Baby's First Sun Burn

Dear Mom,

Way to go. You suck. What? Were you to busy gabbing with your friend today on our walk to notice the sun was hitting me straight in the face? Sure, you had the shade up over the stroller, but it obviously did no good the way you had it positioned. Thank God I was wearing my beanie and hoodie (thank you Uncle Chuck) or this could have been much worse! Sheesh woman, pay attention!!!

Love, Normy

PS: I still love you.

The South Park Smoochies

I Spent WAY too much time on this. Thanks a lot South Park Lizzy.

Need I Say More?

Pictures and Progess

The Amazing Normy is blossoming right before our eyes in to the cutest, coolest, and most advanced little boy on the face of the planet. This past month has been a whirlwind of milestones. He turned five months old on November 12^th, and really he has been taking off since a little before then. He came home from his visit at Grampy and Grammy’s in Naples a different baby than when he left. It was in Naples that he REALLY started getting grabby. Suddenly at meal times I had to start being cautious of what was within his reach. I was eating at a Taco Bell the afternoon before our first weekend trip to Tampa (So that was October 27^th) when he reached up and grabbed the paper from around the delicious 7-Layer Burrito I was snarffing and gave it a good tug, nearly sending my burrito to the floor.

From there on out we would hand him a spoon at dinner time so he could amuse himself while we ate. At first it would take him a little while to reach out and get his fat little fingers around it. However, by the end of our three week visit he was a pro. The spoon grab was one smooth move that lead straight to his mouth. The funniest thing was watching him cram it back a little too far. He’d make the cutest little gagging noise! Okay, I know that probably makes me a bad Mom, but it was freaking hilarious!

His biggest accomplishment in Naples was learning how to turn over from back to front. It happened for the first time after changing his diaper. I wish I had jotted down the exact date, but it was probably November 1^st which was a Wednesday. He did it just a couple of times that day, but the next day he rolled-over over and over! Every time I would lay him down he’d FLIP!!! It was funny because all of a sudden he wanted to rollover as soon as I put him down, even if it was to change his diaper. It was a riot trying to keep him from steam rolling poop everywhere. There was once in Naples he did a full 360 degree roll, but I haven’t seen that since.

So now that grabbing and rolling-over are a normal part of his daily routine, there are new skills for my darling Norman to accomplish. Right now he’s working pretty hard at sitting up all buy himself. Today he did so for the longest stretch yet. It was probably a whole 3 minutes!!! He’s still pretty tipsy, but I betchya’ that in two weeks he will have it DOWN.

Yesterday was a big day for my baby. We started him on cereal yesterday! Sort of. It went GREAT! He LOVED it! Of course I made his baby oatmeal with boobie milk, so it wasn’t so much of a new taste sensation. His dad and I had a blast shoveling big bite-fulls of yummyness in to his open and willing little mouth. He didn’t throw it up either, as we had speculated was likely.

That being said, I don’t think we will be giving him any more cereal for a week or two. By his bedtime he had developed a little rash on his butt and we notice just a touch of blood in his poop. We’re going to keep an eye on him; but I don’t think it’s serious. I think we just jumped the gun with the solid food. Maybe we should have started with baby rice cereal instead of baby oatmeal?

We ordered him a super cool highchair. I am totally STOKKED about it! Perhaps once it arrives and Smoochy gets it assembled we will give solids a try again. Next time we’ll try with rice instead of oatmeal and see how it goes. I am excited to introduce him to food. I guess a part of me is a little sad that soon he won’t be exclusively nursing. I will miss the feeling of knowing he doesn’t need anything but me to thrive; but it’s just a little part. I am mostly just looking forward to helping him discover all the wonderful tastes that are out there. It’s going to be so much fun. Plus, as an added bonus, Smoochy will be able to take on a more active roll in feeding the kiddo and I know he is looking forward to that as well.

