Smiles and non-audible laughs

Patrice and Tyler spent a few minutes after Clara ate trying to get some pictures of her smiling. They did a pretty good job! She's in a cute litte outfit Brittnie gave her and she's not looking at hte camera becuase she's looking at tyler's face.

Tyler has a pretty good knack for making her either laugh or cry when he looks at her--we're never sure which reaction we'll get : )

Clara's Blessing

This weekend was pretty busy, so I'm starting with Clara's blessing. Her dress was rediculously large and boufont on her, but that's ok. These pictures are from Tyler's sister's camera, so I'll have to post some more later of the food and other people that were there. (becuase food apparently takes precendence over people. . . )



Tyler's parents and his brother and one sister came out from maryland for the weekend. His youngest sister is too close to her due date so she and her husband couldn't make it.





Tyler's grandparents also came out from Utah (patrice's parents). So here's four generations of women--Addie, Me, Clara and Patrice.







Tyler's brother and sister and us.











Tyler and Clara (see how boufont hte dress is?)









Clara yawning at Patrice






Frankie had a rough weekend : ( She alsmot got hit by a car, but Brad kicked her out of the way, David kept trying to pull her around the house by her fur, she was locked in a bedroom for a while and then she didn't get to go to Brad and Julies becuase Clara has officially replaced her! Double : ( On the upside, she did get a cup full of punch someone left on the floor, a meatball and some chicken salad. As well as patrice's roll this morning. Plus a poopy diaper again (hhuuuuuuueeeeeeeehh). So I'm sure she'll make it.

Hahaha I just think this is a funny picture. a really good shot of Tyler and I think brittnie's face is hilarious. Plus my face looks skinny : )

More Earth Day Stuff

This is from my Diaper Free Baby Tokyo yahoo group (no I haven't started Elimination Communication yet. Still focusing on getting breast feeding totally solid, but pretty soon i"m hoping to start it up).

Check out this amazing segment on Good Morning America aboutAmericans' huge human footprint (gDiapers included in the tips toreduce one's footprint!) Elizabeth Vargas, from "20/20" and "NationalGeographic", shows the impact of 18 billion disposable diapers with fantastic visuals here:
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=4618854&page=1

And National Geographic has a show called "human Footprint"

visit their interactive site to view the data and awesome animation. Very impressive and definitely thought provoking.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/human-footprint/?nav=NGC-Main_DL1

Even if I have Clara in Diapers for FIVE years, I'd still feel better about paying slightly more for flushable, biodegradable (in 30-50 days, not 500 years) diapers. And I figure, if I save at least 5,400 diapers over the course of her life, and if I have more than one child, and if biodegradable diapers are the only thing I do for the earth in my life, well than that's pretty good I guess. Especially considering how much oil it takes to make regular "disposable" (I use the term loosely) diapers. Forget gas prices! I bet pretty soon my gDiapers will be a steal!

Now if only I could figure out how to recycle our cell phones, old printers, computers and monitors--THAT would be awesome. TVs too, and DVD players. If anyone knows how to 'e-cycle' these things, let me know.

Hippies unite! (hahahahaha!) and Happy Earth Day, Earth!

You Stay Classy--Planet Earth

Happy Earth Day!

In commemoration of this, the 38th anniversary of earth Day (thank you NPR), I did the following.

-Relished in flushing wet and poopy gDiapers down the toilet (where poop BELONGS, by the way, not balled up in a little diaper pyramid on my back porch or, worse yet, my front porch!)

--Watched Oprah and decided that I need to get a little composter machine for japan so I can grow awesome tomatoes and stop feeling so bad that all my leftovers usually get moldy in my fridge before I relent and finally throw them away. I originally was going the worm route, but then I saw the little machine on the website.

--Wrote down Sofie Uliano's Veggie Wash recipie becuase I have acutally been thinking about pesticides and chemicals and all the crap they put on plants to make them look nice and pretty and produce way more than the natural plant should. Mainly becuase I've been downing strawberries and I usually only give them a cursory rinse under running water (I use the term 'cursory' loosely, sometimes only my hand gets wet. . . and I should probably be better about washing all my produce anyways).

-I watered my plant again and pruned off the yellowing, dead leaves to help revive the little guy. He's looking better, but still has a ways to go in recovery (I'm not much of a green thumb).

