Eight Months

Clare was not very cooperative during this photo shoot. This is the best we got.

"Are you teething, too?"

 This has been a big month for Clare: sitting up, army crawling, eating more and more, and a trip to Florida. She is also getting her eighth (!) tooth. I keep hoping we'll get a break from the teething, but they have been coming in one right after another. On the crawling: she hasn't figured out how to lift her belly off the ground, but she can make it from the living room to the kitchen with no problem, she just drags her belly along the floor.

She has not been as picky about food as she was at first, but some days she is less interested in food than others. I guess she didn't inherit her mother's need to plan her entire day around her meals. (Or, if I am with my mom and sister, to plan the next meal while we are finishing the current one. That might explain why I have been slow to lose the baby weight. ANYWAY.) I still worry that she is not getting the right amount of nutrients, but she probably is. What would I do without something to worry about?

When we were in Florida, her eczema got really bad, poor girl. I am not sure if it was the sun screen or what. I've read that people with a history of allergies in their family (yes, me...and plenty of them) are more likely to have babies with eczema and other problems. I hope this is all she has to deal with allergy-wise, but we'll see.

She is "talking" more and more everyday - I keep waiting for an actual word to come out of her mouth. I just hope it isn't one she hears while Mommy is driving the car.

This last month has been so fun - what a great stage. All of the joy Clare gets out of just about everything is so wonderful. She is so cute and sweet right now, when she can't run away or talk back. I am trying to soak up as much of it as I can.

80 Degrees and Sunny

For the last week we were with Ben's parents in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The weather! Oh, the weather was lovely. It was 80 and sunny almost every day. We flew down last Saturday - and for the week prior to the trip I was worrying about how Clare would do on the plane. She did fine, of course. I got some very helpful advice from some of my more well-traveled friends (basically, nurse on take off and landing). Worked like a charm! It also helped that she had a captive audience - plenty of people to charm in the seats around us.

We spent the week sitting on the beach, bird watching, zipping around in a pontoon boat (we saw dolphins!), and eating Key Lime Pie for dessert every night. I got to spend an afternoon by myself at the pool reading, swimming, and staring at palm trees and a clear blue sky. Ben and I had a much-needed date night on Friday - I had delicious fajitas and an even more delicious mojito. Clare was thrilled to spend time with her grandparents and not wear pants.

Dipping her feet in the ocean. It was a bit cold, and she was not thrilled.

In the back bay on the pontoon boat.

With Grandma Mary Theresa. She hated wearing the life jacket, but enjoyed her dolphin toy.

Having fun playing with Grandpa Steve at the condo.

My dear friend Chelsea was in Fort Myers Beach with her two boys while we were there. We haven't seen each other in awhile, so it was great to be able to hang out. One night, we went to dinner at the (ocean view!) condo she was renting. We drank wine on her porch after the kids went to bed. Things are slightly different now from the first time Chelsea and I were on the beach together. (Mazatlan, Mexico, Spring Break 1999. I am sure you can imagine.) On that trip, we spent a lot of time discussing boys and doing our hair and make-up in preparation for a wild night out. This time, we spent a lot of time discussing poop. Our kids', not our own. Just to be clear. Also - we were done for the night by 9.

Clare getting to know her friends Gavin and Parker.

One last thing to mention for posterity. I had the best reuben sandwich I have ever had on Sanibel Island at a restaurant called the Happy Heron. Oh my gosh, it was so good. (I am a big fan of the reuben.) And, Clare sat in a high chair at a restaurant for the first time. It was at just the right height for her to lean over and put her mouth on the table. Gross? Yes. I am sure there are worse things she could put in her mouth, though. This is not really how I intended to end this post, but there you go. I'll just include one more picture.

The whole family at the beach.

Sitting Up

A few weeks ago, I was worrying (shocking, I know) that Clare wasn't sitting up yet. Even though the books I'd read said she was in the normal range for the milestones she was supposed to have reached, I started obsessing over it.

I emailed my friend and professional sounding board, A. She told me her son wasn't sitting yet at Clare's age, and at the time, she was worried, too. Since her son is a wonderful and smart little boy, I felt a lot better.

Then, I read Amalah's post on Thursday. Her son is just a few days older than Clare. She was concerned about the fact that her son wasn't sitting up, and even asked an occupational therapist about it. The specialist was concerned. Of course, this sent me into a full-fledged panic. Even though I know! You are not supposed to compare babies! All babies develop at different speeds! First borns are sometimes slower to do things than second and third children. I get it. I still panicked.

I decided to sit Clare on her little bottom to see what would happen. Just to try it out.

She sat there on her own staring back at me like, "Yeah, what? I can do this. I just choose not to, camera/milk lady."

So ONCE AGAIN I was worrying about nothing. And now I can record another milestone in her baby book. January 13, 2012. Clare sat up by herself for the first time. After being coerced.

 (She still can't pull herself into a sitting position from the ground, but I figure that will come soon enough. If is she just reclined in her car seat or on my lap, she can sit up.)

