Burl - 1 month old!

Burl is getting ready for his first big trip. We are all going to Taipei tomorrow night. On Friday we will apply for Burl's passport and citizenship certificate. We hope this picture satisfies the head office in Halifax.

After an exciting morning at the Canadian Trade Office, we plan to hit the zoo. We hope to see the things we missed back in August!

Saturday, we want to take Gail to the recently re-opened new and improved National Palace Museum.

Then, I hate to even think about it, it seems as though Grammie Gail means to catch a plane back home on Sunday morning. Boo hoo.

We have a lot to do before the bus ride. Burl was just sucking his thumb! He's growing like crazy. Bought him his first small sized diapers - he's just got a few newborns left!

Oft-heard Ivo-isms.

"Papa, where AAARE you?"
"Did you SEE that?"
"All done."
"All gone."
"What happening?"
"Play truck."
"No bath."
"Dash big guy."
"Dash tall guy."
"Dash pooping."


pics from today.

tea st redux sunday night

Pictures from Tea Street, Sunday night. Grammie bought Ivo a helium cow - whose feet are weighted so it looks like he's walking - or at least levitating low to the ground!

We ran into Sho, Sarah and Alison - fun to see the girls. Alison is expecting a baby girl in July! Yippee!

Ivo: 2-1/4 and street-legal

Yeaterday, Saturday, Ivo, Burl, Gail and I went to Rayne's in Chung Hua. Both boys mostly slept in the car - both ways, which eliminated - at least for one day - Ivo's nap struggles.

Only Rayne and Olivia were home - which was perfect for Ivo and Olivia. They played together and mostly cooperated. Ivo ate his first yogurt cup, had crackers and cheese and apple juice. He was pleased and felt like a big boy. The kids colored, play-doughed, toy-roomed...










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Rayne handed-us-down an excellent toddler car seat. It's flashy, comfy, lower, safer -than-our-last-one... and much more super-hero-ish!


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Burl and I love using the Baby Bjorn carrier - so much more support and protection when we're out. Due to his 6 big mosquito bites,, we're trying to keep a hat on Burl - especially while we're sleeping. It seems to be working - I don't see any new bites from last night. Also, the hat he's wearing was way too big for Burl when we came home from the hospital - and now it's just right. He's growing so fast! Over the past couple days, Burl's been sleeping for longer stints w/o eating. He can go 2 hours - maybe more - then be up and eat and look around/play for an hour or so, then sleep. He's still having some gas trouble but only a couple times/day - not after every feeding. also he can sweat now and his eyelashes are getting long. When he cries, Ivo says, "It's ok Baby Burl."
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We met Ryan at Fridays for dinner. Ryan had been out looking at laptops. We all had a great dinner and for the first time, Ivo didn't run all over the restaurant. He sat on Ryan's lap and stood in the high-chair. This is a momentous occasion! Maybe he knew it was his 2-1/4 birthday. Ivo can sing and hum the happy bday song - very cute!
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Saturday was the first day since dear little Burl arrived that I didn't feel like this whole thing might have been a big mistake. It reminded me of how good it felt to wake up without immediately counting the hours til night's return.

Ivo was happy, not screaming or shouting "NO!" incessantly - not angry. He had a little trouble settling down for sleep. Ryan told me that Ivo said over and over "Want Baby Burl run away." Poor guy - but doing better. ("Run away" means leave. "Hide" is used for is/are when prepositions like behind or under are required - "Buzz hiding the table" = Buzz is under the table.)


All pics from yesterday - except Baby Burl-Roo from early this AM.

Ivo and/or Burl - 3 weeks old

Ivo Dash and the 1/2 bday cake

The cutest thing yesterday was Ivo coming home with Grammie proudly bearing gifts. He was so happy pleased and excited about the cake that he picked out - it still almost makes me weep.

You don't have to go home BUT...

You can't stay here... Just as a bartender says to a drunk at closing time, so do I say to Ivo at nap time. "You don't have to sleep, but..."

