Our local Albertson’s Grocery Store has a weekly “extreme buy” that sits up at the register. Part of the deal is that the check out person, as they ring you up, is supposed to ask if you’d like to purchase it. Here’s this week’s “extreme buy” experience (brought to the world by my hubby):

Day One

Male Cashier: Would you like to purchase our extreme buy this week? A gift stocking for your pet.

My husband: Gifts? I’m not even telling my cats it’s Christmas.

Male Cashier: They even got Valentine’s Day cards for pets. (<--- What my husband thought he said.)

My husband: I find that deeply disturbing.

Male Cashier: Oh, well. I love my pet.

Upon reflection, my husband realized the cashier must have said: I even got a Valentine’s Day card for my pet.

Day Two

Female Cashier: Do you want the pet stocking? Wish your pets a Merry Christmas?

My husband: I don’t even know what religion my cats are.

These little stories gave me a chuckle. I hope they bring you cheer, cheer, cheerio.

Even living in my bubble of parental bliss I hear about this phenomenon that is plaguing the nation—nay, the world!!

Those offensive, well-wishing, all-inclusive catch phrases must go!! After all, the entire planet is Christian right? And those who believe in Christ as the son of God, the Lord, the bringer of Salvation have no need for charity, tolerance or acceptance of others (a.k.a. non-believers, doubters, other faithful, etc.). In fact if Christ was here on planet Earth right now, he’d burn every business that displayed signs that read, “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings,” and slay all of those responsible, ambivalent and anyone else that resisted the phrase “Merry Christmas.” He’s that powerful and that angry that he had to come back to clear up this matter, to be sure.

I watched The Wiggles for the first time this morning with the baby girl in my lap. We bopped, bounced and kicked to the songs, and I liked it. There must be something in motherhood hormones that make this happen. How else can it be explained? (I hear dads pay exorbitant prices for live Wiggles’ shows too, though.) Soon I’ll be watching all of the kiddie cartoons I’m sure.

The girl is gaining weight like a champ. At her one month doc visit she weighed 9 lbs. 1 oz. And they didn’t measure her length, but I did at home and she is at least an inch longer. It is strange the things I am now proud of…

Last weekend we had our first frantic scare for our daughter’s health. Being first time parents, every small change can seem huge and perhaps critical to our daughter’s health. Saturday, she was sleeping more than usual. Feeding just about as often as usual, but not necessarily as long as previously. In the evening, I took her temperature and she was above normal, though I did doubt the thermometer’s accuracy since it was used in her armpit and not the ole reliable tuckus. After a call to the on-call pediatric nurse, we took her to the ER at the nurse’s suggestion. She had also been having pain before her bowel movements or passing of gas, which accompanied by whining cries, sharp cries or sometimes piercing screams had only begun 3-4 days before.

As seems to happen with our family, our daughter recovered her health once at the hospital (my hubby’s ER visit had the same reslut when he had what we assume to be gall bladder pain). Her fever was gone (assuming it existed), after being taken from her car seat carrier for examination she was wide awake and alert like her normal self, and the bowel movement she had in front of the doctor on duty elicited no more than a wiggle and sigh from her.  The doctor did hear gas bubbles in her tummy, and my husband and I got to experience her cries as we held her for a couple of tummy x-rays (just to be sure). The results: gastric disturbance. In other words, she was having normal baby bowel probs.

It didn’t end there though. Being the first time parents we are and more than likely over-reactionary, we turned the heat down in the house. The result was that our duaghter the next morning was still unusually sleepy and her body temperature was low. This time we used an rectal thermometer that my hubby had purchased at the 24 hour pharmacy in the late hours of the night after the ER. We debated phoning the on-call nurse again, but decided first to get her warmed up. Body to body contact being best, she and I laid down, belly to belly, chest to chest. She warmed up, perked up and became her usual wiggly, alert, hungry self again.  She’s been back to normal ever since.

My husband and I realized just how isolated we are up here, with most of our family about 1,300 miles away. It made me appreciate support networks of family and friends. I wouldn’t change how may life has worked out in the past year and a half. I’m glad we moved. I’m glad to be pursuing my degree. And I’m completely overjoyed that our daughter is in our lives. I am happy with my life and all of its facets. Plus, I’m a bit humbled to know just how different life is that I have a small being completely dependent on me for her survival.

This is her earlier this week (after the taxing weekend):

I’d like to note two three things: 1) I don’t believe in headbands or bows on girl babies, but my mom bought them and I decided to take a picture with one to humor her. 2) The little pixie absolutely loves to lie on her changing table and stare around her room. She is most calm there (and also while breastfeeding) and hence the ability for mommy to take pictures (without the inclusion of a mammary shot). 3) As she gains weight, she gets even more cherub-like. Her cheeks and double chin (not so visible in this pic) are evidence. Her legs and arms are filling out nicely too. They were very skinny at birth. I was surprised to have a skinny baby considering her parents, both at birth and in their current physical shape.