Saturday, June 13, 2009

Saturday, June 13, 2009
Juliette is 2 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 4 days old.
She is sound asleep next to me. She is talking quite well.
"What happened?" "What's the problem?" She often asks when my face clouds over when I am deep in thought. She is tall. She is beautiful. She is less and less my baby girl. I look forward to getting to know her, to hear her thoughts, to laugh with her.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Juliette Is Almost Two
Juliette will be two-years old just one-month from now. I am forgetting the details of my pregnancy, her birth, and her first year in the apartment.

I only see the future. I see the task of educating Juliette over the next eighteen or so years.

She is growing up very, very fast. We are inseparable in both our waking and sleeping hours. Always together.

She needs to learns just about all there is to learn from where we stand today.

A new young president was sworn into office today. Our first bi-racial president, the 44th, in America's long history. Juliette is
twenty-three months old when America elected and swears in her first bi-racial president.

What will Juliette's country be like when she is twenty-three years old?

Monday, July 7, 2008

Juliette's New House
We moved on June 28, 2008. Juliette has a new house. Five bedrooms, family room with firplace and many other large rooms, not to mention the big beautiful backyard full of tall trees. Juliette has been exploring all the rooms. She seems happy to have the new space.

It was hard saying goodbye to the only home Juliette has ever known. It the apartment we brought her home to after she was born. It is the place where her Mommy and Daddy first met and where her parents began their married life, where her Mommy spent her pregnancy dreaming about her little girl.

The apartment is a chapter we have closed. We are starting a new and exciting chapter with the new house.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Juliette is Sleeping Next To Me
It is 3:35 am and tomorrow we pack out cart for the 100th time and head out to Columbia and Grandmother;s house. I leave you there and go to Starbacks where I sit and work for hours and hours. I always look forward to coming home to you. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray...I know how corny this is...but please don't take my sunshine away.

As much as I crave the special quality of pregnancy and birth and another golden girl just like you. I HAVE YOU and I can barely contain the joy of that fact. I have my Juliette to call mine, for a time.

There is NOTHING, NOTHING like having Juliette here by my side. You are SO, SO cute. I love your little hands, your little feet, your little mouth and pillowy cheeks. I love you powerfully and completely.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Juliette's Wound is Healing

The fall last week left a red scab on her forehead. It looks so much better today. She is walking more and more without holding on to anything. We predict that she will be walking around with good balance by the time we move to our new house at the end of June.

Juliette has more hair than ever. It is fluffy and soft. Juliette is turning into a real beauty. We have a very cute, very pretty, very smart baby! We are very grateful.

She is eating EVERYTHING but food, that is paper, plastic, fabric, leather.
We are still trying to get her to eat solid food. I hope she turns a corner soon.

Juliette is pointing to things and trying, trying, trying to call things something.
Not comprehensible, but Juliette is trying to speak.

To walk, to talk, to eat solid food.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Juliette Fell

Juliette fell and hit her head on the concrete floor of the balcony. She has had a red series of scabs on her forehead for two days now. I cried harder than she did when she fell on the concrete.

Learning to walk it hard work. The logistics are complex. Juliette is trying to master then all.

Juliette has a new house. We closed last night! Juliette went to the closing, scratches and scrapes and all.

Juliette will probably fall again and again...until she learns to walk.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Juliette is Walking!
That's right she takes a few steps without holding onto ANYTHING OR ANYONE!
She walks and she talks.
Today she said "Bird!" and pointed to the light blue, spring sky overhead.
She is teething on everything that fits into her mouth.
She also had a bad fall today on the patio and has six or seven red scratches on her forehead. I cried after it happened.
She can also safely lower herself safely down from the bed onto the floor. Another milestone, the site of a bad fall a few weeks ago.
My wee-wee, my whittle-whittle, my wheaty, my sweety...my Juliette!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Juliette spent time at the Botanical Gardens in Rockville. She tried walking on the soft, green grass and fell several times. She enjoyed the sunshine and the warm weather. I lost my watch of less than one-year. I am devastated. I went back to the Gardens later, I left Juliette at home, and I walked around, re-traced our footsteps for over an hour and found NOTHING. I will call the lost and found office tomorrow.

