A few tidbits

Mario arrives today! I can't wait to see him and to enjoy some middle of the night help with Clare! My next goal is to figure out how to get her to sleep longer...we feed her for the late night feeding around 10-12 p.m. and then she's up around 4-7 a.m. Anytime in there is fair game for her, I wish it were closer to 6 or 7 a.m. rather than 4 a.m. Suggestions?

I've had a hard time waking up today, I stayed up too late finishing my novel and am paying for it now. I love the St. Simons Library here...they have the latest books that you can rent for 10 cents a day. I have a stack next to me that I want to try and read over the weekend along with the David Sedaris book Mario got me for Christmas.

My knees are doing a bit better today but they still bust open when I bend down. They should be just dandy in a few days. Last night to pamper myself I raided Clare's extensive bath and beauty collection. I love the smell of her lavender lotion and after my shower I indulged.

Last night Dad gave Clare a bottle. Our tactic is firm now: heat the bottle in boiling water and then sneak attack. Feed her while she's just waking up. It works and that makes us happy! I noticed thought that Clare makes my dad laugh, really laugh in a genuine way. The other day they were sticking their tounges out at eachother and she'd giggle and his whole face would light up. Good stuff.

Viewing fun and a new link to be added: Tim and Anja!

Reading

Lost in the Forest
by: Sue Miller

(she wrote Inventing the Abbots)

Thursday on the Island

And we’re here. I’m having trouble posting to Blogger for some reason. Not sure if it’s the actual site, my computer or the internet connection. Anyhow, Clare and I are enjoying the week on St. Simons Island. We are expecting weather in the high 60’s and low 70’s for New Year’s Weekend, so that means lots of stroller walks to the beach, swimming for Bailey, and generally good spirits.

The actual holiday flew by with lots of people around. The things I enjoyed the most included:

Children’s mass on Christmas Eve
Our annual Low Country Boil for Christmas dinner
Opening gifts for hours and hours
Playing Yahtzee!
Having help with Clare
Mug nite with Michael, Mikie and naked photo hunt
My new iPod docking station
Cleaning up after the chaos

I’m looking forward to putting out our new porch rocking chairs and seeing our new coffee table at home next week. Slowly we are putting together our house the way we want it to be…and the beach house too. It seems like it takes forever at times. I got Mario a painting for Christmas that I just love. That’s a great perk of giving art. He also got new hockey ice skates, a dresser valet (boring I know), a retro Atari (which he doesn’t like), and a picture of Clare.

Today I cooked. I don’t usually cook, but I had the 4th of May cookbook from Dad and my Moosewood Cookbook from Mario, so I dove in. Mainly, trying to figure out what in the world to do with tons of turkey and ham leftovers. Watch out Mario…it’s casserole city in our fridge down here. Not your favorite, but cut me a little slack on this one! And the whole time I cooked I got to wear my new ‘Gwen’ apron courtesy of Santa Dad.

Tomorrow night there’s jazz at the Village coffee shop. I saw the sign on the sidewalk shortly after I totally wiped out in front of this Beach Shoppe boutique. I thought maybe a more fashionable something would make me feel better and more hip in this post-partum body. But, being a boutique meant that everything (except for 2 sweaters) existed in size small. The 2 sweaters had potential, if I had no boobs. So, after a humiliating session there, I fell flat on my face, bloodied both of my knees, and scraped my palms. Aye…at least there’s jazz to look forward too and a date with Mario. He still loves me with my big boobs and bloody knees.

And finally, a very happy 30th birthday to Geoff! He’s the first of my college and high school cohort to turn 30…and a sure signal that my 30th is just around the corner. Maybe in my 30th year I’ll finally become more coordinated?

High Scores

Current Yahtzee high scores:

480: Mikie
410: Mario
406: Michael
401: Mikie

I'm telling you...it's addictive.

Car Blogging

Yes...I'm in my car. Clare's in the back seat finally sleeping and I'm craving some communication without relying on babysitters to watch Clare. So...here we are in the car mooching off of a wireless connection. It works for now, I checked my email, a few blogs, and am now feeling less anxious.

Everyone (except Dad) is gone from the island. I'm trying to figure out where everything is after our whirlwind of activity. Mario is back in Columbia and I'm expecting him again on Friday.

Side note: A year ago yesterday we conceived Clare. My how time flies.

