We are calling Junior Miss Baby Dean because her new favorite vocalization is very close to the famous Howard Dean scream. She always directs her Dean Scream at someone or something (a parent or a toy) so it must mean SOMETHING...I choose to understand it as "I love you! You are an awesome mama! now, MILK!!!"

Summer is here! We spent the weekend porch swinging, hiking, sitting around, walking and gardening. Oh, and sleeping. Last night Junior Miss was in bed , asleep, by 8:30, just like Sunday night. And she woke once, at one, I think because her diaper had come undone and she was lying in a cold pee puddle. Poor Junior Miss.

Bill took a bunch of pictures of us on the porch, with Eva dressed as a baby should be, in a diaper and only a diaper. The only bad thing about this picture is that the giant can of Baked Beans on the window sill is just out of the frame. The giant can of Baked Beans is a Bunkhouse legend, and a challenge...free night to whoever eats it all in one sitting!

Anyhow, I also did some shopping this weekend, with Bill's hard earned tip money. I bought a bunch of tops and three pairs of capris and a skirt that EVERY one and their sister seems to have bought this weekend (our finance director is wearing it today, and the Essex County DA has it on on the front page of the paper today.)

Our pal Bob came over with his kids last night, and his daughter A. was thrilled to hold Eva. She's about eight and I spent one night over there in October with her holding her hand on my belly all through dinner. His son M., on the other hand, thinks babies are gross and all boys. But he still held the Junior Miss for about five seconds.

The beginning of a long weekend that is supposed to end sunny!

We are considering a short canoe ride with the Junior Miss. She's got a life jacket, but it's pretty bulky, so I'll have to figure out how to best hold her! On the motor boat, we were thinking she would go in a box or fish tote of some kind...(with the pfd on of course) because her car seat wouldn't work with the pdf, and would also probably drag her under if we were to flip. (Not that that is likely!)

...and also, gardening!

We are currently working Elizabeth Pantley's "No Cry Sleep Solution." And, with the exception of the setbacks endured through the Junior Miss' present cold, it seems to be working! And thank god, because if it wasn't, I'd be seeing divorce in my future. The pressure of a new baby on a marriage is way bigger than I could have anticipated, though I had been forewarned. Basically, even the best husband and father can not offer enough help, at least to a breast fed baby. But also, we were having NO time alone together. (Which I guess is a good birth control method...)

So while, our beloved ped says a 10:30 bed time is fine for her, we needed to move it earlier. So we have started a bedtime routine: bath, lotion, massage, books, nursing, back rub, sleep! Now, we aim to get this whole process down to an hour, but currently it stretches to two and the last three steps get repeated at least once most nights! The idea is to put baby down sleepy, but awake, which is what we are working on. It definitely happens with naptime, but sometimes Miss E falls asleep during the nursing, which means she gets upset when she wakes up, titless.

Still the last three nights she's been asleep by nine! And now that I figured out elevating the head of her mattress to avoid snotty nose pooling which leads to snorting and crying and waking, we actually got five hours straight snoozing again last night. (She was sleeping through, but between teething and her cold, that stopped last week.) Bill and I even got to be quietly amorous, on the couch, like teenagers afraid to wake a parent.

Lies: Breastfed babies don't get sick. So why number four cold in as many months? also, breastfeeding delays your period's return. Ha. Very funny.

Last night and the night before, I considered returning the Junior Miss to the baby store for one that sleeps. But then morning comes and she turns on the charm. Her peditrician agrees that right now she has the glassy eyed, slack jawed, squintly look fitting of a stoner. Bong jokes with the peditrician are always fun.

I can stand.
(After being pulled up.)

I can sit.
(for up to 30 seconds.)

But I can not sleep. Oh no. I am teething, I guess. And I am miserable.

Interviewed again! Thanks Zomeister!


What's your favorite folk song?

If "The Long Black Veil" doesn't count, then I would say "On Top of Spaghetti," which definitely doesn't count!

Do you have what it takes to be a hobo?

Man, I wish I did. I realize that I am more rooty than I should be. Stick me someplace with love and occasional sunshine and I dig right in. I am, however, married to the ultimate hobo and I think he could convince me to give it a try. But mostly, I have what it takes to be a nice woman that loves the hobos enough that they leave the hobo sign for "a kind lady lives here" on my fence.

If you could take Eva, Mo and Bill, would you move to another state or country?

Yes. As you know, it is my dream to live in Wyoming. But Bill won't go for it, as there is no ocean nearish. But if he would say yes? I am there. But I would feel bad having the Junior Miss so far from grandparents!

What snack food do you long for?

Chocolate covered pretzels are a nursing mom's best friend.

What's your greatest physical challenge?

Other than sheer laziness, I'd say it is a lack of grace and coordination. I always imagine I would love yoga and dance and even general exercise if I did not feel like such an awkward doofus doing it. But then again, maybe I ma just lazy!

