Voyages in Parenthood

On our way home from dinner at friends last night, we passed by the dentist's office - the same office/sign we've passed by for YEARS. I notice, the dentist is listed first (Family Dentistry), and the other doctor listed is Family Podiatry. I say, "Huh, isn't that interesting. You can get your teeth checked by the dentist, and your feet checked by the podiatrist. Never noticed that before." Brock, "Really, the other doctor is a podiatrist?" "Yeah." "hmmm, Foot and Mouth." I proceed to laugh my ass off! Foot and Mouth...Foot In Mouth. It just struck me as one of the funniest things I had heard in a while. We are thinking they should replace the sign with one that says, "Foot -n- Mouth."

It's amazing the types of conversations I find myself having now with my friends (and even a few strangers!) We used to discuss where we'd go on Friday's for happy hour. We used to discuss (okay, gossip) about who did what to whom or who is hot for whom, etc. I even remember a time, years ago, when we used to discuss the Melrose Place characters like they were real. And we hung out with them! Now, we discuss our childrens' bowel movements. And, we are excited about it! We trade tips on creams that will help diaper rash. And don't think twice about the conversation we are having. We talk about color - but only in how it describes afore mentioned bowel movements. In my life, I never expected poo to be so darned interesting! I CERTAINLY NEVER expected to have full blown discussions about it! And, I NEVER expected to not mind! Weird!

So last night, we had a cold front come through the area...which was good, because we have had the hottest and humidest (??) days EVER in the past couple of weeks...well, maybe not ever, but it's been pretty darn hot! I got home before the storm hit, even got to spend a few minutes playing with Leda before it got so dark at 6PM that it felt like 9PM. So, while feeding Leda, the wind is blowing pretty good, but the storm hasn't really gotten to us yet - the electricity goes out. Well, we sit there for a little while, couple minutes, wondering if it's gonna come back on. Brock decides to go out and investigate. A tree from the golf course has broken and fallen across the power lines and have pulled them down onto the street, for a good 100 yards up the road! Yeah, we are in for the long haul! Brock checks in on the neighbors, I put Leda down for a nap. The rain begins and stops in about 15 minutes...I'll tell ya, the build up for this storm was pretty impressive...we expe...

Leda is 3 months old today! Wow! She's truly a delight. She smiles, and laughs, and talks...oh, boy, does she talk (seriously, with parents like us, did you expect anything less???). She's started to use her hands to pick things up (sorta! Sometimes, she doesn't quite make the target, but she's trying!!). And, drum roll please, she has started to roll over this past week! She hasn't gone from her back to her stomach yet, but she can lie on her side by herself! She's not always sunshine and flowers! Occasionally we get to deal with Baby Hyde...she'll be smiling one second, and the next - oh, baby, watch out! The neighbors probably wonder what we are doing to the child! In fact, I do believe that the last two times she's had a complete melt down, she did so when it was cool enough outside to have the windows open so the neighbors get to hear EVERYTHING! Most of the time, we believe, this is because she's tired...we've tried all the other possibilit...

Brock and I lucked out completely! We have the happiest baby we could hope for! Leda is truly a joy and seems to be a very happy child. She babbles a lot these days, and ALWAYS has a smile for us - seemingly ever moment of the day! Of course, she has her moments...usually when she's tired or when she's hungry and we haven't produced the bottle fast enough (yes, I am sure if Leda had a blog, we'd be hearing about how we make her wait to eat ALL THE TIME!), but these moments only last for a very short time. We usually have a smiling, cooing and giggling child on our hands. I think the thing I dreaded the most about having a child is that we'd have a baby that cried all the time. I am happy to announce that my fears are unfounded! At least, until someone at the hospital figures out that they gave us the wrong child!! This past weekend, Leda had her first (of MANY!) trip to the book store. We headed out to Barnes and Noble on Saturday morning to purchase the new Harry P...

