 3 pm bottle.
The first two naps are fine, and she collapses in a heap of tired baby, but the 3:30 nap is often a fight.
The struggle to get her to nap at 3:30 is usually exacerbated by the fact that she is getting really tired, because the end of her day is rapidly approaching. And like most kids, she gears up for one last hurrah of craziness before she finally has her cereal, her bottle, and heads to bed somewhere around 6:30. So when the time comes for her 3:30 nap, despite being really tired, she fights sleep as hard as she can.
Today was not looking so bad, actually. When her 3 pm bottle came around, she was hungry. I turned off the TV, and gathered my baby up in a cuddle in the chair we normally sit in for bottle time. She was happy for both the snuggle and the bottle, and she wolfed it down. And as she ate, she dozed off.
Now, this week, Her Babyness has begun to babble. It started with “BA!”, randomly — just trying it on for size. But for the last couple of days, she’s moved on to “Da da da”, which she seems to like very much. “Da da” is her word of choice when she’s saying good morning to all her toy friends in her room, or chatting at the TV, or talking to BDH or myself or any of the cats. “Da da” seems to be a great all-purpose word for her.
Unfortunately, it’s also become a word she uses when she is upset.
Before, our daughter had a typical shrill, shrieky, infant cry. But now, she gets crying, and you hear her calling out to you for attention or comfort, sobs punctuated with “DA! DA! DA DA!”
And it just about breaks your heart.
So back to today’s 3 pm bottle. She had dozed off while finishing her bottle, and was out for the count. I carried her up to her crib, and put her down.
A moment later, her eyes popped open, wide awake.
She smiled.”Da da!”, she beamed at me.
Clearly, this nap was not going to come as easily as I thought. But there are two irrefutable rules in the life of a parent:
- Babies need to nap.
- Parents need to get things done, and naptime is often the only time to get these things done.
And I had things to do.
So, I brought her back down to her playroom, and put her down on her blanket on the floor, under a snuggly blanket, in the hopes that she’d just doze off. No such luck. “Da da da DA da da da da DA DA DA da da…”
I moved her to her swing. I strapped her in.
“Da da da!”, she grinned at me.
I turned it on and walked into the kitchen. And then the crying started.
“She’s so tired,” I thought. “Maybe she’ll just work it out and doze off.”
But the crying became more intense. Sobs, punctuated with her calling out to me: “Da da! Da da! Da!” And as the sobbing and the calling became more desperate, I thought happy pleasant thoughts, and continued to do the prep work for supper that I had started.
But there’s something about your child in distress. I challenge any parent to successfully resist the urge to run and scoop their baby up and make it all better when he or she is crying, really truly crying. It’s HARD. It’s like resisting a primal urge.
I waited five minutes, and then I went to rescue Her Babyness from The Swing Of Doom.
She looked up at me with those huge eyes, big, fat tears rolling down her cheeks, and said, “Da.”
I picked her up, snuggled her close, and went over and turned on iTunes. And as Van Morrison began to sing out her lullaby,”Tupelo Honey”, I danced my precious daughter around the room. I rocked her, and hushed her, and we danced around to the music.
She fell asleep in my arms.
I had fought the good fight, against the crying of my distressed child, and lost. She had fought the good fight, against her nap, and lost.
But nobody can win when they’re up against Van Morrison.
October 28th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
4 comments
Well, it’s getting down close to zero degrees outside, and it’s been rainy and damp for a few days. They’re calling for snow flurries tomorrow. It’s really chilly here. So you know what that means…
…BUNNY SLIPPERS!!
October 27th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Her Babyness |
6 comments
The charming, funny Nicky and her husband J-Rock just announced yesterday — they got their referral! For (wait for it!……) TWO YEAR OLD TWIN GIRLS!
This marks the end of a long wait for Nicky and J-Rock, and the beginning of an incredible adventure with two beautiful little girls. Please drop by and read their referral story and offer your congratulations!
October 25th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Adoption, Friends and Family, Good News |
no comments
It is well and truly fall nowadays, with some sub-zero nights and a thick layer of frost on the cars in the morning. But I like the fall, better than all the other seasons. It’s a comfortable time.
Every morning I’ve been taking Stinkerbelle out for a walk. She will only catnap during the day, but I find if I take her out for a walk I can stretch the nap by a good fifteen minutes some days. She naps better in the Snugli, and can nap for an hour and a half or more if I let her — but my back can’t take an hour and a half walk with 15 extra pounds strapped on my person. (Perhaps a baby backpack is in order.) So now that we have one, we take the stroller.
