Well, this morning, I caught two of the elusive Declan faces.
The "smile-so-big-that-his-whole-body-squirms":
And the "Am-I-allowed-to-be-chewing-on-this?":
Thursday, February 18, 2010
My Baby Model
I just love the faces that Declan makes, but I can never seem to capture them on camera.
Well, this morning, I caught two of the elusive Declan faces.
The "smile-so-big-that-his-whole-body-squirms":
And the "Am-I-allowed-to-be-chewing-on-this?":
Well, this morning, I caught two of the elusive Declan faces.
The "smile-so-big-that-his-whole-body-squirms":
And the "Am-I-allowed-to-be-chewing-on-this?":
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Well, then, nevermind.
So on Monday morning, Aaron packed all of his stuff, stocked up on sunflower seeds and soda, and set off to become a chicken farmer in Iowa. As soon as he pulled away, I sat down and typed out a long, lugubrious blog post about how much I was going to miss him, blah, blah. And just as I was about to click "publish," he called to say that he was coming back home because he forgot to file his taxes.
He says he's leaving on Sunday, after the snowstorm in Iowa is over, but we'll see if that holds true. I think he's just delaying leaving so that he has an excuse to keep making "last suppers" and compelling me to be extra nice to him.
I'm sure I'll write that tragic post again when he really does leave, but for now, I'm going to go snuggle in bed with our sleepy baby.
Oh, also, Declan's eyes are officially turning brown. Just wanted to document for future reference. There's just a small ring of brown around the pupil right now, but I'll bet that it grows in the next few months. Pictures to come soon, when I get the energy to hunt down my camera cord.
He says he's leaving on Sunday, after the snowstorm in Iowa is over, but we'll see if that holds true. I think he's just delaying leaving so that he has an excuse to keep making "last suppers" and compelling me to be extra nice to him.
I'm sure I'll write that tragic post again when he really does leave, but for now, I'm going to go snuggle in bed with our sleepy baby.
Oh, also, Declan's eyes are officially turning brown. Just wanted to document for future reference. There's just a small ring of brown around the pupil right now, but I'll bet that it grows in the next few months. Pictures to come soon, when I get the energy to hunt down my camera cord.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Future Chicken Farmer
We went out yesterday to our local free-range chicken farm, to scope out their operation. It was... interesting.
They were having "processing day," which is when they kill, de-feather, chop up and freeze a whole bunch of birds out of this kinda open-air shed next to their house. It was all very hillbilly, with dogs in the yard and scrap metal laying around and chicken guts on the ground.
Aaron is really committed to becoming a chicken farmer, now. He's going up to Iowa this week to get everything set up so that he can get chicks as soon as the snow melts, and start raising his first batch of chickens. Declan and I will stay in Austin, holding down the fort, because our cheap, nice, furnished condo is too good to lose. We'll miss Aaron terribly, though. Once he gets enough money from the chickens, he'll come back and we can hopefully buy a little bit of land, so we can do chickens here.
In the meantime, we all still have the dreaded cold. We're almost over it, but Declan has a lingering cough and yesterday he blew nose bubbles a couple of times. What fun!
Also, I got super bored when I was up with my coughing baby in the wee hours of the morning on Friday and I made a Twitter. So if anyone reading has one, I'm NatAndDec.
They were having "processing day," which is when they kill, de-feather, chop up and freeze a whole bunch of birds out of this kinda open-air shed next to their house. It was all very hillbilly, with dogs in the yard and scrap metal laying around and chicken guts on the ground.
Aaron is really committed to becoming a chicken farmer, now. He's going up to Iowa this week to get everything set up so that he can get chicks as soon as the snow melts, and start raising his first batch of chickens. Declan and I will stay in Austin, holding down the fort, because our cheap, nice, furnished condo is too good to lose. We'll miss Aaron terribly, though. Once he gets enough money from the chickens, he'll come back and we can hopefully buy a little bit of land, so we can do chickens here.
