On the Move

Yesterday when Andrina took an amazingly long morning nap-she really moved! She scooted herself quite aways from where she started. Take a look:

She started out laying here:

and ended up over here!

That's a lot of movement for a little baby, especially being all swaddled up!

"Nap when the baby naps"--yeah right!

Today is Saturday. For the past 3 days-Wednesday, Thursday, and yesterday, Andrina has refused to take a "proper" nap. She'll go down in the mornings for about half an hour, refuse to nap the rest of the day, then of course be fussy because she is overtired. So this morning she's up at 7 something and by a little after 8 she's yawing. So, I put her down right away. And guess what? She fell asleep no problem. But I could not get back to sleep. I laid in bed for a hour, could not fall asleep and Andrina did not make a peep. So I got up and have been up for 2 hours. I can't get back to sleep! I only got 3 hours last night. Arrgh! And she's still asleep! She's been napping a little over 3 hours now. If I could have fallen back to sleep I'd be getting a 3 hour nap too...

There is one nice part of this. It's a weird story. About 10 years ago I heard a song on the radio, about the last 30 seconds of it or so. The chorus of it consisted of "this kiss". I really liked song but I had no idea who it was and could not find out. On and off for about 10 years, I'd think of that part of that chorus and try to figure out who that was. Still I did not know who it was. But today, I'm going through the channels while Andrina is napping (and I'm not) and guess what? I hear that chorus! I go back, it's a commercial for Faith Hill's "The Hits" CD. Now I finally know who and which song that was! I would never have guessed Faith Hill because she's country and I didn't think that 30 or so seconds sounded country.

I'm definitely going to get that song on my iPod. Now if I could only get that nap...

She's Already Grown So Much...

Tonight after giving Andrina her bath, I was looking at her in her little bunny towel and thinking just how incredibly cute she is (yes, I know, every mom thinks their baby is so cute). But I was thinking that she was even cuter than usual and I had to get a picture. And I thought of the picture of her in the same towel after her 1st sponge bath and had to compare the two. I am amazed by how much she has already grown! Take a look:

Tonight (9/28):

2 and 1/2 months ago (7/17):

She looks so different. I find it all surreal...

Where do all the Little Lost Socks Go?

Wanted:

One pink sock with a butterfly on it.

The left mate to the one in the picture below:

So I'm putting away Andrina's clean laundry this morning while she's playing, and it happened. There is one sock left over without its mate. I lost the first baby sock. I knew it would happen eventually. I didn't know how I'd obsess about finding it though! I looked EVERYWHERE! Under all the dressers, changing table, crib, under the cribs bumber pad, inside the washer, the dryer, inside the folds of her other clean clothes, towels, and changing pad cover. I was about to tear apart the utility room when I decided no. I'll go play with my baby until it's time for her nap and I'll have Tom tear apart the utility room later...

And to think that this time last year I put this much effort into malingering assessments and NGRI evals. Now my new short-term goal is to find the missing sock!

New Toy

Yesterday Andrina got a new toy. I ordered it about 5 weeks ago and it finally came in. Well, actually it came in the day before yesterday but I opened it and set it up yesterday. She seems to enjoy it. And she tolerates it for "tummy time" for a few minutes longer than she would without it! The terrors of tummy time! That's another subject in itself!

A Sad Anniversary

It was one year ago today that my heart was broken. It happened when one of my dogs, Uncas, died after "throwing a blood clot" as the vet said.

Uncas was a "special needs" dog. He was born with a genetic defect called mega esophagus. The esophagus connects our throats to our stomachs, and in Uncas, it was extremely wide. A defect of the nervous system, the esophagus continues to grow and expand. It would eventually impinge on his lungs on one side and his spine on the other. Tom and I knew this when we adopted him shortly after coming home from our honeymoon in November, 2005.

Uncas did not have a happy start in his life. He was originally bought as a puppy and named Damon. Soon after he was bought, his original owners starting beating him because he was constantly throwing up (he was throwing up because his insides were not normal, it was not purposeful behavior). So they gave him back to the breeder who took him back and to the vet. His diagnosis was made. However, there was no real prognosis for Uncas. Some dogs with his disorder only live a few months or a year. Some have lived as long as ten years.

Uncas lived with his breeder for a few months who nursed him back to health as best could be done and trained him. His breeder did a wonderful job of caring for him and training him. He was almost 5 months old when Tom and I adopted him and gave him a real home.

Uncas was a joy right from the start. After walking around our home and getting the lay of his new territory, I went up to him, sat down next to him, and petted him. He responded by licking my face and ever since I loved him. And I know that he loved me.

Uncas made an immediate friend. A 2 and 1/2 year old female Schipperke named Mina. My dog that I got as a puppy and trained and loved. Very quickly our new member of the family settled into the household and life for the most part was very good.

Uncas was a lot of work to take care of because of his disorder. He had to eat small meals several times a day; consisting of very small kibbles of moistened dog food and cooked chicken cut up into very small pieces. This was because he would not necessarily keep it down and when he did, it sat in his esophagus a very long time before it made its way into his stomach. It is very difficult to keep "weight on" these dogs.

Tom did research online and we learned that it is often helpful to give these dogs ensure. So every day, Uncas got a can of evaporated milk mixed with a can of vanilla ensure. Extra vitamins and protein that was easily digested. And Uncas loved his "milkshakes". He would lick the bowl over and over again after he finished it.

