Wednesday

This Wednesday is SO much cooler than last Wednesday.  In fact, last week the final swallow baby in the nest on our porch died.  I lamented for a moment before knocking the stupid nest down with a window scraper from my van and wondered whether I would have to wash the poop off the porch or whether it would rain first.

Very excited today because Jamie landed a really big job.  It'll probably take him the better part of three months to do it, but the money's really good and believe me when I say we need it.  He is at his old house now clearning it out, finally.  I think after today we'll both be officially all moved in.  Finally.

Also getting excited about the wedding.  Not the wedding, per se, as much as the fact that everyone's going to be there.  Angie and I haven't been up there together in probably 7 years.  I'll get to see Kim and Greg, and Michelle and Neal, and see my family and Jamie's family.  Big fun to be had, I tell ya!

I'm starting to realize that I might live around a bunch of rednecks.  Jamie rented a movie last night for us to watch which was nice because we haven't spent a lot of time together lately.  Kris came over to return the tractor half an hour before it ended.  Jamie walked up the stairs and that was the last I saw of him for an hour.  I finished the movie, fed and changed Avery and put her to bed, got my jammies on and laid on the bed watching TV when he came in to see if I wanted to go outside to drink beer.  Um... blah.  I said no thanks, and he came in after midnight!  I felt a little slighted, and ended up getting miffed enough to where I didn't sleep last night.  Of course,  he slept like a baby and I'm a zombie...LOL!  Anyway... these guys stand around drinking beer and talking and they remind me of the characters on King of the Hill.  I think there were a few gals out there last night, and I heard dancing was involved.  I'm just not into that, I guess.  Never have been.  But poor Jamie has gone so long without friends here that I'm sure he loves the chance to get out and talk with someone besides me.

Friday night we're going out just Jamie and I for the first time since Avery was just a few weeks old.  I'm going to leave her with Sunny.  I'm a little nervous.  Not about Sunny because I totally trust her... but I'm just worried because Avery can be a quirky little gal when it comes time to go to bed.  She hates being on her back and needs her blanket all up around her face.  You have to give her a binkie and keep putting it back in if she gets upset and spits it out.  Sometimes she cries a lot, but if you just keep on giving her the blanket and the binkie she'll fall off.  Few people have mastered this.  LOL.

Here we go!

Okay... Avery's officially crawling!  The past few days she's been scooting and taking a bit of distance here and there, but today she was moving all over the floor.  She's not very coordinated yet, and mostly crawls on her left knee and right foot... but now we're going to have to watch her!

When I picked her up from daycare, Barry told me how far she'd crawled and Lola mentioned she's pulled up to standing on Barry's lap.  Well, I hadn't seen her crawl that far, but had seen her stand up.  Sometimes it frustrates me that they are so quick to tell me something that she's done without thinking that it's something that I might want to discover she can do on my own.  No, Lola, I don't want to come pick my daughter up after having been away from her all day long for you to tell me that she's said her first word or taken her first step.  It's not a contest... let me enjoy  my daughter's milestones in the perhaps false belief that I'm the first one to have seen them. 

Anyway!!  She had swimming classes tonight and did really well.  I could tell whe was tired though.  I need to mention that the other day when we had swimming lessons, I went into a bathroom stall, used the toilet, completely undressed and put my swimming suit on all while holding Avery.  I didn't even have any buttcheeks or boobies hanging out when I was finished, so felt pretty impressed with myself.

Workwise... I'm writing up the diquat study that Stacy and I did last summer.  I would like to have it in our in-house review before going to Michigan in a couple weeks.  The results aren't earth-shattering but I think they're interesting enough for a medium-sized journal.  I have to think of what that might be.

I need to mention how hot it is.  My God, the heat.  The absolute temperature (as shown on my official new-van thermometer) was 104.  The heat index, I was informed by the radio, was 115.  The humidity was oppressive.  There is a nest of swallow babies on our porch with as many as 4 babies in it.  I was hoping they would fledge soon because the parents are dive-bombing us every time we go out front.  Well, I think three of the babies succumbed to the heat, as there was only one left last night (one was dead on the porch, and I saw the momma bird trying to pull one of the others out)... sort of sad.  Tomorrow, cooler weather should prevail.  Yippee!!

