Happy Week 13 Little Cucumber!

You and Mommy returned from DC on Monday night. I picked you up at the airport and brought you home. It was selfishly fun to be on my own for a while but I missed seeing you and holding you.

Now it is Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. I am here with you and Boo while Mommy and her college friends Abby and Sarah are out to eat. Mommy’s birthday was yesterday…..her 32nd :)…..and she wanted to have a lobster dinner. It was the first time we’d ever fixed lobster in the house so Mommy got a big pot from her friend Gina and had Sarah and Abby’s help since they are from Boston. We don’t have lobsters out here on the West Coast.

They were delicious. I won’t tell you how they are prepared, but I will let you know that we were thankful for their service to our stomaches. Mommy also prepared a hollandaise sauce for the asparagus and a very creamy au gratin potatoes.

What has happened since last time I’ve checked in?

You’ve been having a binky crisis about 4:45 most mornings. Mommy feeds you around 9:30-10ish and we put you to bed swaddled and snug by 10:45 and you typically don’t take long to fall asleep with the disco light, swaddling, and white noise. But your limit seems to be about 6.5 hours (which is great…thank you!) and you wake up and notice that you are without your pacifier which freaks you out. Sometimes it just takes me or Mommy putting it back in your mouth, but usually you are awake enough to realize you are hungry so Mommy has to feed you. Unfortunately, after that feeding, you don’t go back to sleep as soundly so Mommy is kept up by you snorting, sniffling, and shuffling around in your bouncy chair.

You have found your thumb on several occasions, which has substituted for the binky, but you aren’t old enough yet to know it is attached to you or that you can have it ALL the time, so we continue to play the binky game.

You are a little fussy right now so I’ll sign off for now. Love, Daddy

Happy Week 12, Little Munchkin.

You and Mommy are in DC right now, visiting Nana and PopPop. Tomorrow there is an open house so your grandparents can introduce all their friends to their new granddaughter….You!

So that means Clementine and I are at home feeling sorry for ourselves because it is quiet here and we’ve got nothing to do. Boo hoo.    Actually, while I do miss you and Mommy, I’m excited to try to pack lots of activities into these 5 days before you get back.

I have finished a project that I’ve been working on for a long time….the “If There Were No Circles” video. 16 years ago when I was a student teacher at Illinois State University, I wrote a poem about what life would be like if there were no circles. It was pretty good, and so I wrote some other poems about geometric shapes and sent them out to publishers to see if any of them were interested. None were….I have about 80 rejection letters so far, so I gave up for a couple of years. But last year, a student showed me an app called “Animation Creator” that I thought could help step up my circles poem a level. So I animated it and even added my own singing. Here it is….If There Were No Circles.

If There Were No Circles by David M Peabody

I also finished my One Second Every Day Video for the entire year 2013!

One Second Every Day Video 2013

We’ve had some good times with you since the last post. You are smiling like a champion and emitting fun gurgles and excited snorts and sniffs. It is fun to change you because when you’re on the changing table, you seem to come alive. I think I remember reading something about that position that stimulates babies…I can’t remember.

Many of our dinners now involve you on/at the table with us.

We had some of my RHS friends over for dinner the Saturday before break was over.

One of my favorites…..you and Clementine were watching me fix dinner on Tuesday night.

Mommy, Nana and Pop Pop called me from DC tonight to help sing the Goodnight Song to you. It was so fun. I could hear you on the other end talking your 12-week old language. I can’t wait to have you back and hold you, my love.

Love, Daddy

Happy 9th Week, Kiddo!

We just returned from Christmas at Grammy and Chuckles Peabody’s in Crescent City. It was your first Christmas, your second state you’ve ever visited, and a first meeting of your cousins and Aunt Kara and Uncle Andy.

It was also your first plane ride, which made Mommy very nervous leading up to the flight. I made some “Patience Packages” with a small note, a word find, and some candies in snack sized zip-lock bags. We distributed them to the people around our seats on the flights to Chicago and back to Seattle. You fussed a total of 10 minutes on both legs; you slept, ate, and looked around most of the time. We were very relieved.

Back in Crescent City, we had some quality time with Grammy and Chuckles and your cousins and Aunt and Uncle. We stayed in our pajamas for most of the day baking, eating cookies, enjoying big breakfasts and tasty dinners, putting together puzzles, and watching you and little cousin Alden. You also met your Great Grammy Nell who is 97 years older than you!