In the meantime, we all still have the dreaded cold. We're almost over it, but Declan has a lingering cough and yesterday he blew nose bubbles a couple of times. What fun!
Also, I got super bored when I was up with my coughing baby in the wee hours of the morning on Friday and I made a Twitter. So if anyone reading has one, I'm NatAndDec.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Sniffles
Declan has his first cold. It sucks. And I've discovered that the only thing worse than having a sick baby is coming down with his sickness yourself. Trying to blow your nose with one hand while holding a screaming, coughing infant in the other is really quite tough. Last night we got up twice to steam up the bathroom (this poor, lazy mom's version of a humidifier!) because neither of us could breathe.
Sorry, I'm trying not to have a huge pity party here. I'm just bitter because when we finally fell asleep this morning after steam room session #2, Aaron came bouncing in, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, laid down next to me and woke up the baby. On purpose. GAH! The he decided to take Declan in the shower with him, and I was thinking, "Okay, this is good, I'll get some sleep while he showers with Declan and plays with him, I forgive him..." Not four seconds later, I hear banging on the wall between the bathroom and bedroom. "NAAATALIE! He's ready to get OUUUT!" It took all of my strength to heave my exhausted body out of bed to retrieve my now wide-awake baby.
All of the positive energy I have left in my body is being sent to the Goodriches. After a weekend of ignoring my phone, I turned it on and received a text (which I think was part two of two, as it didn't make much sense) asking for my prayers. So I've been sending prayers, vibes, and any other form of energy I can muster up out into the universe.
Sorry, I'm trying not to have a huge pity party here. I'm just bitter because when we finally fell asleep this morning after steam room session #2, Aaron came bouncing in, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, laid down next to me and woke up the baby. On purpose. GAH! The he decided to take Declan in the shower with him, and I was thinking, "Okay, this is good, I'll get some sleep while he showers with Declan and plays with him, I forgive him..." Not four seconds later, I hear banging on the wall between the bathroom and bedroom. "NAAATALIE! He's ready to get OUUUT!" It took all of my strength to heave my exhausted body out of bed to retrieve my now wide-awake baby.
All of the positive energy I have left in my body is being sent to the Goodriches. After a weekend of ignoring my phone, I turned it on and received a text (which I think was part two of two, as it didn't make much sense) asking for my prayers. So I've been sending prayers, vibes, and any other form of energy I can muster up out into the universe.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Remembered!
I remembered the other piece of news that I wanted to say earlier. And all but one of you will be disappointed, because this is only relevant to Julie.
Julie - I finally finished Dexter! I was watching the last episode on the edge of my seat, because I knew from the way you talk about it that something big happens, but it was pretty calm until the last 5 seconds of the episode! And then I was like, "AHHH! Yuck! Poor baby. Geez. So that's why Julie was all worked up about it." So now we can discuss! Sorry I'm so slow.
Julie - I finally finished Dexter! I was watching the last episode on the edge of my seat, because I knew from the way you talk about it that something big happens, but it was pretty calm until the last 5 seconds of the episode! And then I was like, "AHHH! Yuck! Poor baby. Geez. So that's why Julie was all worked up about it." So now we can discuss! Sorry I'm so slow.
Belly Laughs
I had two pieces of news, but I forgot one of them. Oops.
The one that I remember is great though: Declan learned to laugh! Last night Becky tickled his tummy, and he let out the cutest chuckle. I tried all evening to make him laugh again, but he wouldn't do it. Then this morning, I was blowing raspberries on him, and he laughed! It is the most wonderful sound in the world.
I made a wonderful dinner last night for Sue, Becky, Grandma, Aaron and myself. Seared and roasted salmon with lemon-ginger butter, mashed sweet potatoes made with apple cider, and swiss chard with raisins, garlic, and pine nuts. Oh yum. And tomorrow I'm going to attempt to make Rick Bayless' Santa Rosa plum galette. It looks simple enough, but I know better than to underestimate the amount of frustration baking can cause.
