We're Swingers Now!

Sorry to leave everyone hanging. We survived week one.

We got home from China late on a Thursday evening. The following Saturday morning, our doorbell rang. It was probably a totally reasonable time of 10:00am. We, however, were still sound asleep adjusting from the time change. Jim threw on some suitable clothes and went to the door. I went back to sleep. I heard his voice outside and some others, but didn't pay any attention. When he came back up, I asked what he'd been doing as he'd been gone awhile. Two of his co-workers had brought over some outside toys their children had outgrown: one of those Little Tykes squares that kids climb and slide down, a small car with pedals, and a swingset. I was just amazed at their generosity.

It was probably a couple of weeks before we brought Sera out to the swingset. She hated it. Jim tried to put her in the swing. She screamed and tried to climb out. It was as if we were torturing her.

On Friday, Jim took Sera out back with him when we got home from work. This is a regular ritual with them. They watch Shadow run around the backyard and take care of business. On this day, Sera pointed to the swings. Jim took her over and put her in the swing. She loved it!

Sera had such a busy week. We were going to go out to dinner because neither of us felt like cooking. We weren't planning anything fancy, just Chinese at our local favorite spot. Jim ran upstairs to change into shorts while Sera and I stayed downstairs. She was walking around and fell because she was so tired. She normally bounces right back up and even laughs when she has a minor fall. This time she just collapsed in tears. Jim came down to find me cuddling a sobbing baby on my lap. We changed our plans. Jim fixed her some dinner, then I put her to bed while he ran out and got Chinese takeout instead.

She slept in two hours on Saturday morning, took a two hour morning nap, and a one-and-a-half hour afternoon nap. I think she was trying to catch up from the week. She's only napping for one hour a day at daycare. She's used to sleeping 12 hours and napping for an additional 3-4 hours a day. She's now sleeping 11 hours and napping for 1. They would let the kids sleep more at daycare, but someone keeps waking up after about an hour and waking all the rest. I wish she'd nap in the car on the way home, but she seems to have given up sleeping in the car. I don't know how else to get her more sleep time. I literally wake her up just before we leave in the morning.

With all her naps, we had a lowkey stay-at-home and recover day on Saturday. It was wonderful! On Sunday, we had some good friends that we don't see nearly enough come over for lunch. We had planned to grill, but the monsoon-like rain we've had this weekend changed that plan, instead we took them to our favorite steak restaurant. I made the strawberry pretzel salad for dessert. After lunch, we came back to our house and visited and ate that dessert. They have two children that are just adorable. Their son is hysterical. He's 2 1/2 years old. Within minutes of meeting Shadow (90 lbs.), he wrapped himself around Shadow's neck and wrestled him down to the ground. Shadow loved it, and we thought it was hysterical.

She Came, She Saw, She Conquered

Her first corn on the cob never had a chance. And no, she didn't eat the entire cob, but only because I was worried she'd explode!

It's Time For My Close Up, Mr. Demille

Sera definitely has a flare for the dramatic. Jim told me last night about a new game she'd started, on her own, during her bedtime ritual. Tonight, I put it to bed and she demonstrated it for me. I ran for the camera as soon as she started.

She pulls her blanket through the slats of her crib and throws it over her head. She then walks around the room with her hands out groping. I know she can see through it because I stood up and she walked right over to me and grabbed my leg. It is the funniest thing. I'd say she's been watching too many Scooby Doo ghosts, but she's never seen any.

The piece de resistance is this hat. She digs it out of the toy box and insists that you put it on her head before she covers up with the blanket. Why it's important to cover her hair, I don't know. She is such a funny little girl.

HodgePodge

Vacation mornings are the best! Don't worry about Shadow's sad looking face. He was probably just told to quit licking Sera. He would lick her non-stop, if we let him.

Cute outfit from Aunt Marcia, plus my new Detroit Tigers Straw Cup.

Another view

Chocolate Nirvana!

Isn't life interesting? He was married to my aunt when he won that Pulitzer.

If memory serves, she's the one he left her for. I'll confess, this is a total meow moment.

In the interest of my own karma, here's where you can stock up on all your karmic supplies.

Mommy, Come Get Me!

In all the excitement of coming home from our vacation, I forgot to pass on this little story.

When we arrived home, even though it was very late, Sera was wide awake and wound up. She was also very excited to be home with Daddy. We let her play in the living room for a little bit as we brought in the perishables (an entire cooler filled with gorgeous Gulf Coast seafood) and packaged them for the freezer. We didn't even unload the rest of the car until the next day.

