Monday, April 26, 2010

Sevens

Dear Hazel,
Yesterday, Mommy went for a nice (read: awful) 7-mile run.

And then seven hours later, you woke up at 2 a.m. because you were hungry since you had fallen asleep before taking a full meal the night before, and had to be fed.

Which was fine. Really.

Until it came time for Mommy to rock you back down. Which included bouncing you up and down while swaying from side to side. And here's the problem: Mommy's knees after a 7-mile run are about as useful as a Mormon Muffin with no honey butter. (Oh, you'll learn all about those muffins, sweetie... in due time.)

Seriously, baby girl... what's up with the 2 a.m. wake up? Mommy's knees need at least 24 hours of recovery before attempting a rock down after a 7-mile run! Don't you know this by now???

So, after trying fruitlessly to get my knees to work so I could lull you back to sleep, I threw in the towel, put you back in your crib and turned on your mobile. Which drew from you screeches of excitement enough to wake the dead. At 3 a.m. Brilliant move by Mommy. Genius.

About 30 minutes later... after several elbows to the ribs... your Daddy finally got the hint and went in to rock you back to sleep.

And yep... that worked. Until 5:30 a.m., when you woke up because you had a poopy, leaky diaper (and jammies and crib sheet). Which was fun. So, I nursed you again, hoping that once you were dry, you would be so tired that it wouldn't take much.

YOU HAD DIFFERENT PLANS, THOUGH.

So, after 30 minutes of cajoling you to go back to sleep, I again put you in the crib and turned on the mobile. And... SILENCE!!! I thought I had finally done it! That you had stopped resisting the call to sleep. It was beautiful.

And then 30 minutes later, you were up again. Jabbering on about how this one time, Daddy made a funny face at you and this other time, Mommy rolled her ankle stepping off the porch. And yada, yada, yada... Long story short, you had a lot to say. For future reference, anything other than a snore at 5:30 a.m. is a lot to say.

So, I broke a rule that we have about not letting you lay in bed with us, lest we roll over you on accident, and brought you to bed with me. Daddy was already at the gym, so we had the bed to ourselves.

Here's the thing, Birdie...I don't know what I expected. But I did not expect for you to snuggle up to me, cheek-to-cheek... and fall asleep.

For an hour.

OF BLISS.

I firmly believe that had your Grandpa Nadolski not called at 7:38 you would have slept until 8ish. Which would have been heavenly for me.

But, the phone rang.

And rang.

And rang. And since I couldn't move with your head on my arm, I had to just lay there and count the rings and pray to whoever was listening that you would sleep through the six rings before it goes to voicemail.

You made it to 5.

And my heart broke when your eyes opened up.

And then it melted when you smiled... just happy to be there. In the moment. Awake. And alive.

And... yes, a little wet. Seriously Hazel... there might be such a thing as too regular.

So, we played in bed for a bit and then I got you dressed for school. Today was picture day so I put on your new outfit that you would be photographed in. I figured you'd had your poopy for the day so I wouldn't need to worry about that. I put you in a bib just in case you had any spit up in you and sat you on the floor in the High Altitude Training Center while I got ready for work.

Things were running like clockwork, Hazey. I had the car loaded up with everything I needed for the day. Your outfit was adorable. I even put a matching bow in your hair because... hey, why not bring out all the stops on picture day?

I put you in the car seat and then thought... maybe I should just change your diaper before we go. And that's when I discovered that the earlier poopy at 5:30? APPARENTLY DIDN'T TAKE. And you had leaked poop all over you brand new outfit.

The outfit that I had put a bow in your hair to match.

The bow that was adorable.

The bow that was the only color that would have matched any outfit that we currently own.

THAT BOW.

Oh no, no, no, no, no! This will not do!!! Oh, we're wearing this outfit for picture day. COME HELL, HIGH WATER, OR POOP LEAKAGE. WE ARE WEARING THAT OUTFIT.

