(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 |
2 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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
Well, Friday evening was momentous indeed: It marked the arrival of GRAMMY AND GRANDDAD here at the House of Peevish. Oh sure, they were happy to see us after, what, 9 months or so? But really? They were here to see The Girl.
And she did not disappoint. Well, perhaps a little bit — she was up past her bedtime Friday night when they arrived, and so was possibly not in the BEST form she has ever been in. So with the frowny, smunchy-faced baby greeting her instead of the perpetually smiling and laughing one she had come to expect… well, I think Grammy was a little disappointed.
But our Stinkerbelle woke up all smiles the next morning, and by noon she and her Grammy were fast friends. And she smiled and flirted with Granddad, and pulled out all the stops of baby charm and wit. And things went from good to better, as she soon began the endless snugglefest that has marked her time with Grammy.
And then there was what has come to be known as The Hat Incident.
Grammy has been known, on occasion (okay, regularly) to adjourn to the porch with a glass of wine to what has euphemistically come to be known as “check the weather”. Now, she was concerned that the fact that there was a strange woman on our porch drinking and smoking might cause some gossip among the neighbours in our little corner of Subdivisionland. We assured her — NOT TO WORRY! In fact, anything she could do to get the neighbours gossiping and up-in-arms… well, we STRONGLY encourage. Especially when that neighbour is The Mayor. Or The Mayor’s Wife, even.
We suggested she step it up a notch. Perhaps put on a big old hat and a hula skirt and go out there and dance.
And then we got the idea.
I have a couple of clown costumes I got for Halloween a few years back. Both came with fuzzy wigs and a couple of really FAB hats. Two are kind of “mad hatter” hats, but one is this giant, velvet, feather-festooned, Huggy Bear pimpin’ hat. I mean, this hat is HAPPENIN’. I LOVE this hat. So BDH ran upstairs and grabbed it from the closet and brought it down.
Grammy put on the hat, and we all fell about laughing.
Well, all of us except Stinkerbelle.
Her Babyness burst into tears at the sight of Grammy in the Huggy Bear hat. Wails of sorrow emitted from her little self, big tears began to roll. “THAT HAT ATE MY GRAMMY!!!”
She would not be consoled until the hat was off and her Grammy was safe.
Phew.
So, other than The Hat Incident — and an appalling lack of seating due to our apparent inability to move from the kitchen/playroom to the more comfortable places in the house where there are, you know, SOFAS and CHAIRS and stuff — it has been a good visit so far.
Just don’t mention The Hat.
October 6th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Friends and Family, Her Babyness |
5 comments
Well now. Who knew people wanted to know so much about our trip to Ethiopia! More questions!
Well, we here at The House of Peevish are MORE than happy to answer questions. It’s like a talk show. Only without the celebrities. Well, in fact, without any interesting guests whatsoever. I’m kind of like that old lady who knits medieval armor that they bring on to fill the last two minutes before the show ends…
Okay. So on with the questions:
From Ricki –
- What size of clothing is she in?
Well right now, she’s in 0-6 or 3-6 month clothing (depending on manufacturer). She’s still finding them quite roomy. I suspect we’ll find that the length becomes an issue before weight ever does, because I think she is going to be a tall, skinny kid.
At last week’s doctor’s appointment, she weighed 12 pounds, 8.5 ounces. But I suspect some of that was poo. Girlfriend can load a diaper like nobody’s business.
- Is she smaller or bigger or just the size you were expecting?
She’s just the size we were expecting. She is tiny, but then we were told by everyone at the agency to expect a tiny wee babe. The babies are generally smaller in Ethiopia than they are here — as evidenced by the growth charts, where she is off the charts in Ethiopia but just in the 10th percentile in Canada.
- Has she gained some weight already?
I would suspect she has gained a little bit, because she gets cereal twice a day, but not much. We’ll find out at her doctor’s appointment on Thursday. We are still transitioning her off the Ethiopian formula, which should take another week or less, and I also want to start her on some vegetables if the doctor says it’s ok. And then I expect she’s going to chub right up.
She does not use a soother. In fact, not a lot of the babies do, according to most of the parents we spoke to while we were there. Which is funny, because every parent was told that their child likes a soother. The nurse told us that our daughter likes a soother after she has her bottle, and yet she absolutely refuses to take one. Oh sure, she’ll play with it and wave it around and stuff — she even tossed one out of the bassinet at us on the flight home — but she won’t actually USE one.
