Burgers Babies

Migrating!

2009-11-16T11:18:00.002-10:00

Hey there.

I'm moving our blog entries to http://www.carlburgers.com and to http://knell.carlburgers.com

This page will stay up indefinitely, but will no longer be updated.

Four weeks!

2009-08-26T11:57:00.003-10:00

Frances has been here for a whole four weeks. I'm still getting used to it; she made her entry so quickly. I labored at home for about 2 hours, thinking there was plenty of time. Just as I was about to call my doctor and tell him we were on our way to the hospital, the contractions suddenly got very, very painful. We rushed out the door as quickly as we could, which was not as fast as I'd have liked, and got to the hospital just in time. Fortunately, the ER staff that morning was the most competent one I know and he got us up to labor and delivery quickly on a gurney. (I once delivered a baby in the L&D triage area as the woman was transferring from wheelchair to bed -- not ideal. Considering my water broke and the baby started to crown on the way from the elevator to L&D, I'm glad I was lying down.) An OB resident and friend of mine delivered Frances. My doctor didn't even know I'd delivered until that afternoon!

Anyway, Franny's very cute and sweet. And tiny! She only weighed 6lb 6oz at birth. I was not expecting such a small baby after having an 8lb Edith. Franny's been trying to catch up, though, and is quite the little piglet. She already looks so much bigger and fatter than when she was born. She enjoys being worn around the house and around town in my baby wrap -- wish I had had it when Edie was tiny. She sleeps or just looks around with her giant dark blue eyes.

Edie's still getting used to having a baby around. She mostly ignored Franny for the first few weeks when she realized that the baby wasn't a new toy for her to play with. She isn't overtly jealous, but she does get pretty frustrated when I can't pick her up or get on the floor with her because I'm nursing. Now that Franny's not eating constantly, I'm able to play with her a bit more and she's happier. She's also more interested in Frances, mostly patting her sweetly and blowing kisses, only occasionally trying to poke her in the eye.

In other super-important news, Edie is finally walking! She'd been cruising well and taking two or three steps here and there, but one day around the seventh of this month, she just started walking all over the place. She began by crawling on her feet and hands with her bum in the air, which was pretty funny. Then she just stood up and took off! Carl bought a little monkey backpack/leash for her, but we haven't really tried it out. I doubt it will be a big hit, but it's bound to be easier than holding onto her squirming hand when she's trying to fling herself into traffic or down the outside stairs.

My little walker just woke up from her nap and is going to the playground with Daddy. Her sister is sleeping sweetly in her wrap. I'm going to miss maternity leave.

Frances Caroline is here

2009-08-03T19:10:00.008-10:00

Kristina labored for 12 hours with Edith, so we figured we'd have some time to get to the hospital when contractions woke us up a bit before 5 am on Wednesday, July 29. Turns out we were very wrong. Starting around 7am things became rather frantic. Frances was a three hour labor and she was almost born in the car (our blue '07 Kia Rio, known to some as "Pablo"). About 10 minutes after we arrived at the ER, Frances was born. The delivery room was packed with all kinds of people and machines. I felt a bit like the father in this video:

WARNING: THIS IS A MONTY PYTHON SKIT. IT IS SILLY AND RATHER GRAPHIC.

Fetus-frightenings notwithstanding, all went wonderfully and we are as pleased as can be with our tiny new addition. Once I have my feet back on the ground, I will produce some more movies and pictures. For now please enjoy Frances's Facebook profile. Non-FB users can still see her photos here.

Edith has been very sweet with Frances. This and she is stumbling about when it suits her (a max of 4 steps at the moment) and her spoken vocabulary increases weekly. She enjoys the words up, dog, woof and bye-bye (which she is starting to pronounce bye-byes which I think is to further differentiate it from baba which she uses to refer to Frances). She also stacks her blocks with speed and style, climbs up onto the couch and demands (through the use of sign language) that we read her books. In fact, we are currently using the reading of books as a motivator for eating her veggies and behaving well during nappy changes (she always tries to pat her butt when I change her diaper).

It's harder than I thought it would be, adding one more baby. Edith and Frances are far enough apart age-wise that they need to be monitored separately at the moment. I know that will change, but it doesn't seem like it will change soon. Kristina assures me it will be easier by the time she returns to work. I hope she is right. Then again, that's 5 weeks into the future and I'm the kind of person who has trouble planning more than 5 minutes in advance. I guess we will see when we get there.

Edith's First Baby Sitter!

2009-03-18T00:00:00.003-10:00

Edith has been watched by family before, but this past Saturday was her first afternoon with a stranger. She was apparently quite good. I snapped these photos before I left.

Frances Caroline Burgers (working title)

2009-03-17T18:08:00.004-10:00

Finally got around to getting our ultra sound. Kristina is 20 weeks pregnant.

It's a girl. Just like the last time, I am not going to post proof. Just take my word for it.

Nappy Removal Expert

2009-03-08T09:49:00.004-10:00

Edith has never liked a wet or soiled nappy. A few months ago now (before she could crawl) she removed her nappy, defecated into it and kicked her legs joyfully.

