sijbrich (see-brik)

Walter's Ferry

A few weeks ago on a very cold Saturday, we braved the freezing temperatures to visit a quirkly little place in the middle of nowhere called Walter's Ferry.

It's right next to a river, so I think it was the location of a ferry crossing many moons ago.

But now it's a little park with an eccentric twist.  Here's a little taste of what we saw as we followed the walking path:

 
 
 

This one was slightly disturbing to me:

The quirkiness may have been a bit too much for La Chiquita:

 

  
   
  

   You're welcome.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

 

First Christmas

A few weeks ago someone asked me in passing if I had bought a Christmas dress for La Chiquita yet.  A nervous wave flowed through me.  I didn't realize there was a Christmas dress tradition that I needed to uphold. 

So yesterday I ventured off to JoAnn to look at patterns.  Ever since the day we found out that we were having a girl, I had big plans of making dresses for La Chiquita.  We got so many as gifts that up until now I have been  busy just making sure that she gets to wear each dress at least once before  she grows out of it.  But now, all of a sudden, the dress stash is running low and that means I get to make her one.  I was going to get just the pattern yesterday and either get the fabric from my stash or go to a fun quilting store and find a cute print, but as I browsed around I actually found something cute.  A red and white fabric that could pass for Christmas, but that could be worn into the New Year, as well.  It was a big mistake.  I got to the cutting table and realized that there were about 5 women in front of me (By the way, chances are good that you will be getting a homemade fleece blanket this Christmas, because just about everyone there was getting fleece in coordinating colors cut in large quantities).  20 minutes later I was finally on my way to the cash registers and disappointed that there were about 7 women in front of me there.  *sigh*  Apparently  the early afternoon on Tuesdays are a busy time.  But 5 minutes later I was considering myself lucky as I looked behind me and saw that the line had grown exponentially and was now snaking down the main aisle of the store. I was also counting my lucky stars that La Chiquita was taking this all in stride and barely made a peep. 

It all just reminded me how much I dislike Christmas shopping.  Mr. P and I avoid the mall at all costs during December.  We will probably never go to a store on Black Friday.  I'll even go out on a limb and say that I have no plans to buy La Chiquita any Christmas presents this year.

That's right.

Call CPS.

Call me Scrooge.

I just don't remember or have anything from my first Christmas, and I think I turned out okay.  I think my daughter will, too.   

My mom is actually making La Chiquita a little gift that I'm sure she will keep for the rest of her life and always appreciate because her grandma made it for her.  An aunt or uncle may get her a little something, but if they don't, we won't be offended or banish them from the family.  So she's not going to be totally neglected.  I just think why complicate something that doesn't need to be complicated?

If you're really troubled by all this, just consider her Christmas dress her present.

Does anyone out there actually still have something from their first Christmas?

What I Didn't Know I Possessed

 A funny thing happened Sunday night.  

 Mr. P and I were both slightly crabby.  He had a pinched nerve from playing tennis on Saturday.  I still haven't discovered the reason for my crabbiness.  By La Chiquita's bedtime we were both tired. I was secretly relieved, assuming that Mr. P would take the responsibility of putting her to bed as he does just about every night, but the relief was short lived.  Mr. P handed me the baby, simply yet diplomatically stating that he didn't have the patience to put her to bed.  I was shocked, but I took over the responsibility and she was soon asleep.  Talking to him later, he told me that he didn't know how I could always show so much patience with her, always ready to soothe, carry, or do whatever was required to make her happy.
 
The funny part is, I've always perceived Mr. P as the one in our partnership as possessing the majority of patience.  Like I said, he's the one that usually puts her to bed when she is the most fussy and tired.  He will carry her, sing, and manage to soothe her regardless of how long it takes.  This nightly process starts when he gets home from work each day.  I'll readily admit that I've become dependent upon his willingness to do this.  It's what keeps my sanity in existence.  Because many times, I don't have patience.
 