Interview questions by Bri, ONE of my favorite librarians! If you want to be interviewed, comment and I'll do you!

1. What is the cutest thing about having a cute dog and a cute baby at the same time?
I have to say that now that they are beginning to interact, it's the way the they look at one another. Last night, Mo came looking for her in our room (where he is no longer allowed regularly because he is no longer allowed to sleep in bed with us and would try if allowed in the room). He stuck his nose through the crib slats and rested it on the mattress and just sighed. She, of course, looked at him like he was the lowliest of creatures. But sometimes she reaches for him and pulls his hair, whiich in baby = love.

2. What single task do you spend the most time doing at your job with Pl*nn*d P*r*nth**d?

Pumping breastmilk! Oh, work related task? By far it is participating in conference calls, we talk about everything in large groups over the phone. For instance, today I had two, one for our online users group, the other on grassroots organizing. Tomorrow I have the weekly national messaging call. Last week I had a New York State organizing call and an electoral call. The best thing about these calls is muting and pumping!

3. What has changed most about your life since Junior Miss Eva was born?

I have learned that 70% effort is really good for now. And I don't feel guilty about giving less than 100% to everyone and everything other than the Junior Miss, except, sometimes, I wish I could give more to Bill. But I still don't have time for me, so I am considering lowering my effort still, to try and make space for me!

4. You are exiled to a deserted island with the complete DVD's of one TV show and one TV show only. What is it?

Yeesh. I think it might be Lost. But I've seen all of those and maybe I should go for something I missed the first time around, like 6 Feet Under.


5. Do you think you will always live in a really rural area? Do you miss anything about "city" living?

I think so. I only miss the food of cities. Exotic here is the China Buffet. I know I can get good Thai in Burlington, and Ethiopian in Montreal, but both those excursions involve crossing something (lake or border). So instead when my sister in law is coming from Queens we insist she brings a cooler filled with deliciousness. The other thing I miss is racial diversity. It gets awfully white up here, and it freaks me out the there will probably not be any children of color in Miss E's kindergarten class.

I currently have coffee on my pants and spit up in my hair. It was one of THOSE mornings. There are truly not enough hours in the day during the week...But the weekend, well, that's short too but we got a lot done!

On Saturday, the Junior Miss rolled over, from back to belly. THREE TIMES. On Sunday she did it twice as many times.

On Sunday, she moved from her basinet into the crib. So big and lonely in there, and so many places to roll! I had no idea she was so mobile, for some one who can't walk or crawl or even scoot, she manages to get around.

She also sat unassisted for 15 whole seconds before pitching faceforward onto her mattress. I know, it sounds awful, but she really enjoys the pitching and smiles and smiles as she rolls around on the sheet.

Saturday night we met another baby her age, and Eva was hilarious. As the other baby spazzed out, Junior Miss maintained her zen detachment and just reached out for the other baby's hand and GENTLY held it in her own. It was something else.

Finally, we celebrated Mother's Day by sleeping in, admiring our new bracelet (not a surprise) and figuring out where to hang the PORCH SWING! (surprise.)

The hummingbirds are back! We have had one at the (empty) feeder at the same time on the last two night. I planted a hummingbird attracting wildflower mix over the weekend, so maybe that will draw them into the backyard as well...

Junior Miss is trying SO HARD to roll from her back to her belly. We stared at her struggling for fifteen minutes last night, biut it seemed cruel so I finally gave her a hand and then picked her up. She gets to her side just fine, but can't seem to get over the rest of the way.

I hope Bill never touched that brim with fish guts on his hands. Ick. The reach and grab now has a third step: suck.

Junior Miss now has a new fascination with adult food and drink. She stares at forkfulls, and reaches for glasses. Last night she tried to grab a falafel. We have our four month appointment next monday, so we will see what the doc has to say about starting solids. I thought six months, but if she's THAT interested, why not? Why not? POOP. I like the breastmilk poops. I like the formula poops a little less (they actually smell like poop, which is a surprising smell from such a sweet baby.) But solid food poops? I shudder to think. Also, A., our sitter, is ok with cloth diapers for now, but she did tell me she wasn't gung ho on them post solids. But as she has yet to get a dirty diaper on her watch, she might be naive about the smell of those supplemental bottles. I am still waiting for a day care blow out, but it took me 30 years and a pregnancy to get over pooping at someone else's house, so it's no wonder Junior Miss seems to save the doodoo for mama.

I'm infected. Not sure with what, but it causes green and yellow boogies (which if you say to Junior Miss in a sing songy way makes her laugh). Anyway, I'm on the antibiotics now, so my sexy voice should be gone soon.

It's a gorgeous day here, and I am thinking of summer. the owner of the shop Bill guides out of is very ill, and everyone is in a tizzy about what will happen if he, god forbid, dies. So summer could be very chaotic for Bill, if FB stays sick for a long time. Yikes!

Mine.

Bill's is the same but larger, as he is larger.

This photgraphic masterwork was just taken in the bathroom here at the office.