My work computer is driving me nuts...you'd think I could handle something like "slow", but I can't. I had to ask someone else to open a file on their computer for a client because my computer basically revolted and staged a coup while I was on the phone talking to the person. It went on unauthorized hiatus.

That said, when I get another computer I will have to ghost all my files. There are adorable pictures on this computer...like this one:

Cutest thing ever.


I have been a little sick lately. Beanie's a trooper, though. She barely notices when I have a coughing attack when she's nursing. Sometimes she will eye me to make sure I'm all right, but mostly she just snugs in closer and tries to stay away from my bad breath. I hate being sick. PF is a little groggy and has a cough as well. Beanie? I always think she's faking unless she's coughing in her sleep. I keep listening to her little chest for crackling sounds. I take comfort in the fact that I know how to spot RSV if it happens. She did get a little of the weird stomach bug that's going around. I got really sick, Beanie filled 4 diapers in one day, and PF was sort of off his stride, so I think it was the Norovirus. It hit some cruise ship recently and the sheer volume of puke and poop apparently stranded the liner and it had to dump its load in international waters. Just kidding. It got 130 passengers, though. I read the description, talked to my dad, and now I'm totally convinced. If you get it, it's worth 2 days of sick, but you will have to take at least one day off work to get through the roughest part.

In other news, I have a very very sick kitty. Shabazz went to the Vet last night after hours. I took Beanie as well, she sat in the sling and helped hold Shabazz down. My cat is a crystal maker. Apparently he should be comatose with the number of crystals in his little bladder. I noticed the funny walk, I noticed the peeing outside the litter box. I noticed he looks a little oily. I talked to some vets. I finally took him in when I saw him walk slowly and give up. I usually give him wet food with water and salt, and a baytril if necessary to relieve the pressure and infection. The vet squeezed him, checked his urine, said "no blood, amazing." and gave him a shot of antibiotic and vitamin C. He perked up immediately. I have to take away all dry food and only give him wet. I'd alreayd bought a box of wet food from Target earlier that day when I ran over there on my lunch to pick up some babyfood and cough syrup. The cat food, unfortunately was damaged in the box and open and rotting. 4 of the 12 cans are unusable, and PF doesn't want me to open the dented cat food cans at all. Here's how you know I'm sick: I was terrified that the smell was my bad breath. Little did I know I had rotting whitefish in my car until I opened it up to go home. I sat in traffic with that box wanting to vomit and knowing I did not really want to open it to see what was inside.

This should stand as testament to my love of my cat.


As for Beanie, she seemed very interested in what was going on with the cat. I think she'll be a veterinarian. Which will work out well if my evil plan to win the lottery and retire works out: I want to run some sort of hobby/sanctuary farm for alpacas and miniature donkeys and cows and goats. And cats and dogs. And guinea pigs. And frogs.

I'd be her biggest client.

Maybe I will buy Neverland Ranch.

More pics of my kid.

There was a St. Paddy's Day event on Friday, we headed over to the Hof Brau for some corned beef action. We stood in a crazy long line, commandeered a large table, and took shifts for food delivery. For $5.79 a plate, that's not hard work. We had a good time with our Ninja friends. Pics below.





This weekend was rough. We drove out to the parentals to pack up yet another volvo-load. My parents treated us to my mom's new favorite food: the Jewish Deli. She loves this place, Sam's. My dad took a million pictures of beanie doing beanie things (like the water glass and the "hey, gravity!" dropping of toys) Anyway. We then went home to unload all of our crud... I shot over to Amanda's place for some Hustle and Flow minus the beanie, which can be a treat. I have to say, Hustle and Flow was not so good. It was relatively disappointing. It was very preteen-after school special, but the anti-hero is a pimp, not a pimply nerd kid. Also, it has too many bad words for after school specials, but it DOES have, count 'em, TWO hookers with hearts of gold. So, not worth the rent. I went back to my beanie.

Sunday I got up early, shaved my dog, took a shower with the Beanie (who doesn't like showers), and headed out to a Bday party for our friend Declan. He's an adorable little boy who cried when he realized the cake icing wouldn't come off his hands. So cute. Beanie was a mellow baby (as per her usual) and we left after a few hours. To come home and do laundry. I was aching at the end of the night and fell into bed after some show I HAD to watch. Beanie went to sleep quickly. We were comatose until 6 AM.

I was still late to work because I nursed beanie for too long this morning. She needs her nus.
bedroom beanie
Here is a movie of beanie playing on the bed.

One of the cutest things ever is my daughter trying to drink from a cup. She watches people drinking, and smacks her lips. So, as a joke, I started putting cups and glasses to her mouth.

Well, she picked it up quickly, and now she will make it known she wants her "own glass" and will take water like a Big Girl.