Avery's update

It seems like Avery's made so much developmental progress lately I wanted to write it all down!

She now has two bottom teeth.  The second one began coming up a week or so after the first one.  She didn't drool or get fussy or anything... they just  sort of appeared.  Now she spends a lot of time feeling them with her tongue and making a funny clucking noise!

She can roll over onto her stomach pretty easily.  I find her laying on her side in her crib in the mornings.  Once a few nights ago I went in to find her on her belly with her two legs protruding between the bars in her crib.  I put her on her back and centered her in the crib, and Jamie came in and woke me up an hour later to say that she was on her belly again.  I said, she's okay, just flip her over if it makes you uncomfortable... he said he did three times.  I tried to convince him it was okay, but he didn't seem very convinced.  I went in and found her on her tummy again and could tell that she was trying to snuggle the blanket underneath her, because I forgot to put her favorite one on top of her.  She doesn't sleep well unless she pulls the blanket close to her face, and sometimes over her head.  I think that's even more important than the binkie!

Avery waves at everyone now.  Even Turbo.  Even the refrigerator from time to time.  Sometimes she'll just extend her arm, others she twists her wrists around like a princess.

She's not crawling yet, but she's getting really close.  She's pulled herself up to standing when she is sitting near something tall.  She'll also get on her hands and toes and it looks like she's going to do a pushup.  I think by the time we go home in August she'll be a lot more mobile.  Mostly  now she scoots around and goes backwards and grunts a lot while she's doing it.

All in all she's doing really well.  She wakes up every morning with a smile for me, and it starts my day out right.  I am not sure what I did without her as she truly is the light of my life.

Auntie Angie and Uncle Greg and Alex and Anna surpised all of us with a visit from Denver.  We drove to St. Louis and met them in their hotel and took them to breakfast.  Greg and Alex and Daddy went to the Cardinals game and me and mommy and Auntie and Anna went shopping for a wedding dress.  Mommy needed help from Angie because last week Mommy cried in Dillards when trying on dresses.  Something about being fat.  I sometimes wonder if it's my fault she feels fat, but she tells me that I'm worth it and I believe her. 

We found a new dress for the wedding, and it's really pretty.  I can't tell you what it looks like in case daddy reads this because it's supposed to be a surprise. We also found shoes and shawl and an outfit for me!

Uncle Greg had to go back to Denver that evening, but Angie, Alex and Anna came back to Millersburg.  Auntie Angie thought she was going to die because of the humidity, but thankfully she didn't. 

The next day we went shopping for paint colors for our new house, and we went grocery shopping.  We bought stuff for crab fondue and burgers to grill out.  Again, hot and humid and I'm glad the Harrants didn't die.  That evening the neighbors shot off fireworks and it was pretty.  Anna was jumping up and down because she thought they were cool.  She caught her first firefly and thought that was cool too.  Her mom, again, wasn't so cool and was sitting in front of the fan in her room.  

The next day they all went back to St. Louis to go home.  It was a short visit, but I'm really glad they came.  It is a lot of traveling, but I am growing so fast that I think they don't mind because I would change too much otherwise.  My cousin Anna really loves me, I can tell.  She fed me peas and prunes and carried me around a lot and played with me. Auntie Angie holds the record (behind mommy of course) in the number of kisses given to me in a single day.  I love pulling her hair and honking her nose. She always gives me such pretty clothes, and I can't wait to write thank  you notes once I learn how to write.

Trip to California

We all drove to Kansas City airport.  It was the first time Jamie had traveled with Avery and he was surprised and pleased at what a good traveler she was.  I was glad to have the extra help this time, that's for sure. 

We arrived late Friday night, and my meeting started Saturday moring.  Avery and Jamie and Donny hung out at the hotel while I was in the workshop.  It was hard because I'm still nursing full time and I didn't have much milk to leave Jamie.  I tried to pump mid-morning but something about sitting on a public toilet while it flushes periodically had me a little too stressed to pump more than a couple drops.  That of course made me panic.  Since I didn't get breakfast that morning I was hungry and panicked, and by the time I met Jamie et al for lunch I was in a horrible mood.  We went to Johnny Rockets and had rocket burgers.  That was one of the best burgers I've ever had, partly because I was so hungry... I wolfed it down (although Donny had a double rocket burger and ate it faster than I did, which bordered on gross). 