I bundle her up in any one of a number of fleecy or quilted outfits, socks on, and Auntie Sherri’s strawberry Robeez so Stinkerbelle can’t kick the socks and shoes off. Then I put on her daddy’s favourite hat (courtesy of Auntie Heather, a little floral number that is as cute as can be), and strap her into the stroller. (Buckle up for safety!) And then, a couple of blankets are used to shield Her Babyness from the cold and the wind, tucking her in on all sides like a sausage roll with two big eyes peeking out the top. And at 10 am we are off, and by the time we hit the crosswalk at about 10:03 she’s dozing off.
A walk is nice at this time of year. Although most of the local trees’ fall colour has faded to brown, that just means we can kick along through the leaves. We also live in Subdivisionland, and as you well know, Subdivisionland is liberally peopled with young families. And with young families comes… houses decked out for every occasion on the calendar. And since it is October, you can bet your sweet bippy that more than one house on our walk will have a graveyard in the front lawn, or pumpkins everywhere, or a skeleton hanging from the eaves, or a porch bedecked in yellow “caution” tape. It’s festive, in a ghoulish, Hitchcockian way.
Normally we head to the local grocery store, which is a good 15 minute walk down the hill. I like having the stroller because I enjoy getting out, and it gives me the option of picking up a couple of things as we need them each day. As long as it fits in the basket under the stroller, we’re good to go. And trust me when I tell you, that sucker holds a LOT. A couple of kilos of Halloween candy, a squash, some milk, a pack of diapers and a can of formula ($9.99 each! I love sales! God I am so CHEAP!) and whatever else, and then we’re heading off home.
WHICH IS UPHILL. Dude. I am getting a workout each day.
The cool weather keeps me from spontaneously self-combusting, which is nice. And it also means that when we get home, making supper can mean something hearty and warm. Now’s the season for stew, and casseroles, and things roasted in the oven… I love cooking in the fall. A stew is heaven after a cold day’s walk. Biscuits and cookies make the house smell lovely. A pot of curry can simmer on the stove, with a little extra kick for the heat. We can eat our body weights in squash and mashed potatoes.
But it’s not only me that enjoys the fall feast. Our squirrel feeder has once again become a popular spot, as the local wildlife comes for some seeds to stock up for the winter. A little black squirrel sits in there for hours, pigging out like it’s a buffet. A big gray squirrel seems to be more choosy: he comes, takes a few things, hops down, buries them in the grass… aaaaand repeat. And a little chipmunk, by far our favourite visitor, has discovered the bounty, and is filling his cheeks and taking load after load back to his house for the winter.
Last night, however, a masked bandit came by, as we woke to find the squirrel feeder out in the grass, still upright and full of seeds. That happens sometimes — the local raccoons will come to your bird feeder and because that’s where the food is, they figure, “Hell, let’s just take it HOME, and then we’ll have food ALL WINTER!” But the feeder was abandoned a few feet out into the lawn, so it must have been too heavy.
I feel refreshed by the brisk air. I feel enchanted by the local wildlife. I feel inspired by the possibilities in my cookbooks.
It’s well and truly fall.
October 24th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Holidays |
2 comments
My daughter has found her voice. And yesterday, she was rockin’ out to her Baby Beethoven video, singing along for all she was worth and beating on Mr. Toy like a tambourine.
Girlfriend has rhythm… sort of. But she gets her love of music from me.
I’m trying to capture it on video, but she gets camera shy whenever I get the video camera out. If I can, I’ll try to post some.
October 24th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Her Babyness |
one comment
There’s just so much to learn in this whole Mommy gig.
- A person can survive on very little sleep. One cannot guarantee the mood an adult will be in when sleep deprived in the middle of the night. But you can almost guarantee that a baby, awake at 3:45, is WIDE AWAKE, happy as Larry, and thinking “PLAYTIME!!”
- Children should go into production. Seriously. They’re like OVERACHIEVERS in the production department. They’d make a FORTUNE. My daughter eats only a little cereal each day, maybe a couple of tablespoons of strained vegetables, and yet she can poop her weight. Girlfriend poops like a trucker, man. WHERE does it all COME from? I mean, I understand the whole “lots of pee” thing, given she has a near-liquid diet. But so much poop? And the gas she produces could power a small banana republic. And don’t even get me started on the neck cheese.
