What Happened...

Dear Friends and Family,

Late April we had to take P to the hospital. I don't think I have ever been more scared in my entire life.

We were at the airport when I noticed that P was developing a rash. She had a fever and was irritable and fussy. We called the doctor's office and they recommended going to the hospital vs. continuing home.

We rented a car to drive to the hospital, and on the drive P's breathing got really shallow and she became really lethargic, not responding to our calling for her or our not so gentle nudges. I ended up running into the emergency room with her in my arms.

The triage nurse took all of the typical vitals and admitted P - her rash had gotten worse, her fever had gotten worse, and her oxygen levels were low. We waited a couple of minutes in the waiting room and then headed into our room for the day.

The doctor ordered more tests. And, P was strapped to a monitor to track her pulse and her oxygen. They kept us for the test results, the fever, and because her pulse was running high. P was pretty out of it for most of the evening, but she was a trooper - not putting up much of a fight, except when they had to set her up for her IV. The IV made her all puffy, and I remembered, quite nostalgically, that she looked like a newborn again.

In the end, it all worked out okay. They released us from the hospital late that night. We drove to a hotel, slept for a couple of hours, and got home the next day. The rash went away in a couple of days. And, our Wolverine was as good as new.

And, that, my friends, was our first trip to emergency room with P.


Cheers!
mouse

Remembering and Catching Up

Dear Friends and Family,

Ah, time to catch up from our trip in April. The one that landed us at the hospital on the way back. I'll see how far I get and I'll pick up where I leave off another time.

Here's my scribble scratch:

• poopy diaper
• pulling out wipes
• no interest in older toys
• new sitting positions
• waking by self
• smile when milk time
• sand :(, ocean :(, nap :)
• sunset
• stranger anxiety

and more notes:

• stand
• buoyancy
• cut on face
• loss of binky
• giddiest with us

Wow, that's a lot to cover.

poopy diaper: We were in the hotel room and I thought I smelled one. I walked over to P to take a peek. Usually it's a false alarm and I get to peek at cute baby butt. But, this time it was filled and brimming and threatening imminent disaster. Mr. mouse came over and we diagnosed our options in averting such said disaster. We twisted and turned and assessed and ultimated kept her standing while we cleaned her up. Disaster averted. P looked at us kinda funny like she was trying to figure out why we didn't do the usual routine. That only made the whole incident that much funnier.

pulling out wipes: While we were packing, we left P to play with her toys. She discovered her wipes and figured out how to open the pack. She pulled out a bunch of wipes one at a time. She hadn't ever done that before nor has she done it since. It was just a classic parent moment - baby surrounded by wipes, patiently pulling out the next one, a look of cause and effect on her face as she goes. We laughed some more and put the wipes back in.

no interest in older toys: P's lost interest in her six month toys - mostly rattles with no sound, just bright colors to look at. Guess it's time for us to pack them away to make room for new toys.

new sitting positions: P was a butt on floor, legs in front of her baby. Now, she's got a ton of random positions with her legs tucked under her bent back at the knees, on one knee with the other leg half up to get into a standing position more easily, with both legs bent and her butt floating like an old Asian grandmother... wherever her legs happen to be is fine with her now.

waking by self: I'm drawing a blank. There are times when P can wake now without necessarily crying. This is what I must have been referring to. I'm not 100% sure.

Okay. Five down, many more to go. Will write more later. Should go shower and get ready for work.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: P hasn't had her pacifier for two days now. I kind of miss her happy pacifier face and the cute way she eagerly grabbed for it, orienting it before putting in her mouth, taking a couple of quick drags, and then resuming whatever it was she was doing before. I'd love to give it back just to see the face, but I'm resisting. One of us has to be an adult in this relationship and I guess for now that's my job.

Busy Birthday

Dear Friends and Family,

We had an action packed day yesterday.

