So dumb...

I'm such an idiot...and it makes me laugh.

Yesterday I started cereal with Ethan and he's still getting used to the idea of opening his mouth when the spoon gets close. Today it was much better, but I had to laugh at myself when I realized that I was opening MY mouth when I put the spoon to HIS lips! I'm so dumb...

But it reminds me of a family story...we used to have this ENORMOUS white 12-passenger van that some of us nicknamed "Bertha" and some of us nicknamed "Moby Dick". On one occasion we had to park that thing in a parking garage and it was a bit dicey as to whether the van was going to fit under that bar that hangs in the entrance to measure the height of vehicles. While we all peered out the windows and crossed our fingers that we would make it, we looked at my father...he was bending down in the driver's seat as though that would make the van fit! So funny...

Random Info for New Moms

Things I didn't know before having a baby...or, knowledge that will not be automatically downloaded to your brain via the so-called maternal instinct.

1) Bottle nipples exist in three levels.
2) The number of ounces that a breast-fed baby consumes at each feeding. (Actually, come to think of it, I still don't know this one.)
3) Breast-fed baby poop stains.
4) Fels-Naptha laundry soap is the only stain treatment that will get out said poop stain. (Thanks, Jen!)
5) Despite the name INFANT Tylenol, the bottle still says to consult a pediatrician before giving to anyone under 2 years of age and doesn't give dosage. (.4 ml for 6-11 lb babies/.8 for 12-17 lb babies)
6) When the rice cereal package says to mix cereal with breastmilk, formula or water, it doesn't tell you the amount of formula that goes with 1 Tablespoon of cereal. And the back of the formula container doesn't help...it only gives amounts for a 2 oz bottle. How many tablespoons equals an ounce?
7) Yes, it does matter which brand of disposable diapers you use.
8) There is a vast array of diaper rash treatments that all have roughly the same amount of active ingredient...i.e. Boudreaux Butt Paste, Balmex, Creamy Desitin, etc. Regular Desitin has a higher concentration of the active ingredient and it's the only one with this percentage.

More to come, I'm sure...

Creative Play

Sometimes I get really tired of moving Ethan between the activity gym, the jumper, the exersaucer, the bouncy seat, and my arms. So yesterday I saw the laundry basket sitting around and thought, "Hmmm...let's see what you think of this." I piled him in amidst the laundry and plopped a onesie on his head and he sat quietly and still, absorbing this new situation.

And then we practiced sitting up, which he is starting to get pretty good at. Hey, that Boppy thing is good for lots of things...not just nursing. Can you see the look of concentration as he tries to grab the pattern right off the pillow?

Tea Party

On Sunday, my mother-in-law and I co-hosted a table at the Ladies Tea and Fashion Show at Fellowship Bible Church. We had a great table of women, including my sister-in-law Janelle who happened to be visiting while her husband was completing some home renovations. It was quite the elegant affair. We were served tea from a silver tea pot and ate scones with cream and jam. Some women actually wore flowery feathered hats. After the tea we were treated to a tongue-in-cheek fashion show...think cotton skirts (skirts covered with cotton balls), tube tops (baby swim ring), cap sleeves (shirts with baseball caps attached to the shoulders) and straw hats (hats made from drinking straws). I think I could have done without that part (not my sense of humor) but the social aspect was quite enjoyable, and it was nice to be in the company of so many women.

Where am I?

To preface this story, I just want to reiterate that I LOVE languages. I used to be a French teacher, I have taken graduate classes to get my ESL teaching certificate, and I will climb on my soapbox to champion the cause of bilingualism. That being said, today was the first day I have ever been irritated by the use of a foreign language.

When people find out that I am/was a French teacher, they usually say one or all of three things: 1) "I took 5 years of French and I don't remember a thing." 2) "French people are so rude." or 3) "Say something in French." All three statements annoy me, but the 2nd one in particular. The reason being that most Americans tend to think French people are rude mainly because they are reacting to obnoxious American tourists who are offended when the French don't speak English immediately upon contact. American tourists will walk right up to a French person and launch into English conversation with no, "Excuse me, do you speak English?"

I told all that to tell you this...today Ethan and I went to Gabriel Brothers to look for cheap summer baby clothes. In addition to others, it's frequented by a lot of Hispanic people. I don't really care who goes to what store, but I think it's really rude to walk up to someone and launch into Spanish conversation with no, "Excuse me, do you speak Spanish?" While perusing the baby section with Ethan in the front pack, a Hispanic woman walked up to me and started pointing at Ethan and asking some question in Spanish. Sorry...FRENCH TEACHER! I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH!!! Eventually I figured out that she wanted to know where I got my front pack, but I was so irritated that I made no attempt to speak slowly or clearly. Just like I think Americans should make some attempt to speak French when they visit France (at least learn how to say "please", "thank you" and "do you speak English?"), I think that woman should at least learn how to say "do you speak Spanish?" before making that assumption. It made me feel like I was in a foreign country because she was quite clearly comfortable with what she did. Not all Hispanic people do this, so I'm hoping this was just a rude woman.

Ok, I'm done now...

Aging

I know I'm still in my twenties, but sometimes I'm a little worried about again, as a lot of women are, I'm sure. But then I look at my mom and grandmother and I hope that I look as beautiful as they do when I am their ages.

WARNING: Medical grossness alert!

Every so often, I experience phantom pains in the area where my c-section incision is located. Last night, it was mildly throbbing, so I decided to peek at it. As I was trying to look at it by pushing back the "kangaroo pouch" that is now my stomach, I realized that it was oozing bloody pus. Nice, huh? Obviously, that made me nervous, so I called my dad looking for my mom's advice since she had 6 c-sections, thereby making her the C-Section Expert. My dad's reaction was as follows: "Sit down! Put your feet up! Don't lift anything...don't even pick up the baby!" Well, then I had visions of picking up Ethan and my incision tearing wide open, leaving me in a faint covered in blood. Shaking and with my heart pounding, I called the after-hours number for my OBGYN and she told me to clean it, put Neosporin on it and call in the morning if it still didn't look good. I felt better but was a little teary because I had gotten worked up about it.

Upon my mother's advice, I called the doctor this morning even though it looked better and got her to check it out. I thought it was probably fine, but I felt like I needed a medical professional to tell me that. Yeah, so, that was not fun...apparently, I had a tiny pocket that had never quite healed like it was supposed to and was "festering". (Doesn't that sound awful...festering?) Ok, now for the grossness part...she had to poke INTO it with a q-tip dipped in a peroxide/water solution and clean it out, then push a 1/4 inch piece of packing gauze into it and cover it with more gauze. I am supposed to do the same thing twice a day until it heals. Right...I think I might faint. Not to mention that I can't even really see it well enough to push a piece of gauze into it. I think Dr. Dave might have to help. MAJOR husband points will be awarded for this task!!!

Spring is here!

I really love living south of the Mason-Dixon line. I feel like it gets warmer here so much earlier than in Pennsylvania. Ethan and I got to go for a walk today and he LOVED it. He just sat completely still and actually didn't even kick his feet, just looked around and enjoyed the sunny, breezy day.