Boo!

It's Halloween, and it looks like it outside. The leaves have peaked, there are pumpkins by front doors, cobwebs strewn in the bushes, and mums of many colors on display.

Ian is an owl! Found this hat on Etsy, which you should check out if you haven't.

My folks had a bonfire at their house, and had family and friends out. It was chilly, but felt great next to the fire. The brush pile had been in the makings for 2 years, it was about 20 feet in circumference. They lit it early in the afternoon, and my dad said at one point it was so hot you couldn't get within 20 feet of it! By the time we got there it had turned into three smaller fires.

We roasted hot dogs and s'mores.

My dad's hat came from Australia, my grand parents brought it to him about 20 years ago. I just learned that this weekend.

My brother has 4 kids, the youngest of which is 3. She is the only girl, and she is very much so a little girl. She wore a pink jumpsuit with "princess" printed across the front. Later in the evening she was sitting by the fire, eating a s'more. She had removed the chocolate, and was eating it by itself. The marshmallow and graham cracker were in her other hand. A while later I noticed she was just sitting there holding the graham cracker/marshmallow, the chocolate now gone.

Me: N, are you not going to finish you s'more?

N: Here (she holds it out to me)

Me: Are you done?

N: Yup

Me: Are you sure you're done? I'm going to throw it away if you're done.

N: Yup (she now puts it in my outstretched hand)

Me: Okay then, I'm going to go throw it away . . .

I start to walk away but decide to check one  more time. The last thing I want to do is cause a 3 year old meltdown.

Me: N, you are 100% sure you're done?

N: Yup! (smiles)

I walk over and dump the remains in the trash. I return to where N is sitting. She immediately looks up at me with her big doe eyes.

N: Where's s'mores?

Seriously? At least she didn't cry . . .

We won't be trick or treating this year. Most of the community has already had trunk or treats or other Halloween gatherings. I don't think many folks actually take their kids door to door anymore, which seems a little sad to me.

Regardless, we have a basket full of candy, and we'll turn our porch light on tonight. And put a light in our pumpkin.

Jump, Jump!

We have a fairly small house by today's standards - just a hair over 1000 square feet. I love our house, and it has a great history. For the moment we are content to stay here, it's perfect for our little family. However, baby stuff takes up A LOT of room, and it honestly stressed me out going shopping for swings, bouncers, high chairs, etc. I was afeared there would be no floor space left in our abode.

I had intentions of buying one of those jumpers you install in a doorway - however, there were only a few doorways it would have worked on, and they weren't in the best locations. Then there were the free standing jumpers. I wanted to get one of those, but after seeing how big they were at the store I didn't buy one. Plus it was over $100, and I didn't even know if he would like it.

Enter super awesome friends with a baby just a tad older than Ian. They had bought one for their little girl, only to have a family member let them borrow another one. So, they let us borrow it instead. Yay!

Bottom line, worth every inch of floor space. We put him in it, and he new exactly what to do. Admittedly, he's got to be in the right mood for it, but it's hilarious to watch him. He sometimes gets so enthusiastic I think he's going to bounce right out of it. He watches the lights flash and plays with the toys. It does have some horrible music that may indeed drive me to the brink of insanity, but that's okay. We have nicknamed the thing Baby Vegas. 

Now if only I could program it to play James Brown . . . 

5 Months

Dear Ian,

Oh my. You are 5 months old today. I'm not quite sure what to think about all this, it's going by so very fast. Please slow down a little.

Your 4 month check up at the pediatrician revealed you to be a whopping 17 pounds and in the 90% percentile for weight. Height was 40%, and head circumference 50%. That was 3 weeks ago, and I bet your close to 18 pounds now. You skipped your 3-6 months cloths and comfortably fit into the 6-9 month category. Strangers comment how how you are such a puny little thing.

And oh those apple cheeks!

I just eat them up. My favorite is to put my cheek next to yours, it's so soft.

You've gone from intently watching us eat, to now reaching for our plates and glasses. We started you on cereal, and you seem to like it. Although as of late I'm suspicious you're more interested in the spoon than the food. If I give you the spoon you will shove it in your mouth and gag yourself. We will see about some more flavorful additions to your diet this month.