We had Brunch with the bus ladies on Saturday, from 11:00 AM to 3:12. Juliette played with Miles, Carol's dog for most of the day. Carol is selling her house, no mor bus lady brunches at Even Star Court. This is our fifth year of brunches and baby showers. Kristin, Ellen, Carol, Donna, Michelle, and Meagan. Our lives have changed dramatically since we all met on the #310, the Columbia to Baltimore line. We rode together, twice a day for five-years. We rode through five good years. Very good years. Single, unmarried days for me, to engagement, to wedding, to pregnancy and baby. Newlywed days for Kristin, then first baby, second baby. Working days before retirement and an empty nest for Carol, to selling the house after 25-years. Ellen newlywed days and trying, trying and trying to conceive. Donna from two daughters at home to an empty nest. Meagan through graduate school and parents illness. Michelle from health to sickness.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Juliette stayed at Grandmother Geraldine's house for the third day in a row. She is silent. She is playful. She is very, very, very active. I am so tired by the time we get to Silver Spring and she is not. I feel so impatient and unable to deal with her activity-level after a long day of tedious dissertation work. I feel so GUILTY. Juliette is a good sport for putting up with me and my work.

It strikes me how much she looks like a baby, like a 9-months-old baby. She is still very small although she is walking and pointing and talking (sort of). She is still a baby.

Juliette makes me want more babies, this is purely emotional. Intellectually I want the baby I have...just her, just one. I understand why people have so many, having babies is a powerful experience.

Having Juliette is so wonderful, daily-wonderful. The pregnancy, the delivery (even with its complications), the early days, the later days (i.e., now), future days, all is wonderful.

Juliette is WONDERFUL!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Longing for 2007

I find myself looking back to when Juliette was newborn, so small, and so new.
Now she is walking (while holding something), she is alert, she is much bigger. She is attached to me. She is DIFFERENT. She gets better and better everyday, so why do I long for the arly days? Because life was so new, so different, so unlike anything I had ever known. I liked the way I had changed so rapidly and significantly from the moment Juliette was born. I was never to be the person I always thought I was. i was someone new, a MOM, Juliette's MOM. So that is why I long for the early days, I long for the stinging, tingling, newness life offered me after years and years of the same. You only get better and I have grown used to being your mother and life is good, very good.

You are soon to have a new home on Martin's Diary Circle in Olney, Maryland. Now I can watch my beautiful girl grow in her beautiful home. Only the best for my dear, sweet, lovely girl...my We-We, my Whittle-Whittle, my sunshine, my moon, my star, my heart, my life, my soul, my Juliette. Is it okay if I call you mine, if just for a time...

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Juliette's Denim Overalls

Juliette is now 1-year and two-months old! She is wearing a pair of size 9-month denim overalls. She is very cute in them. She watches the Noggin Chanel on Cable Televison everyday now. She is watching an episode showing English pre-schoolers plant potatoes in their garden. She watches with a great deal of interest.

Juliette self-fed for the first time ever yesterday. I gave her a bowl of cottage cheese in a small bowl with a bright-colored toddler's spoon. Later, with cheese in her hair, covering her top and bottoms, the high-chair, and the floor Juliette sat licking the bowl. I'd say her first self-feeding was a success.

Sleeping has improved. Down by 10:30PM and up twelve hours later with not wakings at night. This is progress. For the past month she wanted a 4:00AM bottle, after going down at 1:00AM, just like in the early days.

Juliette can stand without holding on, but can not walk without assistance.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Juliette is in the bath!

Juliette stands in her bath water. Sucks on her rubber duck. Splashes with her hands. Drinks the soapy water.

She grunts but does not talk.
She stands but does not walk.
She tastes but does not eat solid food.
She throws everything on the floor...she just threw her rubber duck out of the bath.
She smiles.
She hums.
She likes Noggin a cable channel for toddlers.
She has more hair.
She wears shoes.
She stays up late at night.
She is tall.
She is thin.
She has seven new summer outfits from American Classics in White Flint Mall.
She went to the Mall two days in a row last week.
Today we will go to blockbuster video to return videos and take a walk someplace.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Juliette was in a fashion show today!
Juliette was a model in a fashion show, held by her Grandmother Geraldine. The applause was deafening! She was a hit.

We picked up Juliette's annual portraits at the mall and they were great! She is a real beauty.

She ate lots of food at Nordstrom's restaurant. She had grilled Salmon, roasted potatoes, boiled egg, and creme brulee. Chased by ice-water.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Juliette Gets Immunized Tomorrow

She gets the Chickenpox vaccine (varicella, Hepatitis A, and the dreaded MMR vaccine(measules, mumps and rubella) vaccine. I hope everything goes well. I am scared by the media attention this topic is currently getting for it's suspected relationship with some unknown genetic autism trigger. CNN ran a full day of coverage on autism and its suspected causes. I hope things go well for my bright, sweet beautiful Juliette.

Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Juliette's first year home from the NICU. She was discharged on a warm, sunny spring day.

April 2, 2007, 8:56 AM
"Lee just called from the respiratory therapy department at Johns Hopkins University. We need to schedule training for today, HCGH just called and let her know that Juliette will be released today. Joy! Fear! Today? I scheduled for later today as opposed to "Right Now!" I said, "I can't get to the hospital right now. I have to get dressed. What about this afternoon?" Lee said, "Okay. What about between 2-3 PM today?" I said, "Okay, that's good." I feel tearful. Hopeful. Happy. Numb. The baby is all mine...in just a few short hours I will be responsible for all of her care. The time has come for no more NICU. My crutch is gone and I am a full-time Mom from this moment on. This day will change my life forever and ever. Juliette is coming home!!!

5:50PM Juliette is home! She makes quacking sounds. Otherwise she appears comfortable, she is in her crib with her eyes closed. Today happens to be the most beautiful day we haev had so far this year. It is warm, sunny, blossoms of yellow, white, and pink are everywhere. We could not have had a brighter day. I am full of joy. I am happier than I've ever been. I cried when I remembered the winter day. The ice storm that left everything covered in "glass" on February 19, 2007, the day my little girl came into the world. The maternal and child unit had a new life quality. I felt I passed from one world to another where even the sunlight cast a new and original light. It was the same feeling I had after my wedding, during my honeymoon. The six-weeks of the NICU have been a blur, more like three weeks. We drobe thirty-minutes or thirty-six miles every night through ice-storms, frigid cold, rain, sunshine and gray skies. Often just to sit with our Juliette for a few hours before turning around and coming home again. So I cried when I signed the discharge papers."

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Juliette Claps and Stands
Juliette can stand without holding on to anything for a few minutes.
She now has four teeth, two on top and two on the bottom.
Juliette hums, she likes all kinds of music.
Juliette loves her new white high top baby shoes.
Juliette was "dominated" by her grandparents dog Willies and bled. Hmmmm....
Juliette had her 1-year Birthday Photos done at the JC Penny Studio and they are very, very corny/cheesy!
Juliette still doesn't eat much solid food, say Ma Ma clearly, or go to bed early!
We love Juliette the way she is! She is still our lovely, sweet, whittle-whittle!
Wee-wee is the love of our lives!

Juliette claps when she hears clapping on televison, when people sing, when people are happy. She claps and waves and claps!

Sunday, March 2, 2008

If your happy and you know it CLAP YOUR HANDS!

Juliette can clap. She has been happy and clapping her hands since yesterday.
We are all so deeply touched by this latest milestone. She also seems proud of herself and smiles and smiles while she claps.
We spent Friday night at Grandmother Geraldine's house in Columbia and sometime between Friday night and Saturday evening she learned to clap. She watched an Einstein DVD with Grandmother Geraildine and that's how she learned to clap.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIETTE!
Happy first Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Juliette!
Happy Birthday to you!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Juliette's Birthday Party at Grandmother Kay and Grandfather Ken's House

Today at starting at 5PM began our celebration of Juliette's birthday. She will be one-year old this Tuesday, February 19, 2008. She received several gifts from her grandparents, aunt Maggie, and Amy Simowitz.

We had chocolate ice-cream and carrot cake. Juliette hummed and we sang Happy Birthday. Juliette chased, crawled and walked after Willie the dog.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

This is your first Valentine's Day. Grandfather Ken and Grandmother Kay sent a lovely e-valentine's day card. I bought you two ballons from the supermarket. One ballon says, "Be Mine!"

Juliette will you be my Valentine? You are my forever Valentine!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Juliette Has a Tooth

Yesterday I discovered a tooth pushing up through Juliette's bottom gum. She has been irritable and cranky most days for at least two weeks. Mom siad she felt more teeth poking from the gums today. Juliette has not slept well for weeks and the past several nights have been the worst, she is very uncomfortable. I am rest broken, I have not slept well because she does not sleep well. I left the baby at Mom's house today to rest at home alone. I dropped Juliette off around noon and will pick her up tonight. I just watched a movie starring Heath Ledger who died from an accidental overdose recently. The Ledger movie was sad. I miss Juliette terribly. I saw a small baby shoe on the floor next to my bed, and started to ache for my baby.

It is 4:27 PM now. I will watch one more movie, Elizabeth. Read the Ralph Ellison biography I started a few weeks ago and Chris should be home by the time Elizabeth ends, then and I will take a short nap and then pick-up my dear sweet Juliette.