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It’s been a long time since Mom tried to let me write here. I’m still not sure what I”m doing, but that’s ok, I guess. No one complains. So what’s happened? Hmmm…
There was this day that I went to the big building with the pretty colored things way up high. I was so hungry and Mom gave me a bottle, because I was talking too loud for the room. It was filled with all these people that I didn’t know. Well, the bottle made me really sleepy and I don’t remember too much after that. It felt like someone else held me for a while and something wet on my head and then Daddy was holding me again. It was all ok after that. Then it got really quiet and some man was talking. I decided that I was hungry again, so Mom took me to Daddy’s room at that building to feed me. Then I got to see Grammy and Grampy, Grandma and grandpa and all sorts of people. Aunt Chelle, Uncle LUke and Matthew came home with us. I like that Matthew. Not sure yet who he is exactly, but he is really good at holding me.
Then there was this day that I went back to that building and there was more people and a cake with my name on it, Mommy said. She fed me again there and then Daddy gave me this plastic thing that also had food in it. While he did that I could hear Mommy talking about things like “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and “the Kissing Hand”. I’m not sure what those are, but everyone was so excited about them, that I’m sure I”ll like them.
I spent time at Grammy and Grampy’s this one day. They took me to this place with a lot of grass and trees and there was a fire and this big metal building. A lot of people were running around and they looked really strange. Some of them were scary. And there were these strange things that made them talk louder. I was so sleepy that I didn’t see everything, but I heard a lot. Then Mommy took me on this bumpy thing and we had to sit on scratchy things that almost made us fall off of the bumpy thing. We went into these trees and grass and it was very dark. A man was talking, but I was so sleepy I don’t remember a lot of it. I do remember these really loud bangs though.
I’ve decided that I like that Iowa place. It’s easier to play on Grammy’s floor and I really sleep well there. Maybe we should live there!
We went home this last weekend - it was Maggie’s first road trip! She traveled very well - we only stopped one extra time to feed and change her. Otherwise, she slept the entire trip.
On Friday night we got to mom and Dad’s about 5:30 or so. Margi and Bill met us. Little Dawn has grown so much since I last saw her in April! Michelle and Luke brought dinner over and we had a grand time! It was probably after 1:30am before I went to bed. Mom and I enjoy talking too much. We set up the pack n’ play in the bedroom and Maggie slept in that just fine.
Saturday morning, Grandma had a brunch at her house, b/c my aunt and uncle from WI had come down for the weekend. It was nice, b/c Grandma and Lynn and Ruth all got to hold Maggie before the insanity of the shower. Around noon we went up to the church to get ready for the shower. Chelle and Mom went really overboard with that, but it was so fun! Everyone made an 8×8 scrapbook page to go into a scrapbook about the shower. A lot of the family came, as well as some church family.
When we got home from the shower,we were so exhausted. We all went out to dinner, even Josh & Katie & Scootie.
Sunday morning Jason and I opted to not go to church. Then we met Grandma et al at Pizza Hut for lunch. Yum!
We didn’t have to get back until Monday morning, so it was so nice to have another night at home. We played a game that Luke and Chelle brought over. It was a lot of fun.
The weekend was just too short!
My mom is always making fun of me and how I try to do “hippie” things. Now she also calls them “green” things. What I find interesting aobut most “green” practices is that many people do them already simply because of the financial benefits. They’re frugal, which makes them “green” automatically! I think this is where I fit in, for the most part. I find many disposable things pointless and have had cloth napkins, handkerchiefs, etc for years. Why continue to spend money on something you keep throwing away? So, anyway I thought I would take some time now and again to talk about what I’ve been doing to do my part.
I’ll start with those basics - the cloth replacements for daily living. Shortly after we got married, I told Jason that I wanted to buy cloth napkins, b/c it just made more sense. So, while using our gift cards from our wedding, one of the thing we purchased was a nice daily-use china set and tablecloth, placemats and napkins. Every couple of days or so, more often if they’re completely soiled, I throw them in the dirty laundry to wash come wash day. It works so much better.
