Oh, that's what they're for!

I'm sitting beside e as she eats her breakfast of cheesy eggs and pear.  When we began in earnest to give her finger food a couple of weeks ago she could pick up the bits of pear or squash and even bring them to her mouth.  But it seemed like she didn't know how to release them from her fingers to her mouth.  Now she does!  She wears a plastic bib with Dr. Seuss characters; it has a pocket to catch bits of this and that which don't make it into E's mouth.  Last night we were eating the edible arrangement of fruit that K's mom sent E for her birthday. I put a slice of cantaloupe to E's mouth, thinking she would just lick it as she had juice bars, but no, it came away with little teeth marks!  She seems to have figured out that's what those four little teeth can do now.

This is all good.  When she starts daycare in December, she needs to be able to feed herself and drink from a sippy cup, so we are beginning to work on those skills.

Good news

Thursday e visited the pediatric neurologist again, who confirmed the good results of her recent EEG and ordered one more to be done in December after she has been off her medication for six weeks or so.  If those results are also normal, she won't have to return for several months.  The longer she goes with no declaration of injury, the better.

Friday I was tired, having slept poorly the night before.  Little e did not want to take her usual morning nap, but did fall asleep in her high chair at lunch time with slivers of pot roast and peaches on the tray.  I managed to get her into bed and she slept 30 minutes.  I think my own tiredness prevented me from recognizing hers later in the afternoon.  Finally her fussiness rang a bell--"Oh, maybe she's sleepy!"  Sure enough, I put her in bed about 4 and she slept over an hour.  She is so active now that I'm sure she needs to rest and restore energy.

The flight home left on time and arrived early; in fact Randy and I were driving home before the plane was scheduled to land!  I'm keeping track of my flights, whether they are on time.  The majority have been, but more than I expected have been delayed.

Follow the finger

Although e isn't using words yet, she can sometimes indicate what she wants by pointing with one of her index fingers.  It might be a book she wants, or to go outside, or to fall into her daddy's arms, or to leave her bedroom at nap time.  I'm sure we guess wrong at times, but often she seems pleased with what we do so I suppose we get it right at least occasionally!

She is moving around much more now, crawling on all fours or on her belly, coming into the kitchen or dining room, pulling up beside the couch to reach a favorite book.  It is a joy to see and a reminder to be vigilant.

Last night I worked till about 11 pin-basting my latest quilt on the floor of my room.  When I finished   I picked things up, opened up the bed (remember, it's a sofa bed), and read for a few minutes before turning out the light.  At 3:15 or so I woke up to e's crying.  I waited to let E or K get her out of her crib (she sleeps in her own room now), but after 5 or 10 minutes I decided I wasn't going back to sleep any time soon so I went and picked her up.  Immediately she relaxed and I thought she was asleep.  Alas, that was not the case.  The crying soon resumed.  Still no parent.  I opened her door wider and was considering getting her mom or a bottle when E walked in.  Apparently the monitor was turned off and they hadn't heard the crying.  This is the first time I have gotten up with her.  After feeding she was awake a while but did return to sleep.  I was also awake a while, which is probably why I turned off my alarm and then got up late.  But the rest of the day has been smooth so far.

Water from the sky

Yes, indeed, it was considerably cooler yesterday, so e and I took a walk in the morning with a fine mist washing over us.  Delightful!  About 4:00 we went out on the back patio to listen to the wind chimes (e really likes hearing them) and feel the strong breeze and more droplets of water.  What else could we do but get the stroller out again and take another walk, shorter this time because the rain drops got fatter and I didn't want to get too far away, not knowing if it might begin to pour.  As we headed back a little boy, about 10 years old, ran up, smiled, and said, "Excuse me, Ma'am, would you like to use my umbrella?"  I replied, "No, thank you, we're almost home," and smiled cheerfully.  What a sweet boy!

This morning we walked again.  It wasn't raining, but it was still cool and cloudy.  The sun makes such a difference when it is beating down on you.

Two for two

Yesterday E sent a video of e titled "another day, another skill," in which she was pushing her little walker across the living room.  Granted, she wasn't standing up straight or keeping her feet in a straight line as she pushed, but she was definitely propelling the walker and moving on her own with K close by.  A first!

