Officially Mr. Mom

I earned my ninja dad merit badge last night. We're at the mall eating noodles and I realize Teh Is has wet through her training pants. I dash off to the restroom with a proper changing table (halfway across the mall, naturally), remove the sopping wet diaper, and proceed to dangle my child and her halfway off trousers in front of the hair dryers for a full cycle.

Dry child. Dry jeans. Another one of life's milestones achieved.

Working 9 to 5

I'm starting a new job in three days. I wasn't really actively looking for one or anything, but I heard about a great opportunity and decided to explore the possibilities. Everything seemed to come together: a nonprofit charity (the type of organization for which I have always wanted to work) focused on low-income kids and families; doing PR and donor development work (very fulfilling creative fun job getting to help raise awareness and money for a cause in which I believe); decent pay and benefits; two blocks from my house!

I'll be able to walk to work. The girls will be in daycare one block from our house and just across the park from where I'll be working. I can go home for lunch and save money and pop in to check on them.

It seemed fated, so I couldn't say no.

When it rains it pours

Murphy's Law was in full effect today.

Audrey woke up at 4:00 a.m. and wouldn't go back to sleep. She had a 10:30 pediatrician appointment, and since Ken is back at work, I had to take both Isabel and Audrey. Isabel woke at 9:00 in a somewhat sour mood. She was crying while I changed her training pants. Audrey started crying. The dogs were downstairs barking. The cat was the only one not upset. It was pouring rain.

Somehow, I managed to appease everyone for 10 minutes while I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth. Moreover, I was able to wade through the two-inch puddle on our back patio and get both girls out to the car, depart our house with all the baby gear and other items I needed and arrive at the doctor's office by exactly 10:30.

I carried Audrey in her carrier, Isabel on one side, my gigantic purse/diaper bag diagonally over my shoulder, and an umbrella carefully balanced on my collarbone as we made our way into the building from the parking lot. I looked like a pack mule in the Grand Canyon, but I felt like a strong woman! Roarrr!

Today was Audrey's one-month-old "well baby" visit and first immunization. She has gained two pounds in just over two weeks and now weighs in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces. She's also grown two inches, measuring 22 inches "tall" now. Audrey's now nearly the size of our cat!

Audrey Rose arrives!

Yesterday at 163o or so, Audrey Rose slipped into this world.

20 inches long.
6 pounds, 10 ounces (or precisely 3 kilos for those who reject imperial measurement units).
Covered in brownish hair.
Extremely hungry.

Looking exactly like her sister did at this point.

Pictures to follow. Mom, baby, and dad are all recovering in the hospital for a couple of days.

Big sister is home with pneumonia and no idea how her life is about to change.

Birthday pics now up on flickr album

Photos from Isabel's birthday party at her daycare center and at our house are now up. Check out the gorgeous cake and cupcakes from Plehn's Bakery in St. Matthews. They create delicious, beautiful stuff there.

Let them eat cake

I just polished off the last piece of birthday cake from Isabel's party. Somebody had to do it. It was too gorgeous to go to waste. Of course, Eeny will probably be doing cartwheels until the sugar is metabolized.

More birthday pics will be on the Flickr stream soon.

Happy Birthday Isabel!

Yesterday was Isabel's 2nd birthday. We went to the Zoo for a class especially for 2 and 3-year-olds. She got to pet a ferret, a chinchilla, and a bunny rabbit, and also got to feel a polar bear's fur. Today, we're having a party and her friends Zack, Lola, Luc, Sophie, Anneliese, and Adeline are coming! On Friday, we had a party with cupcakes at her daycare. Three days of partying for a 2-year-old.

Maybe I've exceeded the doting standard?