A year or two ago, I decided that I wanted to use handkerchiefs instead of kleenex - Michelle finds this disgusting! LOL! Well, I had 1 or 2 that I already owned that I used at first. I had a terrible cold and would have gone through an entire box in a day or two. The first thing I noticed was that the handkerchief was so much more comfortable than a kleenex. Especially after blowing my nose 100 times with that cold. A kleenex would have left it so raw. I could’ve spent the extra $$ on lotion-filled kleenex, but the hanky worked just fine. And the 2nd thing I noticed was that the hanky held up so much better than kleenex. Usually one blow and a kleenex has to be thrown away, b/c a hold has been blown in it. The hanky was softer, kinder, and stronger. At the end of the day, I throw it in the wash and pull out a new one. A bought another pack of hankies within the week and haven’t looked back. Come cold season each year, I’m so thankful!
So, 2 things that I’ve replaced disposable with reusable items. And neither was for “environmental” reasons per se, but that’s a great side benefit! More things that I’ve done will be coming!
We went to Iowa the other day. I got to see Grammy & Grampy and Aunt Michelle and Uncle Luke and Aunt Margi and my cousins Xander, Matthew, and Dawn. I know what a cousin is now! It’s a person about my age that I get to play with! These are the first Cousins I’ve met and they were fun! Although the boys run around a lot and I was afraid to lay on the floor like I do at home sometimes and Dawn wanted to play with all the new toys I got. I’m not sure about them yet. But I like Grammy & Grampy and Aunt Michelle a lot.
One of the days we were home I got to go to a place called a “church” where thye had a party for me. It was an awful lot of people and they all wanted to hold me. But I got a lot of nice clothes and toys to play with, so I suppose it was ok.
I was so tired after that party that I slept and slept. I don’t remember anything else we did except that I still got to eat. Otherwise, I slept.
Maggie: Today I get to go to Iowa. I’m very excited! So excited that I’ve exhausted myself and have slept most of the morning. Mommy and Daddy tell me that I have cousins that I am going to meet. Again, not sure what a “cousin” is, but they make it sound interesting. And Mommy says there is going to be a party for me with a lot of people there. Apparently, there are a lot of people in our family and they all want to meet me. I hope I can stay awake. They should’ve made the party later, because it seems that I am more awake between 7-10pm. Mom calls me a night owl, but I’m not sure what a nightowl is.
Saw the nice doctor lady this week. I’m so glad she didn’t make me have my foot hurt again. Last time it hurt so much and was very messy! Lots of red stuff. But they said I gained weight, which I guess is good. I weigh 7 lb, 1 oz this week according to the funny-looking nurse.
*yawn* well, I’m getting tired again, so I think I’m going to take a nap.
Maggie here: Well, I’ve been here a week and I’m still not quite sure how to take everything in. We left where Mommy and I were staying last Tuesday (at least that’s what they tell me) and Grammy & Grampy Mayhew AND Great-Grandma Mayhew met us at home. They brought Mommy and Daddy pizza! Grammy would NOT stop holding me and telling me how cute I was. And I didn’t really want to argue with her. AFter all, I think I’m cute, too!
Then, the next day we had our first doctor’s visit. I really like the doctor lady. She’s very nice. I guess I get to see her quite a bit in the next few weeks. I got to meet Auntie Sherry & Uncle Chad again and Auntie Kristen came to visit last week, too. But other than that, it’s just been me and Mommy and Daddy.
I’ve found that I love to sleep in Mommy’s lap. It’s not as comfortable anywhere else. Especially when she puts that big fluffy thing under me. It’s so soft and puts me at the perfect height to cuddle with her. But I can tell that sometimes Mommy gets angry with me, especially when it’s really dark out. She puts me in my bed and it’s not as comfy as she is, so I tell her that. She’ll hold me for a while, and she’s very good about feeding me when I need it. But then she’ll put me back in the bed, even though I already told her I’d rather sleep in her lap! It makes for a lot of retelling for a very long time.