My little baby is turning into such a big boy. He sure is strong. Just TRY and peal something (like my hair) out of those little hands if he wants to hold on. Plus, as of a few days ago he can pass objects from one hand to the other. And the cool thing is now he can stand up holding on to just your fingers. His balance is really developing. He’s even started bouncing a little once he gets good and steady. But the VERY BEST is now he gives kisses, wet open mouth soft baby kisses!

So, there you have it. Normy: on his way to greatness!

***UPDATE***

It’s almost been 24 hours since we noticed the bit of blood in his diaper and we haven’t seen any since. I really think it was the cereal. So, we’re going to wait a little before we try again with RICE!

Hello Everyone, Norman here...

Happy Thanksgiving! Right now Mom is running around like a chicken with her head cut off because Daddy surprised her with a two night stay in Monterey! She’s super excited and packing like a maniac. Of course Dad's pissed cause she always brings too many shoes clothes. They wanted me to let you all know that we love you and wish we could all be together tomorrow! See you soon!

Home

Home is where the heart is. My heart is spread all over this huge country. My heart is in the capital of Kansas and another of that great state’s tiny towns. My heart is in a bustling Floridian city and in a sleepy farming village in New York. I am right at home with my friends/neighbors/family in the marshes of Georgia. But there is no other home like Smoochy’s arms. As long as we are together, home can be just about anywhere. Right now home is a little mother-in-law cottage in California.

California. Who’da thunk it? When we first started talking about separating from the Navy this was the ONE place we said we did not want to go. The thought of being so far from our families and the high cost of living out here was enough to convince us to stay further East. I will skip the process by which we changed our minds, but needless to say somewhere along the lines we became excited by the prospect of heading west. So, in the great tradition of the Gold Rush; we mustered our adventurous spirit, pulled up stakes, and headed west.

Now that we are here, many of our original concerns have manifested. Buying a home isn't a good idea for us right now. Who wants to mortgage half a million dollars for a house the size of a postage stamp? Also, the distance between our families some times makes me feel like we are living in a different country. While I am preparing our supper my folks are brushing their teeth for bed. Well, Dad’s in bed reading his latest book and my mom is furiously cutting out stuff for her kindergarteners’ craft projects; but you get the point.

Some days (especially the last few), when I get to thinking about all of Normy’s aunts, uncles, and grandparents who so badly want to be a part of his life I wish we lived someplace more central to all of them; someplace where we wouldn’t be thousands of dollars in airfare or thousands of miles in highway out of reach. Couldn’t we ALL relocate to a new town together? All the folks from Kansas and Florida could meet in the middle someplace and take over a whole neighborhood. Like in Charleston, SC! (Right, Kate?)

But before you all start thinking I am unhappy here, I’ve got to tell you. The Smoochy’s are thriving right where we are. Perhaps this time we are spending as an autonomous unit is strengthening us in some ways. The Jacobs are my whole world, and we are coalescing into a rock solid little clan. That’s pretty cool. We are working on so much positive way out here. Smoochy feels fulfilled and challenged by his career for the first time since he graduated college and that is making EVERYONE around here happier! We are setting ourselves up in many ways. We’re saving money, Smooch is working on a pretty impressive resume, and we are all learning how to be self-sufficient. (OK, we were both already strongly independent and self-sufficient people) ;-)

The truth of the matter is that we are doing what we need to right now. In the future I would like us plant roots in a place that’s not so far away from everyone we love. But in the mean time, Smoochy and I are blessed to be right where we are now. Together. I wish I could figure a way to post Itunes on the good’ol blog, because I would like to dedicate the following song to my lovin’ husband (Who has been so patient with me, who returned to California ready to go back to Florida!):

“That’s Where It Is”
By Carrie Underpants Underwood

In the circles I've been running,
I've covered many miles,
And I could search forever for what's right before my eyes,
Just when I thought I'd found it,
It was nothing like I'd planned,
When I got my heart around it, it slipped right through my hands,
Here with you I feel it,
I close my eyes and see it,

