Two Princesses
Sunday, July 22, 2007

Who is higher maintenance???

Bad Kitty
Saturday, July 21, 2007

In the midst of breastfeeding, Scout (aka Psycho) decides to try to poop on the carpet three feet in front of me. Her back arches up and she starts straining. I have heard that female cats are supposed to be better about keeping their business in the kitty box but Scout must be an abberation. We had to throw away all the bathrugs in out house as she uses them as her own personal toilet. I kept washing the mats and they were still too streaked and soiled to use. Now we just put down a towel outside of the tub. Classy. She also used to tinkle on the carpet in our bedroom which gave it a lovely smell. So nice to go to sleep to at night. In the beginning, we could excuse Scout's problem because it was a new house for her and Bodie and Ski were terrorizing her. We bought top-of-the-line litter and super expensive hormone sprays which are supposed to calm the cat. Nothing worked. Breaking bad behavior in a cat is next to impossible; guess it is one of the joys of owning them as a pet. But, it was getting better...well, until yesterday!

So, I scream, "Bad kitty, bad kitty! Scout, NO, NO, NO!!!". And, she continues! My voice must be very threatening. Now, I can't really do anything, because Sasha has just started feeding. I look wildly around the room for something to throw at that darn feline that wouldn't hurt her. I have to finish a liter of water so I could throw the bottle. Fortunately, I have amazing aim as it hit her right in the flanks. Scout startles, runs away, and then comes back two seconds later to resume her business. So much for scare tatics. I have to break Sasha off from feeding. Our daughter howls as soon as I stop pouring milk into her gullet. Evil mommy is starving poor baby!!!! Sasha really has the Goldberg one track mind when it comes to food.....mmmmm, food......Anyway, I tap Scout on the nose (a punishment that never works but I continue to use) and chase her off...so she can probably poop in the closet somewhere....again. And it takes me another 5 minutes to pacify Sasha so she will resume drinking. Life is sweet.

Sasha Gets All Generous
Sunday, July 15, 2007

Sasha just gave us the best gift a one month old could bestow upon a parent. She slept nearly six hours last night. SIX HOURS IN A ROW. Just to clarify: she did not wake up once. AND, she slept 5 1/2 the night before!!!! I can't believe it...She hasn't been skipping out on naps or anything. I feel so refreshed and even a bit hyper. With that extra bit of energy, I even picked up around the house. Jimmy didn't have to ask (beg) me to do it. Of course, he has been my knight in shining armor. He rescued me from Lifetime Fitness when my battery died and then put a new one in my car. He tried to give me pointers about how to maintain the life of my battery but I got cranky. Like housecleaning, working, paying the bills, doing the taxes, and looking adorable, anything mechanical and car related is part of HIS duties. I shouldn't have to think about where jumper cables go. I do my jobs which are breastfeeding and eating a lot of cottage cheese. And brushing the clumps out of Ski's fur. And figuring out which movies we should rent. In the nine months since our wedding, I have learned that marriage is a partnership where each person has responsibilties to maintain domestic stability and bliss. Go Team Rubin!!!!! When Sasha gets older, we will give her chores, too... Such as cleaning her room by stuffing everything into her closet and under her bed.

She Only Has One Small Flaw...
Thursday, July 12, 2007

Our beautiful daughter refuses to sleep. She fights sleep with the same stubborn passion and vigor that George Bush uses for battling stem cell research. Between midnight and 3 PM this afternoon, she managed an hour and a half of slumber and 2 fifteen minute naps. That is it. She has deep circles under her eyes and has been the fussiest I have ever seen her (she is usually such a sweet tempered baby!). I feel like I have tried every reasonable method. I have held, rocked, and walked her for hours at a time. If this keeps up, my biceps are gonna be huge. But, just when I think I have lulled her to sleep, her eyes pop wide open. She cries anytime I even think of putting her down. She freaks out when I come near her with the blanket (that bright girl recognizes the signs of swaddling!). And, my breasts are sore from feeding her so much. I have even read her, The Oxford Manual of Style (unabridged version) and she just looked thoughtful. Jimmy and I were so desperate that for a second, we considered my father-in-law's tip of putting brandy in her bottle! At this point, I think I would prefer putting some in MY drink. I called the pediatrician and she said some babies don't sleep much. Great help. I am seething with jealousy at all those mothers with infants who sleep 12- 20 hours. I hate them and their stinking babies. If Sasha gets a fever, then we go to the hospital. No temperature yet, thankfully. I have never felt such fatigue but on the bright side, I am not hallucinating....much. And hey, maybe she'll sleep six hours in a row tonight. Yeah, I'm dreaming....

Sasha at 1 Month
Sunday, July 8, 2007

Today our little girl turns one month. It has been overwhelming and wonderful. Our whole life centers around this eight pound (well, almost), kicking, squirming baby with a fuzzy head and bright eyes. We thought we were prepared for having a child but we were very, very wrong. I had gotten all the baby stuff I thought I needed, read all the books, and gotten (mostly warranted) advice from god knows how many people, and still, I am way, way, waaaaay over my head. There's going to be a million, gazillion more sleepless nights and much more worrying and self-doubt. By doing this thing or that thing, am I going to screw my daughter up for the rest of her life? How am I going to guide her in this crazy world when I haven't done the best job navigating through life? Will I be able to have a healthy relationship with her, let her make her own choices, and allow her to fail and get hurt? Being a mother is turning out to be very complicated and I have just started! I hope it's ok that I am learning on the job!

Sasha has also been acquiring many skills! We have been working on tummy time to gain head control. She still pecks and bobs like an adorable little chickadee but she is getting there. She is very determined and practices lifting that noggin with such serious intent!

Our baby has started smiling when she sees us- sometimes a coy little uplift of the corners of her mouth and at other moments a big wide grin. Even if it is 3 AM and I have been trying to get her to sleep for the past two hours, I melt when I see her smile. I don't think I have ever seen anything more beautiful.

The last big change over the past month is that the mittens have finally come off! Jimmy wants her to enjoy the feeling of touch and so we finally broke down and cut her nails (the first time we did it, we accidentally nipped her thumb and it took us two weeks to get up the courage to try again). I'll miss those big ole mittens which were usually mismatched because our washer likes to eat them.

Jimmy and I have become quite adept at changing diapers in the dark and have learned to ALWAYS make sure there is a diaper under her. Our biceps are becoming huge from carrying her. My boobs have healed somewhat. Our laundry has doubled. There are pacifiers everywhere (I have gotten 10 more of them because I am paralyzed with fear should we be without one). And mostly, we are very thankful to have Sasha to love.