See a man about a horse

I just don't know how these daddy bloggers do it. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to take care of Petra, do the errands that need done when she is asleep or on the boob, get work done, and build her a horse. There is never enough time to blog. We've been doing petty well with morning naps- averaging about 3 hours a day. That lets me work on the prototype for her rocking horse, and fix some leaky spots on the house (concrete and caulk, I am SO manly). As you can see, the horse is coming along nicely. I used my new saws and the biscuit joiner, but I clearly have more too learn. Getting the rockers even and smooth is going to be tricky!

Petra continues to grow like a weed, and change from week to week. She has switched from left handed to right handed and back a couple of times now. She has started real giggles when she is tickled just right (SO CUTE! I've got to get a little video of it online). She now talks up a storm when she's in the mood, far more than just Aaay ooooh aaay. She thoroughly enjoys her bath now, especially being sprayed with the hose to rinse (she tries to catch the water on her tongue). She also can scream until she is a total wreck, twitching, sweating and impossible to calm. I'm getting much better about dropping her in the swing (where she usually conks out within a minute or two), but I always feel guilty that I'm just warehousing her, rather than nurturing. Then again, going postal and throwing her in the dumpster because she wouldn't stop screaming wouldn't be very nurturing either.

Busy week as always, breakfast at Sierra Bonita with Tim and Anissa, Breakfast at Farmer's Market with Michael and Rick, a quick visit from Margaret. Between friends and everyone in the elevator at UCLA, Petra is going to be exposed to pretty much every germ there is. Good thing she has Alison's antibodies! Petra and I have also been doing lots of walking (well, rolling in her case). Sometimes it's the only way I can keep her calm (until it suddenly stops working 14 blocks from home- then I'm pretty much doomed), and I am getting to know the neighborhood much better. It's amazing how much is in walking distance when walks last an hour and a half or more!

Snot makes the baby cry

At least that is my excuse. Poor Petra, first she is stuck home with Daddy, then she gets a cold. A (cute) little cough, gallons of snot, and a cranky temper. I can't even get her to take a bottle from me to calm her down. Luckily, she still conks out after a couple of minutes in the swing, and other than boob, sleeping is probably what she needs most right now (well, she also needs to have snot sucked out of her nose with the little bulb. THAT'S what I call fun!).

We did have a pretty good afternoon yesterday though. She started her nap late, so she slept until about 12:30 or so. We had a little quality time before taking her to Mommy. She even slept on the drive over to UCLA. She got what she needed (boob), then we took a walk. Visited the new Westwood branch library (nice and minimalist), where she was adored by the librarians. Also went to see the graves of Truman Capote, Mel Torme, and Heather O'Rourke (don't walk into the light!) at the Westwood Village Memorial Park. Yeah, I'm THAT kind of parent! But in Westwood, it is the quietest place to take a stroll, and play with the baby. She was asleep by the time I got back to the car, so rather than driving home, I just read a book until she woke up about 4:45, and we picked up mommy and went home together.

Procreating

Since learning that I'd be a daddy, all my creative juices have been flowing. I built the library over the summer, repaired the wall in the nursery, patched and painted things that have needed it for years (we can finally read the numbers on the house, after nearly 5 years!). I have a hankering to build a rocking horse for Petra, and have it all planned out in my head (scary as that may be), and I blew a fortune at Amazon buying tools to do it (but there was a big saw sale! Really!). Yesterday I did dovetails for the first time with my router (just for practice), and today I assembled my Bosch table saw.

My only problem now is that my only time to work on it is while Petra is napping. I have the strange feeling a table saw starting up MIGHT interrupt her naps. Well, I suppose I'll find out tomorrow! Board ripping, here I come!

A Learning Experience

Today was perhaps not as good as it could have been, and that's partly my fault. We got up at 8am and chatted and played. Petra even accepted a bottle. But then she started getting pretty cranky, so I tossed her into the swing for a nap (she howled for 5 minutes, then conked out). She woke up just in time to go meet mommy for lunch (and Peet's and a little shopping), and slept the whole way home in the car.

That's when it turned bad. She was cranky and crying and wouldn't nap, wouldn't play. Just cry cry cry. Since she sleeps well in the stroller, I decided we had to take a walk, just for silence's sake. She conked out immediately, so we went to the library (started crying at checkout), and a long walk around Beverlywood. It was a little TOO long, and she woke up and had a meltdown for most the walk home. Once home, cry cry cry continued. At wit's end (like my wit goes far), I gave her another bottle- and Voila! Quiet happy baby again! I guess she was hungry! I'll have to be a bit more aggressive with the bottle when she gets cranky, though often she refuses if she's already upset. Early prevention may be the key!