- I have started feeding my child vegetables. She seems to like them. I feed her sweet potatoes? All is well. I feed her squash? All is well. I feed her carrots? She POOPS ORANGE. I don’t get it.
- My daughter has a habit of waving her hands and tapping them repeatedly on her face or chest or whatever. I thought she was just flailing away with her hands. Turns out all that flailing is actually sign language. She’s doing the signs for “eat”, “mommy”, and “milk” perfectly. Of course, she doesn’t actually KNOW sign language. And she doesn’t actually do the signs at any specific time, that I can tell. But STILL. The kid’s GIFTED.
- We have lived with an old kitty with an old lady bladder for years now. And she peed everywhere for a time, when she was sick. So we got used to our house smelling like pee. (Thank goodness those days are over *knocks wood*) Cat pee is a very strong, unpleasant smell, like ammonia. But that PALES in comparison to the stench that permeates the house from just one big poop-o-rama from my kid.
- Shoes for the under-2 set are merely a sock-keeping-on device.
- If my child starts doing the horizontal Riverdance, she’s happy about something. If the horizontal Riverdance is accompanied by baby panting, it’s excitement. And if she starts that with the “huh-huh-huh-huh” chant, she’s gearing up for a big old mad. And you have to be quick sometimes to catch the progression through all the stages. The child can go from zero to sixty in a split second, and it’s like an air raid siren going off until you appease Her Babyness.
- Nothing is more fun than hearing your child, early in the morning, in her crib, talking to her toys. The conversations we overhear, especially now that she’s just learning to use her voice and make sounds, are fantastic. There have been a couple of times where BDH and I have just opened the door a crack, and stood there and listened as she talks with her pals, shoulders shaking in silent laughter. In Ethiopia, they have the most delightful phrase for that — they say, “She’s playing with St. Mary”. We think it’s a gorgeous phrase, and we love to listen to our daughter playing with St. Mary.
- I thought this whole motherhood thing was going to be great. Sure I knew there would be some frustration, and it would be tiring, but mostly, I thought it was going to be fun, and an adventure every day. I know now that I had absolutely no idea. It’s like A BILLION TIMES THAT. I am LOVING it, all the fun, all the tired, all the poop talk. It’s AWESOME. Like about a BILLION hotdogs. And it’s all down to this happy, funny, gorgeous, incredible child.
October 23rd, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Her Babyness |
9 comments
BDH went back to work yesterday. So it’s been just me and Stinkerbelle and the cats all day. We’re coping just fine, as you can tell by this instant messenger conversation today:
Cinnamon Opus says: Hi
Big Damn Hero says: Heya
Cinnamon Opus says: Everybody is yelling at me
Big Damn Hero says: Oh no
Big Damn Hero says: You ok?
Cinnamon Opus says: Everybody is bossing me around
Cinnamon Opus says: If I look at anybody, they boss me around
Big Damn Hero says: Maybe you shouldn’t look at anyone…?
Cinnamon Opus says: I’m gonna go hide in a closet or something
Cinnamon Opus says: Only the cats would follow me.
Big Damn Hero says: Are you ok?
Big Damn Hero says: Are you upset?
Cinnamon Opus says: Not upset. Just pretending I am invisible.
Cinnamon Opus says: Maybe if they don’t see me they will stop bossing me around.
Big Damn Hero says: Maybe you should just tell them all to shut p
Big Damn Hero says: Also up
Big Damn Hero says: SHUT p!
Cinnamon Opus says: I did.
Big Damn Hero says: Like that
Cinnamon Opus says: I yelled.
Big Damn Hero says: SHUT P!
Cinnamon Opus says: Bubby ignored me.
Big Damn Hero says: Bubby can’t hear you
Cinnamon Opus says: The baby laughed and blew a raspberry.
Big Damn Hero says: She doesn’t understand English
Cinnamon Opus says: Nobody takes me seriously here.
Cinnamon Opus says: The baby has taken up yodeling.
Cinnamon Opus says: And how did I get stuck in a house full of people who don’t understand English?
Cinnamon Opus says: I feel like I am a tour guide.
Cinnamon Opus says: Is there NO ONE who speaks English here?
Big Damn Hero says: Que?
Big Damn Hero says: <– funny
Big Damn Hero says: me
Cinnamon Opus says: YOU = HILARIOUS!