P woke up. We fed her. We took her one year photos. We had breakfast pancakes. P played with her toys. P napped. We fed her leftover bouillabaisse. We opened presents. P learned to climb the stairs. We took more photos. We sang happy birthday and weighed P. We did hand and foot prints to compare against the ones from the hospital. We had cake. We went to the supermarket to pick up treats for school (they need to be commercially prepared with ingredients listed). We went to a restaurant by the hospital where we got take out from last year for dinner. We ate. We went to the hospital (where we got in when someone exited) and took some memorial shots. P fell asleep. We wrote our next letters to each other.

Then, apparently, while I slept. Mr. mouse and P mastered the travel cup, ate prunes and apple sauce, played, and then took a bath. Huh.

Needless to say, it was an amazing day. I'm glad we got to take the day off and spend it with P. Back to work. And, time to start planning the birthday party for this weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

05.11.10: One Year Ago Today

Dear Friends and Family,

P is having round III of breakfast. She had milk. Then, she had pancakes with the option of bananas and fish. Now she's having jar food and apple sauce with Mr. mouse.

A year ago today we were in the hospital napping, writing and playing Scrabble. I had already gotten my epidural and they had broken my water. I was scared that something could go wrong and worried that I would miss my little P once she was born.

So many times during the first year felt so perfect I wished I could freeze time at that moment forever. But, then, the future moments were so perfect I realized if I could have frozen time I'd have never seen the future moments. So, now, I'm okay with time passing and perfect moments being replaced by perfect moments - like last night, when P was practicing standing and was all grins as we cheered her on.

And, mouse, what about me?

I made it to the one year mark for breastfeeding. I'll be done with the daytime pumping later this week. Then, I'll be done with the evening pumping sometimes in June and can sleep through the night.

I still have about 20 pounds to lose which I can now get started on.

I had a lovely dinner Saturday night and Sunday night and pancake brunch Sunday afternoon with Mr. mouse and P for a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. And, to cap it off, Mr. mouse had a couple come to give a quote on housecleaning services - his Mother's Day gift to me.

Work is good. I'm enjoying the opportunity to do the work I do with people I enjoy working with. And, they pay me to boot.

All in all, I'm thankful for all that's been given to me and realize how fortunate I've been in being able to enjoy the past year.


Cheers!
mouse


PS: still looking for the scrap of paper from our Florida weekend to recount the details of that trip and our detour in Texas.

Crouching P, Sleeping Baby

Dear Friends and Family,

Ah, the frenzy to capture the minutiae of the first year before P turns one...

The sleep routine:

We let P play downstairs until she turns clumsy on us, starts rubbing her eyes, or literally lies down on the rug to go to sleep. Then, I pick her up and give her four kisses and a big hug. I hand her over to Mr. mouse who takes her upstairs. He changes her diaper and changes her into her pajamas. He reads her a book and then gives P her pacifier. He lays her in bed and if it's cold out covers her with a blanket. We say good night. We leave the room - dimmer light on, door closed.

Before we go to bed, we check in on her. Inevitably, she's moved to a new position on the mattress and she's crouched on her belly, elbows, arms, knees, legs all tucked in under her, butt in the air.

We watch her for a few minutes before leaving the door open and going to bed ourselves.


Cheers!
mouse

Notes on P

Dear Friends and Family,

P and I have the funniest routine each afternoon when I pick her up at school.

She sees me. She crawls to me with the biggest smile on her face. She climbs up and give me a huge hug. She climbs into my lap. She picks up my badge. She looks at the picture and says meh. Then, she looks at me and looks back at the picture. When she's done checking my id, she gives me a giant hug.

That is the best motivation to get work done and get over to see my P.


Cheers!
mouse

Milestones

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, I finally caught P standing on "film." And, for giggles, she decided to climb into her drawer at school when we were packing her bag. And, to top it off, to scale the bouncy chair that had been sitting neglected in her room.

And, on the other extreme, this morning, I got my first email ever from my Dad. He made a card for P for her birthday. So cute.


Cheers!
mouse

05.03.10: And Then We Played Some More

Dear Friends and Family,

In a twisted sort of way, with hindsight being 20/20 and since it seems like P's fine now, I'm glad we got to spend the extra time with P last weekend. With Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and part of Wednesday + Saturday and Sunday of this past weekend together, it's been almost a full week together, or at least it feels that way - time with our baby before she transitions to being a toddler.

