March | 2009 | Rolled Up in Colorful Carpets

Archive for March, 2009

Babies and Seals

Posted in doctor visits, signing, walks on March 30, 2009| 4 Comments »

I apologize for the lack of updates as of late. We’ve had an eventful couple weeks, and, sadly, blogging is one of the first things that gets cut on my mental to-do list.

First off, big shout-outs to Diane and Melaney. They birthed beautiful baby girls last week. I am a little sad that my two favorite pregnant ladies no longer can be my two favorite pregnant ladies, but I am sure I’ll get over it when I meet their new arrivals.

My bundle of joy hasn’t been all that joyful lately. He developed quite a cough two weeks ago that was tagged as whooping cough by the Hy-Vee pharmacist (!) which prompted a visit to the doctor’s office. The PA told us it was just a cough that half the children of Lincoln have. Eleven days later, Thomsen is still barking away. In that time, he also managed to get his mama sick too. There were a couple days last week when i thought he was getting better, but after he woke himself up from his nap because of a coughing fit today, I said, “enough is enough.” There is no way this horrible cough is robbing me of my precious time when Thom is sleeping. We’re going back to the doctor tomorrow afternoon to close this cough case.

This is Errol’s third and final week of traveling. I hate it when he’s gone, and it just breaks my heart when Thom looks around the house doing the sign for daddy saying, “Da Da? Da Da?” I’ve been trying to keep us busy with fun outings and walks with friends. However, the walks aren’t so fun when I lock us out of the house… Ah, last week, thank God you’re over.

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Six Books that Make Me Happy

Posted in books on March 13, 2009| 4 Comments »

Kate tagged me for this meme, and I had a lot of fun with it. Thanks, Kate.

Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg: Sorry, Kate, but I have to take this one too. This book follows me every where. Errol just bought me another copy for my birthday because I had literally worn the other one out. It was in pieces all over the house. I love names so much–well, good names that is. 🙂 Baby naming has always been a hobby of mine, but it has turned into an obessesion in the past few years. Once my peers and I started getting pregnant, I turned my enthusiasm for names up a notch. Look out, I always have an opinion on the subject.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: I first read this book in the summer of 1998. I can picture myself reading it on the step of the fireworks stand after a softball game, waiting for Kate to finish work so she could drive me home. The memories tied to its reading are happy ones. I think Scarlett O’Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler was the first heroine I read about where I didn’t want her life. I liked reading about how she behaved but would never consider doing those things myself! Scarlett is a far-cry from Anastasia Krupnik.

The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: This is the first book I read after defending my honors thesis. It was my first book I could read for pleasure and not feel guilty that I should be writing or reading for school. It was supposed to be the beginning of a whole new chapter in my reading life; however, about a week after I finished it, I found out I was pregnant with Thom. The dream of a laid-back lifestyle where I could spend an afternoon of guiltless reading was put on the shelf for another twenty years. I also had quite a crush on Jamie. I love very masculine men with androgynous names–the opposite of Ashley Wilkes.

The Penderwicks/The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall: Kate introduced me to these books, and I absolutely love them. As most of you know, I adore my two sisters, and they are my closest friends. I love how the Penderwick girls are a team and are all so different but the same–like lots of siblings are. The only thing that bothers me about this series is the names of the Penderwicks: Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Elizabeth. To me, Skye just sticks out like sore thumb. It’s not in the same naming style as the others. I’m all about sibling names going together, and sometimes I think of what Skye’s name really should be. I do really love how they call Elizabeth “Batty.” Ah, Elizabeth, and all the great nickname possibilities (can you tell this ‘Anne’ is a wee-bit jealous)?

The Rain Catchers by Jane Thesman: I usually choose this YA novel when someone asks me what my favorite book is because I know it’s the book I’ve read the most times. I love it. I love the old women having tea together every afternoon. I love Gray and Colleen’s amazing friendship. I do not love the San Fransisco chapters. I always skip them when re-reading it. Grayling’s grandmother is one of my favorite characters in all the books I’ve read. Her name, Garnet, is always on my short list for my imaginary daughter.

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume: Yes, this book is a bit scandalous, but it really lifted my spirits in the summer or 1999. I had just returned from Brazil and had lost a dear, dear friend a few weeks earlier. I needed to hear about Caitlin and Vix’s shenanigans and dream about summers living by the ocean. If I ever have a daughter, I’ll look forward to lending this book to her someday.

I tag Barbara, Diane, Florence, and Melaney.

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The End of an Era

Posted in breast milk, food on March 11, 2009| 3 Comments »

On Monday night Thomsen drank his last serving of breast milk. Our deep freeze in the garage is now home to five empty grocery sacks that were once brimming with frozen milk. I’m a little sad that it’s all gone, but we had a good run. I definitely don’t miss pumping–especially first thing in the morning. I can’t believe I used to wake up at 5.30 to pump for 20 minutes before I went to work at Pershing last fall. I do miss the feeling that I’m giving something to my son that only I can give. Breast milk is such a special gift.

In other milk news, I am trying to get Thom to drink more cows’ milk. He has so far refused to drink much regular whole milk from a cup; and even though I add milk to his oatmeal and eggs, he is still getting much less than the recommended amount. In this pursuit, this week I purchased two bottles of Burbach’s Countryside Diary’s flavored milk: Banana and Cotton Candy. So far, he has loved both. I am a little weary of the cotton candy milk, for it is tinted blue. I dilute the flavor by filling his cup halfway with the regular milk before adding the flavored, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Frankly, Thom seems just as happy or happier with this flavored milk than with my pumped milk. Also, going to Hy-Vee and buying a bottle is much easier and less draining than maintaining a human milk supply for 14 months!

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How much does a changing table cost?

Posted in Baby Thom, birthdays, restaurants on March 6, 2009| 5 Comments »

Errol has been getting some really good news the last couple weeks, and we decided to use the rest of our gift certificate at Vincenzo’s (thanks Mom) and celebrate with a delicious lunch. The food was amazing and service great, but I was disappointed in the bathroom. No changing table! Thom usually poops at the most inconvenient times so I wasn’t surprised when I had to haul him off to the ladies’ but was surprised at the absence of a changing station. I was even more surprised when we slipped next door to use The Mill’s bathroom, and they didn’t have a changing table either! Luckily, Old Chicago saved the day. My little journey today got me thinking about where one should change their child if no table is provided. The bathroom floor? I am puzzled.

I finally posted the pictures from Mom’s birthday, and I still need to upload more ‘Thom in the snow’ shots from last week’s storm. Stay tuned.

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