That evening we met the entire workshop for dinner, which was interesting.  Not a lot of people knew I had a baby, and Jamie got to meet Michelle and Neal and some amphibian folks.  The next day we went to the San Francisco zoo with Neal and Michelle.  Jamie tried to find his gorilla Pogo and was saddened to learn that she'd just died.  He was even sadder to learn that he never actually knew Pogo!  When he and the zoo lady bantered back and forth about when Pogo was given to the zoo (she said 1961, but Jamie- who has a picture of him wish Pogo- said he wasn't even born til 65) he asked his mom.  She told him that it wasn't Pogo in the pictures with Jamie, but ChaCha the chimp.  I'm still laughing!  The zoo was fun, and Avery was a really good girl (of course!).

The next day we went to Sonora to visit Jamie's aunt Colleen and uncle Bill.  His mom and sister Leone were there and we got to see them, and they met Avery.   They were all duly impressed with her brilliance and beauty!  We had a nice dinner there, then went later that evening for pie.  Jamie and I stayed in a hotel, the Christmas Tree.  Avery woke me up crying, and when I went to the bed she was laying on to put my hand on her belly, she was face down.  That was the first time she'd rolled from front to back!  I was surprised!

The next day we took off after breakfast and drove to Monterey.  It was a long drive, but it was pretty.  We ended up at Fisherman's Wharf and walked around looking at starfish and watching the sea otters.  We ate crab and shimp and bought a mug and headed back to San Jose.  We left the following day for home.... a very long drive from the airport in Kansas City.  

First tooth

Little Miss Avery Pants has a tooth!  Her left bottom incisor is barely poking through, I felt it with my finger last night.  That might be why she was waking up in the middle of the night and crying, although being in a new house probably didn't help matters.  She also had a great swimming lesson last night.  The first lesson I tried to get her to kick, and then pull with her arms.  She didn't quite get it.  Yesterday evening after a few minutes she started kicking like a little frog... then later she started slapping the water like shew as stroking.  She even went underwater briefly three times.  She always looks a little surprised when she gets water on her face, but it doesn't seem to bother her. 

I was at work all day yesterday for the first time in days.  I hated being away from home knowing there was so much to do there... but I liked being here knowing there was so much to do there.  Jamie picked up our entertainment center and it's the last piece of furniture we're going to get for a while.  Well, someday we'll get Avery furniture, but she doesn't really have a need right now.  Mom called and said she liked the walls the yellow color that I painted them, but I'm still not liking them.  Poor Jamie.  He hates to paint.  

We're leaving for California on Friday.  Saturday and Sunday we'll be in San Jose, and will go to Sonoma Monday to see Jamie's family.  Leone will get to meet Avery for the first time.  Sounds like a fun trip (work trips usually are) but I'm still sort of stressed from the move.  Hopefully by the time we leave we can have things mostly unpacked.  Hahahahaha.

Trip to Michigan

Avery and I just got back from Michigan where we visited Granny and Grampy.  I was worried that the trip would be hard alone, but Avery is such a dream baby that it was great.  I had to bring the car seat in addition to the stroller, suitcase, diaper bag, purse, and baby... one more thing than my own hands could carry!  So, Jamie dropped us off and helped us check things in at that end and mom and Paul were there to meet us when we arrived. 

We got to the St Louis airport just in time to get on the plane.  It was crowded!  There was someone in the middle seat... thankfully he was a very nice man who apparently enjoyed being spit upon by baby raspberries.  Avery was SO loud on the flight talking and bababa-ing!  But not one cry.   Then we had a two hour layover in Detroit.  I bought a sandwich, found an empty gate, and laid a blanket on the floor and sat there with Avery.  She had her sippy cup and a bunch of toys and enjoyed watching everyone.  She was so quiet, til we got on the next plane then she started talking again!  