The week before we left, Mommy’s friend Anastasia had a 40th birthday party. We couldn’t find a sitter for you, so we took you to the party at the VFW hall close to our house. It was a disco party, so there was a giant disco ball in the center of the dance floor, shining little bits of color around the darkened room. You were dazzled and entranced by those lights, just staring at them with wide eyes while Mommy and I and other friends held you and danced! When we got home, Mommy immediately purchased a projector light for your room that has helped you fall asleep all by yourself! It was brilliant 🙂

Here is me photo bombing Anastasia and Marcus, probably during a Guns n Roses song or Europe’s “Final Countdown.”

Since that night, you’ve been logging more than 6 continuous hours at a time sleeping, which is something to celebrate given you are only a bit over 2 months. Mommy would like more, of course, but you’re still young. It means you get hungry more often during your waking hours, but Mommy is grateful for the longer sleep time.

Since we’ve returned home, you have also been sleeping in YOUR OWN ROOM! Mommy usually feeds you around 10ish, then we change you, swaddle you, and sing you “Good Night” by the Beatles. By then you are in a suggestive state for slumber that we place you in your bouncy angled seat in your crib. You don’t need much more than a few minutes of binky duty before you are fast asleep.

Here is (1) you with Chuckles, (2) posing with Cousin Alden, (3) laughing with Grammy, and (4) the Tea Party.

There are three more days left in 2013. It is fun to be back home with a week off of school. I’ve got lots of things I want to do, but I’m trying not to let that desire to complete tasks consume me. I have been good at just being with you and Mommy and having fun with our family.

Mommy and Boo went on a run today; Mommy’s first sustained run for nearly 8 months. She left pretty testy after learning that her iTouch didn’t have her updated playlists, but she returned more grounded and pleasant. For her Christmas gift this year, I gave her 3 skiing days where she could hit the slopes and have some fun while I stay at home with you (provided she leaves us with enough milk for you). One of Mommy’s favorite winter activities is skiing….I hope she can get some runs in this season.

Mommy asked you today how you are able to poop sideways? I am grateful for the protection and containment that diapers provide us parents, but it is remarkable how much poop you are able to project, and the directions in which you are able to direct it.

Love, Daddy

Happy Week 8, Growing Girl!

You are eight weeks old today! Even though I can’t tell a difference because I see and hold you every day, so many people exclaim how you’ve grown so much since the last time they saw you. We will see exactly how much you’ve grown after your pediatrician visit coming up this week.

We can definitely tell a difference in what makes you happy these days. You LOVE to look around and gaze at the bright colors or contrasting patterns around the house. There are some board books that catch your eye, too. Mommy taped some fuzzy toy things, contrast cards, and mobile images to the wall by where you sleep so you can have some things to look at. You are also getting better at falling asleep on your own. Sometimes we can put you in your pack and play with eyes open and you will fall asleep….but sometimes not.

Mommy made soup tonight. When you were fussy, it turns out you just wanted to be carried.

You sleep in the pack and play right by our bed. We used to put you flat on your back, but now we put you in the infant chair that allows you to rest in a more inclined position which you seem to prefer. Mommy usually feeds you, then calls for me so I can change, swaddle, and shhhh you to sleep. When I’m convinced you are out, I put you in your pack and play. On school nights, Mommy gives me the 2-3 am feeding off so I can sleep. You don’t typically need to get shhhhed back to sleep at that time.

Our lamaze group had a reunion last Sunday at Sara and Justin’s. We shared birth stories and gave our instructor, Rosalys, feedback on other things she could include in future lamaze classes for expecting couples.

The August 4 Lamaze group in Port Gamble, WA.

Spawn of the Lamaze group….healthy babies!

One of my co-workers, Doug, has a 3 year old daughter H who, for some reason, is scared of Santa. It is understandable…..a large bearded old guy certainly may seem monster-like to a toddler, even though he represents presents and bowls of jelly to most people. H even has nightmares in the middle of the night, so Doug goes into her room to assure her that he will protect her from Santa. But the nightmare continues when H has to go to pre-school and interacts with all her classmates and teachers who mention Santa: “Are you looking forward to Santa?” “What do you want Santa to bring you?” or “Not long now ’till Santa comes!”

