Keen Observation

"Madoc's nose gets bigger every day" - Chase

Sleep - And Lack Thereof

I must admit I had forgotten how wrecked I am with no sleep.

I tell myself (hourly) it will get better. And it is.

I'm not up *every hour* anymore. Now it's just every other hour. And Hubs has been kind enough to walk Chase back to her bedroom and cuddle with her in the wee hours of the morning so that I can attempt to get just a couple more hours of sleep (if I can get little M back to sleep).

A friend suggested putting M in her car seat to sleep (to keep her upright and aid in digestion/reflux), and it sort of works. Although it sort of doesn't. She seems to sleep much longer when she is cuddled up to me. Of course I worry about co-sleeping, and try to keep putting her back in her car seat, but when she wakes for the fourth time I usually give up and say a little prayer before falling asleep cuddling up to her.

Actually - And Other Big Girl Updates

Chase used the word "actually" for the first time today. I don't remember exactly what we were talking about, but she used it like she's been saying it her entire life.

The other thing I noticed is she is now able to use the water colors without mixing the colors together. Amazing. She carefully washes her brush after she's done with each color.

And I don't think I've mentioned how fascinated she is with words. I hear, "What does this say?" all the time. She also *writes* letters and notes all the time.

And finally, she is SO proactive in sharing. I am amazed. She shares everything. She sets aside animal crackers for Hubs. She shares her dinner. Her breakfast. Her snack. Her toys. Maybe that's what kids do that have been uprooted so many times - because they don't have a chance to have ownership over anything.

Good News/Bad News

Good news: no dental work needed (for now).

Bad news: our Mandarin tutor is moving to Ohio in March. It's going to break Chase's heart!

Goings on

Dentist appointment this week. Fingers crossed I don't need another root canal.

Infant Reflux

After a chat with the pediatrician, it appears Madoc has infant reflux, which is basically really bad heartburn and discomfort after eating. As it turns out, many infants have reflux problems in the first couple months and it usually goes away. So we have our fingers crossed it will pass. Until it does, we have a prescription from the pediatrician and I've been told it would be a good idea to try eliminating dairy from my diet (good times) to see if it makes a difference. I also need to avoid tomatoes, citrus and gas producing foods. Hope that works! I've heard cutting out caffeine could be helpful as well, but I would be unable to function (as I'm still not sleeping much at all).

Madoc Update

Just returned from weighing Madoc. She is now close to 10 lbs, which puts her weight gain at 1.5 oz per day (they would be happy with 1 oz per day), so feeding is going well.

However, I'm still unable to put her down during the day, as she gets really unhappy - and she is still squirming around, holding her breath, turning bright red and then gasping for air. So I called the pediatrician, who thinks she may have a reflux problem. So we're going to start her on a little antacid and see if it doesn't get better - as she should be a happy bunny if her tummy is full.

Congrats To Hubs!

For his new job! (Same company, different role, with travel.)
We've managed to keep it together whilst he's in NJ, but we miss him!!!

Inauguration Day

Chase and I watched the inauguration this morning.
Chase, throughout asked "What's he saying? Where's Obama? Who's that?"

And, while I tried my best to explain it, I knew I wouldn't be able to impress upon her the importance of this day. After the inauguration, I asked her if she wanted to be President, to which she said, "yes." You go, girl.




















CNN Coverage...

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Barack Obama promised to tap the virtues and resiliency of Americans as his administration ushers in an era of accountability and improved dialogue with the world.

Barack and Michelle Obama wave to throngs of supporters en route to the White House on Tuesday.

He thanked those who sacrificed so much so "a man whose father, less than 60 years ago, might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

An estimated 2 million people crowded the National Mall and surrounding area that encompasses the Capitol, White House and Lincoln Memorial. They sang, danced and waved flags as Obama's swearing-in approached.

"This is America happening," said Evadey Minott of Brooklyn, New York. "It was prophesized by King that we would have a day when everyone would come together. This is that day. I am excited. I am joyful. It brings tears to my eyes."

Many in the crowd seemed moved as Aretha Franklin belted out a rousing version of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" before Joe Biden was sworn in as vice president.

Wearing a navy suit and red tie, Obama repeated the oath of office, his hand on the same Bible used in President Abraham Lincoln's first inauguration.

When Obama took the podium, however, the jubilant crowd grew somber and quiet, hanging on his every word. There was only scattered applause -- punctuated by an occasional "That's right" or "Amen."

Obama acknowledged the challenges facing the country and boldly asserted, "Know this, America -- they will be met." He promised to end petty squabbles on Capitol Hill, bring "old friends and former enemies" into the fold, and invoked the Bible, saying, "The time has come to set aside childish things."

