so much fun, so little time!

Things have been busy around here lately, with the baby vast attention needs and the increased blogging on our other blogs, the poor family blog has gone unwritten. Well, not any longer! Let's see... What's been happening?

First off, I was reading in the new issue of Mothering about the laws around public breastfeeding, inspired by the airplane incident in VT. I must say that I have a really hard time wrapping my head around it. I can't imagine that someone would have a problem with someone feeding their baby. It seems so nonsensical that I feel speechless. I mean, I understand that breasts have a sexual connotation for people and that traditionally women are blamed for "inappropriate" feelings they inspire in others (from "foul temptress" to "she had it coming"), but come on. It is a baby being fed! As I am a bit prudish, I do imagine that someone could come up with an inappropriate fashion of public feeding, but hearing about the harassment that these women have to put up with just to feed their children is infuriating! Also, in the cases mentioned in the article, the trouble seemed to be coming from other women. I know it's not surprising, but I still feel a bit shocked about that.

Anyway, back to us...

And back to the good old days. Elinor has become quite the nonstop handful once again. Sleeping through the night is certainly of no interest to her now. She likes to sleep little, eat all the time and, her new favorite hobby? Talk talk talk. Ahwa waa he ha wa awaa... Fairly loudly for hours and hours, all day. But she seems to be having lots of fun with it. Apparently it is much more fun than sleeping.

Also, she has taken quite a dislike to being swaddled, it probably reminds her too much of bedtime. So it's active time for us again: not much sleep, lots of feeding, bouncing and talking/listening to the baby. It is very tiring and can be quite frustrating, but, of course, it is also fun and very rewarding to be able to interact with her so much.

We had lots of fun activities this week, though they were rarely photographed... She went to Wilshire park with 4 friends from her playgroup and the moms. It was a first, because 4 of the dad's came along, so it was fun, a nice picnic in the grass and for us fellows, a first chance to meet the kids and mom's and each other. She also had her first trip to the Skyline diner, with Reese and family, and she wore her adorable little sailor suit (there is a picture of that suit on her mom's blog), also this week she wore her green overalls, check them out!




Then yesterday we took a road trip through North Portland (Caitlin's favorite part of town) and then up to St Helens where we looked around. It's a cute little river town and it's the farthest afield that Elinor has been, so that was fun and it was nice to get somewhat out of town. Well, for us. Midge didn't seem to enjoy the car ride at all, as usual.

In terms of her around the house fun, in between bouts of "talking" she is becoming interested in her pacifier, which she can take out and tries to put back in, though no more bottle holding. She also has little interest in rolling over, though it's very easy for her, except for the rolling back part, which she hasn't managed yet.

So basically, we are very tired again, but Elinor is most certainly the happiest baby that she has ever been!

just more and more...

How much fun was this week? Well, Thursday was her 3 month birthday! So that was pretty darned exciting! She didn't want a party or anything, so we took it pretty easy. But it was a nice landmark. Funny how it seems like forever, though. It is hard to imagine a time before Midge. And it is very hard to imagine that those odd days in the hospital were just three months ago? It's crazy.

Anyway, the rolling continues... She slowed down for couple of days, but for the last few days it just keeps going! We can't leave her unattended at all, she can (erratically) scoot herself in all sorts of directions by rolling. Though she still can't roll from her tum to her back, which she seems to find a bit frustrating. She is constantly rolling over onto her tum and pushing her butt up in the air with her legs... First she would just lay on her arms, but now she holds one to her side as if she's planning on doing something with it! I know I am probably getting carried away but coupled with how strong her legs are (she spends a good deal of time "standing" with me holding onto her "for balance"), I have visions of her tromping about the place any minute!

It is all so exciting... and with how much more person like she is getting? It's too much! How aware of us and how much easier to entertain her with: reading, singing, standing, rolling, even finally an awareness that toys and such are something! Not up to playing with them by any means, but at least aware of their existence!

Though with all this moving, I did decide to get a cute picture of her napping (however briefly) during the day in her crib...



But the big excitement this week? I was sitting on the couch giving her a bottle (which only happens once or twice a week), which is nice because it is the closest I can get to feeding her but it is also a bit awkward, as it takes one hand to hold her and one to hold the bottle, so it can be very trying for me to even turn the page in a magazine. But it may all change, because tonight she grabbed onto her bottle with both hands and held it! I was actually able to keep a hand free for probably 5-10 minutes! It was totally unexpected! She was just like, "Ok Papa, I'll take that now!" Anyway, that was so exciting that Caitlin took some pictures to prove it!





Really, one of the most fascinating parts of this experience is never knowing what she is going to do next! What clever little trick?

My, what a busy week!

So much these days!

Where to even begin? Well, Elinor had her first movie theater experience! We went to the "mommy matinée" at the Kennedy School Theater for, yes, Hot Fuzz! Now I've been wanting to see this one a lot, but it strikes me as an odd choice for a baby film. I guess they are young enough that they don't know what's going on and they seem to like the noise, so it works. But it was a crazy action movie with some gore and a lot of loudness! And it was great fun! It was quite well attended and everyone there had a baby... so crying and standing up and walking back and forth were no big deal. We may try to attend this on a more regular basis.. Maybe every week?

And then yesterday we made big improvements in our little home. We moved Midge's room out from the kitchen into our bedroom and then moved the TV from the bedroom into the kitchen. I know, it doesn't sound like much, but it is a big improvement aesthetically, functionally and comfortably. It's nice to have her cradle right there while we sleep.

Musically she has a fun week, listening to lots of Leonard Cohen (Songs of Love and Hate) and the new Wilco (getting ready for her first "big" concert" in August) and then she was thrilled today to get a great surprise present in the mail, her first piece of rock n roll clothing for the greatest band in the history of the universe (photos to follow)!

Saving the best for last... We finally went out and got her one of those mats you lay on the floor and you can dangle toys from and, while laying on it, she rolled over for the first time! And then tried a second time but ran into the arch! Needless to say, it was very exciting! She hasn't seemed to interested in repeating it, but it was great to witness.