Yesterday she defecated, removed her nappy, folded it and crawled away. There was little mess to be cleaned up and I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time.

This photo was taken before the incident.

Edith and 1 more on the way

2009-02-28T00:29:00.002-10:00

Edith has 8 teeth now and she loves to crawl everywhere. Had to buy a little baby corral to keep her contained. Still no actual words, but she loves to talk.

About those nappies: I don't soak them anymore. We bought a little shower head attachment for the toilet and I use that to spray off the feces covered liners before I dump them in the bucket. Odor is not a huge problem as I diapers are done every second day and I clean the bucket when it's too nasty for storing soiled nappies. Arm and Hammer is the detergent I love. I also add a little Borax to the wash. Hooray!

New baby is healthy so far. Haven't got an ultra-sound done yet, but the doctor confirmed there is only one heart beat.

Fun, fun, fun

2008-09-14T11:46:00.003-10:00

Almost five months. I think you have learned almost as much as I have over the past months. For one thing, you can hold your head up and produce a wide range of sounds and fluids. I have nappy washing down pat:

1) get bucket with sealed lid.

2) half-fill with water and a small box of bicarb

3) put mesh laundry bag in bucket

4) fill with cloth messes

5) remove mess bag and empty contents into washing machine

6) filth-water goes in the toilet

7) carbon footprint reduced!

Also, Mom got me using cloth wipes and this wipe mixture she read about online. Today the two of you are out getting supplies to make one of those trendy slings. We even tried our hand at making our own diapers! Test 1 failed but Mom has found a place that sells toweling. If we can get some hems put into some towel squares we will have a load of cheap-as-free cloth nappies.

GO ECOLOGY! GO COLLEGE FUND!

Here's a picture of you on the beach a couple of weeks ago when we went with cousin Christopher to the beach.

I tried to feed you some rice cereal 2 weeks ago. It was so messy and I decided to stick with the milk a little while longer. The conventional wisdom these days is that a baby should eat breast milk and nothing else until 6 months, so I guess we can wait.

Mom bought you a tray for your Bumbo. I think I like it more than you do, but you'll get more excited about it when you start eating crunch things.

Happy Birthday, Mommy

2008-07-30T12:19:00.004-10:00

Today is Mommy's birthday. You are also 3 months old today. Three months! You've grown a lot. Here's a picture of you that I took before we went out with Mommy's colleagues and bosses the other day:

You are wearing a t-shirt that says "Daddy's Girl" and some lovely-loud pants and sandals. That's what happens when I dress people, Edie: sandals and lovely-loudness.

Anyway, we got Mommy a photo album full of pictures of you for her birthday. We also got her a lunchbox and I made her a cake. Since this is my first cake ever, it's probably good that you can't eat solids yet. Ok, here's another picture of you in that outfit:

Bigger every day!

2008-07-08T18:07:00.004-10:00

It's true. You are bigger and better every day. You're back in the 60th percentile for weight and you're outgrowing many of your 0-3 month clothes. You're smiling and cooing all the time now, and you're starting to try out consonants, mostly G's. Your daddy has bought you several new little chime toys to hang from your carseat and gym, and you've been expertly batting and kicking at them. Your head control is getting better, and you're able to put up with longer periods of tummy time before you get too frustrated and start crying. This afternoon, I noticed you trying to catch your feet in your hands for the first time while you were lying on your back after a diaper change.
It's hard now that I'm spending so much time at work. I miss you all day. When your daddy comes to pick me up though, I sit in the back seat with you for the ride home. You smile at me and try to talk. It's my favorite time of day, next to bedtime.
Lately, we've been trying to get a bedtime routine going. I feed you, then change your diaper and get you into pajamas. Then we snuggle for a little while and read a book together and sing a lullaby or two. As tired as I am at the end of the day, it's very hard to put you into your bassinet and go to sleep. Cuddling and talking with you makes me feel like I can happily face whatever the next day throws at me. When I get frustrated with paperwork or patients or my hectic schedule, I just think about that big toothless grin that's waiting for me at home. I love you, little Edie.

So much has happened!

2008-06-14T11:29:00.001-10:00

It's been a long time since I wrote anything here. We've been so busy with graduation and moving, not to mention taking care of you! You're over six weeks old now and getting prettier every day. You've earned yourself a new nickname: Hippo. It started out because of a hand-me-down outfit you have with a hippo on it and the words "'Lil Hippo." Your Grandma Diane disapproved of calling a little girl a hippo, so we joked about it and the name stuck. (You're hungry like a hippo and can open your mouth very WIDE.) Since then, so many coincidences have kept the nickname alive:
1. Your chart at the pediatrician's in Little Rock had a hippo stamp on it.
2. Aunt Becky gave us a "Happy Hippo Play Gym."
3. Jeff and Lisa Miller gave you a purple hippo piggy-bank.
4. The Shackletts gave you a hippo teething toy.
5. Your daddy had already bought a book called Hippos Go Berserk!, and I had read it to you before you were born. It makes you smile when we start to read it now.

