Seemingly Innocent

Behind this innocent gorgeous face (thanks for the pic Maddy!) is a harbinger of doom...

Jarah and I were both exposed to a very rotten flu strain on the mainland and we are now doing are best to spread it among all close friends and family. My sister has been praying to the porcelain god since about 6 hours after we touched down. My brother and his girlfriend are holed up in Arizona in 115 degree heat and my dad is currently collapsed in an apartment in Chicago. Who will be next?

Sorry everyone! But we're cute, no?

Great Times in the Great Lakes State

Home again, home again. Jarah has returned to Kauai with two shiny teeth, more hair, mad crawling skills, and an appreciation for U of M football...Go Blue!

All the better to bite you with

This just in...

a tooth has been spotted just on the horizon of the lower gum, a bit like a north atlantic iceberg circa 1912, hope it's not as dangerous! Otherwise breastfeeding is going to require some gritting of Mama's teeth from here on out.

Stay tuned for pics of the first confirmed sightings (Chum's a little sensitive about this new development)

Q & A with Little Chum

(Little Chum gave the following responses to some FAQ)

Q. How do you get your eyes to stay open so wide?
A: Duct tape and the traces of my mom's morning coffee in my milk supply

Q: Are you the cutest baby in the whole world?
A: Yeah, probably (shrugs nonchalantly). Actually, Auntie Megan keeps calling me Benjamin Button. I'll go pee on one of her shoes later.

Q: Do you sleep through the night?
A: (chuckles) Hells no, party at my crib tonight, 11.30pm and post-part at 2.30am.

Q: Are you always so happy.
A: Definitely not. For example, right at this moment I want to set about dismantling my dad's camera and my mom is trying to make me play with a piece of overpriced organic wood she bought at some hippie grocery store.

Q: What country do you like better, U.S.A or Australia?
A: Depends on what grandparent set I'm wooing at the moment.

Q: Best thing about being a baby?
A: Grabbing the ladies boobs with impunity.

Q: Best thing about growing up on Kauai?
A: The roosters (chuckles, shaking head) oh, man I love those rooster.

Happiness is...

A naked baby dribbling gummed up banana juice all over his belly roll(s)

Having this conversation just after bath:

Chum: Dadda Dadda Dadda

Mama: Mama

Chum: (chuckles) Daaaaaaaadi Daaaaaaaad

Watching Chum lose his marbles at Salt Pond beach yesterday when he really noticed a rooster for the first time.

No Time? Timeout!

Pics from Australia trip are still coming! Something is not working in my computer. That mysterious organ where things are inserted to download. Hmmm. No time to try to fix it. I feel like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland during the Unbirthday Party, "No time! No time!" We have been running around (or in my case typing around) like mad and I am often needing to stop and call a timeout. As in:

Timeout! Little Chum has rejected rice cereal, sweet potatoes but is a tiny bit fond of bananas. Wow...

Timeout! Little Chum just chuckled when I put his feet in the sand...

Timeout! Little Chum just woke up and rolled over putting himself back to sleep...

Timeout! Little Chum's blond wisps are getting longer and softer...

Timeout! Little Chum loves wearing his red sunglasses and looks like a mini-mogul/movie star in them...

Timeout! Little Chum turned 6 months old this weekend and I'm not going to let all these tiny perfect moment slip away so I guess I'll just work on this school project late at night. It's worth it.

Looking back on my life I'm going to be glad I gave him a couple of raspberries on his belly rather than bite my nails over the exactly perfect methodology.

Sleep Wars: Little Chum Strikes Back

We had a wonderful, fantastic, amazing time in Australia and I'll blog about the trip w/ pictures this weekend (if the stars align...)

Trying to figure out what to do with Baby J at the moment with regard to the zzzzzz's.

He seems to be all about the "A's" as in "AWAKE" zzzzzz's, not so much.

Tried to get him to nap on his own today. Holy hell. I expected some tears, some of the famous temper, but i didn't expect a 4 hour combat that left me feeling like I was in the trenches somewhere along the western front circa 1916.

I have rested my battle weary bones down next to my (lightly snoozing) darling baby. finally nursed him on the play mat in the living room, with pacifier and his friend monkey. The four hours of crying, playing, laughing, whining, starting, grizzling and smiling tuckered him out and he drifted away blissfully....only to start himself awake 5 minutes later.

Now I'm sitting next to him and rub his back with a friendly "shhhh" every time he does it, 2X over last 20 minutes.

Sigh. My parenting powers are feeling a bit depleted. I am rather disappointed in myself. Hoping i will regain my jedi powers for a happy ending...