It reminded me of a simple conversation that I had with a friend a few weeks ago. I expressed my annoyance with my scrappy looking hair and plans to chop off a bunch of it the following week.  She was surprised, saying that she had been sitting behind me at church and had thought that I had healthy, nice looking hair.  Huh.
 
I guess the point is, I realized that what I often think about myself isn't necessarily what others perceive about me.  I guess it could be scary to think that maybe things that I like about myself are actually things that other people think I'm really bad at, but I'd rather think about it in a more positive light, where the things that I think are my weaknesses, maybe aren't as eccentuated as I think they are.
 
It has also made me realize that I need to stop using the self-deprecating comparisons that often run through my head. " I wish I was as________ as_______" as in, "I wish I was as creative as so-and-so" or "as generous and kind as so-and-so" "I'm so not as articulate as so-and-so."  Really.  It's just a waste of time to wallow in my self-pity.  If nothing else, at least I know someone that thinks I'm relatively patient and some else that likes my hair.
 
I hope La Chiquita learns this lesson a little sooner than I did.

Espantoso

Here's the Spanish word for the day:

Espantoso.

It means scary and it's been going through my head alot.  Not because Halloween just came and went, but because La Chiquita is just growing so fast, it's scary.

Espantoso es:

-the fact that at her 4 month doctor's appointment last week she measured in at 26 inches and over 15 pounds.  She's in the 95th percentile for everything.  She's her mommy's daughter.

-She's discovered her feet.  They haven't found their way to her mouth yet, but she'll grab them and stare at them, wondering if these strange newly-discovered appendages really do belong to her.

-Just this morning she pushed herself up in her swing so she wasn't just laying back in the seat, but actually supporting herself.

-She smiles at herself in the mirror.

-She's giggling a lot more, too, which is the sweetest of all.

-Yeah, so she's 4 months old, wearing clothes that range from sizes 6 months to 9 months.  Most of the clothes that I got as gifts at baby showers are quickly making their way to the storage bin because she's outgrown them.  Hence, why I felt the need to make these cute onsies:

  
They were very fun and easy to make.  I just used cookie cutters for the shapes, used scraps of fabric I had laying around, and adhesive paper that I bought at JoAnn. I stitched around the edges at that was it.  The onsies are size 9 months, so I'm sure La Chiquita (pfft.  Soon to be renamed La Grandota) will be wearing them comfortably by Christmas.

-Probably around the New Year, she'll be trying some solid foods as well.  Great timing as I made 19 quarts of applesauce last week:

 

Ha.  It turned pink from cooking the apples with the skins still on.  Isn't it pretty?  And did anyone else out there know that canning jars now come with silver lids and rings instead of gold?  I like 'em.

That's all the scary news I have for now. 

P.S.  I've also been having fun taking family photos (er, not my family.  Other people's families). 

Finishing What I Started

I love the fact that when I wake up in the morning and it's still dark and cold outside, I don't have to worry about getting dressed right away and leaving the house.  I can still be productive even if my wearing of pajamas is a bit more prolonged.  It's just one of the many advantages to being a stay at home mom.

While I wouldn't necessarily say I have more time than I would if I was working outside of the house, it is nicer that my schedule is sometimes more flexible and with that flexibility I feel like I can accomplish more.  Over the last few months (with sleep deprivation becoming a thing of the past - mostly)  I've been able to finish a few projects that had gone to the wayside for (gulp) years.

Finished project #1:

 

Yeah, remember a few posts ago when I declared with conviction that I was going to edit all the photos from our trip to San Francisco?  Well, they're still not finished, but I got sidetracked in a good way.  I finally finished and ordered our yearly album from two years ago.

 
I ordered the book from blurb.com and I'm really happy with the quality of it.  I'd definitely recommend them.

Now I need to revisit the San Francisco photos and get the album done from last year.

