March 31, 2007

Mealtimes, Mullets and Monkey Business

The past couple of weeks have been a challenge around here. KT is going through some changes in her schedule (what little schedule she actually had before). Perhaps it would be better to say, she's been changing her routine. She had regressed back to eating every 90 minutes and hardly naps at all during the day. When she does nap, she wants to be held to go to sleep and will only sleep for 15 or 20 minutes. I had gotten to the point where I felt like she was always nursing or sleeping in my arms. She also will NOT go to C at all. If he has her she screams like no ones business and struggles to find me.

An appointment with my midwife last week -- for thrush and a clogged duct, major ouch -- brought us to a decision. Susan recommended that we try to start KT on cereal to help space out her feedings. At this point, she should be spacing her nursing sessions to every 2-3 hours. I was hesitant to start her on any solids until she was 6 months old. Maybe it was for selfish reasons, I'm not entirely sure. After some contemplation we decided to go ahead and give it a try. Sunday afternoon was the first attempt at it. At first she was unsure of what we were putting in her mouth, but after a couple of spoonfuls she began to gobble it down. She now grabs at your hand and pulls the spoon to her mouth! The feedings are spacing to 2 to 2.5 hours so either the cereal is working or we're doing a better job of figuring out her new routine!

Much to the chagrin of many, Miss KT got her first haircut the other night. Over the last couple of months her hair has been growing in really unevenly. There is a two inch patch on the top of her head that is really long -- like 3 to 3.5 inches long. But around that patch the hair is only about 1/2 an inch long. The left side was growing faster than the right and thicker too. But the worst offender was the mullet that was sneaking its way into our lives. She's got the typical bald spot that most babies do, and some "fuzzy" hair around it, The very bottom of her hairline, at the nape of her neck though was a good 2 inches longer than any of the other hair on the back of her head. Total redneck mullet. Although somewhat cute (and rather hilarious) it was starting to look shaggy overall. So after her bath on Wednesday, C held her on his lap and I went to town with the scissors. I just trimmed the sides so the left one was the same length as the right and cut the mullet off. Bad news was that we didn't get any pictures to commemorate the event as both of us had our hands full. Good news was that we did remember to save some of what I cut off for her baby book. In my opinion she looks so much better now!

She's also picked up on two new "habits" this week. She found her feet sometime this week and she's now fascinated with them. If they're not straight up in the air for her to stare at they're in her mouth being used as chew toys. It's a help when changing diapers because she keeps her feet up out of the mess, but is a challenge when trying to get her dressed. Her other new habit is her shreaking. She just makes these random shreaks, at nothing in particular but all the time. I think it's because she like to hear herself. For the first few minutes it's quite cute, but after 15 or 20 minutes it begins to lose the cuteness. Perhaps that's why I've been dealing with these headaches all week!

March 22, 2007

Reconnecting

I'm not very good at making new friends. I never have been. I have a circle of "close" girlfriends that consists of a couple of friends from High School, a couple of friends from college, female family members and some girls I've met on the internet. These are the people that I turn to for almost everything.

Since moving into our house last fall I've met two women in the neighborhood. My direct neighbor and the girl around the corner. Both of whom have had babies since we moved in, giving us a commonality. Other than that, I just don't put myself into situations where I can meet new people. I don't know if it's an issue of shyness or laziness. I'm content with the friends I have--happy with the relationships I've formed.

Because of this, when something happens to change a friendship, my small circle of girlfriends gets even smaller. Over the last 12 years or so I've "lost" a couple of my good friends due to one reason or another.

When I was a senior in High School one of my best friends did something that at the time I thought was unforgivable. We literally went from having a sister-like relationship to not speaking to one another in a matter of seconds. I walked away from the friendship and never looked back. I saw it as her loss, not mine.

Over the years I've heard bits of pieces about what this person was doing.
My one sister was in contact with her brother; another friend of mine stayed in contact with her periodically. I knew that she'd moved away, gotten married, had babies, etc. More than once I had tried to look her up. Tried to find her email just so that I had it. Just in case I ever felt the need to get in touch with her.

A couple of weeks ago this person got in touch with me through a website that I frequent. I knew that she was on the same site as well but hadn't approached her. When she contacted me I was initially unsure about how to handle the message. Should I respond? Politely? Act like nothing happened all those years ago? Should I ignore the email and act like she never tried to get in contact with me? Well, I emailed her back. She apologize for what happened years ago and asked if we could start again.

C thinks that I'm being too easy on her. I think that 11 1/2 years have gone by and what happened in the past is just that -- in the past. We've both grown up, gotten married and moved on with our lives. After all these years I have an apology and she admits what she did was stupid and wasn't worth ruining our friendship over.

Why should I dwell on something that was probably a blessing in disguise (the act, not the loss of friendship)?

March 16, 2007

Disconnected

My laptop crashed on me on Wednesday. I spent most of Wednesday and all of yesterday trying to get it back up and running (hence my absence on boards, blogs, emails and instant messengers). I think I'm finally at a point where I can let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, C had bought an external hard drive last weekend and I had backed up all of my files. Whew.

Gotta love technology.


March 9, 2007

Getting girly

I couldn't help buy buy the hat in Target the other day. There's just something so fun about dressing up a little girl!

All ready for some fun in the sun
(minus the jammies, of course).


Cutie patootie with her little barrette --
makes her look so big!


White t-shirt night in our household


What? Me? I'm not up to anything...I promise.


Ready for bootcamp

March 7, 2007

It's a Conspiracy

I'm sure that many of your remember my post about the batteries dying in KT's swing just after C's plane left when he was headed to China...

On Monday morning he left for Northern Idaho for a quick overnight trip. I kid you not, just as it happened before, shortly after he got on the road the batteries in her swing died. Seriously. What are the chances of that? But thankfully this time I had a spare set under the entertainment center.

I'm beginning to think he sabotages them before he leaves...

March 5, 2007

Travel Memoirs

Pictures from our trip to Michigan...


Getting ready to fly

Trying out the crib at Grandma Peggy's


Mandy, Katie, Kris & Miss V


Avery & Katie


Aunt Ashley, Mandy, Katie & Aunt Krystal


Aunt Ashley, Aunt Krystal, Mandy, Katie & Grandma Peggy


(left to right) Uncle Phil (to-be), Aunt Ashley, Grandma Peggy, Mandy,
Tyler, Katie, Aunt Krystal & Uncle Jeremy


(Left to right) Front - Uncle Phil, Aunt Ashley, Aunt Krystal
Back - Grandma Sheila, Tyler, Grandpa John, Mandy, Katie & Uncle Jeremy


Grandpa John & Katie (her bib says "Grandpa Loves Me")


Grandma Debbie, Dylan, Grandpa Willis and Katie


Aunt Jess, Dylan, Mandy & Katie


Katie


Dylan & Katie


"Great" Aunt Deb & Katie


All tuckered out at Aunt Ashley's -- Ready to go home!