Kaelin is growing faster than we could have imagined. Â

Every day is a new creative venture of trying to find techniques that deter crying fits. Each method expires quickly and seems to lose its effect within a day or two, so the need for new anti-cry defenses is a constant void needing to be filled. At each successful attempt, I give myself Supermom Points, highly cherished and full of kudos. Oh, and each Supermom Point also comes with a handful of candy out of the M&M’s jar.

Don’t get me wrong, she’s a very good child in general, and doesn’t really cry that often. She spends most of her day sleeping, eating or pushing out farts that rattle the house like a nuclear explosion followed by a 3.0 earthquake. Note to self to see if our home warranty covers drywall repair due to natural disaster from baby bottom.

She is, however, getting to the stage where when awake, she wants to be entertained. But is not yet at the stage at which she can hold and investigate things, watch things further than about 18 inches away, or move by herself. She therefore gets a little frustrated during the awake times.

Enter Mommy.

Yesterday we had a rousing game of romping around the house to “Paul Has a Head Like a Ping Pong Ball.” By the time we got to the first chorus of “ping-pong-ping-pong-ping-pong-ball,” teary eyes had morphed into wide open eyes which stared at me with a look of “Are you completely insane?”

Success. 1 Supermom Point for me. If I keep this up, they’re going to have to name a pacifier after me or something.

Every day is a new creative venture of trying to find techniques that deter crying fits. Each method expires quickly and seems to lose its effect within a day or two, so the need for new anti-cry defenses is a constant void needing to be filled. At each successful attempt, I give myself Supermom Points, highly cherished and full of kudos. Oh, and each Supermom Point also comes with a handful of candy out of the M&M’s jar.

Don’t get me wrong, she’s a very good child in general, and doesn’t really cry that often. She spends most of her day sleeping, eating or pushing out farts that rattle the house like a nuclear explosion followed by a 3.0 earthquake. Note to self to see if our home warranty covers drywall repair due to natural disaster from baby bottom.

She is, however, getting to the stage where when awake, she wants to be entertained. But is not yet at the stage at which she can hold and investigate things, watch things further than about 18 inches away, or move by herself. She therefore gets a little frustrated during the awake times.

Enter Mommy.

Yesterday we had a rousing game of romping around the house to “Paul Has a Head Like a Ping Pong Ball.” By the time we got to the first chorus of “ping-pong-ping-pong-ping-pong-ball,” teary eyes had morphed into wide open eyes which stared at me with a look of “Are you completely insane?”

Success. 1 Supermom Point for me. If I keep this up, they’re going to have to name a pacifier after me or something.

It’s fascinating how babies can completely defy the laws of nature, day in and day out.

For instance, how is it physically possible for someone so small to produce so much laundry? Blankets, bibs, onsies, gowns, booties, sheets, cloths, towels…I have been trying for a week and a half to get some of our clothes washed, but can’t seem to get it done because of the neverending pile of baby laundry that needs washing, folding and putting away. I once thought there was no possible way we could go through the 2,021 blankets and onesies we have for her, but alas…I was wrong. Our washer seems to be in constant cycle.

And have you ever noticed that the amount of waste product expelled by a baby seems largely disproportional to the amount of nutrition taken in? Where does it all come from??? I wonder the same when she spits up approximately half a gallon of white gooey stuff, when I have just witnessed the fact that she only drank 3 oz of milk. Isn’t there some scientific law that says you can’t produce something out of nothing? Obviously they haven’t tested it on infants.

And how is it that even though she sleeps 16 hours a day, I still can’t find the time to get things done? Where does the time go?

What is this 6th sense that KNOWS, no matter how deeply asleep she appears, the exact moment when I have stopped rocking her and placed her in the crib…and then insists that she WAKE UP? And that she be DECIDEDLY UNHAPPY ABOUT IT. WHY??? WHY???

And why does she have to be SO DARN CUTE that half the time after I’ve spent an hour trying to get her to go to sleep so I can get things done, once she drifts off I find myself unable to put her down and sit staring at her little nose and chin for unreasonable periods of time.

Sometime today I will find time to brush my teeth, and take this ridiculous bun out of my hair so I can dry it. Sometime. But in the meantime, just so you know, she’s adorable when she sleeps with her mouth open.

It’s fascinating how babies can completely defy the laws of nature, day in and day out.

For instance, how is it physically possible for someone so small to produce so much laundry?  Blankets, bibs, onsies, gowns, booties, sheets, cloths, towels…I have been trying for a week and a half to get some of our clothes washed, but can’t seem to get it done because of the neverending pile of baby laundry that needs washing, folding and putting away.  I once thought there was no possible way we could go through the 2,021 blankets and onesies we have for her, but alas…I was wrong.  Our washer seems to be in constant cycle.

And have you ever noticed that the amount of waste product expelled by a baby seems largely disproportional to the amount of nutrition taken in?  Where does it all come from???  I wonder the same when she spits up approximately half a gallon of white gooey stuff, when I have just witnessed the fact that she only drank 3 oz of milk.  Isn’t there some scientific law that says you can’t produce something out of nothing?  Obviously they haven’t tested it on infants.

And how is it that even though she sleeps 16 hours a day, I still can’t find the time to get things done?  Where does the time go?

What is this 6th sense that KNOWS, no matter how deeply asleep she appears, the exact moment when I have stopped rocking her and placed her in the crib…and then insists that she WAKE UP?  And that she be DECIDEDLY UNHAPPY ABOUT IT.  WHY??? WHY???

And why does she have to be SO DARN CUTE that half the time after I’ve spent an hour trying to get her to go to sleep so I can get things done, once she drifts off I find myself unable to put her down and sit staring at her little nose and chin for unreasonable periods of time.

Sometime today I will find time to brush my teeth, and take this ridiculous bun out of my hair so I can dry it.  Sometime.  But in the meantime, just so you know, she’s adorable when she sleeps with her mouth open.

Kaelin celebrated the 2-week anniversary of her birthday on Monday, and had her first doctor’s appointment yesterday.  Somewhere between three hours of waiting and filling out endless forms, she was weighed and measured and pricked (though it was more of a slice than a prick, if you ask me) and seems to be very healthy. She’s gained about 6 oz since birth, which they were very impressed with, since in the first two weeks babies are only expected to regain their birthweight.

She’s a good eater and getting much stronger. She’s trying really hard to hold her head up for more than a few seconds and roll over, and gets a little frustrated when she can’t succeed. She’s gaining a lot more energy and has taken to squirming…especially when she’s cold. She kicks off all her blankets and then fusses because she’s even colder…one day she’ll make that connection.

She’s usually sleeping in 3-4 hour intervals at night now, which is great. There were a couple of nights at the beginning during which I was quite convinced I would lose my mind if this child didn’t go to sleep for more than 10 minutes at a time.

Hastings’ world has been rocked, as he is no longer the only child (we keep trying to reassure him that he’s still the #1 dog, but he doesn’t seem to be buying it) and he cannot figure out why everyone is paying so much attention to this little squirming being. She doesn’t even “sit” or “lay down.” And forget about “give me 10.” Â