Big Damn Hero says: See what I did there
Cinnamon Opus says: You brought Teh Funny.
Big Damn Hero says: Oh yeah
Cinnamon Opus says: That baby just looks at me and tells me to do stuff.
Cinnamon Opus says: And then she blows raspberries as if to say “Feh, that broad is DUMB.”
Big Damn Hero says: Nono
Cinnamon Opus says: Of course, she gets crosseyed and hypnotized over the stripes on her sleeve, so, you know, we can’t take anything SHE says as fact.
Big Damn Hero says: Well she is a little nutty
Cinnamon Opus says: And right now she is having a conversation with her forearm.
Cinnamon Opus says: So, I mean, I’m a tour guide and all the tourists are from Mars.
Big Damn Hero says: Well Queen of the nut farm
Big Damn Hero says: I have to run
Cinnamon Opus says: Oh damn.
Cinnamon Opus says: OK
Big Damn Hero says: Sorry
Cinnamon Opus says: Is fine. Surrender me to the nutters.
Cinnamon Opus says: I can take it.
Big Damn Hero says: I am going so I can come home and save you from the nutters
Big Damn Hero says: Besides
Big Damn Hero says: You are part of the club *duck*
Cinnamon Opus says: Shuddap.
So, you know… business as usual here.
October 21st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Cats, Her Babyness |
7 comments
You’ve all been asking for pictures of our baby… Well, here you go. A picture of our sweetie rocking the car seat.
Our Baby
What??
October 21st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff |
16 comments
It’s funny how things in your life tend to vanish with the onset of parenthood. And other things seem to appear or multiply.
Time is playing tricks on me.
I used to have more time. A lot more time. I had hours to spend on what had to be done, and days to finish projects. But the time I have to do things in a day is suddenly shorter, so things don’t get done. It seems I turn around and suddenly my morning has vanished, and we’re into afternoon. A half an hour nap (for catnaps are all that Stinkerbelle will do, lest she MISS SOMETHING EXCITING) comes and goes before you know it, and is hardly enough time to do all that needs to be done. And bigger projects we want to do seem to get put off to next week, next month, next year.
And now, it feels like there is more to do. Our dishwasher seems to be running more often. I have endless piles of laundry that need to get done, more laundry than I ever remember having. And it’s not just kids’ stuff, but our stuff that is piling up. The house is mostly clean, but could sure use a good vacuuming and the bathrooms would do well to be cleaned.
But then, I find I can sit and look into the eyes of this beautiful baby, and time just seems to fly by. I can be captivated by the twinkle in her eyes, the scrunchy nose when she smiles, every sweet expression on her face, and everything else seems to vanish. I can sit and listen to her find her voice and try out new sounds for hours. I spend hours on the floor, trying to find ways to get another sweet giggle or belly laugh out of her. I sit motionless, camera in hand, for an eternity, trying to capture moments in her life. I can kiss her cheeks and tickle her toes and marvel at her long lashes forever. I live to see that smile.
I don’t want to look away. I don’t want to miss a single moment. Time could pass by, moments of her life never to come again. Blink and it’s gone.
Time changes. It’s changing her. It’s changing me.
October 20th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Her Babyness |
5 comments
Alrighty, here’s an interesting list for all you packers out there: it’s the list of odds and ends that we took along for US, the grownups. Mostly it was for entertainment purposes, but there’s some practical stuff too.
I was surprised at how big the list was, but knowing us as I do (us travelling = packmules), it could have been much, MUCH worse. And most of it worked really well for us, so I can’t complain.
- Laptop: Packed and invaluable. I cannot tell you how great it was to have a laptop with us. Both BDH and I have fairly intense computers (big, heavy, lots of software, etc.) and so we went out and got a cheap, lightweight laptop for the trip. It was awesome to have. First off, we could keep in touch via email with anyone at home we needed to reach, or that needed to reach us. We could also blog, which turns out to be a big thing for quite a few people. (Hello, Peeps!
) And it was storage for pictures and video as we needed it. But another great thing was for sheer entertainment value. We brought a couple of DVDs along, and could entertain ourselves after a long day, or Stinkerbelle if she needed something fun to do. And we also had music on it, so we had lullabyes to help the girl sleep, and tunes to have a dance party with the girl… it was great.