--Bought two really cool reusable bags from Home Depot. I can't find a picture online, but its SO COOL! It's got stretchy sides and little clips on the edges under the handles so you can hook it onto your grocery cart and just put all the stuff right in the bag, then the two hooks clip together and it still has the fabric straps to carry it! Its so cool. I have to take a picture. Plus they're bigger than the sprouts bags (I'm not sure about hte commissary bags, but I'll probably buy some of those tomorrow). Definitely worth the $2.49 each.

--Went to weinerschnitzel and recycled the paper bags the food came in. One might also argue that I saved a bunch of energy by NOT using my oven to cook dinner. . . . . I'm just saying, that was an option.

Granted, the above list is paltry at best, but still. Like Oprah and Julia Roberts said, "Every little bit helps!" So, it makes me feel a little better that I'm at least trying. That way, maybe if one of the questions when I die is "did you at least try to take care of the earth I gave you?" I can say "Yeah! I tried, but stupid China ruined all my efforts."

Joy=Wienerschnitzel

For those of you who have been waiting with bated rbreath alongside me--breath easy! The Schnitz on Litchfield and Dysart is officially OPEN for business!

We had it for dinner last night and it was, in a word, awesome.

Tyler didn't even finish his sentance of "what do you want from wienerschnitzel?" Chili cheese dog and chili cheese fries!

Wienerschnitzel was the only fast food place as kids Erika and I would get Mountain Dew. And it was also the only fast food place that ever had its soda taste like band-aids smell (sometiems it did, not always).

Ahh memories. . . . . . so Yeah! If anyone wants some schnitz while they're here, we don't have to go all the way up to Camp Bow Wow for it! Woo hoo!

Franchises available people!

http://www.wienerschnitzel.com/index.php

Crying Over Spilled Milk

Whoever coined the phrase "Don't cry over spilled milk" was clearly a man who had never pumped breast milk at 4:30 in the morning, put it in a 'self standing' Gerber bag then turn around five seconds later to see over two-thirds of the bag emptied onto the counter.

My THouhts: OH NO!!! Noooooooo!!! That's, like, two full ounces!! NO! Stupid Gerber bag! Maybe I can scrape it off the counter in to hte bag? No, then it'll just get all over the floor. Maybe I can sop it up with paper towels then squeeze it into the bag? Ew, I don't thik my counters are very clean. . . I Wouldn't drink that, why would I think my duaghter would like that? Gross. . . man! . . . sigh. . . . Well I cna't just throw it away!

I therefore left said spilled milk on the counter becuase I couldn't bring myself ot jsut thrwo it away. At least sitting on the counter its a little bit like I still have it.

Gerber--your'e on notice for faulty product design and false advertising.

Crazy JC Penny Lady

I'm relaxing on my couch as I post this, still on my motrintylenol/anitbiotic regimine for the mastitis. Feeling ok, just super super tired--moreso tan normal for the mother of a 5 week old (especially one who sleeps so well!).

ANYWAYS, before mammary downfall I was doing well. taking Clara nad the dog on a walk every morning and choosing one errand per day and Clara was in gDiapers all day--it was awesome. Well one day my selected errand was to return some baby shower gifts to JC Penneys.

OF course there was only one girl at hte counter (which was in the way way back of the store--odd? I thought so) and she's helping this woman. This woman, how can I explain it. . . . well. . . she was very tall, older (at least looked like it), but was wearing clothes you might see on a teenager. She had long crazy grey hair htat was semi contained in a hair thing and she was missing a few teeth. None right in front, but on the sides. Her motions and talking were sort of--erratic. She basically looked like she'd lived life a little too hard and was now suffering the consequences.

So this lady is being helped-wanting to exchange some pants. Backup is called for the slew of about 6 customers that showed up with me. They all man their registers and help customers and in the meantime, crazy lady's cashier goes in the back for something--I don't know what.

My turn to be helped: I get a nice blonde lady--at the register right next to crazy lady. Who, after about 5 minutes (literally, that's how long it took me to get up there to be helped) of her cashier being gone, starts pacing and talkign to herself and waving her hands and then she starts getting louder and louder.