As foolish new parents, we didn't bother putting the baby gates up. They'd been down while Sera and I were gone because Jim could be trusted to go into any room on his own. We were in the kitchen, and Sera was walking back and forth between the living room and the kitchen. Until she wasn't that is. I heard her call for me from near the front door. I looked down the hall, but didn't see her. I hurried down there and found her halfway up the stairs to the second floor. She was just sitting there as calm as can be with her thumb in her mouth and Mei Mei tucked under her chin.

Sera had never once attempted to climb the stairs before. I had even taken her to them once to teach her how to go up and down. I'd rather she know the right way rather than figure it out on her own. That's what I did with the couch. I taught her right away how to get off the couch. She's fallen off once or twice, but she learned quickly to get on her belly and scoot down. When I took her to the stairs, she wanted nothing to do with them. What in the world made her climb multiple stairs this night?

Then I remembered...

Sitting on the steps of the dock at the bay house. There were only three steps, but Sera spent a long time climbing up and down those three steps as Bret and I sat on each side of her. I guess that gave her the confidence to get started at home, but not to finish. Don't worry. Those stairs are now safely gated.

Batter Up!

So, how did you spend Friday night? Can you guess what we did? Jim talks about it here.

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem

Mommy made a new rule tonight. When daddy makes dinner, we must strip down to a diaper only.

Eating is serious business around here.

But we have fun, too.

By the way, the carnage is thanks to cherry applesauce.

There's No Place Like Home

Sera and me in Atlanta.

Taken by our travelmate, Shana. I have a great picture including Shana and her daughter, Hattie, but didn't want to post it without permission.

I was very nervous about going on vacation.

Sera had only slept in her crib since we got home from China on 4/12. I wasn't sure how she was going to handle long hours in the car, or sleeping in a Pack N Play, or sleeping in the same room as me, or not seeing her daddy, having her routine thrown out the window, meeting lots of new faces who already loved her, and eating different foods.

She was a champ. There were some challenges. The little girl who had been napping so beautifully in the car found it far too interesting to sleep now that her seat was turned around. We changed her carseat to forward facing. She met the guidelines, but we probably wouldn't have turned her if not for this trip. With it being just the two of us in the car, it was easier to see her face, engage her in talking or singing, hand her a sippy, etc... if her seat was forward facing. She'd barely napped and it was hours past her bedtime when we arrived in Atlanta that first night. She was so wired when we arrived that she was up for hours more. Adjusting to the Pack N Play was difficult that night, too, but she finally fell asleep. I never had another problem putting her to sleep for naps or the night during the rest of the trip. It was amazing.

Over the next week and a half, she met three grandparents, three aunts, two uncles, six cousins, and many old friends. She went into Mobile Bay and a swimming pool. She spent hours and hours in a car. She went shopping at the outlet mall, multiple times. She played with cousins for hours on end. She even reached out for Granddaddy to hold her. This is big. She's only reached for Jim or me in the past.

It's been interesting being home, though. On Friday, she seemed fine. She just jumped right back into her home routine. On Saturday, she was definitely sick. The clammy sweating when she broke the fever that the thermometer (since replaced) claimed she didn't have broke, plus the multiple special diapers confirmed she wasn't just extra sleepy that day. On Sunday, Jim took her to our local zoo. She was acting completely better than the day before, but mommy was ready for a little break. Mommy was suffering from an overload of bodily fluids. Because Saturday's diapers weren't enough, Shadow decided to throw up in my lap. Yes, you read that correctly....in my lap. Now Sera loves animals so we were sure she'd love it. She didn't. She was not interested in anything there except for the koi. She liked watching them feed. On Monday, we decided to go get some Chinese food for lunch when Jim came home from work. Sera was napping, so we waited and left as soon as she woke up. Boy, was she cranky. She had a full-blown meltdown, extremely rare, because we had forgotten to restock the Puffs in the diaper bag. Jim ran to the counter and got a cookie to tide her over until her noodles arrived. Even after all that fussing for food, she barely ate. She was whiny and clingy and just plain didn't want to be there. Jim and I wondered if she wasn't still sick as she was just not acting like herself at all.

Jim finished his lunch while I held Sera. We had her noodles and my lunch packed up to go and headed home. At home, I fixed her something else for lunch. She needed to eat, and she did. She then got on the floor and ran around and played happily. You would never have recognized that screaming, crying, clingy child from the restaurant.

I don't think she was sick on Monday, and I don't think she decided she didn't like animals on Sunday. I think she was trying to tell us that she was tired of new experiences right now becaue there's no place like home.

