so cute

Asa is about the sweetest, cutest thing I could ever have imagined. The only thing that might be cuter than Asa would be other cute things with Asa. For example, Asa rolling around with a puppy might be even cuter than Asa rolling around on his own. Asa in a pile of leaves would probably up the cuteness level compared to say Asa in a pile of laundry, although that would be cute too ...

In fact its hard to imagine a scenario that involves Asa that wouldn't be cute even if it were otherwise sad or icky. For example, we had to take Asa to the ER for a chest xray, it was late, he was sick and tired and yet he was incredibly cute. Another example from a week or so ago, Asa was in the bath having a great time and then (as if he were reading my mind because I was just thinking how great it is that this had never happened) he pooped in the tub. It was hilarious, disgusting and yes, cute. I mean, you know you are in love with your baby when you think the fact that he has pooped the bath is cute and funny not vomitous and repulsive.

For any readers who don't have kids and think that I am insane for thinking this stuff is cute, all I can say is, two years ago I would have adamantly agreed with you and now, well now Asa owns me and all I can say is, if you have kids than you will see just what I'm saying first hand.

Medical Info Women Should Know

Okay, maybe I'm bored but I actually found this mildly amusing so I'm going way out of bounds and just copy/pasting my blog post today.

Pregnancy, Estrogen, and Women

PREGNANCY Q & A & more

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?

A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q : I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?

A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q : What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?

A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.

A: So what's your question?

Q?: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor,

but pressure. Is she right?

A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.?

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?

A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q?: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?

A: Not unless the word "alimony" means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?

A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?

A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.

Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?

A: When the kids are in college.

"ESTROGEN ISSUES"

10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE "ESTROGEN ISSUES"

1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.

2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet.

3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.

4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.

5. You 're using your cell phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says: "How's my driving".

6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.

7. Everyone seems to have just landed here from "outer space."

9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.

10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday.

TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND

10. Cats' facial expressions.

9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.

8. Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.

7. Fat clothes.

6. Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time.

5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.

4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.

3. Eyelash curlers.

2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.

AND, the Number One thing only women understand:

1. OTHER WOMEN

head over heels

Asa finally took his first big spill off the couch today. I say "finally" because its a moment I've seen coming for months and have been obviously concerned about. As it turns out, it was hilarious! Well, hilarious to me, more sort of frightening to Asa I would guess.

Here is how events transpired: Asa is running around on the couch (yes, I know this is bad manners and not safe) while I stand nearby and tell him to "sit down please", which he does. After a few moments he is back up and I tell him to be careful and he makes a move to sit down only he's too close to the edge so he starts to fall over. Somehow it happens incredibly slowly. One hand, two hands firmly on the ground, top of his head planted between his hands, momentary head stand before the feet and legs come flipping over his head and BAM! Asa completes his first somersault and couch fall in one amazing move.

He sat up looking bewildered and I smile at him realizing he's not hurt in the least, and start laughing. He looks a little unsure, then a little proud of himself, then he's back to looking a little unsure. I squat down and he comes running over for a reassuring hug. It was very sweet, very funny, and luckily no one was harmed in the making of this memorable moment. And perhaps little man will think twice before he goes running around on the sofa again.

pigout

Asa is known for a lot of things but being a huge eater has never been one of them. That baby had no interest in eating when he was first born and in fact we had to "finger feed" him for at least the first two weeks, and definitely for a bit beyond that. It involved a small syringe, a very thin tube and usually Jeff's index finger in Asa's mouth trying to encourage him to suck it down. That was followed by weeks of special apparatus to get him to breastfeed.

Eventually we got the hang of it and things were going fine until he was around 7 months old at which point he spontaneously decided he was through with bottles. So we switched him to sippy cups which he used for about 36 hours. On to straws, which thankfully he took to. And then about a week later he gave up breast milk unless he was nursing. So we gave him some formula, which he drank for a week or two and then gave that up. Luckily we'd received a free sample of a different formula in the mail and he loved that one. And for two months, he was alright.

Then we gave up formula and breastmilk completely and switched to whole milk, which he loved and still does. So milk has been a challenge at times but on the whole, we know we can always get him to drink something. Eating solid food though, not so much. Some days he just isn't that into it. But it's fine. He's healthy, strong, growing tall and has a nice round belly. And you can always get him to eat a banana or some cheese

Lately, the kid has become an eating machine. An unstoppable eating machine. For dinner the last two nights in a row he has eaten an entire sweet potato, half a chicken breast and about a half a cup of peas. That's each night, not total. He is literally eating my dinner off my plate. Breakfast is the same deal. After devouring a full bowl of cottage cheese and apple sauce, he insists on more cottage cheese, half a pear and a half a banana. At lunch, his daycare ladies tell me the same story. He hears "time to clean up before lunch" and in a flash he's putting toys away left and right and rushing over to his highchair! I mean, he's a machine! I don't know what's going on, growth spurt, tape worm, who knows ... but it's pretty awesome to watch him do this.

