a happy/sad story

Do you remember sitting outside in the spring/summer heat with a little table, some cups, a pitcher of lemonade and a sign that said "Lemonade $0.15". I loved having a lemonade stand even though we grew up on the corner of a one way street that got NO traffic and another not so busy street. We would even try to find random junk around our rooms to put out in combination with the lemonade as a little mini sale. I never remember making all that much money but I do remember having a lot of fun with friends getting everything set up and spending the afternoon in excited anticipation every time a car would drive down the street.
Well, I cannot remember the last time I saw kids having a lemonade stand. I sort of thought it was a thing of the past. That parents didn't want their kids out on the street corner talking to strangers and that kids had no need to make a couple bucks in an afternoon anymore, cause what kind of video game would that buy them anyway.
Apparently in Stevens Point, Wisconsin the lemonade stand lives! With the 64 degree, perfectly sunny weather that we had today Samantha and I went for a long walk in our neighborhood and happened upon a lemonade stand. Two young boys with a table, cups, two pitchers and a large sign that read "Lemonade $0.50"; apparently the price has gone up. I just so happened to have 55 cents in the stroller so I went over to the young boys and asked what I could get for my 55 cents. One of the boys proceeded to say "Well, no one is buying the lemonade or kool-aid for 50 cents so we will knock the price down to 25 cents. Would you like a glass?" Not a very good salesmen! I told him I would love a small cup of lemonade and he could take both quarters so they could each have one (I was feeling generous!). In the process of pouring my glass he lost the lid to his pitcher and the whole thing spilled. The other boy yelled "Oh man, now we have to make more! MOM!" and then "And it has ruined our sign. Now people can't read what we are selling" I just thought that was so cute. So I took my cup, said thank you and went on my way.
The sad part.
As I was walking away I put the cup in the stroller, not having taken a sip, and thought to myself I will go a block or so, turn the corner and then dump it out. There was no part of me that had any intention of actually drinking the lemonade. I was thinking, "I don't know where this cup has been, or the condition of the kitchen where that pitcher was kept. Clearly its not safe to drink this lemonade". So that is just what I did, I poured the whole thing out. Is this really what the world has come to or as a new mom have I just become crazy? Do other people drink the lemonade being sold on the side of the street by random young kids? Is that what adults have always done with the lemonade that they bought from me? Is it normal to be that worried about germs and what MIGHT have been on that cup or in that pitcher? As I dumped out the lemonade the joy that I felt by seeing that lemonade stand and by giving those boys my 50 cents was suddenly turned to a bit of sadness for the crazy, paranoid adult that I have become.

Just because no post is complete without a picture of Sam here you go!

A feeding that I can show you!
Our Guard Dog.

little baby in big sweatshirt

Tell me that is not the cutest thing ever! I MEAN REALLY! It just makes me smile cause with all that hair, the jeans and sweatshirt she looks like such a little kid. Yes I know she is wearing the same jeans as yesterday but they are the only 3 month jeans that I have and I have not been able to find any more that are just plain little girl jeans in my small town.
Happy Friday!

sick

Sam is sick.
Don't worry it is nothing major. She doesn't have a fever and is still eating good but her nose is full of greenish-yellowish gunk. Her breathing seems labored because she is breathing through all that gunk. I think this is probably the hardest thing I have had to do up to this point in my life is watch my child be uncomfortable and not be able to do anything to help her. I know how bad a stuffy nose sucks even for me with Kleenex, medicine and the ability to sniffle and blow so I just can't even imagine the kind of discomfort that she must be in. I try to help her with that bulb-syringe thing but I am not good at it and it only seems to help for about 30 seconds. I just hate seeing her like this.
I cannot even imagine the pain and anguish that some of my friends and family have gone through while watching their children go through major things like surgeries, illnesses and being born premature. The amount of strength in those parents is beyond my comprehension and I pray that I never have to be that strong.

On a lighter note...
My friend Darcy and I have been going for walks each day (when weather allows). I finally found a hat (thank you Aunt Jodie) in our baby stuff to help keep the sun off of Samantha's face. How cute does she look?

a first for me

I had to run to the grocery store this afternoon for a few items I had forgotten. Sam came with me so Chris could go for a bike ride before the sun went down.

Anyway, while I was walking to the check out Samantha started screaming. There was not much I could do, I wasn't going to take her out of her seat because we were going to check out and then go right back in the car. As I approached the check out she was still crying and I soon realized that pretty much everyone in the store was staring at me! I tried talking to Sam, giving her the pacifier, and swinging the seat but she did not want to be sitting and wouldn't stop crying; people continued to stare. I started to feel like I was doing something wrong, in some way neglecting my child or being a bad parent. People continued to stare. It was my turn to check out and she was still crying. The check out lady stared at Sam and then I swear I felt like she was glaring at me! What was I suppose to do? Clearly people could see that she was actually fine, not being hurt in any way, she just didn't want to be sitting and wanted to cry. That was the most uncomfortable, awkward trip to the grocery store EVER.

What are moms suppose to do in that situation? Do you ask people to stop staring? Do you pretend like you are talking loudly to your baby and say something like "Oh please stop crying so all these crazy people will stop staring at me?" Anyone else ever experienced the horribly judgmental stares of strangers?

Oh well, we survived.

snow day

Well, we have been enjoying our snow day to the best of my ability. I have been working on projects, mostly addressing birth announcements (watch your mailbox!). After a projective vomit last night and several not so pleasant poops today I also decided it was a bath day. I was going to attempt to shoot a bath video today, but she was so calm in the bath that the video was really rather boring. But here are some cute bath time pictures.

With this much hair you have to use a lot of shampoo and really scrub!

Love those baby feet!

This is during our pj party protest. Sam is just hanging out on daddy's pillow (in case she needed to throw up again! just kidding) in an outfit that is still a bit too big.
I love baby ears, but Sam's are disappearing! I think a hair cut might actually be necessary.

frustrated!

I am frustrated that I do not know why my baby cries. A friend of mine figured out that soda and dairy products caused her son to be very gassy and upset, so she stopped eating/drinking those foods and suddenly her son was no longer fussy. She says he is a perfect baby now. I want a perfect baby. But how do people know what makes them not feel good? When you eat a sandwich with chicken, tomato, lettuce, cheese and ranch dressing how do you know which part of it made them projectile throw up and be fussy all night? I don't know if I am not watching what I eat closely enough or what. And I don't know if I really have a fussy baby or if she is normal and I just don't know it cause I have nothing to compare it to. I feel like she cries for no reason a lot but maybe this is nothing compared to a colicky baby. I am frustrated.
I am also frustrated because I woke up to this.
And just in case you can't tell just how much, look at this.
And it is not stopping. So Sam and I are stagging a protest and staying in bed until the snow stops. We are having a pj party protest! Mother Nature if you are reading this I am not getting out of bed until you bring back Spring!

good grip

Our little girl has developed quite a grip! She can hold on to our fingers pretty good but the thing she can hold on to the best is my shirt when she is feeding. For some reason she grabs hold and never wants to let go. She really holds on for dear life! We have tried giving her very light toys or her pacifier to hold to she if she can lift and hold onto things yet, but so far she is sticking with just my shirt!