- Do you think size 6-12 months clothing will be what Yonnas is wearing when we pick him up (around 8 months old)?
Definitely. I would take the last height/weight report you get before you go, and chart it on the Canadian growth chart. That will give you a feel for how big he is by Canadian standards. And that should help you know what size to pack.
- How many diapers did she go through in a day?
I’d say she goes through about 7 diapers on average in a day. It really depends on the poop. That girl can do two poopy diapers in a row in the hour after she wakes up in the morning. It’s a Poo Shop in here.
- And finally, as a first time mommy will I know what the heck I’m doing??????
No, but then none of us do. I would say you’re going to know a lot more than you think you will. Rely on the advice of other moms you know — in our case, Auntie Sherri, Grammie and Auntie Heather have been a lifeline for questions and concerns — as well as his doctor in the first few weeks, and you will be just fine.
From Kelly –
- What was the moment you first saw her like?
It was good. I thought we’d cry or be all emotional or something, but no. We were totally calm and peaceful. I guess that’s because we just knew this was the last step in the journey, and that she was ours. She was meant for us, so it just all fit together nicely.
- How has the bonding been going, for you and for her?
It’s going well, I guess. It’s so hard to tell because she’s just such a happy, smiley baby. She grins from ear to ear when she sees us, so I think she kinda likes us.
- What part of having your daughter home has been the most surprising? What you not expecting?
It’s all been so good. She’s such a good baby. I think I am surprised at how easily she transitioned and how easily we’re all adjusting. I was prepared for the worst case scenario and it all went so smoothly.
- In going from a married couple to a married couple of parents, what’s been the biggest change for you and BDH? How has your relationship changed? Were you expecting this, or was it a surprise?
I think we surprised each other in how well we each stepped into the role of parent. We both took to it pretty easily and quickly, but then, we’ve been waiting five years for this.
- How would you describe your first few weeks as a full time hands on Mom?
Exactly as I wanted them to be. Except for the sick bits.
- Which parts of having her home are very different from your imagination and which parts are exactly like you expected?
It’s all going pretty much as expected. I think tucked away in my romantic imagination there was this vision of the perfectly clean and decorated house, the yummy mummy, the videos of bringing her home and the up to date baby book… but that is TOTALLY not reality, and I tossed that ideal pretty quickly into the process. We are who we are, and that’s not always picture perfect. So I was actually expecting THAT reality. You have to set realistic expectations, and we did that.
- How has the adjustment to the time difference been for you all? If you could go back and redo things, what would you do/plan differently?
It’s actually been not too bad. She’s a trooper, and her schedule was in 3-4 hour increments, so switching her was pretty straightforward. For us, we spelled each other off when we were tired or too sick, and we shared the first two week’s middle-of-the-night feedings, so that helped a lot. The biggest thing we did, though, that really helped establish a routine, was to make sure that right from day 1, every feeding/diaper change after bedtime and until morning was done with a minimum of light and talking — we wanted her to know that night time was for sleeping, not for playing, so we fed her and changed her in low light and with no talking and then put her back to bed. And she took to it right away, and knows that night time is for sleeping only. It really worked well.
So that’s the next batch of questions and answers. Hope they’re helpful!
I’ll try to get the next list posted soon, too.
September 29th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Adoption, Her Babyness |
3 comments
So, here’s how our day is going this morning:
- Our girl, who had a rough afternoon yesterday what with the sneezing and the coughing and the boogs, went to sleep last night at 7:30… AND DIDNT WAKE UP AGAIN UNTIL 5:00 THIS MORNING. (I know. Calm yourselves.) We changed her bum and gave her a bottle. And then? SHE WENT BACK TO BED AND SLEPT UNTIL 8. Of course, she’s feeling poorly again now, but for the long night of sleep BDH and I got last night? TOTALLY worth it.
- The phone has been ringing NON-STOP since we got home. Dude. We don’t KNOW that many people. It’s driving us crazy. Except for Stinkerbelle, who gets all excited because she loveslovesloves the phone. She has learned, in a few short days, that the phone is a MAGICAL thing — because it means she and Grammie can have a talk.
- I sat down on the floor beside The Girl on her blanket while she played, armed with my laptop and a cup of coffee to do a bit of posting. And I was doing really well, too… she was playing and I was type-type-typing away… until I looked over and there was Opus, standing on the coffeetable, dunking her paw into my cup of coffee, and licking the coffee off her paw. She looked up with a “WHAT?” look on her face. The baby laughed. I threw my coffee down the sink.