I promise to take more pictures and video soon, especially of the laugh! Baby D is waking up and I must go change a diaper.
The one that I remember is great though: Declan learned to laugh! Last night Becky tickled his tummy, and he let out the cutest chuckle. I tried all evening to make him laugh again, but he wouldn't do it. Then this morning, I was blowing raspberries on him, and he laughed! It is the most wonderful sound in the world.
I made a wonderful dinner last night for Sue, Becky, Grandma, Aaron and myself. Seared and roasted salmon with lemon-ginger butter, mashed sweet potatoes made with apple cider, and swiss chard with raisins, garlic, and pine nuts. Oh yum. And tomorrow I'm going to attempt to make Rick Bayless' Santa Rosa plum galette. It looks simple enough, but I know better than to underestimate the amount of frustration baking can cause.
I promise to take more pictures and video soon, especially of the laugh! Baby D is waking up and I must go change a diaper.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Making a Splash
Today, Declan went swimming for the first time!
I wish I had pictures, but it was just the two of us, and there's absolutely no way to handle a slippery wet baby and a camera at the same time unless you have 4 arms.
Aaron took us to the YMCA, and while he lifted weights and such, Declan and I chilled in the kiddie pool. It was unusually warm (read: bathwater) and full of senior citizens doing their water aerobics and gossiping. Declan absolutely adored it. We will definitely be doing that more often!
The only hard part was showering off afterward. Here's a puzzle for you all to solve: if you have a baby wrapped in a towel, and you need to wrap yourself in a towel, but all surfaces that you could possibly set baby on are sopping wet and probably germy and unsafe, how do you dry yourself off? I came very close to asking the nice naked woman loitering around the shower area if she would hold him for a split second, but she was just so... naked. She kept talking to me about babies and stuff, and I was like, I'm trying really hard to look at your face and not your boobs, lady. It makes it difficult for me to respond appropriately to your stories.
I think the best part of swimming was how quickly Declan passed out afterward. I had barely strapped him into his carrier when he was out like a light. I could tell it was that lovely, waterlogged kind of tired that you get when you tire yourself out swimming, then dry off and get into comfy warm clothes and take a nap. Ahh. Feels good just typing that.
I have one random, unrelated pice of advice for everyone, and myself. Do not fall asleep with a cherry cough drop in your mouth. You will wake up with bright pink drool-stains on your pillow, and a half-eaten cough drop stuck in your baby's hair. Ew.
I wish I had pictures, but it was just the two of us, and there's absolutely no way to handle a slippery wet baby and a camera at the same time unless you have 4 arms.
Aaron took us to the YMCA, and while he lifted weights and such, Declan and I chilled in the kiddie pool. It was unusually warm (read: bathwater) and full of senior citizens doing their water aerobics and gossiping. Declan absolutely adored it. We will definitely be doing that more often!
The only hard part was showering off afterward. Here's a puzzle for you all to solve: if you have a baby wrapped in a towel, and you need to wrap yourself in a towel, but all surfaces that you could possibly set baby on are sopping wet and probably germy and unsafe, how do you dry yourself off? I came very close to asking the nice naked woman loitering around the shower area if she would hold him for a split second, but she was just so... naked. She kept talking to me about babies and stuff, and I was like, I'm trying really hard to look at your face and not your boobs, lady. It makes it difficult for me to respond appropriately to your stories.
I think the best part of swimming was how quickly Declan passed out afterward. I had barely strapped him into his carrier when he was out like a light. I could tell it was that lovely, waterlogged kind of tired that you get when you tire yourself out swimming, then dry off and get into comfy warm clothes and take a nap. Ahh. Feels good just typing that.
I have one random, unrelated pice of advice for everyone, and myself. Do not fall asleep with a cherry cough drop in your mouth. You will wake up with bright pink drool-stains on your pillow, and a half-eaten cough drop stuck in your baby's hair. Ew.
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