Mutsu

Apple season can come to a close because Bear has figured out what his favorite variety is.

 Hands down, it's the exceptionally large, 
                                                    exceptionally tasty

Mutsu apple.   

Figuring it out

Update: so it did snow.  And a few days later it snowed even more.  Pictures at the end of this post.

-It is already Thursday. 

- In the wee hours of the morning snuggled close to the baby, I awoke to spit up flowing into my mouth.  I was amazed.  It was gross.

-I roused to Champ changing the car's snow tires as we are estimated to get 6" of snow today.  I don't know if I buy that, but it is snowing out and we do have baby A's doctor's appointment today, so snow tires it is.

- We've been finding dog vomit in the house on average about 2 times a day.  Is it a ploy for attention or some delicious feast found outdoors?  I'm not sure, but that too is gross.

- I have sushi and gossip plans with a girlfriend tonight (baring any blizzards).  NO BOYS ALLOWED.  It will be short and sweet since I am on a baby feed timer (no pumping for bottles just yet), but it will be rejuvenating!

- We have company arriving late tomorrow morning and through the weekend.

- There's no way I'm going to get the birth story up before the end of this week.  
- I would not be able to function without my Maya and Moby wraps
- thanks to those wraps, I've been in the kitchen making chili, granola and pumpkin pie.  Fall comfort foods are the best, don't you think?! 

All of this comes with the territory of a newborn.  I remember that, too.  A fond hello to all of you and may you not have a "spit up in your mouth" kind of day ;)

                                       the sun rises over our lake
 

                                                   a snowy new roof and chimney!

Love to the Pit Bull

Today- October 22nd- is National Pit Bull Awareness Day.

We are celebrating Sterling and Trot coming into our lives with a giant love fest...

I believe there are mutual feelings on both sides. 

* thanks to newlywed AND pit bull owner, A, for bringing this to my attention.  Sterling and Trot send their regards to Alice and Zoey!

Snapshots

I sat down yesterday afternoon to write you, but then there was a knock at the door and friends and food and joy drifted in.  Before we knew it, it was bedtime...

And so here I am today; back at the computer, happy for yesterday's impromptu celebration and with a few moments on my hand to write you all a note.

The friends of yesterday haven't been the only sweet souls to stop by.  Our days are well balanced between visits from friends and family and serene (mostly) hours spent privately among all six of us under this roof- from baby to dogs.

This NEW roof to be exact.  The shifting of ladders and tools from the back of the house to the front signaled the end was in sight. Yesterday we bid a fond farewell to our house elves hard workers,  D & D.  Thank you again gentlemen and to the "underwriters" of this project!

(pics from a recent apple picking outing- thanks M, J and E!!!)

Bear begins most mornings snuggled in our bed listening to stories with baby A.  He then moves on to booking his personal calendar for the day- I seriously think he gets more calls each week than Champ or I do.  "It takes a village", most certainly.

 
The harvest has continued even though our world stutter stepped for a few days.  Gradually, peacefully I am picking up where I left off; eager to freeze my most favorite of all fall homage- pumpkins!

Champ is ever reminded of his important role in this family as all clamor to him eager for snuggles, wrestle time or a quick walk.  His patience astounds me since after he has pacified all the males in the family, he still has to deal with me. 

That sums it up for now.  We try to swing with the ups and downs and savor when all the puzzle pieces click into place.

-The birth story patiently waits in the dugout as I roll the words around in my mind.  I'm thinking next week for sure...
- Oh, were you here for baby pictures?  Here's what I pulled out of my sling earlier this week:

Prelude

Life with two and all the memories come back.  I remember this place of sweet baby sighs and milky whispers. 

The washer loyally churning out fresh diapers and the kitchen being called upon to create comfort food after comfort food.  Wee hours of the night looking at his face, always for the first time, and inhaling that perfect smell; unlike any other.

 

I startle in remembrance too: here is where my water broke, there is where I danced away a contraction.  Of hospital and nurses, steady heartbeats pounding through each night...


did I really just go through all that?
is that phase of the journey truly over?

Tears come as I watch my uterus shrink to a place possibly never called upon again and I can't bear to think of the pregnancy clothes eventually leaving my drawers.  Bear seems to have grown 6 inches while he was out of my sight. 

We visit the midwives to present our newest son and they circle around us, celebrating courage and new life, singing of Hakuna Matata.

It is sad.
It is sweet.
It is these moments that fill my lucky, blessed days.

My birthday began...

with the water- birds and the birds of the winged trees

 

flying my name above the farms and the white horses

and I rose in a rainy autumn and walked abroad

in shower of all my days.       
- from "Poem in October" by Dylan Thomas



Baby "A" arrived in this jewel toned world
October 7th 2011
9 pounds 9ozs
22 and 1/4 inches

We are all perfectly smitten with him and soon I'll have time to tell you just how wonderful he is!

XOXO,
 

Chew on this

Today I have now officially been to the dentist 2 TIMES IN THE PAST 7 DAYS which ups my grand total of "visiting the dentist during this pregnancy" to somewhere in the range of 7-8. It's awesome really.  

My time with those tooth fanatics is up and I don't plan on going back until way after the new baby is here (if ever, but I digress). 

Pregnant or not, here's a tip for all of you on how I coped during the time I wasn't getting relief in the dental chair.  Maybe you need to alleviate your suffering now, too.

Step 1: call the dentist because this treatment can only get you by so long
Step 2: gargle around in your mouth with a hydrogen peroxide rinse 2x per day to keep infection down and therefore- pain.  I did a capful to half a shot glass of warm water.
Step 3: Dab some clove oil on your sore tooth/gum with a Q-tip.  It numbs the pain and helps to keep it disinfected.  Clove oil IS a strong flavor, but it helped with the pain, so I didn't mind one bit.
Step 4: grind up some Tylenol so that it looks suspicious.  Use a Q-tip to dip into the powder and directly apply it to your aching tooth.  I liked to do this before bedtime and it solved the problem without me having to take a full dose of Tylenol internally.
Step 5: go to your dentist appointment and celebrate your painfree mouth (until the next tooth falls out).

And now it's time for some gossip:

I am so very very proud of Champ!  Over these past few months he has been nominated and involved in the process to nominate Vermont's Teacher of the Year.  The closing ceremonies were last week and he ended up being one of the top 4 finalists in the state.  Bravo and kisses to you!!!!

The nonprofit that both Champ and I are affiliated with is currently running it's online auction-  bid on a Ski getaway, a signed Red Sox Wakefield baseball, a gorgeous pottery bowl (From the studio I used to work at!)...
Go visit and help The Collaborative raise funds to continue supporting substance free youth.

And with that, me and my new-white-painfree tooth are over and out.