Dreading Tomorrow

Stella's getting her 4 month vaccines tomorrow and I am DREADING IT! We were supposed to get them last Wednesday but waited so she wouldn't be a complete pill for her Baba and her Aunts who came to visit. OF course, yesterday she still was a pill, she just refused to sleep. Between getting off of her nap schedule, us having lunch at a place that took FOREVER and didn't have a/c (we didn't know!), and her teething, we couldn't get her to sleep at all. Having guests is nice, but I think it totally gets ALL our schedules off when they are here for several days! I realized a few minutes ago that what I really should be doing is cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry, all the stuff that Stella may not let me do for the next couple of days if she has an unhappy reaction to the shots like she did last time. Poor thing was just not herself for 2 or 3 days, and cried out in pain whenever I accidentally brushed her legs where she'd gotten the shots. At least this time I'm prepared and know what to expect. Oh, well, a little pain is a small price to pay to have the world rid of horrible diseases that 50 years ago could cripple or kill your child (polio anyone? shudder!)
In an hour I have to go all the way across town to have a meeting for a murder mystery I'm doing this Friday. It was presented to me as having NO rehearsals. Of course, I guess this doesn't count as a rehearsal, it is just a happy hour meeting to discuss the game plan. I thought that was why we arrived at the place we're performing an hour early! Oh, well, these things never are as promised. Let's just hope Stella doesn't give her Daddy any trouble tonight when they are home alone.

Stella's 4 Month Check up

We just returned from Stella's 4-month check up and she is healthy and growing apace! She is 25.5 inches long (still 90th percentile), 14 lbs, 12.8 oz (still 75th) and 40 centimeters in head circumference (only 25th percentile). Although the doctor thinks the head size will increase once the flat spot she has on one side evens out. To that end, we are to spend even more time with Stella upright and on her tummy. The doctor even recommended we put her down for naps on her tummy, with her head turned so that the flat side of her head is not touching the mattress. I was surprised by this, but apparently it's safe now that she can lift her head and roll over. This means doing away with the Swaddler, though, so we're going to wait to attempt this until the weekend when Tim is home. I'm sure the first few times I'll be checking on her every five minutes! But we don't want her to have to go through life with a misshapen head:0
Also, the subject of solids came up, and the doctor said as long as I don't mind feeding her more often like I have been, I don't have to give cereal until I'm ready. Phew! Although I think we're going to start doing it soon, as Stella seems ready. She watches us eat and reaches out to pull plates and stuff towards her sometimes. I read a bit in T. Barry Brazelton about mommies being reticent to give their children solids because we'll no longer be the sole source of nourishment, and recognized myself. He really made me realize that it's okay to move on this next stage. Of course I also dread solids because of the cost and the fact poopy diapers will now have to be rinsed in the toilet. So far, Stella has been practically free on a day-to-day basis since I bought the cloth diapers eons ago and she's breastfed. Now we'll have an ongoing expense! Another new development, we should start giving her water, especially when she's out in the heat. We'll see how she takes to that after only having the sweet taste of milk. I'm going to try tonight when we go to Tim's run, since she'll be outside. Last Tuesday she wanted to eat when we were out and I think it was because she was thirsty, not hungry. New developments every day, this is when she's really getting exciting!
Her Baba and Aunt Christine were supposed to be here 40 minutes ago. Hopefully they didn't encounter any bad weather! 

Another meme!

So Tim tells me I am still pronouncing it wrong. I think it's meem not mim. Whatever. Anyway, the newest meme is typing "Julie wants" into Google and then typing up the first ten responses. Fun! Some of them didn't make any sense, so I skipped them in favor of ones that did.
Julie wants ..... to know if she'll ever get Straight A's (not again until Grad School, but this happened a few times in my younger days. Unfortunately it has no bearing on your future life. they don't tell you that.)
Julie wants.... to meet 1 person
badass Julie wants ....to go clubbing (this is my favorite. God how I would love to go clubbing, I haven't done that in years! Dude, once we're all done with breastfeeding, I should totally drag Anna and Ashley to do that. We already have something else we are going to do that we all agree on. hee hee. only 8 months to go!)
Julie wants ..... Jean killed like an animal. (oh wait, maybe this is my favorite, although I've only ever met a couple of Jeans/Genes, but they were both incredibly sweet)
Julie wants .... to do 8 things.
Julie wants.... to return to her roots.
Julie wants.... to be a mathematics teacher after finishing college. (no freaking way!)
Juli(a) wants .... me to flip the bird this way (not really, I'm not picky, flip the bird anyway you'd like, just don't flip it at other drivers, they will often get out of their car and try to kick your ass. I learned this the hard way in high school. trust me, don't do it)
Julie wants.... to fall in love and exactly who she is looking to fall in love with. (too late, already fell in love with Mr. Tim nearly 10 years ago and Miss. Stella 4 months ago)
Julie wants.... out

Meme from Kelli

Tim makes fun of me because I call these things "mee mees". They are apparently mims. Whatever. Kelli tagged me to do one from Stella's point of view, although it's nearly impossible, as being only 4 months old, Stella doesn't have very strong opinions. But I'll do what I can!

