She’s here! We made it to induction day and traveled to the hospital to deliver our dear Sugarplum Chrysanthemum! She was born on Monday, April 9, 2012 at 3:02pm. She was 8 lb, 6 oz and 21.06 inches long. She currently has a head full of dark hair tipped with white. Although, if history is repeat itself that won’t last long around here. She is a plum of a baby. Absolutely perfect. Her delivery was both the most simple and traumatic of the 3 for me. The important thing though is that she is here safe and sound now and we are spending our days getting to know each other and plumping up the dimples in her hands and dinner rolls on her legs and arms. To date she eats, sleeps and snuggles like an A-1 baby. We are all quite smitten and the saddest thing I can say is that I barely get time to hold her for all the willing hands. We were blessed to have my mother here for us and to care for the girls while we were at the hospital and be with us both before and after delivery. We are tremendously sad she went home today but also looking forward to Lovey’s parents turn to fall in love with this newest little kitten. All is well here. We have a picture from her birthday and then a one week old angelic portrait. Sigh….smitten doesn’t say the half of it….
Monthly Archives: April 2012
fave-O-lit friday
Quailday: telling secrets
corner view: work & play
Here is me currently 38 weeks pregnant at work last week:
And here is me typically at play:
And the reference to “buttered maple bacon” behind me is a donut. A deeeee-licious donut at a bakery in Atlanta! We love to take little weekend trips and typically they involve bakeries and bbq!
Corner view is a weekly Wednesday date hosted originally hosted by Jane, currently by Francesca. A topic is given and you can see impressions; be it in photographic or writerly in form from around the world: Jane, Dana, Bonny, Joyce, Ian, Francesca, Theresa, Cate, Kasia, Otli, Trinsch, Isabelle, Janis, Kari, jgy, Lise, Dorte, McGillicutty, Sunnymama, Ibb, Kelleyn, Ninja, Sky, RosaMaria, Juniper, Valerie, Sammi, Cole, Don, WanderChow, FlowTops, Tania, Tzivia, Kristin, Laura, Guusje, Susanna, Juana, Elsa, Nadine
Zuzuday: buddies
Zuzu has wanted a pet since she could talk. 2 and a half years ago her Uncle obliged and Chula Cat arrived via her cross-country flight shortly after Zuzu’s third birthday. Zuzu was tickled initially but her interest waned while the cat debated whether or not it wanted to live outside of her closet. For a long time Chula Cat and the Quail looked like the best friend label would apply to them. If we were on the ground in the living room Chula Cat came calling. If Zuzu was in her boisterous mode the cat was understandably no where to be seen. Zuzu continued to request pets while showing little interest in the one we had. In the last 6 months though we’ve spent time talking about the things she can do to befriend Chula cat including daily brushings and taking over filling her food bowl. Chula caught on to the new mistress of her world’s beckonings and started indulging Zuzu by trailing her in the early mornings. They haven’t graduated to sleeping together at night. But we’re all hopeful that’s soon to come. It’s been a slow friendship to spark but what started out as Zuzu doing what was asked of her to prove her worth as a future dog-owner seems to have morphed into a kindly little friendship between a girl and her buddy- Chula Cat.
I think Chula is just happy to have the bigger kid keep the littler kid away from her as Zuzu spouts her daily line of “Quail- Don’t clap the cat!”
Mommaday: Separation Anxiety
…namely mine….last week, one evening when I was getting the Quail ready for bed it finally occured to me to tell her directly that pretty soon Momma and Daddy would be going to the doctor to get Baby Sugarplum out of Momma’s belly and that it would take a couple of days and while we were gone she and Zuzu would stay with Gramma here and play.
We talk about it around her all the time. Zuzu is clear what is going to happen and buried deeply in her own set of plans for those special days. If she wants the guest bed or her own bed while Gramma is here. Whether Gramma will wake up early with her. Which books she wants Gramma to read to her, what decorations to use when they make a Bunny Cake and where is our stack of blank cards so she can make us all one
I’ve just never taken the time to say it directly to the Quail, this process of bringing this baby we pat and kiss daily from my belly into our world. Oh it broke my heart- she made her saddest face with the little bottom lip bird-perched out and hugged me so tight and then patted my belly. I swear we underestimate what she understands at least 10 times a day.
I’m glad I brought it up though, since then we have thought to talk about that part of it with her regularly. Zuzu recalls when we left how she hid under the kitchen table and hugged her babydoll tight and stayed there until Gramma joined her under. She’s been calculating if they will all fit this time.
It’s just so pitiful when the Quail misses me now because she can say Momma so she cries it- even if I’m just late to tuck her in to bed or after I leave for work in the morning. If Lovey gets her up after a night’s sleep I can her her little Momma chant echoing down the hall.
Poor little lamb. It’s hard to say who is going to miss whom most…
sunday still life
Sunday Still Life is evolving mindfulness project; a weekly invitation to pause the busy of our days, to re-center and celebrate the beauty and depth of life. If you are inspired to join in, please leave a link in Erin’s comments.
My mom’s here now as we patiently wait for Sugarplum’s arrival. Zuzu has been anticipating this visit for weeks; carefully planning all the things she wants to show and do with Gramma. The first evening Gramma was here this girl who typically has eyes only for Momma come quiet time was happily curled up under the wing of Gramma. It was really quite the sight as Lovey and I raised our eyebrows over the ease with which she attached herself. The first opportunity to skip her beloved school, she eagerly planned a day of muffin baking, nail-painting and flower-picking for them.
The Quail on the other hand is aware that Gramma’s arrival means the depature of Momma & Da for a few days and is showing her 3-year-old weariness. She stands back and eyes our hugs and kisses and eventually comes running to join in. Now on the third day she’s realized what a great playmate Gramma is and is starting to seek her out. A swing-ride is a sure way to the heart of this little bird….