Show and Tell

Baby and Mommy took a road trip - for a week and a half! - and left Daddy home alone... Not too alone though as there were "very important" basketball games to watch... He got a break to sleep through the night and do what he wanted, went to watch games with his bro and dad, and got to yell at the TV as loudly as he wanted without me yelling back at him that a baby was sleeping... And Memma and Pop gave Mommy a break too at times so I got at least one nap... And I actually got to read a whole book!!!
My mom flew down to Houston (night of the infamous accident if you recall) and drove back to WF with the kid and I. Granted, she chose to sleep through the whole thing when help was available! It was our first trip out of town... Memma and Pop had been asking when show and tell was going to happen since the day she was born - so here was their chance! And boy did they use it!
This child met probably about 100 new people - and for the most part was very well behaved and won them over! We went to church several times where she was a big hit and I was neglected, to the hairdresser, to school to meet former teacher friends (where she survived all kinds of germs I'm sure!), and had lots of visitors at the house. My parents were really good at stealing the kid and running away from me to the next victim of their grandparent pride attack - thanks to all of you who humor them.
A week before I got into town, my grandmother had had to have emergency surgery and was still in the hospital for much of my stay down there. Luckily, Nin got out the Thursday before I left and got to see the baby several times...

Uncle Paul and Aunt Lacey met Niece Meghan for the first time as well... I know she has won my brother over in his heart, but he refuses to show it outwardly! Aunt Lacey though was willing to show it though! :)

Great Aunt Harla and cousin Hailey came to visit several times. Hailey quickly declared her her best friend and was very interested in all the goings-on Meghan related. Meghan is her only girl cousin and they are close enough in age (she's almost 5) that they can play together in years to come? We met cousins Tanner and Drew at school briefly - Tanner was very excited as well!

Mary Jo finally :) made it over to see my baby Sunday afternoon...
And then Aunt Bobbie finally came home Tuesday night and got to meet my progeny on Wednesday morning... Uncle Lloyd had come over earlier in the week already.

PS: Did I mention that everyone who watched me grow up said that the kid looks just like me? One went so far to say that she didn't even have to ask who Meghan belonged to since we look so much alike... I just thought this was funny since Greg's mom says she looks a lot like him too... The red hair and blue eyes definitely are his... Hopefully the metabolism too! :) But my ears!

Flea, Fly, Flat, Flop!!!

This last 72 hours...

Wednesday: Mom flies into Houston to ride up to WF with me for the week - our "show and tell"... So many have yet to meet her...  We eat and spill on our pants of course. Go home and wash them (Mom only brought one pair) for supper that night - going to eat Mexican with Greg's family (17 of us?  there were a lot).  Dryer takes long and we end up leaving the house a little late.  

Drive about 15 minutes past the restaurant.  I

n the meantime, on the way to eat, Greg calls and says he got hit - the new car--- not really that bad and no hurts!  He takes care of that.  I get to the restaurant, he also drives by and misses it, he arrives late, we eat and go home...  All this means I have to spend Thursday getting my car ready to drive as we were planning on leaving Thursday early AM in my car, but now Greg has to take his car in for a repair estimate.

Thursday: 

Bye Greg! I'll take your car to get the estimate and the tire fixed if you take mine and get the oil changed so Mom and I can take it to WF.  

But first, I want to give Maggie a haircut since I can't do stuff like that without someone to watch the kid.  "Mom, what's all this black stuff in on Maggie?"  Yes, she confirmed my suspicion of fleas - no scratching, biting, itching... Just once she gets shaved does it look like someone sprinkled giant pepper flakes all over her!  Ick!  Give her a bath.  Get Tobey - who now really looks like a schnauzer... Give him a shower, read the bottle (after bathing him) that says not to get on skin or inhale, and soak for 5 minutes on the dog.  I'm naked in the shower with Tobey (my dogs take showers :) ) with the door closed - probably got it on my skin inadvertently somehow in the process... Then I start thinking about feeding my kid, hopefully not having gotten any on my skin... Thinking about her possibly ingesting it... Death... So, I tell Mom to feed the screaming kid a bottle - of which she drools it all and cries. I give in and feed her... 

No lunch yet...

I go to the dealership and look like an idiot - don't really know which parts of the car need to be fixed and for the life of me have the hardest time remembering the diff between tire and wheel.  End up waiting like 2 hours for a new tire.. wheel? ug!  The kid is at home hungry, I need to feed her (if you get my meaning)... did I mention my phone is dead even after being on the charger all night - I've had my phone since Abilene and it doesn't charge!!!

Rush home... She has finally taken a bottle from Mom while I was gone... Feed her a little more... Eat some crap food at home...

Go to wallyworld for flea stuff- who knew so many choices... and decide Greg is on his own for treating the dogs and yard and bombing the house...

Pack the car...blah blah...

Friday 4 am: 

Baby awake, fed, lets leave... All goes great until 3 hours later... 