And, during that time, we got to see lots of firsts, which I WILL document between now and her birthday - some big ones and some small ones. I'm glad we got to spend the time together and enjoy the bliss that has been our days for the past year before making the jump into year two. If you know me, you know I get sentimental around life stage changes.

This weekend?

Saturday, we slept in, we played, we cleaned up a little bit, we went for a walk to order P's birthday cake, play in the park, buy bread, and pick up lunch, and then we played some more.

Sunday, we slept in, we took photos, we played, I called my sister, we cleaned up a bit, we ordered cupcakes for P's birthday party, we went for a walk to eat brunch, and then we played some more.

And, that was it. After a flurry of travel (all of April if you think about it), we had a quiet weekend at home to kick off the month long celebration of P (almost all of May if you think about it).

And, my big goal this week is to stick to my commitment: noon to 2PM, water only.


Cheers!
mouse

Back to Our Routine

Dear Friends and Family,

P got the all clear yesterday to return to school today. I'm not sure anyone knows what caused Monday's hiccup so I'm not sure anyone knows if it'll happen again and what we should do if it does. I guess you have to get used to not knowing everything you might want to know.

So, today, we're all back to our routine. P at school. Mr. mouse and me at work.


Cheers!
mouse

Leaps and Bounds

Dear Friends and Family,

Last night, P made a bunch of mental connections. She saw me drop her yellow ball into her red cup and she crawled over for a look. She peered into the cup and smiled when she saw the ball. She picked up the cup to shake the ball around. She went after the ball when it rolled or jumped out of the cup and put it back in. AND, when she wanted the ball, she stuck her hand into the cup and grabbed it vs. tipping it out of the cup the way she had been doing.

I feel like she made the transition from baby to toddler last night even if we officially have a few more weeks to go.


Cheers!
mouse

Peek a Boo

Dear Friends and Family,

P woke up on the right home last night. And, I decided to pull over and feed her and have Mr. mouse meet us for dinner.

We went out for Peruvian. And, surprise, surprise, P is a fan of the beef stew. After eating, she was sitting on Mr. mouse's lap while Mr. mouse and I finished our dinners.

She was playing with Mr. mouse's napkin when Mr. mouse realized she was playing peek a boo with us. At which point, dinner was effectively over because I couldn't resist playing peek a boo back, laughing at her and hiding behind my napkin. She was so happy, it made all of our evenings.

I'm glad P is generally a happy baby.


Cheers!
mouse

04.19.10: Stranger Anxiety

Dear Friends and Family,

Our almost one year old.

Saturday, during bath time, we noticed that P has a new mole, on her upper thigh/lower butt. At first, we thought it was just dirty, but after scrubbing, we realized it was a new mole. Huh. Not even twelve months old and she has two moles already.

The other thing we noticed was that she's yellowing. When P was exclusively breastfed she had a pale beauty to her complexion. Now that she's eating a variety of foods and getting some sun in the car on the commute, she's gotten a sun kissed glow about her.

And, last but not least, when she was done with bath, she was playing by the edge of the tub with my shampoo bottles. I know, this is wrong on so many fronts. But, we were both watching her super closely. Well, the bottles fell into the tub and out of her reach and either frightened her or upset her. Either way, before we knew it. P peed. And, we both laughed so hard we almost cried.

Other developmental milestones.

Our friend gave us an activity table. P loves standing at it and pushing it around the kitchen like a walker. When she gets tired or bored, she stands at it and plays. Then, when she's ready to go again, she starts pushing again.

Stacking. Mr. mouse was concerned that P wasn't stacking or putting objects into other objects. Well, she finally decided to try it. And, one night, I think it was Tuesday, but I'm not sure, she consistently picked up a lego piece and put it in her activity table and she consistently picked up a yellow ball and put it in her red bowl. Now, she'll crawl after the yellow ball if it rolls away and put it in her red bowl or red cup.