In a midnight talk, in a morning kiss,
When I'm in your arms, that's where it is,
When we're tangled up and can't resist,
When we feel that rush, that's where it is,
That's where it is

When I'm crashing through the madness,
Not sure who I'm supposed to be,
When I'm caught up in the darkness,
It's your hand that's leading me,
You bring me back to solid ground,
You lift me up right here, right now

In a midnight talk, in a morning kiss,
When I'm in your arms, that's where it is,
When we're tangled up and can't resist,
When we feel that rush, that's where it is

It's a life time filled with tight embraces
The biggest things in the smallest places,

In a midnight talk, in a morning kiss,
When I'm in your arms, that's where it is,
When we're tangled up and can't resist,
When we feel that rush, that's where it is

In the sweetest smile, on a night like this,
And a tender touch, that's where it is,
When we're tangled up, and can't resist,
When we feel that rush, that's where it is,
That's where it is

*This song's much better heard than read

Please BEAR With Us!

Normy and I are really fighting a case of the grumps…and jet lag. I just haven’t quite gotten my footing yet. The house needs some love, there are bills to be sent out, laundry, unpacking, and so much more (like a lunch date this afternoon). ;-) I really want to get back to regular blogging and returning emails (Lynne, you are top on my list! Thank you for that great note!) But for now the best I can do is post some pictures of Normy. Love to all, I'll be back with it in no time!

Where We've Been

The blog is not dead. I have no excuse for not writing other than I just needed a break. This last week in Naples has been so chock full of parties, food, family visits, and even some long lost acquaintances that I hardly have had time for sleep. OK, not really. I always find time for sleep. Sleep and food.

The chaos all started last Monday when my parents and I started getting ready to host a party for about 30 folks. I volunteered my parents’ house to host a party on the 7th to celebrate the election. Our good family friend, Pat Carroll was running for re-election as Collier County School Board President, and the party was in her honor. I put together one heck of a spread if I do say so myself; complete with chocolate fondue! ;-) The party was wonderful, Pat won her re-election, and I thoroughly enjoyed the company and beer! The whole thing kept my family and I pretty busy the first half of the week, but it all paid off because my picture made it into the Naples Daily News! He He! I’m the girl with the long hair and Corona in hand if you scroll down the page.

So, that was Tuesday. Wednesday we visited with a family (I’ll call them the Fleshman’s though that is not really their name.) who was very close to my family many many years ago. The Fleshman’s have two older daughters who babysat for my family on many occasions; a daughter with whom I went to kindergarten and first grade; and then a son the same age as my little sister. We had much in common. Both my father and their father are in construction, and we went to the same church. Both families were transplants to Florida so we had several memorable holidays together before they moved away when I was in second grade. This week they were ALL back in Naples on a family vacation. It was great to catch up and reconnect.

Thursday my sister (Kate), brother (Zach), and brother’s girlfriend (Cathy) arrived from Tampa to join in the fun. It was at that point things really kicked into gear. I can’t possibly begin to tell you how much food has been cooked and consumed in my mother’s kitchen over this past week! I have gained 7 pounds since I’ve been here and I bet 3/4ths of that tonnage has been put on this week!

Friday my sister’s fiancé (Chuck) joined us, and our home was bursting at the seams. Smoochy was the only family member absent, and as you can imagine he was sorely missed. Especially by Chuck who no doubt would have loved a fellow son-in-law to commiserate with. On Friday Mr. & Mrs. Carroll joined us in the evening for a knock- down-drag-out Trivial Pursuit tournament. We had two teams, the Over 50s VS the Under 50s. I suggested these teams as a break from our usual teams: Girls VS Boys. It was quickly apparent that this was not a good strategy as the Over 50 team had far more knowledge and experience to draw from for the game. However, the Under 50 team actually took the victory because the old folks got too tired to finish the game! YES!

Saturday my family decided to celebrate Thanksgiving as this was the last time this many of us will be together before January. Oh brother. THE FOOD. The copious amounts of food. Along with the usual holiday trimmings, deep fried Cajun injected turkey, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and the like, we also had pumpkin pie, german chocolate cake, and a peanut butter pie. I feel full just thinking about it all.