Spills occur, but the best is the "ahhhhh" sound she makes at the end.

If I had my digital voice recorder, I would have captured it. Instead, you just have to watch the video. Warning: cuteness overload.

And I like this site so much: www.orisinal.com

The bubbles and lady bugs game makes me think of my daughter when she finally gets around to having more mobility...

Mile Stone: Beanie Turned Over Last Night! This of course pales to the sitting milestone that she met a month ago. Still. I've been waiting. I guess the next thing is crawling?

Mobility is coming fast...

~Beanie's Happy Momma

Took some cute pics of the Beanie recently.

Here's a little movie of her playing...Beanie Playing

and she's taken to allowing us to put hats and hoods on her.

She's not afraid of dogs. This is a good thing, since we have a dog, but it's a bad thing, since she let other people's dogs french kiss her on Sunday. But I'm hoping to instill "dog dominance" in her, so she's not scared and so she says "no" and "sit" to dogs who are chasing or threatening her. I know dogs respond to strength in your voice, because Seamas got into a fight today with a neighbor's dog (the neighbors have a dog that is always at large and who is a little distrustful of people, but seemed okay with Seamas. Till today.) And that dog was very embarrassed when I had to tell her "No, Off, Stop it." She listened, and was very sad that Seamas snubbed her after that happened. But that's how it is. If you attack a nice person or a nice dog, they don't have anything to do with you. Beanie just watched the whole thing from my sling and I was really glad I didn't need to put her down so I could break it up manually. I need to go talk to those owners because it's unacceptable that they are not outside with their dog when she's obviously a loose cannon. And the Beanie? Unfazed by the whole experience. She still likes dogs.

And so do I.

6 Month Check Up:

Got her vaccinations. She didn't like it one bit. No real reaction, but she's been fussier this week than normal. No teeth yet. The one we thought was a tooth was actually another cyst, and it must have popped because by the time we got her to the pediatrician for her check up, it was already gone. She is teething though. We got that confirmed. We just need to wait for the actual teeth. But that could happen at any time. Here I thought she was cutting teeth at 2 months...I'm an idiot.

15 lbs 12 oz, 16.75 inch head circumference, 25.5 inches long. She's still in the 50th percentile and growing well. She can also sit up beautifully all by herself (this is a big deal apparently, both nurses made a huge thing about it and I was just happy because I can set her on the ground when I'm in the bathroom and not worry about her falling over) and drinks water from small cups that she will help lift to her own mouth. She says "Ah" after drinking and slips her little tongue out to lick her lips. It's too cute for words.

Beanie is like the opera star in her own beautiful show. What I mean by that is, she's apparently a virtuoso coloratura soprano, and there's no warning for when she wants to hit the high notes.

It's like a quiet little sweet voice singing "da da ba AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" shrieking and my ears ring for a few seconds. Just thinking about it hurts a little.

While painfully cute, it's also actually adorable on the phone. She's responding to voices when you put the phone up instead of breathing and snuffling and trying to lick the mouthpiece. I said "Beanie! It's Mommy! Mommy loves you!" and she said "ohhhh ahh! {shriek!!!}" And I need to record these things because it just doesn't translate...

In any case, I'm still pumping like mad (on Friday I got orca milk (thank you mel for that term) because I think I was getting sick) at work and having my boobs get milk shy when people wander in and out of the office without knocking.

My boss said we were probably moving to Folsom, which would be a long hellish drive for me, but nicer because I'll have my own office. I'd be by my mom and dad too. So if they get their house cleaned up, maybe PF would let my mom watch her granddaughter. My parents would love that, but they are the laziest most arthritic, sleepy people I've ever met in my life. Which would mean while Beanie would get loved and cuddled and fed well, she couldn't be put down on the floor. Nor would she get Walks in the Fresh Air very often, simply because, well, my parents do not walk. It's probably a pipe dream that they'd ever get it together enough to have her at their house, but I'll smoke that pipe if it's passed to me. I should start looking into day care options out by where my work is moving. That would be the smart thing to do.

I also mentioned that we should probably think about moving back towards that area of the county, to lessen my commute time, and PF nearly blew a gasket, which is understandable. We're stuck where we are for the time being, so I don't mind doing it until our lease is up, but I certainly would need to move closer. I need to be close to my baby in an emergency.

I've been sickly lately. Luckily, I know it's not the flu, so I'm not worried about Beanie. Although her ear smelled off, like the fragrance of a dog's ear that is sour and about to get infected, so I dripped breastmilk down it (she's been crying desperately as well, so I decided it must be the start of an ear infection) because it's the miracle cure. And I also had PF give her tylenol. She passed out and I cuddled her for hours on end.

I love my sweet little darling girl. I get tears in my eyes thinking about how special she is and how lucky I am.




~A Little Beanie's Mommy