Splish Splash

Petra thoroughly enjoyed her bath tonight- a new milestone! She splashed around in the water and grabbed and gnawed on the washcloth. She didn't even cry when I washed her hair! I rinse her off with the sink sprayer (gently!), and she loves it. She kept dipping her face into the spray and sticking her tongue out (technically, she hasn't tasted water before). Afterward, we bundled her up good for a warm down and snack. Such a cutie!

Kangaroo style

We took a walk this afternoon with Petra carried kangaroo style in the baby bjorn (and wearing a big floppy sun hat- So cute!). I think she liked the new point of view, and she was certainly comfortable enough- she fell sound asleep gnawing on my finger. I love this baby!

Pppppbbbttttt!

Petra has learned a new form of communication! I taught her to blow a raspberry! She absolutely loves doing the little Pppbbbbttt! sound, and blowing little bubbles in the process. Of course, this is going to come back and bite me in the ass some day, I'm sure, but boy is it cute right now!

A Much Better Day

Friday was MUCH better than yesterday. Petra did indeed sleep well, and wake up as happy morning baby. She slept until almost noon, so we got to mommy late for lunch. The ride went well until the last 5 minutes, when she made it clear she did NOT appreciate circling looking for parking. I had to call mommy to come down and take her while I went to find parking (which I found immediately thereafter). We had a nice lunch together, and I got to take a little break and grab a Peet's and some Diddy Riese cookies. By the time Petra ate and pooped (and then some!) and napped in the stroller it was already 2:30, so I decided to hang around Westwood so we could all ride home together.

Petra was sweet and chatty as we walked over to the credit union (I never get there, and wanted to open a new savings account), where she was adored by everyone (and the Quinny got only one comment! Petra really is getting cuter!). Within 2 steps after leaving the building Petra was sound asleep. I spent the next hour and a half walking around Westwood with my snoozy darling. Saw some nice gardens, and a yard with a huge cage full of singing canaries.


There are some great houses in the area, lots of nice Spanish styles, some with cool little Moorish tile details. Most of them are pretty much the way they've been for decades, but there are, of course, a couple of scary modern boxes slipping in. One nice little Tudor style had a giant box as big as a 2 story Wal-mart being tacked onto the back. What was that about not being able to buy taste?

My favorite little find (other than the sweet kitty that came out for skritchies) was the house with the Egyptian hieroglyphic Ra tile on the front. Not exactly expected for a Spanish style house, but certainly cool!

Petra woke up about 4:30, just in time to stretch her legs in Borders for a minute before meeting mommy for the (screaming and crying) ride home.

Did I mention I love this baby?

On the second day...

Yesterday was better than I expected. Of course, I had pretty low expectations. Petra was absolutely wonderful all morning, through lunch, and even the ride home (10 minutes of crying at the beginning of the car trip each way hardly counts against her). She was sweet and playful, and napped easily and long.

After we got home, however, someone switched babies on me. Part of it might be that she was asleep in the carseat, and was awoken when I brought her into the house. Part of it may be a bit of constipation (who'd have thought I'd be here sharing my thoughts on constipation with the rest of the world?). Part of it may have been just a general lack of boob. Anyway, she started crying, and crying, and crying, and pretty much couldn't be stopped until mommy got home and put her on the boob. She was still cranky in the evening, which makes me feel better (?), because it means I wasn't the ONLY reason she was cranky.

Today we are trying a slightly different plan. Petra was fed a bit before mommy got out of bed, and then she and I stayed in bed while mommy got ready and left for work. Of course, Petra snapped awake instantly. We had a change, and she was happy morning baby™ while I had breakfast. I offered her a bottle, but was rebuffed. We read a book and played a bit. We did a little puppet show (I can't find Oscar the grouch though, her favorite!). Then I wanted to see if she'd take Tiny Love while I showered, but nope. Didn't want to be there. A little more lap time, but then the lip came out, and she started on the pre-cry. And only 8:45! I tucked her in the swing despite her protests, and protest she did, lustily, but she conked out as soon as I left the room. Thank you Fisher Price!

Hopefully, she'll sleep for 3 hours, then be HMB™ again. We'll see!

5:45

Mommy home, boob out, baby quiet. Daddy needs a drink now.

4:45

Batteries died. Baby cried.

4:00

Wakes up thrashing and crying again. Can't get her to stop- not walking, singing (painful to me too, so not unexpected), feeding.

