Natalie learns to play patty-cake

This bear is one that Natalie's Auntie Bev gave to her. It plays patty-cake with you and claps its hands while it chants the familiar rhyme. Apparently, Natalie really wanted to get in on the action. She tipped over the bear and began beating it happily. Funny stuff.

Utterly Exhausted

Keith and I are vowing not to go anywhere next year. I'm sure we'll recant that statement, but after driving all over SoCal and back again with a baby, we're not relishing the prospect of doing it again during our short two-week break. This is compounded by the fact that my birthday is tomorrow and we're going back to San Diego to see John Mayer (FANTASTIC birthday gift from Dad & Yvette).

Don't get me wrong. I don't mean to complain. I'm just sayin' that we're tired. Really, really tired.

In other news, Natalie danced for the first time today and she's been giving hugs for the past few days. Totally and completely awesome. Love that little Bean.

My Review of San Diego Chargers Womens Custom Short Sleeve T-Shirt

Originally submitted at NFL

You'll look great supporting your favorite team in this curve-hugging women's custom short-sleeve cotton t-shirt. It's fitted to accentuate your feminine shape and designed with your choice of personalized heat-sealed graphics on the chest, back, and sleeves.

San Diego Chargers Womens Custom Short Sleeve T-Shirt

Pretty design, but fits small

By Chargers Fan from Yorba Linda, CA on 12/22/2009

 

4out of 5

Pros: Shows Off Team Pride, Stylish Design, Authentic Look

Best Uses: Anytime, Around Town, At The Game

Describe Yourself: Sports Enthusiast

The shirt looks amazing, but the fit is very tight (I bought a medium thinking it would fit like my other medium shirts). The material is pretty heavy, which is nice, but it is also not terribly stretchy. Since they don't allow you to return personalized merchandise, I want to warn other buyers to buy this product bigger than you might ordinarily order.

(legalese)

Grammar Rant

It's the holiday season and that's the usual time for apostrophe nonsense. As such, I'm here to set those offenders straight. Yes, it's snarky, but I'm an English teacher at heart and feel the need to make our fellow Americans look smarter, if at all possible.

Apostrophes are used for various purposes, but most often to indicate a contraction (as in don't for do not) or ownership (Is that Sharleen's sweater?). Recently, I've been noting that people are using contractions broadly to indicate several of something. Please note that apostrophes are NEVER used to make a noun plural, including last names. See my examples of correct apostrophe usage below and feel free to use this rule all year long.

Apostrophes used in ownership

We're going to Melanie Carmona's house for dinner.

OR

We're going to the Carmonas' house for dinner. (note that since there are several Carmonas, I've attached an apostrophe to the end)

We're not going to Tiger Woods' house because he was a philandering idiot and now is facing an ugly divorce. (note that since Tiger's last name naturally ends in an s, I've added an apostrophe at the end to indicate he owns his house. This is more common than the Chicago style of adding an apostrophe s, but that is technically correct, as well)

OR

We're not going to the Woodses' house...

Correct use of plurals

Merry Christmas from The Carmonas!

The Carmonas wish you a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Love, The Carmonas

OR

Merry Christmas from The Woodses! (I know that looks weird, but it's technically correct. If you don't like that option, you can do this: Merry Christmas from The Woods Family)

Natalie Meets the Mouse!

Yesterday was our first family trip to Disneyland. We aren't sure yet who was more excited: Natalie, Mom and Dad, or Auntie Ali (though I think Ali edged the rest of us out by traveling all the way up here solo after spending the last two months all over the country and away from her husband and home!).

We had a blast watching our little wunderkind bright-eyed and amazed at all of the Christmas-y decor at the park and waited for a whopping 45 minutes to ride "It's a Small World". That was a successful first ride, what with all of the visual and auditory stimulation. Natalie was a tad overwhelmed looking from side to side--and even at the ceiling--while the songs rotated between the traditional song to Jingle Bells to Deck the Halls. Still, I think she liked it.

We're looking forward to going back soon!

Mr. Crab's Stand-up Show

Natalie's first day of Disney fun culminated in her usual bath time routine...except for Auntie Ali's new bath character "Mr. Crab". Imagine our surprise when Natalie found him the most hysterical event of the day!

Reading is FUN!

Natalie and I spend lots of time on the floor playing with toys, but we also read quite often for a baby. Of course, she usually likes to put the books in her mouth, but no matter. She'll learn from a very young age that reading is tasty, er, educational and enjoyable. Here she is, only 7 months old and enthused beyond belief about her books. We're so lucky.

Foof Land

We noticed right away in the hospital that the only way Natalie was calm was when she was sucking on Keith's finger. It's not always convenient to have a child sucking on your finger, hence we all developed a quick and easy love affair with the "foof".

