id, ezzo, and superego

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!! In honor of Daddy's birthday, Rachel woke up this morning with a dry diaper! Around 7:30am, Rachel and I woke Jarrad up with singing and dancing to the Happy Birthday song. He half-grinned (since he isn't a morning person) and then gave Rachel a nice tickle and a hug and kiss. We are so thankful to have kept Jarrad around another year! Praise God!

Rachel woke up in the early hours again, around 4:30am. She was wimpering quietly, but, because of the reading I had done last night (see Life Lesson below), I wanted to hold her and comfort her. So we had a repeat of yesterday morning, and she woke up for the day around 7:15am. I didn't mind.

PopPop and Uma took us all out for steak for Jarrad's birthday. Aunt Mamber got here just a few minutes before PopPop and Uma, and Rachel was glad to see her again. When PopPop wanted to hold Rachel, she clung onto Aunt Mamber! It's fun to watch her start to recognize people and show preferences, but I hope she doesn't become too dramatic in the future.

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	5	4
poop	1	0

We were way off with pottying today. I don't know what made it happen, but we used FOUR diapers. I'm sure we'll be back on track after the crazy weekend we've got ahead of us!

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:20	1:10
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

Kiss kiss!

non-toy toy of the day

Today Rachel played with a little circular piece of fabric padding I left laying around her room. She likes to put it in her mouth and carry it around while she plays with other things.

life lesson

Last night I did a lot of reading online (I think it's really weird that I can't get into reading books, but I will read and read and read online until the proverbial midnight oil runs dry). I was shopping around at The EC Store when I ran across a link with the caption, "Would you believe The EC Store was created by a former 'Ezzo family?' Here's the story of the Halletts' journey into (and out of) the Babywise lie." Huh?

Let me back up. When I was pregnant, many people we respect kindly suggested we should read the book On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo. They all proclaimed that their babies slept through the night at 8 weeks (or thereabouts). So we innocently purchased the book and read it. I wasn't entirely happy with Ezzo's tone in the book. His writing style is condescending and downright arrogant at times. His ideas don't seem well-researched, and he doesn't allow much breathing room for special cases, like colic or acid reflux. Nevertheless, it came highly recommended, and I catalogued the information for use after Rachel was born. After all, I reasoned, I am an unusually skeptical, critical person, so I am probably being suspicious just for the sake of suspicion. Once our bundle of joy came, I used the book many times as a reference, and the approach fit fine, with some personal modifications, because Rachel was an easy baby. But after about 3 months, I abandoned the book completely and opted not to buy Book Two. Many times I have regretted reading the book at all. I felt its ideas had replaced my own God-given instincts in some cases. I had plenty of experience with babies, and I think it would have been loads more interesting to figure it out for myself, seeking help only for mysterious problem areas like breastfeeding and sleep organization. Babywise has an entire schedule laid out for me, as if I can't think for myself. And the first time I tried to let Rachel "cry it out" at three weeks old (much later than the book recommends), I was devasted and gave in quickly. I didn't try that again until Rachel was about 6 months old, since every other source I'd read stated plainly that you cannot spoil a baby before 6 months.

Suffice it to say, I wasn't sold on the method, but I didn't research it either, since it was recommended by so many people we respect. I eventually just left it behind, vowing not to read too many parenting books that might cloud my judgement and what I know to be true, and, most importantly, what the Bible teaches (what other parenting book do I need, after all?).

So I read this story, very lovingly and humbly written by a mom, about her family who was completely sold on Babywise. She truly grieved the loss of her faith in the method, but feels the need to inform others. I perused the entire website, including the Timeline of Controversy, which turned out to be very enlightening.

It is unbelievable to me that people will use the Lord's name to promote themselves. I pray that people who don't know God will not judge Him, the perfect provider, the Almighty Creator, based on what sinful people do in His name (including me, because I KNOW I am not a perfect representative of my God).

i love her

Rachel had a weird morning. She woke up crying at 5:45am, and she was not going back to sleep. I dragged myself out of bed (I think I was in the middle of a dream) and prepared for a long morning. As I stumbled up the stairs, I dreaded what invariably happens when she wakes up so early: she's miserable by 7:00am, and I try to keep her awake and happy until as close to 9:00am as possible so I can be sure she gets a proper nap (she never sleeps longer than 45 minutes if I try to put her down long before 9:00am). It occurred to me that I didn't want to be awake yet, so maybe she didn't either. I entered her room, but decided not to talk to her or turn on her lights just yet. I sat down with her in the rocking chair, as is our morning routine, and I nursed her in silence (still half-asleep myself). Sure enough, she calmed right down and seemed to be extremely sleepy. I put her back in her crib and she drifted back to sleep until almost 7:15am. Now, that's a better wake-up time! She took her morning nap a little late, at 9:30am, but both her naps were GREAT today, so I am convinced I did the right thing. And I got a lot of extra sleep, too, which always helps! Praise God for flexibility!

We saw our friend Koen this afternoon, and Aunt Mamber this evening. Rachel had a good Thursday and should sleep great tonight!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	6	2
poop	1	1	I was doing chores and never saw it coming!