The pants and suit came off and while you enjoyed some diaper time in the HATC, Mommy scrubbed that outfit with soap and water, and dried it with a blow dryer. Yep. All because of that stupid bow.

Thirty minutes later, Mommy had to hit the coffee shop for her legalized speed and then we were off to school.

I don't know how the pics are going to turn out, Birdie. But I do know that you dazzled everyone with your smile and demeanor. Just like you did with me at 2 a.m., 5:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. (that's the time when you blew out the brand new outfit. and you know what? you did it with a smile on your face then, too. that's class, hazey. that's. class.)

Love,
Mama

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Six Month Update

Dear Hazel,
Yesterday, you turned 6 months old. SIX MONTHS! I can't believe that it's been six months already! "They" were right. Time flies and I still remember holding you and watching your eyelashes grow and wondering how in the world I was going to get you past the next feeding, much less get you to 6 months!

This last month has brought a lot of fun and interesting things to your development. For one, you have gotten EXTREMELY difficult to change clothes or diapers. This is because you refuse to hold still and are constantly squirming to get off the changing pad or to just another location on the carpet. It's like you've decided that you're so easy with everything else, Mommy and Daddy are just gonna have to earn their keep by chasing you around the living room or the changing pad to get that stupid diaper on.

Since you roll every which way and we think you're just a few months out from crawling, you Daddy and I decided that something needed to be done about the living room situation so that you were more comfortable. So, we created the High Altitude Training Center. Which is a fancy way of telling you that we bought an area rug for you to roll, squirm, crawl and throw up on (of which you did three out of the four within the first 20 minutes of the Grand Opening).

The High Altitude Training Center also includes your jump-a-roo and a Cozy Corner for after particular tough training sessions. However, your Daddy seems to be using this much more than you do, as you apparently have more stamina than he does and routinely run him into the ground. Thus, the Trainee has become the Trainer.


The High Altitude Training Center has caused some problem in my own training, though. Because, really... would I rather go run, or play with you? I think we all know the answer to that. And I think we all know that the half-marathon in T-Minus 20 days... well, it may just have to run itself. Because there's NO WAY I'm going to be able to run it. For this... yes, I blame the babe.

*Ahem*

As I write this, I'm sitting in your room listening to you squirrel around in your crib... fighting the nap that you are long overdue. You, my dear, have a mind of your own and we're quickly learning that if a nap is to be had, it will be on your own terms. No ifs, ands or cute little butts about it. In fact, I believe you have declared a moratorium on naps that last longer than 30 minutes. You've also declared a moratorium on waking up after 6:32 a.m. Yea... remember when I bragged to people that you routinely slept until 7:30 or 8 a.m. every day?? Not. So. Much. Anymore. And not that 6:32 a.m. is a horrendous time to wake up as I know a lot of people that would yell at me and complain that their child wakes up at 5 a.m. and is ready to go for the day... and honestly 6:32 a.m. isn't a bad time to get up for work on the weekdays. But 6:32 may as well be 4:32 on weekends. I would LURVE to sleep in until 8 on the weekends. Luckily, your Daddy is a morning person and after I feed you, he takes you while I go back to bed. It's heaven.

This month, you've also taken to blowing bubbles and love to make funny sounds with these things called lips. You think it's hilarious to blow bubbles at Mommy and Daddy, and you also stick your tongue out at us if we stick ours out at you. Since you got your two bottom teeth in March, you haven't been drooling quite as much and are instead making chomping motions with your mouth. And you are very interested in what Mommy and Daddy are eating... following the path of the food from our plate to our mouths... and often reaching for it. Which we are taking as a sign that you're ready for solid foods.