"This is rediculous! Where is she?! Where did she go?" THEN CRazy lady starts talking to ME
CL: "You didn['t have a reciept and she didn't run in the back! How come mine did?!"
Me: I don't know. . . maybe becuase you had an exchange? (I say hopefully)
CL: (to my cashier) Where did she go? What is goign on here?! I need to be helped! Where is a manager! Excuse me, can you please help me over here?
My Cahsier: Ma'am, you're already being helped and I'm with this customer right now.
CL: THIS IS NOT BEING HELPED! THIS IS BEING IGNORED! (lots of hand waving and gesturing and weird footwork and leaning on the gift card display) Where is a , are you a manager?!
My Cashier: I am, but ma'am you are being helped and I am helping this customer at the moment.
CL: I've got three kids in daycare for this? Three kids! Why is she being helped and I'm not?! Is it becase she's prettier than I am?! (I SWEAR she said that! and I just sort of stood there and thought "lady, June Carter Cash is prettier than you!")

My Cashier really wanted to laugh I think, but she couldn't obviously. Fortunately CL's cashier came out shortly thereafter and got an earfull from her. I finished my return and as I'm doign that, CL decides she want's to "add one more thing" to her purchase. So she runs off into the Abyss that is JC Penny's. The three cashiers and I all know very well she's just trying to 'ditch' the cashier like she was 'ditched', and we all sort of chuckled about it. THEN when she came back she was asked for her licesne to finish the rturen and she dind't have it! And she put up another huge fit about having to go to her car and get it. . . . . but I wonder if she even really had a license. . . . . . .. .

She was INSANE. The cashiers were all very nice to me though. They apologiced that CL was even talking to me, and about me. And they did confirm that I WAS. in fact, prettier than she.

So. . . . that was my one errand for that day.

Mastitis Take Two

I caught it earlier becuase i knew what it was, but that didn't make it any easier. It started Friday night around 9pm, and by 2:30 I was in terrible pain and crying until about 4am. At which point I brought the baby into Tyler's room and went back to bed shivering from the chills (after I switched pillows though). But I was still awake until about 7.

My weekend consisted of fever, aches, chills and finally, one massive 18 hour marathon sweat out (must have been from all the water my body was hoarding the previous two days). Tyler was AWESOME with clara--especially since it all came out of left field for him at 2am.

Then on Sunday night I had to call my mom again. Yes, she came out to help me again becuase Tyler had to get up at 4:30 on Monday morning and couldn't help anymore and I didn't think I could make it two more days without help.

As soon as she said she was coming I started to feel better. She showed up in my bedroom around 6am yesterday when Clara started crying and left early this morning. So, if you all thought I fell off the face of the earth, I didnt--but it was close.

Mastitis. . . . . . ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Mastitis Take Two . . . double ehhhhhhh plus : (

Media Center PC Addendum

I realize I wasn't very articulate about what, extcly, a media center PC was when I ordered you all to get one. So, since I'm terrified of buyer's remorse, and therefore assume you all are too, here are some informative links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_theater_PC

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/default.mspx

I call it a media center PC, but I've noticed lots of websites, reviews, articles and places like Best Buy call it a Home Theater PC, or HTPC.

I don't like calling it a HTPC. First of all, its a crappy acronym. You can't make a word out of it at all, and HTPC doesn't really roll off the tongue easily. Plus, I think the 'digital age' we;re advancing into is getting a little ahead of itself with the acronyms. LCD, HD, HDDVD, HDD, HTPC, etc etc etc.

So, Media Center PC it is. It has all our pictures, home videos, movies, music, tv shows (that were legitimately bought online, by the way) and, now, dowloaded movie rentals! Its just awesome all around.

Instead of having to slow fast forward through "The Nothing Special Tape" VHS, we can just click the file of home video we want to watch and Poof! Its on our nice big main TV, not some small computer screen that you have to crowd around to see.

Again, it's awesome. So again, Thanks babe!

Three words: Media Center PC

These three words make me very happy to have a techie/geek/it minded husband.

Let me tell you guys, its freaking AWESOME! I am currently sitting on my couch, with my daughter sleeping soundly on my chest, typing out this blog post via wireless keyboard.

We've rented two movies online (downloaded them to our computer and they're 'ready to watch' in guess how long? GUESS! TWENTY SECONDS! We watched Stardust which was quite enjoyable acutally, I'd reccommend it for a fun family night, as well as Michael Clayton, which wasn't that great I didn't think--course I wasn't paying that close of attention I don't think. We had to stop it a few times to put Clara down for bed : )

We're also figured out that its significantly cheaper for us to download individual episodes (or buy a 'season pass') of TV shows we like off of Amazon or iTunes instead of paying a rediculous monthly sum for Direct TV.