- My daughter takes after me, in that she feels waking up is some sort of cruel and unusual punishment. She takes waking up VERY personally. She will start fussing and crying (I would do that, but it is sort of frowned upon by a grown woman. But I understand the sentiment.) Anyway, unlike me, whenever SHE cries, Duncan comes running to see what is wrong with His Baby.
- BDH finally filed for EI today, for his parental leave time. Which means we should be seeing a cheque for a buck fifty or so sometime in 2009.
- This whole being sick thing has its benefits. For example, we do not have to go out, which means we do not have to hear The Mayor hollering inappropriate questions across at us, such as “HEY! Whose baby is that?” and making such astute observations as “HEY! She’s BLACK!”
So it’s business as usual here at The House of Peevish.
September 26th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Cats, Her Babyness |
3 comments
So, we’re still sick. Sick is no fun, but happily the Cipro is doing its job. (Travelling to Ethiopia? Get a prescription and get some. Seriously. GET SOME. Having your intestines turn to liquid is NO FUN.) And to add insult to injury, the cold that BDH and Stinkerbelle have shared for the past week is now currently taking up residence in my lungs. NIIIIIICE. But at least I can remain vertical now for long-ish periods of time without getting faint.
But we got a health card for The Girl, which means that we can take her to the doctor whenever it is required. And I have to tell you, arriving home on a Friday and not having a health card until Monday afternoon makes for a bit of a stressful weekend. So the first thing we did Tuesday morning was take her in to the doctor, who, I am happy to report, gave her a clean bill of health (except for an ear infection) and said “that is ONE HAPPY KID”. She’s in the 10th percentile of weight and the 50th for height — but some of that weight was poo, since she dumped a giant load just as we got into the exam room. Not surprisingly. So we head back next week for another checkup.
But still, amid the sick and the tired, we have our moments.
- We may be doing laundry until our next adoption, at which point the suitcases are already right by the washer and dryer, so packing should be a snap.
- I feel my child may have some Italian in her. She does this hand motion repeatedly, that looks kind of like an Italian man kissing his fingers and going “MWAH!” when talking about food. To which we say, “What? Do you want some food? What? Is that the signal for ‘put food in HERE’? What?” So, possibly… we’re failing at the whole feeding thing.
- It’s funny how quickly people can change from cool professional types to unshowered, poo-covered, booger-chasing loons.
- Facecloths are a form of torture. I had no idea.
- I find Eddie Izzard is often with us in spirit in midnight baby-attending manouevres. Suddenly a crying baby in the middle of the night is a whole lot more tolerable — nay, FUNNIER — when you point her at your spouse and say “I’m covered in BEEEEEES! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” Or changing a really stinky diaper?”This is a POO SHOP! Everything here is made of POO!” Or, when you’re really tired, you can combine the two: “I’m covered in POOOOOOOO! AAAAAAAAAAHHH!” Which cracks us UP. We’ve also taken to calling her favourite toy “Mr. Toy, the toy for small yapper-type babies.” I do not know whether Eddie would be pleased or horrified. But it sure makes us laugh like loons at 3:30 in the morning, I tell you truly.
- Why do they make the medicine BRIGHT RED? Why? When they KNOW that kids are just going to DROOL IT BACK OUT? Are they in league with the laundry soap people or something?
- You can be as sick as you want, but nothing makes you feel better than looking over and seeing a happy, beautiful baby grinning up at you and cooing.
So, yes. This has been our last few days.
But you will be happy to know I am working on lists. Lists and lists of lists! I am making lists of things we took and used and did not use and all that sort of thing from our trip. And I will post them.
But not now. Right now, there’s a toxic waste dump forming in the vicinty of my child’s posterior. And so, before the house begins to resemble a Poo Shop…
September 24th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Adoption, Her Babyness |
9 comments
We are home. Thanks everyone for checking in over the last couple of days, and sorry we’ve been slow to update.
We are SICK. And so the last couple of days has been a lot of sleeping and complaining and crying and medicating. BDH has a cold, Stinkerbelle has a cold and the runs, and I have embarked upon the Ethiopian weight loss program (also known as a violent case of digestive malfunction).