Sunday our ranks swelled again when my Grandmother (on my dad’s side) and her husband Jim, along with my Aunt Lynn drove down from Lakeland to spend some time with us. It was a real treat as I had not seen any of them in over a year. We had such a lovely visit. My Aunt is one of the sweetest ladies you will meat and we had a great time chatting and catching up. Grandma was as wonderful as always and it was nice to get to know her new hubby a little better. They are enjoying all the Golden Years have to offer by traveling and visiting with family all over the country.
Today was the first day in a week that there hasn’t been any company other than myself. The quiet was nice. Normy and I started our day with a walk around down town Naples and to the end of the Naples Pier. From there we watched the pelicans dive bomb for fish, while listening to the sound of the wind and the quiet fishermen cast their lines again and again. It was peaceful and grey made perfect by the sighting of several dolphins circling and playing lazily in the calm waves. Afterward, I went for coffee and toast at the little diner where I once worked as the buss-girl. It was my first real job at the tender age of 14. All the same waitresses and cooks still work there, so it was fun to show off my baby boy.

So that’s been my week. As you can see, I have been busy unlike Smoochy accused in his last comment. I fly home to California and my lovin’ husband tomorrow, so it’s back to the real world. This post was probably a bit of a bore, but at least now I feel a little caught up. I still have a lot to document on Normy’s development. Especially considering this is as much of a baby book as I am keeping. He has grown leaps and bounds the last three weeks. He hasn’t put on any more weight, but he is doing more than ever; such as, rolling over back to front, grabbing for things, and ALMOST sitting up. It is AMAZING to watch him just take off. Oh well, more on that once I get settled in back in Fremont. Think of me tomorrow. Flying with Normy cross country is always a treat. Sigh.

My Little Buddha Bear

Normy and I were reading Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein this morning and we came across the following poem:

Hug O’ War

I will not play at tug o’ war.
I’d rather play at hug o’ war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.

Buddha, I mean Normy and I wish that in this coming election that the only politicians who are elected to office are men and women who espouse this philosophy. Am I being overly idealistic?

Have a great weekend, bloggers!

This is Why I Don't Have Cable

Seriously. How do you people with cable manage to live functioning and productive lives? I have spent just over a week at my folks' home and the TV has reduced me to a PJs lounging, coffee binging zombie. I wish I could tell you I haven't been blogging because I have been on adventure after adventure; soaking in this quality time with the family. However, the sad truth is once my parents leave for work, I start with the Today Show and eventually make my way to Discovery Health where I watch baby and birth shows until my head is fuzzy and my child is bored. Instead of reading books and blogging while we nurse we now watch videos on CMT. This is not good. I've just got to pull the plug. I have far too an addictive personality for moderation. More power to you stay-at-home moms out there who can just watch one program and walk away.

Oh well. It's only for two more weeks. And it's kind of nice to just veg. I've certainly been enjoying it. House of Babies and Birth Day have become my two most favoritest programs. For entirely different reasons. I love House of Babies, which is a show that documents the births at the midwife led Miami Maternity Center, because it shows birth as a normal and natural event that can proceed gently when healthy moms are given the time and safe space to give birth the way their bodies were meant to. Yea! Go natural birth!

Birth Day on the other hand is a show I love to hate. It is exactly opposite of House of Babies. This show makes my skin crawl every episode. All of the births documented are ultra-medicalized hospital births. Several shows (which usually feature three births each half hour) portray nothing but cesareans! Many are even elective, and the program is quick to point out that this is a growing trend. The mothers in these births receive intervention after intervention and there is never any discussion of the risks involved.

For example I have seen several high risk births (mothers with high blood pressure, over the age of 40, or with other complications.) where the mom is casually given an epidural or other drugs; only to have the birth result in a baby born with repertory difficulties and have to be transported to the NICU. Not once has there been a discussion about the potential of an epidural to have this kind of effect on the baby. It is so sad to me that women watching this show might believe this is the way birth needs to be.