And now they keep playing with me when it’s light out, too! Don’t they realize that I’m tired and want to sleep? But Mommy and Daddy feel they need to play with my feet, change my clothes and my diaper, talk to me, all sorts of things, when I just want to close my eyes.
They say that this weekend we get to go to Iowa. I’m not sure what Iowa is, but it sounds like a lot of fun. Daddy says I have these things called “cousins”. I looked all over and I don’t see a “cousin”, so I hope that whatever it is, it’s not mean. I’m sure Daddy wouldn’t tease me about something like that.
Melissa here: We came home last Tuesday and my parents met us at the apartment with lunch. It was so nice. Since then, we’ve pretty much been homebodies; only going out to Jason’s parents. Dr was a little worried about jaundice, so we had to have a blood test taken, which Maggie did not like AT ALL. We go back tomorrow, but I don’t think she looks as yellow as she did. Diapers have been good, if that’s a description for diapers, so I don’t think we have anything to worry about. As a newborn, obviously she sleeps a lot, but she has been waking up at night and wanting to only sleep if I have her in my lap on my nursing pillow. She’ll sleep about 10 minutes in the bassinette and then be up again. It’s making us very tired. We’re trying to switch her days & nights by keeping her awake during the day more. We’ve had a couple of nights that have been much better than others. So, hopefully, we’re making progress. SHe’s just such a beautiful baby. But then, I am biased. 
Today was a very odd day. Grandma Grandt came to visit me today three times! She said she couldn’t help it because she works across the hall from where Mommy and I are staying, and where Daddy comes to visit us. And she brought Great-Grandma AND Grandpa Grandt once too. I also got to meet Auntie Kristen and Pastor Hudak. There are a lot of big things floating in our room that Mommy called “balloons”. I think they’re interesting to watch. Today they took me away and did something to my ears. I was really sleepy and didn’t pay much attention but the nice lady told Mommy that I “passed”, whatever that means. A nice doctor-boy came and looked me over. He taught Mommy how to change my bed to a reclining position that I really like.
They keep waking me up to meet people and I even got a picture taken of me today that they said was really cute. All I know is that it was a very bright light and they put me in an outfit that was too big for me!
And now Grammy and Grampy Mayhew are here! Yay!
I know everyone’s anxious and waiting (and so are we!), but no baby yet. We’re getting 8+ inches of rain today, with a lot of roads being closed due to flooding. So, hopefully if baby does decide to come, we can get to the hospital.
Dr appt this morning and I have actually progressed for once! Apparently I’m dilated 3-4 cm (definitely more than three, but probably less than 4), and 80% effaced for anyone who knows what those mean. All I know is that the pressure has shifted in the last 24 hours, so that’s progress! No contractions consistent enough to be the start of labor, but maybe eventually. Have scheduled an induction for Monday, but hopefully we won’t have to go that far. I just really don’t want to be induced if I can help it. Come on, baby!
Spent yesterday running a few errands, no plans for today. Pulled down the sewing machine (or rather, Jason did) and I worked on a few projects last night. Nothing major, just timekillers. May go to a garage sale or two today and tomorrow, we’ll see. Just killing time, pretty much. Everything is picked up for the most part in the apartment (except the dreaded office, but we did go pick out shelves at IKEA Tuesday, but we need a van/truck to get them back here. There’s no way the box will fit in the car. Once I have those, I can really start work in the office - cleaning). Cleaned, swept, etc. Bedroom is better than its been in a while, bathroom is sparkling. Kitchen smiles at me every morning. It’s not perfect, but the floor is clean (except the storage area), the sink is empty, clean and dry, the stovetop is clean and I’m on top of the dishwasher! I’m just in a holding pattern.
So, keep checking back, we may have this little one soon!