The trip went fairly well. Other than a rough first leg from Addis to Dubai, in which a woman beside me let her Satan child run wild, throwing dishes, stealing food from my tray, and smacking other passengers with a metal knife, and in which she also refused to accept that she was limited to one seat and was constantly leaning into mine or the passenger on the other side and draping her child across her lap to kick and head butt me all trip long, it was fine.
In the Dubai airport, we were directed to an oasis of calm, the Marhaba Lounge, where we were in a quiet spot to catch a few catnaps and with an unlimited buffet from which to partake — all for FREE. And then the long road home from Dubai to Toronto, all 14 hours of it, which was almost enjoyable aside from the sheer exhaustion. We were awake from around 10 pm Toronto time on Wednesday until we touched down in Toronto at 3:15 on Friday. And sleep did not come for a long time after that.
Toronto Terminal 1, for all its newness, is still an organizational nightmare. It took us an hour and a half at least to clear customs and immigration and get our bags (all the while our little girl had a full diaper and she did not complain one tiny bit — she was a real trooper), and then an hour and a half car ride to home.
When we finally got home Friday evening, and for the remainder of the weekend, we tried to catch what sleep we could, given the totally screwed up time schedules and being sick as dogs. BDH has been holding down the fort, being the least sick of all of us, and has been absolutely incredible. He’s up half the night with the girl, and then ran out today to get her an OHIP card so we can get her in to the doctor tomorrow, while I remain horizontal to avoid risk of passing out.
So there’s the latest. We still have so much to tell, after such a journey. But it will have to wait until I get further into my course of Cipro and Gatorade. I’m down and out for the count today.
September 22nd, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Adoption |
10 comments
Five years ago today, BDH and I got married.
We had been together, say, 7 years by that point. And we didn’t want to get married at first. But BDH is kind of a traditional guy, and so after a while we decided to have a very small, intimate wedding. Our plan for a wedding was basically to get together with a few of our closest friends and family and have a good meal and good wine and good conversation.
Simple. Elegant. It went almost perfectly. The weather was gorgeous, the food was fantastic, the flowers were spectacular.
It was a nice day.
We did not have a honeymoon. We decided not to, because we really wanted to go someplace fabulous, and we just didn’t have the money to afford what we wanted. But that was okay — we just decided we’d save up and go somewhere really memorable on our fifth anniversary instead.
Well, our fifth anniversary is here. And we did save, and we are going someplace fabulous — in two short days’ time, we’re off to Ethiopia. Not exactly a romantic, sun-drenched Caribbean getaway or a cottage in the west of Ireland or anything like we had envisioned.
But then, we didn’t plan on marking the day with an anniversary present. So that kind of changes things a bit.
We’re going to get the best anniversary present ever — our daughter.
Beats the hell out of wood or silverware.
September 6th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Friends and Family, Good News |
11 comments
Although we’ve been busy getting ready to go, there have been a couple of lovely little breaks in the craziness over the last little bit. Sometimes you need a little happy interlude to help keep you balanced and focused on the tasks at hand.
- I checked the mail last night to find that the ever-awesome Rana sent along a little gift for our daughter — a gorgeous sleeper that we oohed and aahed about last night before heading to bed. And with the sleeper was a wonderful, sweet note to send along good wishes for our upcoming trip. So thank you so much, Rana, for the lovely gift and your thoughtfulness!
- Also in the happy mail from last night, a prezzie from Kelly, also known as the Guilty Squid, sent along to BDH (and myself by extension). BDH is an IT guy (as you can probably guess from all the blogs and me talking about computers and other gizmos) and so Kelly found him the perfect book to get ready for fatherhood: The Baby Owner’s Manual - Operating Instructions, Troubleshooting Tips, and Advice on First Year Maintenance. It’s full of diagrams and technological terminology relating to babies — for example, a mouth is referred to as a “central processing unit” and a diaper, a “waste depository”, and contains a chapter called “Feeding: Understanding the Baby’s Power Supply”. It is THE PERFECT baby book for BDH, and will be some great reading for him for the trip! So thank you Kelly!
- And in the “soon to be mail” department… I got an email from our girl’s Auntie Sherri that there are prezzies en route! Hand-me-downs of all sorts and shoes, too! YAY! It’s like Christmas in September around here! So I am very excitedly awaiting THAT package, too!