Birth Day paints child birth as a crisis waiting to happen; the only thing saving these babies from certain doom is the scalpel wielding obstetrician and the mighty pitocin drip. I was appalled to watch today’s episode which featured Loretta, a mother committed to a natural child birth. It was the first such episode I had ever seen and they made natural childbirth out to be a frightening choice for moms and babies and as a rare occurrence only desired by the fringe of society.

This particular episode happily touted that only 15% of women in labor make it without an epidural. They flashed an interview with a labor nurse who said with a smug grin that there are plenty of mothers who think they want a natural child birth. Usually only the first time inexperienced moms, whose plans often change once they meet the realities of labor. It broke my heart to hear such a pessimistic attack on a woman's ability to birth her babies without medication. Let me tell you girls: I've done it. YOU CAN DO IT!

Loretta on this episode of Birth Day was one hell of a tough cookie. Her blood pressure started to spike about the time she was 4 centimeters dilated and so they started a magnesium drip to regulate her blood pressure. This worked but it also stopped her contractions. To get things moving again they augmented her labor with pitocin. This means that she was confined to bed, on her back, with continuous electronic fetal heart monitoring and a catheter...and she NEVER asked for pain relief! She is my new personal hero.

And yet when this amazingly strong woman got down to pushing the Birth Day narrators felt the need to say that because she chose not to use pain medication the obstetrician gave her special instructions on how to push effectively because a natural child birth requires tremendous effort and stamina and prolonged pushing can cause pain. What the heck is that? This show has never in the time that I've watched it (every day for one week) made a comment about the dangers that a woman who has had an epidural may face. She may not be able to push effectively because she can not feel her body, which as a result often leads to the use of forceps and vacuum extraction witch can seriously injure a baby!

As it often does it took a couple hours for Loretta to push her baby out. This too was made out to be a near crisis. The camera flashed to the doctor who "SUDDENLY KNOWS WHAT'S WRONG!" Loretta is going to have a big baby. Give me a break. From there the program launches into all of the "complications" a big baby can cause including tears, slow deliveries, and shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia (when the baby's shoulders get caught on the mothers pelvic bone and impedes delivery) is a serious emergency but to mention it this context seemed to me like a way to sensationalize this otherwise beautiful and uneventful natural birth.

Of course the obstetrician and the show hyped up the possibility of a tear. Over and over they made this out to be a serious issue. And in fact Loretta did have a pretty nasty 3rd degree tear. (3rd degree tears extend to the anal sphincter that is torn but the rectal mucosa remains intact: SO NOT FUN.) But the thing that really bothered me was that instead of using perennial compress or otherwise supporting Loretta's perineum right before the baby crowned the OB simply gave her a shot of local anesthetic to numb the area... in case you tear, Sweetie. And of course the program highlighted the 35 minutes it took to stitch Loretta back up. However, I have never seen Birth Day treat the many episiotomies they've broadcast with the same spin. Episiotomies are always shown as a quick snip that heals like a dream. The truth is a woman may or may not tear, and most of the women who do, tear far less than poor Loretta and often don't even need stitches. However, a woman who receives an episiotomy will need stitches and a long time to heal.

OK, I am all worked up now and I have probably bored many of you who have taken the time to read through this. In closing all I will say is that I think it is such a shame that programs like Birth Day and many hospitals across the country make child birth out to be a crisis waiting to happen. I believe with my whole heart that if more doctors and nurses out there were willing to have trust and patience in a woman's body the outcome would improve for mother's and babies. Most of the time a laboring woman doesn’t need pitocin, she needs to get out of bed and walk; she doesn’t need an episiotomy, she needs a perennial compress; and she doesn’t need an epidural, she just needs a medical staff that believes in her and supports her.

And now your treat for making it through to the end of my rant... a little slice of Normy-Pie. That's why your here isn't it? ;-)