A Guy, Two Girls and a Pup

Hey, it’s a legitimate label…

So today, Meredith was playing with a balled up Flip & Tumble grocery bag, in its neat, little ball form. She’d hit it and it would roll in a wobbly fashion across the floor and she’d chase after it, only to hit it again and repeat, giggling most of the time. Devi came in the room and watched that for about half a nanosecond before deciding, “Hey! That’s a ball! You’re chasing it! I know how to do that!” and joined in for a bit. There was a little growling, but she does that with me, just playing fetch, and she did drop it in front of Meredith once, to let her hit it, so we’ll let it slide for now (but with a watchful eye.)

Anyway, later, playing fetch with her own jingle ball, Meredith sat in the middle of the room, watching and laughing as Devi scampers back and forth. Devi kept glancing at her, though, possibly trying to comprehend what was so funny. I don’t know. But, at one point, I had the ball, and Devi moved out from me a bit, ready to chase, as she is wont to do… and she stands right next to Meredith. So, I throw the ball. Devi bowls over Meredith like she wasn’t even there - like she didn’t just walk up to her and turn towards me - and chases after it. Fortunately, Meredith thought this was hilarious (this time) and laughed her fool head off. I had to go over and pick it up before Devi started chasing that, too. Devi brings back the ball and the scene repeats… The third time, she trots over by the self-righting Meredith and looks at me… who’s giving her the evil eye. She looks away at the ceiling for a moment, ears laying back, before glancing at me again… still giving her the eye. “Oh, should I maybe move over here, a foot to the left, or something? *trot*shuffle* I have no idea why you would want this… It’s not like I’m trying to assert my dominance over the other one that apparently also plays with balls, or anything…”

Yeah, that’s better… these girls are too damn clever for me… especially that one…

Passive Aggressive Bitch.

-K

We are having an embarrassingly good time making Meredith laugh, which she is just starting to do consistently. Kevin’s favorite method is swinging her upside-down by her legs. Mine is lifting her up sideways to my face and chewing on her stomach. SO fun. And the laughter is so contagious!

As you may (or may not!) know, Meredith was a little bit of a preemie: 5 weeks early, born at a wee 4lbs. 11oz. As you can see, she’s doing GREAT now, but it really underscores the fact that medical technology has come incredibly far, even in the last 20 or 30 years! Babies are able to be saved younger and younger, and much of that is due to the efforts of the March of Dimes, which supports medical research to support the health and well-being of all babies!

So, in honor of Meredith and all those babies who need a little help to be given a fighting chance in life, I (and Kevin and Meredith) will be participating in this year’s 6 MILE(!) March for Babies on April 26 in Appleton. Please consider sponsoring me with a donation! Even if you can’t make a monetary donation, please support the cause by doing what you can for your local March of Dimes chapter. Meredith says so.

Sponsor me!

So Meredith spent her second evening away from Mom and Dad at a friend of ours’ house while we were at an appointment. We were feeling great, enjoying getting out of the house and focusing on us. And then, come to find out when we picked her up, that she had cried pretty much the ENTIRE TIME we were gone. HORRORS. Poor little girl. But, Kevin said she had been having a crabby day anyway, so I’m sure that was just an extension of her bad day. It’s just a little reminder of how this little lump actually has a personality, and that she’s going to have good days and bad days just like everyone else! Hopefully the bottle of wine we left with my friend smoothed over the evening.

In other news, when we got home, she managed, for the second time, to roll from back to front! I think she was just trying to salvage the day somehow.

Now I know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Little Miss M. was able to wake up this morning, play with her favorite plastic rings (that’s them tucked behind her in the picture) and then GO BACK TO SLEEP. It IS possible for her to amuse herself! Yay!

It’s amazing how fast babies start doing things, it really is. One day, they’re a lump that you pour milk into and shovel poop out of, 24-7, and the next, they’re figuring out the world! Yesterday, Meredith surprised herself (again!) by not only finally rolling over while that darned arm was stuck behind her back (annoying!), she rolled OFF her back onto her FRONT, which she’s never done before! Of course, I was playing with Devi at the time and missed it. Guess the days of leaving her by herself on the coffee table to throw away a diaper, take a shower, go grocery shopping, etc, are over…

(THAT DOESN’T EVEN take into account that she slept for 11! whole! hours! last night: 10pm to 8am. Who knew sleep could be so glorious??)

So when we (ok, KEVIN) first assembled The Baby Swing, I wasn’t so sure about it. Meredith was so little that she couldn’t use it yet, it was big and awkward and in the way and generally sat in the library for the first couple of months. We love The Bouncer and use it ALL THE TIME, but I had my doubts about the same for The Swing.

And now? Holy cats! I can’t imagine not using it! It’s the only way Meredith will settle down for a nap, really, without being rocked to sleep by yours truly, Mom. (And my shoulders and back are attesting to the fact that she’s getting awfully heavy.) So now when she starts getting crabby in the afternoon after lunch, we know it’s naptime and into The Swing she goes! And even though she still crabs and protests for a bit (doesn’t go down without a fight!), she’ll sleep in there for at least a couple of hours: blissful, blissful hours when we can finally get something done. Or not. Whatever! I’m sitting here watching her snooze right now as I write this. Love it!

So The Swing is now a valuable tool in the baby arsenal. Even though one of our favorite parenting-experience sites calls swings Neglectomatics…MOSTLY jokingly.