Yahtzee

Our family is obsessed with Yahtzee! Mario got me the hand held electronic Yahtzee game for Christmas and won the 'hit of Christmas' award! It's addictive (thanks Emilie!) and we are competing for turns at the machine. We even got the 'real' Yahtzee game, took it to mug night at Rafters, and may splurge for the Texas Hold 'Em version. If you haven't played in awhile...give it a shake, it's lots of fun!

Christmas turned out to be great fun...more on that in a later post...Mario is back in Columbia, the rest of the gang is here on SSI and all is well.

With so many helpful hands during this holiday I've hardly felt like Clare's mom. It's nice to have help around to watch her, hold her, and yes...FEED HER. Gigi got the bottle to go down and now she's enjoying a bottle a day! Phew. I thought we'd never get there.

I'll post more when we've got a better connection. Happy Holidays to all!

Waiting

Clare, Grandpa Mike and I are waiting for everyone to arrive. It's a gorgeous day on the island and we enjoyed breakfast at Dressner's this morning. Everyone should arrive by this evening.

Invitations to Cousin Tina's wedding arrived yesterday...they're beautiful. Mario thinks I should consider opening a stationary/paper shop due to my infatuation with different types of paper. Sounds like fun to me! I wonder if it would work...there are a ton in Columbia already, but none here on St. Simons Island.

And more good news! They have peppermint mochas at Palm Coast Coffee Co.! I'm thrilled. And Holly is having a GIRL!!!! Clare's geeked to have a girly new playmate! Congrats Holly and Paul.

Over the River...

Over the river and through the marsh to St. Simons Island we go! Clare and I will lead the way in our Saturn station wagon coach. The rest of the crew follows and will arrive on Friday afternoon and evening to begin the holiday celebrations!

Things I'm looking forward to:

Group meals
Walking the puppies and Clare
Visiting Palm Coast Coffee
Wrapping gifts
The marathon opening session on Christmas morning
Midnight mass with Clare
Touring and looking at the lights
Watching Bailey swim
Being together

Clare's currently down for her morning nap and I'm almost finished packing our stuff to leave. Our house seems much less cluttered after having lunch with Elizabeth. I am adopting her purge attitude and in the few places I've started I can already see a big improvement. I will always cling to things and maybe feeling less cluttered I can let go more. What do you save in your house that takes up lots of room?

I have my cell phone charged waiting for Holly's call this afternoon to let us know if Baby Kate or Baby Charlie will be coming to visit this spring! Clare's geeked because she has her first official date planned. A T-Shirt from the New Orleans Audobon Zoo arrived with an invitation from Will to come visit. Young love...

What gift are you most excited about giving? I've asked a bunch of folks this over the past few days and it's fun to watch the responses. Faces light up because usually there's at least one gift that we're super excited to see the reaction. But there are exceptions, Michael doesn't react to any gift *unless he's 8 years old and it's a go-cart in the living room!

As Clare gets older Christmas will become more and more interesting. This year we have 3 gifts for Clare. Baby Jesus got three gifts and she'll get three too. Keeps it simple for us right now. Next year we'll have to start with the Santa stuff...Mom and Stan will be guest bloggers for Santa 101, 201, and 301. They were really great at doing Santa and had us going for a very long time!

HO HO HO

!@#$^#$^#$&%$^$##$%

Pre-Teen Angst

I found brown stuff in my white cotton underpants after health class in the 7th grade. I stuffed a wad of toilet paper into my underwear, left the stall and went back into the hallway. Out there I whispered to best friend Holly that I though my period might have started. She had hers already and I explained what I saw in my underwear. We decided that it probably was my period, but to be sure I should check again after school and call her immediately.

On the bus ride home I remember feeling special. I'd read Are you there God? It's me Margaret. about 20 times, scoured the pages of What's Happening to my Body Book for Girls, and longed for the day when I too could carry little pink pads in my bag. I glanced longingly at the feminine products the same way that brides look at bridal gowns, couples look at pregnancy tests, pregnant women scour baby sections, and boys scan the condom aisle. When I got home there was a bit more and I realized that I 'got my period.'

I think I had a contraband pad around my room, it's questionable since I was living at my Dad's house at the time. That night we went to my Mom's house to start the holidays with friends and our relatives coming from Chicago. With the chaos of trying to prepare for Grandma's arrival and Mom's last minute attempts to be Martha, I didn't tell my mom my period started. I knew for sure that I didn't want the ENTIRE family to know about my new news.

