Jetta News

My beloved 2000 VW Jetta is again showing its age.

First, about a week ago I got yet another rock chip in the windshield. As you may recall, my windshield has some sort of magic attraction to small flying objects.

This attack was something special. It didn't just ding the windshield. Or cause an ordinary crack. Nope. The crack forms a near perfect circle around the chip. It's the size of a half-dollar coin! Fortunately, it's near the lower passenger side, as I feel my friends at the repair shop would say this injury is cause for retiring this windshield.

Onto other Jetta news. I am one of those people who, when getting a new item, will read the owner's manual cover-to-cover. And boy, did it come in handy. On Saturday, when it was brutally hot, I opened the sun roof. Decided, when the sun was beating down on me through the sun roof that perhaps a better option would be to close it and begin running the A/C.

However, the roof would not close. I could hear the little electronic mechanism trying, trying so very hard, but to no avail. Little images of cash-registers of money going to the repair shop floated through my head.

Then I remembered that somewhere in the owner's manual, it described how to close the sun roof in just this type of situation. It involved popping a little panel with a screwdriverand using the hidden allen wrench to manually close the roof. I did this not a moment too soon, as it rained that very evening! Crisis averted.

And now, your Kate picture of the day (enjoying having Doug whistle fun little songs to her):

Blankie?

At what age does a kid decide which item will be their "blankie"? If the imprint is at 11 months of age, we could be coming upon an embarrassing choice for Kate. She really enjoys holding onto the pre-fold diapers that we've been using most of the time as burp cloths.

Can you imagine her being 5 years old, and needing to have "blankie" with you - and the looks you get when it's a diaper? I've been trying to get her to hold other blanket-type items. Sometimes I'm successful!

Regardless, she still looks cute when she's holding it.

11 weeks old

Today we did informal measurements to get Kate's most recent stats.

Weight: (Kate + mommy on the scale) - (just mommy on the scale) = 15 pounds.

Height: Lay Kate down on a blanket. Fold the top and bottom of the blanket to match up with her head and heals. Have daddy redo it, because apparently, mommy didn't do a good enough job. Length = 25 inches.

Kate, meet Saul

Jade, my best friend from high school, is another one of the women who was due within one month of when I was due with Kate. She, her husband Aaron, and new babe Saul came up for a visit.

Here, they are both asleep in their bouncy seats. Remarkably, their sleep - eat - play schedules were within 30 minutes of each other the entire time they were here.Other cutie-pie pictures.

Jade & Saul makeing faces at each other
One of the things I find amazing in talking with Jade (and Marla and Elizabeth) is just how many hours we can spend talking about new mother experiences. And how similar they are. It sure is fun to share this journey with them. I look forward to hearing Suzi's stories with new ears this November - and until then will continue to seek her motherhood wisdom.

IKEA

The new IKEA catalog is out. And to promote it, there is a commercial on TV. In the house, chaos abounds. But in the center of the storm is a moment of calm, where the mother/wife is reading the IKEA catalog. Clearly transported to the faraway land of Swedish make-believe.

The part that gets me is in the fine print at the bottom of the screen.

"Some items require assembly"

And while this is true (I don't think the vase or rug will need to be put together), it doesn't convey the whole truth.

What truth, you may ask. That it's no treat putting items together using directions that don't have words and I swear the pictures are in a foreign language. No Swedish bliss here.

Minor League Fun

If you've never been to a minor league basehball game, I'd highly encourage it. If only for the between-innings entertainment. Little kids racing the mascots. Grown ups rolling gigantic dice to try to get 5 of a kind. "Guess What's in the Car". Or the one that Doug participated in: ride a large tricycle from 1st base to 3rd. He one the race and free trip on the commuter train to a future Mariner's game. In the picture below (taken on my phone, as I forgot to bring the 'real' camera), he's in between 2nd and 3rd base. Go, Doug, Go!

That was at Wednesday's game. While Doug was waiting to ride the trike, he was chatting with the A-Sox promotion director. He was the guy who wanted us to have Dan Wilson sign Kate. Well, the result of this conversation on Wednesday played on on Friday.

This was when Jay Buhner (former Mariner and part owner of the Aquasox) was sponsoring Buhner Buzz Night. Used to be a yearly event when he played for the M's. You see, Jay is shaved bald. When he'd come up to bat, they'd play "Bad to the Bone".

Doug, in anticipation of this night, has been growing out his hair hippie-long. Probably at least a month over due for a hair cut. Here are 2 "before" shots.

Part of the deal made with the promotion guy: Have Jay shave Doug's head. And have Jay sign Kate. Then have a group picture of 3 'bald' people.

This is Jay signing Kate's head. Yes, it's a water-soluable marker.

Doug with Kate, signature in full view. Doug getting the buzz done byJay.
Two of a kind!

Three of a kind!

Jay was super cool to meet, with a wicked sense of humor, and appreciating the goofiness of the whole thing.

Dan Wilson

Dan Wilson is my favorite Mariner. He was their main catcher, but retired 2 years ago. Well, on Sunday he was at the Aquasox game, signing autographs and the like. When we walked into the stadium, he hadn't made it to his station yet. And I walked right next to him. Could have touched him. But didn't.

We were among the first in line to get autographs. He signed my Dan Wilson t-shirt, Kate's baseball, and the Dan Wilson Bobblehead they were giving away at the game that day. The Aquasox employee who was there for crowd management, Sharpie provider, and picture taker wanted us to have Dan autograph Kate. Fortunately Kate's dad was the voice of reason on that one, because I was all for it!