Just discussing this with friend at work who is also a new mother...after nine months of being pregnant, for the first month or so after Leda was born (and sometimes still), if I left the house to go shopping or whatever, leaving her at home, I would spend the entire time wondering what I forgot... It's a very strange feeling - Leda was with me for nine months, 24/7, everywhere I went, she went. Now, I can leave her at home and I feel like I am forgetting something! Something to look forward to for the rest of my life!

French give away wine at toll-booths Seriously, how could you find anything wrong with a country that gives away wine? Okay, so, giving it away at TOLL-BOOTHS isn't the smartest way to promote one's wine producing regions, but hey, it would make traveling France by car REAL interesting, don't you think?

Yuck! How in the world can it be easy to go back to work when you could spend the whole day looking at this face?? Anyway, I am back to work as of Monday this week. It's not so bad - luckily I don't have to leave Leda with strangers, just a strange man - her father! ;-) Brock and Leda have apparently been navigating this new arrangement just fine. I, on the other hand, need to figure out how to sleep at night! Or, better yet, Leda needs to give Mom a break! ;-) Day 2 - I think we'll make it! Stay tuned!

Brock and I attended the Dave Matthews Band concert on Tuesday at the Tweeter Center as guests of Rudy, the IT guy for the band (he also takes pictures during the concerts for the band). Rudy ran the One Lap this year and invited Brock to attend the concert, which we gladly accepted. This was going to be our first time leaving Leda for an extended period of time, but we are MORE than lucky to have the BEST NEIGHBORS EVER who have a daughter of babysitting age - So, off to Camden at 3:15PM, after handing Leda off to the capable hands of Megan (and, as it turns out, most of the McCartney clan!), and 2 and a half HOURS later (yes, 2 1/2 hours to get to Philly! Geez!), we are meeting up with Rudy... Rudy not only offered us seats at the concert, which was generous enough, he offered to give us a tour backstage an asked us to have dinner with him, backstage! Who are we to turn down such an offer? So, a little past 6, we are walking backstge at the Tweeter Center with Rudy. Past 6 or so Moto...

Leda turned 10 weeks this past Monday...I have to say, I have experienced things in the past 10 weeks that I never dreamed I would experience...and I like it! (not sure which scares me more, the things I've experienced, or the liking it part!) She's such a great baby. She's so cute and when she smiles, it's enough to melt your heart! She barely cries (although, when she does, she makes sure that everyone in a 5 mile radius knows she's not happy). She started sleeping through the night about 3 weeks ago...8-9 hours a night...WOOO HOOO! She really wants to be upright now, always wanting to sit up or stand up...it's like she has somewhere to go and she's got to go NOW! She's had a busy three weeks...She attended Aunt Stacey's wedding, met her cousins, Sarah and Scott, and the rest of the Yates family (Aunt Claire and Uncle Bobby, Uncle Daniel and Grandpa and Nana!). We went to the Pocono's this past weekend and went on a boat ride with John and Jenn...

Well, the beginnings of a well traveled baby! We just came back from our first trip with Leda and all went well (actually, much better than I ever expected!!). And, we are home for a few days before we head off to the Pocono's with the Durham's for a few days! Yes, let the Yates' Summer traveling begin! Leda should be well traveled by the end of the summer! We traveled the 5.5 hour trip to Wyoming, NY, last Wednesday morning...we had to stop only once to feed baby (and mommy and daddy and Duff!). On the way up, Duff climbed in the back on top of all the stuff we packed (WOW, what an awful lot of stuff we took!!) and watched over his charge...it was so cute, I had to take a picture! We had a lot of fun with our cousins, Scott and Sarah, and our Auntie Claire and Uncle Daniel and Uncle Bobby and Grandpa and Nana! And Aunt Stacey and Uncle Todd's wedding was awesome (albeit HOT!!) and we had so much fun! I'll update more later about the wedding, but Stacey looked beau...