So, I didn't tell her for four more months. Agonizing months trying to figure how to tell, explain why I hadn't told, and most importantly trying to scrounge up enough pads and tampons to get through the periods. I'd swipe them here or there trying to build up enough supply, learning to carefully hide and throw away the evidence (do you have any idea how hard this is?), and not letting anyone but my best friend know.

Holly threatened to tell my Mom so I finally did it. On my 13th birthday I told her my period started and she went with it. I could now dispose of pads in peace. I watched patiently as she explained how tampons worked by pushing one out of the cardboard tube and then soaking it in water to demonstrate the abosorbancy. Telling her wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Each December 23 I buy myself a present to celebrate the event. Really, I'm so itchy to open presents at this point it is probably just an excuse, but I do it each year and look forward to the day. I hope Clare will be able to come to me and let me know when her day is here. Maybe if she knows that there are presents involved that will help motivate her a bit.

Wondering

How many people stare at the UPS truck as it drives down the street hoping it will stop at their house?

Dear Santa

I would just love one of these under the tree Christmas Morning! It looks like so much fun and it's even got a remote for Mommy to use.

xoxo,
Clare

$14.99

Hmm...maybe this would work. It's amazing how $14.99 for a bottle seems so inexpensive if it actually works. Clare might need one of these in her stocking next Sunday!

We did the 'heat the milk in the boiling water' trick last night and are happy to report some very modest sucess. Warm milk is apparently super important to Clare. I pumped in the bedroom while Mario fed her in the living room. I didn't hear much screaming over my George Winston CD.

Today we are heading out to have lunch at the Mellow Mushroom with Elizabeth and James. Tonight we have the baptism class at church so we can sign up for a baptism date and figure out what we need to do to prepare.

Gaining and losing

Rise and Shine! We were up early this morning for an 8 a.m. pediatrician visit. The back of Clare's head is a bit flat so we visited for a follow up...the result: it's still sort of flat and the pediatrician wants to follow up again in another month. In the meantime we'll do more tummy time and explore napping on the tummy.

She's 13 lbs and 11 oz and continues to grow at a good rate. Not a lick of luck on the bottle, but today I got more advice that includes:
**make sure the bottle is really warm (99 degrees or so)
**Mommy can't be in the room or nearby when the bottle is given
**try the el cheapo Wal-Mart bottles
So, we'll see how that goes again when Mario gets home tonight. But, having Clare take and like a bottle is the #1 wish on my Christmas list right now. Now we all end up cranky and in tears at the end of each bottle attempt. Not fun.

I'm kind of in a post pregger funk lately. We went to see The Family Stone last night and I left wanting to have five kids. Getting pregnant again sounds easier than losing the pregnancy pounds. That part isn't much fun at all, having Christmas sweets and treats everywhere doesn't seem to help on that end either. I purged our cabinets of all sweets in an attempt to slim down without joining a gym. My next step is to pump more.

Breastfeeding burns 500-1000 calories a day. Okay, so my body might think I have triplets but pumping is so much easier than the stairmaster. Does that count as an exercise plan?

Things that need to be invented

A hands free breast pump
Vibrating car seat carrier
Remote controlled never ending mobile
Boob shaped bottle

Feel free to add your suggestions!

Today's Top Ten

10. The Family Stone
9. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
8. My iPod
7. Late night shopping hours at Macy's
6. Homemade beef stew
5. Peppermint mochas
4. Christmas cards in the mail
3. Kiltartan Road Christmas
2. www.canadadrugs.com
1. Sleeping in

Air Baby

I love Sunday mornings at home. Coffee, Mario, Clare, bagels, and Christmas lights.

Can you smell them?

I love love love love gingerbread men (and women). Finally, Nestle Tollhouse came out with pre-cut gingerbread folks that I can bake, smell and then eat their heads off.

Happiness is...

A balloon tied to your foot.

Meltdown

I cried last night in the car.

Dad and I drove to Charlotte to do a Costco run, to visit Michael and Mikie, and to load up his sleigh with things to bring back to St. Simons for the holidays. We all went out to dinner at this cute pizza place in Elizabeth and Clare broke down.

Nothing would console her. Not food, bouncing, holding, or walking. Just sobs came from her mouth and I finally abandoned my dinner to put her in Dad's car where we drove around and around while I cried.

