Just Fabulous

Gillian has had a wonderfully late awakening today: 6:30. We got almost 6 hours of sleep before the tell-tale chatter started when G wanted her breakfast. I went to pick her up-and Lo and Behold....Poop. Everywhere. Did you have any idea, Those of You Who are Not Yet Parents, that bananas have weird and magical threads that are wirey and black when they come out the other end? Anyway, there was oddly grayish-green poop leaking out of the left leg hole of her diaper, all over her jammies...the weird and magical black wirey threads dancing around in the dark...all over her bedsheets. It took 6 wipes to clean her up (including her hands, which instinctually grab at her dirty nether regions when the diaper is removed), and then I took the 5 lb diaper and put it in the diaper pail. We tag-teamed the mess and Sean removed the crib sheet, scrubbed down the mattress cover (thank GOD for the mattress cover), and put on the new sheet while I washed the baby's hands with soap and then fed her.

So, People with No Children-you ask, "how's it feel to be startled awake in the wee hours of the morning (although 6:30 is luxuriously late), after months and months of it happening, like you didn't expect it? How does it feel that when you are startled awake, there is a sea of poop to clean up before you can get the baby fed, and ultimately, get back to the matter at hand-namely, sleep?" It is definitely a challenge to clean up the baby bleary eyed and exhausted...not to mention, after she woke up for the day, a couple hours later when we went to her, she had pooped again, which also leaked, sullying the other clean crib sheet we had. That wasn't the end of our poopy day. But at least the third time was a charm-it went square into her pants, where it should have gone. Thank God.

Gillian stopped eating solid foods about a week ago, or so. My pureed organic delights-wasted...butting up against her stubborn, pursed little mouth (I might get a few little baby spoonfuls in before she starts blocking me). We aren't sure how to proceed with this. She is so tiny, weight-wise. She was in the 15th percentile for preemies at her last doc visit for weight (not even 15 lbs). She should care about solid foods by now...we worry thay she isn't interested in an important skill she should be learning to acquire. Eating from a spoon and chewing and swallowing is necessary in life. She was eating 1/2-3/4 of a banana a morning and 6 ice cube sized portions of food each night...now, nothing. Maybe a few bites before the stubborn, pursed mouth sets in. What have I learned? My will cannot overcome that of a baby..a "not-even-15 lb" baby. She has enough will for all of us. And she is winning this battle, because if I fight her, she will become more stubborn to do what she wants to do. I know this because she is just like me....payback is hell. My mom is laughing somewhere for the appropriateness of it all.

As for the nanny-Friday was twice as bad as last Monday, because it was twice as long. Gillian cried and cried and cried and cried. Poor Monkey. Today Nanny came over for a few hours and played with Gillian at our house. No crying, no tears. We hope that today will make tomorrow easier away from home with Nanny.

Still working on editing my million videos for your viewing pleasure. At this rate, it will be Christmas before I finish August. *sigh* and *sigh*...