- Yesterday, as a break from the nutty, I spent a couple hours in the company of Heather (she of the rockin’ baby clothes!), Miss Isabella and the Little Man. It was Miss Isabella’s day to meet her teacher prior to her first day at school next week, and my assignment was to take the Little Man for a walk while Mom and Dad and Herself grilled the new teacher on the care and training of the princess. SO… off we went, the two of us, round and round the school property, in billion degree heat. But there was a breeze, and birds and bugs to be seen, so it was a lovely walk, made lovelier still by the class in “Baby Communication 101″ conducted by the Little Man as we walked along. “Repeat after me: ba-ba-ba-ba… da-da-da-da… ma-ma-ma-ma… Okay, now a chorus of ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’…” And there was also a TOY waiting for my daughter, a nifty toy of somewhat alien appearance that makes clickitty crunchy noises and has all kinds of colours and a mirror… Such a good day for me! All this, and LUNCH too! It was a most excellent day.
- Also, from the department of Heather and Baby Things… Heather’s most awesome Mom found us a story book with black kids in it! Actually, it’s got kids of all ethnicities, and it’s all about how being different colours is really neat, and how lovely these differences between people can be. Apparently, she has been scouring the stores in search of toys, baby dolls and books that have kids with brown skin as the focus, just for our girl! So thank you so much Mrs. P!
- Today, I am off to get my hair coloured and cut considerably shorter than it is now in preparation for our trip. (Long enough for a ponytail still, but short enough that the ponytail is at the BACK and not hanging around front tempting chubby little hands…) I want to be sure to look presentable for this very important adventure. Years later, I want my daughter to look back at photos of a well-kept mom who doesn’t look as old as she is, and think she was kind of okay. Plus going across international borders with questionable hair is an invitation for customs searches, not to mention the fact that crazily dyed hair will startle a small child… so I thought it best to sharpen up a bit. So, it’s off for a mini spa day for me!
September 4th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Adoption |
13 comments
Well, as if my perfect day could not get any better…
Not only is the weather perfect, and Canada’s show jumper won gold at the Olympics, but I find myself with a good case of schadenfreude (well, close anyway).
The Mayor just cruised up in his Mid-Life Crisismobile blasting his car radio. And what was the King of Know-It-All, the Czar of Cool, the Sultan of Suave listening to at full volume?
Wait for it!…
BRITNEY SPEARS.
*snort*
To quote The Mayor, when a young person goes by with the radio blaring: “It doesn’t always have to be a parade, you know.”
Oh, how Kelly would have LOVED to see this. How she ADORES a good Mayor sighting.
August 21st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff |
3 comments
This week has seen a series of perfect summer days. Not too hot, no humidity, and bright sunshine. If only all summer days were like this!
I’ve been taking these days to sit out on the porch with my laptop in the mornings where it is cool. Our wireless reaches out here, just barely, which is okay for working on blogs and such but not so good for the streaming Olympic coverage. This morning I am watching horse jumping, and the horses sometimes jump and just pause in midair, while the stream buffers… I don’t think that this is actually what is happening in real life (although you must admit, that would make for a hell of a competition).
Another nice thing is that many of our nutso neighbours are not around. Some are on vacation with their wild children, and others are off to work. It’s quiet and peaceful.
The only downfall is that my phone is still dead, and I have work that is waiting for me that I could be doing. It would be a great day to sit outside and work — enjoying the beautiful day AND getting paid. It’s perfect, yes?
If only summer days could all be like this! I would love to have a cottage on days like this, to be able to sit on a dock or swim in the lake or sit in a sunny screened porch and work. I dream of the day when we can all decamp for the summer to a cottage — it doesn’t have to be anything special, but it DOES need to be fully computer-friendly, so we could both work from the cottage. (Also? Possibly sealed against bugs and rodents like my parents’ cottage. Of course, that upgrades the cost of the dream significantly, so you know, beggars can’t be choosers.)
BDH says, when I come up with these cockamamie ideas, that a) we need to talk about my spending habits, or 2) I need to write a bestseller and make a buttload of money. However, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
So I think I will just have to content myself with daydreams. At least they are free, and every summer day is perfect.
August 21st, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff |
4 comments
Things that need fixing around my house:
- Our phone — We have internet phones, and something is busted. So we have no calls coming in or going out. Which is fine, if you are a telemarketer calling me, because then you don’t have to hear my answering machine as I ignore you or, alternately, pick up and then hang up right away. But it kind of sucks for real people trying to call, like friends and work and our agency.
