FunNoodle Bumpers and "The Cage"

I think I'm starting to feel better; still spiking weird temps here and there and still having back pain. The fatigue is still present but, at this point, it is mind over matter. Managed to go to work today, luckily I only had a short 4-hour day. I have 3 12-hour shifts the next three days so I may be dead by Monday. But at least I'm off the couch.


Went to Richmond yesterday to meet with Beth from JFS for our first post-adoption visit. Mari was less-than-charming...just not herself. I think she is starting to realize that she will still be loved even if she isn't charming 24/7, so she is not trying so hard to impress people. On the way home from Richmond, she slept 10 minutes and then SCREAMED for the next 90 minutes solid. I'm not sure what got her knickers in a twist (yes, I even stopped to make sure she didn't have a twist in her knickers, or a diaper wedgie)...I made sure she wasn't too hot or cold, she didn't want toys or a bottle, she didn't want to be sung to or talked to but the silent treatment/ignoring her didn't work. So she screamed. Finally fell asleep as we were getting off on our exit, slept 10 minutes and then was wide awake until bedtime. As soon as we got home, she was happy and giggling. Who knows?

She also failed to take an afternoon nap today...two days without her 2-hour afternoon nap and she was practically comatose by 6:30 tonight, even dropped her bottle half-way through (that has NEVER happened!). Naptimes are becoming a battle because she wants to play in her crib (which I've never let her do, not sure where she picked that up at) and the more I go in to lay her back down, the more she gets up. I've learned that she gives up easier if I don't talk to her...just lay her down and leave immediately. Luckily bedtime is still easy.


Here are some of our livesavers that I have invested in. First, what I fondly call "The Cage." We were really starting to have temper tantrums when I wouldn't let her play in the cat's water bowl or eat the dog food. Even if I was laying on the floor playing with her, she still wanted to crawl over there. So I just took the temptation away. She now has a play area that is completely childproof--it is FANTASTIC!!

Then I read this great tip about using pool noodles as inexpensive bumpers. Mari is really trying to pull-up and the strudiest thing she can find is the entertainment center, unfortunately, the shelves are a little sharp-edged. For $3 (2 noodles), I solved the problem. You just cut the length you need and then make a slice length-wise and snap on the noodle. 5 minutes and viola!

Couple more fun pix....

Wow, that was a great bottle!

Where's Mari? Is that her head I see?

The funny thing about this picture is the beach towel (which I put down because her anitbiotics caused some explosive diarrhea). It is a Penny Proud beach towel and Penny's arm looks like it is attached to Mari.