You were sick for most of the months of March and April. You had a really stuffy nose and a cough. We tried to let it work itself out of your system, but after three weeks of no improvement, we took you to the doc and got you on antibiotics. After two weeks of medication, you have finally started to feel better. Not that when you were sick you were particularly grumpy or anything. I think that you've just been sick so much since starting day care that you aren't even phased by it and probably don't know what it's like not to have a stuffy nose or a cough. Luckily, we're getting past the cold and flu season, and looking forward to not quite as many colds over the summer. (Knock on wood)

You are, by all accounts, the happiest baby in the world, Hazel-Bird. You love to laugh, but are pretty particular about what is worthy of a laugh from you. In fact, the same thing doesn't work twice with you. Something that had you in laughing fits one day, won't even garner a raised eyebrow the next. This is particularly exhausting for your parents as we would move the moon if we could just get you to laugh, as the sound is like the sweetest drug out there and gives us an elation that should probably be illegal.

In the last month, you've become quite vocal and our house is often filled with the sounds of your happy screeching. You love to make all sorts of sounds... usually while banging something with your hand. The other day you were in your jump-a-roo looking out the open window and screeched at some people walking by. Apparently, it startled them, but it made you soooo happy! Already the social butterfly, Hazel Bird. We're going to have our hands full when you get mobile, I can already tell.

Sadly, this month you've also learned to use your new vocal skills to manipulate. Meaning that even if Mommy is two feet away from you, if she turns her back on you for any reason (like to make sure the house isn't on fire because she's been ignoring the food cooking on the stove so she could play with you)... THERE WILL BE BLOOD. You simply don't like not being the center of attention. It's as if being the center of our world is not enough for you!!! So, you let out a cry that we're beginning to recognize is less of a hunger, tired, or poopy diaper cry, and more of a: "HEY! I'M OVER HERE, COME LOOK AT MY CUTENESS!" cry.

And it WORKS!! We're digging our own grave here, we know. But if you only knew how cute you really are. Do you know that you have started to smile with your eyes? Your eyes are just so expressive and I've actually seen them twinkle when you're particularly content and happy. They're the flame and your Daddy and I are the unsuspecting moths.

One thing that you have continued to love in the last six months has been having me put my hair in your face. You absolutely love it and I find that I can calm you down if you're worked up over something by just letting you snuggle in my hair. I know these days won't last, though, as you're already starting to pull on the hair and I've had more than one occasion where I thought you were trying to pull it out by the root.

Speaking of hair, you got yours cut for the first time this month. It's not like you had a lot of hair to begin with, but it was just soooo patchy that we decided something needed to be done to even it out. You were so sweet and good sitting in the chair while we had it cut. And ever since then, the patchiness has evened out and the bald spot on the back of your head is almost gone!


Developmentally, you made big strides this month. We'd been working with you on sitting up on your own for quite some time and although you'd have a couple of seconds here and there before you fell over on your face. So on Friday when I dropped you off at day care, I sat you on the mat and sat behind you and gave you a toy. I couldn't believe it when I took away my hand and you just sat there. For two minutes. Unassisted. Like you'd been doing it your whole life and really, Mommy.... it's no big deal.

I'm so glad I got to see it! It's always a big bummer when the staff at day care get to witness a first, and not your parents. So, yea... the day before you turned 6 months, you sat up for the first time. You're such a rock star!

This month we also put you in the jogger for the first time. Daddy was the first one to do it, and the next day I got to take you on a little jog along the river. You were asleep within minutes, so I take that as a sign that you don't mind it. But, man! Is that jogger hard to push! Good grief! No wonder all these mommy's that run with joggers all the time are in such great shape!!

You are continuing to grow in leaps and bounds. I'd guesstimate that you're probably about 20 pounds by now and I have no idea how long you are. I suspect that unlike most babies that go through growth spurts at 3 months and 6 months, you've been on a non-stop growth spurt since 6 weeks. It's about time to buy some more clothes for you since all of your six-month-old pants are now fitting like capri pants. So says your Daddy.... he who tried to put you in a green top and orange pants the other day. True story.

Since the sun has been out more and more in Ogden, you've got to experience its warmth and you really love it. The only thing that's a bummer is that we have to put sunblock on you and with the way you squirm, I know it's only a matter of time before I make the mistake of getting some of it in your eyes... and ruin everyone's life.