Doug has been doing what he can, but he did mention that he and his wife have different parenting tolerances and strategies. Doug’s wife is at her wit’s end with potty-training H. Even though he vehemently disagreed with her, he heard his wife telling H, “If you don’t go potty like a big girl, I’m gonna ask Santa to come to our house and show you how!”

I’ll check in to see how H and Doug’s family is surviving the holiday season.

More visits from people who were excited to meet you. Gabby and Art.

It is late now and you Mommy, and Clementine are in bed, little cucumber. I need to take advantage of that and get some sleep myself.

Love, Daddy

6 Weeks Old Baby, Yeah!

You are getting bigger. Mommy and I don’t see it as much as people who don’t see you as often. Little cousin Avery noticed it….when she held you on Thanksgiving Day you took up all of her lap and spilled over some. The last time, when you were just about 2 weeks, you were more manageable for her. You’re also not fitting into some of the onesies you used to easily wear. And the diapers that contained your baby explosions just two weeks ago are not big enough any more. Now you’re in size “1” for diapers, whatever that means.

Here is an interview you gave last week:

Thanksgiving at Whidbey Island.

You slept through a feeding on Thanksgiving! We were concerned, and of all holidays to NOT EAT,

Mommy practicing dancing with you in case we don’t find a sitter for Anastasia’s 40th birthday party.

It is my first week back to work; paternity leave is over. Mommy gave me a middle-of-the-night-calming session off so I could sleep a little more. This week, you fed around 10-11 each evening, then one around 2-3am and then around 6am. Mommy reports that you’ve spit up on her very creatively….sometimes right down her shirt, others over her shoulder and splatter on the floor.

We had our first PEPS meeting last night. We met seven other babies with their parents, with a PEPS-alum as our host. We ate, introduced ourselves and shared birth/labor stories, and then how the babies got their names. I think of the 8 babies, 5 of them were via C-section.

Here’s another dream from this week: I was at a construction site where this big swinging crane arm had to be returned by a certain time. I was also concerned about my 1-second a day video. I had already recorded my one for the day, but I wanted to record the crane arm as well. Ray K, the guy who took my vegetable oil car off my hands before I moved overseas, arrived to take over the operation of the arm. He had a horrible combover, and his scalp looked puffy and caved in on itself like a Klingon. Then I was on the bus to return to Decatur, going uphill with Shannon. I had a raptor beak and a big leather catcher’s mitt glove.

I’m not sure about the raptor beak and mitt, but I’m sure the machinery portion (like the last several dreams I’ve had) represent a power of some sort that I have come control over, but also lack some control and is bigger than me.

Signing off for tonight, cute one. Love, Daddy

You’re One Month Old, Cucumber!

You have been out of the womb almost five weeks! You’re more aware and awake during the day, though you still sleep a good bit between feedings. We seem to be out of diapers….again, but it is easy to get more. I discovered this week that when the diaper genie bag states that it can hold up to 270 diapers, it doesn’t mean ALL AT ONE TIME. I thought that your poopy messes could be stuffed down in the genie like, you know,….a genie…… and they would stay there until the bag reached it’s fill. Instead, the diaper genie “bag” is one long blue tube that needs to be pinched off and disposed of often. I know I put this up before, but here is a shot of one of your sausage casings full of dirty diapers.

The diaper genie tube…stuffed with poopy goodness.

Some highlights from this week:

You had more visitors. We took you to RHS to meet some of my colleagues. When we crashed the math department meeting, Sharon wouldn’t let go of you.

We learned that our friends, Cindy and D, have received word that they might be adoptive parents within the next few days. A mom in Arizona chose them as parents for her child, so they are frantically trying to get flights and accommodation in AZ to be there for the birth. They’ve been in the adoption lineup for a long time, waiting to be picked by a pregnant mom/couple and approved to take a child home and be their parents. The tough part is the father has 30 days from birth to claim back his child, so there is a chance that the child will go to the biological father (who is not in contact with the mother). We’re hoping that you and the little girl can play soon.

Mommy is reporting that breastfeeding is becoming a little better. It still takes about 30-40 minutes to feed you each session, but you are latching on better and not biting and thrashing mommy’s nips much any more. For a couple of weeks, Mommy had to wear a nipple shield and would howl in agony when you first latched on and began to leech poor Mommy.

Mommy prepared a crock pot chicken dish this week…..delicious.

