end of the year blog

I figured I should write a blog before the end of the year since I haven't beeing blogging lately. Basically, I've been just plain tired and busy.

For the first time since his birth we had to drive the baby around in the car to get him to sleep and stop crying last night. What a life saver. I don't think I will ever get used to him crying. I've read some baby magazines stating that you should allow babies to cry at times, shutting the door for 5 minutes or so and they'll console themselves. It's tough love I can't do. After all he's my first child and inevitably spoiled.

I've been off this past week and have been able to spend time with the baby and re-organize and clean the house. Everything takes a little bit longer to do since I try to get things done in between entertaining and feeding the baby. We have found that the mobile is a great way to keep the baby entertained, however, the drawback is that it only plays music for as long as it can wind up which is 5 min or so. I find myself running back and forth between folding laundry and winding that mobile up. Someone needs to invent a continuous mobile or one powered by the baby's kicking feet.

As I write this blog, the baby is sleeping to my right in his vibrating bouncer. He occasionally emits a little cry or some flatus and goes back to sleep. Yes, I now know what all parents know--that your life totally changes after you have a child.

My heart goes out to all those mothers who lost their children as a result of the tsunami.

christmas

Every holiday for the next year will our baby's first. So of course, I had to buy the "Baby's first Christmas" outfit and take pictures like crazy. We also got him the E-L-M-O singing Elmo and of course more clothes.

stranger danger

While being pregnant was an easy way to start up a conversation in an elevator with a total stranger, having a baby in tow is an even easier way to initiate conversation. So many strangers have come up to me to "talk" with the baby in their high pitched voices. While in the Chinese store the other day, the same lady came up to us three times to look and talk to the baby. She told me," I hope you don't think I'm a stalker, but he's just so cute." I joked with her,"How can you help yourself, my child is adorable!"

geriatrics

I'm doing one of my geriatric rotations which means I spend a lot of time in the nursing home. As usual, during Christmas, there have been tons of carolers visiting the home. What's interesting is that many patients who have lost the ability to conversate spontaneously will automatically sing a Christmas carol or two. The brain works in mysterious ways.

Remembering

My first teacher was my grandmother. At three, she used to teach me children's songs and have me write them down in my own black and white composition book. I had no idea to how to spell so she would recite each letter . . ."T-h-i-s l-i-t-t-l-e b-i-r-d t-h-a-t b-u-i-l-d h-e-r n-e-s-t ..." As I learned more songs, I also learned how to read and write. This was all before Hooked on Phonics of course, but it worked, and soon I was reading my brother's 2nd grade reading books.

In the summer before 2nd grade, my grandma started to teach me my multiplication tables. I abhored staying inside when my older brother got to go outside. I had to finish my lessons first. The multiplication tables were easy at first, but I remember that memorizing The Threes took me forever. The funny thing was, in second grade, no one knew their multiplication tables. Therefore, I was a math whiz for a brief moment in my life . . . but only when it came to the multiplication of ones, twos, & threes. I stumbled over the rest.

Despite her 5th grade education, my grandma had high regard for higher education and knew the opportunities it would bring. She determined that all her 6 children would get college degrees. Had it not been for her encouragement, my grandfather would have had them go into farming with him or man their little store. My grandma's influence trickled down to her grandchildren. So far, 5 of her grandchildren are doctors/ph.ds with a few more on the way and all are or have gone to college.

My grandma died Nov 24th at 87 years old and has definitely left a legacy.