He also vowed to leave Iraq to its people, responsibly, and to finish forging "a hard-earned peace" in Afghanistan. To Muslims, he promised "a new way forward, based on mutual interest," and to terrorists, he leveled a threat: "You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

He vowed to tackle the nation's economic woes forcefully and guaranteed accountability among those who handle taxpayer dollars. But the economy is not all that is reeling, he said, referencing "a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable."

The challenges are daunting, he said, but anyone who underestimates this nation has forgotten about its past perseverance.

"Greatness is never a given. It must be earned," he said.

His words resounded with spectators and revelers who let out deafening cheers after his address. Spectator L.J. Caldwell likened Obama to some of the most heroic figures of the civil rights movement.

"When you think back, Malcolm [X] fought. Then we come a little further, Rosa Parks sat. Then come up a little further and [the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.] spoke. Then today, President Obama ran and we won," said Caldwell, of Somerset, New Jersey.

After the address, hundreds of thousands remained on the National Mall as Obama went inside the Capitol and signed his first documents as the 44th president of the United States. Among those were his Cabinet nominations. The Senate approved most of those nominations later in the day. Watch Obama's grand entrance »

"I was told not to swipe the pen," Obama quipped after signing a proclamation of national renewal and reconciliation.

Obama then lunched with lawmakers at the Capitol's Statuary Hall, telling them, "What's happening today is not about me. It is about the American people.

Americans, he said, "have come together across races and regions and stations. Now we have to do the same. Now it falls to us, the people's representatives, to give our fullest measure of devotion to the cause of freedom and liberty and justice, decency and dignity."

Later, the crowds flocked to barricades along Pennsylvania Avenue as Obama's motorcade crawled by.

Many said before the festivities that they did not have tickets and would be happy to catch a mere glimpse of the nation's first Africa-American president.

At St. John's Episcopal Church, where the Obamas kicked off a packed day of festivities, 9-year-old Laura Bruggerman waited with her mother, Wendy, and father, Jeff, of Bethesda, Maryland. The affable crowd tried to let shorter onlookers and children to the front for better views.

"I want to see Obama. I think that would be really cool. I could tell all of my friends that I got to see him," the youngster said.

Some spectators were more than a mile from the swearing-in ceremony, watching on giant TV screens erected along the National Mall.

Security was tight in Washington. The effort involved the Secret Service, 8,000 police officers from the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, 10,000 National Guard troops, about 1,000 FBI personnel, and hundreds of others from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Park Service and U.S. Capitol Police.

The ceremony also drew celebrities like Dustin Hoffman, Denzel Washington and Steven Spielberg.

"It's behind the dream. We're just here feeling it with the throngs of people. It's amazing grace personified," Oprah Winfrey said, sitting next actor Samuel L. Jackson.

Obama and congressional leaders formally bade farewell to Bush, and the now-former president took a presidential jet to Midland, Texas, shortly afterward. »

As Obama and his wife, Michelle, made their way to the White House, they stepped out of their limousine amid another round of boisterous hoorahs.

The first couple beamed as they walked down Pennsylvania Avenue, waving to the throngs kept back by police barriers. They walked a few blocks before returning to their vehicle to finish the two-mile parade that took them to the White House.

Obama and his family planned to watch the inauguration parade from a reviewing stand, and they will close the night by attending 10 official inaugural balls.

After a day and night of events celebrating his historic presidency, Obama and his family will officially take up residence at the White House.

And.... interesting coverage from CNET...

January 20, 2009 11:27 AM PST
Inauguration Day, by the numbers
Posted by Caroline McCarthy

Updated at 1:30 p.m. PST to reflect streaming problems at CNN.com and CBSNews.com.

From what early numbers are indicating, the historic swearing-in of President Barack Obama was not the biggest traffic day for the Internet. But for many social networks and digital-media sites, Inauguration Day shattered traffic and usage records regardless.

Here are the ones we've heard from so far. We'll be updating this list as we hear more:

Akamai. The content delivery network has some numbers out that indicate traffic on the Web peaked right before noon Eastern time, with about 5.4 million visitors per minute flocking to online news outlets. While this is 22 percent above normal online news consumption, per Akamai, it's not a record. Obama's victory in November pulled in nearly 8.6 million visitors per minute, and the 7 million mark has been broken by both a hotly contested World Cup soccer game in 2006 and last year's March Madness college basketball playoffs.
CNN.com fail notice

Visitors attempting to access CNN.com's live stream of the inaugural address got this message instead (Click image for larger view). CNN was just one of many Web sites that got overloaded during the speech.
(Credit: Screenshot by CBSNews.com)

CNN. It was a big day for the Time Warner-owned news outlet's Web site. It's been continually updating its statistics, but at press time, CNN.com said it has served more than 18.8 million live video streams, including 1.3 million at the same time right before Obama gave his address, since 6 a.m. EST. That's a record: Election Day served up only 5.3 million live streams. Apparently, it wasn't all smooth sailing, though. CBS News reports that CNN.com had a note posted for potential viewers who came to see the historic moment that said, "You made it! However, so did everyone else." (See screenshot at right.)