This morning I put her down for a nap, then went downstairs and turned on the video monitor.  She sat up and before long had pulled herself up to stand in her crib.  Another first!

These first few months have been full of new accomplishments, and more are to come.

I enjoyed seeing Sarah and Erik this weekend, and his mother and sister from Knoxville, TN (their first visit to the Bay Area).  We ate out a couple of times, and they all came to church with me.  Friday they visited Muir Woods and crossed the Golden Gate Bridge.  Today the plan was to take the ferry to San Francisco and visit Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 and other places.  I hope they have a good time.

Today is better

Yesterday began with a trip to the pediatrician for e's 9-month checkup.  She looks healthy, 20 pounds, 28 inches tall.  The doctor gave us advice on starting finger foods and recommended oatmeal twice a day instead of once because her iron level is a bit low.  She received two vaccinations and the first of two flu shots.  Then E dropped e and me at home and went to the office.  It was a frustrating day for me; e was clingy, probably due to her shots, and I was impatient with her because I had some news that should not have upset me but it did.  Plus the house was hot, and I was just tired of the whole thing. Sitting on the floor, being climbed on, my shirt grabbed for support, very little time alone, I was a whiner!

But today I am content and cool and kind once again.  K went in to work a little later, which gave me time for a two-mile walk by myself in the 73 or so degree morning.  We shopped at Safeway for a few items.  We had fun playing and reading, and e climbed up two stairs by herself.  Tonight E gave her some pieces of banana, which stuck to the high chair tray and were difficult to pick up, but when a bite was placed in her mouth she gummed it.  So a new phase of eating has begun--finger food!  I'm working on a new quilt, which gives me pleasure, and I received a lovely email from organist supreme John Walko with suggestions for music when a pastor has terminal cancer.

I've had just a couple of these bad days, when I wish I had never volunteered to care for e, just as many parents do when faced with the daily work of a baby.  But they didn't last, and I'm still here, ready for a new day tomorrow.

Another year older

The extra day at home this past weekend allowed me to get some things done on Friday so I had more free time on Saturday to do things like walk down to the farmers' market with Linda.  Randy had suggested we eat lunch at Trabocco then go see the movie "Shaun the Sheep" to celebrate my birthday and our 38th anniversary.  The film was very funny, a cartoon with no speaking.  We also enjoyed lunch on the restaurant's patio; though the day was gray and a bit chilly, there were heaters to warm us, and we saw some friends walk by, so it was fun to be outside.

Friday afternoon Randy made my birthday "cake," a lovely pecan pie.  We talked about inviting someone over to share it but didn't get around to it.  I ate the last slice for breakfast on Sunday.  Yes, indeed, the two of us ate the whole thing.  Yummy!

It's a mystery to me

In recent days e has decided she does NOT like having her diaper changed.  I lay her on the changing pad (a 3 or 4 inch-thick piece of  fabric-covered foam fastened on top of her storage unit), and immediately she begins to cry, twisting her body this way and that, pushing back till her head is off the pad.  It wasn't too long ago that she did not want to lie on her tummy; now she can't wait to turn over, not understanding how difficult that makes it for a diaper change.  So, you may ask, why not do her diaper on the floor?  Downstairs we do, and that eases the concern about her rolling off the table, but she still twists and cries, flailing her arms.  Sometimes a small toy or a song will distract and calm her, but not as reliably as in the past.

If it weren't frustrating, it would be delightful to see her exerting her will.  Last night K asked E to wait a minute then he would help with a diaper change, and E realized I had no helper during the day so why did she need one?  I'm sure she was just sharing the experience with K.  😀

Week 28

Here I am, back in Phoenix, sitting at E's table eating breakfast.  It will be a short week here since I fly home on Thursday night.  Several weeks ago I mentioned to E that I would like to be home for our anniversary (Sept 11), and that led to the discussion about some days off.  E and K will take e to the hospital for her next EEG Friday, so it is a good day for me to be away.

Cool!

Yesterday afternoon my friend Dena came over for a game of Scrabble and talking.  While we both enjoy the game and play to win, we are not super-competitive about it, and our sessions always include lots of sharing of family news.  She was just in Hawaii to visit her mother and other family.