4:30

The temporary calm when the UPS guy came ended the second the door closed. Put her (crying) in her swing. 10 minutes later she is asleep. Thank goodness!

3:30

Exhausted from crying, Petra falls asleep next to daddy in bed.

2:45

The coming storm breaks- cry cry cry. A bottle of milk just brings tears and spitup.

2:05pm

Petra loved having lunch with mommy, but not so much the leaving part. Squalled a bit on the ride home, before falling sound asleep. I love this baby!

Have her in the crib under the Tiny Love. We'll see if that knocks her out for another nap!

12:15

Petra woke up at 11. We read a book, played a bit, then hopped in the car to go meet mommy for lunch. Cried for half the drive, and "sang" to herself the other. Lunching now. Happy baby!

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Sent from my Treo

10:54

False alarm. She's still asleep, and I've nearly finished the taxes! I love this baby!

9:20

Uh oh, she's starting to wake up!

8:00

Still asleep in the swing. I'm showered & shaved!

First Day on Our Own

Mommy left for work at 7:20, leaving a happy baby.

7:25 2 board books later, Petra bored and yawning.

7:30 Daddy drops Petra in the swing and she conks out in less than a minute.


So far so good!!! Time for a shower and another espresso!

Fear, surprise, and a fanatical devotion to the baby

Today is my last day at work before starting 12 weeks of stay-at-home dad leave! I'm just as terrified at the prospect of being alone with Petra so long as I was at having her in the first place (and that certainly turned out well). I live in fear that those things that daddy just can't do to soothe her (read "boob") will lead to endless screaming and flailing. Twice when I've stayed home for a few hours alone with Petra she had huge screaming meltdowns (both related to lack of naps I think, I hope, I pray).

Our plan is for me to get up with mommy in the morning so Petra can tank up and start her morning nap early. Then when she wakes up, I'll take her to UCLA so the three of us can have lunch together. Mommy will be pumping milk at work, so hopefully I'll always have enough at home to keep Petra happy (or at least full). With any luck, the screaming will be kept to a minimum, and Petra will continue to be a fat, happy baby!

Toys

Among the recent milestones (standing up with just help balancing for example, she knows "up!"), Petra is starting to actually play with toys. She grabs and shakes her wooden rings, and she rattles the purple monkey in her crib.

Petra also LOVES the stuffed big ball Tim and Anissa gave her. We played for a good 20 minutes with it- definitely a new record.

And since Petra is playing with Toys, I'm getting into the act as well, putting together an iMovie and DVD of Petra for the relatives. The first tiny sneak preview is available here!

What's in a name?

For all the trouble we went through to choose a name for Petra, it certainly has been easy to come up with nicknames. A few of the recurrent names include:
The Muffin
Pooty McPooterson (from Pooterville) (guess where she got that nickname?)
Quacky McQuakerson (from Quackerville) (for the sound she makes before squalling)
Squirmy Wormy (when she wants to get away from you)
Cutie pie (which she recognizes, and instantly strikes a smiley pose)

I'm sure there will be many more, and that she will hate all of them. Of course, because of the way-back machine she'll never be free of them!

Walkies

We had a wonderful day together on Martin Luther King's birthday. Petra started the morning being sweet morning baby, and even let us have a shower and breakfast without any fussing. After a good meal, she napped for 3 hours (good baby!). We then went on a great walk around the neighborhood, including a stroll past the local castle. Petra was delightful the whole walk, and fell asleep while we were out, so we even stopped to have dinner out. I just love this baby!

Busy Holidays

Such a busy holiday week. First Xmas, First New Year, first meeting with grandma Judy (and a good visit with grandpa too). Grandma and grandpa babysat for Petra for an afternoon so we could go out and hit the gym, have lunch and do a little shopping. Of course, Petra slept the entire time we were out, so GM & GP didn't have to do a thing! It was the first time we've both been out without Petra since she was born 10 weeks ago. And of course, all we could do ws think about her, and we bought her some onesies while we were out.

Petra continues to grow like a weed. This week's exciting milestones including Petra starting to grab her toys and throw them around. Hopefully this will substitute for grabing daddy's glasses and throwing them across the room, her current favorite game. Petra is also standing up now, with a little help from daddy. She has plenty of strength to push her self from seated to standing, but still needs help balancing. After awhile she also starts to get an amusing case of hula legs (wiggle wiggle).

Petra was also a big hit at the mall when we ran out for a few errands. She was very playful in Barnes & Noodle, though she was upset by a duck brushing its non-existant teeth.