After we were picked up from the airport, we went to lunch in town.  Mom and Paul couldn't believe how she just sat in her stroller occupying herself while we ate.  We went back to their house and I slept for a little while (after three hours sleep, I needed a nap) with Avery.  The next morning we went visiting Del and Flo, their neighbors.  They were duly impressed with Avery's beauty and intelligence.  Then we went to the Whaleback Inn, where everyone is staying for the wedding and really loved it.  Aunt Linda and Michael came up that afternoon and Grandma Timock came over to meet Avery for the first time.  They stayed the night and the next morning Linda, mom, Avery and I went to do wedding things.  We went to the house where we're going to get married, looked at a picture of the cake, looked at some flowers, and even looked at some dresses... then we went and ate BBQ at the place we're going to get after-wedding food from.  Everything was perfect.  

That evening we went and took Paul out for Father's day.  Before dinner we went to New Kids In Town where Grampy bought Avery her first swimming suit (her first lesson was the next day).  He also bought her a beautiful pink hat and a quacking duck.  We went to a really fancy restaurant and put Avery in her stroller right next to the table.  The waitress went nuts over her.  The food was great and Avery was really well-behaved.  It was funny, though... we thought the place was a little deserted until we went to leave we saw that people were being seated on the other side of the restaurant.  That side was full!  I saw a man walk in, look at us with a baby and nod his head toward the other side of the restaurant.  Those people didn't know what they were missing, I tell ya!  

Our trip home was just as uneventful as our trip there.  We stopped over in Minneapolis and gave Avery her fifth state she's  ever been in.  Jamie was there to meet us and we stopped at Jack in the Box for tacos on the way  home, because he was so good to be our shuttle!  We both missed him very much!

Avery's letter from Michigan

Hi Papi!  Remember me?  It's Avery Rose (Boo, to you)!  I sure miss you a bunch and wish I was old enough to talk on the phone, because I would tell you that I love you.

 

I have been such a good girl.  You would be proud of me.  I was a little loud on the planes on the way here, but I was only talking and blowing raspberries and not crying so I hope people didn't mind as much.  I sat next to one guy and got him all spitty, but he just smiled.  Mommy had to bring so much stuff in the airport... you should have seen her going through security!  She was glad you helped her to check the bags though, I could tell.  We got to play on the airport floor on a blanket.  I sucked ice cubes and played with my blocks and watched the big planes.  I asked if Uncle Greg was in one of them, but mom said probably not.  Only the planes with the animals on the tail, she said.

 

I am doing well with Granny and Grampy.  Grampy is always trying to eat my little toes, and I laugh at him, which makes him smile.  I like pulling Granny's hair.  She made me laugh really hard this morning!  I met my Great Aunt and my Great Grandma.  Not sure why they're so Great.... you and momma are WAY greater.  Momma said I finally met the last of the grannies.  She was really nice, but she talks a little funny.  I guess because she's from Minnesota.  I've never been there but I think we have a layover (whatever that is) tomorrow on the way home.  I'll see if they talk funny there.  I also met my second cousin Michael.  He held me for a minute and I guess that was a big deal because he's never held a baby before.  I guess that makes me very special!

 

Today we are going to do wedding stuff.  We counted 19 adults and 6 kids that are going to be at the wedding.  Well, I didn't count them because I can't count that high yet, so I'm taking momma's word for it.  We are going to see the flower garden where the wedding will be.  Then we are going to visit the cake lady and see a picture of the pretty cake granny ordered.  Then the flower shoppe to get a boquet.  THEN we'll meet Michael and Paul for lunch at the BBQ joint we're getting food from for the party afterwards.  Yesterday we went to see the Whaleback Inn, where everyone's staying.  I was sleeping in the van most of the time so I didn't get to see much, but I did see that you can see Lake Leelanau from the main cabin and there were lots of flowers so it's very pretty.  After Great Auntie Linda and Michael leave after lunch, I think we're going to the fabric store to buy some fabric for granny's windows.  The window treatments momma made for her when I was in mommy's tummy look terrific and she wants her to make some more.  I asked her when she was going to have time, because we're moving and all... but mom said she's make the time as soon as possible. 

 

Well, we're getting ready to go soon.  I'm taking a nap now (I told momma what to tell you before I fell asleep... she's a much faster typer than me anyway).  I told them not to leave without me, so mom will probably come down soon.  I know she misses you a lot.  She says the fact that I look just like you helps her not be so lonely for you.  I'm so glad I get to see you tomorrow.  Please be careful on the way to the airport.  I have already asked mom if we can stop at Jack in the Box on the way home... I know you love it and she can't say no to me like she can to you.  Haha...

