Slow News is Good News

I know it's time for another post, but things have been pretty quiet around here. Nothing really blog-worthy has happened as of late. I've been catching up on doctor's visits this week--nothing major, just general maintenance to keep the old clunker clunking. I've found that if I make my appointment first thing in the morning, Tess will usually sleep right through it, which is rather convenient. I did manage to lock my keys in the car at one of the appointments. I had to call a friend to find the secret key hidden at my house and have her bring it to me at the doctor's. So, that was pretty exciting.

I started my Mom & Baby exercise class at the rec center this week (thanks for the Valentine's Day present, Mom!). Meredith is horrified by the very concept of it: exercises for new moms that incorporate baby into the routine. It's not like I'm bench pressing Tess or anything. It's more like, baby's got to be around, so how can you exercise and keep her from screaming at the same time?

There were only 4 people signed up for the class, so I was wondering if it would end up being canceled. So I show up on Mon. and it turns out that I'm the only person who came. Yep, just me and the instructor. So that was interesting. A couple more moms came Wed. & today, so that was better.

Tess is in the stroller for much of the class--we do laps around the gym pushing the strollers (I feel like we're in some kind of baby parade) and use the stroller for balance while doing lunges. The other stuff is more toning kinds of stuff: hand weights, ab work, leg work. I'm sure it's not a really serious workout, but it's good for me and it sets a good example for Tess.

Tess finds the class very relaxing. Today I got her ready to sweat it out by dressing her in her jogging suit, but she fell asleep during the warm-up laps and snoozed through the whole class. Now that's my kind of exercise!

I'm glad the weekend has finally arrived. No major plans here. Ry's put the shnug down for bed; I made some yummy potato chowder (well, yummy by WW standards, anyway) for dinner; and we rented a movie that we can snuggle up and watch together ("Thirteen Days"--I hear it's one of Nathan's current favorites!). Maybe something exciting will happen this weekend. If it does, I'll post a blog!

Princess Rosebutt

The weather has been beautiful here the past few days--great for walks with baby. One of the reasons I love Virginia is the beautiful show of seasons we get here. Yesterday I noticed the tree out front has started to bloom--spring is right around the corner! I can't wait for all the blossoms to explode (dogwoods are my favorite!). They aren't particularly good for Ry's allergies, but I say, "Pop a Claritin and enjoy!"

And here are a few pics of my baby apple blossom after her bath. The "princess" robe and bunny slippers were a gift. I LOVE the slippers (wish I had a pair myself), but I've had some reservations about the robe. Sure, it's cute, but I'm not sure how I feel about the whole "princess" industry.

But then again, I remember feeling jaded early on. I remember listening to Sleeping Beauty on tape, with one of those read-along books, and being awed by the story of Princess Rosebud. My dad heard it and thought it was hilarious that a princess would be named "Rosebutt," and I was shocked at the indignity of his comments. I would have taken some pix of Tess as Princess Rosebutt, but Ry has strictly forbidden me from taking any naked baby photos.

There's no question in my mind that as a daughter of God with a divine nature, Tess is certainly a princess. And I can see the fun of dressing up and pretending. But there's something disturbing about the aggressive marketing of the "princess" mentality to little girls, with its focus on image and sense of entitlement based on physical beauty.

Instead of relying on a sense of entitlement, I want Tess to be driven by a sense of responsibility to live up to her divine nature. I want her to work hard, to use her mind, her talents and all things beautiful about her to bless her life and the lives of those around her.

OK, maybe this is a bit deep for a baby not yet 3 mos. old, but I don't have a lot of time to figure this stuff out before it is going to matter! Luckily, she didn't seem too enthralled by the princess robe--she kept trying to knock that goofy crown off her head. Maybe I don't have much to worry about after all.

Of Elephants and Ghost Chickens

Before I get an inquiring comment from Mom ;), here's what Tess wore to church today:

The colors in the pics are a little off--the shirt is more a cranberry color than it is red. We didn't have time for a photo shoot this morning, so these were taken after church (which is why she looks so thrilled in pic #5: "Woo hoo! We're finally done!"). I had black tights she was going to wear today, but when I put them on her I realized they are WAY too big and she kind of looked like...

As you can imagine, she was much happier once I traded in her tights and corn syrup-adhered bow for some warm, cozy PJ's:

She's still not much of a snuggler, but we're breaking her in! I relish every snuggle I get!

For those wondering, we had an impressive showing at our ward's Home Video Night, but the awards were swept by a stellar production of "Ghost Chickens in the Sky" (this is just the song--a family in our ward did a hilarious video to it). However, we did come in a close 2nd place in the Drama category!

This is Better Than American Idol!

I recently ordered some books from the library that are supposed give you ideas to stimulate your baby's intellectual and emotional development. The illustrations in one of the books are SO BAD, they had Ry and I laughing like crazy! I refuse to implement any of the ideas in this book out of fear that Tess will end up looking like one of these mutant creatures!

And some of the tips themselves were pretty terrifying. Let your baby play with a balloon (major choking hazard!) tied to his wrist with a long string (major strangulation hazard!)? Or how about letting baby play with a coffee can? Evidently, it's never too early to start breaking the Word of Wisdom. I didn't post the picture of baby using dad's ashtray as a teething ring.

So, it's time for a new poll! Cast your vote for the creepiest baby illustration:

1. "Jabba the Tot"

2. Baby Skeletor


3. Baby "Daddy, Why Does the Mirror Crack Every Time We Look In It?"



4. "Coffee-Buzz" Baby


5. Baby Alcatraz