3 Things That Scare Me
naps
Being laid on my changing table when I'm really hungry and really wet. What if she never feeds me?!
loud noises

3 People That Make Me Laugh
Daddy
Mommy
MeMe

3 Things I Love
Rabbit (aka Rae, aka Rae Rae)
Buddy
Kitty

3 Things I Hate
naps
wet diapers
having to poo but it just won't come out!

3 Things I Don’t Understand
English
Why Mommy is annoyed when I wake up at 5am raring to play
Let Down - I want my milk RIGHT THIS SECOND!

3 Things On My Desk/Table
I don't have desk or table. Mommy's bedside table, which is next to my crib has:
A Book about Baby Giraffes
A Book about Baby Koalas
a coaster

3 Things I’m Doing Right Now
Sleeping in my crib, which is now in Mommy and Daddy's room. I love my crib, I do a 360 turn in it and spend lots of time trying to roll over and waking Mommy and Daddy up really early.
I'm wrapped in my swaddler
I'm dreaming of crawling. Or at least sitting up!

3 Things I Want to Do Before I Die
I agree with the first two responders: Mommy’s not even willing to discuss me in the same sentence with that word so I guess we have to skip it.

3 Things I Can Do
Roll over
Do baby sit-ups
Smile the world's most beautiful smile

3 Ways to Describe My Personality
Happy
Outgoing
Selfish (hey I'm a baby!)

3 Things I Can’t Do
More like 300!:
Be Reasoned with
Recite Shakespeare
Control my bodily functions

3 Things I Think You Should Listen To
Here Come the ABC's by They Might Be Giants
For the Kids cd, especially "Hop Hop Hippity Hop"
My cries

3 Things I Think You Should Never Listen To
dogs barking
phones ringing
"shhing" my parents do when they are trying to get me to go to sleep

3 Absolute Favorite Foods
Mommy's Milk
Mommy's Milk
Mommy's Milk

3 Things I’d Like to Learn
To sit up
To crawl
to walk

3 Beverages I Drink Regularly
See "Absolute Favorite Foods"

3 Shows I Watched as a Kid
I am not allowed to watch tv, but I really try. I am trying to be like an owl so I can turn my head around 360 degrees and see the tv no matter what Mommy and Daddy do!

3 People I Tag
Henry
Daniel (use Mommy's LGT blog!)
Jackson (tell Mommy to start a blog!)

Here's a picture of me with my Great Grandma, Mama and my Great Grandpa, Papa. Don't let my expression fool you, I really liked them, I was just really sleepy!

So fortunate!

I was just doing our finances and realized how fortunate we are that we can afford for me to stay home with Stella. We made it through the first half of the month without touching savings, with even a little bit to spare. This the first month since I've become a Stay At Home Mom that we were able to do that. Of course, we did have a month where Roxie was sick and then needed her teeth cleaned which cost over a $1,000, which you can hardly budget for. It's really a relief to be like, "phew, we can do this!" Sometimes I think, "what did we spend our money on when I worked?" Of course, then I remember that we put a ton of money in savings, took great vacations, and last, but certainly not least, went out A LOT. So that's where the money went! I can't wait for November, when Tim's car is paid off and then we can start saving again. Tim wants to sell his car, but I just think there's too much convenience in having two cars. Sure, he takes the bus, but what about when I start doing plays again? I'm sure there'll be times when he'll need a car and I'm gone to rehearsal. And with his car just a few payments away from being ours, it seems silly to sell it and risk us needing to buy a new one and take on a car payment. I don't know, maybe he'll convince me, we'll see. It would be nice that big chunk of change in savings, and it's silly that it only gets driven once a week, if that.
Tim thinks I'm a master budgeter, but I'm really not. I couldn't do it without Quicken. I tell you who is a master budgeter: my friend Kelli. I read how much she's getting with how little, as far as groceries and just generally living and I am blown away! Maybe I'll start issuing challenges to myself. We've definitely cut back on our eating out, which is good, but we both just love Tim's gourmet meals so much, it's hard to cut back on the groceries hardcore. Well, as we've both said, you gotta' set your priorities for what makes you happy in life. Family, friends, food, music and theatre I think are Tim and I's top 5.
The picture has absolutely nothing to do with the post, but I thought the post was pretty boring and needed some spicing up:) It's from her "Future Longhorn" photo shoot. Now I just need to get one of them printed and sent to the Alcalde, the Texas Exes magazine, so we can show her off!

