Hooray!

More pics have finally been moved to the Isabel folder in the Flickr gallery (see link on right). As you can see from this photo, Isabel is very excited about being photographed. Actually, she's just excited because Mommy and Daddy are singing about Green Beans.

Worse living through chemicals, or "Roasted Wieners and Fried Eggs"

Not only are progressive and left groups and companies like Greenpeace and Seventh Generation researching and documenting how the chemicals in our environment are killing us. I've also heard EPA reports, such as advisories on Teflon. (As an aside: Consequently, we've purchased Le Creuset cookware that is ceramic-coated cast iron.) There has been quite a bit of coverage in the science world on how certain species are not reproducing, that males sperm counts are low or the sperm are defective, and now that female fertility is being affected as well. Scary stuff.

eBaby

I am really getting into eBay. I bought a few copper items for our kitchen: a kettle and two canister sets. I also bought an aged brass bowl with a ring of Buddha figures around it as a gift for Webhamster. And, I was able to get one of those CHI hair irons that retail for $200 for $61. If you have ever tried to straighten your wavy hair with one of the cheaper Clairol or similar irons that cost $15-$25, believe me when I tell you that this product is worth every penny. It heats up in less than a minute. Your entire head of hair will be straight and silky smooth, with no flyaways, in one minute. I'm not exaggerating.

Mostly, though, I've been selling on eBay. Recently, I have sold one miniature knife from our collection and am currently selling four larger custom/collectible knives. We stand to make at least $1250 (current bids) off this round of sales, and there are still four days left! I'm taking all of our eBay "profits" and putting them into the college fund we're starting for Isabel.

Movin' on up

Last night was Isabel's last night in the bassinet. We folded it up this morning and are going to return it to the friends from whom we borrowed it.

She is simply getting too big for it. The past few days, she has been putting her feet up the wall. She's long/tall for her age, measuring at the 90th percentile in length, and 75th in weight. Although I am excited to see her grow and develop, I'm still a bit sad and nostalgic because she will no longer be sleeping beside me in her little bed. Instead, she'll be in the next room in her crib, her "big girl bed" that will eventually convert to a toddler bed. And I, of course, will probably not sleep as well for a while, nervously waking at every little crack and pop I hear on the baby monitor.

I have enjoyed waking up in the middle of the night and glancing over at her while she sleeps; it's a comforting feeling. She is so peaceful, just this lovely, amazing, sweet sleeping beauty.

Every day and every night with her is a gift.