You're quite the book reader, Hazey. You absolutely love the pictures in books and hearing someone read you a story. Your favorite is The ButterBee book, and you love it when Daddy reads to you. And it turns out? Daddy's a big fan, too.



We can't believe how fast the time has gone by. Six months?? Are you kidding me? Soon you'll be driving!

And in answer to your unasked question about whether or not you finally fell asleep this afternoon while Mommy was blogging? Well, it took me 2 hours to write this, so you do the math.

Love,
Mama

Friday, April 23, 2010

Help!!


What do you mean I'm supposed to sit up ON MY OWN?

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Maybe If I Talk About It, It Won't Happen



Dear Hazel,
We're calling today's installment: What Scares Mommy These Days?

Besides, you know, the idea of you choking or not waking up in the morning, or waking up in a big old pile of poopy. Yea... all those things scare me. But the thing about all of those things? They're real. They COULD happen. In one case, they HAVE happened (and it took both Mommy and Daddy to clean it up in the middle of the night). And they're logical to be frightened of for your baby girl.

But, your Mommy, while she may be rather logical at times... she can also swing to the other side of the chart and be completely, brain-meltingly, kick-herself-in-the-face-and-then blame-Daddy-for-it illogical.

Which is a good way to segue into my real fear: That a spider will crawl into your ear at night, lay an egg sac and when it hatches, you will have baby spiders crawling into your brain... out of your ears... into your eyes, into your nose and into your mouth. And you will, in fact, choke and not wake up in the morning. See? All of the other logical fears? Somehow, through my illogical mind doing what it does best (and that is imagining spiders that favor babies eardrums as a nesting spot) has made them THAT MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN.

You have no idea how much I think about something like this, or a variation of the spider theme, happening to my sweet baby girl.

It's possible that Mommy saw a spider the other day and thought: "OMG... that thing could totally crawl into Hazel's ear! I must kill it now!" Even though it was at the office, nowhere near you.

And do you have any idea how many times in the last few months I've woken your father up in a panic because I was worried that we had rolled on you in our sleep (which is why you, my dear, sleep in a crib and not with Mommy and Daddy), or because a giant spider was on its way to come eat you? In the last six months? HUNDREDS OF TIMES.

See, this dream... this is not new. When I was a child, I had a recurring dream that a giant spider was holding me hostage at the top of the stairs while my dad was pointing a gun at it telling it to let me go. AS IF YOU CAN REASON WITH A GIANT SPIDER. A giant grasshopper, maybe. A giant spider? Not so much. You can't reason with a being with eight legs and giant teeth, Hazey. They can't be trusted.

I come by my spider phobia honestly, Hazey. I guess I'm telling you this now so that when you're 5 and have to take care of the little brown spider that has cornered Mommy in the bathroom, you'll understand.



Love,
Mama

Friday, April 9, 2010

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Dear Hazel,
Today you had your first haircut!!! It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision... but something your Daddy and I had discussed. Because, well... you are definitely a mix of the two of us which means you got my eyes and my bubble butt. And you got your Daddy's nice calves... and hairline. And while the hairline wouldn't really be a problem if you were, say, a 32-year-old dude like your Papa, it doesn't look as awesome on a 5-month-old girl.

What you had going on was a lot of hair in certain places of your adorable little melon... including a serious party on the back of your head... right below a big old bald spot. Yep... the back of your head, up until recently when you started insisting on sleeping on your tummy, was having its growth hindered by you sleeping on your back and rubbing all the hair off of just one little section.



The sides of your head were growing just fine though... a little too well, actually. And what we ended up with was a bald-spotted baby with the equivalent of baby "chops". Kind of like what your Daddy did in college when he was trying to "define" himself. Only... baby style.

(What's that? Daddy had chops? Oh. Yea. He went through THAT phase. But that's another story completely. One that you'll probably hear about when you start getting interested in football players. And when your Daddy starts having anxiety attacks.)

Anyhoo, you and I were just playing together waiting for your Daddy to get his hair cut at Great Clips and when he was done, we decided that while we were already here and the stylist (can you call them stylists at Great Clips?) already had her scissors out... well, why not?