 

I miss you very much too, Papi.  I haven't laughed quite as much as I do when we're together.  I can't wait to see you and grab your nose!

 

All my love,

Avery Rose

Thursday+

Not much new here.  Jamie came to get Avery, as usual.  He has another job today, and someone else called.   :)  We found out that Larry and Diane are coming to the wedding and bringing Laura.  It'll be good to meet everyone and am glad they can come.

My house is a disaster area.  I am getting more and more boxes packed every day.  Last night I did Avery's stuff. Our room was pretty sparse before, but now it's sterile looking.  I'm anxious to get into the new house and make it a home.

Avery used her mesh teethers last night for the first time.  She sucked on a carrot, but I don't think she could bite off anything so lost interest.  She loved, however, the ice cube I put in the other one.  Big mess, though.  :)  She hasn't been too into the food the last couple days.  Not sure what's up with that.  I guess I'll just keep offering it to her and when she eats it, she eats it. 

Donny is driving me nutso with trying to tell me how we should do things, what we should buy, etc.  He interrupts all of our conversations.  I tell ya, I'm impressed that Jamie can just keep talking and listening to ME and tune him out.  It's something I really need to learn to do.  Quickly!  LOL

I have a race meeting tonight at the library.  I'm going to make a copy of the map Kullman worked on, and work on the registration form.  I also  have some work to do here at work... Occasionally I do that.

Wednesday

Yesterday was Avery's six month appointment.  She didn't see Dr. Holly, but saw Dr. Meyer instead.  He was the very first doc that looked at her.  She's doing really well.  Of course!  She weighed 17 pounds, and was 25 inches long (but I think she was crinkled because she was almost 27 at home) and Jamie won the guess the baby's weight for the first time.  She got three shots, cried for about a minute and left smiling.  

I got to stay home with her all day.  I kept her home because I wasn't sure if she was going to start running a fever, and I'd just as soon not have to pick her up from daycare just a few hours after dropping her off.  I spent a lot of time packing and think I'm getting a handle on things.  I ran out of boxes.. then got more boxes and ran out of tape.. then got more tape and ran out of paper.  I'll be able to get a lot more done tonight.  In the meantime my running's gone out the window.  It makes me sad.. but hopefully I can find a place to run at our new house and get up early and go from there. 

Jamie's gotten a few more jobs.. yay!  Donny missed the work bus this morning and is likely at home kicking himself that he didn't believe Jamie when he said he was leaving in five minutes.   The plan is to get Jamie lots more high paying jobs and then figure out something I an do to stay home and make a million bucks so we can both retire!  :)

A comment from Daddy-- I love you for who you are, what you are about and how very special you take care of and love our Boo - Boo and her Papi. You are the best! Love, Jamie:)

Monday Monday

That was the fastest weekend of AT.  I hardly got to spend any time with Avery, especially yesterday because of Jen's shower... so that was frustrating to me.  We did take a nap together in the evening, and that was cool.  

Avery and I are in a fight now, however. She has awaken at 3 in the morning the past two nights and cried.  I lay there and struggle with whether to pick her up or not.  She sounds so sad (she injects 'woo woo woos' in with her cries which makes it especially pitiful) I have a hard time letting her cry it out.  I tried for a few minutes, then would go over and touch her and make sure her binkie was in her mouth, but as soon as I walked away she'd start again.  Twice in a row I've fed her in the middle of the night... NOT something I want to get back into TYVM.  

We go in for her checkup tomorrow, and more shots.  I'll be taking tomorrow off in case she gets feverish and to pack some things.  I have to get a lot done before the weekend, or I won't feel right about going to mom's.  I can't believe that I decided going up there for four days and returning two days before closing was a good idea!  It will be worth it, though... I think Mom and Paul really want to see Avery Pants.  

Oh, and I signed us up for swimming lessons... I think I'll try to talk Jamie into going too and we'll buy an underwater camera to take pictures.  That'll be so cute!

I sent my chapter off to Linder... yay @ having that done.  Now I need to clean up my office... it's a trainwreck. 