- Power cords: Packed and invaluable. No use bringing along any gizmos if you don’t have anything to power them up with. So wherever you see something that needs power, assume there’s also an entry reminding me to bring the associated power cord (because there was. Trust me.)
- Canvas laptop bag: Packed and invaluable. Our laptop came with a kind of shoulder-bag/napsack kind of thing, which was perfect for carrying our documents, our money, our camera (and of course our laptop, when required) whenever we were out and about.
- Power converter (1): Packed and invaluable. We bought a power converter because, of course, they’re on different power and use different plugs in Ethiopia than we do in Canada. And we used it All. The. Time. As a matter of fact, it probably would have been nice to have another one, but we made do with one just fine.
- Power bar: Packed but didn’t use. Yes we brought a power bar along so we could power up several things at once, but we did not use it… because WE FRIED IT. As soon as we plugged it in, there was a big ZAP and the smell of burning somethingorother. So, our power bar spent the rest of the day on the balcony, and then got tossed in the trash.
- Canon digital camera: Packed and used… but only briefly. Because it unfortunately chose this trip to die. It would have been nice to have, since it’s an older, cheaper camera but I fear it got busted bouncing it around half the planet.
- Digital SLR camera: Packed and invaluable. This is our “good” camera. As Grammy, and anyone who have asked for pictures can tell you, we took many photos of our girl. And continue to. The kid is UP TO HERE with me taking her picture a billonteen times a day. The only thing we probably could have done better, in retrospect, would have been to leave the zoom lens at home. As it turns out, there was not much use in having it, because although we had lots to take pictures of, the smog made the pictures pretty hazy and unclear.
- Video camera: Packed and invaluable. We took video — a sort of video blog of our day — at the end of each day (well, except for days when Stinkerbelle kept us too busy). It was actually a lot of fun to do, and turned out really well. We captured so many thoughts, impressions, and events from our time away on video. I only wish we had done more. It will be awesome for our daughter to have, years from now.
- Books: Packed but didn’t use. Okay, I cracked my book, and read two pages, but otherwise… who had time to read? And it was all far to exciting, exhausting, interesting to spend time reading — and the entertainment system on Emirates Airlines was so awesome, we didn’t need books to entertain ourselves on the flights.
- Knitting: Packed but didn’t use. Same as the books.
- Rechargeable batteries for digital camera: Packed and invaluable. They also worked for the video camera, and we used both so frequently, it was good to have rechargeables.
- Flashlight (2): Packed and used. We brought flashlights in case of power outs, which — interestingly enough — we ended up seeing while in the airport in Addis. The lights went out, and we had the flashlights. Go figure. But the other cool thing is that we used the flashlight as a nightlight for midnight diaper changes and feedings. We set the routine with our daughter that once it is nighttime, there’s no fooling around, so we don’t speak to her and we keep the lights low while we feed and change her, and then it’s back to bed with no fussing. So the flashlight came in very handy for that. We set it up on end near her change table, and the light was just enough to change and feed her.
- Swiss army knife: Packed and used. This was a fun one to have, because it got pressed into service for a bunch of stuff: bottle opener (Corona for me *blush*), other oddball tool needs, and interior decorating (BDH used it to cut the top off a water bottle to use it for a vase for our flowers)… it was handy dandy.
- iPod: Packed but didn’t use. Again, there’s that Emirates entertainment system saving the day! We didn’t need our iPods because the in-flight system was so awesome, we were totally entertained the entire trip.
- iPod charger: Packed but didn’t use. See above. Not using the iPod, not using the charger.
- Nintendo DS: Packed and invaluable. But not for what you might think. There was no clock in the Dubai hotel we stayed at, and the clock in our room in Addis was not easy to set, so we just used the DS as an alarm clock, and it worked great!
- DS games: Packed but didn’t use. Well, it was being used as a clock the entire time. And as you well know, between a baby, a laptop and the Emirates ICE system, who needs a DS to keep entertained?
- DS charger: Packed and used. Of course, since we were using it all the time, we had to charge the DS. However… like the power bar, the change in power or the converter fried the charger, so we had to buy a new one when we returned home. I wonder how many others we’ll need to replace as we start to use these things agina here at home.
- Fanny pack: Packed but didn’t use. We had a backpack-type laptop bag we carried everywhere, so we used that instead.
- Journals: Packed and used. We actually got a fair bit of use out of our journals, writing down words we learned or things we wanted to remember. But the best use of all was the idea to jot down Stinkerbelle’s schedule each day (which we still do, for her doctor and pediatrician, and to help us keep track of her days). And that way, it was portable when we were out, too. Nowadays, we do it on computer.
