Tuesday, August 31, 2004


tummy time Posted by Hello

bouncehouse fun Posted by Hello

Sunday, August 29, 2004

Oh the places you'll nurse

Yesterday we went to Natalie's birthday party in Santa Rosa which was the longest car ride Julia has been on. It went well on the way over because I timed it to overlap with a nap. The party was really fun and I will try to get some pictures up soon. Naomi had a fabulous time in the bounce house and playing at the play ground. It is amazing how far away from me I will let Naomi get now that she is getting older. She did a good job of not getting too far and staying in the playground so that is great.
We stopped in at Jack's afterwards and Naomi and Natalie had a bath together. So I loaded up my freshly washed girl and a sleepy baby. Well, Julia did not fall asleep and we got stuck in traffic. She was OK with a pacifier as long as I was holding it, but when we were about to get on the Richmond/San Rafael bridge, which had terrible traffic, she started to cry for real. It was about time for her to eat again since she eats rather frequently in the evening so I told Adam to take the next exit. It was the San Quentin exit, which is a prison (in case you didn't know), and we pulled over and I nursed. So, the strangest place I have ever nursed so far would have to be outside the gates of San Quentin. Well, we weren't in the search lights or anything... and I figure it must be the safest place in the world too.

Friday, August 27, 2004

Annoying questions and potty training.

The question is, who is potty trained at this point? I guess I am trained to take Naomi to the potty many times a day while she has not really learned to go there on her own accord. I can take her to the potty and she will sit on it and ten minutes later she will pee on the floor. She does not want to wear the all in one training pants so I am having to clean up a lot. I guess I felt under pressure to potty train her because after all she is 3, and lots of 3 YO's are potty trained.
In fact it seems that at every stage there is the annoying question: For babies "is she sleeping through the night yet?", for toddlers "is she potty trained yet?" But I have read it is perfectly normal for some children not to learn how to use the potty till they are older. Indeed everyone does learn at some point, but I felt that there must be something wrong with me if my incredibly smart and charming daughter didn't at THIS point. I wish in retrospect that I had had the courage to wait until I knew she was ready. I wanted her to be ready and I felt she should be but I think in my heart of hearts I knew she wasn't. Hopefully I will remember this when Julia's time comes.
I went on a play date with my AP mothers group on Wednesday and it was really fun. It was funny to be checking out other peoples slings -"wow, that is a really nice fabric"; "oh it's a zolowear"; "that looks really comfortable, but is it hot? What kind is it?" "it's my moby wrap, it is not too hot and very comfortable" LOL (laughing out loud). Only at an AP play group.
Naomi has been sleeping in her own bed regularly. Mainly because she wants to take her toys to bed with her and I don't want them in my bed. So four nights out of the last six she has slept in her own bed. The down side is that she wakes up earlier.
Come to think of it, luckily it is not widely known that the girls sleep in our bed so we don't get the "is she sleeping in her own bed yet?" question too much. Well, it is now, and don't ask me that question.

Thursday, August 26, 2004


Julia checking out her hands Posted by Hello

Sunday, August 22, 2004

Today was Naomi's birthday and I am feeling sort of emotional about it. I can't believe she's 3 and I can't believe how much of a little girl she is. She used to be my baby. Good thing I have a spare baby J. Yesterday was her birthday party and Emma and Nico came and Lizzie and Madeleine. First they played with the dress up clothes and had a tea party on the blanket in the back yard. It seemed like they had too much energy though so we set up the slip and slide. Nico was the only one who actually slipped and slided but they had fun anyway. Naomi was really interested in when they could have cake, so finally we had cake. She got upset because Lizzie "helped" her blow out the candles and she wanted to do it alone. I guess that is a big theme these days. That she wants to do certain things for herself. But then other things she does not and she just keeps saying "I can't!" That is actually beginning to annoy me.
Julia thankfully slept until the party started and then was content to hang out in the Moby wrap and watch the action. She really is such a happy little baby. I think she tried to reach out and touch a toy today. She was in the crib waiting for me to help Naomi in the bathroom and when I came back she was holding Magenta's star. Magenta is a little toy dog from a cartoon character and it had a star dangling from it that plays rock-a-bye baby when you pull on it. I used to have it over the changing table for Naomi because she would cry so when I changed her. I should put it there for Julia. Anyway, Julia was holding the star. I handed her other toys, but she really didn't reach out for them.
Today, Naomi got to open her presents from us before breakfast and proceeded to play with them instead of eating breakfast. Finally I told Adam to take her to the donut place around the corner. That is a perfectly reasonable birthday breakfast anyway. She got a set of "doctor things". Actually they are veterinarian things, but she can't read so it doesn't matter. We were all patients at some point today, even Julia.
When I see how Naomi just loves Julia it makes me all happy and weepy. I woke up this morning and I had one baby snuggling on either side of me which was pure joy. Naomi woke up and said to me as she looked over me "You know, I just love Julia" and I wanted to cry with happiness.