I pushed her too far yesterday and felt awful for it. Poor girl...she slept peacefully all of the way home and we made an executive parental decision to stay in for the weekend...letting her normalize on naps, meals and playtime. It was a three state week...lots of road and travel time and we all could use a break.

Strom Party

Grandpa Mike travelled over 500 miles round trip to watch Clare while we attended the annual Strom Law Firm Christmas party. Aye...what can one say when it's uncertain who reads e-Clare? Let's just say it felt a bit like that movie Groundhog Day with good food.

When Dad asked what we had to eat I listed the snacks on the table at Gervais and Vine:

• Petit Filet Mignon with Feta and Balsamic Reduction
• Sea Scallops wrapped in bacon
• Beef Paillardes with Mushroom Demi Glace and Gorgonzola
• Grilled Shrimp with Spicy Aioli
• Grilled Italian Sausage with Romesco Sauce
• Mediterranean Crab Cake with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
• Marinated Grape Tomatoes over Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella
• A Selection of Fine Domestic and Imported Cheeses
• Marinated Artichoke Hearts
• Marinated Mediterranean Olives
• And more!

I realized that I'd listed almost all of his favorite foods. Next year I promise I'll bring back leftovers for the babysitter.

So much in my life changed over the past year. Last year at the party I'd just returned from India and sat by the cheese platter ingesting cubes by the mouthful (India is a bit shy in the cheese department) not entirely sure what I wanted to do next. This year...well there's time for that later.

Dollar Store Love

We've got to go and check out the Dollar Store for more fun baby items! Clare loves her new vibrating bug (thanks to Katharine and Reeves for sharing!) on her car seat.

Lunching

Lunch with Daddy.
Lunch with Mommy.

Charleston Vocabulary

Two new words I learned in Charleston at Caroline's Bunko group.

Man Bitch: hired one ($10/hr. to do household tasks), not to be confused with a husband.
I need to hire a man bitch to hang my Christmas lights outside. They're wonderful and they don't sass back.

Muffin Top: Area of stomach pushed upwards by jeans post-pregnancy.
Y'all have got to go to Chico's and get their new jeans, they totally eliminate the muffin top because they are stretchy.

Morning at Caroline's

Road Trip

Clare and I going to Charleston today! She's currently passed out in the middle of our bed...each morning she giggles and smiles at the ceiling fan while I get ready and usually manages to fall asleep there too. So we're going to visit Caroline, Costco, and to do our annual peppermint mocha toast.

Around here things are quiet at the moment. Mario and I had a not so exciting date to Walmart last night, but we now have groceries and toilet paper to get us through the next few weeks. While strolling the toilet paper aisle I noticed an advertisement for the 'triple roll'...the ad claimed that it would save both time and money. Seriously though, how much time does it take to change a roll of toilet paper? Anyhow, we stuck to our usual TP brand and I'll pass up the new time saving mechanism.

Santa's going to have to work overtime to fill the rest of the lists scattered around our house. Maybe when Grandpa Mike comes to visit later this week we can escape and take advantage of the late night shopping hours.

Got Milk?

This is the milk from our freezer. I stopped keeping the pumped milk on October 17th and since then I've just been dumping it down the drain.
This is the milk we decided to keep 'just in case' my boobs stop working. Even though there's plenty it still felt painful to throw so much away.

NYC Numbers

Stairs to Rena's apartment: 87-96
Subway fare: $2
My new cashmere scarf: $10
A bag of Leggo's: $20
Price fixe lunch at The Gotham: $25
Hair pins I like: $10.39
Hair pins I love: $9/pr.
Rolling Rock pint: $3
Falafel in the West Village: $2
Tour of Santaland: $0
Wait time at Santaland: 0
Number of Santa's at Santaland: Unknown
# of stroller's purchased: 1
Trips to K-Mart: 2
Books purchased: 2
Diapers changed on airplanes: 5
Bottles taken: 0
Bagels consumed: 2
Consumed Peppermint Mochas: 1

We're Back!

Hi everyone! We're back in South Carolina and are enjoying ALL of the space in our house. Aunt Rena and Uncle Kev hosted our trip to New York with gusto and provided fabulous accomodations. Overall the journey felt like a booming sucess. Navigating through the city with slush and snow in a stroller, airlifting down flights of stairs to use the subway system, and exploring all turned out great. Doing all of that without an extra set of hands would be a a challenge, though Aunt Rena assures us that random folks help stroller women all of the time. They just stand at the edge of the steps, someone grabs the stroller, down they go, and off they go...usually without even an exchange of words. Amazing.