Eating. She's pretty focused. First side. Roll. Second side. Stretch. She gets an annoyed face if she feels like we made her wait too long, a sleepy face if she is tired, and a happy face when she's done.

Sunday, we took a lightening quick trip to the Twin Cities and got to see some of our friends. P was not so good with the quick transition. She was fine with the travel. But, she's gotten shy and it was a lot of people coming and going for her taste. She wanted nothing to do with seeing everyone and wanted to be held by Mr. mouse and/or me the whole time.

I wonder how we'll manage this weekend when we were planning on leaving her with a sitter while we attend a wedding.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Closed out the weekend with a lovely dinner. P is a big fan of pork cheeks. Why am I not surprised?

Two Out of Three

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, P needed her binky to fall asleep last night, but the prior two nights she made it without. Yeah for P!

We're slowly trying to wean her off of her binky by being slower to offer it to her and only using it when she really needs it vs. just offering it whenever she's in the car or the crib.

Tuesday night, P had a cute moment. She had been hysterical most of the way home and I was pretty drained by the time we got home. I went upstairs to change while Mr. mouse comforted her. Soon, I heard him changing her and it was obviously a massive diaper. I came down to see the scene and she was buck naked draped across his leg whimpering while he was wiping down her butt. I don't know why I fell in love with the tableau. Perhaps it's the allure of a naked baby. Perhaps it's because she looked so small and I forget how young she still is. Either way, I laughed. And, the image still makes me smile.


Cheers!
mouse

Counting Down to Catching Up

Dear Friends and Family,

Uncle. Okay. You, whoever you are, you win.

After months of breezily, blissfully enjoying P's first year, the rate of cumulative sleep deprivation has increased while the rate of change of babyhood has slowed and I have passed an inflection point where I'm looking forward to a future where I get more sleep vs. holding onto a present where I feel like a walking zombie.

June 20th. By my current count, June 20th is when I'll be done with my evening pumping sessions which sounds like heaven because here is my "current" typical day.

typical mouse weekday:

• sleep: 4 hours
• coffee, blog, morning time: 0.5 hour (down from 1)
• feed P: 20 minutes (down from 30)
• shower, personal prep time: 0.5 hours
• morning bag shuffle: 20 minutes (up from 15 minutes)
• commute: 1 hour 15 minutes (up from an hour)
• daycare drop off: 5 minutes (down from 15 minutes)
• work: 9.75 hours (down from 10)
• day care pick up: 15 minutes (down from 30)
• commute: 1.5 hours
• feed P: 1 hour (up from 30 minutes)
• down time, play time, dinner, Mr. mouse time: 0.5 hours (down from 1)
• nap: 3 hours (up from 1.5 hours)
• pump and miscellaneous house errands: 1 hour (up from 30 minutes)

I'm tired just writing about it. To think, there is a future where 7 hours of sleep beckons. Sheer bliss.

The commute's been killer the past week - a combination of getting a later start and summer construction and P not sleeping through the afternoon commute. June 20th. I can make it. After all what are my other options?


Cheers!
mouse

04.05.10: Bienvenue à Canada

Dear Friends and Family,

On a whim, we decided to follow the good weather, to get P a passport stamp, and to get away from the daily drudgery of a routine. We ended up in Quebec for the weekend enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of Canada. First passport stamp: check.

After some starts and stops Saturday morning involving several phone calls to the bank, we took the ferry across the river. It's an excellent opportunity to take lots of pictures of Quebec and we weren't the only shutterbugs on the trip. First boat ride: check.

We spent the rest of the morning walking through Lower Town and Upper Town - people watching, shopping, and taking more pictures. Then, we stopped off at the hotel to feed P and drop off some gear before taking the car out to a crêperie Mr. mouse read about online. Mr. mouse ordered the cassoulet and P ate most of the duck confit that came with the dish. She could not get at it fast enough. I almost fell out of my seat laughing. Discovery that your child is a gourmet: check.