 Finished project #2:

 

A wrap sweater I started to knit about three years ago.  What's even more embarrassing is that I really had finished knitting all the pieces about a year and a half ago, I just didn't realize it.  When I pulled them out a month ago, I just had to sew them all together.  Pfft.

I love love love the super long sleeves, which is incredibly unusual in my wardrobe.  I got the alpaca yarn in Peru many moons ago.   I liked the color so much that I used more of the yarn and made...

Finished Project #3:

 

I found out just a few short weeks ago that a friend of mine was having a baby shower, so I scrambled to get this little guy knitted up.  I am really sick of making this pattern and while knitting vowed that the next baby sweater I make will be a different pattern.  I was just afraid of trying something new with so little time, so she's getting this one for her little girl.

I'm sorry I don't have any photos documenting project #4, but it consisted of spending a fabulous autumn day with my cousin, Hick Chick, while picking grapes and making grape juice.  We also had an impromptu pumpkin patch experience in the field next to her parents house where we picked all sorts of lovely gourds and pumpkins for decorating.

So here's to many more finished projects in the coming months.
 
 

A Precious Moment to Remember

Two weekends ago we went to Sun Valley for the annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival.  One of the events that we attended was the sheep dog competition.  After Mr. P parked the car in the dirt parking lot, he went ahead of us, as it appeared that the competition might be winding down and he wanted to try to get a few shots using our new zoom lens.  I went to get La Chiquita from her car seat.  I just barely reached to undo her buckle, when she made it very clearly known that her diaper was suddenly very full.  And she didn't let me know verbally.  She couldn't have, because 1.7 seconds after that (and before I could react to the first event), she proceeded to spit up a large amount of milk.

The timing this child has is impeccable.

Mr. P and Fatherhood

 

Before La Chiquita was born, Mr. P had held maybe 3 babies in his lifetime, and each of those times was most likely for 15 minutes or less.  He's the youngest in his family and just didn't grow up around many babies or kids. 

 But I was never really worried.  Mr. P is generally a fast learner.

So far, since La Chiquita was born, I have only seen him frustrated with fatherhood once.  I think it was most likely caused by lack of sleep when the baby was crying, but not interested in eating, so he put her back down in her car seat, folded his arms, and pouted.  It was comical.  As comical as a situation can be when there is a crying baby involved.  The story has a happy ending as he quickly discovered (I said he was a fast learner, didn't I?) that his reaction was not the solution to the problem and picked her up again about 2 minutes later. 

Since then, Mr. P has earned several distinguished titles:

-Official baby-putter-to-bedder.  No matter how much she may cry, he always seems to have a never-ending source of patience and gentleness.  He'll stay with her until she's calmed down, if not already falling asleep.

-Expert diaper changer.  I can't recall ever having to fix a diaper that he's put on La Chiquita.  He'll even change the smelly poopy ones without trying too hard to pass her on to me.

-Best rocker-to-sleep.  One Sunday while at church, the baby was getting a tad fussy.  My initial thought was to take her out and feed her or change the diaper.  Mr. P took her out into the hallway (without the diaper bag) and returned 10 minutes later with a happily sleeping baby in his arms.  Back in the day (like 2 months ago), he would take 20 laps (or more.  Whatever was necessary) walking around the circle that goes through our kitchen and family room to calm her down.  It always worked.

Although he sings a tad off-key and his repertoire is severely limited to "La Cucaracha," "Arroz con Leche," and "Silent Night" (humming only, I don't think he has the words memorized), his voice calms La Chiquita and makes her smile.

I think he's turning out to be an excellent father. 

P.S.  Did I mention that Mr. P has nice feet?     My feet are way too callousy and funny looking to ever have hope of making such a lovely photo as the one above with Mr. P and the baby's feet.  Thanks to my bro, Curtis, for taking it.  

What I Have Learned...

  La Chiquita is now about three and a half months old.

Time has passed very quickly.