And here's one of the reasons why I think he's just great. He spent extra time signing autographs, because there were still people in line when his time was 'up'. And then he watched the game from some everyday-joe seats. One section over and 3 rows up from our seats.

2 month self portrait

This self-portrait was taken on Kate's two-month birthday. I've found it to be easier to have her lying down while I take the picture, rather than trying to hold her and the camera.

Next time, though, I'll have her on the floor. For this one, we were on the couch. Meaning, she was on the couch, and I was precariously balanced on the edge.

Here's the full look of the cute onesie she was wearing. (Thanks, Auntie Suzi!)

2 month check up

Kate had her 2 month check up today.

Here are the stats:
12 pounds, 10 ounces (89th percentile)
24.5 inches (98th percentile)
39.7 cm head circumference (75th percentile)

All is well. The only fluid that got on the doc was some spit up!

And THEN, we went for the immunizations. 3 shots and one oral med. Doug held her . . . it was rough for both! Now we are going through the trauma of painful injection sights. We had tickets for the M's game tonight, but Kate and I are staying home. Doug is taking his mom instead.

Picture updates on another day. No need to see more pictures of Kate either 1) sleeping or 2) crying.

You cry, I laugh

When Kate is really crying, if you blow a puff of air on her face, she stops crying for just an instant. Puckers up her lips and lifts her chin. I think it is so funny. It doesn't seem to upset her any more than she already is. But it doesn't create a long term solution, either. Still very funny, though.

Toe Jam

Kate met two more of her cousins this week. Syndey and Zach have been just great with her. Each wanting to have time to play with her and hold her.

It was while Syd was holding Kate, and I was sitting next to them, that I got my first real view of Kate's toes when they weren't clenched.

And it was clear that I've been a neglectful mother, having never cleaned this part of her body. There were many nasty crusty pieces lodged in the crooks of her toes. Imagine a lot of dried up boogers. Just being clenched by her long toes.

No worries, though. It cleaned up easily, and I now will always remember to check the grips of Kate's toes. See, they are clean now!

J.J. Fan club

Kate has become an official member of the J.J. Putz fan club. For those of you not in the know, he's the closing pitcher for the Mariners. The team was giving out commemorative "Soul Patches" at one of the games. Can you see the resemblance? (Under Kate's hand is the Mariner logo.)

Songs that get stuck in your head

They certainly look cute! Sorry for getting the song stuck in your head for the day.

This entire adorable moment has been brought too you by Group Health Cooperate, Jill's insurance. Got the bill in the mail yesterday. It cost nearly $8,000 to bring this baby into the world at the hospital. We only have to pay $200. Go HMO insurance!

Oregon Trip

Kate and I made the drive down to Oregon yesterday without much trauma. A little fussy at the start, she settled down by Olympia. We stopped once for a diaper change and feeding, then went to Hillsboro. Kate really wanted to meet her Uncle Lucas, and spend more time chillin' with her cousin Owen.

A note about Kate's outfit. With the way it snaps, I call it a French outfit. And there's a duck on the front. So we have "Le Duck" which makes the sound "Le Quack". And to think I can figure all that out without having taken a single French class!
After dinner, went headed down to Salem. Kate got the chance to catch up with Grandpa Oshel, whom she hadn't seen since her arrival stay at the hospital.
What I like best about this picture is that it seems Kate no longer has a head. But I assure you it's just the angle of the photo!

Smiles!

It only took four tries. Thank goodness for the miracle of digital cameras!

No more no neck

Well, we decided to upgrade our baby swing. It just didn't seem right to have Kate doing face plants into the tray, or to have us propping her up with a lot of blankets.

So, off to the crazy land of Babies R Us we went yesterday. What? Going into that beheamoth on a weekend? Yes. We were that nutz-oid.

We brought along Kate, and had her sit in various swings. People wanted to buy the swing she was in, if she came along with it.

Narrowed it down to two choices. Each had their benefits. One of the plusses of the one we got: "Minimal assembly", versus "Assembly required".

Got home, and turned on "The Deadliest Catch" marathon and Doug began the assembly process. Among the quotes heard:

"Deadliest Catch harrowing? THIS is harrowing"

"I almost lost a foot" (when a piece fell on his foot)

"Minimal assembly? They are liars. The Fischer Price people with their assembly required were more honest".

All said and done, the new swing is now put together. The mobile has what I am calling "Spotted Owls." After all, I am an Oregon gal!

No neck Kate

Sometimes the only way we can get Kate to fall asleep during the daytime is to put her in the swing. However, and unfortunate side-effect is that her neck completely disappears! (Sorry I couldn't figure out how to rotate the 2nd video.)

Finally, "Don't wake me, I'll wake you" & "My Heart Belongs to Daddy".

Kate and Owen meet

Yesterday, Marla and Mom drove up so that these two cousins could finally meet each other. It was a great visit!

Rose Garden

Here are a few pictures of roses that have blossomed in the past week. We planted our rose garden in February, and I'm quite happy with the results of our entirely amature experience. (And if anyone has rose gardening helpful hints, I'll take them! At this point all I know is, well, nothing!)

Poo rocket

Yesterday, while changing Kate's diaper, we had a rocket of poo. I heard it coming, and even caught a lot of it in the diaper, but I was a little too late. See the laundry basket that is closest to the door? Yep. Poo made it all the way to that basket. She's got some skills, I tell ya!