- My laptop power cable — If I am to move my laptop anywhere, it requires a good 20 minutes of plugging the power cable in various ways into various outlets around the room while cursing loudly and colourfully before it will actually work. And, once you get it working, you could nudge it just slightly and have it immediately shut the laptop right off, no option to save, nada. Fortunately BDH the computer geek has found me an alternate power cable until a new one can be ordered for my busted one.
- My knowledge of diaper genies — Dude. Seriously. Somebody gave me one, and I will be damned if I know how the heck it works.
- Sleep — We have been sleeping really poorly of late. Despite being exhausted and yawning, we find ourselves wide awake and unable to fall asleep. Or we are sleeping fitfully, waking up often throughout the night. It makes for tired and crabby in abundance.
- Cinnamon’s knowledge of doors — Each day we put up a baby gate so that Opus cannot wander too much throughout the house, get lost, or find new and exciting places to pee. And almost every day, Cinnamon gets trapped behind the baby gate. She’s getting too old to jump over these things (not that she was ever much of a jumper anyway — our ‘fraidy cat likes to always have her feet planted firmly on the ground, thankyouverymuch — and so when the gate goes up she is stuck there, unable to go downstairs to eat or have a drink or go to the litter box. And no amount of calling her before you shut the baby gate will cause her to clue in. She just sits at the top of the stairs, listening to you call her, and then sits forlornly for hours afterwards unable to get past the gate when she wants to.
- Knees — Can any two people complain MORE about their aching, grinding, painful knees? I think not.
- Bathroom doors — Our house is full of warped doors and badly hung doors and doorjambs. This means, in summer, you are unable to latch the upstairs bathroom door, which will then pop open at the slightest provocation, while in the downstairs bathroom, and extra push is required to mash the door shut. In winter, they are reversed, and the upstairs bathroom door must be dragged across the tiles and lifted slightly to get the latch to catch, while the downstairs bathroom closes fine. Privacy is at a premium, which I suppose is good training for having a toddler; however, I worry about little fingers and toes getting hurt by these badly hung doors sometimes.
- My car’s A/C — I have no air conditioning in my car. This is fine for just me; however, I think driving with the windows open might get a bit too breezy for a small child. We’re going to have to bite the bullet and get it fixed. Sometime. And while they’re at it, maybe they can put a CD player in the car, because somehow I doubt my child will share my taste in music, at least some of the time, and it would be nice to have something to entertain a cranky baby.
August 20th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff |
10 comments
Because Sherri asked, here is the very very easy pesto recipe I use, courtesy of Canadian Living. It’s time consuming, if (like me) you are harvesting, trimming and washing your own basil, but otherwise? Takes no time at all.
2 c. packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
1/4 c. pine nuts
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
In food processor, finely chop together basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, salt and pepper. With motor running, add oil in thin steady stream. Stir in garlic (I just blend it in using the food processor, myself).
Makes about 3/4 c., which is why I always double it to make a batch to freeze.
Enjoy!
*****
We make chicken pesto pasta, which is also really easy:
2-4 chicken breasts, cubed (depending on how much of a meat eater you are, or feel like being)
1/2 cup pesto (again, depending on how pesto-y you like your pasta)
1 450 g. box of pasta with lots of grooves in it — we prefer fusilli/curly pastas but any textured pasta would do…
1 small jar of oil-packed chopped sun dried tomatoes, drained (but reserve a little of the oil for cooking)
1 c. frozen peas, cooked (I usually put them in the microwave for a couple minutes)
lots of Parmesan to sprinkle on top
Put the pasta on to boil.
While the pasta is cooking, put the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, tomatoes, and chicken in a large skillet to cook. Cook chicken until no longer pink.
Drain pasta, and add pasta, peas and pesto to the chicken mixture in the warm skillet and stir until pesto is blended through and everything is warm.
Serve sprinkled generously with Parmesan. I mean, it’s pesto, after all — so why not?
It makes a seriously large pot of pasta, so there’s lots for a big dinner for 4 at least. There’s just the 2 of us, so we have a big feed and have tons left over which we freeze for lunches.
August 19th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Craftiness |
4 comments
My garden is thriving. Mostly.
For the first year ever, my tomatoes are not overtaking the garden, which kind of saddens me, because I have only just mastered the art of tomato sauce. And also, for the first year ever, I have green peppers and red peppers. Despite years of trying, I have never been able to grow peppers. Sure, I have grown beautiful, healthy, gorgeous pepper PLANTS, all completely devoid of fruit. (Possibly gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) But I have yet to actually get peppers until this summer.