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:30	1:25
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

Aunt Mamber pulled into our driveway just ahead of us when we got home from Koen's house this afternoon. She came over and peeked in the car window at Rachel, and Rachel grinned her Hey-I-know-you-and-I-like-you grin, the same one she gives her daddy when he gets home. I'm so glad she is enjoying familiar people!

non-toy toy of the day

At Koen's house, Rachel always enjoys playing with Bob's Playstation controllers. Here's a picture of Bob and Rachel from a couple months ago.

she's so big

Today was busy but fun. After Rachel's extremely short morning nap, she played a few minutes, and then we went to see my friend, John (pictured) at his work. He hasn't seen Rachel since she was really tiny, so it was fun to show off her newest tricks. Everyone at his work exclaimed that she is a beautiful baby, so well-proportioned, with a perfect head, looks like a baby doll, should be in commercials. Haha! I don't think they see many babies around there, but I do have to agree with them.

As soon as Jarrad got home from work this evening, we went to meet a brand new baby! Kyler was born just last week, and was a tiny 5lb 13oz. Rachel looked like such a big girl next to Kyler. Vern & Kelly invited us to stay and have dinner with them, so we had a nice visit while cute little Kyler snoozed away.

I am excited to report that Rachel now eats real bananas and Cheerios! I took some Cheerios with us to Vern & Kelly's house, and it was a great distraction while we visited. She hasn't figured out how to feed them to herself yet, but she likes to gum them down!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	11	1
poop	2	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	0:45	1:15
diaper	dry	dry

Rachel was very cooperative today. She didn't give me the "stiff leg" at all when I tried to sit her on the potty. It seems that she's learned to "hold it" when she's expecting that I will sit her on the potty, explaining her post-nap and post-outing dry diapers. She only had one accident, this morning, which I can only assume is a result of not giving her a potty opportunity in a timely manner.

cute moment

We experienced another first for Rachel. Vern & Kelly have a one-year-old black lab who is very well-behaved and mild-mannered, especially for a puppy. You may know that I am not a dog person, especially big dogs. I try hard to disguise my uneasiness when they're around, but they make me nervous. It doesn't help that I'm usually allergic to them. Their dog was so good, though, that she didn't really make me nervous, and I tried extra-hard to be calm for Rachel's benefit. At first, Rachel didn't react much. She just watched the dog prance around and sniff everything. But everytime the dog came near, Vern hollered abruptly for her to behave, or Jarrad swatted her away from Rachel and me (he was worried about my allergies). Then, out of the blue, Rachel burst into a fearful cry and clung onto me for dear life. She was scared of the dog! She's never really reacted that way to anything! After that, when the dog got near, Rachel sort of whimpered and clung on, burying her face in my shirt. I really hope this isn't the beginning of an irrational fear (like mine)!

non-toy toy of the day

The strings that tie her bumper pad to her crib...

over the river & through the woods

Today's schedule:
6:00am Rachel wakes up
6:45am Rachel gets a bath
7:15am Rachel eats breakfast
8:15am Rachel and half her belongings are tossed in the car
8:45am Pick up Cousin Andrea
11:15am Arrive at GreatGrandma Mae's house!
12:00pm Lunch (there's nothing better than lunch at my Grandma's)
1:30pm Naps for everyone
2:30pm Time to play!
3:30pm Tour GreatGrandma's yard and see her pretty flower
3:45pm Rachel crawls in grass for the first time
4:00pm Visit with GreatAunt Doris
5:00pm Dinner
6:00pm Back in the car!

Rachel usually sleeps great in the car. This morning, she only slept the first hour of our 2.5-hour journey, and she was discontent the rest of the trip. It was so nice to have my cousin along, because she graciously moved to the back seat to help keep Rachel entertained. I felt sorry that she had to stay strapped into her carseat for so long, when she really wanted to be crawling around and playing.

The ride home was uneventful. Rachel slept 45 minutes, then stayed awake for an hour. She was quiet and still, though, and eventually drifted back into sleep once the sun went down. She woke up when we got home, but had no trouble making the move to her crib and falling back into slumber. Having Cousin Andrea along today made the trip short and enjoyable.

Rachel is named after two special women: my [paternal] Grandma Rachel and [maternal] Grandma Mae. Grandma Rachel passed away when I was 14, but I feel so blessed that my little Rachel Mae is able to know Grandma Mae. She even has blue eyes like Grandma Mae!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	4	4
poop	1	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:00	1:05
diaper	wet?	dry

cute moment

Grandma Mae commented several times today that Rachel was not being a "lap baby" today, that she just wants to be able to move around and explore. Rachel was extremely wiggly every time GreatGrandma tried to hold her. Consequently, GreatGrandma taught Rachel a new trick:

non-toy toy of the day

Cousin Andrea drinks Diet SunDrop when she travels. Her empty Diet SunDrop bottle was Rachel's favorite travel non-toy.

rhyme time

Sunday/Monday were good days (and they rhyme). She was dry both mornings, which makes four dry mornings in a row! It's unbelievable. I've looked back, and, except Sunday, we're using only 2-3 diapers a day now! I'm still waiting for the day she is reliable in communicating her need to use the potty, but I am convinced that will be the final piece to the puzzle.