I loved the walking, shopping, and exploring. More on that stuff later...all of our photos are arranged in a slide show here or you can click on the My Photos link over to the right. Clare flew like a champ (with a minor meltdown on the last leg) and is happy to report that at three months she is an 8 state and 6 airplane ride baby. I can't wait to keep adding to those numbers!

NYC: Day Three

Today brought lots of walking all over the city. We explored the East Village around us, the West Village for falafels, the garmet district, Times Square, and the subway system. We're pooped but are planning to head out for Mexican tonight (Mario's got a craving for chips and salsa...and I've got a craving for a Margarita.)

Find of the day: hair barettes at The Village Scandal that make me smile.

Deal of the day: $1.99 coffee and danish at the 9th St. bakery.

Photo of the day: The three of us in the Washington Street park.

NYC: Day Two

Too much fun here!

We filled an entire bag with Legos for Clare at F.A.O. Schwartz.
We met Becky for lunch.
Clare got a new blue and white velour polka dot dress.
We toured Santa Land at Macy's and got pictures take with Santa.
A quick visit to Anthropologie.
American Girl Place rocked and I loved the positive messages.
I bought a cashmere pink/green scarf on the street.
Found Love in the Time of Cholera in an East Village bookshop.
We ate at a tiny Itlalian place called Bello's.
Mario and I had a date at Veniero's pastry shoppe.
And it SNOWED today.

Ahh...urban fun and urban food. Enough to make any girl happy.

Snow in the City

I loved waking up this morning! Outside giant flakes are falling and it feels magical.

Clare was doing her morning exercises on the bed between us, the steam heat kept us toasty warm, and coffee brewed in the kitchen. Mario turned to Clare and asked 'did you bring the snowtires for your stroller?'

NYC: Day One

We're here and it's awfully cold! Clare is bundled in her pink snowsuit and absorbs all of the sights as we stroll along. Our stroller JUST arrived tonight...24 hours after landing. We bought a $12.99 umbrella stroller at K-Mart this morning so we could have something to use...but we're happy to have our Chicco back. This city is the land of $200-$300 strollers and devices to keep kids warm. On 12th Street someone came up to us to us and sort of half yelled that we need to put a blanket on Clare.

We are staying with Mario's sister, Rena, on East 7th Street in her apartment. There's a cat named Luno, her cousin, and the four of us. It's cozy but warm and we took over their cousin Kevin's room for the weekend.

This afternoon we enjoyed an incredible lunch at The Gotham with Aunt Peggy. After lunch she drove us down 5th Avenue to glimpse in the windows of Lord and Taylor and to peek at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Clare behaved like an angel. We nursed at The Gotham, she slept in my lap, and Mario even changed her diaper in the men's room.

Later this afternoon I indulged in a Peppermint Mocha in Union Square and we toured the Holiday Craft Market. Rena joined us for Thai food at Sea tonight and I think we're about ready to crash. Tomorrow we're meeting Becky for lunch and we hope to do a bit more shopping besides touring the local K-Mart.

Oh...and after midnight it's supposed to start snowing! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

NYC: Day One

We're here and it's awfully cold! Clare is bundled in her pink snowsuit and absorbs all of the sights as we stroll along. Our stroller JUST arrived tonight...24 hours after landing. We bought a $12.99 umbrella stroller at K-Mart this morning so we could have something to use...but we're happy to have our Chicco back. This city is the land of $200-$300 strollers and devices to keep kids warm. On 12th Street someone came up to us to us and sort of half yelled that we need to put a blanket on Clare.

We are staying with Mario's sister, Rena, on East 7th Street in her apartment. There's a cat named Luno, her cousin, and the four of us. It's cozy but warm and we took over their cousin Kevin's room for the weekend.

This afternoon we enjoyed an incredible lunch at The Gotham with Aunt Peggy. After lunch she drove us down 5th Avenue to glimpse in the windows of Lord and Taylor and to peek at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Clare behaved like an angel. We nursed at The Gotham, she slept in my lap, and Mario even changed her diaper in the men's room.

Later this afternoon I indulged in a Peppermint Mocha in Union Square and we toured the Holiday Craft Market. Rena joined us for Thai food at Sea tonight and I think we're about ready to crash. Tomorrow we're meeting Becky for lunch and we hope to do a bit more shopping besides touring the local K-Mart.