Ring ring... "Bob, where are the keys to your car?"  I'm in his car with the only set of keys to my car... (He didn't say bye when he hung up... a little irritated? :) )  He calls for a rental, it takes an hour for them to pick him up, he misses his meeting at work.  We mail the keys over night (40$) from Corsicana to his parents house where he was planning on being all weekend - pay overnight to have it delivered on Saturday...  All that semi-resolved now...

Did I mention I'm a horrible mother and had two cokes on the ride in to WF today?  That means baby has gas and cries for much of the afternoon and is not happy...

Saturday: .....  That's tomorrow... hopefully all this is over!

PS: Gregger - at least I remembered the kid! Sorry for the headache!

First Rodeo Experience

It was a tiring weekend! A lot for two who hardly ever get out of the house... Two full days. Greg's parents and the whole crew went to the Houston rodeo Saturday afternoon which included walking around outside, watching horse and cow stuff inside the arena, and Brad Paisley concert. It was hot, we got sunburned, it was crowded, I got to experience feeding the kid in all kinds of random places, and I missed the concert - it was too loud! You would think a country concert wouldn't be loud, but dang it! It was loud even out in the concourse. She slept through it eventually, and I watched it on one of the many TVs on the wall. I feel like as a Texan I should appreciate this hick ritual and all (the rodeo that is)... but I just don't have it. I did enjoy the concert though - what I saw of it! Thanks Kent and Shelly for day of fun #2!

Shelly and Tracy
She likes when Daddy rocks her in her carrier

Cousin Melinda finally got to meet the baby - and she liked her! (Both ways :) )
Nate believes in wearing his sunglasses upside down
Appreciate the cute hat - next time we go, she'll be able to admire the animals!

Day of Fun?

In our effort to compensate for the guys always up and deserting us for bball games, the Baggett girls had a day of fun last Friday while the men had to work. We went to the Houston zoo and out to lunch - all would have been slightly more enjoyable without two little kids feeding off each other crying stuck in traffic... I think a good time was had by all though - excluding the little ones...

Meghan for the most part was a really good participant and slept most of the time unless she had reason to cry - like being hungry! Something which doesn't work well with walking around the zoo :)"I wanna leave now!"
She loves the aunties!

Smiling more and more all the time! And getting better at the car seat without screaming - yea!
Nanny got her out of her stroller when she started fussing... then we had to book it to the car and call our day at the zoo over. Note the cute hat! It was supposed to be a record high that day - 86 I think?
Nate didn't seem to enjoy looking at the animals as much as Nanny
Tracy kidding the big ugly lizard (through the glass - all about excellent photo skills)

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

From my semi-Irishesque blue eyed, sometimes red haired baby!
Thanks Uncle Paul and Aunt Lacey --- we'll see you in a couple days!

Special Visitors...

Meghan has had 3 visitors from the group of my UTMB buddies...

Allison, you were first! But I didn't get a pic...

Then came Isabel - who was proud to be Meghan's "first Mexican" - she proclaimed it not me... And her first Spanish actually - soothing a baby just sounds so much cooler in Spanish! And interestingly, when she was rocking the baby, she moved front to back... said that was natural to her cause that was the way her mom does it. It had never occurred to me (whitey) to move that way.... that's my cultural difference observation! :)

Then came my buddy Meghan - who I from now on refer to as Meghan, Sr. And Meghan loved her and grinned at her the whole time!
Here's to all my other buddies who get to meet the little one in a little more than a week at Christine's wedding - wedding? Nah, it's all about meeting the kid! As for the rest of you, you just gotta invite me over or drive down to see her... I do have a very busy schedule after all :) ... All depends on the TV schedule - just kidding... We have a DVR :)

Daddy Pics

We are feeling a little non-sentimental (asentimental?) - at least based on how others seem. Por ejemplo: I was thinking about trimming her hair, but I knew that was supposed to be a big thing - I'm supposed to keep a clipping or something. I decided against it cause it was supposed to be big thing so she has an afro. And contrary to how I thought I would be, I'm not running around with antibacterial gel or even making people wash their hands. You would think the PA in me (certified and licensed as of two weeks ago!) would be the other way - instead of my background making me a completely overprotective mom it pushed me the other way for some reason...

Based on this, Greg came home and decided we didn't have enough pics of this kid! Bah, I say! So, I made sure to take some pics of just the two of them. Did I mention how much she looks like him? He said except for her "fat head" - for which "how could she have anything else based on your fat head (me)" - something to that extent... Oh the abuse! I went for my postpartum doctors appointment today and the OB (who has only met Greg 3 times maybe?) said she looked like him...