A better day

Last night turned out to be a better night. I cried (hard) all the way home from daycare and by the time I got home I actually felt a little better. Avery and I laid on my bed and we played; I fed her at 5ish and Jamie came over just as she was finishing. She was sleeping by 6, and Jamie was in a bad mood so he left and I started packing. Ugh... packing... I have SO much to do. I wish I could just twitch my nose like Samantha and have it be done. I kept checking on Avery and she actually woke up again.. yay! I took her upstairs and put her on the floor and she toppled over to her tummy, then scooted her way half way across the room backwards. Then she was rocking back and forth and finally rolled over! Yay!! I think I scared her a bit when I cheered, but I was so happy! :)

I called mom to tell her and ended up talking to her for a long time. All the while I was holding Avery and she was just laying in my arms looking up at me. I couldn't find her regular binkie, so I found the 'soother' that we got at the hospital and she actually stuck her thumb in the hole and was sucking on her thumb through the soother. Very funny! She finally fell asleep after I fed her, and she woke up at 5:45 smiling and talking.

I'm almost finished writing my section of the book chapter I've been working on. I thought it was going to be easier than it turned out to be. This spring is certainly one of the more boring springs... no field or lab projects and all writing. I guess that's what happens when one spends 2 months of primo writing time on maternity leave! I did get to go collect frog eggs yesterday. Two species, luckily enough! My colleague in Wisconsin gets one and I'll take the other to do feeding trials. There was such a large chorus of versicolor in my back yard last night that I'm tempted to go looking for eggs in the pond there... but I'm certain the neighbors would think I'd lost my last marble. 

Catching up

I haven't written in a long time, which bums me out. I want to remember everything that Avery's doing, and how old she was when she was doing it. 

At four and a half months she was sitting up. She toppled over quite a bit at first, but now at six months she's doing much better. She's still not rolled over, but don't think that's a problem. I'm trying to get her on her tummy to practice holding herself up and hopefully she'll be inspired to crawl pretty soon. 

She's also been eating solid foods. Well, they're not solid to me, but they're not breastmilk which I guess is what qualifies something as a solid (as opposed to its physical state). I tried rice cereal first just after four months, then oat cereal (which she seemed to like a bit better). We've tried squash and peas and found out that she absolutely loves sweet potatoes. I'm hoping that she I don't have to feed her formula ever. I initially wanted to breastfeed for six months, but am starting to actually enjoy it a bit. Now that six months is here I think I can go longer. 

I'm not sure if this is a good day to write or a bad one. I'm a bit emotional, so am feeling a lot of things. In a way that's good so I can get things down on paper (so to speak)... in a way that can be bad to have a record of sometimes! 

I am struggling with the idea of having Avery in daycare. I miss her so much every day that I sit in my office and cry. It's not getting better, and seems to be getting worse. I'm not so much worried about her as I am me... I feel like I am missing out on so many things. It's just not natural for a mom to be away from her baby for so long, I'm convinced. I wish things were different so that I could stay home, or at least more than I do now. I know she's being taken care of, but want to do it myself and it tears me up that I can't. Then Jamie talks about wanting to have another one. It would cost twice as much in daycare and I would feel twice as badly -- I can't imagine that. 

We are moving to our new house soon. I haven't started to pack and I need to. I want things to be nice when we live there. I have worries though. I worry how I'm going to adjust to living with other people. Boy people. I'm worried that we won't have enough money to make our bills. I'm worried that I will hate living so far out of town. I want to make it nice, but worry that I won't be able to do everything I want to do. I need to give these things over to God, but am having a difficult time because I don't feel deserving. This happens when I don't go to church more often and start feeling disconnected. I want to go to church as a family but can't (and don't want to) force Jamie into going if he doesn't want to. I then wonder what kind of a Christian life I can show my daughter as she grows up and it makes me sad. 

Sometimes when I get to feeling down I have a difficult time remembering and dwelling on the good things. I think today is one of those days. 

I do love my Avery Rose and look forward to every minute I get to spend with her. Usually that's only a few hours in the evenings (unless, like last night she falls asleep too early-- which might be why I feel sad today), but even when she's sleeping I can lay next to her and kiss her warm little hands and feet and stroke her sweet head. Just before I go to sleep at night I pick her up from my bed and feed her. I love the way she barely wakes up before opening her mouth to eat. When she's finished she's sleepy and limp and I hold her and feel the weight of her on my shoulder and hear her breathing.