You are more tolerant of riding in the car, thank goodness. This probably has something to do with the fact that you can see farther away now, we catch you watching out the window quietly.

You smile all the time now, and for just about everyone. It's a big, beautiful smile. Your giggling is more frequent, too - it sends happy shivers down my spine. My favorite is how happy and excited you are to see your daddy when he comes home from work. You are just ecstatic to see him.

You love to be outside, whether it be on the porch swing, in the Bjorn, or in the stroller. Silly winter is going to get in the way of our evening family walks! We did get to take you on your first official hike, although truth be told you actually went on the same hike when I was 9 weeks pregnant.

You play with toys now, and you're favorite is a set of keys and a teething necklace I wear.

This month your sleeping schedule went haywire. You went from waking once in the night (maybe twice), to now waking about every 2 hours. And naps are hard to come by. I've never seen something so small fight sleep so hard. I promise you won't miss anything! Except for sweet dreams. When you do take a nap, it's generally on me, and it looks so cute.

Also, you just recently discovered your feet!

You haven't started pulling your socks off, but I suspect you will soon.

I love you so!

Weekend Antics

We had a fairly busy weekend. Went out Friday evening to a friends Halloween party. Ian wasn't amused and we were back home by 8, which was just as well because we have been trying to get him in bed by 8 anyway.

Saturday was pleasant - we went to the town "square" and had breakfast at Razzleberry's. This place is pretty amazing - it's run by a Polish couple. I'm not sure when exactly it opened, but they're locally known for their homemade ice cream and flavored ice. It's good stuff, always fresh and creamy - so much better than Baskin' Robbins or Marble Slab. The entire shop is decorated with pigs in every possible shape and form. The owners even drive a van that is painted pink with a pig snout welded to the hood and ears to the top. A few years ago they started a lunch menu, and in the last year they moved to a larger storefront and expanded to include a store that sells Eastern European grocery items. They also do breakfast on Saturday mornings, and it is AMAZING. J's favorite is the yam and sausage biscuit - sounds odd but it's a good marriage of flavors. Anyway, they have an outdoor seating area and we have taken Ian there several times. This Saturday it was too cold to sit outside so we took a deep breath and took him in. I am so afraid of him ruining other peoples meals we haven't taken him out to restaurant much. He tends to start fussing if we sit in one place for too long. We had to pass him back and forth like a hot potato to keep him occupied, but we were able to finish both of our meals. Score!

Next we hit the Farmers Market for some fresh tomatoes. I am going to be so sad when tomatoes are done for the season.

Saturday night was so much fun. We went to the big city to our friends annual pumpkin carving party. Ian showed of part of his Halloween costume.

He's an owl! Thanks to M.Y. for the photo

 We expected to only stay for an our or so but Ian fell sound asleep, so we stayed for quite a while. There's nothing better than holding a sleeping baby. J carved us a pumpkin for our front porch, and I had some wassail for the first time. It was fun to visit with friends.

This one was ours.

It's a cat bat. Or a demon Phoebe kitty. Or a Gargoyle. Anyway, we think it's awesome.

Fit For A Queen

As I've stated before, because of her late night opera singing, Phoebe has the privilege of spending her nights on our enclosed porch. The room is not well insulated and it isn't connected to the heating/cooling system of our house. It can get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.  I feel guilty about thus, so to compensate for this we buy her nice, fluffy, extravagant cat beds that cost too much money.

The last bed was pretty nice and cushy, but over 4 years it became COVERED in cat hair. It was taken outside and shaken out many times, but since having Ian I haven't touched it. It also has what appears to be dirt or mud all over the sides of it. This is a little concerning since she is an indoor only cat. I had zero intentions of putting it through the wash. All the hair would probably destroy our brand new HE washer. Regardless, I decided it was time for the old bed to go meet Jesus.

Here is the replacement.

J says it looks like one of the chairs from 2001 A Space Odyssey. I concur. It's nice because the cushion is removable. I have vowed to keep on top of the cat hair this time.

But it doesn't end there. Last year I purchased this.

