10/07 3eme semaine bis/ 3rd week (2)

Pour la premiere fois de sa vie, florence est montee dans un avion cette semaine.
Tout allait bien, jusqu'au moment ou Kate, qui la tenait sur les genoux, decida de la repositionner. Soudain, c'est l'epouvante: une turbulence au meme moment fait que la pauvre Florence heurte alors le plafond de l'avion. Pleures, cries, et la peur dans les yeux, photo au meme moment, et voila ce que vous pouvez voir...

Cinq minutes plus tard, c'etait deja finit, et elle dormait du sommeil du juste, apres tant de stress dans sa petite vie. Mais seulement voila: le sommeil de mademoiselle est sacre, alors il a fallu faire des ronds dans le ciel pendant 45 minutes pour ne pas risquer de la reveiller avant l'atterrissage, si doucement soit-il. C'est donc avec une certaine consternation que nous avons continuer a bruler 40 litres de 100LL.

La societe protectrice des enfants en peril a deja appelle. Inutile, vu la photo, de nous denoncer a un organisme quelconque. Nous avons fait le nessecaire pour que l'incident ne se reproduise plus.

So, what could be better than going for a plane ride with a five month old? On a reasonably quiet Wednesday we decide "it's time!" to head out on our first post-birth aventure. It's a wee bit past 85 degrees. Awwwh. Twert nothin' compared to the usual 118 degrees in the shade, so we bravely head out.

We load el baby in the car. We make sure we have our airplane car seat. Then the diaper bag. Better pack extra diapers! Then something to drink for Mom. Oh, and snacks. Could get hungry. And what about ear plugs for Florence? Where's the car keys?

We head out to the airport, with windows open, a cool early Autumn breeze threading through the windows. Florence loves wind on her face. We learned that early while blowing on her face as a newborn. It calms her. She's sure to love the warm blast of air waves flowing off the single engine. Things are looking good!

At the airport. Was it this hot when we left? Oh, it's hot! And how do we get in? Looks like they're renovating the place. Where's the office? Oh, Florence is hot already. We've got to get this show on the road before she (and we!) melt.

Grab the airplane seat. Grab the drink for Mom. Oh, get the umbrella for Florence. It's still too darn sunny here. She'll get a sunburn (under six months, babies can't use sunscreen). Lock the car. Oh, it's hot! Hey, where's the diaper bag. Crap! Unlock car. Get diaper bag. My back is killing me. Why are we doing this exactly? Close car. Set alarm. Go to find office.

It's hot!

In office waiting for our airplane. We're in 79E this time. Was hoping for our old RW, but, alas, looks like was not meant to be. Our beloved 5436L has already been sold off (the flight school is closing, sadly, and our beloved place to rent airplanes is closing too!). Okay. It's hot. I'm heading for the airplane. Florence is already sweating like a nut. Time to get naked!

Get to the airplane. Boy, it's hot! Why are we doing this? Mom is getting grumpy, holding hot baby, back breaking, dragging enough equipment to qualify for an Antartic half year expedition. Where's my drink? Oh, that's great. Waiting on the hot, hot tarmac in the sun. Nothing like boiling iced tea to cool one off.

In the airplane. I don't remember it so hard to put a car seat in. WHY are we doing this? Freka frakca bakc 3%$#$!^&!*&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No, no, let's stay. I miss flying. FRICKED A DKCIR **&@^@%!!!!!! Yes, I'm having fun............................

Got Florence in the airplane, but it's so old the seat belt won't hold in the car seat. Look, I'm tired and hot. I'm just going to hold her on my lap. Just don't crash! Getting Florence naked to help allay the heat problem. Is the engine started yet? Do we have fuel? Wings attached? Guuuuuuggggggggggg.

Engine started! Ahhhhh. That's better. A great cool breeze flowing off the prop. Nothing like a Cessna! Hey, baby, wanny look around. Mommy props you on her knee so you can look around and raises you so Daddy can get a picture. Oh! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Mommy accidentally hits your head on the roof of the airplane! Sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

We're taxiing. Brummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, goes the enging. Trying to balance baby and prop open window to keep airflow. But I gotta close the window or else won't be able to close it in flight, and it will be too noisy for baby, apparently, supposedly.

"Tower, this is Cessna 79E at Runway 1, reading for takeoff for straight out departure."

"79E, you're cleared for takeoff runway one."

"Takeoff runway one, 79E"

Richard, wait! I can't get the window shut. Wait wait! Oh crap, as I lean toward Richard so he has clearance to close the window (my right hand is bad since falling on a mountain, so I can't get the strength to close the window) Florence grabs Daddy's headset and is pulling it off his head. Ah!!! She's got my headset. Crap! It's hot! Why are we doing this?! !!! This day sucks! It's your fault! Mine? You said you wanted to go fly!

