babycatcher

all together now

2011-06-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

practicing the dumb-guy stare

2011-06-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

how to raise a sophisticated 2 year old

2011-06-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

when augies attack

2011-05-30T19:09:00.001-07:00

single white bunny (swb)

2011-01-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

Gigi's bunny takes naps in her bed, wears her bib, eats in her chair, and now rides in style. Gigi insisted that I put bunny "in the pack" and then she proceeded to wear her baby bunny all afternoon in my scarf turned baby wrap. I think that bunny should do a little work around here if it wants to stay in my good graces (the usurper).

holiday recap

2011-01-10T20:21:00.000-08:00

My baby

Christmas breakfast: eggs and croissants. This is the face Gigi makes when you ask her to smile. I call it "China-lady."
Presents
Stockings

Christmas Eve nativity reenactment: I think she was supposed to be an angel but her cousins used the occasion to stick her in princess garb. Gigi was unsure what to think of it all.

augie 4 months

2010-11-13T19:31:00.001-08:00

hobo child

2010-11-13T19:25:00.000-08:00

mother of many

2010-10-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

I love this short animated film that won the Bafta last year. The filmmaker was the daughter of a midwife. This is the best way I can describe what I do. (for some reason you may have to click on the picture to see the full screen)

augie's current mug

2010-10-21T19:43:00.001-07:00

(thanks to my sis in law, mary, for this one)

they clean up real nice

2010-08-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

after baths the other day...

baby augie day 1

2010-07-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

August (Augie) Thomas

2010-07-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Born: 7/11 @ 12:03am

Weight: 8 lbs 8 oz

Length: 21 in

2010-07-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

Bean-y face

Getting her tired out before bed.

waiting for new baby -- picture catch up

2010-07-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Since I am 2 days over my due date, I thought this would be a good opportunity to post some pictures from the last few months. Four elements have contributed to my lack of posting recently: new computer, lost camera software, pregnancy, and working full time. That is all. Oh, and please don't call me asking if I'm in labor -- I might have to kill you.

Gig wearing gifts send by Grandma Betsy in the mail:

Last minute trip to Moab a month ago (at 36 wks prego):

guest post: we're making a moooooo-vie

2010-02-18T21:56:00.000-08:00

Hello, it's Matt.

A few of us here at my school (a public charter school specializing in film production) have been channeling the Bard for the past couple of months trying to turn his snoozer "Much Ado About Nothing" into a feature-length film.

See, as a good writer I recognize that Shakespeare has problems. All that talky-talky, and people being angry and going off in a little tizzy, and other people with love sickness gazing at each other and saying some more stuff, and then finally, right when the play's ending, some people start to maybe almost hook up a little, but you never get to see anything. When you went to the play, it might be cool if they added on this exclusive event, you know, "Act 6: Behind the Crimson Curtain" or something, and maybe just this little exclusive group of audience members could like go back there after act 5 and see what all those people do when they're alone, when there's no audience keeping them in line...all the actors in their little tights and those bustiers and all... And maybe that could be arranged for some extra money, or better yet if you're important politically, or if you know Lady Gaga or something. I mean, if you went to the play with Lady Gaga then you should be able to go back there, because you're so fabulous. Being that she's so hot right now.

But in any production I've ever seen, they get really into all that boring crap and there's really no way to get back to the dressing rooms afterward to see what's really going on with those people after the play ends. Well, probably you could just barge in there, but I'm too scared to try. Also, those dressing rooms smell funny.

But here at East Hollywood, we' think we've solved the uncrackable nut of a problem that Shakespeare created in this major dud of a so-called theatrical production. Basically, we added this fight scene in a biology lab that involves some rotten squid and a bloody cow heart. Before and after that critical moment, we got some non-actors to mumble some chopped up lines from the "play," and we blow dried all their hair to make it look pretty, and a lot of them wear scarves or ascots, and we even filmed a scene at a Mexican swap meet--although we mostly filmed in a stall full of stuff from Thailand, which is going to be pre-tty hard to explain the The Academie. You know, next voting season.