Vacation Recap, Part Three

Sera and Brantley

Pete and Josie

Sera and Aunt Marcia waiting for our table

Aunt Jessica and Josie

Pete and Ben

It seemed like I took so many pictures, but then I got home and saw how many I didn't have. I don't have Sera with most of the adults. I wanted to get pictures of Sera's and Josie's hands side-by-side. It was too funny because Josie's hands and feet dwarfed Sera's. Jim was upset that I didn't get pictures of my dad's new house because he hasn't seen it. I need to work on my photography.

Sera and I had a wonderful trip. She did so well. She is such a laid-back, easygoing child. She took the long car rides, all the new faces, and three different new places to sleep in stride. There is no denying, however, how excited she was to get home and see her daddy.

Vacation Recap, Part Two

Sera's first time in a pool. She wasn't sure about it for about 30 seconds. Then she decided it was okay.

It's exhausting being this cute.

Time to pile on the oldest cousin.

Grandma with her girls.

The dark clouds came in, so everyone came to the condo. Sera thought it was lots of fun!

Just cuteness. Virginia, Pete, and Josie.

Here, you take Mei Mei, and I'll sit on your leg.

Virginia, Brantley, and Sera. Sera decided Brantley's lap was a good resting spot. She stopped every time she ran past him.

Ben taking Josie on a motorcycle ride, or was it a Jet Ski?

Bret and Josie playing ball and making faces.

Vacation Recap

Sera and I left on a Tuesday morning and headed for Atlanta to my sister's house. Marcia and her husband, Derek, have two boys who are 4 and 6. They just sent in their LOI to adopt their daughter, Ava. Ava is three years old and currently living in China. She is adorable. The 12-hour drive took us 15 hours, so we arrived much later than expected.

The next day we hadn't planned anything big because it was mainly a day to give Sera a break from the car. We made arrangements to meet Shana and her daughter, Hattie, from our travel group for a late lunch. My sister lives south of Atlanta and Shana lives north. We headed her way because we needed to pick up the car my sister had just bought on our way to lunch. The dealership must have thought they were going to be paid by the minute. What should have been a 15-20 minute process took about two hours. Poor Shana and Hattie hung in there and waited for us at the restaurant. We finally got there and enjoyed our visit. Marcia and I ended up splitting an appetizer even though we were starving because we were going to have dinner with her good friends and neighbors. Their file was logged in to China in 1/06, so they're still waiting. It was wonderful to meet them, and I think they enjoyed meeting Sera. It's just nice to see there is a child in the end when you are stuck waiting.

On Thursday, we headed south to Gulf Shores. Our sister, Kati, lives in Mobile with her family. Our sister, Jessica and her family just moved to Austin, TX from the San Francisco area. Jessica and her daughter, Josie also arrived on Thursday. Marcia's two boys were already in GS as they had come down the week before with her in-laws. They joined us when we arrived. We had three adults and four children in a two-bedroom condo. Sera and I had one bedroom. Jessica and Josie had the other bedroom. Marcia, Ben, and Pete shared the sofa bed...to the boys' delight and to Marcia's aching back.

On Friday we hit the outlet mall. Kati and her daughter, Virginia met us there. On Saturday morning, Marcia took her son, Ben, on a promised parasailing adventure. It was a first for both. We then headed out to our dad's new bay house. Kati and her family have had a bay house for a few years. Our dad bought the lot next door and built a gorgeous bay house. Between the two houses, we'll easily fit all four daughters, our husbands and children for future family vacations. We all love it there. We spent Saturday afternoon, night and most of Sunday there.

I forgot my camera on our first day at the dock. Kati took a bunch of pictures that day and will email some to me.

We started each morning in my bed. It started our first morning in the condo. Sera always woke first. I snuck out to the kitchen to make her bottle and found my nephew, Pete, awake. I invited him to join us. As everyone woke up, they made there way in. Breakfast was dry cereal in bowls for everyone with sippy cups filled with chocolate milk. Some of us had coffee instead. We watched Playhouse Disney, played, and caught up.

Sera and Josie getting to know each other as we packed to spend the night at the bay.

A proud granddaddy with his girls. We bought those matching outfits the day before at Gymboree at the outlet mall.

Getting a good shot with seven children is a challenge. Grandddaddy with all the grandkids.

Ben, Virginia, and Pete enjoying the hammock on the dock.

Silly faces.

Sera, aka Superbaby, and her cousin, Bret. Bret was amazing with the babies.

Pete and Virginia keeping an eye on Sera.

Welcome Home!

Where to begin?

