BABY SMASH CAR

I remember this. Oh god. I remember this.

At the doctor’s for appointment number two. Gained a pound, and back to her birth height. Yay.

Pay Attention TO ME

Claire is, fairly infrequently, demonstrating some concern about the amount of attention being paid to her. You know, like running off and doing a complete wardrobe change and then pretending she’s too cool to acknowledge us when we – according to her – finally acknowledge her.

In truth, Claire’s probably had more attention paid to her than she has had in some time, with both of us being home full time at the moment. Life is more or less what Claire wants. I mean, Harper is there, but she doesn’t move around a whole lot, you know?

But, Claire is two. And more is always what you demand. That’s the first thing they teach you as a toddler. Always demand more.

The Sleeping Dragon

You know, when she’s sleeping, she’s pretty adorable. Although, she’s not so bad awake either.

Rainy Weekend Blues

Given the crappy weather this weekend, it was a real exercise in finding things to do. I took Claire out, and while we were out I picked up The Fox and the Hound for to watch. She really dug it. Which made me happy to have completed a success as a father.

On the other hand, you can only spend so much time cooped up indoors with an infant and a toddler before you’re ready to freak out. But, hey. We made it. What’s that you say? More rain on the way?

I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll

I’m in the car with Claire. And I didn’t want her crashing out into a mini nap. From which she would have woken and been insufferable. So, I had the radio on. Joan Jett came on and I was singing with it. Shut up. You do it, too. And then, after the song ended Claire started singing the hook to the song.

So, I recorded a call and response of the hook line with Claire. Yeah, we’re driving. But, we’re doing ten miles an hour in a residential neighborhood. So, only the neighborhood kids that conspire to tear up my drive way were in any danger.

I sound better in the shower. One man’s opinion, at least.

Matching Sisters

Baby Harper sleeping with dad. Big Sister Claire finds matching bibs. Know they are for babies. Dons one in solidarity and brings the other to Baby Sister. Baby Sister continues sleeping on dad, now adorned with bib. Big Sister Claire, having balanced the universe, marches on to other missions.

Recommended Reading

A post from a doctor on transvaginal ultrasounds from John Scalzi’s Whatever entitled Where Is The Physician Outrage.

My concern is the piece and much of the commentary is overly focused on the transvaginal ultrasound. Here in Virginia, the uproar focused exclusively on that and the government magnanimously agreed, leaving us with mandatory ultrasounds.

Mandatory ultrasounds as requirements for abortion are traumatic and condescending regardless of the location of contact. This is not to take away from the well argued problems with a mandatory transvaginal ultrasound. It looks weird to me to say, but the rape part of this public policy is not the only problem with its intent. A mandatory external ultrasound is still psychological abuse.

That said, it is appalling that any legislator could argue and get enacted into law a mandate that a woman *must* have something inserted into her, that is not medically required, to “teach” her something about human life. Not being a woman and not having any experience with being pregnant, it’s my general impression that women ken the implications therein and require no “mandatory education”.

Ultrasounds are a great tool, transvaginal or external, to monitor the health of your baby. And it’s a great idea to talk with your doctor about it. A legislative branch making either a requirement for an abortion is not about medical need. It is a shaming. And it is awful.

Hello!

I’d say that roughly 95% of the conversations I have with Harper revolve around some variant of “Hello” with kissing noises. The other 5%? Confessions of my various crimes.

She’ll never tell.

Doctor’s Visit

Well. First doctor’s visit. Harper is 7 pounds 8 ounces. And 20 and 1/2 inches. We’re told she did not shrink, just that minutes old babies are hard to measure. Which is, I guess, reassuring that we don’t have a new Hobbit.

NOBODY TIRED HERE

I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nobody’s tired here. Nope. No one at all.