On Sunday afternoon, Pop helped Jarrad change the brake pads on my car, so Rachel and I were home alone, and we were both exhausted from an eventful weekend. Feeling a little down, I decided to eat a sugar-free popsicle (what's happier than that?). Rachel seemed down, too, so I let her have a few licks. It was her first taste of something purely artificial and she loved it (of course).

Aunt Mamber watched the devastating end to the UNC NCAA game (she's a Tar Heel) at our house while Jarrad and I went to our friends' house for Bible study. Even though Aunt Mamber gets really into her Carolina games, she was very good not to scream loudly and wake up Rachel. We thanked her for her self-control.

My buddy, Koen came over this afternoon to hang out while his older brother, Bob celebrated his birthday with a few friends. After Jarrad came home and we put Rachel down for the night, Jarrad and Koen played together. Koen doesn't know Jarrad very well, but he seemed to enjoy his silliness almost as much as Rachel does!

Progress Report (Sunday)

	potty	diaper
peepee	2	4	Did I miscalculate?
poop	1	1

Progress Report (Monday)

	potty	diaper
peepee	8	2
poop	2	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	0:45	2:30
diaper	dry	dry

She's not had a wet diaper after a nap in so long!

cute moment

non-toy toy of the day

I let Rachel play with our drumsticks (they really belong to our friend Jesse). She likes to bang things together and slam them on the ground, so she really seemed to know what she was doing with those sticks! Rachel's Uncle Travis played drums, so it's in her blood. Koen's brother Bob also plays the drums. Maybe they can play a duet sometime!

saturday's child

What a long day! Rachel woke up at 6:20am with another DRY diaper! That is two mornings in a row she's been dry. I am very excited! Her short morning nap enabled an early afternoon nap, which worked out great since she was invited to her friends' birthday party! Zahra just turned 3 years old, and her sister, Maya (picture) is about to turn 1! Their mom, Abbey, and I worked together at our elementary school last year. We were prego at the same time, and she was a great resource for me, since this was her second. She helped me remember all the rules that come with pregnancy, and she gave me tips on how to relieve the many discomforts. She has been an awesome friend!

Right after the party, we piled back in the car to head to GiGi and Pop's house for a birthday celebration honoring Aunt Julie, Aunt Katie, and Jarrad. Aunt Julie, who has taken up knitting in a serious way, surprised Rachel with a beautiful new dress (pictured)! It's still a bit roomy, but it is SO CUTE! I am very excited and can't wait for her to wear it. GiGi also surprised Rachel by bringing out one of Aunt Mamber's old toys: a ride-on rolling horsey. She's too little to ride yet, but she enjoyed her first horsey-sit. We were only missing Uncle John tonight, but we hope to see him soon!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	6	2
poop	0	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	0:45	1:15
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

On the way to GiGi's house, I sat with Rachel in the back seat (to keep her entertained). I was really hoping she would take a little nap, but she was wound up and wanted to play. With about 20 minutes left to go, I put her sunshade up in hopes she'd get bored of looking at it, close her eyes, and fall asleep. Instead, she swatted at it and grabbed for it until she was able to pull it completely in front of her. She was so proud of herself, and she enjoyed propping her feet on it for the rest of the ride.

non-toy toy of the day

At the birthday party, while the older kids were interested in Zahra's gift-opening, Rachel sat alongside and played with the discarded wrapping paper. At one point, she had little torn pieces of wrapping paper stuck to both arms as she crawled from one wrapping paper ball to another.

THIS JUST IN: Will is a two-timer!

Two days after Rachel's big date with Will, he was caught with another girl! I guess Will and Leah are pretty cute together...

Rachel isn't worried, though, as she only has eyes for Alexander. You may recall that we've agreed to an arranged marriage between these two.

three ring circus

Rachel figured out her stacking rings today! I cheered and clapped when she finally got the first ring to drop down onto the post. She seemed proud, and she played with that toy a lot today. She really worked hard to get it right. She put a ring on, then took it off, turned it over, and put it back on. She was obviously fascinated with her new skill. She's also standing independently a lot today and yesterday. She'll just let go of whatever is supporting her and stand there for several seconds. She's getting so big. Every day, I look forward to seeing what she'll learn next!

We sold Rachel's highchair on Craigslist this afternoon. I went straight out to Target to buy the chair we want, but they only had two, and both boxes had been opened and rummaged through. I was disappointed not to get that. I guess she'll be using the Bumbo seat for meals tomorrow!

For lunch today, Rachel and I went to Jessica's house and had lunch with her and my cousin, Andrea. Jessica is nearing the end of her first pregnancy, and is very excited about her baby boy-on-the-way (they call him "TT" right now). I can't wait for her to join the mommy club!

Jarrad was home early enough for us to take a short family walk before Rachel's bedtime. She liked looking up through the little window in her stroller and seeing Daddy pushing her around!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	7	3
poop	1	0

Rachel's diaper was dry when she woke up at 6:00am, and it stayed dry all morning, and even through our 2.5-hour outing. Then, after her second nap, she got really busy playing, and had 3 wet diapers in less than 2 hours!