Facebook. The social network, which partnered with CNN for a live feed of "status" updates (sort of like Facebook's equivalent of a Twitter post) pertaining to the inauguration, has put out some usage numbers and is still updating them. As of 10:15 a.m. PST, 600,000 status messages had been set using the CNN app, and an average of 4,000 Facebook status updates were set every minute during the inauguration. They peaked the minute Obama began his speech, with 8,500 status messages set in those 60 seconds. "Millions" of members logged into the social network during the live broadcast.

Mogulus. The live-streaming service powered online inauguration video streams for C-Span, USA Today, and other newspapers owned by USA Today publisher Gannett (which has a minority stake in the company). Inauguration coverage broke Mogulus' network record, according to early numbers, with 105,000 concurrent viewers and more than 1 million visitors total.

Hulu. The video hub, a joint venture between NBC Universal and News Corp., declined to provide any viewership statistics for Inauguration Day.

Our colleagues at CBSNews.com report that they, too, ran into trouble with their live stream of the inauguration speech, saying that many people could not load the stream around the time of the address due to overwhelming demand.

Disclosure: CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, which also publishes CBSNews.com.

From Chase's Mandarin Tutor

Chase's Mandarin tutor sent me his today... Chinese proverb says "daughter is mom's little cotton-padded jacket." Now you have two cotton-padded jackets and it means you will always be warm.

Madoc -1 Month!

Has it seriously been a month already?

Following are my favorite quotes from Chase about her new baby sister...

"Madoc is so bee-u-t-i-ful."
"I love her tiny feet."
"When Madoc gets older I will teach her to run, and jump, and dance."
"Madoc is too little for yogurt."

Chase And Cooper

Cooper came by with his motorcycle last night and took Chase for a ride. He even let her drive!

Turning Point?

I hesitate to even write this; I'm a little afraid that I'll jinx it.

But last night Madoc slept in her little co-sleeper next to our bed, instead of in our bed. I still woke up 4 times to change/feed her. Chase still arrived ready for a snuggle around 2 a.m., but Madoc slept. There was no party at 2 p.m. as usual (thank goodness). Hubs and I even had a quick cuddle (after nearly 3 weeks!) because Madoc was asleep and Chase was busy playing Leapster in her room at 6 a.m. (Thank you Jeff & Vickie!)

And this morning I was able to leave the house, on my own, and head to the coffee shop, without Madoc screaming. She slept all_the_way through coffee...and I arrived home just as she was waking. It was amazing.

Sleep, a cuddle and fresh air? What more could a gal want in life?

I'm Welcome

Hubs asked Chase what she should say after someone says, "thank you."
She responded, "I'm welcome."

LOVE IT.

Cinderella

So I was telling Chase the story of Cinderella with a magnet story book. I got to the end, where the prince finds Cinderella and she goes back to the castle to live (and dance) with the prince (happily ever after) and she said, "I don't like it."

I said, "oh no? What don't you like?"

Turns out she wanted Cinderella to stay at home, do some more cleaning and have a tea party with her little mouse friends. Forget the prince.

Chase And Linus

Update

Still up at all hours. Special thanks to my mom who flew out to help us. I thought I could handle two kids (let's hope I can), but it has been great to have the extra help. Lesson learned from last time - it's best to ask for help rather than pretend I don't need it.

The other thing I learned is it is best to have family out after the hormones have had time to mellow out. The first two weeks were tough - and the hormones didn't help.

Now I feel much better, except I could really use a solid 8 hours of sleep.

Madoc's 2 Week Visit

Good news. Madoc's 2 week doctor appointment went really well.

She is 12 oz above her birth weight -she's gained 9 oz this week alone. The doctor said they hope kids are at their birth weight at two weeks, so 12 oz over is a big deal. She grew one inch since birth and her head circ is looking really good. The doctor said, "whatever you're doing, keep it up!"

Oh, you mean the no sleep thing? Will do.

This is actually a huge accomplishment for me, as my attempt to feed Chase did not go as well (perhaps due to so much stress and an international move). I can't believe this time around it is actually working. Knock wood it continues.