For almost a year, Uncas had a "forever home" with Tom and I. We loved him but he made it so easy to love him. A very gentle dog with a calm temperament, he was simply a great dog. He loved to be petted and just "hang out" with us. It is difficult to describe his presence. Peaceful, kind, loyal. But also a great watch dog. He also loved short periods of play with us and Mina. Of course, he was not perfect. One day, for no apparent reason, he peed on the carpet. I was there when he did it and yelled "NO" at him. He never did it again. And he also chewed Tom's desk when he was a puppy. But we didn't care. He was always a "good" dog and we appreciated him and loved him.

Then one morning, he began throwing up. Bad. Then he was vomiting mucus after that. We took him to the vet where he began to treat Uncas for pneumonia and gave him IV fluids. He began to improve and within a few days, he seemed to be back to his wonderful self. But it did not last. On a Saturday morning, he simply fell down and died.

Uncas did not ever reach his full physical growth. 110 pounds when he died, he needed to continue to fill out and would have gained about 10 more pounds. He was a true gentle giant.

I was depressed for weeks after he died. I remember Tom and I crying when we went to bring him home and bury him. Tom and I did so much to give him the best life he could have. In the end, for the short time he had with us, he lived a very happy life. He knew caring, patience, love, and acceptance.

Please enjoy the beautiful photos below. And please, enjoy the time you have with any animals you share your life with. They go way too soon.

Alert, happy, and calm. That was Uncas.

He would have made a great playmate and protector for my daughter.

A true Gentle Giant. Uncas is almost as big as the love seat behind him!

Uncas and Mina, the best of doggy friends, having a typical play session together. They were "alpha dogs" of our home and my version of a perfect "doggy family".

Uncas and his best friend, or "mate" Mina. They enjoy a beautiful and sunny July afternoon together. See the potted flowers behind them? Uncas was such a good dog he didn't even try to dig them up or destroy any of them.
Goodbye Uncas. Tom and I still miss you and we still love you.

ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN

Uncas Hansen

Shiloh Shepherd

The sweetest and smartest dog I have ever had the privilege of "owning".

His life was much too short.

July 1, 2005 to September 23, 2006

Big Baby Feet

When Andrina was born her pediatrician said she had a very mild case of jaundice. It was not a bad case at all, it cleared up by itself with 5 days. But it let me know that my baby is not perfect. Sorry Sweetie, but no one is. I was reminded of that again last week when I noticed that all of Andrina's socks were too small on her. They are supposed to fit babies up to 3 months old and she's only 2 months old. So when I was at the Carter's store I bought her the 3 to 12 month size socks. I didn't want to use them yet though. But today I had to. The smaller ones were just way too small. So I opened up all the 3 to 12 month sizes, washed them, and guess what? They fit her. My baby has big feet! I didn't expect that because my feet are so small, they're only a size 6. Yes Tom has big feet but he's a guy, he's supposed to have big feet! I guess Andrina may have big feet as an adult.

Mommy Friends and Baby Friends

Today Andrina and I finally got to meet Rebecca's little baby boy Ryan! What a cute little sweetie Ryan is! I wanted to hold him but he slept the whole time. Of course, I don't want to wake a sleeping baby. I so enjoy having Rebecca as a friend. Rebecca, you are a GREAT friend! It will be so much fun when our babies are capable of playing together that they'll be friends too! Even if they can't play together yet, we'll still have play-dates.

Ryan, Rebecca, and Andrina

What a cute and sleepy baby you are Ryan!

Rebecca and I want our babies to be friends too, but it doesn't look like they know that the other exists yet!

Quite Time

Andrina finally laid quietly in her pack and play today. She usually hates it and cries when we put her down in it. Today she was ok to be quietly alert and look at the mobile. Yep, she's developing!

2 Months Old!

Happy 2 Month Birthday Andrina!

Here's my beautiful baby at 2 months old! Wow, you have GROWN! And I did not think it was possible but I am in love with you more now than I was when you were born!

Ok, so the stats: Andrina is 9 lbs 10 ozs and 21 and 1/2 inches long! That was the best part of your pediatrician visit today. And of course, you are doing just great overall! The horrible part was you having to get your first round of vaccinations today. I was so sad for you... I spilled some tears when you cried! My poor baby, I could not get you and comfort you fast enough after that.

Somebody tell me WHY an innocent little baby has to get stuck with 4 GIANT needles??!!!

So Happy Funny Face

Again I am so happy I had my camera this morning! I just love these pictures!

Funny Face!

All smiles!
Andrina, you are so cute!

What an incredibly happy baby!

A full body smile!

Smiles and Bubbles

I just love my baby's smiles and now she's starting to blow bubbles too!

Extremely Happy Baby!

I am so glad that I had my camera ready this morning! Andrina was playing with her Baby Einstein toy and she just started having such a blast with it! She also reached another developmental milestone-reaching for an object! She reached for the star on her Baby Einstein toy. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of that. But I got great pictures of her enjoying her toy and having so much fun!

Here's she's just observing the lights and listening to the music

Here she's a bit more into it

Here you can tell she's happy

And here is full-blown baby bliss!

So excited!

So happy!

I am so fortunate to get such a happy baby!

I am so addicted to her smiles and happiness!

Trip to the Zoo

For Andrina's first Labor Day, Tom and I packed her up for her first trip to the zoo. It was a perfect short outing for a couple with a very young baby. We visited a very small, not well known zoo. Definately not one of our area's major zoos. Andrina enjoyed the fresh air and Tom and I enjoyed seeing a few wolves and some other animals, as well as some mastadon fossils. It's hard to imagine that someday Andrina will be able to run around the zoo and actively enjoy the animals too. Here she is while we were enjoying the fossils, with an adorable amused expression on her face that I just have to share.