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:30	0:40
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

Rachel started something new today: every time I picked her up and slung her onto my hip, she wrapped her legs so tight around me. I love that she seems to feel so secure in my arms, and that's where she wants to be.

non-toy toy of the day

Rachel enjoyed her stacking rings so much today that she didn't really find any new non-toys.

like a bookworm on a hot rock

We had a rough rough night last night. Rachel woke up around midnight and started crying. After she cried for five minutes, I decided to go check on her. She almost never stays awake that long anymore, so I was afraid there was something wrong. Of course, nothing was wrong, except that she wanted company. I rocked her and she settled right back down, but her eyes were WIDE open, and she was not giving in. As soon as I made a move to put her back in the crib, she curled up to cling onto me, and she wailed. I knew I was just going to have to leave her alone to wind back down into sleep. A long 45 minutes later, at 1:00am, she finally went back to sleep. She woke up again at 6:30am.

We are having the best summer weather! I am excited that Rachel will get to wear a 6/9 month size yellow seersucker summery outfit mailed to her in our first shipment from PopPop and Uma back in the fall. They bought a few things in bigger sizes, and when I pulled this outfit out, I was sure she'd never get to wear it, since she'd be that size in the winter. It's cute yellow gingham with pink butterflies and flowers. It has matching pantaloons and a brimmed hat to complete the look. I can't wait for her to wear it!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	10	1
poop	1	0

She wakes up dry and happy from her naps!

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:15	1:30
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

Rachel did a LOT of reading today, leafing through her many boardbooks (can you leaf through board books?). She was so engrossed, like she really was considering the text and illustrations. Maybe she'll be a bookworm!

non-toy toy of the day

While Koen was at our house, Rachel played downstairs. To help keep her out of trouble, she got to play with our fun rubbery coasters we bought at Target a few years ago. They are great for teething, and they're also fun to bang together.

Here's what happens when I start taking too many pictures of Rachel...

toy swappers

Toy rotation day! In case you're keeping tabs, toy rotation day is completely arbitrary. It usually occurs a day or two after I notice Rachel ignoring her current toys. There are some of her toys I hate to put away, but i know it makes them more fun when they come back out again.

GiGi came over and stayed with Rachel while I went for my regular eye exam. Going to the eye doctor is not great entertainment, but having some time to myself is nice. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family right here in town! We almost always can call Jarrad's mom or one of his sisters to come over and stay with Rachel so we can have a break.

Jarrad stayed home tonight while I met my cousin for dinner. My cousin Beth has a little girl, too, so it's fun to compare notes. It's also fun to reminisce about our childhood and visiting Grandma's house. I hope that Rachel will always be close to her cousin Tyler, and they will make great memories and love each other like siblings do. Of course, it would be nice for her to have a girl cousin, too, HINT HINT Aunt KiKi and Uncle T...

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	8	2
poop	3	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	0:50	0:40
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

Rachel and I took a quick trip to the grocery store today. There must have been only 3 or 4 other people there, so it was a good time to go. There was a couple there, about Rachel's grandparents' age. When we came around the corner to their aisle, the gentleman exclaimed in a thick Boston accent, "Oh, oh, please tell me, which aisle? Where can I get one?" He said I really hit the jackpot with her. I sure think so! He begged me to make a mistake and put her in his cart to take home (she was wearing the pink kitty cat hat Aunt KiKi gave her at Christmas, so she was looking irresistably cute). He told me they have two--a 4-year-old and an 18-month-old, and they're the "apples of Granddad's eye." He said if he had known how great they were, he would have probably had them instead of his kids. Haha!

non-toy toy of the day

Rachel was getting hungry, and therefore fussy, on the way home from the store. My wallet was just the thing to help her make it. She turned it over and over, played with the zipper pull, and tasted the corners. Yuck!

what's in a name

Rachel knows Little Rex! It's amazing how much more Rachel is understanding lately. Yesterday, she had been carrying Little Rex around all afternoon. At some point after Jarrad came home, she dropped Little Rex and ended up playing with another toy on the other side of the room. I said, "Rachel, where's Little Rex?" She looked all around and finally crawled over and picked him up. Could it be? So we set up a series of experiments to test her, and she passed with flying colors! We named him only 3 or 4 weeks ago, and already she knows his name!

Rachel's new friend Will came over today! He is just 5 days older than Rachel, and he was dressed like a big boy in his orange polo shirt and blue jeans. He is SO cute, and he actually has less hair than Rachel! The pair had lunch together. Will's mommy, Christina, has also started using cloth diapers, so we've had fun comparing notes and learning together. I showed Christina our growing stash of dipes; she and I split an order of FuzziBunz that should be shipped soon. I'm excited to get some fun colors!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	4	6
poop	2	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:25	0:50
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

Rachel is giggling and clapping for all kinds of things lately. Today, she finally started laughing at a game Aunt KiKi made up. I close my eyes and let my facial expression fall flat for a second, and then I pop open my eyes, open my mouth to a grin, and gasp, like something has pleasantly surprised me. She laughed at this over and over. I hope I don't hyperventilate!

