The appointment went well he is 13lbs 1oz and 24 inches long. 95% for length and 75% for weight. Looks like he is taking after his daddy because I was a marshmallow. He got a total of five shots today, did not like it much. He is taking a nap now and hopefully won't have too strong of a reaction and the Tylenol will help.
He also rolled over from front to back for the doctor. Better watch out.
Grammy and Grandpa visited this last weekend. Poor Grammy spent most of the weekend up at a quilting retreat though. Layden now seems to be wondering where those fun/funny people went and why has he been left alone with no one but mom and dad to amuse him. Or in other words: Where are his other slaves? I think they will have to visit more often. Most likely they will be back again in a few weeks when my brother has some time off from school since he couldn't make it this time. They bought him an infant/toddler rocker seat that vibrates. He seems to like it and it is enabling me to actually have enough time with my hands free to keep the kitchen under control. I need to get into some good habits now and keep things reasonably tidy. They say our children learn from our example so I need to be setting a good example. Or atleast good enought that Layden is not able to supplement his meals with what he finds on the floors once he is able to crawl.
Tonight Layden will be having his 2 month check up, which means shots, multiple shots. Poor guy. Hopefully it won't be too traumatizing. Speaking of which I had better head off now. I am walking there from campus, be nice to get a bit of exercise.
Last night I made Oli a mocha and put it in a thermos to take with him to work. Sadly he didn't get to drink it because when he opened it it had a bit of a funk and was frothy. Today I went to clean it and couldn't open it. Not surprise because Oli likes to be sure everything is good and tight, gas caps, nuts, bolts, pickle jars, everything. Since he is significantly stronger than me I often can not open these things so I hand it to Dieter to open. Dieter is a nice strong manly man but he couldn't open it either. He tried hot water, cold water, hitting it, all the standard tricks, no go. Til finally after much grunting it opens with the noise of a depressurizing airlock and spews out a frothy brown foul smelling liquid that was allegedly once a mocha. Apparently containers under large amounts of pressure are difficult to open. Lucky for Dieter, he gets to sleep rather than spend the night scheming how to reprove his manhood.
Today we had a few casualties. First, the brown coach and my jeans were attacked by the dreaded mustard baby poo. Then the green couch fell victim to melted chocolate. It is times like this when it is actually heartening to remember that we don't have nice things or perhaps remember why we don't have nice things because amazingly enough I did not directly cause any of these messes.
Today I realized that I accidently shot I don't know how many hours of couch, not even the whole couch just some of the fabric. Apparently the phone rang and I set the camcorder down to answer it but did not turn it off. Here's a vintage Layden shot, so tiny. He is getting very good at holding up his head, it doesn't bob around half so much anymore.
I got my hair cut last Friday just about the shoulders. Today Dieter came home from school, and asked me if I had cut my hair today. Oli got his hair cut today and there was another baby there. Layden was definitely cuter :).
Today we went for a car ride from Pullman to Moscow, to Pullman, to Albion, halfway to Colfax, to Pullman, to Palouse, to Kamiak Butte and home. About 2 hours in all and Layden slept the whole time. We will have to gradually increase the time until we are brave enough to cross the state. We met Al and Mimi and James and Jennifer at the Super China Buffet for lunch. It wasn't until we were about to leave that Al mentions it is his birthday, sneaky little bugger. There was also some other big news mentioned during the course of the meal that I am not at liberty to discuss, I will just say it was very big, very interesting and very exciting, but that is all I can say. That and I don't know why we were not told of this fascinating development more expediently.
Layden is doing well, currently has a case of the hiccups but otherwise well. He is getting more and more coordinated and can kinda of pet his kitty and is currently trying to steal his father's watch. Klepto.
I now have new pants so I don't have to wear maternity pants anymore, very exciting. I just have to readjust to actually unbuttoning and zipping them though since that was not necessary for the maternity jeans, which were roughly cone shaped.
Layden just gets sweeter and sweeter everyday. More and more talkative and smiley. He also is developing some impressive vocal equipment. I gave him a diaper change and then a bath because he was so incredibly messy. He was yelling so loud that my eardrums did the thing wear the hammer kinda seperates and it vibrates all wierd.
Today we took a walk downtown, visited the library and bookstore and bought Daddy a V-day present. Oli made me a yummy omelet breakfast and bought be a mini rose bush. This is a picture of Layden playing with his Valentine's Day present.
I had my 6-week check up today and everything is healed up well. Every one kept asking me where the baby was. It turns out that someone else with the last name Walsh and her baby had an appointment right after me.
Today we tried running some errands. Note I said tried. We didn't finish. Why? because Layden can be very needy at times. In the sling he was unhappy, me holding him in the same position, happy. Oh well I got some of them done, its a start. I suppose I will just have to take him out more often to get him used to it. Now that Oli is up perhaps I will go finish them on my own.
Last night was fun. I don't know what his issue was but Layden spent a good portion of it grunting and squirming and generally preventing me from sleeping. Oli finally decided to get up and take Layden with him this morning after I said something along the lines of "what is your problem? could you please shut up" I didn't yell and I don't think I sounded particularily angry but there may have been a hint, or slightly more than a hint, of strain in my voice. I then got about an hour of sleep before he got hungry. Oli tried to bottle feed him but it didn't go over well (aka he screamed his head off). We will have to figure out how to get him to take a bottle so I can be gone for more than an hour or two at a time. It was also some older milk and after he continually refused it with very strong words I tried some and it was pretty bad tasting. It was even a different color, yellowish, rather than white. No wonder he was pissed. So I will have to get some new stuff expressed for him.