- Life book: Packed and didn’t use. I had started a lifebook for our daughter, but it got woefully neglected. We just didn’t have the time or the energy to write after a full day with our daughter in Addis. And I don’t know if I am going to carry on with it, either. Our friends gave us a scrapbook set, which is more along the lines of what we want to do for a lifebook.
- Pens/pencils: Packed and used. See the entry about the journals above.
- USB cable for camera: Packed and invaluable. If you’re going to take as many pictures as we have, you’re going to fill up memory on the camera pretty quick. And so, transferring it to the laptop is important.
- Firewire cable for video: Packed but didn’t use. We thought we might transfer the video to the laptop as well, but we had lots of tapes and just didn’t get around to it.
- Money belts: Packed but didn’t use. Well, we did, but just for storage. We didn’t go out shopping or anything so there was really no need to keep our money and documents close to our bodies (pickpockets being a distinct possibility in Addis). We just carried everything around in the laptop bag and that worked fine. But if we had gone out to a market or something, they probably would have come in very handy.
- Travel pillows: Packed but didn’t use. Once again… Emirates Airlines rocks. We were comfy enough that we didn’t need them.
- Ziploc bags (small, box of 100): Packed and invaluable. We used the ziplocs for everything — absolutely everything. From keeping things watertight (which turned out to be really necessary, because our bags got left out in the rain at the airport in Toronto and everything inside that was NOT in a ziploc was drenched), to parcelling out snacks before we left, to keeping things organized in our baggage, the ziplocs? They RULE.
- Ziploc bags (large, box of 20): Packed and invaluable. Even more than the small ones. We packed 4 large ziplocs, each with one outfit, a diaper, a washcloth, and a small ziploc containing several wipes for the trip home, and put them in our diaper bag and carry on. This made trips to do diaper changes a breeze. It was also a great way to pack formula for the trip home — measure the formula powder into a liner, twist-tie it shut, and pack 15 or so of them into a large ziploc with a measuring cup and VOILA, easy bottle prep. Good dog, we used ziplocs for EVERYTHING.
- Twist ties: Packed and invaluable. See the little formula packing tip above.
- Grocery bags: Packed and invaluable. We packed about 50 plastic grocery bags (25 will fit into a medium ziploc if you fold and compress them well) and we used them to pack up our garbage each day — specifically stinky diapers. It helps keep the smell down and the garbage well organized if you are spending a lot of time in your hotel room (which we did).
- Rolling luggage: Invaluable. Now, BDH and I are sports-duffelbag-kind of peeps. We have two big sports bags and that’s what we use whenever we go anywhere. But then this trip came up, and we knew we’d need something more… durable. With real sides and stuff. So. There was a sale on before we travelled at the luggage store in the mall, so we bought luggage with wheels and handles. You know the type, — the handle comes out the top and slides in when you don’t need it? Travels up on end and ypu can pull it behind you? Now, this came in handy because these sorts of bags also come with a strap that allows you to sort of “wagon-train” your bags together, and let me tell you, with a baby in the snugli and a diaper bag and other carry-ons to carry, this little wagon-train-dealie is THE ONLY way to get around an airport. It ROCKED.
- Earplugs: Packed and invaluable. The first night in the hotel was New Years Eve, so hey, you think there was partying noise to be blocked out? But also, any time we needed to sleep, we pulled out the earplugs — the squishy foam kind, that you smunch down, put in your ear, and they expand to fit your ear — and we slept really well. AWESOME to have.
- Canadian flag baggage tags: Packed and used. Again, not as you might think. Apparently they are VERY prized possessions among the staff at the airport in Addis — so much so that when we went to enter the airport (you have to go through a baggage scanner to enter the airport) the baggage handlers ACTUALLY STARTED REMOVING THE TAGS FROM OUR BAGS. While asking us if they could have them, of course, but STILL. We managed to keep the ones on our checked bags, and gave them the ones on our carry-ons (I admit I was a little annoyed that they just assumed it was okay to take them off our bags, but whatever). It would have been nice to have a few more.
There are also some things that we WISH we had brought:
- Umbrella: It was rainy season, and it sure would have come in handy a couple of times.
