IT'S A BOY!

Cate is going to have a little brother and we couldn't be more thrilled about it.

Doc sent us home with some photos of his bum, but there's no way I'm posting them. Not even saving them, in fact. I feel like we've violated the little guy's privacy enough already.

Suffice it to say, IT'S A BOY!

We love you already, Peter Boy!

(Massage) Therapy

My very generous friend Monica gave me a massage for Christmas! Thanks, Monica! Massage was great! Therapy was, well, here are a few things my therapist said whilst administering my prenatal massage today:

While reviewing my papers, which included my birth date: "You're a bit old to be having a baby." (Um, really?)

"You and your husband waited a while to have kids." (Not really. Cate was born before we'd been married 16 months. Not to get in to the thick of the math, but ...)

"Are you sure you want this electric field so close to your baby?" (What? "Electric field?" Isn't it just an electric blanket on low under some sheets? I think it will be fine.)

"Does your back always get this red while you're getting a massage?" (Not sure. No one's ever mentioned it.)

"Do you do your own toenails?" (As you can see, since you are massaging my feet, no one has done my toenails in way too long.)

"You should do your own toenails. The fumes in those places are really bad for you. Those people who work there, they have lots of health problems." (Oh?)

"Did you doctor tell you to get a massage?" (Nope, just thought it would be a nice treat and really appreciate my friend for sharing her massage credits with me.)

"One time I went to the hospital and gave all the doctors free massages. I bet those doctors tell their patients to get massages." (No doubt.)

And my favorite, to the receptionist as I was leaving:

"Now, I'd like to see her back in about three weeks." (I bet you would. Who are you, the dentist?)

My neck is feeling great, and so is my funny bone. Thanks again, Monica!!

A minus

Cate had her 1-year check up Friday and she passed with flying colors. She is 30 1/4 inches long (80 percentile) and 22.5 lbs (67 percentile). She got an A+ from the doctor and I got something closer to an A-.

Doc wanted to know if Cate is sleeping through the night. No, she's not. Why not? Well, because Sam and I snuggle her and feed her when she wakes up. Yes, we know it's a bad habit. Yes, we know that she's not going to start sleeping through the night if she knows she can have a snuggle and a snack in the middle of the night. Yes, we know that children like boundaries.

Well, doc says, I will tell you a couple things to help talk you out of nighttime feedings. First, now that she is drinking whole milk instead of formula she is going to get real chubby real fast if you feed her 8 oz of whole milk every day in the middle of the night. Second, it is good for her brain to rest from eating for 12 hours. "Oh," I say, "So you are telling me that if I stop feeding her at night I'll help her be smart and skinny?" Well, yes, basically, says the doc.

Now, honestly, what better gift could a mother give her daughter?

And so, that's what I'm going to tell myself over and over when she wakes up until she gets the hang of it and starts sleeping all the way through. Truth is, I could use some sleep before Peter/Elisabeth arrives so hopefully doc's encouragement plus that thought will help me (us) resist the urge to snuggle her.

Post-post: Last night was our first night on the new program and guess who slept 12 hours and 15 minutes without making a peep? Cate Major.

It's Been a Year

There are a few things I swore I'd never do when I was a mom, and here are a few I still haven't done:

1. Smell Cate's bum to see if she has a dirty diaper (It's a show-her-some-dignity thing; she's small, but she's a person.)

2. Taste baby food (Ick. I just can't stomach the thought, even if it's organic and even before I was pregnant.)

3. Lick a pacifier after it fell on the ground (Cate wasn't much for pacifiers anyway.)

4. Sanitize a grocery cart before putting Cate in it (She's been sick one time in a year and I swear it's because she gets plopped right into those carts with no wipe down.)

One year down.