Well, back to work now. I'm working on a book chapter that turned out to be a little more work than I planned. It's also sounding better than I thought it might. I collected grey treefrog tadpoles today to send to a colleague... at least it got me in the field for a little while, which was good... wet pants notwithstanding. 

We made an offer on a house today and they came close enough to what we wanted to pay that we're going to accept their counteroffer. Yikes! This is going to be the first place that I've ever lived in that I cannot afford to live on my own, so I think it's sort of freaking me out a bit. I don't know why I'm not more excited. I think I just have a lot on my plate right now and it's sort of daunting to think of it all. 

I have to clean up my house (I mean REALLY clean... no throwing things in closets) and get it ready to put on the market by this weekend! I've got Avery to think about, with the daycare issue and her still not being 100% well. I have concerns about all of us living together. Donny is so illogical that I'm not sure how I'll handle the stupid things he says sometimes. Then there's the wedding and traveling to Michigan and that whole deal. Anyway, I wish I could be more excited but I'm just not into it. 

I am looking forward to living in that neighborhood... it sounds pretty nice and my running friend Sunny lives next door. I would love to have neighbors we were close to like we were the Waschas.

April 10, 2006

Avery still isn't feeling very good today, but I think she's feeling better. I want to try to start to feed her solid food. Doctor said it was okay to start cereal for another couple months, but wait til 6 months to try meat and veggies. 

So, I mixed the cereal according to the directions on the box and it was SO runny. Can this be right? I read it over and over, and yep, it was right. So, I let Jamie feed her her first solid (since I fed the first milk) and it was a huge mess! Avery wanted nothing to do with what was in the spoon and kept batting at it. Cereal spilled everywhere! I thickened it up a bit and we tried again with a bit more success. I think at least some of it got into her mouth! We took a few pictures of her messy little face when we finished.

April 7, 2006

Avery had to stay home from daycare today as she's a pretty sick little gal. Her fever is 102.4 and she's got a runny nose and is coughing a lot. I think the fever is normal for the day after immunizations (although she wasn't like that for her first round), but not the other stuff. Jamie said that Lola the daycare lady was sick when he went to pick Avery up on Wednesday. When he called today Barry told him that another baby was sick. Gee... that's odd. :P I think I'd have liked it if they had called earlier in the week and told me that Lola was feeling sick so I would have at least had the option of keeping Avery away. Anyway, I got to stay home all day holding my baby girl, and although she was sick it was nice to be with her. She wasn't very fussy or anything, just sleepy and feverish.

April 6, 2006

Avery went in to see Dr. Bondurant for her four month appointment. When the doctor walked in, Avery was waterskiing on my legs. She said that Avery looked more like a six month old developmentally. We were so proud! All our play time is paying off! The weighed 15 pounds even (I won the guess-the-weight game AGAIN) and was 25 inches tall. Or 2'1" as Papi likes to say. She started crying when the doctor started examining her. I guess being laid on the cold papered bench didn't help. Everything looked good, then the nurse came in and gave her three shots. She cried so hard she stopped breathing for a minute! Poor little thing, I felt so badly! But by the time we left the office she had a crocodile tear and a smile on her face. 

By the end of the evening she was running a little fever. I gave her some tylenol and put her to bed, and she slept pretty well.

April 5, 2006

Last night we went and looked at houses, and I think we narrowed it down to two. There are good and bad things about each one, so it's been tough sleeping on it. The one house I like the best has a really small stupid kitchen that I would hate. I think we just need to make sure Jamie can make it big and nice without making it still look stupid. 

Avery was such a good girl when we were looking at houses. She cried a little but hadn't eaten in a while. I went into the truck and fed her and she was a happy girl again. I think the Mexican food I had for lunch didn't set well with her because she was fussy last night before sleeping. Eventually she went down though. 

I woke up this morning and did all the stuff I normally do with Avery and then took her over Jamie's so he could take her to daycare. He was in bed when I got there and it almost made me mad to think I had been up for two hours doing stuff while he'd been sleeping. I know it's no fault of his own, but I'll sure be glad when we're living together and he can take some of the load off. 