- Mini tripod: This would have come in handy for our little video blog. The first few, one person was holding the camera and the other was on camera. After awhile, we McGyvered a little setup so that we could both be on camera, but the mini tripod would have come in really handy.
So, yeah. There’s a big list. But like I said, we are packmules and could carry everything AND the kitchen sink when we travel. So this was a vast improvement.
Next, we’ll talk SNACKAGE. And other important food-related items. Because who doesn’t love the food? Am I right?
October 17th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Adoption |
8 comments
So, the warm Indian Summer weather seems to be done. But despite the cool and overcast day today, it’s a good day.
The funny, brilliant Rhonda and her hubby Kris got their referral: a tiny baby girl, all of 6 weeks old right now! Most excellent news for a most excellent family, who waited over 15 months for this wonderful day… so stop by and check out the news for yourself!
And I had better get moving and get some more lists posted… because Rhonda will soon be needing them!
In slightly less exciting news, we came home from shopping to find… a stroller on our porch! No, it wasn’t just a drive-by strollering… we HAD ordered one. But that was MONDAY, which was a holiday so let’s say TUESDAY for sake of argument — and it arrived this morning already. DUDE. I LOVE that. So now Stinkerbelle and I can go walking! (Which we could before, only in the Snugli — which she loves, but my back? Not so much.) So, much thanks to Grammy, Granddad, Auntie Tena, Uncle Kevin, and the lovely folks at our credit card company, who made the stroller possible.
And in less exciting news still, allow me a moment of Mommy Vanity. But I have to tell you, if there’s something that just tickles me pink, it’s when strangers come up to us and remark about how beautiful our daughter is. Now, I grant you, it’s rare that a stranger walks up to a couple and says, “DUDE. THAT? Is one BUTT UGLY BABY.” So, you know, getting comments about a beautiful baby is more common than not. HOWEVER… when you are someone who thought you would never be in the position to HAVE a baby, full stop, to have people fussing over your child is magical. Today in the grocery store, as we walked around and I had Her Babyness in the Baby Bjorn, a few women came over to remark on how pretty our daughter is. And I was so proud.
As BDH said to me, as I walked back to where he was standing from the bakery section (day olds! must check out the day olds!)… “I have never seen anyone so happy to be carrying a baby in my life.”
It’s true. I’m happy to carry that beautiful baby anywhere. (Although now I can stroller. Well, that will be happy too.)
October 16th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Adoption, Friends and Family, Good News, Her Babyness |
6 comments
There are some things I am wishing for this morning, and some of them are even reasonable:
- A reliable schedule
- A shower
- Not to be accessorizing with orange-coloured barf every day
- That a magical laundry fairy will come along and fold and put away all my laundry
- That it will be quick work to clean the house today for our appointment
- An easy, quick visit with the social worker this afternoon
- That The Bubby (who celebrates her 19th birthday today!!) will have a healthy year (which means not only a happy cat, but less stress and doctor bills for her people)
- A nice birthday for BDH on Saturday
- More parental leave for BDH
- Some good movie rentals released soon at our local video store (as there’s only been a lot of crap recently)
- That our investments will rebound soon
- That the reign over our country by an idiot with no reflection and eyes the colour of saran wrap will only be a short one
- A short-lived recession
- More money than we have now
Okay, so I went off the rails a little bit there at the end. Meh. It happens.
October 15th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff |
7 comments
We have a lot to be thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
October 13th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Holidays, Her Babyness |
15 comments
It has been 30 days since we brought our daughter into our lives. A lot can happen in 30 days.
She has gained at least a pound (likely a lot more; the doctor’s appointment was almost two weeks ago.)
She can pass things from hand to hand.
She is learning to roll over.
She’s growing out of her 0-6 month clothes (well, the smaller ones, anyway).
She had her first cereal.
She can bang two cups together.
She touched her first grass. With fingers and toes.
She had her first vegetables (carrots) yesterday.
She’s trying out her voice.
She won her Granddad over with a flirty smile.
She could cuddle endlessly with her Grammy.
She loves splashing in the bath and getting her Daddy all wet.
She loves Van Morrison (which Mommy sings her to sleep with) and Mommy’s ponytails.
She became our daughter, not just in papers and photographs, but in body, spirit and heart.
If all this can happen in one short month, our life together stretches out before us like an incredible adventure.
October 12th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Friends and Family, Her Babyness |
7 comments
Okay, here’s one of our shorter lists. Hey, she’s a baby — how many clothes can one baby wear?