Potatoes, squash, herbs — they all seem to be doing well.
So today, I decided it was time for pesto. My basil plants are flowering, and in past years due to procrastination and/or neglect I have actually not had as big a crop as I should have because I let the plants go to seed or get nipped by frost. But not this year — oh no. We love our pesto around here, and since it’s readily frozen, it’s perfect for us and our budding family, which will need quick dinners while we settle in with our daughter.
So last week I bought about $20 worth of parmesan. Two decent-sized chunks. And two piddly bags of pine nuts for about $12. One of the downfalls of making pesto is the cost — but it doesn’t take much to make a meal, and with the basil coming from the garden for free, you actually get decent value for your money.
I went out this morning with scissors and my colander. I needed 4 cups of packed leaves, so I thought I will start trimming off full branches, bring them in and wash them, and come back and get more as I need them.
I have about 10 basil plants, all nice and healthy, so I was pretty confident I’d get a couple of batches of pesto this year from our garden. Normally I can get two, maybe 3 batches a year, if I trim judiciously and allow more branches and leaves to sprout as the summer winds down. I started with the plant closest to the sun, which was the tallest, and began trimming, leaving young branches and leaves to get more sun.
I came in with this (click any photo to embiggen):
Note the sous chef:
(He’s VERY helpful.)
I started trimming off the leaves into a sink full of cold water, to wash the leaves off. And ended up with well over 8 CUPS of leaves.
Eight cups. EIGHT. From one single, solitary plant. And we have something like 10 plants out there.
Good doG. We’re going to have enough fresh basil for… well, I have no reasonable estimation, because I have no idea how we are ever going to use that much basil.
Pesto is not a big yield cooking day. Two hours and a fair few dirty dishes later, my house smells like an Italian restaurant. And I ended up with more than 4 cups of pesto. That’s 8 huge pots of chicken pesto pasta, or 8 meals for the two of us and a crazy number of lunches from the leftovers.
But those will be some delicious meals. There’s nothing like the taste of fresh pesto, especially from your own garden.
August 18th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Craftiness |
10 comments
We took an extra long weekend. BDH took an extra day off work, which means I got an extra day off, too. And we enjoyed an extra long weekend.
I had a dentist’s appointment, but other than that, there was nothing that had to be done today, so why not make it a really long weekend? So we got armed with a bunch of DVDs and our laptops, and sat down to enjoy another day off. Fortunately it’s been raining all afternoon, so there’s really nothing that had to be done besides sit and listen to the thunder and watch some movies.
BDH generally needs to take a little down time, with the nature of his job. And for me, I have to admit, I enjoy having a day to do absolutely nothing. Even though I don’t work other than my work here around the house, and the odd job I pick up here and there, there is always something that has to be done and so there’s always something hanging over you to get done. So with a day off, the pressure is off and I can be a lazy bum.
Even the dentist is tolerable on a day like that. I even started to feel like dozing off as the seat tilted back. I can’t lie.
For much of the weekend, I was feeling bummed and really bored to be stuck at home and indoors, because it was a wonderfully warm weekend and it would have been great to have been by a pool or at a cottage or by the lake all weekend. I would have loved to have enjoyed the sun, and swam, and all that. But we haven’t any money, so going away wasn’t an option. We did get away to visit friends at their cottage one afternoon, which was so much fun and so relaxing. But once at home, where we haven’t got a pool, staying cool meant staying inside. And so I felt compelled to DO something. I mean, I spend every day here in the house, and I generally DO things. So sitting around was starting to feel like kind of a drag. But I tried to putter in the garden, and the humidity was nasty, and it wasn’t any fun to just carry on with the stuff that has to be done around here. So, finally, BDH asked me “Can’t you just relax and enjoy a day OFF?”
And I thought, “Hm. I guess relaxing MIGHT be nice.”
So we are watching a whole bunch of movies, and I am doing a bit of work while BDH Saves the World from the Forces of Evil. Possibly a load of dishes will get washed. Maybe I’ll throw in some laundry. But if all that gets done is some resting and relaxing, well… sounds fine with me.
August 5th, 2008
Posted by
CinnamonOpus |
Everyday Life Stuff, Holidays |
one comment