This is a neat little item that we use at work. You stick the disk in the microwave for 7 minutes and it will stay warm (but not hot) for up to 12 hours. It's about 12" in diameter and fits nicely underneath the cushion in the bed. We use it at work for hospitalized patients - you don't have to worry about burns and it's safe to leave in a kennel overnight.

So now I don't feel too bad about her being out there on really cold nights. I hope that cat knows how lucky she is.

Ode to the Creepy Crawlies

Well, Halloween is close so I thought I might do a post about bugs. I see a lot of them at my job. This leads me to another idea I had. I thought maybe once a week or so I would do a post about some topic of veterinary medicine that I frequently get questions on. You game? 'Kay.

On a typical day I roll into work - the first thing I do is check to see if there are any emergencies, drop-offs, or hospitalized patients that need to be attended to. Then I move on to check out the daily schedule - it's usually blocked off into either 15 or 30 minute appointments. Each appointment slot has the patient's name followed by the presenting complaint. For example, "Fluffy Smith (canine) - vomiting."

So, one day about a year ago I check the schedule, and my 2 pm appointment says, "Sweetums Smith (feline) - 10 week old kitten covered in red bugs." . . . .Red bugs, what the hell kind of red bugs? Seriously, I was perplexed. I consulted with the receptionist who had taken the call, 'Did you ask her what they looked like?" To which she replied, 'Nope, all she says is that she is covered in them.' All morning I could do nothing but think about these mystery bugs. Did I miss something in my dermatology class? During my lunch break I shoved my food down, then poured over every text book I had available. Nothing. I consulted the VIN, an online forum where you can consult with board certified experts. Still nothing. I moved on to the all-knowing Google, because you know, Dr. Google knows everything (insert sarcasm).  . . .except red bugs in cats. Great. This should make me look intelligent.

2 pm rolls around. The tech checks the patient in and takes a history. She comes back and hands me the chart. I have by this point gnawed off all my fingernails in anticipation. 'Good luck, I don't see a single bug on that kitten, red or otherwise.' Even better, the patient is not covered in bugs, but the owner seems to think so. I am not a psychologist.

I put a confident smile on my face and walk into the exam room. It's is the cutest little black kitten I have ever seen (all kittens and puppies under 12 weeks old are the cutest things ever seen). She's a friendly little thing, purring and making biscuits. The owner, a college student, adopted her from the shelter over the weekend. She tells me about the bugs, which again she states that the kitten is covered in. I steal a quick glance at the kitten - nice, glossy short black coat. No bugs. 'What could they be,' she asks. "Let's do a thorough exam and see,' in my best professional doctor voice. I put my stethoscope on first, this gave me a minute or so of quiet time to just think. I smile and look down at her precious little feline face, and quick as lightening I see a little red bug dash across her face - right in that area above their eyes where the fur is a little sparse. Relief floods through my body. Mental me jumps up and down like an 8 year old with her hand raised up in the air - I know, I know the answer!


Little Sweetums had FLEAS. Everyone always thinks of fleas as being black, but they're more like a red-brown color. And they certainly appeared red against her black fur.

Here's what I have to say about fleas in East Tennessee:

