You want fries with those words?

Your first trip to the pediatrician was Monday and you were so good-- very alert and quite flirtatious with the nurse who weighed and measured you. Granny went along with us, which was a huge help because of all that confounded paperwork! You clocked in at 10 pounds, 10 ounces and 22 inches, ranking you in the 90th percentile for both weight and height! You're in the 70th percentile for head size. The doctor gave us the go ahead to stop waking you up for nighttime feedings, which was somewhat music to Mommy's ears. You're already draining 4 ounces at a time and keeping the Diaper Champ very busy. The nurse you flirted with earlier in the visit turned out to be a real heartbreaker when she came in and stabbed your heal, you kicked whatever feelings you had for her to the curb in record time as she squeezed that last little drop of blood to fill in the circles. Mommy stayed very close and let you squeeze her fingers to ease your frustration. Once nurse was finished with the Siberian heal torture you calmed down immediately. You really enjoyed being chauffered, too, even though Mommy has a hard time getting your car seat in and out of its base, which brings me to my title topic: we are going to have to get a minivan. Not anytime soon, of course, seeing as I've been driving Zippy for just over a year. But it's going to have to happen before baby #2 arrives. I can't tell you how much it hurts me physically, mentally, and emotionally to admit this to myself, let alone sit here and write about it in a forum where everyone in the world can be witness to such a humbling episode. You see, Zippy is just barely cutting it as a good car for an infant. There really isn't adequate room for an infant car seat AND a rider in the front passenger seat, unless that rider happens to be a midget. Daddy is definitely NOT a midget, and Mommy isn't exactly petite Patsy, herself. When you factor in another child and you think about the friends and/or sporting equipment that will eventually be along for the ride, a mini-van starts to look really attractive and practical, with all those nifty creature comforts like doors that open automatically or the ability to start the engine and cool the car down on a hotter-than-Hades Houston summer afternoon via a remote control. Maybe something will happen in the next two years or so. Maybe they will come out with something ultra-cool and not so "soccer mom-esque" that will suit this family's needs to a "T." I am crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath. And pass the salt, please, these words are really bland!

Another word-eating example? The wipes warmer. Baby Rut was NOT loving the cold wipes on his unmentionables. Kicking and screaming babies are not easy to diaper. Open mouth, insert words, go to Babys R Us and use gift card to purchase product that one referred to only a few months ago as a total waste of money and electricity. Bring home product, load wipes, plug in-- voila, no more grumpy diaper changes. I've been a mom for two weeks and have already eaten my words twice, people. Guess I better just get used to it. Maybe some A1 or Buffalo Wing sauce will make them more palatable...

Wednesday

Today I did a little shopping at Wal-Mart and Randalls while Granny stayed with Baby Rut. I must say it is a rather sad state of affairs when you can walk out of Wal-Mart with a cart full of groceries for around $75, then drive across the street to Randalls and spend half that amount on only six items. *Sigh* I just wish Wal-Mart wasn't such a depressing place, our newly-renovated Randalls is so sparkly and cool, with lots of important-looking cheeses and convenience foods, not to mention a Starbucks. Oh, well at least I can go to Wal-Mart in the middle of the day. Today I actually get a parking space within the same zip code of the front door and only had to wait for one other person in the checkout line. For the life of me, I will never understand why in the WORLD Wal-Mart has so many checkout lanes when they only seem to have three open at any given time.

Tonight Sweet D and I had our first post-baby date night! Yes, pick yourself up off the floor, we left our merely two-week-old little sugar muffin in the capable hands of his Moozie and Daggles and took ourselves to the Hobby Center to see "Mamma Mia!" I had already seen it once a few years ago, but I'm always looking for cultural things like this that I think Sweet D will enjoy and, since we're both big ABBA fans, he gave me the go ahead to purchase tickets when I asked him if he'd be interested. I have to say I think I enjoyed this production more than the last because of the great vantage point from the our third row balcony seats. Lots of laughs and some great choreography, not to mention the fun of singing along with "SOS", "Take a Chance on Me", and "Waterloo" (our favorite tunes) During intermission we mused over what Baby Rut was probably doing at that exact moment and practiced our best impressions of his cute little "snurfling" noises. All in all, a very fun night for the new Mommy and Daddy!

Oh, and in other news, Baby Rut's nasty umbilical cord 'stump' fell off last night during his 11:00 diaper change. Yay!

What was that you say? You want more pictures? Geez, all you had to do was ask! Behold Baby Rut in his awesome papasan cradle swing, courtesy of his Aunt Jen and Uncle Barry. Also, a car seat pic, different stages of REM cycles, and a happy flower pillow baby!