On a side note: getting through church still varies from week to week. Usually good when standing up but gets a little fussy during sermon time. And this new trend to put all the little kids in their own little church makes it too quiet - so when you don't take your kid, you are the only one making any type of noise! I say we should revolt!!! It was kinda awkward Sunday when in all silence, she finds her hand and starts sucking on it loudly - people several rows ahead and behind started giggling and turning around... Just glad it was obvious she was not eating or that would have been awkward!!!

Buddha Belly!

Seven weeks old tomorrow... We've now stayed home just the two of us for a week or so. Staying up later to spend as much time with Daddy as possible and just sleep later in the morning. Usually she wakes up 2-3 times a night - depends on the night - but definitely (hopefully) getting better. Swaddling isn't working so well anymore cause she's pretty much figured out how to eject those arms pretty quick - and then wakes herself up.
I'm still trying to get myself to leave the house - such a pain knowing she'll want to eat in just a little while. Leaves me like an hour to hour and a half until she wakes up and cries. I went to Walmart (for McDonald's etc :) ), and she lasted through the meal to the back of the store - then she cried until we left. Fun to push around a cart while carrying the baby with one hand -- then I got home and read about how taking the baby out makes them think if they cry they'll get out... so I'll have to be stronger. The real struggle is going to be riding in the car without me in the backseat with her - she's good on the way but usually on the way home she cries cause she's hungry.
She's holding her head up better and pushing up on her elbows to look at you - doesn't really do it laying on the ground but when she's laying on someone and wants to look at them. Started batting at things above her and paying more attention to dangly things. We sat in the floor the other morning and read some books for quite a while - granted it didn't work as well today. Feeling the pressure with that little reading baby after all! She was on the Today show the morning after I had the sign language conversation with Greg - her parents said she knew it... So obviously, it's needed right? :)
Well, some people hope for fat babies cause they're cuter. Here one is! Bath time with Daddy means naked tooshie

Propped up on some pillows - didn't give Mommy enough of a break - only enough to take pics and you woke up!
You would be making this face too if you woke up with hair like this - about time for a hair cut I think...

Our First Day Alone

These pictures are from bath time yesterday with Daddy. I always wondered how he managed to make her enjoy the bath without crying. The answer? He sings and makes up songs for her the whole time! I still haven't yet figured out the method. Sure I'll have plenty of practice time though.

Greg went back to work today full time. Hopefully, all the drama at work is over and work will be stable and enjoyable again! And my new job is figuring out how to get anything accomplished with a kid who has days (like today) where she won't let you put her down... Showers are for people who see other people, and we all know I've never been the biggest fan of cleaning anyways!

This was actually my favorite picture from the weekend, and I just realized it didn't get posted!

Michael Buble Concert

The initial reason we went to Katy this weekend was so we could go to the concert... Greg got me tickets for Christmas. So Nanny and Pa got to watch Nate and Meghan Saturday night - eye opener I'm sure - while we had our first date night away from the kid... We went out to eat and then headed downtown. My first real concert I guess as I'm not counting Newsboys in highschool at the downtown auditorium or Caedmon's Call at ACU. Not that they weren't fun, just probably not the same as the 12,000 people at this concert. Sold out - sounds more impressive. It was fun and another aspect of Houston big-city life that we hadn't experienced since we moved down here. We sure seem like crazy kids with all we do - ha! Thanks Greg! I told him I'd take this kind of gift any day over something I didn't need to start with so we'll see if this tradition carries on!

Most people who I mentioned the Buble to didn't know who I was talking about - this video is for all you (if you have nothing better to do :) ) and for you Miss Tracy who was so jealous of me! I thought of you and how much you would have liked to be there... maybe next time!
(so I tried 2 times to upload the video... and it wouldn't work!)

So little one did good and took her first bottles easily and was sound asleep when we got home! Easier for her than us I'm sure - getting home at 11:30 is a little later than my typical 9ish bedtime made harder getting up for church on Sunday. I crashed Sunday once we got back home.

We're headed to another concert (I know!) in 2 weekends at the rodeo with the Baggett clan to see Brad Paisley at the rodeo - I'm required to go to the rodeo and not just the concert :) How she does a whole day out away from the house may be a different story! Feeding her in the floor of some dirty bathroom somewhere will be an adventure in itself...

Nanny and Pa Weekend

This weekend was spent in Katy (north Houston) for multiple reasons. Sam and Jared went out of town so cousin Nate spent the weekend as well for some cousin bonding time.

Cuddling with Nanny

Nate sure likes Meghan. He is very willing to bring her her paci, likes to watch her diaper changes :) , and likes to have his picture taken "holding" her - he said Sunday "I think she wants to hold me"... too cute!

Nanny called this a hippie outfit - I just thought it was cute! Although with her puffy hair, I realize it's a little Elvis-y...
She decided it was time to move past lifting up that floppy head and start raising up on her elbows to look at you - although she doesn't relaly like to do it on her belly unless she is laying on you. Grinning and smiling more... big toothless ones. Sleeping pretty good at night - usually only waking up twice unless she decides it's time to be awake!