non-toy toy of the day

On our walk, though she didn't want to wear them, Rachel liked holding her sunglasses in her hand and waving them around. I did snatch one picture of her before she pulled them off...

life lesson

I've still been processing Pastor Scott's lesson from Sunday. After having a relationship with Christ for 20 years, last night, it really sunk in that God does care about ME. I've always had a big-picture view of God and how He must think of His creation (us, this world, etc). God created the world, created Man, to ultimately and exclusively glorify Him. So, it follows, that all things happen to that end: good, bad, big, small. In that case, MY circumstances and worries are merely bumps in MY road, not His. They may trip ME up, but not Him. They might bother ME, but they surely do not bother Him. But wait, that's not true is it? He does care; my worries do bother Him. It's incomprehensible, but so true. If Jesus cared about the wine at that wedding (John 2:1-11, Jesus' first miracle), and He cared about how He was regarded by those few people (His disciples), then He must care about ME. I would never have claimed to think God didn't care about me, but that is how I've conducted my inner thoughts and conflicts: as if they were mine to deal with. What a relief to know I should give them to God after all. That's how He wants it. That's how He intended it.

mirror, mirror on the wall

First things first: I forgot to wish my brother Happy Birthday yesterday!!! I am terrible about birthdays, but please don't be offended! (I did call him, by the way.) Rachel has the best Uncle Travis in the world...HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!

Rachel's 9-month visit went well! I was a little concerned when she weighed in at only 17lb 6oz (25th percentile for her age)--I was sure she was at least 18lb, and she measures 25.5 inches (20th percentile). But the doctor reassured me that, at this age, many children begin a different growth pattern than the one they've been on since birth (Rachel was in the 65th percentile at 6 months, and even higher before that). The doctor complimented Rachel's oh-so-cute cloth diaper (she wore my favorite FuzziBunz).

Our wake-up call came at 5:00am today. I couldn't believe she was up and demanding attention so early. I guess the chaos yesterday probably didn't help. She got up and played, but quickly got fussy. At 6:15am I went through our whole naptime routine and put her in her crib, not sure what to expect. She slept until 8:30am. That was nice, but it made her real naps crazy. I shouldn't really complain, though, since she usually stays in a relatively good mood, no matter what her naps are like. I put her down early tonight, and I hope she will recover easily from the lack of sleep!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	7	2
poop	1	1

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	0:45	0:45
diaper	dry	dry

cute moment

This afternoon, Rachel was playing in her room. She had her paci in her mouth, but pulled it out to set in on top of one of her containers. She then proceeded to pick up the container to get the paci back in her wide open mouth. I burst into laughter when I saw what she was attempting to do. She looked at me and started laughing too. When I finally settled down, she picked up her paci, put it on top of the container, and looked at me with a big grin on her face. She's such a comedienne.

non-toy toy of the day

Rachel's doctor let her play with a popsicle stick during her appointment today. Rachel was all smiles, which the doctor seemed to love, until after she got her shot. Rachel looked at the doctor, seeming to feel a bit betrayed. The doctor said, "Oh, have I lost my friend?" Rachel stared blankly at her, then looked at the popsicle stick in her hand, and back at the doctor. She soon broke into her precious grin. I guess the doctor's gift of the popsicle stick made up for the poke she got from her.

who's in charge here?

I know I reference Lisa & Leah a lot, but I was just looking on their blog, at a picture of Leah lying politely on her changing table. The caption reads that after her bath, Leah enjoys a baby massage as her mom applies lotion. I, too, put cream on Rachel's skin after a bath, but there is nothing calm or relaxing about it. Since Rachel became even the slightest bit mobile (at around five and a half months she was doing a lot of rolling and "back hopping" to get around), the changing table became a hazardous place. At first, I could hold her down fairly easily, but by six and a half months, I completely abandoned the changing table in favor of the floor for diaper changes and wardrobing. Since then, I have become accustomed to chasing her all around her room, trying to smear her skin with cream, get a dipe on her bottom, and clothe her. Last week, the thought occurred to me--what is the lesson here?--that she is free to do as she pleases while I chase her and coerce her and wait for her to decide to let me have my way for two-second snatches, until I get the result I need (a creamed, diapered, clothed baby)? Not good. And so, I reinstated the changing table. So far, it is a huge struggle, whith lots of whining and fussing (from both of us) and attempts to jump off the mat (from Rachel). We'll see if we stick with it. Do other mommies out there experience this?? Comments welcomed...

Today was fun but exhausting. We went to church, as usual, and then we attended a "community group," which is basically a Bible study that meets at a member's home. We had a great time getting to know some other young couples in our new church, and there was another baby there--a very cute ten-month-old baby boy named Noah. He's much calmer than Rachel, and the two babies found each other amusing. Noah's sister, Mia, is immensely more active than either Rachel or Noah, and Rachel really thought her antics were funny, as she jumped around the living room in just her diaper, saying, "Hey, baby" and patting Rachel on the head.