You're smiling quite a bit now and making lots of other funny faces. You try to roll over, and your daddy claims you've succeeded (back to front) once. Your major project right now is learning how to put your pacifier in your mouth by yourself after it's fallen out. It's great to watch you try and try, and think and think. Eventually your daddy or I have to put it in for you, but you're getting better at it all the time!

You took the move to Hawaii very well and have been to the beach a few times now. You're not keen on hats, so we keep you in a big sun shelter that's like half a tent. I mostly hang out with you in there, too, as I don't want to get sunburned either. We'll be moving into our new place on Wednesday, and you'll have your own room! Don't worry, though -- we'll keep you in our room for a little while longer. I don't want to be too far away, as you still wake up hungry two or three times in the night.

Your daddy has posted pictures of you and the family and the beach and other things on this website: http://flickr.com/photos/cburgers/

We had fun on the beach!

2008-06-11T22:52:00.000-10:00

We all went to the beach today. You and mommy sat in the shade while I snorkeled. I got burned by the sun. Don't worry, we didn't let you get burned. You were safe in a tent.

Soon you'll be snorkeling with me. But not at this beach, the waves were a bit rough.

Here are some pictures of the fun we had.

Milestone?

2008-05-10T16:17:00.000-10:00

Well, I don't think it counts as a real milestone, but in the interest of being as embarrassing a parent as possible...
Today you had your first major poop leak. I was holding you on the couch and noticed your back was awfully wet. At first I thought you were very hot and sweaty, but you weren't. It was gross, yellow, breastmilk poop. Then I saw that it was everywhere: you, the nursing pillow, and my clothes. Disgusting. Several wipes and a good deal of hot water and baking soda were necessary.

Don't worry. Despite the grossness, I still think you're precious.

Pictures

2008-05-05T18:59:00.001-10:00

Here are a few pictures from the hospital.

You're here!

2008-05-05T18:29:00.001-10:00

Edie,
You made your appearance on April 30 at 10:40 am. The thing I remember most about that moment is screaming in pain (because that last push hurt) and then immediately smiling with absolute joy and saying, "Oh, hello! I love you so much," as the doctor placed you on my tummy. Your daddy was talking to you and crying (which he pretty much never does). Everything but the three of us disappeared. You were (and are) certainly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and you made this happy couple an even happier family.
As I write this, you are snoozing peacefully in the bouncy seat, surrounded by piles of folded laundry. You went to your first pediatrician's visit this afternoon where you were diagnosed with adorableness. Your daddy and I then decided to further test a baby's portability with a trip to the shops. You did quite well! And don't worry -- I know that you're still very little and kept you away from anybody who could cough on you.
Everything about you is so new and sweet, from your fuzzy little ears to your kissable toes. It's very hard to stop snuggling you sometimes. Your daddy and I are trying to remember to take lots of pictures and videos to remember your "tiny time". In fact, he just recorded you looking around at the unfocused living room and hiccuping. You get the hiccups a lot, but it doesn't seem to bother you much.
For someone so small, you do a lot of cute and funny things. You make goofy faces, both when your asleep and when you're awake. You get all relaxed and floppy when you're deep asleep, which has prompted us to nickname you "Flopsy." Then you wiggle and squirm all over the place in the bath or on the changing table. You really don't like either. You have a couple of other nicknames, including "Piglet" and "Fussbucket." Those are pretty self-explanatory. You really don't fuss too much, though, as you are a remarkably sweet and happy baby. We really lucked out with you. I have a sneaking suspicion your future childhood antics will more than make up for this fairly easy newborn period, though.
I really should be in bed right now, considering you're due to wake up hungry in a couple of hours, but I thought I should write to you first. We're so happy you're here.
Love,
Mommy
P.S. -- I just read your daddy's last post. Looks like we had the exact same thoughts! We both love you very much.

Waiting!

2008-04-29T02:30:00.000-10:00

Edie,
Your daddy and I are anxiously awaiting your imminent arrival. Patience is getting more and more difficult. I want to be able to hold you and see what you look like. You have LOTS of very cute clothes waiting for you that I'd love to be able to dress you up in. Hope you like pink. Your Grandma Partrick and Aunt Becky call every few days to check on your progress. Grandpa Burgers does the same. Daddy calls home from work every day to hopefully ask if you're on your way yet.
I know you'll come out when you're good and ready, but I'd like it to be soon! I love you very, very much.
Mommy

It had to start somewhere

2008-04-22T14:37:00.001-10:00

Edith,

What I am doing isn't original. In fact, Sam and Elisabeth aren't the only children with blogs anymore. And even though you are still rolling around inside your mother, I feel it's not too early to start tapping away at this.

I don't know you yet, but I know I love you. I love how all your things have been filling up our little flat over the past months and how all we need still is you. You are going to love your orange cot and orange car seat. You know, you're lucky. We didn't have car seats when I was a baby. At least, not in Africa.

Oupa is visiting us here. "Oupa" is what I'm going to have to start calling my father, now that "dad" is officially my name. He said it was alright and everything.

Anyway, let me leave you with that. Hope to see you soon,

Love,
Dad