Spit-up

We started the new year with a sick baby. On the 1st, she had a temperature of 102, a rash, and just wasn’t her cheery self, so we took her to Urgent Care. Luckily, it was just a cold, but it was still hard to see her so down and out.* (And, of course, Ben and I both had the cold a few days later.) I stayed home from work with her on Tuesday and Wednesday (one of my normal days off anyway.) We were snuggling together in the arm chair when Clare started coughing. Hard. She had just eaten, so pretty soon everything in her stomach was on me. It was not pretty. As soon as she was done hacking up a lung, she fell asleep. And I let her lay there. For two hours. While I was covered in spit up. I just couldn’t bear to wake her. (Please note, she was not lying in her own vomit. That had projected itself far enough up my arm and down my leg that she had a perfectly clean spot on which to rest her head.) She needed sleep so badly. Had you told me a year ago that I would sit in my daughter’s puke while she slept, I wouldn’t have believed you. The list of things I wouldn’t have believed is getting long.

Before I had kids, I never understood it when friends with kids cancelled at the last minute, or simply failed to make plans altogether. I mean, I understood, but I didn’t really understand. Until you have kids, you just don’t know how hard it is to get out the door some days. Impossible, even. I wish I could go back to my pre-baby self and say, “Enjoy it! What you have now will not last. Drink more wine!”

I do not say any of this to complain. I would not change my situation for anything, spit-up or no spit-up. It is just interesting, how fast life changes. How much it has changed in the span of just 7 months.

We did get to see some friends over New Year’s weekend, which was wonderful. One couple and their almost 3-year-old son recently relocated to Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi! Can you imagine? If we did that, this blog would be so much more interesting! We also got to see another couple and their almost 3-year-old son – we hadn’t seen these friends in nearly two years. I hope another two years doesn’t go by before we see them again. And, I got to see my dear Lillie girls, who I see more often than every two years, but not nearly often enough.  I always feel so happy and refreshed after a good gab session with those girls. (And full – but there is no such thing as too much cheese.)

So, one of my resolutions for 2012 is this: spend more time with friends, no matter how hard it is to get out the door.

Also. I got an iPhone after Ben's phone was stolen. Which only means one thing. Instagram! (Ben is using my old phone. He is not phone-less. I was eligible for an upgrade, so I got the new phone. Just thought I should explain that.)

*Edit to add: We ended up taking her to the doctor yesterday, and she has an ear infection. Her first one! Hopefully she will not get too many more. Also. I did not have to wear a jacket. In January. In Wisconsin. It felt great. Of course, today we are back to winter.

Seven Months

Weight: 17.5 pounds

Teeth: 5, with another two coming in.

Likes: Milk! Mommy’s hair. Anything Daddy does. Performing for a crowd. Sweet potatoes. Saying “da-da-da-da” and then growling (there is no Dana, only Zuul). Rolling anywhere and everywhere (time to babyproof!). Monkey Katie, Mr. Owl, Dolly, and Turnover Cat II. The cat. Daycare, especially her favorite teachers Jonelle and Sandy. Her adoring fans: Grandma Jo, T.R., Grandma Mary Theresa, Grandpa Steve, Aunts Katie and Andri, Uncles Robby, Andrew and Andy. Aunt Andri’s hair and glasses. Baths. Bouncing. This Little Piggy and Peek-a-boo games. Eating books. (I am hoping this will turn into “reading books” someday soon.) Her Jumperoo. (When she first saw it she tried to dive out of my arms in her haste to get to it.)

Dislikes: Sleeping when there are people other than Mommy and Daddy around (which is why she was awake to ring in the new year with us!) Having her face wiped off or washed. Apples. Not being the center of attention. Being put in her car seat at the end of the day. Mommy with a towel on her head after a shower. Socks, and sometimes she will not tolerate pants, either. She is strictly a pants-optional kind of girl.

Just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2012. Mom and Dad are enjoying the Champagne of Beers. Happy New Year, all!

Year In Review

Normally, I look back on the year and I think, "Wow, another year over - what the heck did I do?" Well, this year was a bit different, so I decided to borrow once again from other blogs and fill out this end of year questionnaire.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Gave birth to my lovely Clare.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

If I made them, I have no idea what they were. I will probably make some again this year, and promptly forget them. (I did tell my coworker that my New Year’s resolution was to stay away from the vending machine. So there’s that.) Actually, I do have one goal. I want to be cleaner and more organized at home. My house has kind of gotten away from me since Clare was born.

3. Did anyone close to you have a child?

Yes! Oh my. Several of my closest friends had babies, and Clare now has future BFFs/boyfriends Will, Archer, Alice, and Carter.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No. Thank God.

5. Where did you travel?

We took several trips to the Twin Cities, visited grandparents (Clare's great-grandparents) in La Crosse and Oostburg, and went to a wedding in the U.P. of Michigan.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

Sleep.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory?