The result? FABULOUS!!! You. Look. Amazing. Your hair really responded to the evening out of the different patches of hair on your dome and I'm seriously considering putting a bow in your hair cuz it looks so good!!!

You were so good during the cut, too. Just sat their sweetly and demurely... sucking on your fingers like the little lady you are. The stylist was amazed at how calm you were throughout the process. And I have to admit, you handled getting your hair cut far better than I do when I get MY hair cut!

Once again, you amaze and humble your parents. We can only hope that this demeanor of yours continues throughout your life. It's hard to believe that just three short months ago, I had nicknamed you The Lioness. Now, the only time I hear you fuss is if someone touches your giraffe or you are unhappy with the warmth of your bottle.

Or the fact that Mommy won't share her Mexican Coke with you.








Monday, April 5, 2010

Easter With The Bird

Dear Hazel,
This weekend was your first Easter. And you know what that means? First Easter = First EASTER EGG HUNT!!!

Okay, okay... so with you only being a bit over 5 months, there wasn't a lot of hunting going on for you. But you sure enjoyed watching the older kids hunt and squeal in delight whenever they found one.

We were invited to this particular Easter Egg Hunt by some friends a few blocks away. It was a neighborhood event, but for some reason, they have adopted the three of us as neighbors. Perhaps they realize that there aren't a lot of kids on our street and know that the Easter Egg Hunt is a sacred rite of passage for kids. Or, maybe they want to remember what it was like when they could control their kids simply by sticking a binkie in their mouths. For whatever reason, we are grateful that they let us crash the party.


We started out with a brunch, and as usual, you charmed the pants off of everyone. Even falling asleep on a friend of mine that you hadn't been fully introduced to yet. No matter... when it's time for you to sleep, it doesn't matter when or where. You're out!!!

These last couple of weeks have kind of been tough on you, Birdie. For one, your head cold just won't die. And, your two lower teeth are protruding more and more... which much make your gums ache. Not to mention my finger when you get a hold of it. As a result, our normal 13-hour sleeper is waking up at 2 a.m. and then again at 6 a.m. I think that if we can just get you feeling better, you'll be back on your overnight routine. And, I know... I know.... complaining about having to wake up once in the night for my baby is grounds to have me fired from humanity. But, see... you've been sleeping through the night for the last two months. And Mommy's gotten used to it. As a matter of fact, Mommy thinks it just might be better than chocolate. And that's saying a lot from Mommy. A. LOT.

Anyway, I took you to the doctor (again!) today. Because you've been coughing and sniffling around for the last month, so we're putting you on (gasp!) another round of antibiotics. Hopefully, this will help you start feeling better. We'll see. Seriously, Hazel... I cannot WAIT for cold and flu season to be over. Your father and I did a little calculation the other day and realized that since you started day care in early January, the three of us haven't been healthy at the same time once!!! I just finally got over back-to-back sinus infections (yea... on this one, I'm the reason you got sick) and now your Daddy's come down with it. Welcome to our house... the cesspool. Bring your own mask and gloves.

Speaking of day care, I took you in Friday a little later than normal since you'd had a rough night and fell asleep on the way. And since you needed sleep more than I needed to be to work on time, you and I both took a little nap in the car.

In front of a bakery.

But that's another (embarrassing) story for another day.

I finally took you to day care at about 10 a.m.. When I walked in the door, there were two babies absolutely losing. their. minds. No joke, Hazey... there's crying and then there's OMG THIS BABY'S HEAD MIGHT EXPLODE! Clearly, someone had just finished torturing these babies.

I asked the staff what was wrong.

"Yea.... the Easter Bunny just paid us a visit. And this is the result."

See? I was right!

I'm sorry, but I have to side with the babies on this one... A man in a giant bunny outfit? I think I would have cried, too!

The only thing scarier? Clowns.

Made up of spiders.

Yea... I'm definitely glad we were late.

Love,
Mama