Sympathy for the New Mom

Last weekend we took Ezra on her first boat ride around Lady Bird Lake in Austin. It was a perfect day to be out...warm sun and a cool breeze. The babe was perfectly content during the hour long drive and and the five minute walk down to the boat, but as soon as we boarded and pulled up a chair next to the grandparents, she started belting out the screams. She usually only cries if she needs something...a bottle, a burp, a nap. Seriously, she's mostly a very happy baby. But that afternoon she was completely inconsolable. The list of possible irritants ran through my mind over and over again, it couldn't have been the movement or the breeze. Like most babies she likes a gentle rocking and she's already spent more time outdoors than most of her school age cousins, so I knew it wasn't the breeze.

After much rocking and pacing back and forth, fretting that my screaming baby was disrupting the party, my mother-in-law's sister-in-law, (really I don't know how else to explain it), walked up to me and very sweetly insisted that I hand over the baby to her, saying that she remembers what it's like to be a new mom with an upset baby, and that I return to my table and finish eating my lunch. Before I knew it she and a couple of other ladies were passing Ezra around, rocking and playing with her, and she and I were both as happy as clams.

It's true, what they say, that once you're a mom it's like all of a sudden you're part of some secret club. And it is great. Ours is an ancient, world-wide club of strong, compassionate, and understanding women that I am so proud to be a part of. And I can't wait to help out the next mom.

One Funny Dog

It's official! Minnie, our jack russell terrier gets the baby's first laugh. If you're not at least smiling by the end of this movie then there is something wrong with you. {Please excuse the atrocious clash of color and pattern in this clip.}

Mother's Day

Okay, so I know it's like week overdue, but I had a fantastic Mom's Day. It started the evening before with Travis telling me to stay in bed if the baby gets up at night, that he'll take care of her. Yay, sleep! I woke up the next morning to him arriving home from the grocery store and starting breakfast in the kitchen. I wondered into the nursery to Ezra waking. This is my favorite time of day...she starts to fuss just a little bit, but as soon as I lean over her her crib and say good morning, her whole face lights up and she flashes the biggest smile of the day for me. I also notice on this particular morning that there is an envelope labeled "Mom" laying next to her with a gift certificate for a spa package inside. Just what I needed!

I scoop her up and head to the couch for some Sunday morning playtime and notice the beautiful bouquet of wildflowers. As soon as I sit down Dad delivers a plate full of smoked salmon, fresh fruit, and a mushroom omelette. I am completely wowed.

Saving the Galaxy

Here are the latest pictures of Miss E. We've been having an awful lot of fun lately, smiling and cooing. She can officially say "goo" and "oh" now...only on her terms of course. I can also see the beginnings of her discovering touch with relation to her own hands. She's also turning into a slobber monster. Enjoy the pictures.

Air Ezra

My friend Natalie made this picture, and it is awesome. I might start sending it around to all the major universities.

How Out of Shape Am I?

I've always prided myself of being a relatively fit person. I keep a very active lifestyle. I replaced the basketball and track in high school with hiking, mountain biking and walking in college. But trying to get activity started post partum is turning out to be harder than I could've imagined. I had to give up my regular power-walk routine when I was about 7 1/2 months pregnant due to back pain, and I just haven't had the time or energy the first couple of months after giving birth. But last week the hubs bought me a bitchin' new Schwinn for my birthday. Banana yellow with white trim. So today I decided to give it a little test run around the neighborhood...and I was pathetic. I only made it about a mile before I started seeing stars. My legs started burning and I was completely out of breath. I guess they don't call the neighborhood Alamo Heights for nothing. I barely made it home and now my head is spinning and I've got jello legs. Please excuse me while I retreat to the enjoyment of the feeling of the cold bathroom floor on my face.

Happy Earth Day!

"Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children."

--Kenyan proverb

I have an Earth Day resolution in lieu of a New Year's one. I will no longer use individual use plastic bottles. I have a metal reusable water bottle that I've had for several months, I've just been too lazy to carry it around with me, but no more! I will put forth real effort. And while I'm sure that my discontinued use of water bottles isn't going to save the planet, it's a start. What will you do?