Oh and to make it even more remarkable, he's using his spoon and spork to feed himself all this food and in the last two weeks the amount ending up in his lap has diminished to maybe a total of a bite or two. It's incredible. But we may need a Costco membership if this keeps up!

over-heard this moring

Jeff: Asa, are you hungry?

Asa: What?

Jeff: Are you hungry?

Asa: Yes.

Jeff: Do you want some peaches? (silence) ... Do you want some banana?

Asa: Yes.

Jeff: Okay, let's get some banana!

Seriously? When did my baby get old enough for a full blown conversation? Oh and PS- little man used the potty for the first time last night! He walked himself over, sat down and peed in the potty. Then he got up, did a victory lap and gave out several high fives to two very enthusiastic parents.

mom smarts

these are some things i've picked up over the last several months.

1. diapers.com is awesome
2. amazon.com/mom is pretty awesome too (think about their subscribe & save option)
3. a lingerie bag is the best way to not lose baby socks/mittens in the laundry
4. sleep sheep, snuggle nest, and a white noise machine are invaluable tools for getting a baby to sleep
5. stuffed animals should go through the wash tied up in a pillowcase to protect them
6. a cheap plastic shower curtain does a good job of containing the mess when a baby starts feeding himself with a spoon
7. a dog does a great job of cleaning up messes that cheap shower curtains on the floor miss
8. even if it's hot, a toddler should wear pants on a walk so they don't scrape their legs up climbing stairs and falling down on pavement
9. the older the baby gets the more into snuggling they seem to be
10. going to the playground before work/daycare is totally awesome
11. a hair brush or a toothbrush can be a great toy, as can a dixie cup, car key, remote control, shoe, cardboard box, unopened pregnancy test, spoon, etc ... pretty much anything other than medication or sharp objects really
12. they are smarter than you give them credit for and are always listening so watch what you say
13. once they start walking, they are often running the opposite direction you'd like
14. gripe water is your friend
15. cloth diapers weren't the terrible burden everyone seemed to think they'd be
16. infancy wasn't as hard as i though it would be but parenting overall is more exhausting than i imagined
17. that cliche about "it was all worth it" is totally true. nothing is better than being a mom.

east africa

I go through cycles of avidly following as much news as possible and becoming weary and worn down by all the violence and sadness in the world. I often feel disgusted at how short an attention span the collective "we" seem to have and how the media exploits our basest instincts to their advantage.

Casey Anthony. Lady Gaga. The Dougherty Gang. Amin Hassan.

Wait, who is Amin Hassan? Amin Hassan is a Somali mother living in the Dadaab Refugee Camp and she recently buried her 1 month old daughter, Addison, in a grave she dug herself. She is one 30,000 Somali parents who have buried one or more of their children this summer alone. And potentially 600,000 more children in East Africa may die before the year is out.

Let's stop for a moment and think about those numbers. 600,000 children dying in the next three months. We all live in different places but if you picture the 600,000 people living closest to your home all disappearing in three months, I'd say we'd all have a very desolate few miles around us. Or imagine that only the 600,000 children closest to your home are gone. No kids on playgrounds, at the pools, riding bikes, enjoying playdates, going to school. Just silence and cold emptiness left behind for their families to live with.

It absolutely tears me in two to read the stories coming out of camps there. Of children dying long, slow, extremely painful deaths from starvation. Parents having to watch them slowly wither away until they are listless, barely alive ... little more than breathing skeletons.

At 12 months old Asa is around 22 pounds and is rather slender for his age. There are 4 and 5 year olds in the refugee camps who weigh just 15 pounds. Think about that. Imagine if it were your baby and there was nothing you could to help him. You'd already walked a 100 miles in terrific heat, been robbed by bandits of any possessions you had, and arrived at the one place you knew could help only to find they are stretched way beyond their limit and reinforcements aren't going to arrive quickly enough to save your children. It's terrifying, isn't it ...

I don't mean for this to be a lecture. It's more of a reminder about why it is so important that we do not allow ourselves to avert our eyes from these headlines, and that we make sure the media doesn't cave in to the next Casey Anthony drama and dictate to us when the story is over. The story of famine in Africa is over when children are no longer starving to death, when their parents and siblings are well nourished, vaccinated, and able to return home to rebuild their lives in a safe and secure setting. We cannot allow latitude and longitude to dictate our compassion or empathy.