• you can't keep jumping on Mama
• you can't use Burl as a step stool
• this is quiet time

As many a genius before him, Ivo doesn't need much sleep. Napping a couple days per week is enough. He is learning and using new words every day. He loves singing Row Row Row yr Boat and 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. He is counting and identifying letters. Sadly, I'm too tired to enumerate all the wonders of Ivo... I'll do better soon.
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Yesterday was my half birthday. Ivo bought me a notebook (and one fr Papa), oreos, lemon juice and a beautiful chocolate cake. He was super excited. So sweet. We saved the cake for after dinner - and he sang "happy birthday" to me!

Gail, Ivo, Burl and I went to Tea Street yesterday, shopped, window shopped and had a snack. Earlier in the day, Gail bought us a new stroller! I'd forgotten how smoothly a stroller can ride and how great it is when you can close the stroller with one hand.
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Burl is doing great - growing lots. Poor guy has some acne and 3 big mosquito bites. He's also been having a little more discomfort pooping today - which happens every 20 minutes...

Review of Monday-Tuesday

Due to Saturday night's activities (all of which, I have to add cost only 500nt!!! That's 15.09US/ 17.75CAD/ 18.93AUD. Including medication - the works! - Soon I'll dig out how much it cost to have Burl in the hospital - I know the private room was 1500nt/night - I think the balance was around 4000nt - I have to double check - anyway, excellent medical care for less than a decent dinner for 2!)

So, yea, anyway - there aren't any pics or activities involving me from Sunday, 18 March. All I did was breastfeed - I may have changed a diaper. My abdomen felt like horses had been stomping on it. My body felt worse than after labor. Shocking. But I'm feeling much better now. Still tired - but maybe I'll remain this way til... I don't even want to consider the end of that rainbow...
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On Monday, Karin came over and played with Ivo/Dash. Grammie finished Ivo's Superman cape. It's beautiful.
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Today Grammie, Ivo, Burl and I all went to the science museum. We drove though, to conserve my energy. Even though I'm feeling upbeat right now - the experience made me realize that once Gail leaves, the boys and I will be stuck in the house until and unless another grownup comes to help us. Maybe on weekends we can go somewhere with Ryan.




























The reason I feel upbeat, though, is because I've decided to think of this as a very temporary situation - like a month or 2. Possibly 3. Maybe 4. The intricacies of holding/wearing Burl and corralling Ivo are many and varied. Rather like the work of 10-men than just one-me. But I don't wanna go into that now.
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Rayne came over after the museum and brought so many gifts we're swimming in gratitude. Pants, onesies, jammies, socks for Burl. A framed 3-pic of Burl from the hospital. Plus a t-shirt and patch for Ivo. Pics of these to come:)

Postpartum Trips to the ER: 1

Saturday was a busy day. Out to Dylan's in the morning. RT Mart in the afternoon. Nap and then the ER in the evening.

Everything is fine - but it was scary. I thought it possible I might die. I always think (or did think) I'm a wuss as far as pain-threshold - but perhaps my tolerance is higher than I gave myself credit. Now when I think I feel like crap - I'm gonna assume I'm right. I'm not gonna say, Oh, it's probably just gas... Like I did when I was in labor with Burl and on Saturday, when I was cramping without break and needed a D&C.

But everything is great. Ivo was sleeping the whole time Ryan and I were at the hospital (cuz he hadn't napped). My dr was the dr on call - which was excellent. There's no waiting. We are so lucky it's me rushing to the hospital instead of Burl or Ivo. We are so lucky Gail is here. We knew Burl was in the best possible hands. He had to drink some formula... But that's certainly the least of evils...
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So this week, ending on St Patrick's Day, has been the least pleasant post-partum week so far for me/us. The 2 day fever/mastitis of Tues-Wed and then this Saturday-hangover-to-Sunday...
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Pics from Saturday.

double picture postings

I just noticed I've posted a couple pics more than once.

I'm very very TIRED. My brain is addled.

Sometimes my brain doesn't work. Sometimes I can't even form sentences that make sense. Key words often get dropped for words that have no business being there.

that's all