Zoe Update
The Z-thang is now six months old and recently had her well visit/check up with the pediatrician. She is in something like the 40th percentile for weight (15 pounds) and the 95th for length. So, so far she’s long and kinda skinny with a nice baby Buddha belly. Of course, all the parents I’ve talked to say the growth charts are a bunch of baloney and don’t indicate anything, except maybe I should take her to the store when I buy clothing for her. I bought a bunch of 6-12 month onesies and pants online. The pants are the perfect length right now, which makes me suspect she'll outgrow them sooner than 12 months.
She’s sitting up on her own for extended periods and reaching out pretty far for things (like toys that are just out of her reaaaaaach). Her balance is a lot better, but she does occasionally tump over, so we usually set her up with a boppy or someone sitting behind her.
She’s started eating cereal (into the world of solid foods) and strongly prefers oatmeal to rice.
She’s giggling a lot these days, which is damned cute.
She’s also a drooling mess, which means we drop her off at daycare in one outfit and bib and she comes home in a different set. I can see four teeth at the top and four on the bottom through her gums, but nothing has actually poked out yet. I suspect that with all this increased drooling at least one is sure to make an appearance soon.
She is absolutely fascinated by tags right now. If she’s playing with a stuffed toy, she turns it over to find the tag and pulls at it endlessly. She’s also into eyeglasses and will try to pull them off your face.
She’s been grabbing at my face in general. Nose and lips have been popular for a while. This week she added pulling my hair and ear (ouch), but it’s pretty funny.
Her babbling and creaky singing continue.
Her eyes were blue when she was born, a much darker blue than her father's. At around three months, there was a ring of brown around the pupil, and we assumed they would eventually become completely brown. That hasn’t happened. Either they haven’t finished changing or she has hazel eyes. Sometimes her eyes look blue, brown, or green. In a way, this is the perfect combination. She has both of her parents’ eyes.
Thursday
Thursday Humor
From The 10 Most Terrifyingly Inspirational '80s Songs by Robert Brockway about the song "Dead or Alive": "This song was written in that small window of the '80s when a blue collar steelworker from New Jersey with a terminal case of hockey hair could write songs about being a cowboy and be taken seriously. It was a very small window; it really only encased this one song."
Another great description, this one about "The Final Countdown": "The synthesizer riff in this 1986 track is as fist-pumping as music gets without involving an actual instrument. We're not clear on what he's counting down to, but somebody's about to get their ass kicked."
Read to see descriptions of the other '80s songs!
From The 10 Most Terrifyingly Inspirational '80s Songs by Robert Brockway about the song "Dead or Alive": "This song was written in that small window of the '80s when a blue collar steelworker from New Jersey with a terminal case of hockey hair could write songs about being a cowboy and be taken seriously. It was a very small window; it really only encased this one song."
Another great description, this one about "The Final Countdown": "The synthesizer riff in this 1986 track is as fist-pumping as music gets without involving an actual instrument. We're not clear on what he's counting down to, but somebody's about to get their ass kicked."
Read to see descriptions of the other '80s songs!
Wednesday
Our Hood
A week or two ago, I mentioned that I have mixed feelings about our neighborhood. Just this past weekend, Nate said how cool it would be to raise Zoe here. This week, two people ended a police chase by driving a carjacked truck into our neighbor's house. Generally, this is how things go. We start to get comfortable and then some other weird thing happens. I'm not even that freaked out about it, which is maybe a sign of numbness at the various shenanigans we've witnessed.
The funniest part of this story is that I saw the police/news copter lights and heard all the sirens as I was trying to put Zoe down for the night. In a futile attempt to block out some noise, I played her waves CD. Can you picture me yelling to the cops/robbers outside: "Can you hold it down out there? I'm trying to put my baby to sleep!"
A week or two ago, I mentioned that I have mixed feelings about our neighborhood. Just this past weekend, Nate said how cool it would be to raise Zoe here. This week, two people ended a police chase by driving a carjacked truck into our neighbor's house. Generally, this is how things go. We start to get comfortable and then some other weird thing happens. I'm not even that freaked out about it, which is maybe a sign of numbness at the various shenanigans we've witnessed.
The funniest part of this story is that I saw the police/news copter lights and heard all the sirens as I was trying to put Zoe down for the night. In a futile attempt to block out some noise, I played her waves CD. Can you picture me yelling to the cops/robbers outside: "Can you hold it down out there? I'm trying to put my baby to sleep!"
Thursday
Mystery Solved
Well I feel like a complete dumbass writing about this the day after I posted a tearjerker about the war and life and death. But that's what blogs are for, right? The mundane punctuated by occasional emotional depth. This post is of the mundane variety.
This morning I found the ring I lost. Last week, I was really sleep deprived (Zoe was sick and waking often) and I had a dream about an old friend who was admiring one of my rings--a sterling silver spiral. That morning after my shower, I noticed it was gone. I looked in the bed, in the shower, all over and couldn't find it. Part of me was a bit freaked out because I seriously wondered, did I swallow it? Or did I take it off in my sleep to "show" it to him and then tossed it somewhere? It was a little unnerving. This morning as I was scooping some lotion out of its container, I found my ring in there! It must have slipped off while I was gooping myself after the shower.