Side-note: Keith has always called Natalie's pacifiers "foofs". I think he heard Anna and Julia call theirs "fuffies" and tweaked the term. (Anna and Julia hail from Keith's cousin Brian and his wife Toni, who also watches Natalie while I'm at work.)

The upside of having a foof around is a tranquil, peaceful child. She sleeps more soundly and doesn't fuss as much in her carseat. The downside is that she's a shameless addict. As Keith would say, "Natalie + foofs = true love." This means that every time she loses her pacifier, she becomes a madwoman in a single-minded pursuit to retrieve it. Unfortunately, she never understood how to do that and would call on us to assist...at 3:00 in the morning. That is, until now.

Yes, folks, Natalie has found a new talent. I've read about it in all the books and am reaping the benefits of following that advice. Here's how it works:

Foof Land

We re-designated her crib "Foof Land", littering it with no fewer than half a dozen pacifiers each day.

The Reconnoissance Mission
When Natalie awakens after losing the original foof that she had at the start of her nap/sleep, she rolls over and sweeps at the mattress. Locating several foofs at a time can be problematic, but she usually settles on one and brings it to her fishy-lipped mouth.

The Eagle Has Landed!

Twirling the plastic (sometimes only with one hand!), she'll play a round of what we call "foof games" to figure out which way it belongs in her mouth. When she's still sleeping, this doesn't last long and always results in a correctly-seated foof. When she's awake, this process becomes playful and often involves more than one foof. As you can see in the picture (I had to take a picture of the monitor, lest I disturb the foof games today), she has one in her mouth and is examining another. This was after she had tried out four others.

You know what they say: practice makes perfect. We are SO pleased with our sweet wunderkind and her sleep-saving tricks.

Lots of Snot

Yes, phlegm is an unwelcome visitor in the Carmona household and Natalie has not only learned about viruses, but she also learned that "sharing is caring" this week. Namely--she shared her cold with me. Fun.

Life with an illness before child:

Rolling over at the sound of Keith's alarm, I would create a happy, soft, warm nest of pillows in the dead middle of the bed, give a dramatic cough or sniffle, and settle back to sleep--sometimes for hours. The cats loved when I stayed home. They'd get loads of attention from me because I'd be the stationary (temporary) cat-lady.

Taking sick days was a rare occurrence, but when it happened, I'd curl up on the sofa and watch my DVR'ed shows, channel surf, catch up on emails, go online, or even read a whole book front to back. While it sucked to be sick, it was almost relaxing.

I would baby myself (pardon the pun) and require Keith to shower me with attention (don't worry--I always reciprocate when the tables are turned). I'd take loads of OTC medicine and relaxing baths, turning in early for the night.

Life with an illness WITH child:

I wake up at the same time I usually awaken, sometimes after being up half the night with Natalie (suctioning, nursing, calming, and putting baby back to bed). This is usually around 6:00 a.m. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. Like 6:15.

I get ready just like any other day. If I don't shower now, I might not get a chance. Plus, my throat is closed and pained, and my sinuses are clogged. The steam might help and with no medicine, over-the-counter or otherwise, I'll take what I can get. Of course, this shower has to be quick; no baths today.

Scush needs entertainment during the blow-drying of my hair, so I sing (with ultra-sore throat) The Wheels on the Bus (Go Round and Round...), making up lyrics to elongate the song whilst sweeping mucus from under my nose and simultaneously applying a scant amount of makeup, just in case I have to show my sleep-deprived and sick self in public (scary!).

After I dress--sometimes in the same pajamas (with clean underwear, thank you)--, I head downstairs and maybe eat breakfast (or maybe not) before feeding Natalie and then entertaining her until her first nap of the day. The regular schedule commences, with added nursing for sick Bean. Mommy = Clara Belle Cow, especially when child is ill.

Maybe I'll have 20-40 minutes of rest while baby naps, but this is interrupted often by bouts of crying, coughing, and sneezing--by the baby, not the mom. I go upstairs to calm the girl and (fingers crossed!) get her to sleep some more. When it's apparent that she is not going to continue rest, I bring her downstairs to play/nurse/fuss. When she's ready to eat, I nurse her until she inevitably falls asleep on me and I have to urinate. Every time without fail. Murphy--I live my life by your law.

Repeat until Keith gets home from work.

After baby goes to bed (and the three loads of laundry are done and the dishwasher is cleaned out and the house is picked up), I'll have glass of wine to take the edge off. Keith, bless his heart, is the chef and he makes dinner for me even when I'm healthy. Sigh. Lucky much? We'll watch a little TV, talk about our day, and then turn in at the usual time. I pump (as usual) and turn in, hoping for a few straight hours of sleep before Natalie awakens screaming with snot pouring out of her head. For now, it's peaceful.

Baby's First Cold

And it's rocking our world. No sleep--AGAIN--even after all that teething. And the poor thing can hardly breathe enough to eat. Thank GOD she can breathe through her mouth, now. Too tired to write more. Will report later.

Sigh.