Where Sleeping Baby Sleeps Best

What a couple of weeks it has been! I can't believe that so much has happened in our lives. I have a smattering of stories and pictures to share. They are once again out of order, because I have stories to go along with them. Also, I would like it noted that even with a newborn and an state to state move, I am only about 2 weeks behind on posting. When Doodle was born, my dear friend JJ gave me one piece of advice: Put that baby to bed sleepy but awake! We took her advice and also borrowed her copy of Babywise. We weren't rigid about a schedule, but did work hard to establish a routine of eat, play, sleep. Doodle was a great sleeper. We never had to cry it out or rock her to sleep. I have freely admitted that I think this miricale was a combination of her personality and our efforts. Along comes number 2 and we do the exact same thing. Only problem is, she is having none of it! Only other problem is, our life is in chaos. On top of the move, absent father, and healign from a c-section, I had a little issue with pre-eclampsia (more on that in the next post).So, here is where the baby likes to sleep best.

July 18 (364/365)


The second picture is one of where we would really like her to sleep. Overall, she is getting better at bed sleeping everyday. I can't really blame her. If I could sleep in a vibrating papizan chair all day every day, I sure would!

July 21 (somehow I got screwed up on my counting of days but this is still part of the 365 days)

Doodle's Future Job

One of the hardest things to adjust to during this Fellowship adventure has been the lack of control over My Favoritiest's schedule and the lack of give and take.  When he was in private practice, he worked long hours.  But he also got random days off.  He stayed at the hospital all night long then too, but I didn't have to wait in the waiting room to see our pediatrician.  And oh yeah, there was the monetary compensation that made all those long hours bearable.  In the almost 3 years we have been living the life of a Fellow, I haven't found many "perks" to his job.  Well, I finally figured it out.... access to an ultrasound machine:)  Pediatric Cardiologists have to learn to do fetal echocardiograms.  So.... they have to use the fancy ultrasound machine.  For me, this has meant a few extra ultrasounds so My Favoritest could practice his skills.  It has also meant that Doodle got to go with us and "see" her baby sister on the TV.  Doodle is interested for about 30 seconds and then is more interested in watching TV on the phone.  The last time we went, she decided that she was going to use my phone to document the event with pictures.  I ended up with lots of pictures of the floor, my water bottle and these two gems of My Favoritest and I.

April 29 (253/365)

Fast forward a couple of days and I am sitting on the couch.  Doodle tells me "open your belly mama" as she starts to pull my shirt up.  She has a flashlight in one hand and very serious look on her face.  She proceeded to put the flashlight on my belly and then with great concern looked at the tv and said "but mama, it's not working."  I was puzzled and couldn't quite figure it out.  The Bubbie was here and she immediately knew what Doodle was doing.  She was pretending to do an ultrasound on the baby.  

March 1 (256/365)

Winter Not So Wonder

We had a stint of chilly weather.  It was kind of days that I wished it would snow.  I know, never thought you'd hear me say that!  But it was just cold, and damp, and icy, and miserable.  We were stuck inside and we hate to be stuck in the house.  Because we get stir crazy about as fast The Beagle can get into trouble, I will try to get us outside any chance we get.  So, I have just learned that it is better to bundle up and take a walk than it is to stay inside.  By the afternoon, it had warmed up to a crisp, cloudy 40ish, so out we went.  Doodle and I both took our cameras, and here is the best shot from both of us!

January 19 (182/365)

And since I somehow managed to forget to take a picture the next day, here is a substitute pic from Doodle

January 20 (183/365 Missed)

The cold snap continued and I tried really hard to look on the bright side and find some picture opportunities.  When I woke to the frozen wonderland, I immediately went out to get some shots.  Part of me was hopeful that it was going to warm up and melt all the beauty.  Fat chance!

January 21 (184/365)

And because being covered in ice wasn't fun enough, the skies decided to try and snow a little bit.  Try is all it did.  Once again, the neighborhood kids were disappointed with Mother Nature and her efforts at helping them have a snowball fight!

January 22 (185/365)

Ending the Year

So here we go again!  My goal for Feb. is to post every day!  We will see if that happens!  I have enough back log that I should be able to write a few posts at a time and publish daily. 


I know I told you about Doodle getting a camera for Christmas.  I have decided that if I forget to take a picture I will substitute with something from her portfolio:)


And since you have been warned:

December 29 (161/365 missed)

My little Doodle is always ready to jump!

December 30 (162/365)

We rung in 2012 in a very low key manner.  My Favoritest was on call yet again.  I am grateful he has gotten Thanksgiving and Christmas off every year, but the trade off has been that he has been on call for New Year's Eve every year we have lived in VA.  Join that with the face that we have a kid and well, NYE, not so magical as it once was.  We have adopted the low key tradition of dinner at Landlords and then home for bed and bath and maybe a NYE kiss... usually I'm asleep!  Anyway, that whole story has nothing to do with the pictures, because they are both morning pics:) Doodle and I had the holiday mornings to ourselves... which meant breakfast/tv in bed!

December 31 (163/365)

And this was our first pic of 2012!  I think we sent it to my Favoritest to tell him we were missing him!

January 1 (164/365)