Becoming Three

January 30, 2008

Odd

Filed under: Amy's Adventures — Marcy @ 1:43 pm
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It is oddly silent for 1:45 in the afternoon.

Today Amy is joining the ranks (perhaps only temporarily) of the one-nappers.

She was active this morning. And hungry. After a snack she was still hungry. It was almost 11:30. It occurred to me, why not give her lunch now? See what happens.

After lunch we had a soak in the tub and a little naked time, and then to bed at 12:45. We’ll see how long this goes.

I have mixed feelings.

———

So, I heard noises somewhere around 3:30, happy and quiet noises. Then around 4 I got her up and changed the diaper, did naked time, gave her half a piece of bread for a snack when she asked to eat, and now she’s playing quite content and energetic.

And it feels strangely normal — to have her up and enthusiastic at this time, instead of waking up just about in time for dinner.

If this continues, I will have to continue to work on doing some of the things I need or want to do while Amy is awake, because one nap will not be enough time for all of that stuff. And because she needs to see what normal life is like, and more and more she will be able to participate — help me cook or do dishes or laundry, for example, or play with paper while I scrapbook, and so on.

———

She continued to be cheerful and energetic almost until bedtime. Hardly slowed down at all, and when she finally did, she wasn’t cranky about it. Did not want her bedtime bottle. Hmmm. I wonder if that’ll be the next change.

January 29, 2008

Tuesday

Filed under: Amy's Adventures, Miscellany — Marcy @ 10:34 pm
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I just realized I just missed the first new episode of House M.D. in ages. Drat.

This morning Amy and I stayed in.

Between breakfast and morning nap was entirely naked time. I am tired of the rash she currently has, two little but nasty-looking sores. When we were at the doctor’s last week he confirmed my suspicion that yeast has gotten involved, but the Lotrimin has yet to show much effect. The sores look best to me after a good long naked time, so I’m trying to maximize that. Not much fun (for me; she doesn’t mind), though, to be confined to a double-sized comforter on her bedroom floor, even with all the toys transferred in there from the living room. The sores don’t seem to bother her except when you have to touch them (i.e. bath, diaper changes), so I’m not acutely concerned, but it’s just getting old and tiresome and it wears on me.

And thanks, but no thanks, I doubt it has anything to do with cloth diapers. The doctor didn’t bat an eyelash when he saw that’s what she was wearing. I am changing her frequently and even when it’s not naked time I am maximizing air by having her just in a diaper with no cover, or else with nice breathable wool covers.

This afternoon we went out for a string of tiny errands.

To the neighbor’s who has an in-home hair salon (tidied up Amy’s cut that I botched in the fall) and who goes to the same Creative Memories consultant I do (the consultant is an hour away if I remember right), to buy from her two 7×7 pages and protectors to finish Amy’s First Year album.

To the doctor’s because I forgot to give them our new insurance cards.

To the post office, where I continue to get no mail for myself and lots of mail for people who no longer rent their my box. Actually, it’s less now than it was at first. Hopefully even that trickle will eventually dry up.

To Kroger’s, where I turned in circles in the baking aisle, first hunting down the coconut (I got a small bag of unsweetened and a small bag of sweetened, which I will mix to reduce the sugar) and then the evaporated milk (didn’t know it came in such small cans — perfect since I just need a quarter cup). These are for a cake for Friday playgroup; it’s my turn to host.

To Logen’s Pool Supply, where I bought some pool test strips that, among other things, indicate pH. The owner or manager was really nice — I’d called first, yesterday when they were closed, and left a message explaining what I was looking for and why. She called back and wanted to know what kind of kitty, what was wrong, etc. She asked if it was leukemia — apparently she’s had experience with purebred Siamese (our kitty is just a regular kitty) getting that, and the symptoms apparently included urinary problems. Huh.

Finally home again. More naked time, then afternoon nap.

Meanwhile I’ve spent some time online looking up “how to get cat to eat meat” — our kitty has not been interested in the ground beef I’ve made her, per vet friend’s recommendations. One site I found, by a vet, had some suggestions that seemed sensible to me. Made more sense than what vet #2 (Parrett’s) says. And seems to complement what vet friend says. Essentially, instead of putting down some meat in the morning and leaving it until the kitty eats it (however long it takes), this vet suggests putting down new food at 2-3 meal times and removing whatever isn’t eaten in twenty minutes or so.

It aggravates and stresses me that Every. Area. Of. Life. is so not self-evident. Everyone has their own reasoned or unreasoned philosophy and advice and research and case studies and arguments and common sense and so on and so on, about the obviously complicated things like parenting and politics as well as the supposedly clearer things like science and nutrition and veterinary care. Sheesh. I’m not so good at trusting my own instincts and intuition and knowledge, and yet it’s difficult to determine who to trust instead. Everyone has an agenda and a bias, and since I’m not an expert in many fields, I just have to guess who and what I think makes most sense.

Amy and I had cold leftover ham (yum) and corn muffins for dinner; she had leftover green beans and I had leftover salad. I couldn’t bear more naked time, so she just wore a diaper and we played in the living room until bath time. Lately she does NOT like having her face and hair washed. We’ve been using those little narrow rectangular burp cloths as mini blankets, and I had one for her to cuddle while I dried her off, and that seemed to help a lot.