• We have them year round - I promise, promise, promise. Our weather here can be bizarre, such as warm spells in January and February, we will have outbreaks. They can get in your house and make babies faster than you think possible and you will have to call an exterminator. It will suck and you will spend a lot of money.
• In order for your flea preventative to be effective you need to use it EVERY month. YEAR ROUND. I can't tell you how many times a client says to me, 'That stuff is so expensive, and it doesn't work. I put it on last week and she still has fleas.' My next question is always, 'how long had it been since you had applied the previous dose?' The answer is almost always more than 4 weeks. Also, as much as the advertising for these products lead you to believe, no product is 100% effective. They can fail. But if used properly they usually (99% of the time) don't.
• If you have an infestation it can take up to 3 months to get the environment under control. It sucks but it's true. The best flea products don't kill every stage of the flea life cycle, so it will take a couple of generations to sterilize the environment.
• This is one of my personal favorites - your indoor only kitties can get fleas. You can carry them in on your clothes, and they can sneak in your house through open windows and cracked doors. They can smell your kitties and they want to suck their blood. Are indoor kitties less likelty to get fleas? Yup, but if the fleas do get in the house they have a party because the cats have no line of defense.
• All it takes is two adult fleas in your house to start an infestation. An adult flea can lay 50 eggs a day, those will hatch in 7 days and they can make babies in another week. 
• MOST (but not all) over the counter preventatives are a waste of money. The $5 a dose products are unsafe and (in my professional opinion) should be taken off the market. Their mode of action can result in cats and dogs having tremors and seizures. They are only effective for about a week anyway. And flea collars? They're OK for the fleas around the neck.
• Something else I hear a lot in the exam room, 'Fluffy can't have fleas - I haven't been bitten a single time.' That's because fleas prefer cats and dogs - they only feast on us if there are no dogs and cats around, or if there is a very serious overload of fleas in the environment. It's very common for folks to discover they have a flea problem after returning from a trip where their dogs or cats were out of the house for a period of time. They unlock the doors and suddenly the fleas (who are now starved) don't care what they bite, they're just hungry.
• Yes, good quality flea preventative is expensive - usually $15-$20 a month per pet. I personally think it's too expensive, but it's cheaper than appointment to come see me so I can prescribe antibiotics, and potentially put them on steroids (I detest putting animals on steroids when the whole scenario was preventable in the first place). I'd say that the average exam plus treatment for flea allergy dermatitis (skin infection) is about $100. More if you have a big dogs.
• There are currently no effective, all natural products to prevent fleas. I love the idea of not using chemicals, but we haven't found the magic herb yet. But those smarty pants in the research labs are working on it. And when they find it, I'll use it!

So, you ask what should you use? There are a lot of different products out there, and they each work a little differently. Some prevent fleas only, others prevent a whole host of other creep crawlies. Some are topical, some oral. Some are waterproof, some not. Talk to your vet about what is right for your dog or cat!

Nom Nom

Ian is almost 5 months old now (yikes!) and a few days ago we decided to try him on his first solid food. Rice cereal. It looks disgusting, and I'm not sure why they call it solid food. It's a very thin soup like substance that you could probably lay bricks with.

Over the past month he has gone from intently watching us eat to now reaching for our glasses and plates.

The first night we put him in the Bumbo seat on the kitchen table in preparation.

Fail. The Bumbo seat lasted about 30 seconds. I don't know why, but recently he has started arching his back while in it. He's enough of a fatty I'm concerned he might tip it over. He moved to J's lap.

Success! Sort of. I think he maybe ate about 10% of the 2 oz we gave him. The other 90% went on his face, on us, on the floor, in his "no neck" area, and on the bib. But by the time we were done he was opening his mouth for the spoon and trying to suck on it.

I was hoping that he would magically sleep through the night after this, but alas he was up about every 2 hours.

The next afternoon I drug out the $120 fancy schmancy high chair. I pulled all the pieces out of the box, and looked over the manual. I spent the next hour and a half trying to put the seat together only to discover that one of the pieces was warped. Grrr. I spent another hour trying to put said high hair pieces back in the box - unsuccessfully. I called BabysRUs, and patiently explained that I would be bringing the damn high chair back, separate from the box in several garbage bags. Ian screaming in the back ground was a nice touch. On a side note I really was this. It's small, light, but way too expensive.

That evening went much better. Ian probably ingested about 50% of the cereal, and he seemed quite pleased with himself.

Doesn't he look happy? I think he likes his carbs.

Population Control

As I've said before, I have been doing "relief," or fill-in work as a veterinarian since having Ian. Prior to that, I worked 50+ hours a week as the primary doctor at a small animal hospital. I had never worked anywhere else. That being said, I have really enjoyed relief work so far. It can be a little overwhelming walking into a place not knowing anyone's name and not knowing where anything is. As a general rule clients aren't thrilled to see you because they (rightly) prefer to see their regular veterinarian. I have to walk in the room with a smile on my face, introduce myself, "Hi, I'm Dr. Tina, I'm filling in for Dr X while's he's out of town." Follow this with compliments to the pet and then ask what the problem is. By the end of the exam they are generally pleased that I am competent and am not going to waste their time.

