Junior: December 2004 Archives

We've settled into a morning routine that's quite changed from the pre-baby times. Wherease Jfer would invariably rise before me (and sometimes leave for workeout before I got out of bed), the roles have changed quite a bit.

These days, when I get up, I let Homer out and start up the microwave to sterilize Jfer's pump and bottles. The sterilizer, which Jfer initially scoffed at, is a brilliant device and a huge time saver.

I then check me email, or whatever, and ten minutes later feed Homer and assemble the pump (another very well designed product from Avent) which hopefully by then has cooled down to a bearable temperature. I'm getting pretty good at this, and could probably do it blind-folded by now.

This morning, Jfer handed me Magda so she could take a shower. I went through my assembly process while holding her on my right arm (which, as she keeps growing, is likely to develop an asymetric huge biceps). No problem whatsoever, thank-you-very-much! Steaming bowl and all. Magda was enjoying watching the whole process and didn't even try to nurse off me (she starting to learn the futility of that).

To my surprise, I don't actually mind getting up before them and watching them sleep in. I do miss those morning walks with Homer, which he nows enjoys a later in the day with just Jennifer and Magda.

I tought Magda that she can use the pacifier to stay happy while I'm changing her diaper when she's starting to get hungry. I know that Jfer doesn't like them, but I prefer her sucking on one instead of screeming her lungs out.

She's not a huge fan of it (yet), so maybe we'll be just using it as a stop-gag, so to speak.

Megda is two months old today and how quickly the time has flown. We'll find out at her checkup how much she has actually grown, but she is still quite small. She's fairly easy to get to smile at this point (if in good mood) and has the extensive vocabulary of "aah", "goo" and -- our favorite -- "aah-goo". I'm also thinking that she occasionally says "neh" which sounds awefully close to the Czech word for "no"...

We've been joking that our time is running out under the lemon law (Texas Family Code, Chapter 262, Subchapter D), better known as the Baby Moses Law, which allows a parent to legally abandon an unharmed infant at a designated location. It a pretty cool law, aimed at preventing newborns being abandoned in dumpsters and such, but it's pretty poorly publicized. We've been telling Magda that she better behave, since until yesterday, she was in the 60 day window. But considering her size, she'll be able to pass for under 60 days for a couple more months so she needs to stay on her best behavior a little longer.

But no, we never seriously considered dropping her off at the fire station -- that's crazy talk! If it ever came to that, we'd unload her on eBay :-)

We had a very good time at the annual Burgess Christmas Party. It was Magda's first Xmas party and she looked awefully cute in her outfit (she's getting good use out of it). She also got to see her first camp fire which she liked. After having a fussy day, she was a little angel and stayed quiet and happy in the sling the whole time.

Of course, once we left the party, she decided that it was time to cry most of the way home. I think it was the darkness. We have a nightlight at home (more for our sake then hers, since I don't want to step on Homer when it's pitch dark and I go to picker her up or change a diaper) so she doesn't really get exposed to darkness, except on road trips out in the country. And then she's invariable displeased until we get to an area with street lights. I wonder if there exist night-lights for cars? I hadn't seen any.

I also had a first experience. After she nursed at the party, I picked her up to burp her and burp she did -- loud and wet and on my new shirt. This is actually the first time I'd been spit up on, so I never bother with a cover. I hope this was an isolated event.

Today I got to feed Magda for the first time (photo). Despite the size of my rack, I am not actualy lactating myself, but I have convinced Jennifer that it's time to start a milk reserve. It's mainly in the case of an emergency (like if Jfer gets sick), but I'd also like to be able for Jennifer to have some time off from the baby every now and then -- God knows I would go nuts being at her beck and call 24/7.

Now Jfer's no Brown Swiss (at least no yet), but after a few days of, er, production, I wanted to make sure that the product would be acceptable. So tonight I combined the supply, warmed it up in a sterile bottle and I gave it a try.

I was a bit concerned that Magda may not like the bottle. She's no big pacifier fan, but I shouldn't have worried. She had no problems latching on to the bottle and sucked that milk down like there was no tomorrow. It was great having her on my lap and actually not disappointing her when she started rooting. I only wish there had been more milk.

Jfer had mixed emotions about someone else taking on this job. She needn't worry, though; unless she ramps up the supply, this will be only a once in a blue moon event. As far as nipple confusion goes, there wasn't any. Magda was more than happy to go back to the tap next time she got hungry.