Babies and Art

Evie had a big day out today. And even though I brought along the camera to take pictures, I did not take any pictures because my mind could only process two things--how is the baby and wow, I am tired. Let me explain why these were the only two thoughts in my head:

I met up with a friend of mine whose baby, Harmony, is two weeks younger than Evie. For our "play date", we elected to go to the Art Museum, because until they can actually PLAY, these play dates are really about what the mamas want to do. So we are feeling like very hip mamas, taking our babies to the Art Museum to revel in our motherhood while pondering Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Degas. But, our little girl was not feeling the Art Museum. In fact, the only feeling she had was some intense gastrointestinal activity. Our cute baby churned out a total of 3 explosively dirty diapers in a matter of an hour and a half. She also expressed her extreme displeasure and pain to everyone in the Annenberg Gallery -- which is where all the Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Degas works are displayed. I never knew how great the acoustics were in the Art Museum; like every other art museum go-er, I try to maintain a socially respectful low volume when around Great Art and Great Art Enthusiasts. As I was trying to determine why she was so upset, I was imagining the echoes of her cries traveling through the galleries into the Modern Art section, through the special exhibits, the European and American Art galleries and rattling the sabers in the Armory room.

Even though I have been repeating to myself "No matter where you are or what you are doing, your baby's needs are not an inconvenience", I couldn't help feeling that first public apology for my baby's shrill crying when I looked around and everyone was staring with disapproval at Evie and I. A female security guard actually glared at me with a look of "Why in the world did you bring an infant to the Art Museum?" I deserve to be at the Art Museum with my baby. Babies are a part of our community, why should we exclude them from the things we enjoy? And new mothers also should not be prevented from participating in community activities because they are caring for new babies, nor should they feel guilty for wanting to be a part of community. It's a double standard for people to want babies among us, but not in places where babies are a felt or heard inconvenience or a disturbance to socially required environmental controls (such as volume). Babies are a part of our lives and they also inspire art! There are wonderful paintings and sculptures of babies in the very rooms where my baby was telling me that something was wrong.

After wiping away new mother anxiety and dirty bottoms with some wet wipes, we went outside to enjoy the wonderful weather, the beautiful scenery of the water, the blossoming flowers and trees and chirping birds. Evie loves the outdoors and showed her love by relaxing and falling asleep almost immediately. My friend and I actually got a pretty good hike pushing strollers up short inclines and walking by the river.

We decided to go back into the museum because it seemed silly to pay $12 for the pleasure of visiting only one gallery. So we went back inside, Evie woke up, and we made a brief trip through Asian Art and called it a day. By the way, she was perfectly quiet and very attentive to her surroundings in Asian Art and when she did start to fuss, the security guards were alot nicer. Evie's friend, Harmony, slept almost the whole time and woke up only a few times to call for her pacifier or eat. I imagine we would have sonically imploded the Art Museum if she had joined in with Evie's cries. Or at least help the security guards develop some compassion for upset babies.

Prayers for New Parents

Today I was reflecting on how Tim and I have been adjusting to our new status as Parents. I think, all things considered, we are doing okay. Don't get me wrong, it's really hard and we are severely sleep deprived but otherwise, we are "getting there". And folks, if you are not a parent, believe me, "getting there" sometimes feels like an army belly crawl through five inches of mud and in the next moment your heart is melting because she stopped screaming to coo and smile at you.

There are still several moments during the day when I wonder if Jesus would be kind enough to send someone to my house to help us understand what Evie needs or is trying to communicate through her fusses and cries.

Then I realize "Oh, right. That someone is US. Jesus sent us to understand her fusses and cries." So I keep praying that instead of sending Mary Poppins, that he would just give us supernatural ability to understand her baby language (or make me become Mary Poppins--I love the way she tidies up the nursery).

I also wonder if Evie, in her own baby way, is praying for us. In this picture, she is fast asleep on my lap, but I like to think that she is praying: "Jesus, please help my Mommy and Daddy understand me so we can all get some more sleep."

Cute Faces

Our friend Sheila lent us a bouncer that Evie really enjoys. Here are a few pictures of some cute faces she was making in it the other day. Looking at these pictures, I couldn't decide if she was either having fun in the bouncer or gassy; either way, she is so adorable!

Birth Center Friends

I met up with some of the women in my childbirth prep classes at the Birth Center not too long ago. We got to chat, share birth stories and coo over our beautiful babies. Here are some pictures of Evie with her friends!

Evie and Avery, Julie's little girl. Avery was born two days after Evie. Avery is fast asleep but Evie is wide awake. Notice the squirrel sleeper that her Aunt Sharon got her. It is the second time she has worn it, and she has already outgrown it. Her leg is practically hanging out of the sleeper.



Evie, Isabel and Avery. Isabel is Samantha's little girl, born a month before Evie and Avery. Aren't they cute together!

Growing Up Already

At six weeks old, Evie hit a few milestones that completely amazed us. All of these events happened within days of each other.

She started taking the pacifier. Doesn't she look like a bishop or a pope here, with the hat coming off and the two-fingered wave?


She started taking naps in her own crib. She still sleeps in her bassinet at night.


She started taking a bottle. Poor Tim--the guy almost always looks tired. Well, that's because he IS almost always tired.


