Comings and Goings

I am back from my recent trip to NJ to meet my new niece Piper Grey Berkowitz. She was nine pounds, 12 ounces. A little bruiser just like my own. Here is a shot of her in the nursery getting the business done by one of the nurses. She's a real cutey, and holding her brings me back folks, it really does.

Lyla didn't get to meet her because they only allow siblings in. So, we tag teamed in and out to entertain the wee bean while we tended to the wee-er bean. She had a grand old time in the hospital waiting room. As you can see by the picture, she was laughin' it up with the expecting grandparents. This is all a good thing, because the week before Miss Lyla decided to give up bottles completely. She refused any bottle, at any time. We've been weening for a while now, but she quit cold turkey on us. She would wail at the site of it. So, we were just feeding her, and giving her YoBaby to supplement for the ba. Doc said she'd be fine, and that after a week she'd probably take the bottle back. We felt better, but it had been so hot, and Lyla also wanted nothing to do with any sippy cup. I think I'd bought every one on the market. Finally, we gave her a straw cup (thank you Leslie Wagner), and she gulped it down like Bear Grylls in the Serengeti. For a week, she was hogging food, just stuffing it in. Then, suddenly, she cried with the food instead, wanting the damn bottle. Just like that the tables turned back, and now she's all about the bottle again. A little too much now. Can't win. I also think she's either teething, or a little under the weather this week, because upon our return from NJ she's been a bit fussy most of the day, which is totally unlike her. She usually fights through anything, but she's been a real baby the last few days. Meal times are a crap shoot. She's either smiling and giggling, or in hysterics. Last night, our painter came, and at the site of him she went nuts. I don't know what it is about him that sends her off the deep end, but it's something. Then she screamed through the feeding of bananas and rasberries (usually her fave dessert). There were rasberries all over her, me, Filo, and the wall. I was feeling a bit fluish anyway, so hauling her in and out of the high chair was quite an undertaking last night. I'm hoping it's the teeth, or a passing virus, and not the start of a trend. We've been blessed with this unbelievably happy, good kid, I don't want her to go Chuckie on me now. Especially since we're trying to get a new babysitter. Which reminds me that last night, the second babysitter in a row flaked. The first one, never called or showed up the night of my birthday when she was supposed to sit. This new one was supposed to come last night to meet Lyla before babysitting tomorrow, and she never came. I left her a vmail last night, and an email today, and I haven't heard anything. What the H? What's wrong with these people?