Oh...and after midnight it's supposed to start snowing! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Rockefeller Center Ice Skating

Cliche? Probably. But it's something that I've ALWAYS wanted to do.

Cost: $14/weekdays $17/weekends

Skate Rental: $8

Session Length: 1.5 hours

Engagement on Ice: $150

Nipple Nipple Nipple

Here's our latest attempt at the bottle dilemma. I've got one of these boiling now for sterilization in the great hopes that these will excite Clare enough to actually eat from a bottle. Last night while browsing my last issue of Fit Pregnancy I ran across an add for the Second Nature bottle that promised to work more like suckling than sucking. So, this morning Clare and I journeyed out to Babies R Us to secure the miracle solution. If nothing else we add it to our ever growing bottle collection in the kitchen.

The difference in case you were wondering...
Breastfeeding is more like sucking on a piece of hard candy at the roof of your mouth.
Bottle feeding is more like sucking a really thick milkshake out of a straw.
At least that's what Clare told me...

NYC Eats

This is where we are meeting Aunt Peggy for lunch on Thursday. Looks fabulous (though I am a bit wary of having a 3 month old here as a lunch companion) and we can't wait to see her!

Wrapping paper

Clare and I headed to the Richland County Public Library this morning for the La Leche League meeting and learned that it was cancelled. So instead we went Christmas shopping around town, visited Mario at work, ate lunch at Monterry's (I'll probably pay for that later with Clare), and made wrapping paper.

I'm done with our out of town Christmas gifts and am now focusing on others nearby. Mario's ina quandry about what to do for his office...coming up with 10 identical gifts can be a challenge and he dismissed my latest idea: marshmellows in a bag tied with ribbon aka snowman poop. So...no poop to go along with the Strom Law firm gifts. He'll just have to come up with his own idea.

Tomorrow we leave for NewYork! I think I've got enough packed for Clare and Rena assured us that we can pay the lady below her apartment $10 and she'd do laundry for us if we needed it. We're lugging the pack-n-play up to the city along with 1000 onesies for the trip. We'll have lunch with Aunt Peggy on Thursday and lunch with Becky on Friday.

As a preview to our new life we may also stop by the American Girl store. Pete told us that here you can pay to have your child's doll's hair done for $12. I asked Mario if he would ever pay $12 to have Clare's American Girl doll's hair done and he shook his head and said "yes." She doesn't know it yet, but she's a very lucky girl.

Reindeer Feet

Look Mom! I have feet! Fascinating striped feet that grip my attention.
Loving the fist. Clare's new buddy...if only milk came out of it she'd be set for life.

Book Club

Last night the Book Club gathered at our house for a small but lively conversation about Freakonomics and life as we know it. I'm not sure if it was the mix of people, the book, the wine, or just the mood that produced the great evening. We covered tons of topics including:

• life as a female attorney in Columbia
• baby and marriage expectations
• what to name your kids
• Scrabble champions
• game theory
• $500 espresso makers
• Christmas wishes
• firm holiday parties
• working with our mother's
• female bullying
• office floods
• partnership tracks

All in all, a great night and we picked my most recent favorite book: Memories of My Meloncholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez for the February 2006 book. AND we've decided to make the March 2006 meeting a gambling book/poker night.

Book Club Books

The Dive from Clausen's Pier, by Ann Packer. (May 2003)
The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. (June 2003)
Atonement, by Ian McEwan. (July 2003)
The Nanny Diaries, by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. (Aug. 2003)
Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett. (Sept. 2003)
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd. (Oct. 2003)
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown. (Nov. 2003)
Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides. (Dec. 2003)
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage, by Alice Munro. (Jan. 2004)
Kissing in Manhattan, by David Schickler. (Feb. 2004)
Sleep Toward Heaven, by Amanda Eyre Ward. (March 2004)
Tales of the City, by Armistead Maupin. (April 2004)
The Birth of Venus, by Sarah Dunant (May 2004)
One Foot in Eden, by Ron Rash (June 2004)
Under the Skin, by Michel Faber (July 2004)
Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi (Aug. 2004)
All Over But the Shouting, by Rick Bragg (Sept. 2004)
Crossing California, by Adam Langer (Oct. 2004)
Little Children, by Tom Perrotta (Nov. 2004)
The Marriage Bed, by Regina McBride (Dec. 2004)
Cheat and Charmer, by Elizabeth Frank (Jan. 2005)
Life of Pi, by Yann Martel (Feb. 2005)
Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson (March 2005)
Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld (April 2005)
I Capture the Castle
Never Let Me Go
Kite Runner (7/05)
Three Junes (August 2005)
The Historian (September 2005)
My Sister's Keeper
Naked (November 2005)
Freakanomics (December 2005)
History of Love (January 2006)
Memories of My Meloncholy Whores, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Feb. 2006)

That time of year...