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	5	5
poop	2	3

cute moment

Daddy is so silly!

non-toy toy of the day

A yellow cup.

life lesson

One thing that stuck with me from the sermon, from John 2:1-11, is that Jesus' first miracle is changing water to wine at a wedding, where He had been invited as a guest. Isn't that a strange miracle for His first? Why wouldn't His first miracle be something huge, like raising the dead--something that would make a huge impression on a lot of people? Instead, He performs a miracle that had a huge impact on just a few people, because He cares! I've read that scripture many times, and I never thought about that. Amazing!

chapter four: the happy child

Rachel is nine months old today! Since I started blogging, I take pictures of Rachel daily. Sometimes I take LOTS of pictures of Rachel. So, I will shamefully report, on the 17th of each month, Rachel's picture count.

Eight-month picture count: 565 beautifully unique pictures of our precious baby girl.

Since the arrival of our firstborn, I've found that sleep is more complicated than I ever imagined. Even though Rachel's friend, Leah, is 10 weeks younger than she, I have consulted her mommy, Lisa, for Rachel's sleep problems almost since Leah was born. I finally bought her reference book, Healty Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I got it a couple of months ago when Rachel was struggling with night waking. The funny thing is that she slept great the very same night I bought the book, though I hadn't even cracked it open yet. The book has taught me several things, about biological sleep rythms and times, and, weirdest, that sleep yields sleep. And so I started noticing, when Rachel doesn't sleep well, it is usually because she hasn't slept well. It's counter-intuitive, but I've found it to be true for Rachel, and Lisa has found it true for Leah, too. Thursday, Rachel took two loooong naps. I was naturally a little worried about bedtime and how she'd sleep (how much more sleep could she need??). Thursday night, she went to sleep at 7:30pm, and, Friday morning, for the first time in a long time, she slept until 6:45am. I guess it's true: sleep yields sleep!

Friday was not as "perfect," but it wasn't bad either. Her afternoon nap was too short. GiGi came over late in the afternoon to visit Rachel, and then she spent the night here while Jarrad and I got to go to NCSU campus to see the Pack play their Round 2 game of the NIT Tournament. The game was at 9:30pm, and it wasn't over until almost midnight (we won!). Since everyone was trying to leave at once, Jarrad and I took a walk down memory lane (as they say). We took the often-tread course between Bragaw and Owen dorms, where he and I lived (respectively) when we met. I actually remember saying many many times, as that in-love 18-year-old girl, "I can't wait until we're married, and you don't have to walk me home anymore." We bought some nostalgic snacks from our dorm C-store, we sat on the bench where he asked me, "I have to know, do you want to be more than friends" (to which I supernaturally replied, "I definitely want to be more than friends," even though my mind was telling me to go ahead and let him down easy). We held hands as we walked down the path where he first held my hand (where I had gently reminded him that I'm not his girlfriend, as I didn't appreciate him claiming me in public for all the other cute boys to see). Poor guy, Jarrad really hung in there for me, and I am SO BLESSED he did. He is so patient! Walking on campus made my heart long for those carefree days.

But, as you know, I wouldn't trade being a MOMMY for anything in the world!

Progress Report (Friday)

	potty	diaper
peepee	5	3
poop	4	0

Her diaper was also dry first thing Friday morning!

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:20	0:45
diaper	dry	dry

Progress Report (Saturday)

	potty	diaper
peepee	4	5
poop	0	1

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	0:40	1:30
diaper	wet&dirty	dry

cute moment

Rachel has clinged onto Little Rex the last couple of days. She's also beginning to find him more funny and interesting than her other toys. Do we have a "lovey" on the horizon? I think it's hilarious that she loves a little green dinosaur that much, but I guess he's just her size. She likes to give him big sloppy kisses and toss him around over and over. She cackles when he plays peek-a-boo, and she loves it when he nibbles on her ears. Here's a pic of Rachel with her current two favorite toys: her paci and Little Rex. This cute shirt was a Christmas gift from Aunt Mamber.

non-toy toy of the day

Rachel L-O-V-E-S playing with her moniter. I am usually pretty good to remember to pick it up after naps, but, yesterday, I forgot. She headed straight for it as soon as she spotted it. She was having such a good time, so I let her play on for a few minutes before distracting her and taking it away.

chapter three: the perfect baby

We had a perfectly routine day today. Rachel woke up a bit early, at 5:30am, but was happy. She went down for her nap at exactly 9:00am and slept until 11:10am. We went straight out for a stroll around the neighborhood, stopped to talk to our neighbors for a few minutes, and then back inside for lunch. She played until her afternoon nap, which was at exactly 2:00pm. She played a while in her crib and went to sleep at 2:15pm until 3:40pm, at which time we loaded up and went to see our friend Koen. Aunt Mamber greeted us for a visit when we got back home. We had dinner, and Rachel and Aunt Mamber played until 7:00pm, when it was time to wind down. She was in her crib around 7:25pm and asleep by 7:35pm. Such a textbook day!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	5	3
poop	0	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	2:10	1:25
diaper	dry	dry

Before breakfast this morning, I made several attempts to get Rachel to use the potty. She resisted, and I didn't force it (she's starting to get pretty good about sitting if she needs to go). I got her in her highchair and started feeding her. She seemed rather hungry, but, after two or three bites, she suddenly looked at me and waved her hand like she does at the potty. So I pulled her out of her crib and carried wimpering Rachel upstairs, where she promptly sat and used her potty. And she seemed to feel better.