sisters in the bed Posted by Hello

Tuesday, August 17, 2004

Julia was a lot more alert today. Very social while she was nursing, popping off every once in a while to chat with me and smile. It is so cute, but it does mean that the naps are going to get shorter, or at least she will be awake more. This morning on our walk she was checking everything out. Even at Target she couldn't tune out the environment while she was in the sling. Usually being in the sling knocks her out cold in no time flat. This is of course the end of errands any old time I want then. I will have to figure out if she falls into a schedule.

Monday, August 16, 2004

Julia talks to the Beatrix Potter characters on her crib bumber and it is sooo cute. She makes these breathy little sounds and squeals and I try to imagine what she is saying to them. "Hi, here I am again. Well, I had a nice afternoon in the sling, but it was pretty hot today. Well, that older girl that is around here likes to pat my head, and she does the most amazing things" And I wonder what Peter Rabbit says back?!

Saturday, August 14, 2004

This week has been really long with me alone with the two of them. I never seem to be able to complete a thought before someone needs something again. I have a long list of things that I want to do right now and I want to do them all alone. I would be happy to do laundry alone at this point. Of course blogging on the computer works in a way.
And now Naomi went to sleep in her own bed. I feel bad because she was in there reading and I found her and told her it was OK to be in her bed, but she had to turn the light off. I turned it off and Julia started to cry in the other room. Well I guess she was sitting in bed just pouting when Adam went to check on her, and she said that I had turned the light off. I feel bad that she was crying and that after a long week I couldn't comfort her, but she is slept in her own bed last night. Weird!
Today Naomi seems really tired and fussy though so it makes you think she didn't sleep well in her own bed. The Julia as heat seeking missile theory is confirmed though. She started out at the edge and this morning she was in the middle of the bed with Adam and I crowded to one side. I move over a little and then she follows me. Who says she isn't mobile!
Well, Naomi has kept her underpants dry all day today yah! I have to remind her to go to the potty, but we went for broke this week and shelved the diapers. We only have a few left and I put them away. At night we are using a cloth type diaper because if we have diapers, Naomi will ask for them. So there is no turning back. The first few days I was having to wash all the wet underpants every night so we would have some for the next day, but at the end of the week she seems to be getting it. Not that I think we are accident free by any means, but it is definitely going in the right direction.

Monday, August 09, 2004


the cousins Posted by Hello
Natalie and Naomi played together this weekend while Jack worked on the garage with Adam. Cheri and Drew came too so I was not alone with three kids suddenly. Natalie rejuvenated Naomi's interest in her own toys and of course whatever the other one was playing with was the toy of the moment. On the whole they did really great together though.


Here are the cousins. Sharing the car, but not the popsickles

Friday, August 06, 2004

Julia weighs 12 lbs 14 ounces now. And she is 23 inches. We had a well baby check and she is well. Growing a lot as she should. Julia loves the baby in the mirror at the end of the hall and greets her with a smile and a squeal. She is definitely more alert and responsive these days and that is fun. But on the other hand I want her to stay little for a little longer.
Naomi nursed her "baby" and I am particularly excited about this. I nursed Naomi for so long that I was disappointed when she fed her dolls bottles. But the other day I asked her if her doll was hungry and she nursed the doll. It was difficult because the doll did not latch on well (or at all really, they should make a better breastfeeding doll) and her breasts don't sag so she has to hold the doll up high.
After having too much milk, the supply is finally under control although it is difficult to let go of the extra milk emotionally. I liked having all the milk in a way I guess. Now it feels as if there is not enough, even though I know there is since Julia is fat and happy. If there weren't it would leave Julia with few options since she won't take the bottle. She sort of tolerated having the bottle nipple in her mouth today but did not actually drink any.

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

The potty train is leaving the station.

I got Naomi a seat that fits on our toilet. She was excited to try it out and sat on it, then she wanted to try to pee on the toilet in spite of the fact that she had just peed on her potty. OK, so she sits on the toilet again. Then she lifts her seat and tries to sit on the toilet without it. Well, I was slow and she fell through. It was really hard not to laugh, but I held that in and told her that it was OK and I wiped her off.
So next week we are not going to have any more diapers (and I mean it for real too) and I will expect to be cleaning up a lot. Naomi will be home all week because Kathy is going on vacation so we can roam around naked Hooray! Well, Naomi can, I will keep my clothes on.