08/07 3eme semaine bis/ 3rd week

Une des particularites d'un pilote d'avion d'affaire est de se poser sur une multitude de petits terrains, en fonction de ce que veulent les passagers, ce qui nous ammenent un peu partout sur le territoire Americain, du Canada au Caraibes en ce qui concerne l'avion que je pilote. Et souvent, je vais trainer dans les hangars des aerodromes ou dorment de superbes machines. Et c'est ainsi que le hasard de nos aventures nous ont ammenes a Kissimee cette semaine en Floride, ou un riche monsieur gardent ses tresors: quelques Maseratis, Ferraris, cinq (oui 5!) P-51 Mustangs, un Spitfire ( que l'on peut apercevoir dans les reflets polis du Mustang sur la photo a gauche du drapeau Anglais...), un Avenger, North American Bronco, et j'en passe!...

Il s'est meme cree une sorte d'ecole ou on peut passer une qualif Mustang, ou pour la modique somme de $3000 faire une heure de vol dessus! http://www.stallion51.com/

Y'a pas a dire, c'est l'Amerique!

We're in the U.S. Army NOW!

Yes, indeedy, the above two pictures are both of Florence wherein the buzz cut is the post-pic. This past week Florence and I worked on her physical therapy stretching and strengthening exercises. Loll and behold, she only made mild progress much to Mommy's chagrine. However, as it had only been about one week I had to adjust my expectations accordingly.

Why the buzz? Well, her hair was getting so long that it was getting in her eyes. So I used the shaver and put on a one inch attachment to, supposedly, shave her hair to a one inch length. Apparently I didn't angle the darn thing correctly and cut a bald spot just down the center of her head. Kinda a reverse mohawk. So, figured I needed to finish the work so I continued on. Unfortunately, or, frankly, who cares that it is far from an even cut. She kept following my hand with her eyes to see what I was up to so, while attempting to cut behind one ear she'd turn that direction and, well, an uneven cut at best. Kinda looks more like she ran into a shaver accidentally than actually having gotten a haircut on purpose. Oh well. Thank goodness she's young!

On the bright side (though the moments of humor I got at seeing her lousy haircut was enough of a bright side in and of intself) I got to take a good gander at her head shape and, thusly, decided that the therapeutic helmut was not necessary. After all, how often as a woman do you have a head shaved bald and then have a person take aerial photos of your noggin'? Not often, I presume, though who knows what odd things people do these days.

So, alas, we are down one problem and now focusing only on the torticollis. Still doing her stretching while she sleeps. Keeps the screaming bloody murder to a minimum and, frankly, allows for a much better stretch. No baby induced resistence. Seeing a mild improvement. Very mild. But an improvement nonetheless. Coupled with attempting to get her to finally nap in her crib (she only sleeps in the crib at night) that's been our week.

Oh yeah, and spitting up. And burps. And poops. And, sigh, all other sorts of bodily fluid/function related activities. Who knew!???????/

Adios muchocosho!

08/07 3eme semaine/ 3rd week

Semaine de repos routine: c'est a dire un vol en planeur, un vol en avion, des couches culottes a changer, quelques courses a droite a gauche, et tous ca, pas forcement dans l'ordre. Il fait entre 41-43 degres tous les jours, c'est penible d'etre dehors. Il n'y a qu'a 10 000 pieds que ca devient agreable dans le planeur, et encore, il faut attendre 2 hrs de vol!

This week Florence rolled over! Yea! It's a lot of fun watching a human being develop, learning things for the first time, seeing things for the first time, hearing things for the first time. Everything is interesting to her, fascinating and deserved of the utmost attention.

She also has a full blown case of Superman syndrome, wherein she wants to fly around the house all the time, fighting crime wherever she sees it.

Also, this week we had to learn to incorporate her new physical therapy exercises which stretch and strengthen the weakened left neck muscle. She hates them. Apparently they are extremely painful, since the muscle was never used. All the babies scream horribly. So I've started to do the exercises while she sleeps, so that she can be saved the pain and horror. In this way I do not disrupt our daily routine and joy. It's kind of tricky, as I must do it while holding her in my arms as she sleeps. By the time I've done her exercises both my arms are numb from holding her so long (she's about 15 pounds). But it keeps her much happier (duh) and me too. When I had first tried to do the exercises during her waking hours, she would scream nonstop, even after the exercises completed, screaming for over a half hour. Hopefully, the PT will give up the green light to continue in this way. Well worth it. My pain, her gain.

We've also made an appt. with the head people to get her helmet. Apparently this company is also based in Spain and uses the latest technology. Before, they had to do a plaster cast of the head, totally covering the infant including the eyes. They would scream horribly. Now they simply do a 3D imaging. No pain! Yea!

Other than that, we're just trucking along. Her personality keeps coming out more and more. Tummy time is now more of a joy which she demands than a chore I had to force. And Superman time is a must which always brings a smile, even when she's really tired. And with her started to roll over I'm hoping she can start, on her own, switching her sleeping position and, thus, help her head issues. And, we're just trying to survive teething time.