Mark got home (swim meet kept him late) during the bath and ate his dinner while Amy had yet more naked time, then Mark and I had a tiff about the cat and then he put Amy to bed while I tried unsuccessfully seven or eight times to get the antibiotic pill into the cat until she bit me and drew blood, then folded laundry, then worked through the tiff, then tried the pill again with Mark’s help.

As I reminded myself around lunch time, Jesus says that life is worth more than food and clothes, and so it’s not needful to worry over them; Amy and the kitty are both doing quite well, are content and even happy most of the time. I’m doing my best about the one’s sores and the other’s urinary tract, and meanwhile I can be thankful for their life.

January 26, 2008

Kindness

Filed under: Amy's Adventures, Musings — Marcy @ 8:58 pm
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We were talking about blankets this evening.

Amy is developing attachments, and is able to verbalize them now. One is bunny, but even more passionate is “baggit,” blanket.

It is good that she can develop an attachment. And good that she can use such an object to comfort and soothe herself. We have no problem with this — again, just to be clear — we think it’s great that Amy likes bunny and blanket.

On the other hand, some situations lend themselves better to an attachment object than others.

A blanket in the bath or at the table just isn’t a good idea.

In the crib and in the car are just fine.

The grey areas are on the changing table, on outings, and during play time, just to name a few.

Does it really matter what we decide for these grey areas?

I think what matters most is our attitude and approach.

We need to respect and have compassion for Amy and her desires and feelings. We need to be consistent, kind, firm.

Yes — it is possible to decide that grey areas are non-blanket, non-bunny areas, and still be kind about it. Still acknowledge Amy’s sadness and anger (if she reacts that way) as valid feelings, still be sympathetic and compassionate, and still hold our policy consistently.

Kindness (and mercy and grace) isn’t always about giving in. God’s kindness is as real and genuine and compassionate when he withholds or takes away as when he gives. And his kindness is our best model.

6 of 6: Almost a self-portrait

Filed under: Amy's Adventures, Videos — Marcy @ 2:00 pm
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I turned the viewscreen on the camera so that Amy could see herself — loads of fun.

5 of 6: Itsy Bitsy

Filed under: Amy's Adventures, Videos — Marcy @ 1:59 pm
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Recently Amy started doing some of the motions for the Itsy Bitsy Spider. She has a picture book that has drawings of babies doing the motions. Probably the first one she learned was “out came the sun,” and even when we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, when the “warm sun comes up,” she sticks her hand up in the air.

January 22, 2008

Blackmail story #1

Filed under: Amy's Adventures — Marcy @ 3:27 pm
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Q: Why did the baby take off her diaper?

A: Because she wanted to cuddle with the “blanket.”

Found Amy standing at the side of her crib, hanging onto her (cloth, and not much damp) diaper… the cover was still velcroed around her waist on one side.

In other news, her fever went away yesterday late morning, and she started behaving more like her usual self. This morning, she woke with a rash all over her front and back and up around her ears and forehead. I took her to the doctor, who determined it’s an allergic reaction to the virus she’s got that caused her head cold and the fever. Who knew you could be allergic to being sick?

I confess I was a little disappointed it wasn’t chicken pox — I would rather not do the vaccine for that one.

January 20, 2008

Lull

Filed under: Amy's Adventures — Marcy @ 11:49 am
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We are experiencing a much-needed lull — Amy is asleep. Started her nap rather earlier than usual, and though she cried a bit just a few minutes ago, she’s apparently asleep again.

She woke up crying, and only stopped a few times for a few moments each. Her eyes are sad and tired-looking. Sometimes she trembles. She wouldn’t eat any breakfast, but downed her milk and some water very quickly. Spent the morning in her room hardly doing anything.

Yesterday was fussy, too, and without appetite.

She’s got some rash, some scratches on her belly from nails I didn’t get clipped until yesterday (and I cut a bit of thumb, which didn’t help matters), she’s had a minor cold for a while.

Not sure what else could be wrong — no fever, her ears don’t seem to bother her. Maybe a tooth — but most of her teeth haven’t bothered her, at least not obviously.

We have both been using our earplugs. Amy thinks it’s interesting to see them — she turns one’s face back and forth to study those colorful bits in our ears.

———

Well, around lunchtime the fever appeared. Called the doctor; gave Tylenol. She has continued to be tired but is less fussy and even plays and eats a bit.

January 19, 2008

Bunny

Filed under: Amy's Adventures — Marcy @ 10:39 am
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Amy’s vocabulary continues to increase. She now says “down” when she is done eating or wants to get off the couch. She says “book” and “yellow” and all sorts of other things.

And she says “bunny” all the time.

When she wakes up, she wants bunny.

When she is done eating, she wants bunny.

While she is being changed, she wants bunny.

When she is playing and realizes she’s left him somewhere, she wants bunny.

When she finds him, she happily shouts, “bunny!”

She walks around holding him, stretching out her hand and proclaiming, “bunny!”

This is the little Sleepyhead bunny rattle we got along with a pewter baby cup — at least I think they came together. I remember writing all my thank you notes despite the PPD murk, but I neglected to write down for myself who the various gifts were from. I am pretty sure this/these were from one of my aunts…

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