Another follow-up: a month or so ago I wrote about eating at Urban Taco and how awesome the food and margaritas were. I went back last night and was a little disappointed. Both times I had the margarita de oro. The first time, it was incredible. Seriously among the best margaritas I'd had in Dallas. It had some orange juice and Cointreau and instead of regular salt they used a cayenne salt around the rim, which gave the drink an amazing blend of sweet, sour, and spicy. I'm still thinking about that damn 'rita! I ordered the same thing again last night, and sadly, it wasn't nearly so good. They gave me a more or less standard rita. I'm not sure if they used fresh lime juice the first time and sweet and sour mix the second, or not as much OJ, and they were out of that special cayenne salt thing, but the experience was a bit of a letdown. Also, the tiny tacos were perfect on a Sunday afternoon between meals. On a Wednesday night, the small portions weren't quite enough for a full dinner. And my rice was a bit overcooked this time. Alas, maybe it was an off night. I think I'll give them another chance, but I might have to go back to La Duni for my awesome margarita fix.
Well I feel like a complete dumbass writing about this the day after I posted a tearjerker about the war and life and death. But that's what blogs are for, right? The mundane punctuated by occasional emotional depth. This post is of the mundane variety.
This morning I found the ring I lost. Last week, I was really sleep deprived (Zoe was sick and waking often) and I had a dream about an old friend who was admiring one of my rings--a sterling silver spiral. That morning after my shower, I noticed it was gone. I looked in the bed, in the shower, all over and couldn't find it. Part of me was a bit freaked out because I seriously wondered, did I swallow it? Or did I take it off in my sleep to "show" it to him and then tossed it somewhere? It was a little unnerving. This morning as I was scooping some lotion out of its container, I found my ring in there! It must have slipped off while I was gooping myself after the shower.
Another follow-up: a month or so ago I wrote about eating at Urban Taco and how awesome the food and margaritas were. I went back last night and was a little disappointed. Both times I had the margarita de oro. The first time, it was incredible. Seriously among the best margaritas I'd had in Dallas. It had some orange juice and Cointreau and instead of regular salt they used a cayenne salt around the rim, which gave the drink an amazing blend of sweet, sour, and spicy. I'm still thinking about that damn 'rita! I ordered the same thing again last night, and sadly, it wasn't nearly so good. They gave me a more or less standard rita. I'm not sure if they used fresh lime juice the first time and sweet and sour mix the second, or not as much OJ, and they were out of that special cayenne salt thing, but the experience was a bit of a letdown. Also, the tiny tacos were perfect on a Sunday afternoon between meals. On a Wednesday night, the small portions weren't quite enough for a full dinner. And my rice was a bit overcooked this time. Alas, maybe it was an off night. I think I'll give them another chance, but I might have to go back to La Duni for my awesome margarita fix.
Wednesday
The power of words
This is a really heartbreaking piece by Christopher Hitchens. He learns his writing inspired a 21-year-old to enlist for Iraq; the soldier dies while serving. Hitchens writes about his growing disenchantment with the war and how he felt when he heard his words had such a huge impact on a young person's life.
This is a really heartbreaking piece by Christopher Hitchens. He learns his writing inspired a 21-year-old to enlist for Iraq; the soldier dies while serving. Hitchens writes about his growing disenchantment with the war and how he felt when he heard his words had such a huge impact on a young person's life.
Tuesday
Setting Myself Up
I know this is such a stupid thing to say, because as soon as I write this down I will jinx it all. But ... for the past five nights or so, Zoe has slept through the night. From 8 p.m. or so until 6 a.m. or so. And until we hit the six-month sleep regression, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of those few extra ZZZZs.
I know this is such a stupid thing to say, because as soon as I write this down I will jinx it all. But ... for the past five nights or so, Zoe has slept through the night. From 8 p.m. or so until 6 a.m. or so. And until we hit the six-month sleep regression, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of those few extra ZZZZs.
Thursday
A sick bug
Zoe's been sick since Sunday and Nate and I have traded taking off days from work this week. We are all a little sleep deprived, particularly Zoe. But I'm showing signs, too. I went to bed with three rings on and woke up with two. In a dream, someone asked to see one of my rings and I remember holding out my hand to show it to him. That ring is the one that's missing this morning. I'm wondering if I took it off in my sleep.
I'm also feeling much more like a mother these days. I guess cupping your hand under a little person's mouth to catch vomit without even thinking about it does that to a person.
Zoe's been sick since Sunday and Nate and I have traded taking off days from work this week. We are all a little sleep deprived, particularly Zoe. But I'm showing signs, too. I went to bed with three rings on and woke up with two. In a dream, someone asked to see one of my rings and I remember holding out my hand to show it to him. That ring is the one that's missing this morning. I'm wondering if I took it off in my sleep.
I'm also feeling much more like a mother these days. I guess cupping your hand under a little person's mouth to catch vomit without even thinking about it does that to a person.