cute moment

Rachel spent a few minutes in her crib while I did a couple of things in her room today. She didn't seem to mind her mini-prison, as she watched me scurry about, putting things in their places. My favorite part, though, was that she kept grinning and hollering, jumping up and down as hard as she could (we joke that you can hear her jaw flop...you really can!).

non-toy toy of the day

While Aunt Mamber was here, Rachel got to play in the living room (we usually play in her nursery). Rachel is really good at finding fun things to get into. Today, she enjoyed crawling to her carseat, where she loves to play with the straps. It's also a great place for her pull up and hang on while she dances (to the music in her head).

nobody's perfect

Rachel woke up at 6:32am, with a DRY diaper! I couldn't believe it! Are we done with dipes?? At 7:10am, it happened: a wet diaper. It continued all day. I guess we just hit a rhythm yesterday, but hopefully it was a taste of things to come (soon). Please notice in the picture that she chose to suck on her paci in the upside-down position. Sometimes she chooses the handle.

We had a good day today. Rachel was giggly all day (she's becoming more and more giggly). Her afternoon nap was brief because she fell asleep in the car on the way home from buying a stroller from Craigslist. I'm glad to get this stroller. Rachel has two, but neither has shoulder harnesses, and, since she's become so wiggly, I don't trust her with just the lap belt. Even though the stroller we bought today is big and bulky, it'll at least be great for our frequent walks in the neighborhood. We took a walk this afternoon, and Rachel had a great time, riding in luxury! There is even a little peek-through window in the canopy so she can look up at me, which she did often.

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	5	5
poop	1	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:00	0:25
diaper	dry	wet

cute moment

In spite of her short afternoon nap, Rachel seemed hyper at bedtime. We did our normal routine, but she was just wanting to bounce and wiggle. When she started squirming to get down and play, I quickly stuck her paci in her mouth. She furrowed her brow, took her paci out, looked at it, and then put it back in her mouth.

non-toy toy of the day

When we were driving this afternoon, I heard an unfamiliar gurgle coming from the backseat. I looked in Rachel's mirror and saw that she was gnawing on her bare toes. She must be glad to taste those again since the weather is warmer! She also pulled her sock off during our walk, and was very proud to have one bare foot. Hooray for a new non-toy toy to play with!

you can't handle the tooth

We had an overwhelmingly awesome day today. Rachel slept until 6:10am (a tad later than usual), and she was a happy girl all day. Could it be because her FIRST TOOTH finally broke through? It's just a hint of a tooth, and I could hardly see it, but it is unmistakable when I feel her bottom gums and there is a sharp point sticking up. She went down for her naps easily and slept well today, and now she's asleep for the night...until 7:00am?? I hope!

After her short afternoon nap, we drove down the road to see MeMaw and PawPaw. They live so close to us and I hope we can go see them more often. They got a kick out of Rachel's wiggles. PawPaw said she's like a "worm on a hot rock." Rachel was a show-off, waving to them and pulling up, babbling and giggling. She was most amazed by a fox cousin Anthony received on Valentine's Day. The fox dances to the song "Come and Get Your Love," opening its pink bathrobe to reveal a flashing red heart with the word "FOXY." Usually Rachel dances to music, but she could only gaze, mesmerized, at the fox. PawPaw also liked Rachel's pink pink outfit, so he gifted her a beautiful pink hyacinth. It was a great day!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	11	0
poop	1	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:35	0:45
diaper	dry	dry

I am not kidding with these numbers. I guess celebrating dry diapers is working! By the way, I had someone ask for an explanation of the potty table. Yes, Rachel actually does peepee and poop that often. I count myself lucky, though, as lots of babies are heavy-wetters. Rachel is a light-but-frequent wetter, which means we don't usually have to worry about leaky diapers.

cute moment

When Daddy comes home...

dry as a bone

Rachel woke up at 5:30am: she has too easily adjusted to the time change. So, we had about and hour and a half of quality mommy-daughter before-the-sun-comes-up time. My wonderful husband took over at 7:45am, and I went down for my morning nap of 40 minutes. It was just what I needed. Before her nap, Rachel insisted she walk some laps in her bedroom. I got dizzy, but she was cooing the whole way.

I bought some more diapers today from another person on Craigslist! I've promised Jarrad that our collection is now complete--no more diaper purchases! (I do still have a few on the way in the mail, but that's IT). The seller and I met at a Kids' Consignment Sale, so Rachel and I breezed through. I bought her a cute little swimsuit, pink with white polka dots, Gymboree (okay!) and an adorable dress for summer, OshKoshB'Gosh and brand new. Both are sized 12 months, so they will be perfect this summer. I'm excited to get the swimsuit, too, since we will be going to the beach in July!

Rachel had a really good day today, and so did I. Jarrad doesn't know how much it means to me when he hangs out with her for a few minutes and lets me take a nap early in the morning every once in awhile. It recharges me, and it helps my feelings (I get overwhelmed, discouraged, and/or frustrated too easily). It's just such a nice break from feeling like I'm on call all the time, and I love him for it.