Surprisingly, quite a lot…
- Sleepers (12): Packed and used. We were concerned about the air conditioning in our room being too cool for our daughter at night, and the problem was that no matter how you adjusted the A/C, it never actually CHANGED. But there was no need to worry, because our daughter is a warm kid. She would kick off all her blankets by the time we got her up out of bed. So the sleepers came in handy because we knew that even if she kicked off her blankets she’s still have warm toes. We took a mix of 0-6 month and 6-12 month sizes, and the 6-12 month size were WAY too big.
- Shirts (1): Packed and used. We only brought 1 t-shirt. It’s just too much of a pain to put a shirt on a squirmy baby. But this was a very SPECIAL shirt, one that I designed that said “PEEVISH. PEEVISH. PEEVISH.” on the front. It came from Auntie Sherri’s box of hand-me-downs, and it ROCKS.
- Undershirts (6): Packed and invaluable. Like I said earlier, our kid is a warm kid. And when we went out on outings or whatever, we took great pains to dress her accordingly with the Ethiopians’ expectations of how a child should be dressed for their “winter” — so she always had on a coat, some shoes, and a hat as well as her regular clothes. So a lot of the time, our poor baby was melting from the heat of all that gear. (She never complained — she’s a trooper.) But as soon as we closed that hotel room door, we’d strip her down to a diaper and an undershirt and she was HAPPYHAPPYHAPPY.
- Onesies/Diaper shirts (12): Packed and invaluable. Onesies were another great way to keep the girl cool, along with her undershirts. We brought a mix of long and short sleeves, and all 0-6 month sizes — and they fit perfectly. And we had a lot of onesie/pants combinations to dress her in, which was nice.
- Pants (9): Packed and used. We had lots of yoga pants-type and tights-type of pants for our girl, which are the easiest to get on and off a squirmy kid. I took mostly 0-6 size, which were plenty big, and a couple 6-12s, which stayed in the suitcase.
- Outfits (4): Packed and used. I wanted to bring along a couple of outfits to dress her up specially, mostly for photos: in particular, one outfit to bring her home from the Transition Home in — just like a birth parent would do with a baby they were bringing home from the hospital. Call me sentimental. Another one I had was for coming home to Canada — that one actually had a “Canada” onesie. And most of the outfits were given to us by certain people: one was from Auntie Sandy and Uncle Jeff, another from Auntie Heather, and so on. So we had packed them with photo ops in mind.
- Hats (2): Packed and invaluable. I mentioned previously that we tried to adhere to the expectations of our hosts in dressing our child during their winter season, so we brought along a pair of hats for the trip. But one was so cute, we used it exclusively… and still do. And everybody was falling all over themselves remarking how cute she was in that hat. Also it was one of the easier ways to help people identify if our baby was a boy or a girl, since “pink” and “blue” are not strong baby identifiers to Ethiopians, but apparently a big floral hat is.
- Shoes (3 pair): Packed and invaluable. Also for the purposes of being culturally sensitive, I ran out before we left and got two pairs of shoes for about $6. But the shoes we put on the girl the entire time were a pair of Robeez from Auntie Sherri that arrived the day before we left for our trip, and had strawberries on them.
- Socks (12 pair): Packed and used. Pretty self-explanatory, really. And of course, our daughter blows a sock as soon as is humanly possible, because she likes to have bare feet.
- Bathing suit (1): Packed and didn’t use. Although the Hilton has some very nice pools, we just didn’t get around to swimming. Too bad, too, because that swimsuit is ADORABLE.
- Sweaters (1): Packed and didn’t use. I had heard that the rainy season could be quite cool, but I found that the sweater was overkill combined with everything else I had for our girl to wear.
- Coats (2): Packed and invaluable. I brought a little fleece jacket and a denim jacket for the girl to wear out in the cool weather, and the fleece was perfect for the weather. It was also 0-6 month size, which fit well, while the jean jacket was 6-12 and so it was a fair bit big. The fleece coat is also still what we dress her in whenever we go out.
I think that pretty much covers the clothing for the time we had our daughter, which was about a week. We had planned for about 3 clothing changes a day based on what other parents had said they required (with exploding diapers and all) and then packed a little more than we needed because we had no plans to send out laundry. It worked out well — the only things we did not use were the clothes that were too big.
So there you have it! Next up? Gear for us.
October 8th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Adoption |
7 comments