Next stop: a re-gentrified neighborhood and a loop through a toy store. We picked up a Pat the Bunny for P for Easter and a book with French words. Back in Old Quebec, we walked to the Parliament and then through the streets to the wall, where the locals hang out. I fed P in the car while Mr. mouse went looking for a t-shirt for P. Dropped off the car and the gear and headed out for some more walking and pictures. The Hotel Fountenac dominates Quebec's skyline and we got there at that magical moment when it's dusk and everything looks that much better for the lighting. Took lots of pictures along the boardwalk and introduced P to maple sugar candy - I'd like to recreate it at home this winter once we get snow. It was so good. First indulgent sugar treat: check.

Last, but not least: dinner. We decided to stay close to the hotel since we had an early morning on Sunday and I didn't want P to get cold if the weather turned. On a lark, we stopped by a restaurant that a friend recommended and they had a table available. After considering the four course dinner, we landed on a la carte entrees - the chicken in a flaky pastry and a dish of game meats. Would you believe P was a big fan of the bison/pheasant casserole? Confirmation your child is a gourmet: check.

Sunday morning, we left bright and early. We got home, gassed the car, showered, ate, and headed out for some family pictures and a quick trip to the aquarium. It was pretty windy, but, hey, at least we can say we tried.

And, now, it's Monday and I'm hoping the week isn't a killer week.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Walking the streets of Quebec confirmed we could still be unicorns.

Bitten

Dear Friends and Family,

No, not the clothes line by Sarah Jessica Parker. No, not some vampire thing. Plain and simple, P was bitten at school yesterday. Some kid got excited and, you know, when kids get excited, they bite.

Wait. Stop. No, I don't know. When P gets excited she laughs. She shakes like a bowl full of jelly. She falls. She does not bite.

Okay. I'll admit back in November when her first two teeth came in, she bit me a couple of times while eating - a couple of times when she was overeager to start and a couple of times when she thought that was an acceptable way to signal that she was done with that side. And, she learned quickly that biting was not acceptable. And, she hasn't bitten anyone since.

Well. I suppose she'll go through more adventures as she progresses through school - biting, hair pulling, you name it, kids do it. Excellent.

I was going to write yesterday morning about her self soothing skills (she got it together on the car ride home and in her crib yesterday morning), but I ran out of time in the morning and then she was a basket case on the way home yesterday. Guess there's a learning curve before she's consistent. Our little P.


Cheers!
mouse

03.31.10: Obviously in Catch Up Mode

Dear Friends and Family,

Okay. Obviously in catch up mode. Mornings have been hectic due to a certain someone turning off the alarm clock in her sleep. I'm not naming names, but she's not doing it on purpose so I can't be too annoyed with her. Obviously, she needs the sleep.

And, today, I'm up. Hooray!

The weekend? Lots of clothes shopping for P. Spring clothes, summer clothes, hipster urban wear, generic suburban wear, you name it, we've been buying it.

Speaking of P, her top two teeth continue to come in. She's getting over a cold. She's growing quite the Buddha belly. And, we had to put up another gate to keep her away from the kitchen cart because she is so curious. Ready or not, we're hurtling towards toddlerhood.

And, that's about all my brain can muster this morning.


Cheers!
mouse

Seven Week Countdown

Dear Friends and Family,

Seven more weeks to go. Then, I'm freed from the tyranny of formula since once P turns one, she can have whole milk.

Seven more weeks to go. Then, I can wind down my pumping sessions which translates into a lot less schedule juggling at work. And, time back. And, one less bag to pack in the morning. And, sleeping through the night.

Seven more weeks to go. Then, P can go through her stockpile in the freezer and Mr. mouse gets his freezer space back.

Seven more weeks to go. I'm feeling like this just may be doable.


Cheers!
mouse

Scurrying Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday.

We all overslept.

P's gone three days without the binky on the ride home.

We discovered top teeth last night.


Cheers!
mouse

Retiring the Green Pillow

Dear Friends and Family,

Didn't have time to write yesterday.

After months on non-use, we retired P's green pillow. It was her nursing pillow when she was a newborn. Now, she's smart enough to curl up next to me and to roll over when she's ready to switch sides.

Hurtling towards toddlerhood.


Cheers!
mouse