Some of the most recent work I have been doing is at a non-profit, low cost spay/neuter facility. Yesterday was my first day there, so I headed out the door early. I wasn't exactly sure how long it would take me to get there. I am not a girly girl, but I do think first impressions are very important. I put on my nicest scrub top - the one with no poop/blood/anal gland stains on it, tucked in to a pair of khakis.

I have had to lay off the caffeine since having Ian - his sleeping schedule is a little touch and go (i.e non-existent). However, if I'm working that day I will drink one glorious cup. I'm driving along this back road out in the middle of nowhere, enjoying every drop of my cup o' joe. Ah, I think as I look at the clock, looks liked I timed my ride perfectly. About this time my coffee mug has some sort of malfunction. The lid comes off and flies into the back seat. Coffee sprays all over the drivers side window and door. But the best part - the majority of it dumps down the front of my scrub top and in my lap. And it was HOT (thankfully not scalding). There is nowhere to pull over, I am on a two lane back road in BFE with no shoulder. And I have just passed a ramshackle building with hand made signs that reads, "Shooting Match! Every Wednesday at 8!" I'm not kidding about that sign. If I can remember next week I'm going to take the camera and get a picture of it.

So here I am, 10 minutes away from my first day on the job and I now look as though I am lactating (which technically I am) and like I have pissed myself. Yay. I turned the air on full blast and pointed all the vents at me in a futile attempt to dry myself out.

Luckily, everyone was really nice and didn't mind in the least. What a great service that facility provides. On average they perform 20 surgeries a day as well as do vaccines, heartworm tests, and FIV/FeLV testing, all at an extremely low cost. The folks running that place are so nice and compassionate. They are doing such a good thing for the community. If you haven't done it already spay and neuter your pet! It's one of the most important things you can do!

Morning Hike

Sunday morning we decided to brave a hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Smokies are usually about a week ahead of us in regard to the fall foliage. It's always so pretty there but can  be a nightmare if you hit the traffic at the wrong time. We've had a bit of a struggle getting Ian to settle in for car rides. Can't say that I blame him - who would want to ride in the back seat, by yourself, turned so that you can't see anyone. It's gotten better recently, but oh my. That child has got a set of lungs on him.

We left the house early in the morning and were relieved to have minimal traffic issues. We came into the park through Townsend and drove to Elkmont. From there we parked and took the Little River Trail. This trail runs right alongside the river, and is fairly flat as it runs along an old railroad bed. The color was great, and the weather was perfect.

J carried Ian in the Bjorn for most of the hike. He did great, even took a little nap.

We hiked for almost 2 1/2 hours. He slept for about an hour of that. He woke up in a great mood!

It was great and hope to be able to take him out for more hikes in the future. We're so fortunate to live so close to such a great place!

Last of the Summer Flowers

Autumn is such a beautiful time in East Tennessee. The trees turn a hundred shades of gold, red, and orange. The angle of the sunlight in the morning makes everything look like it's lined in gold. The air smells and feels crisp. It's by far my favorite time of year.

The only drawback is the last of the summer flowers fade and die. The ones that hang on seem so bright!

This sunflower  is about 8 feet tall!

The windmill dahlia plant got beaten down during last Wednesday's rain.

Anyone know what this flower is?

Baby Wearing

Ian had to be delivered by Cesarean section, and the recovery from that was very rough for me. We essentially spent an entire month immobile on the couch (I'm probably going to have to replace the stuffing in the cushion where I sit - not kidding).  I wasn't allowed to drive, or pick anything up that weighed more than he did. That was okay by me - I didn't feel much like doing either. On the bright side it allowed for some fantastic bonding between the two of us. We both mastered the art of nursing. I memorized every inch of him. I couldn't wrap my head around (and still can't) the fact that we created this amazing little boy. My mom has said several times that it is a miracle. She's right, it is.

As the pain of the C-section incision subsided I was ready to spend some of my day upright. Ian was not pleased. He was content to be on my person 24 hours a day. A friend mentioned that the Moby wrap worked very well for them, so I was quick to order one. It was awesome! "Baby wearing" is the best thing ever - I can't say that enough. I don't care if you think I'm a hippy.