Being Productive: You spend most of your day sleeping and eating, dear one. There are times, though, when your body is churning and gurgling, digesting and processing the milk you’ve ingested. Some of it goes toward making you stronger and more energetic, some of it comes out in burps and spitups, and some of it comes out the other end. I had no idea how many diapers you’d burn through, and I really mean BURN through, when you torpedo poop your pants and require a changing.

Mommy and I are getting pretty adept at recognizing when you are about to let out a little soil….and Mommy has called this “being productive.” Sometimes you cry loudly until you burp, sometimes you squirm and writhe before you let out a butt burp, and sometimes you screw up your face and contort your body until we hear (and feel) the frustration work itself through you….being productive.

We’re proud of how productive you’ve been this early in your life! You are quite an achiever.

This is a post-being productive look, when the relief descends.

Love, Daddy

Dear Munchkin,

This week has flown by. You, Mommy, Clementine and I have been on at least one outing a day and had a guest once a day as well who have wanted to meet you. You are nearing the first month of life, which means some things might settle down (feedings and poopings) but other things will start to ramp up (how much you eat and how much you cry 🙁 ). Last night was one of our best….you nursed about every three hours, and didn’t take much coaxing/swaying/shhing to get back to sleep. In fact, about 10:30 last night, Mommy swaddled you and said, “Go to sleep, kid.” And you did. It was immediately after you got your dose of Mommy’s leche, which puts you in a highly suggestive state, but it worked.

Today, though, during the day, you made up for it. Oh well, you’re a baby.

Here are some images of your visitors this week:

We are so fortunate to have friends and family as great support. You are loved, Little Button.

Here are 3 dreams I’ve had in the last several days.

1. I was in a swimming pool at a high school practice. Jordan, a student of mine, was commenting that he was prepared to cheat during the practice because it was a “speed day.” I wanted to talk him out of it, but knew that because he was a kid who questioned me often in class, I probably wouldn’t be able to convince him to swim the distance.

2. I was in a large banquet room with tables and chairs for a group of 25+ arranged in the round. The discussion was about organized crime. At first I was a listener, but after some comments from attendees, they turned to me and confronted me on being in the crime ring. I wanted to back out, but I couldn’t leave the room. I fell over backwards on my chair.

3. I was at an outdooor go-kart place on my own kart racing the others on the track. It was exciting; I was hugging the turns, passing younger kids, and earning some good respect. There were some times when I got bumped out of my seat and had to hold on to the bumper, which was painful because the track was made of gravel.

Interpretation: In all of these dreams, there are things I can control and things I can’t. I think that is what I’m dealing with these days……I have lots of time and am grateful for the paternity leave, but my schedule is dictated by my newborn daughter who only speaks in cries and silence and most of her requests are met by stabs in the dark from me and Mommy…..we don’t know what you want, but are trying the best we can. I sometimes feel helpless, but still feel in control of the bigger picture…doing WHAT I CAN to take care of you.

Here’s one of all of us….Clementine’s butt is in between me and Button.

Sometime this week I had you in my right arm and was operating the television remote in the left hand. I was bouncing you to soothe you…..after a while it worked and you fell asleep. A few minutes later, I found myself bouncing the remote in my left hand trying to put IT asleep too!

Love, Daddy

Dear Little Burrito,

I just put you in your Pack ‘n Play to sleep after Mommy fed you. It is 6am so I decided to stay up and work a little. I’m listening to Mamma Mia because I woke up singing “Thank you for the Music.”

You and Me and Mommy are plugging along here. Yesterday we went to the zoo. You slept through it all but you were mere feet from hippos, lions, penguins, and giraffes! After, we visited the Phinney Market Restaurant where the server gave us 2 adult menus and 1 children’s menu. Mommy looked at him strangely but he said he didn’t want to asssume anything. You are not even 3 weeks old; not close to solid food yet. I don’t blame him; if you haven’t been around infants yet, you don’t know much about them.

Yesterday I was looking in the fridge for something to prepare for lunch, and I found a tupperware of some frozen quinoa chili. I heated it up and we ate it, but couldn’t remember who brought it to us. Mommy was confused because she couldn’t remember at all who the gifter was. It turns out it was Denny and Rachel….they brought it by when they visited…I must have put it in the freezer but didn’t tell Mommy. It was delicious….so now we know where to send the thank you card.