I think I'll begin with the end. Yesterday morning, I woke bright and early. I jumped in the shower and dressed for the day. While I was dressing, Jim got his shower. Then I headed to the nursery to wake Sera. I was slightly surprised that she wasn't awake, but she'd had a difficult night. She cried out several times in her sleep. Each time was just for a second before rolling over and "plugging in".

When I walked in to the nursery, I was hit with the most noxious order. She had on one super stinky diaper. She's normally pretty chipper in the morning, but she was whiny and clingy. I brought her into our room and offered her a bottle, which she refused. She just clung to me with her thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes. Jim and I debated whether or not she was feverish. I thought slightly. He thought not at all. We took her temp and it agreed with Jim. We were dressed and had a bag packed for the day. The reunion picnic was 2 1/2 hours away. If she was just tired, she could sleep on the way there. If she was sick, we didn't want to torture her by going. We just couldn't decide which she was. We finally decided to head out with the thought we could turn back. I got our things together. We both took one more look at Sera, looked at each other, and decided to stay home. It was the right decision.

Sera spent most of the day, until mid afternoon, on my lap cuddling with me on the couch. She slept for a lot of that time, too. Finally, she got down and started to play for a little while. She went to bed just a little late and everything seemed to be back on track. I stayed up way too late catching up on bloglines. Just as I decided to turn in for the night at midnight, I heard her screaming. I sat in the rocker with her until 3:30 am. Everytime I moved, she'd start to scream and clutch me. She thought I was going to put her down. Finally, at 3:30am, she let me put her back to bed. She woke up this morning back to her normal, cheerful self. Jim took pity on me and took her out this afternoon for a few hours at our local zoo. After driving 14 hours home and then taking care of a sick baby, mom was/is exhausted, plus I still have tons of vacation laundry to catch up.

Instead of doing that laundry though, I got some photos ready to post.

Mea Culpa

I'm so sorry for not updating while we were out of town. The advantage of a vacation is disconnecting. The disadvantage of a vacation is disconnecting. The only time my laptop got turned on was when I set it up at my dad's house for anyone who wanted to see our China pictures. The ones I've posted are only the tip of the iceberg. The best tip, but the tip. Jim suffered the most because we had trouble connecting by phone, too. Our carrier is a popular one where we live, but not where I was so it didn't work very well. I was usually operating on one bar.

We got in last night about 11pm. It was after midnight before we got settled and in bed. Sera is such a trooper. She did so well with all the driving. She didn't sleep much in the car though.

My camera is filled with pictures to download, so photos will be coming soon. Tomorrow, we head off to our agency's annual reunion picnic. I promise a huge update with photos on Sunday.

Vacation, Gotta Get Away

Tomorrow morning Sera and I will be hitting the road for our summer road trip. We're heading down to Gulf Shores via Atlanta. Atlanta really isn't on the way, but my sister lives there. We'll spend a couple of nights and then head down to GS to see the rest of my family. It will take approximately 12 hours to get to Atlanta. That's 12 hours in the car with a 15-month-old baby and me. Yikes! Sera is a trooper, but I'm sure this will tax her. My plan is to stop about every two hours when she's awake to let her walk around a bit. If she's sleeping, I'll keep going. She is still taking two naps a day, so she will sleep a good part of it.

I can't wait to see my family and for them to meet Sera. I'll also finally get to meet my new niece, Josie.

My poor beleagured husband has to stay home and finish the summer school session. He's looking forward to the first two weeks of August when he'll finally be off work. Teachers report 8/13.

I am bringing my laptop. I will try to blog, but, believe it or not, internet access isn't easy to come by in GS. Check out Jim's blog for updates if you don't see anything here.

Honk, if you see us on the road!

Reflections

Today is my birthday.

Our celebration started last night. We met our good friends, Doug & Laura et al, at the drive-in for the new Harry Potter movie. We got there early, so we had plenty of time to visit. It was another lovely night. I had checked the weather forecast earlier, so we knew that the temps were supposed to get into the 50's. Sera was in her fleece sleeper. Jim and I wore long pants and brought a jacket and a hoodie. Plus, we keep a couple of throws in the car. We were set.

Because it was such a late night, we all slept in to 9:00 am today. Shadow woke up first. His barking woke up Sera. With those two up, Jim and I had no choice, but to get up too. On the weekend, Jim likes to go get Sera. While he does that, I mix up her morning bottle.

The smile she gave me when they came in the room was the best birthday present I could ask for. While I fed her, Jim went downstairs to let Shadow out. We heard some kitchen noises, so it wasn't a huge surprise when he brought breakfast in with him. That is until I looked at it. He was carrying a PLATTER! On the platter, he had eggs, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, and toast. It was like having a diner breakfast delivered to us in bed. Sera's pancake was filled with blueberries. As you saw from the previous post, it was a huge success. The sheets are already off the bed and ready to be washed.