July 4th Partay

Isn't this the cutest picture? It's Anna, Daniel, Me, Stella, Ashley and Henry. Aren't we the best looking group of mamas you ever saw?! :)

Oh, this is going to be a fine day

I am really tired. Yesterday, Stella woke up at 7:30am, which is now her new waking up time, but for some reason I was more tired than usual because of this. But I have accepted 7:30 because she went from midnight to 7:30am without waking up at all. Yes! Oh, and Monday Tim had the day off work. Stella woke up at 7:15am, I fed her, we played, then I put her back down to sleep about 9. I went back to sleep too and we all 3 slept in until 11am! I have not done this since she was born. It was so awesome! Then this morning she decided to wake up at 6:05am. And decided she was not going back to sleep after I fed her. She was going to be all talkative and cute and want to play. Sigh. So I got up with her, ate a bowl of cereal, and then she seemed fussy so I thought perhaps she'd go back to sleep. This was a little after 7am. I read her the rest of "Are you my Mother?", (I really need to get more books. Maybe I'll check out the Monster Library Sale again. I am so tired of alternating the Foot Book, The ABC's, Are You My Mother and Mr. Brown Goes Moo. I really like Dr. Seuss, can you tell?), and then after a lot of "shhing" (our sleep cue word, we learned this from The No Cry Sleep Solution), she finally went to sleep. So did I. But she woke up again at 8:10am. We had a little tummy time and I fed her and then she was fussy again about 9:00am, so I read her the Feet Book and after much shhing, she went to sleep. But I cannot go back to sleep, AND apparently I accidentally threw away the can opener because it was in the bag from Slapdash and I didn't realize it. So no Decaf Coffee for me (which amazingly keeps me awake). I just re-read that and wow, I am not even coherent.
I really should be cleaning. I'm hosting book club tonight and I did not realize my house was so dirty until early yesterday evening. I thought I'd just have to run the vaccuum and be done. But I think I have a bit more than that to do. Damn.
And we have decided we are going to move the crib into our room because Stella is outgrowing the pack n' play bassinet. So don't laugh when you come to our house and there is no crib in the nursery. It's just actually being used! Tim has sweetly agreed to having her in our room for at least a bit longer. I'm just not ready to have her all the way over in the other room!

Wee, Slapdash!

So I just finished draft one of my Slapdash script and thanks to the fact that AOR has wireless, I can blog about it to you in real time! I would totally post this on the LGT website, but Tim has my computer set to find loadedguntheory.com internally or something and I can't access it without him working secret voodoo when I am not at the house. It's majorly annoying, especially since I want to see where we stand on reservations.
As usual, I started out not being happy with my script, not really thinking that was where I wanted to go, and ended up really liking it. That's the great thing about Slapdash, you just have to trust your instincts, there's no time for overanalyzing.
I had the hardest time leaving Stella. I was seriously fighting back tears thinking about spending 11 hours away from her; by far the longest we've been apart. Also, I'd miss out on our nighttime feeding, which is when she's such a little angel. But, as I figured, as soon as I started writing I've been too busy to miss her. Although I'm looking forward to seeing her again in the morning. Well, guess I'd better go pump before we read our scripts at 3am. Whee, more sugar please!
UPDATE: The clock on this site is totally wrong. It is not 12:38am, it's 2:38am. Just so you don't think I'm a speed demon writer!

My Word Cloud

A nifty little time waster I got from Tim, who got it from Kelli.
http://www.snapshirts.com/

For the Love of Pete, Sleep!

Stella suddenly refuses to take naps. She's almost always been a sleep-fighter during the day, but now it's reached epic proportions. Sunday she didn't sleep at all from 2:30-8:30pm, and Tim finally got her to sleep by sheer force. He has much more patience for rocking her bassinet and saying "shhh" over and over again than I do. I spent the entire afternoon trying to put her down, then picking her back up when she would cry. He finally took over at 8:30 and, hallelujah, she slept! I guess I should consider myself lucky that she sleeps through the night beautifully. We put her down about 10pm, sometimes earlier if she's fussy, I usually wake her up just before I go to bed to feed her, about 11 or 11:30 (although not always, it depends on how long it's been since her last feeding), and then she sleeps until about 5:30am. Then she goes back to sleep usually until 8:30am, which is earlier than I like, but I'm able to get a good 5 or 6 hours in a row, which rocks. But oh, those naps, she just doesn't want to take them! I was reading reviews of sleep books on Amazon, which left me more confused than when I started. They really are more geared towards babies that don't sleep at night rather than ones that don't sleep during the day. And I hate parenting books because they are usually so "all or nothing". The only ones I've read are "What to Expect the First Year", T. Berry Brazelton's book, I can't remember the name of, and The American Academy of Pediatrics. Those are all pretty unjudgemental and "just the facts, mam".
I'm sad too because my card reader will not work. That's why there haven't been any new pictures of Stella posted for a few weeks. We did get portraits taken at Sears Saturday, which is where the shots at the top came from. I can't believe the Sears website allows you to save those. I'm totally "breakin' the law, breakin' the law!" They turned out really great, I can't wait to get the prints.
Last night we had an awesome July 4th party. A bunch of folks came over and we had beer, barbecue and breastfeeding. Ah, what a difference a year makes. Last July 4th we were all at Tim's old company's July 4th party watching the fireworks. There was beer and barbecue, although I had no beer then. I had just read The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally and I was following his instructions to be a teetotaler. And little did I know, I was just a wee bit pregnant. Stella was a tiny developing speck! That's so crazy to think about.