June 7. Everything else is kind of a blur.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Well, I guess I have to say giving birth to a baby! Also, I am proud of the way Ben and I are handling having a child in our lives. We are still mostly sane.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Ugh. I don't know. I feel like I failed in lots of little ways, but it doesn't seem healthy to dwell on them too much.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Does giving birth count as illness or injury?

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Clare's butterfly mobile from an Etsy shop. It was the first thing she really focused on, and still loves it to this day. Also, our new car.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Our families have been wonderfully supportive and helpful with Clare, but I have to single out Ben. Having a new baby is stressful, and he has been very patient with me throughout this transition. Also, he was a saint in the delivery room.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Scott. Walker.

14. Where did most of your money go?

New crib, new bookshelf, new baby clothes, sheets, towels, shampoo, toys, nuks, bottles, breast pump, books....I could go on. Oh, and daycare. And a new car. Wow, we spent a lot of money this year.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Clare. ALSO: my sister getting married! Her wedding was beautiful, and I adore her new husband. He is a wonderful addition to our family. Even though I think he might sometimes wonder what he got himself into. Don't worry, Andrew. It is worth it!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Mumford & Son's "Roll Your Stone Away." Anything by the ubiquitous Adele.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier. I am not pregnant anymore, but I feel fatter. Definitely poorer with my reduced work schedule, but that is by choice so I am okay with it.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Talked to and spent time with friends, especially pre-baby. Spent time outside. Slept. Can you tell I am tired?

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Wasting time worrying about things I can't control. That is something I always do, though. I don't think it will change.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

We ate our way through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my parents' house. I ate my weight in Christmas cookies at visits to both sets of grandparents. We all sat around watching Clare try to eat wrapping paper - it is funny how adults forget how to have a conversation when there is a baby in the room. Their little cheeks are just so distracting!

21. What was your favorite TV program?

Parks and Recreation. Hands down. I also loved 30 Rock, Modern Family, Community, Castle, Justified, and the New Girl. I quit watching Glee. The Office didn't make the list because I miss Steve Carell too much.

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No.....I think I hated all the same people in 2010, too.

23. What was the best book you read?

The best book I read was "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. "Bossypants" by Tina Fey was a close second. The two books are so different you can't compare them, but I enjoyed them equally for very different reasons. Rounding out the top 5:  "City of Light" by Lauren Belfer, "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool, and "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott (I know! I had never read this before. I am way late to the party.)

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I don't know if I discovered anything particularly new, but I love Mumford & Sons and She and Him.

25. What did you want and get?

Most importantly, a healthy baby. Earrings for Christmas. A new car.

26. What did you want and not get?

Oh, there are lots of toys I want and didn't get. I'll go with the new iPhone.

27. What was your favorite film of this year?

I didn't see many movies this year, but I adored Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. What a finish. I'll miss you, Harry.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I honestly have no recollection of what I did on my birthday. I know I turned 32. Seriously, what did I do? OH. I do remember. Ben and Clare baked me a chocolate chip date cake. It was delicious. They lit the candles in the garage and came in singing to me. It was very sweet.

29. What one [or three] thing[s] would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Dare I say more sleep yet again? Of course, more money would always help. Overall, though, it was a fairly satisfying year.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Anything clean, or at least mostly clean.

31. What kept you sane?

Carving out little moments for myself here and there. Even just an extra long shower when I can get it.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Hmmmm....there wasn't anyone in particular this year but I almost fainted when I saw Ryan Gosling without his shirt in Crazy, Stupid, Love. That man's abs are no joke.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

Where to start? Actually, I don't think I will list anything because then this post will turn into a rant rather than a review of the year.

34. Who did you miss?

My friends who live far away. Sometimes I miss my pre-baby self. Is that weird? 

35. Who was the best new person you met?

Clare, of course!

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

I don't have anything particularly deep or insightful to say here, but I guess I learned that I can handle a lot more than I thought I could. My priorities changed a lot this year, and that is okay. Some things that seemed so important before, well, I learned that they just aren't. I have a whole new person to worry about, and she comes before anything else in the world. I simply can't imagine my life without her. 

Baby's First Christmas

After Christmas Eve Mass. Clare did pretty well - not that it mattered. It was so crowded, we were in the lobby.

Clare opening one of her first presents on Christmas morning. She loved the wrapping paper.

Clare and Mommy on Christmas morning. Please ignore the burp rag.

I can haz plz?

Yay, gift bag! (I didn't realize it at the time, but that present was not yet open. So she slobbered all over Aunt Andri's present. Oops!)

We had a lovely first Christmas with Clare. She was thrilled to be around her aunts, uncles and grandparents. I hope she is not too bored when everyone goes home.  She has been laughing constantly, and maybe is even waving at people. We can't quite tell if she is intentionally waving, or just wildly flapping her arm.

One of the best parts of the holidays, aside from seeing family and friends, is the FOOD. And boy, did we have lots of it. My sister-in-law cooked a traditional English Christmas dinner. It was delicious.

This week and last have been so busy - I love the holidays, but is anyone else a little relieved when they are over?