Well, all for now!

08/07 2eme semaine/ 2nd week

J'ai eu la chance de repasser dans l'Ohio cette semaine, et meme eu le temps d'aller a "Lebanon", la ville que nous avons targete pour un demenagement eventuel. Le but du jeu etait de gouter "l'atmosphere" de la ville, des choses comme la taille, les commerces, l'architecture etc, etc...

Helas, c'est pas demain la veille, l'immobilier aux US est dans un piteux etat en ce moment, il y'a deja 4 maisons a vendre comme la notre dans notre rue. Il est possible qu'il faille attendre 2 ou 3 ans avant de pouvoir vendre a un prix raisonnable. Dommage!

Hello there! This week in the world of Florence.....

She now brings her hands together, clasps them, holds on with the other. She regularly reaches for toys and can grasp and hold onto them. She also reaches out to us to keep her hand resting on us, or reaches toward our face when we're giving her love, etc.

She's getting ready to roll over, as she keeps rolling to lay on her side. She seems to like this position, laying on the side. I guess it's a change of pace from always laying on her back.

She's already demonstrating preferences for things, toys, etc., wherein she'll either squill or moan a bit from removed from something she enjoys. She especially expresses this when removed from an activity she enjoys including laying on her tummy (go figure, who would have ever thought she'd enjoy it!), sitting up, or playing with a favorite toy.

Things that make her smile, besides us, are mostly musical. She'll outright giggle when listening to music. Her favorite music to fall asleep to is a compelation CD of classic French songs by actual famous French musicians. Her favorite CD is called French Cafe. Guaranteed by the seventh song she is sleeping.

She hates carriers. Prefers human contact. She's happy just laying about, for a time. Now she easily lounges on the bed, just looking around at stuff. However, she doesn't want to sit still for long. Hates to be sitting still too long. Likes to keep moving to observe. Mostly, as usual, likes quiet observation of lots of small details. Reminds me of Colin. He was like that too. Though for her it seems more appreciation, wherein with Colin it was like he was seriously studying each thing. I think she'll be an artist, like her Grandma and her Uncle Tom, in contrast to Colin's more engineering approach.

She's pretty mellow still and, Thank God, has a great sense of humor. Favorite silly moments include looking at Mommy's messy hair and having raspberries performed on her neck. Oh, and she just loves playing Superman, flying around the house looking for crime to fight.

Also, favorite hobbies include taking the car for errands, learning Portugese, and conversing in Japanese. Seems a little odd for a three month old, but we're just going with the flow.

Well, signing off for now. Next week we'll be visiting doctors for her neck and head issues.

Mommy, out!

08/07 1ere semaine/ 1st week

Je reprends le boulot demain, et donc la semaine fut courte. Alors que d'habitude, le business est plutot lent en ete, la compagnie cherche des voluntaires pour faire des jours supp ce mois ci, alors j'en profite. L'argent en plus, part directement dans l'emprunt foncier pour s'en debarrasser le plus rapidement possible.

Un seul vol en planeur cette semaine, encore un circuit de 300 kms, ca devient banal!... Cette annee, nous avons la chance d'avoir pas mal d'humidite du golfe du Mexique. Pas terrible au sol, car ca a le meme effet que la cote est, mais super en vol a voile, car rue de nuages a la clef...

This week was, as usual, Florence's week, aka Ode to Florence, wherein Mommy and Daddy continued their fantastic voyage of getting to know their little girl. Hmmm. Lemme see. On her list of likes include snuggling, reaching and grabbing, listening to Beethoven, talking and singing with Mommy and Daddy, eating, having her diaper changed quickly, and taking naps/going to sleep.

We've been continuing to work on her development having conversations with her, including Richard reading in French. Also we continue working on pull ups, grabbing/reaching, tummy time, etc. She's doing great at tummy time now, able to tolerate up to 20 minutes at a pop, but only when adequately amused with a myriad of toys, mostly one which plays a mock violin, trumpet and piano concerto of Beethoven tunes. That one makes her smile, smile, smile. Would do Beethoven proud!

We're also going to be working on some neck muscle development exercises because it seems that Florence was born with (what we hope will turn out to be a mild form of) torticollis. Hers came from being squished in utero wherein her head was always stuck in the same position, causing her muscles on one side of her neck to not develop as they should. Coupled with the fierce campaign to have babies sleep on their back, such problems are exacerbated and, now, require treatment, wherein the past the simple act of sleeping on their tummies would have mostly corrected the issue. So we'll be learning some physical therapy moves to help strengthen the muscle, along with occupational therapy to help us not do things during the day to make the problem worse. Already I think we're headed in the right direction during tummy time, wherein she mostly looks toward her ackward side, helping those muscles develop.

Well, baby calls! Must go. Florence, Mommy and Daddy love you very, oh so very much!

:)