But folks, we're not going to make it there without your help. Last year's production of "Macbeth" ("double double *yawn* and trouble...") cost a whopping $400. We premiered it to a full house at The Tower here in Salt Lake. (The 17-year-old Production Designer shared a jar of pickles with Celeste and me. Nice people!) And now that film is making its way out on the festival circuit. This year, halfway through shooting Much Ado, we've spent about $65 so far, but the beautiful high-definition images we're shooting on our Canon 7D can't be edited on any of our current computers. And also, how will we afford another jar of Premiere Pickles?

So here's the pitch:

Go to our Kickstarter page and pledge some money. You'll see when you get there that there are perks for each level of donation. You can also see behind the scenes of this truly unique process (2 teachers, 30 kids, 2 hours a day for 12 weeks), and a clip of me pretending to be a teacher. In the film, I mean. You only pay the money (and we only get any of it) if we meet our goal, and there are only two days left.

The way I see it, if you've been coming here to this site for the past 18 months to get a free shot of mommy adrenaline from pix of Gigi's funny mug, it's the least you can do to pay it forward. I mean, with money.

Cheers,

MT

Kickstarter Donation Page

ultrasound

2010-02-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

Due date: July 1

birthday trip to Zion

2010-01-28T19:00:00.001-08:00

Matt and I spent the weekend in Zion National Park without little g. They had had a large snow storm the day before we got there. The colors were beautiful; by far my favorite time of year to visit. Matt insisted on hiking Angel's Landing, despite 2-3 foot snow on the top. I admit, it was a little crazy and not very responsible but the views were fantastic and quite a way to spend a birthday (we were the only ones to have gone to the end of the trail for a day or two, everyone else seemed to turn back once the steep chains section started). Matt was egging me on the whole time, challenging my toughness while I threatened him with lifelong guilt if his pregnant wife were to slip over the edge. It worked and we made it home intact.

Snow angel on top of Angel's Landing:

winter catch-up

2010-01-28T18:19:00.000-08:00

I know, I know . . . no postings in too long. Here are the photos to get everyone caught up and console my poor weeping mother in New York.

asilomar

2009-10-30T17:14:00.001-07:00

Stayed at the beautiful Asilomar Conference grounds for the Midwives Alliance of North America Conference. Matt met me there and watched G during the day while I soaked up all the great midwife-joo-joo around me.

monterey aquarium

2009-10-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

talking to a fish:

the "toddler zone," she cried bloody murder when we had to leave:

San Francisco Trip

2009-10-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Shopping in San Francisco with Cousin Hank

2009-10-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Jumping Cousins in San Francisco

2009-10-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

little chef

2009-10-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

We have a stainless steel kitchen table with an open lower shelf for bowls and kitchen devices. Whenever I am cooking, Gigi likes to "cook" too, by banging around on on the lower level. It is the perfect height for her to concoct some imaginary culinary delights.

celebrating 1 year

2009-10-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

Playing "this little piggy" with great-grandma Rasmussen:

Inspecting her great-grandpa Rasmussen, who shares her same birthday:

Rough-housing:

Gigi sandwich:

Thomas grandparents and cousins:

Presents (her parents didn't get her anything, of course--but her grandparents and cousins really came through):

happy 1st birthday "little g"

2009-09-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

Matt came up with this carrot cake design. Genius, no? The mane is toasted coconut. Gigi loves all things growling, so we thought this suited her. More to come about the cake and what she did or did not do with it (I'm awaiting the pictures to be uploaded from our "nice" camera--Matt, the pressure is on you now).

making her own birthday cake

2009-09-30T18:25:00.001-07:00

thomas family reunion 2009

2009-09-21T13:15:00.001-07:00

hiking above alta

2009-09-21T13:11:00.001-07:00

stuck

2009-09-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

boobs cruise

2009-09-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

Betsy in Cabos San Lucas:

Lover's Beach (sans my own lover):
View of our ship from Lover's Beach:

Gigi has a discerning sand palate and prefers the sands of Cabo over all others:

Sisters:

Gigi waiting to board our ship (note the black eye). Her black eye featured quite prominently in all of the cruise photography. She looked like such a miniature crawling quasimoto with her two lonely teeth and a big black eye. They didn't even try to sell me on any of the cruise photos.