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	10	4
poop	4	0
	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:30	0:45
diaper	dry	dry

I cannot believe how well this potty business is going. I'm now phasing out of potty celebration, because she's got pottying down pat. Now, I'm making a really big deal over a dry diaper. So we cheer and jump and exclaim over the dryness, and then she sits on the potty. It shouldn't be long now!

cute moment

Rachel has a toy we call her "DaddyToy" because there is a silly picture of her daddy on one side of the ring (there's a mirror on the other side). She has always loved that toy. It's a great size for her to hang onto, and it's perfect for chewing on. Today, she was playing with her DaddyToy, and I showed her the picture of Jarrad. I said, "Who's that, Rachel? Is that Dada?" At first, she looked at the door, expecting him to come in. I said, "No, Rachel, right here, it's Dada!" She looked at the picture, perplexed, and then broke into a huge gummy grin and giggled. She's seemed to be seeing it for the first time, because, after that, she would chew, then look, then grin and giggle.

non-toy toy of the day

There is one knob on Rachel's chest of drawers that has a stripped screw, and so it hangs kind of loose. Rachel likes to make it rattle, and today she kept coming back and playing with it. Each time, she had her focused face on, like she was really concentrating on her task.

kiss my love

On Saturday, I got 5 Kissaluvs brand cloth diapers off Craigslist! I am so excited! These are the perfect diaper for Rachel to wear during the day when we're home and she's playing and pottying regularly. They are fitted diapers, so they wrap around and snap, and they fit like really thick underwear. It's a better alternative than letting her crawl around with a bare bottom! Hopefully we'll have less floor accidents this way. Cloth diapering is so much easier and more fun than I imagined it would be.

I was hoping the time change this weekend would put Rachel back on schedule to start sleeping until 7:00am like she used to, in the good ol' days. But this morning, she cried for me at 5:50am, even though her body should have thought it was only 4:50am. How did she know?? All I know is that I am struggling, having missed that hour completely. Church was great this morning. Jarrad, Rachel and I all dressed in RED to back the Pack! We were very excited about NCSU making it to the ACC Championship game, and we had to show our support. Rachel was a hit in her cheerleading uniform. If you know me, you know I am not a fan of cheerleading, nor cheerleading uniforms, and, even less, clothes with messages written across the bum. But, just this once, it was pretty darn cute.

Progress Report (Sunday)

	potty	diaper
peepee	6	4
poop	1	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:00	1:15
diaper	wet	dry

Rachel did well on the potty Saturday too, but I can't remember the exact count. I do know she had one floor accident after her bath, and Jarrad got to witness this one. We both laughed pretty hard.

On another fun potty note, when Rachel doesn't want to stop what she's doing long enough to sit, I can always convince her by putting Eeyore on the potty and making him jump up and down as if he went. She grins and complies every time.

cute moment

I took Rachel's lunch with us to watch the game at a restaurant with Jarrad and a couple of guys we know. Her lunch included a Zwieback Toast. Since Monkey also tagged along, Rachel thought it would be nice to share her lunch with him. She repeatedly offered him bites of her toast.

non-toy toy of the day

While watching the game, Rachel most preferred playing with the ketchup bottle on the table. I made sure she kept her paci in her mouth so she wouldn't try to eat the ketchup! Yuck! (Don't worry: after she played with the ketchup bottle, she played with a hand wipe.)

who am i talking to now, cybil?

Rachel was a bit manic-depressive today. She's happy, she's sad, she's mad, she's fussy, she's giggly. Who can tell? I hope it's just the [alleged] teeth. She's also been so sleepy all day, constantly putting her head down and acting as if she can't keep her eyes open. She didn't sleep well last night (teeth?). I surely hope she's not getting sick. She had a very early bedtime tonight, and she's been sleeping hard. I hope it lasts!

GiGi came for a visit this afternoon, and Rachel stayed in pretty good spirits while GiGi was here. She even pottied twice. What a show-off!

Progress Report

	potty	diaper
peepee	6	3
poop	4	0

	AM nap	PM nap
duration	1:30	1:45
diaper	dry	wet

As you see, I'm adding more potty information. Rachel has been waking up dry a lot lately (from naps--not in the morning). I thought it would be fun to keep track of that info to. It won't hurt my feelings, though, if you decide to skip it altogether and scroll down to the cuter information.

cute moment

Rachel was wiped out tonight as we were getting her ready for bed. We would get her giggling, and then she'd give us a whine-giggle, which quickly morphed into a full-on fuss, and then a cry. She'd take a deep breath and calm down, and we started all over again. It was kind of pitiful, and pretty cute.

non-toy toy of the day

Lots of babies Rachel's age have what is called a "lovey," a special stuffed animal or blanket that they find especially comforting. They sleep with it and drag it around with them. Rachel has not yet adopted a lovey. I do think that, if she could, she would take my hands or feet as her lovey. She was a very sleepy baby today, and she continually lay her head on my feet for a break, or she took my hand and put it over her face and closed her eyes.