It's finally here! The official time to play my favorite Christmas album: Barbara Streisand's Christmas! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way on super fast forward.

*For the record: Mario HATES this Christmas album and it drives him nuts.

Home

I wanted to be home alone in a big way. Now I'm here and I'm not sure what to do. I keep wandering from room to room thinking I should start doing something but I feel lost. Maybe the little pieces of time that Clare gives me are more productive because I know I only have a wee bit...now faced with a few hours to fill I'm just floating around.

I haven't found out how Mario's afternoon attempt at the bottle went. I may call the lactation consultant and see if they can offer any 'reverse' advice for us. Clare, Mario, and Bailey are en route to Columbia so I suppose I should get moving and take advantage of this time gift.

Bottle Bottle Bottle

The bottle failed again. Last night Grandpa and I listened to tortured screams as Mario attempted to give Clare a bottle for her 2 nightly feedings. Utter agony for all involved.

Defeated, Mario brought Clare to me this morning to eat. We are not sure what to do at this point to get this girl on a bottle. The bottle brings out the demons in her blood.

Decaf skim latte

ahhh.

I left. Just left them. Mario is in the process of attempting to give Clare a bottle tonight and being there just killed me. I hate watching her scream about something as simple as eating and it made my boobs ache and leak. So I'm at the coffee shop with a decaf latte trying to get calm and relaxed before heading back to the den.

We've tried every kind of bottle out there and even enlisted our neighbor, Gloria, to help. We found vintage platex nursers (with the flat nipple), have all of the Gerber bottles, new Playtex nursers, Avent, Vent Aires...you name it we've got the bottle.

Tomorrow I want to leave SSI around noon without Clare so I can go home and get some stuff done around the house during the afternoon. But...if she won't eat from a bottle I can't leave early or alone. This part of motherhood is not much fun at all.

On the bright side we had a great day as a family. A long walk around the island, lunch at the Beachcomber, scoring a Christmas tree, a visit with Bonnie and Tom, and lots of sleep last night.

Friday

Love those cheeks. Clare's at home with Grandpa for the afternoon and I'm enjoying a bit of time out alone. Seems like she's transitioning from an infant that sleeps through anything in her carrier to one that prefers to be awake and looking around at stuff near her. Mirrors are a big hit along with repetitive consonants.

Mario arrives tonight and I think we'll enjoy a jazz date at the coffee shop while using Grandpa's services once again. After talking to Holly about the cost of childcare I wonder if we have any grandparents willing to move to Columbia?

One of the on-line magazines I subscribe to launched an issue about certainty today. The pose the classic 'what are you certain of?' to the audience and it's got me thinking. I have a short list jotted in my notebook...Oddly it's easier to make a Christmas list for some reason.

Because Daddy misses us...

I can't wait for Mario to arrive tomorrow night (and not just for the middle of the night diaper assistance!) All is well here...Clare and I were going to have lunch with Ann in Brunswick, but due to some social work emergencies I ate at the Chick-fil-A drive through. I'm disappointed in the 2006 Calendar...but then how important is the Chick-fil-A calendar in the scheme of things.

Good luck to Holly who's taking her comprehensive exams today...she sounded super confident last night when we talked and I'm sure they'll go great. My favorite part of her exam day plan: ordering Paul around with flashcards while she takes the test. 'Carrot sticks, please.' 'Back rub please.' Made me wonder what I'd put on my cards if Mario were to be my assistant for a day.

Grandpa and Baby Clare are bonding through in depth conversations. Google seems to be their favorite topic so far and she lights up with a drooling grin when he talks to her.

I sort of started our Christmas shopping...the weird part about making lists is how aware you become about everything that you want. Our lists keep growing and growing (and get more and more unrealistic)...just one of those phenomena similar to the fact that it's very difficult for people to watch a limosine go past without making a comment.