It took a bit of practice learning how to use, i.e. wrap it. It's a bit ridiculous to put on, being about 6 yards of fabric. The first several attempts resulted in much cursing. There was no turning back, once you take that thing out of the packaging it's never, ever going back in. Anyway, I spent 40 bucks on it so I was going to learn how to use the damn thing.

Bottom line, it's great around the house. There are many different positions you can "wear" the baby. And the best part is your hands are free. Oh the possibilities. When he was smaller he often fell asleep in it, which was great. He currently prefers the front facing position so that he can see all the action.

The Moby wrap

I don't take the Moby with us out on the town, I can't imagine putting that thing on in a parking lot. For trips to the store we use a Baby Bjorn that was given to us. He prefers to face out, and walking around keeps him content. Sometimes there are meltdowns in the check out line, but that's only because he likes to be on the move. Standing in line is boring, I have to agree.

The weather here is turning cooler, and the days are getting shorter. We are trying to take a walk every evening before his bedtime, and J usually wears him. There's something about seeing a guy wearing a baby on his chest - people LOVE it. Ian enjoys these walks, it's so fun seeing him notice more and more things. He looks up at the trees, will turn and watch cars go by.

Post evening walk in the Baby Bjorn

We are eventually going to have to invest in a sturdier baby wearing contraption (there are many). Ian now weighs 17 lbs, and although the Moby wrap says it can hold up to a 35 pound baby, I can't imagine carrying him in it much past the 20 pound mark. The Bjorn is approved up to 25 pounds. Both carrying devices put a lot of strain on your shoulders and upper back as they get heavier. But for now we're set!

Doesn't he look happy?

My Son Is a Thumbsucker (and I'm okay with that)

Over the past 2 weeks Ian seems to be developing a preference to sucking his thumb.  I couldn't be more relieved because he REALLY needs some way to self soothe besides using me as a human pacifier. I have been very fortunate to be able to breast feed him exclusively since birth, and I hope to continue to do so in the months to come. But seriously, I am so glad he is found his thumb.

From the get go I was pro pacifier. It helps reduce the risk of SIDS, it keeps them entertained in public places,and it can help them sleep. However, since I wanted to breast feed, everywhere I read and everyone I talked to said not to introduce the pacifier or bottle until a month into breast feeding. Introducing artificial nipples too early can result in nipple confusion and ruin breast feeding. About 2 weeks after he was born, I was talking to my mom on the phone and telling her about one of his inconsolable crying sessions, which seemed to be increasing in frequency.  When she suggested I try the pacifier, I told her not yet, it was too early. I should have listened to my mom.

At the month mark I ripped open the packaging, washed that paci, and popped it in his mouth. Beautiful silence ensued. We were so relieved. At that point I didn't care if he was 18 and still had a paci - we finally had a calm, quiet, pacified baby. For that night. He never really took the paci after that.

The next night I gave it to him right after nursing, and he screwed up his little face and spit it out. His expression was quite clear - "That's NOT real, and that was a dirty, dirty trick." We tried for weeks after that. He became skilled at projectile spitting the paci across the room. Any attempt seemed to make him more upset. We bought lots and lots and lots of different types of pacifiers. I bought some on Amazon that the internet claimed to be "the paci that all babies will take." He does occasionally takes that paci for 10 minutes at a time. Occasionally. Just enough to tease you into thinking you won the battle.

I have pacifier envy. I see other babies at the store with their pacis in their mouth happily sucking away and I say wistfully to J, "Look at that baby, doesn't he/she look so content and cute?"

We spent a many a penny on our stockpile of pacis. And that's were they now sit, in an unused pile on the night stand in his nursery. Collecting dust. Oh well.

The one photo of Ian taking a paci, he's about 6 weeks old here.

So now I catch him sucking his thumb, and I am totally okay with that for the time being. I will say that in the interim we found a variety of noises that would calm him down. They were:

• the coffee bean grinder
• the vacuum cleaner
• the bathroom exhaust fan
• music - specifically The Chemical Brothers Block Rockin' Beats, James Brown's Funky Drummer, and Radiohead's 15 Step

My personal favorite was the music, which had to be turned up louder than his crying. The neighbors must have wondered what was going on at our house every night at 8 pm.

