Flourishing Annie

per family request am posting pictures of us with Annie ... only have one with me at the moment but will post one with Anthony soon ...
has been busy week! at appt. Tuesday, Annie had gained one pound in two weeks, which made the pediatrician very happy ... next appt. in one month. annie flourishing very well ... hair still thinning but has retained appropriate wildness!
oops, must run ... annie waking from super long 7 minute nap ...

Hair Club for Annie

still amazed at how much stuff tiny Annie can produce and how many orifices stuff can erupt from simultaneously ... must get industrial strength coveralls to wear ...
have noticed so many of Annie's pictures posted here are of her sleeping ... this is of course because sleeping comprises much of her day. However, would love to share pictures of other activities, perhaps of Annie planting her first garden or riding our black lab, Mary, around the house while dressed as a cowgirl (Annie, not Mary, although it really could go either way) but alas, for the moment, pictures will mostly show sleeping ...
just fyi, Annie's beginning to lose some of her hair ...

sorry for lack of posting recently ... phone lines inadvertently cut by workers next door but restored today ...

Diapering for Dummies

and so world of parenthood rocks on ... Annie has been on much better sleep schedule the last few nights (love the zombie mom shirt, Kate) so sleep deprivation FOR THE MOMENT is not so bad ...
have decided diaper changing should require its own course of study in college ... maybe not the actual procedure so much as the timing of the entire situation. how to know when tiny baby is through producing treasures so is safe to remove diaper without fear of projectiles?? entire family still being pooped and tinkled on at regular intervals ... Annie especially loves to do this after a lovely diaper change resulting in momentary nakedness as previously dirty clothes are being changed ... is wonderful opportunity to wet new clothes, diaper changing pad, etc. with what I swear is a tiny smile on her face ... is too funny to actually worry about as projectile tinkling usually results in all of us having to change clothes ... so, so many stories for when she's older ...
still obsessed with American Idol, and last night was absolutely breathtaking ... bitter that Mandisa's gone, but life goes on ... feel Katharine and Kellie have excellent chance but also love Paris ... however, last night belonged to Katharine and her gorgeous version of "Someone to Watch Over Me." who shall leave tonight? my money's on Elliott, but who knows ...
one more real-world thing: what is up with gas prices? self is re-considering bike-buying idea ...

The Black Hole of Space

continued existence in sleep-deprived bubble of parenthood ... mind still vacant from premises and self has discovered absence of any thoughts whatsoever. has nothing to do with lack of peace and quiet generally required to have thoughts in head and more to do with absolute lack of thoughts. bizarre little situation ... is as though mind has gone into vacuum of outer space ... as luck would have it, very little thought required to hook self up to milker and let 'er rip!

The Slippery Slope of Parenthood

and so we no longer need nightly sleep in this household ... what a wonderful gift of time! can read novels, begin memoirs for posterity, watch important and timely movies, etc. good thing Annie has days and nights mixed up!! quite the over-achiever at such a young age ... she has already projectile-pooped on Hope (our border collie), her dad, her grandfather, and me.
the world of parenthood continues to be a moment-to-moment existence ... Anthony wanted to use the baby monitor this weekend to broadcast the tv coverage of the Master's outside to where he was working in the yard ... following this bright idea, we decided we could save time if I shaped up his sideburns for him instead of trying to go to the barber for a haircut ... self not so great with out of control electric razor, and wearing baseball cap to cover hideous trim NOT an option as Anthony wears suits to work. ahhh, our minds have left us ... hopefully they will come back ...

Here's Annie!!

Mandisa and Mohawks

still in shock that Mandisa has been voted off American Idol but know we'll see her again soon (or really soon in my case as she lives around here)
life with Annie continues to be incredibly entertaining ... not sure where she got it but she is a bit dramatic and loves to flail her arms about ... very good and content baby so far and very funny ... lots and lots of brown hair and big blue eyes for the moment ... think if Annie had made it to full-term she might have been born with an afro ... enough hair now that we can style it into a baby mohawk during bathtime ... must learn to post pictures here!

Maximum Milker

just read last line of last blog ... "will return shortly" made me laugh out loud ... should have said "will return when Annie allows!!" nonetheless, to say we are enjoying every second (ok ALMOST every second) of parenthood would be an understatement ... it's a miraculous and truly fun time.
have conquered proper use of breastfeeding pads since last blog as well as moved up to the "maximum" setting on the milker ... trust me, "maximum" setting on milker was terrifying but have discovered is not that bad, and milking goes much faster! still, sometimes at night when I am sitting attached to the milker I think hmmm, how miraculous but also how strange!! Dairy Queen feeling still quite pervasive but no worries ... as my friend Julie said about pumping milk as opposed to buying the astoundingly expensive formula (honestly, is formula made with 24 K gold flecks highlighted by diamonds mined by Donald Trump himself??) -- why buy the milk when you can get the cow for free?? to say that I say MOOOOOO!!!!!