"79E, reason for the delay?"

Crap!

Weeee!!!!!!!!!!!! We take off. It's hot. And, thus, bumpy. Ooooooohhh. It's been a long time since I flew. I forgot how sick I get. I don't feel so good. Richard, I don't feel so good. Uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......... Richard reaches for sickness bag. Want me to turn back? Florence is sleeping. Crap. She needs this nap. No, we have to stay airborne so she can get a decent nap. Crap. I realllllly don't feel good. Should we land? We can't. She'll lose this nap. Ohhhhh. I'm going to be sick. Why are we doing this????

So, we gotta stay airborne for at least anothing 45 minutes. I hope I don't die. I don't feel good. Oh, now the sun is heading in the window. How could I forget how hot 85 degrees is. Because I've been locked in a house for 10 months! Can we gain some altitude so it will cool off? Ooooh. Look at the fighter jets just to our left. Coooooooool..

Must drink something of die. Hot iced tea. Yummy. Blekc!

I'm going to head for smoother air, hopefully you'll feel better. Ohh. FLorene's little ear protections have popped out. Put back in. Popped out again. Put back in. Pop! Put! Pop! I'm going to throw up. Why are we doing this again.

Ohhhh. Another fighter jet. Hope he doesn't shoot us. Ugly sky today. Yeah, we're ready for Ohio. Ugh. I feel like crap? Is it cooler now, because we gained for good altitude. So much for a flying lesson for Mommy today. it's too sunny. Daddy reaches back for a blanket. mommy holds on part in her right hand to block out sun for Florence. Holds left side in her teeth because blanket can't reach to her other hand. Ughhhhh.

Oh! She's awake. We can head back now. I don't feel good. Her ears might bother her a bit unless I descend slowly. Descending slowly. Ugh, the more slow the more bumpy. I'm doing to die.

Landing. Yeah! We made it without throwing up! Taxing back to our space. Oh, it's hot again! Why did we do this? Gotta get everything out of the airplane. Daddy goes to unclick hit seatbelt. Florence's foot gets caught. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honey, her foot is stuck! Crap! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Oh, thank goodness, got grazed her a bit. Boy, she'll have good memories! It's hot again!

Get all the crap out of airplane. Too hot and sick to even want to look at old WWII fighter plane sitting just 20 feet away. Looks like Pappy Boyington's airplane. Go to office. Pay bill. Get in hot, hot car. Get settled. Ah. I lived.

You know. This really wasn't soooo bad. Maybe we just got to go when it's cooler out. Florence didn't mind it, minus the foot pinch and the head boop. And I love being out there again, with Richard, flying. The sound of the engine. The feel fo the take off. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Hey, honey, (I turn to him and smile) I had fun? Can we go that again! :)

10/07 3eme semaine/ 3rd week

Florence progresse. C'est evident puisqu'elle passe maintenant plus de 2 hrs par jour sur le ventre et parce qu'elle arrive presque a se mettre a quatres pattes pour commencer a ramper.

Helas, cette semaine j'etais au boulot, encore que je suis reste sur la Cote Ouest du pays, et j'ai meme repasser une nuit a Phoenix, ce qui m'a permis de revoir la famille. Ensuite, sejour a Sacramento, la capitale de la Californie. Le centre ville est sympa, avec un quartier ancien de la fin des annees 1800, date de la ruee vers l'or, qui sera le premier developpement de la ville, puis une seconde fois, avec le chemin de fer qui partait de la, pour aller a New York.

My baby has a great tushy. Anyway, this week was sleep training, wherein I am attempting to train her to sleep in her crib for naps. Her naps have always been a bit all over the place, wherein at first she would only nap in her stroller, then her swing and then only on my lap. Now I am transitioning her to nap in her crib but it is a slow process for a big, lonely crib is not as inviting as Mommy's nap, all snuggled and warm, safe and loved. She is a very easy going girl but the flip side is that she does not switch gears quickly and, thus, training her to nap in the crib is a slow process. She sleeps terrific at night in the crib and has her entire life (go figure) but naps not so much. And so we work on it. Mostly it's an issue of just preferring to be snuggled as she sleeps. After all, who can blame her?

Mommy Out!

10/07 2eme semaine /2nd week

Nous avons eu le plaisir d'acceuillir les parents de Katherine cette semaine. Il se trouve que ca ete la premiere rencontre du grand-pere avec sa petite fille! Tout s'est bien passe, malgre les nombreuses fois ou il a fallu reduire le bruit dans la maison car bebe dors!

C'est esthetique dans le cas de Florence car son cas est faible, mais le docteur nous conseille de lui faire porter un casque de remodelage: sa tete montre une deformation a l'arriere du crane. Cette prothèse permet d’exercer une force sur son petit crâne pour essayer d’inciter le cerveau à passer vers les endroits aplatis. C'est couvert a 100% par notre assurance, ce qui est aussi la raison pour laquelle nous allons sans doute le faire, car sinon la procedure reste chere.