Now that Ian has hit the 4 month mark, the "evening fussies" are becoming less frequent. Just another bump in the road! Teething should be coming up next!

                                                                                                     

What's That Noise?

Ian loves the changing table. He pumps his chubby fists and legs, grins that big gummy smile, and coos. I guess it's because he's so close to my face, but nonetheless he's quite pleased with himself up there. Today was no exception, but while in the nursery I began to hear a faint, rhythmic noise. At first I thought maybe I had left the CD player on low, but no. I started looking around the room, but couldn't figure out the source. I walked out of the nursery - nope, it was definitely something in his room. I paced around the nursery, now starting to irrationally obsess that the noise was coming from a faulty electrical cord. I had visions of the house burning down and me trying to get us all out of the house safely. All cords appeared to be intact and silent - perhaps the night light? I lean down to unplug the night light and suddenly the noise is amplified, and it seems to be coming from underneath the crib. Alarmed, I pull back the skirt and find this . . . .

The source of the noise was our cat, Phoebe. Snoring. 

She was curled up on top of the crib bedding quilt (note for future parents: crib bedding sets are a waste of money - just buy a contour sheet for $10). 

This would be a good time to introduce Phoebe, who we affectionately call The Phoebe Cat. She's a fat, lazy Siamese mix. Here's an unflattering picture of her:

She's somewhere around 10 years old - loves us, hates other cats (i.e. turns into a feline Cujo), tolerates dogs, and is terrified of children. She's doing great with Ian so far - she sniffs him and has even head butted him a few times. . . .I don't think she realizes he's a child. Mobile and verbal Ian is going to rock her world. For now we and she are safe.

Phoebe has an annoying habit of walking around the house at 1 am "singing." That is, she stands in the doorway of our bedroom yowling. This results in one of us getting up cursing and chasing after her. She will promptly bust ass and hide behind the couch. Grrrrrr. Therefore, for the past several years she has the privilege of spending her nights on the enclosed porch. She has actually gotten into a routine such that she "asks" to go out on the porch at bed time, expecting treats in return. A couple of weeks ago I got up in the middle of the night to nurse Ian, opened the door to the nursery and out shoots Phoebe. That's weird, I thought, I don't remember her being in there when I put him to bed . . .the next night we couldn't find her, and after a good 10 minutes of searching our house (which is not very big to begin with), J finds Phoebe under the crib asleep on the quilt.

I think most folks have problems with their cats getting IN the crib, not under it. However, being a veterinarian, I can't have a normal cat.  People see her for the first time and say, "What's wrong with your cat?"  Didn't you know? Vets have special needs pets, and Phoebe is no exception. She has a congenital, pathologic nystagmus and strabismus. In other words, her eyeballs are wiggly and she appears cross eyed. This results in terrible depth perception. Bad for you if your an outdoor kitty needing to defend yourself, cute if you're inside and pampered. It also means it takes her a long time to learn how to jump up on something high. It took months and many failed attempts for her to learn how to jump up on our bed, and she generally doesn't risk anything higher. I admit it would be amusing to see her try to jump up into the crib. Bless her heart.

That's our furry child. We do love her.

Hello

My name is Tina and I am starting this blog as a way to chronicle my experiences. On May 26, 2011 I became a mother for the first time. Ian was born via emergency C-section at 5:07 pm weighing in at 6 lbs. 15 ounces. It has been an amazing journey so far, and I wouldn't trade a second of it (this is coming from someone who wasn't even sure they wanted children all that long ago).

I received my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in May, 2007. Immediately after graduation I accepted a full time position as a small animal veterinarian. I stayed at this practice until 2 weeks before Ian was born. I was planning on returning to work there part-time after 12 weeks of maternity leave, but things don't always go the way you plan. I am now working as a "relief" veterinarian, meaning that I do fill in work at different hospitals when their doctors are away for vacation or conferences.

I live in one of the most beautiful places in the country, the foothills of East Tennessee. I was born and raised here, and hope to call it home for the rest of my life!