I was thinking the other day that I never gave much details to many friends about her birth or how things have really been going over the last three and a half months, so here is a rundown that I'd like to call “What I Have Learned From the Birthing and Postpartum Experience for the First Time.”

Ahem.

1. Back labor hurts. Jacuzzis, birthing balls, and Hypnobirthing are virtually ineffective in relieving the pain. Having someone push really firmly on the lower back offers some relief, however, I didn't learn that until I had already committed to getting an epidural.

2. When the only position that you can feasibly be in after experiencing the aforementioned back labor for 7 hours is on the floor, on your hands and knees, and you're making animalistic noises, that's a good sign to go ahead and request an epidural.

3. It takes an eternity for the IV bag to empty before the epidural can be administered.

4. I would have liked to give birth naturally, however, I don't regret getting the epidural, especially since it was an additional 7 hours after getting it before La Chiquita was born.

5. I appreciated having a mirror to watch.

6. You and your husband will look very haggard after you've been awake for 36 hours and experienced birth. Guaranteed. The photo the nurse took of us was just about the worst photo of our lives and will be shared with no one.

7. Nobody told me that for several weeks after giving birth, you may still look 6 months pregnant. I was slightly frightened by that, but luckily the body is self-healing.

8. Adrenalin is very helpful for a week or so after the birth and somehow you can manage to function on 2 hours of sleep each night. Then the real effects of sleep deprivation set in.

9. The process of the umbilical cord stump gradually falling off grosses me out more than giving birth. Seriously.

10. For some women and babies, breastfeeding feels like rocket science. I'm no genius, but usually I can learn something if someone shows me how. I took the Breastfeeding class, I got the nice bras, I made sure I was well stocked with nursing pads and cream. I was ready. It didn't happen despite the lactation consultants, physical therapists, medication to help my milk come in, and a serious amount of time dedicated to pumping. And pumping some more. After 7 weeks of trying, when the lactation consultant says that the only thing left that she has is some contraption that you put around your neck with a bottle of formula and some tubes (and she adds that you would most likely have to use it for a long time, as the baby isn't progressing in the latching department and your milk supply isn't increasing at all), and your baby is screaming and gets more and more worked up every time you try to breastfeed her, then it's time to move on to formula.

11. Costco is the best place to get quality formula at a great price.

12. Babies and moms can bond even if they are using formula. La Chiquita is a wonderful and amazing baby and is thriving. I think we'll have a good relationship and I doubt she'll be going to therapy when she's 18 because her mom couldn't breastfeed her, despite what La Leche League may say.  I say bonding between mother and child happens in so many more ways.

13. Formula does have it's advantages. Mr. P can feed her whenever he wants or needs to. My breasts don't ache anymore.

14. When you have a miscarriage, you learn about so many other women that have had a miscarriage. When you end up having to go to a fertility doctor, you don't have to look too far to find a support system of friends and family members that have been through the same thing. When breastfeeding is a huge challenge, the same thing happens and you discover that several women that you already know have had eerily similar experiences.

15. Your hair falls out at an alarming rate. My hair is everywhere. On the floor, on the couch, on the pillow, on my clothes, on the baby's clothes, in the baby's diaper... blech. You get the point.

16. The Baby Whisperer is amazing.  Two weeks ago we figured out how to get La Chiquita sleeping through the night.  The secret?  Dreamfeeding.  We're eternally grateful to the Baby Whisperer for the suggestion.

17. Motherhood is quite rewarding. I love going into her room in the morning and seeing her face light up when she sees me. Her grin and cooing is beyond cute. I can't wait to see her grow up and become her own person. I am so blessed that I get to stay home and watch her develop each day.

18. I could and will most likely go through this entire process again.  But I'm sure I'll have a completely different list of things I learned to share then.

Sheep, sheep, sheep

 
 

 

 

 
 
 

 
 Needless to say, we saw a lot of sheep over the weekend.  I think La Chiquita was sick of them by the time we headed back home.