Jul

238 presidential scholars: Bush worst president of modern era, fifth worst in US history | Raw Story.

Am visiting the ‘rents in lovely Richmond right now, so dare not speak about this outloud!

  

Dec

Barely in time for Chanukah, but will arrive in plenty of time for those of you who celebrate XMas! %-)

Two versions … the collage went inside the handmade cards I made …

And this was the all-in-one that I sent to everyone else. No offense if you got this version … most people did! I only hand-make cards for family members … there are only so many hours in the day! I actually really like this one, and may do away with hand-made cards altogether next year.

Whatever you celebrate this time of year … Merry Everything!

  

May

Now THIS is a challenge – a focus on Moms. Relationships with moms are…complicated. I can say very truthfully, I would not be the person I am today without my Mom.

This is my Mom and her Mom, right after I became a Mom…

  

Feb

It has been an interesting couple of days, since we have come home from the hospital. Until just a few minutes ago both Leslies mother and grandmother were here. And I know all about the old in-law jokes — but they were truly a Godsend. They were both incredibly helpful as we made the transition from hospital to home.

It was a good thing, too. Since things didn’t go as smoothly at first as I was expecting, based on how soothable Sami was the first night at the Hospital. The second night at the hospital, and the first two nights at home she was incredibly fussy! In part it was because Leslie’s milk hadn’t come in yet, and so she was continually starving (she lost 10 oz between being born and leaving the hospital) — but even worse, once we got home, it seemed like she *hated* her cradle. Every time we put her down, she would be screaming within five minutes, even when she was clearly exhausted. I was starting to get prepared for a *very* rough couple of months!

Fortunately, two things happened yesterday, and now it seems again that we have been blessed with an incredibly easygoing baby. First, yesterday around noon-time Leslie’s milk started to come in, and Sami was able to really eat (drink) until she was satisfied. Since that time she has been taking longer naps — 2 – three hours in a stretch.

Just as importantly, we made an interesting, if slightly bizarre discovery the night before last. For largely random reasons having to do with its orientation in the room, etc., we had been laying Sami down in the cradle on her *left* side. At some point, during early morning hallucinations from sleep-deprivation it occurred to me that in the hospital, right from birth, the Nurses, etc., had been putting Sami down to sleep on her *right* side. So, we made the switch — and “viola!” — all of a sudden we had a different baby. Even before the milk came in she would take real naps in the cradle. And then, last night, it was a miracle! We fed her at midnight before we went to sleep, and then again at 3:30, and then at 7:30! And she slept soundly and contentedly all the rest of the time. It was a parent’s *dream* night. I’m not expecting all nights to go so well, but if the majority can go something along those lines, we will be extremely lucky!

OK, back to my other responsibilities — now that we are back home, I am *slowly* but surely trying to get back into something like a work routine …