Drivin' and cryin'

Wasn't Drivin' and Cryin' the name of some one- or two-hit wonder band from the late 80s/early 90s? Anyway, this week will be the first real road test for Isabel. On Thursday, the Webhamster family loads up the Urabus with baby gear and heads to Louisville so I can meet with my dissertation committee on Friday. Althought Teh Iz generally naps or looks around in quiet alertness while in her carseat, the longest drive has only been about 70 miles. Can she handle almost three hours without an extended crying jag? Will Mommy have to ride in the back seat and comfort Isabel while she's in her carseat? Will we have to take a couple of rest-stop breaks? Stay tuned for a follow-up post.

Little China Girl

My mother just returned yesterday from an eight-day trip to Beijing and brought Isabel the cutest little dragon character shoes, panda t-shirt from Xi'an, and pink embroidered pantset.

Josh and Ginger sent her an adorable red embroidered outfit from NYC's Chinatown that arrived in today's mail.

Forget the baby spoons! We need to get this girl some baby-size chopsticks when she starts on solid foods.

First overnight stay

Isabel spent the night at Opa and Grandma's house last night! Webhamster and I wanted to go out with friends for St. Patrick's Day to hear some Irish folk songs and drink a couple of pints. The grandparents were a bit nervous, waking at every little grunt or whimper she made in her sleep, but they really enjoyed having her there, and we enjoyed the worry-free evening out and night of solid sleep.

Product endorsement

Now that we have it, I don't want to be without the Baby Bjorn Active! Isabel's need to be cuddled and carried is satisfied, and I have my hands free to read, pet the dogs, feed the cat, water the plants, post to this blog more often, etc., while around the house. With lumbar support, I can comfortably take her on walks or shop hands free without the hassle of hauling around our large stroller or plopping her car seat carrier into the shopping cart. Webhamster and I are especially looking forward to taking Isabel on some hikes at nearby Garden of the Gods and other Shawnee National Forest trails and scenic attractions to check out all the new flora this spring.

The Baby Bjorn Active may be somewhat expensive at $120, but it is worth every penny. We had previously purchased The Ultimate Baby Wrap, a fabric sling that you wrap around your body to carry the baby in five different positions. Dad, a.k.a. "Opa" to Isabel, calls it my Third World carrier. I call it a waste of $40. Webhamster and I have tried, and failed miserably, multiple times to comfortably and safely get Isabel supported in the "nursing/sleeping" position. If two people with graduate school educations, much less someone as gifted with gadgetry and technology as is Webhamster, can't figure it out, there doesn't seem to be much hope.

Maybe I'll try it again when Isabel can hold up her head and could safely be placed into the other positions. For now, it's more like the Ultimate Baby Warp. Isabel hates it.

Laundry service

Perhaps rather than returning to work at the college on May 1, I should open my own small business: a laundromat. Since I'm doing so much anyway, why not have people drop off their dirty laundry and pay me to take care of it? I might be able to combine smaller loads and save on expenses.

I have found myself doing at least one load of laundry per day. Never could I have imagined the volume of spit-up this adorable baby could generate. When burping time arrives, Isabel has an uncanny ability to either turn her head so that it is just on the edge of the burp cloth or projectile spit so that it runs down my back, arm, chest, and/or leg, and sometimes even hit the floor, chair, bed, or other home furnishing.

I have long been a firm adherent to the "clirty" clothes philosophy. Because I don't sweat profusely and tend to change clothes once or twice a day (from workwear to casualwear, e.g.), I can generally wear a pair of trousers or a shirt a minimum of twice before the article must be laundered. It's not freshly cleaned, but it's not completely dirty. Rarely do I get that opportunity now; most of my clothing goes straight to the hamper thanks to our little shining Star. Our laundering demand has grown out of scale with household population growth. We must do much more of it and much more frequently; you don't want spit, poop, etc. to set in and permanently stain the material. Thankfully, we have the "smart" washer with a sensor so that the unit fills with the minimal amount of water necessary for the load.