Tyler was going a little nuts without even the basic channels when I put our TV contract on 'vacation' status, so he bought a $30 HD TV antenna (read: mondernized bunny ears) and now we get all the basic channels in HD! Well, we get them in HD if they broadcast them in HD, otherwise we just get regular digital TV, which is still awesome!

I'm super excited about the whole situation, and to think I was anti the Media Center PC! Everyone should get one. Right now. Go. Tyler can give you some websites to buy some parts for a good deal, or maybe a site to buy an already put together one. But seirsouly, if you all don't have a media center PC by the time we move to Japan, I will be very, very dissapointed!

Did I mention I'm still on the couch?! HAHAHAHA I LOVE IT! Thanks Tyler!

Clara and Frankie

So, I realize now that I have a child and a dog, I don't really have much else to talk about. The really sad part is, I now realize I didn't have much to talk about even before. So, sorry, but here's yet another post about Clara and the dog.

I supposse this could also be a 'for the record' post-so I can remeber the early days of motherhood and what not.

So, sometimes when I feed Clara or after I feed her and I'm just hanging out in teh rocking chair, Frankie will climb up on the back of the chair and just hang out with us. She used to do that before Clara ws here, it just seems a little more funny now I think.

Well, so I got up to put Clara down for a nap and Frankie I guess didn't quite want to get up just yet. She just sort of sank down onto the seat of the rocking chair and just lay there. It looks so hilarious, I told Tyler to take a picture.

WE're pretty sure she had a nice little nap in this position.

This last picture is from a few days ago (at least I think it was a few days ago--they sort of run together). Patrice needed a new desktop picture of Clara so I gave her a bath and put her in a cute romper and we had ourselves al ittle photo shoot.

She's much better right out of the gate--the photogenic-ness seems to fade exponentially aftr that first snap of the camera. This is the very first shot I took.

I think She's smiled legitimately now. I'll be interacting with her and she'll flash a little toothless smile. I'm pretty sure its not gas, beacuse she's done it 'in context' at least 3 or 4 times now, but then again, I guess it could be. She's got plenty of it! Hahahaha

(PS I" mreally bothered by the alignment of these photos. That's not 'centered' like I selected. And the text should be on the left of the dog photo, since that one is aligned 'right'. . . .It vexes me. I'm terribly vexed.)

3 Weeks down

17 years 9 months to go

(who am I kidding, I'm 25 and still call my mom often, lets be real kids, it never stops)

Just thought I'd let everyone know I"m alive and well. Mastitis was rediculous, Clara would have starved to death if my mom wasn't here to feed her a bottle (I was literally shaking so violently from the chills I was spilling water out of the bottle when I"D try to drink--imagine feeding a baby like that). Then I'd start sweating so bad I'd soak the sheets. I think my mom changed them for me three times? At the very least.

I've got a Dr. Appt. today to follow up on the infection, make sure everything really is going ok. Clara's doing well. Cute as ever, but I'm still trying to figure out the timing of getting us BOTH bathed during the day--its proving somewhat more difficult than I originally thought. Is it bad that I'm takign precedence in this department? Its not like she's rolling around in manure--right?

At her two-week appointment she was 20 inches long and 6 pounds 15 ounces. Woo hoo! She surpassed her birth weight by 2 full ounces. Must be a Zimmerman Eater. Lets just hope the Young metabolism kicks in later on in life : )

We had our first "solo outing" yesterday--to Wal Mart. We needed milk. All in all it went terribly well I htought. I fed her before I went, put her in teh car seat (Shefussed a bit) then wrapped her to me when I got there, walked all around and got what I needed while she fell asleep, then I put her back in the car seat (minimal fussing becuase she was sleeping) then went home. Upon entering the house she immidiately started screaming for food. So, perfect timing.

I think the dog feels a little left out. I keep taking Clara out of the house but not Frankie. I used to just take her for a drive to the post office, but I haven't done that in a long time. Now whenever Clara cries she'll look at me as if to say "Your thing is making noise again". Sometiems, if they're both sleeping in the bedroom (relax, Clara's in the bassinett) and Clara wakes up, frankie will come out of hte bedroom and find me--stare at me, then lie down on the couch. Its pretty funny.

On a final note-Mustache March is OVER!! WOOO HOOO!!! Too bad I didn't even notice when Tyler shaved yesterday, but he looks much more handsome now. I hate stupid mustache march.