E sent a picture of e standing and holding on to a wagon, captioned, "Guess who pulled herself up to stand today?"  Another milestone achieved.  Hurray!  E and family drove home from PV during the day rather than waiting for e to fall asleep after supper.  That's what they did when they left here on Friday, arriving at K's mom's house about 1:45 AM, but apparently e was then awake till 3:30, which made for a short night! So they changed the plan.

Last night the fan went in the window to draw in the night air and cool down the house in anticipation of today's 92 degrees.  When I came down for breakfast this morning at 6 (I know, I just can't seem to sleep in), I closed the window in the blue room and opened the patio doors downstairs, then sat huddled in my long terry robe with the hood up to eat my Cheerios.  What luxury, to feel that fresh breeze.  Today I have a load of wash to do, then will finish packing for my return to Phoenix this evening.

What was it like, being home for three weeks?  Lovely to see Randy every day, especially to see his interactions with e.  Grandpa Bootcamp is indeed different than Grandma's!  I enjoyed the cooler weather, though there were warm days.  Several friends came by to visit me and e.  Grocery shopping was easier, now that e can sit securely in the cart.  I did not do some things I had envisioned, like sewing or genealogy research, but did play the piano often, and e sat quietly in her stroller at the church while I played organ a couple of times.  (On Saturdays I practiced without her.)  All in all, this has been a welcome break, and I am thankful for the effort E and K put into making it happen.

Quiet

It's just the two of us now.  E, K and e left here at 6:45 Friday evening after eating supper, packing the car and feeding e.  They arrived in Palos Verdes, where K's mother lives, about seven hours later.  They plan to head back to Phoenix later today, and tomorrow evening I fly back.  Yesterday, after my 9:30 appointment for a mammogram and some time at the organ, we began to restore the house to its pre-visit state, washing sheets, moving the couch and coffee table back to their place, taking the leaf out of the dining room table, putting toys and books in a basket, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms.  In ten days Sarah and Erik arrive for a week.  His mother and sister are flying out from Tennessee, as they do almost every fall, and decided to visit the Bay Area instead of San Diego, so S and E will come up here to see them and stay with us.  We have met E's mom but not his sister (they are staying here in town but not with us).  Anyway, I want to get things ready for their visit.

K sent a text yesterday asking if I was enjoying the quiet.  Yes, and no.  I do enjoy being able to read the paper or blog or play Words with Friends without interruption, not keeping my ear open for e's wake-up call.  But we both liked having E and her family around.  She said that phrase struck her, "My daughter and her family are here," when she heard Randy use it in a call to a co-worker.  I guess it made her feel more grown-up or independent from us or something.  I am thankful E and K made the effort to drive up here so Randy could spend time with e and we all could revel in the cooler air.  K especially liked being able to wear a sweatshirt a few times!

Pay attention, Grandma!

This morning e ate steak for the first time.  Granted it didn't exactly look like what you and I would call steak since it was puréed, but it was beef.  She didn't eat much for E, but when I brought out the bowl again a little later, I set up the iPad to Skype with my dad.  She seemed to remember Grandpa Great and smiled a lot with her mouth open, so I successfully put the food in.  Next we went by the church to drop off some tapes for a book sale, then shopped at Trader Joe's.  She fell asleep in the car on the way home but woke up and took her bottle at home.  So we went on to Safeway to finish our grocery shopping.  At noon she ate some pears and beets without much enthusiasm, and I left her strapped into her high chair beside me while I finished my lunch.  She was very quiet; after a few minutes I looked over, and the poor child had fallen asleep sitting up.  I unstrapped her, carried her upstairs and laid her in the crib without her waking.  I felt bad that I hadn't been paying closer attention to her.  I guess she was tired!

She is such a loving little girl.  She smiles a lot and hugs me when I take over each morning.  She often initiates play now, rolling a ball to me or pulling my hair.  I will miss her so much when my weekly visits end.

Week 27

Yesterday marked the beginning of week 27 of my adventures with e and her parents.  I took e to the church with me to practice organ, and the office manager made a fun video of e at the console.  After lunch a friend came by to meet e.  Her daughter and husband are foster parents and have just had to return a child they fostered for nearly a year to her (possible) father.  What heartache!

Sunday E and K bought e an activity table designed to encourage her to pull up and stand to play with various devices on the table top.  She enjoys it a lot, reaching out to grab and manipulate the noise-making objects.