La plagiocéphalie ne donne pas d’anomalies du cerveau, mais peut occasionner par la suite un vrai problème esthétique, avec une asymétrie de la face, des maxillaires, des troubles de la vue… et un retentissement sur l’aspect physique de l’enfant qui peut très mal le vivre. Mieux vaut donc agir quand on le peut, et éviter de la même manière les opérations à l’âge de 18-20 mois où on est alors obligé d’ouvrir le crâne, ce qui n’est pas sans risque.

Nous avons aussi fait des X-ray cette semaine, car derriere son crane, il y'a une sorte de bosse, et il est possible que les plaques qui composent son crane ne se referment pas forcement bien. Affaire a suivre la semaine prochaine, car nous aurons les resultats pour en savoir plus.

Yo!

The Mom'ster and Pop'ster were here this week. It was the first time Grandpa had seen Florence and the second time Grandma had seen her. And though it was all her life that she had not seen her grandparents, it was not too long that Florence had fallen in love with them, and they with her, her winning them over with her mellow, easy to laugh nature, and they winning her over with, frankly, lots of clapping (see below).

One of her favorite things to do with the Grand'sters was to perform various acts like Tummy Time, crawling, and sitting to uproarious applause, akin to a World Record Holder breaking their own all time record to a sell out Olympic crowd. Indeed, she had such a devoted, and verbal, audience each day they were here that, I fear, she wondered upon her first time performing exercises where had all the clapping gone. I think, alas, that she found it a bit boring to perform sans audience. Sigh....

An actor in the making?

Mostly we stayed around the house, as Grandpa is recovering from major knee surgery (perhaps you can see the giant scar in the above photo). Though Grandpa and Richard did take an airplane ride to Payson, to have lunch for the day. A good time for it, since density altitude was no longer an issue as Autumn has settled in to the desert.

And so the cool October days passed with lots of giggles, girgles, and kisses all around.

Florence surprised me when, I kid you not, she began to perform her version of raspberries on my belly. This is something I do to her nearly each time on the changing table. However, after feeding her one day, she bent toward my belly and made a raspberry sound. She then looked up at me, wherein I giggled and smiled. She then bent in again to perform her raspberry. And again and again, after each subsequent giggle from me. Apparently, she was mimicking my own behavior with her. However, I did not know such young babies could mimic behavior in this way. Frankly, I was so shocked that I thought she was an alien in a baby body, come to visit Earth and learn our customs, focusing on parent-child bonding. Ahem.........

Anyhoo, sorry to see the parent'sters go. It was really nice having them here. Hopefully we can visit each other again soon.

As an update on her torticollis, she is still undergoing all her physical therapy, though we have been released to complete this strictly at home. The physical therapy was impressed with her progress, saying that she progressed faster than all the other babies. May have something to do with the Boot Camp regimen we participate in with her. We still have to keep going, as it will take another six months or so to get over the hurdle. It also looks like we may be moving ahead with the helmut, though the final decision is not yet in. And we're also just having her skull reviewed to make sure that all her plates are growing as they should. But, regardless, what matters most is that she is one very content little girl. Rarely despondent, she is all smiles, hugs, kisses, and coos. Oh, thank goodness!

All for now. I am quite, utterly, absolutely exhausted!

Nanu nanu!

10/07 1ere semaine/ 1st week

Decidement, c'est pas de bol!
Si 2 semaines auparavant il allait fallu interrompre le decollage pour une fuite d'huile, cette semaine, nous avons du de nouveau interrompre le decollage, et par deux fois cette fois ci, a cause du pare brise droit qui surchauffait. Normalement, les pare-brises sont chauffes pour eviter que de la glace se forme en altitude, ou, pour eviter qu'ils ne se brisent en cas de collision avec un oiseau. Nous sommes donc arrives a Taos, au Nouveau-Mexique, pour aller prendre un avion ou on vient juste de remplacer le pare-brise droit qui a craque en altitude, du a un surchauffement justement. Commes les mecanos ont travailles dessus, que le pare-brise est neuf, nous n'avons pas hesites: les manettes de gaz au ralentis, on revient au parking.
Cela nous a permis de continuer a admirer cette partie du Nouveau-Mexique, ou la bas a l'horizon dans les montagnes, se trouvent des stations de ski. C'est aussi la qu'habite Julia Roberts, une de nos clientes justement.

Vous excuserez Kate qui ne postera pas de message cette semaine, ou peut-etre plus tard. Etre mere H24 d'un bebe de 5 mois n'est pas une vie facile, surtout quand on est seule la moitiee du temps!