Didn't want to you miss out on any aspect of daily life with Layden. He heard he wasn't living up to the national average amount of crying. Still not quite there, but closer, not that you should take that as a challenge Layden.
You know how I said I would never move back to Yakima. Well, I may have to stretch the meaning of never. We shall see. Wouldn't want to lose my reputation for changing my mind.
Speaking of crying babies, gotta go.
I am feeling a bit guilty, seem to have created a new sort of addiction. That makes me like a drug dealer, what sort of example am I setting for Layden? Layden is much more smiley and interactive now, it is lots of fun. We got a little booklet in the mail today from Enfamil that should be called "The Idiot's Guide to Playing with Baby" it gives detailed instructions for such activities as "Tickling Baby's Feet" and "Laying Baby on Daddy's Chest".
Busy day today. Layden and I took the bus on campus to drop off some quizzes and saw Al and Mimi in the Chem lounge. Then we stopped by Owen library so Layden could have a little snack and get his diaper changed. Then we went to the Pullman Library to pick up something new to watch while I finish grading. Layden was being so good that we also stopped by Goodwill and the Daily Grind. I almost didn't stop by the Daily Grind but I am glad I did because Tammy was there. Tammy moved to Nebraska while we were living in Yakima so I haven't seen her for over a year. Dr. Kardong picked her up so I got to say hello to him too. This confirms that when I have the urge to get some coffee it is divinely inspired and I should listen. Layden is still sleeping so I figured I should type this up while I still have the use of both hands.
Oli made banana bread last night and had gotten some dried cranberries to put in it. He dumped some in and mixed it up then tried some. Turns out they are cherry flavored dried cranberries. Why anyone would do that to a poor innocent cranberry is beyond me, especially considering they also sell dried cherries. Oli was rather upset, I don't think Ocean Spray will be getting too much business from him for a bit.
Today I realized that I no longer feel totally sleep deprived and it is wonderful. We went for a little walk today while the sun lasted. We said hello to our french lady neighbor and her husband Ed. Ed said "She is very pretty" then looked embarassed when the french lady (no I don't remember her name) informed him Layden is a boy. She also offered to take care of him in case of emergency.
I realized today that Layden fits in his little slippers already and will probably outgrow them soon. Not sure why babies this small need slippers but they are cute.
Dieter is off at a friend's house studying, watching the Superbowl and studying. I, on the other hand am going to be horribly un-American and not watch the Superbowl. I don't like football, we don't get that channel (we don't get any channels, also un-American), and I haven't done any of my grading yet. So instead I will be watching movies with Layden, grading chemistry quizzes and possibly driking some wine (slightly American but not as American as beer). I am even greater a failure as my state's team is in the bowl for the first time ever.
One thing I really like about Asian cultures is that they really like kids, especially babies. Whenever we go out they always ask boy or girl? how old? and make noises at them, even the men. Even if the baby is fussy they are still happy to see them.
I am very glad that Layden is only producing one dirty diaper a day because it looks just like he has sat in a jar of Grey Poupon. Note Poupon is pronounced poop-on, coincidence? I think not.
I think I would have to agree with Dr. Dahl, as a parent I just feel sorry for everyone else because they don't have my child. Last night he woke up, opened his eyes, looked up at me and smiled. He also no longer screams when his diaper is changed, now he actually seems to enjoy it and will stop crying.
Four jobs I’ve had
1. Lab flunky (aka rattlesnake bait and DNA extractor)
2. Chemistry TA
3. Daycare worker
4. Chemistry Quiz grader (650 a week)
Four movies I can watch over and over
1. Pirates of the Carribean
2. Dangerous Beauty
3. Amelie
4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Four places I have lived
1. Reno, Nevada 0-6 months
2. Olalla, Wa 6 mo-18 years
3. Pullman, Wa at various times and currently
4. Yakima, Wa never again
Four TV shows I love
1. CSI
2. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
3. The Simpsons
4. Family Guy
Four places I’ve vacationed
1. Florida (Disney World etc.)
2. Germany, (Tuttlingen, Munich)
3. Fort Robinson, Nebraska (Family reunion, though we have no family in Nebraska - also it has been scientifically proven that Nebraska is flatter than a pancake)
4. Mesa, Arizona
Four of my favorite dishes
1. Pizza
2. Yakisoba at Ra Sushi
3. Stroganoff
4. Abelskivershttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Four sites I visit daily
1. Dooce.com
2. cotang
3. Washington Post Crossword
4. jakobwells.com, just to see if there is anything worth looking at yet
Four places I would rather be right now
1. Somewhere warm with water for swimming
2. Europe (Germany would be nice but any part is good)
3. Olympic National Park (beach by Ozette Lake)
4. In front of a fireplace with my head on Oli's shoulder
Today we tried out the new sling and it worked quite well. He fell asleep and I tidied the kitchen. He is scowling less and talking and smiling more lately, starting to look more like a baby and less like Elmer Fudd. Right now he is consistently going to sleep at 2:00 am, I just need to figure out how to shift that to a little bit earlier.
I stopped by the hospital today and weighed Layden. 11 lbs, 12.2 oz. Big boy, right on target. He seemed so much bigger that I didn't want to wait until his appt at the end of the month, in some ways I am very much not patient.
Honest (mostly), in depth (boringly so) coverage of the life and times of a stay at home mom.