Tina's morning
6:00 wake up to Avery farting and talking
6:05 feed Avery
6:20 play with Avery
6:45 change Avery
6:50 shower
7:00 do monkey dance for Avery
7:02 get dressed
7:05 put Avery in swing
7:06 start to dry hair, curl hair, put makeup on
7:15 bathe Avery
7:20 get Avery dressed
7:22 eat breakfast
7:27 wash breastpump, pack it and empty bottles for work
7:30 get Avery's bottles ready and bag packed for daycare
7:40 load dishwasher with last night's dishes
7:45 pack lunch
7:50 gather four bags (purse, my lunch, her lunch, breastpump) and the baby and get in car
7:52 look for sunglasses
7:55 find sunglasses and start to look for keys
7:58 find keys
8:00 leave for Jamie's (already late for work)
8:02 arrive at Jamie's and pound on door til he answers in his underwear

Jamie's morning

6:00-8:00 sleep
8:02 get out of bed to sound of Tina pounding on the door
8:03 get dirty look as she runs out the door saying she's late
8:04 climb back in bed with Avery

What's wrong with this picture! ;)

April 4, 2006

Today Avery woke me up at 4:30. So early! What happened to sleeping til 6:30 I'm not sure. I think it has something to do with the time change that happened Sunday. I fed her, and afterwards she was really sleepy. I was going to change her, but didn't want her to wake up fully so put her in the bed next to me and tried to fall asleep. She fell asleep, I didn't. At one point I had my back facing her and I felt her little hand on it stroking me. I know she didn't know what she was doing, but I pretended. We got up at 7 and I gave her a bath. Of course we had to sing our song 'boogers in the bathtub' as I was telling her about how clean all of her various parts were becoming. She kicked in the water so hard that my back got wet. I'm not sure if she loves baths, but she certainly doesn't hate them like her cousin Anna did. 

Avery is really finding her hands. She can watch something and reach for it now, which is really exciting. It's amazing to see her growing and developing more each day. There are days that she'll do something new out of the blue. Two weeks ago she found her tongue, and was sticking it out at us every chance she got. I have been waiting for her to have the ability to reach out and grab something. For weeks I've been dangling the little plastic fishes that are on her swing in front of her. She would watch them, but not reach for them. This weekend, I put her in her swing, and when I looked over she had one fish in each hand and her arms were extended and was swinging to beat the blazes. Hysterical!

Papi took her to daycare today. Of course they napped first. He's really going to teach her to be a lady of leisure, I tell you! I'm sure the daycare people think we're on drugs or something. I don't think we've brought her in at the same time two days in a row. It's hard though when Jamie doesn't have a schedule and I do. It'd be easier for me to just drop her off and Jamie's because it's closer to me then have her take him, but he's not always up and awake. Or he has a job. It's just nuts. I think it will be better when we're living together. Soon!

A letter from Avery to her Papi.

Dear Papi, 

Hello! Thank you for picking me up from Lola and Barry's. I wish I could spend days with you and momma but will try to be brave because you have both told me I have to go there. 

I also wanted to tell you that I am glad you are trying to stop smoking. I don't know what that is, but I hear it is a bad habit that is very hard to quit. I know momma is very proud of you for trying so hard, so I am proud too. She also told me that you had a test come back a little high, and that it was because you eat too much yummy food. I know that momma knows how to cook food that will help your test come back better this summer and that you should listen to her because she's really smart in that way. She wanted me to tell you that if we bought a house with a whiz-bang kitchen that she would cook you meals so great you wouldn't even know they were good for you! It will be hard for you to watch your diet, but (just like smoking) I am glad because that means you will be here for me longer! I want you to harrass my boyfriends and eventually walk me down the aisle at my wedding! Momma needs you around too.. she loves you very much, I can tell. 

Well I should go take a nap now. I'm growing very much and that takes lots of energy! I am glad that I was born and that I am your baby. You love me very much, I can tell. And I love when you meow at me and make funny faces. 

Be nice to momma... sometimes she's very tired from getting up early and getting me and her around then working all day. I try to let her sleep, but sometimes by 4 in the morning I am so hungry that I have to cry a little.

I love you very much, Avery Rose