And she is growing longer and starting to grow out of some of her newborn clothes. Here she is hanging out with Grammy.

A closer look at how she has stretched. She just got here and she is growing up already!

Aunt Ami's Hats

Last weekend, Tim's parents and sister came to town to dote on the baby. Here are some *exclusive!* pictures of Evie with her Aunt Ami.



Ami made two winter hats for Evie, and here she is modeling them for us. Evie, which of these two hats do you like the best?




This one, of course! And it has always been her favorite. Compare this picture at 6 weeks old to the one below, when she was only a few days old.


Her face has changed but her preferences have not!

Pacifier!

My life has been revolutionized. Evie has finally accepted a pacifier, which, for me, makes the world go round again. The biggest thing is that she can soothe herself to sleep with a pacifier in her mouth. No more walking, rocking, singing, cajoling or begging my daughter to sleep for hours on end. Here are some pictures of the pacifier in action.

Here is the starting point. She is starting to get tired.


The pacifier is in her mouth. Notice the sleepy eyes.


Getting sleepier...


Just about there...


And....she's gone. *sigh* Peace. Love. Contentment. *sigh*

Bedtime Activities

The only established routine we have right now is Evie's bedtime. We use the term "bedtime" loosely because it can actually take over 3 to 4 hours to get her to sleep for the night after beginning the bedtime routine.

First, she gets a warm bath. She LOVES the bath, especially when we wash her hair. However, she doesn't seem to like it when we take pictures of her spiked hair.




Then, she gets diapered, massaged and dressed. Here, she is looking at Snoopy and thinking his nose is a breast. Sorry little girl, there is no food in Snoopy's nose!


Afterwards, she listens to her favorite CD of lullabies while Tim reads to her or just plays with her.


"I love you daddy" Evie says. It makes us forgive the fact that we will be up past 1 a.m. trying to lull her to sleep for the night. Sweet girl, she is worth all the effort.

Light Sleep Resistance Fighter

Evie has officially declared her status as a card-carrying member of the Light Sleep Resistance Movement. This movement is joined by newborn babies every day, who have declared that they will not go to sleep easily and will fight sleep for hours on end, determined that the ex-utero world is much more fascinating than anything they could encounter in their sleep. Evie, our household Light Sleep Resistance Fighter, has a specialty move that she likes to employ after her mommy and daddy have invested at least an hour of active rocking, walking, nursing and singing. After she has been placed in the bassinet and wrapped up like a burrito, she has the ability to return from the edge of deep sleep in the time it takes for us to walk to the other side of the room. Ahhh, her powers are astounding...

Here are some pictures of mommy and daddy in action, trying to convince their little Light Sleep Resistance Fighter to succumb to dreamland...



She "looks" asleep, but do not be fooled!

Notice the look of exhaustion on daddy's face. This is a direct result of fruitless hours of fighting the Light Sleep Resistance Movement.

Kung Feet

Little Evangeline has the legendary Kung feet, i.e. big feet with the finger toes. It is a persistent trait of the Kung women, and now we are passing it down to our children (Ella Reese, her cousin, has them too). She is headed for a future of many hours of digging around in sale racks in the shoe store looking for fashionable size 10 wide shoes to little avail. Witness the feet and begin preparing your compassionate responses when she comes to you with complaints of how hard it is to find decent shoes.

Pregnancy Empathy

We have started putting Evie in the sling whenever she is getting sleepy but doesn't want to be detached from our bodies. Tim loves wearing her in the sling--he says it makes him feel like he is pregnant. :)

Random Pictures

Here are some other pictures. Evie has got some super lungs, and when she wails you can literally feel your inner core of peace and happiness being physically compromised. One way to solve this is to cork her with a thumb, as Tim demonstrates below.

Chipmunk cheeks! With the way she eats, I keep telling her she is trying to store up food for winter in her cheeks, which isn't necessary.

This is playtime, yesterday. She has started to focus in on the hanging star and the string of beads above her bassinet.

This picture is also from yesterday. Hasn't her face started to change?!

Pictures of Her Sleeping

She eats, cries and then sleeps. That is the pattern of her life right now. We seem to have tons of pictures of her sleeping. Perhaps this is because we are more apt to find her adorable when she is sleeping rather than crying. I think it is also because we are calmer and more likely to think about taking pictures.


You may notice socks on her hands from time to time. They are doubling as her mittens so she won't scratch her very round face.


Don't you just feel peaceful looking at her sleeping?

Daddy's Little Girl

Yeah, we played that game of "who does she look like?" and in my opinion, Tim is winning. Here is a picture of our little family--can you see any resemblances?

Okay, now look at Tim and Evie. She has his chin and mouth and his forehead. The eyes and hair are definitely mine, the jury is still out on the nose. And of course, she has the Kung feet with finger-like toes. I have several pics of that, I'll post them later.
Look, they even sleep the same way! (I couldn't figure out how to upload it as a rotated pic, the computer is stubborn--just turn your head.) She's daddy's little girl. This means Trouble For Tim!!

By the way, if you can see it, the time on Tim's watch says "1:20". That's a.m., folks. I was taking pictures of sleeping people at 1a.m. because I had just put her to sleep (in our bed of course, but at 1 a.m. you are desperate).