Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Eleanor loves Josephine.







And, she shows her with 300 kisses a day. Not joking. Sometimes, instead of multiple kisses, she saves time by giving her one loooong kiss. And, sometimes short bursts of many kisses. Always with the exaggerated "Mwwwwwwah!"

Yoga ball.




Eleanor just does funny things.

I am wagging my own finger at my own self.

I know, I know. I have been terrible at posting pictures of these girls. Today, computer be darned, I will post some. I promise. Maybe the actual collapse of the computer will be the impetus we need to finally go splurge on another one. So, in lieu of pictures (for right now), I will post an update on the Bayly ladies, plus Bill.

I sent my graduate school applications - and I'll let you know how that goes. So nerve-wracking. And, hopefully, I'll be starting school as soon as Bill finishes. He is taking his last three classes right now! He has also just started making his fourth guitar. We are busy busy!

As for now, I am a total milk matron. I spend four or more hours a day actively producing upwards of 40 oz of milk, I would guess. Through a combination of nursing (vastly improved), pumping, lanolin, silicone, plastic, herbs, and perseverance, Josephine has gotten breastmilk only. (And, Eleanor is happily getting her share of children's television.) I have the kind of oversupply that most people, honestly, would work to correct. But, as I do with some things (there is really no predicting which ones), I took this on as a challenge. How much milk can I make? Apparently, the sky's the limit.

And, in case you're wondering how Josephine's fairing in this milk-whirlwind, she weighed in yesterday at 8 lbs 12 oz! (Up from 6lbs 1 oz less than four weeks ago.) And, she needed to nurse, so I speculate if she had, she'd be creeping up on 9 lbs! Her legs are getting so chubby and wonderful! Also, Bill and I have each gotten one real smile. Yay! And her eyes are getting bluer by the day. She is as cute and sweet as can be. She continues to be a total cuddle bug, which I must admit is lovely. But, she really loves to poop and vomit - that is not as lovely.

It's 2009, and so it's about time to begin working toward the March of Dimes/March for Babies. Team Sophie will be walking again this year! It's sooner than I thought - April 25th - mere days before Sophie's half birthday (haha)! (I thought it was more like May - eek!) We'll be doing the Montgomery County walk again, because it's fairly central for everyone. If we get a day half as nice as last year's walk, I will be pumped!

As for Eleanor, she is most likely to be found running the show. She marches around the house, pointing and demanding that "baby" be put "down," "up," in the "seat"; "clo" (clothed) in a "blankle" (blanket) or "hat"; or that I check her for "burp" or "poooop." This is most often mandated with a snack cup of "cookies" (animal crackers) and sippy of "juuuuice" (almost always water) in hand. (She has currently decided her bowl of eggs is a "hat." She thinks hats are so awesome. Apparently anything can be a hat.) She is also very into Fancy Nancy right now. "Nannyyyy!" she screams as she runs for the book in the morning. Few things could be cuter.

Pictures to come.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Lady loves.

I am already noticing real differences between Josephine and Eleanor. From day one, Eleanor has been very sure of what she wants and when she wants it. She was an easy baby, because she made her needs known. From a few weeks old, she cried to be picked up (easy) and amazingly even cried to occasionally be put down (easy). She cried to eat (easy). That was it. And, from there, she just became more sure of what she wants. That was great, until she became a toddler and the things she wanted became more varied and often more dangerous. But, anyway, in the beginning she was pretty simple to read.

Josephine, on the other hand, never cries to be put down. She likes snuggling MUCH more than Eleanor ever did. She wants to sleep with me - and I let her sometimes. She also gets tummy aches (reflux, I am beginning to think), which Eleanor never did. She she poops constantly and has tremendous gas (very funny). She is also just a fussier baby than Eleanor was. She whimpers more and wants more attention. (Fine with me!) Still, overall, she is an easy baby - right now she is sitting in her baby seat across the room and looking around happily. She doesn't have crazy crying jags (neither did Eleanor). But, I notice the little differences.

Also, an update - Josephine makes pony noises a LOT. She whinnies constantly - day and night. It's adorable.


*We are (for real this time) getting new computers. Unfortunately, my picture posting has slowed down, because the computer we do have is SO slow and I am afraid I will crash it if I add too much more to the memory. But, trust me, we have SO many pictures, so you will see them soon.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Because I am totally a narcissist...

...I do surveys about myself whenever (and from wherever) I find them. I am posting the link to this blog. But, the rules are easy. Cut, paste, and bold (or italicize) the things you've done. (I will be adding my notes in parentheses. Again - narcissism won't allow me to simply bold not add at least some extensive comments.)


Started your own blog

Slept under the stars

Played in a band (Does a two man band for one night with my husband count?)

Visited Hawaii

Watched a meteor shower

Given more than you can afford to charity

Been to Disneyland/World

Climbed a mountain

Held a praying mantis

Sang a solo

Bungee jumped (Never would I ever.)

Visited Paris

Watched a lightning storm at sea

Taught yourself an art from scratch (Does gimp count?)

Adopted a child

Had food poisoning

Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

Seen the Mona Lisa in France

Slept on an overnight train

Had a pillow fight

Hitchhiked

Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

Built a snow fort

Held a lamb (Sounds lame. No offense to anyone who's into lamb holding.)

Gone skinny dipping

Been to a Broadway show in NY

Ran a Marathon

Been in three states at once

Ridden in a gondola in Venice

Seen a total eclipse

Watched a sunrise or sunset

Hit a home run (Wiffle ball!)

Been on a Cruise

Seen Niagra Falls in Person

Visited the birthplace of your Ancestors

Seen an Amish community

Taught yourself a new language (I won't count gibberish.)

Had enough money to be truly satisfied

Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

Gone rock climbing

Seen Michelangelo’s David

Sung karaoke

Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

Visited Africa

Walked on a beach by moonlight

Been transported in an ambulance

Had your portrait painted

Gone deep sea fishing

Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

Kissed in the rain

Played in the mud

Been to Grace Kelley’s grave in Monaco

Gone to a drive-in theater

Been in a movie (And after school special!)

Visited the Great Wall of China

Started a business

Taken a martial arts class (I'm a purple belt technically, but I don't remember a thing.)

Swam in the Mediterranean Sea

Visited Russia

Served at a soup kitchen

Sold Girl Scout cookies

Gone whale watching

Gotten flowers for no reason

Donated blood, platelets or plasma

Gone sky diving ( I would never.)

Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

Bounced a check

Saved a favorite childhood toy

Visited the Lincoln Memorial

Eaten Caviar

Pieced a quilt

Stood in Times Square

Toured the Everglades

Been fired from a job

Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

Broken a bone (My littlest toe!)

Been on a speeding motorcycle

Seen the Grand Canyon in person

Published a book

Visited the Vatican

Bought a brand new car

Walked in Jerusalem

Had your picture in the newspaper (As a kid, the LAURELLEADER mocked me for being the slowest three year old in a tricycle race. Still stings.)

Read the entire Bible (Bill has!)

Visited the White House

Killed and prepared your own meat

Had chickenpox

Saved someone’s life

Sat on a jury

Met someone famous

Joined a book club (At least three times, Charlotte and I have started our very own book club. Haha.)

Lost a loved one

Had a baby

Seen the Alamo in person

Swam in the Great Salt Lake

Been involved in a law suit (Two years ago, I was sued for $300,000. Take that.)

Owned a cell phone

Been stung by a bee