After we played for a bit, Sera went down for her morning nap. I took that time to do a little blog check. Amy has a link to a blog I hadn't seen before. This blog had a video up. Since I had time, I decided to check it out. It stirred up feelings that I haven't thought about in a long time. It's especially funny when I think of how often those feelings seemed to dominate my life.

After watching, I was trying to figure out exactly what feelings I have now. I am so completely happy and thrilled to have Sera in my life. I cannot imagine my life without her and Jim. While the video did bring up some old feelings, I realized that it's different now. The sadness I felt was for having gone through that time, but more for those still there. If given the chance, I would not change one single thing that I have done or has happened to me. This is the road I travelled. It has brought me here and now to the two I love most.

Ode to the Blueberry, Part Two

Daddy brought Mommy and me breakfast in bed.

He made a blueberry pancake just for me!

A Trip to the Mall

Sera and I will be heading out next week on a road trip. In preparation, we had to take the car in to the shop. Just standard maintenance stuff, but we wanted to make sure it was done before we ventured out. The dealership told us to have the car in by 1:00pm, and they'd be done by 3:00pm. This was new as we usually have to have the car there by 7:30am.

When Jim got home from work he switched the car seat to the Tracker, and we headed out. Jim opened up the top of the Tracker, so Sera got hr first taste of being in a semi-convertible (he didn't remove the top entirely). She loved it. The Tracker is really a one person car. It's a '92 with only one working seatbelt in the front. Luckily, the back ones are fine or we wouldn't have taken Sera in it at all. We kept our running around to a minimum. First, a quick lunch, then a stop at a frame shop to drop off a picture, and finally, off to the mall.

We're not mall people. I've taken Sera there once before. We exchanged an outfit she'd received as a gift and looked for the play area. We didn't find the play area as it was no longer in the middle of the mall. Our mall was, basically, T-shaped, with four main anchor stores. Two of the anchor stores were purchased by the same parent company. They kept one and closed the other. That part of the mall has been demolished and they're building an outdoor plaza area with additional shops. Why outdoor malls and strip malls are replacing the indoor malls in an area that has severe winter weather is a mystery to me, but it's also an entire rant of its own. Anyway, I didn't find the play area because it's located in the section of the mall where the old demolished anchor store used to be. I didn't even go down that section because I didn't think there would be anything but construction going on. I was wrong.

When we got to the mall, Jim headed one way to take care of his to-do list. I didn't even want to be tempted to shop. Gymboree, The Children's Play, and Gap Kids were calling my name, but Sera really doesn't need any clothes right now. Not that I let that stop me when I see a good sale. So I didn't go in the stores to see them. Instead I went in search of the play area.

It is so cool. It's totally enclosed with only one entrance, so you see who's coming and going quite clearly. It's designed for younger children, but it's fun for kids up to around 7 or 8. One end has bookshelves filled with books and child-height bench seating. Adult bench seating surrounds the entire area. Next to the book section is a changing table with a diaper disposal and wipes available. It's set up so you have a little privacy while changing. There are big stationary things to climb aboard: a rocket, a cow jumping over the moon, and a car. There is a large Disney-style mirror mounted on the floor. In the center is a play house area. You enter it through a tube, or one of two child-sized door cut-outs. The fourth wall has a small slide to exit by.

Sera and I were the only ones there when we first found it. She stood in front of the mirror for a few minutes, but was a little intimidated by everything else. She wouldn't get in or on anything. About ten minutes after we got there, we were invaded by about a dozen more children and their respective parents. All the kids behaved well, but there was lots of running and screaming and having fun. Sera started walking all around. She loved watching all the children. She even went up to one little girl, about her age, and said hi. She would walk away from me, check that I was still there, walk a little further, and then run back to me, laughing the whole way. She kept going to the doorway of the play house and peeking in. She had just gotten the courage to go all the way inside when it was time for us to go. The dealership called and the car was ready - on time. Can you believe it? I think we'll have to squeeze in a few more mall trips before school begins again.

Here are some pictures from our day. And, by the way, if anyone has any ideas on how to entertain a 15-month-old on a 12-hour drive, please let me know.

Jim took these of Sera while I ran into the store.

Checking out her reflection on the side of the play house

Who is that cute girl who follows me everywhere?

Get yourself to the Disney Store! They're having a huge sale, 50% off already marked down items. This Mulan was orignally $14.99. We got it for $6.99. It was not part of the 50% off sale, but it's a Mulan plush!