I’m getting better at predicting and meeting your needs these days. I can usually tell when you have a little gas in your tummy and need some burping time. There are also times when you’re fussy, but when you get that stressed look in your face, scrunch it up and let out a toot from your bottom, you feel much better. Mommy thinks you wait to spit up until she is holding you, but I think I have been able to get the burp cloths between us to catch it and save my clothes. It wouldn’t be a big deal…I am in my pajamas most of the time 🙂

Mommy had to cut my food Thursday night because my right arm was occupied.

Phase 2 of the bathroom shower project, the new moulding and a tube of Liquid Nails.

A normal day for us consists of

• You and Mommy feeding for 45 minutes about 8 times a day. We log it on the Baby Connect app to keep track
• changing you 8-10 times a day at the changing station. You don’t tend to enjoy this. The picture below shows where all the diapers go…into the diaper genie. This genie, though, has to be emptied.
• watching you sleep most of the time between feedings
• reading to you and giving you some tummy time and skin to skin time
• putting you in the swing and doing some laundry, computer work, fix food, etc.
• some type of outing…to the market, pediatrician, or a walk with Clementine
• getting through nights by Mommy feeding you, then calling “Daddy” so I can change you and walk you back and forth to get you into a deep sleep.

The last Mamma Mia song is on, and I’m kinda tired now, so I may lay on Simone for a while before you wake up. It is a Saturday today. Tomorrow Uncle Andy turns 38 years old. We will give him a call and check in to see how your cousins Kali, Annika, and Alden are doing.

Sweet dreams, cute cheeks. Love, Daddy

Happy Two Week Anniversary, Little Button!

I sketched a picture of Mommy in the delivery room and all the tubes she had going in her. Click on the link below.

new doc20131103034302002

Your Peabody grandparents left today to go back to Illinois….we’ve decided they will be Grammy Diann and Chuckles. You may eventually call them something different, but that is what we thought we’d start with.

Chuckles and I tackled a home improvement project I’d had on my list for a long time…..our shower. Over the years the water had leaked out and deteriorated the wood around the base.  I calked the hell out of the holes in the shower and got it plugged, but the moulding was beyond saving.  So yesterday Chuckles and I made it our mission to find some matching moulding and repair it. Here are some before shots. I’ll add the during and after when they’re done.

Here are some things about you and your habits:

You like to feed about every 3 hours, you fall asleep at the breast occasionally and need Mommy to wake you up, you have gone on a walk about every day but you’ve been asleep for most of them, you received two “Crosby” monogrammed Land’s End tote bags today in the mail, you now have more clothes than Mommy and me, your hands often wake you up so we swaddle you in the nighttime, Mommy feeds you in the middle of the night and then I walk the rooms and shhh you to sleep until you are in a deep sleep and can continue it on your back in your Pack n play.

There are lots of questions I’d love to ask you, though you won’t be able to answer me for a while: Can you see us? Do you know our voices? Does it bother you to have a wet or poopy diaper? Can you tell what Clementine thinks of you? What are your dreams like? How far can you see? Do you like being read to? Do you like being sung to? What do you prefer more…talking or singing? What is your favorite outfit so far? Should we turn down the lights or are you ok with them? Have we ever put you down when you were hungry? What will be the first way you communicate with us besides crying or not crying?

Love, Daddy

Little Girl Little,

Yesterday afternoon while Mommy was holding you, she heard you grumble and toot and squirt and spurt in your diaper. It is something all babies do, it was just funny. When I walked by, Mommy informed me that she had a “Pile of foulness in my lap.” Sure enough, you had quite a yellow and grainy mess in most creases inside your diaper, but we cleaned you up and diapered you like we do dozens of time a day.

Last night in bed, you greased such a large one, Clementine raised her head in disbelief, looking at us, asking, “Why do you let that thing near our bed and HOW can you love something that poops like that so much?”

You were very awake today.

It was a dinner of grilled chicken, salad, and sweet potatoes.

It is a mellow Saturday night at home. It really doesn’t matter what day it is…..they have all been the same to me lately. Tomorrow we turn back the clocks an hour for daylight savings time. I am not a fan; we lose so much of the afternoon that walks with Clementine often need a headlamp. But it has been a great summer and it is time for fires and maybe some skiing and cuddling up inside.

Love, The Daddy