One last note on the cruise: This was my first one and David Foster Wallace was right about the whole experience. I kept thinking of a combination of his commentary and visuals from the last half of Wall-E. As for the company, being with the ladies of my family made the entire trip a success.

african rains

2009-08-25T14:16:00.001-07:00

My sister Liz sent this to me. Enjoy!

bouffant

2009-08-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

outer banks, nc: my heaven on earth

2009-07-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

Sunsets and sunrises on the beach and sound:

Old Corolla lighthouse:

Mysterious bike ride, lead by my mom onto a forbidden boardwalk:

Babies at the Beach: Part 1 -- the Gig

She can't believe this place is for real

Babies at the Beach: Part 2 -- Little Hank (the one-eyed pirate)

Hank throwing sand on Gigi's head

Gigi tolerates the baptism by sand as she is a devote follower of everything Henry

I employ the dunking method

Now Stockholm syndrome has set in and she clings to her tormentor.

raggety

2009-07-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

I know everyone is clamoring for beach pics--we're still uploading these--but in the meantime, here are some pictures from right before we left. Grandma Betsy sent Gigi her first doll and she proceeded to conduct a number of experiments on poor Raggety Ann.

healthcare reform

2009-06-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed Atul Gawande's great article on healthcare reform last week. Check it out here.

old

2009-06-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

My fabulous sister, Trina, went to Prom. I feel old. It seems like yesterday she was falling asleep in her little flower girl dress at my wedding reception.

baptism at the spiral jetty

2009-05-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Last month we took a little Sunday trip out to Robert Smithson's art earthwork, the Spiral Jetty. It was an alien landscape, beautiful and unfamiliar in that west desert of the Great Salt Lake. Geege liked it too, except for the bugs. We drove as far as we could on the dirt road until the terrain made it impossible to continue, then we walked a little ways to the Jetty. The water had receded some, but there were still pink/orange pools and colorful swirls of brine shrimp.

mother's day

2009-05-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

(freaky photo by Kim Anderson -- I just puked a little in my mouth)

I spent very early Mother's day morning, assisting mothers in becoming mothers. Exhausted from a long night on call. I crept into the house at 7:35am to find two irises on the table (I hate irises), next to a card addressed "Mother." Leave it to Matt to find the creepiest card and flowers ever for Mother's day. Don't get me wrong, I love it. The card consists of two five-year-olds, embracing in black and white, and under this disturbing picture it says "For My Wife." Eeewwww. I won't quote the entire Hallmark message, but I'll just give you an excerpt, "It's the hug that says, 'I believe in us.'" Okay, I'll stop there because I know you are retching. Later, Matt told me how he stood in the Hallmark aisle of the grocery store, surrounded by overweight, middle-aged men who wear their pants too high, and watched them flip through card after card, trying to find that perfect one. Thankfully, in the card there was cash specifically designated for multiple massages; Matt, you redeemed yourself.

Then, as I slept, Matt created the most amazing fleur de sel caramel chocolate cake. The recipe is from a new cookbook my brother, Spencer, gave him for Christmas, called "Baked." In the cookbook it is Sweet and Salty Cake. The amount of butter in this recipe is truly obscene; the cake looked beautiful and tasted divine. It is always so delightful to wake up at 3:30 in the afternoon to the sweet smells of rich chocolate wafting through the house. Overall, a great Mother's day. Thank you M and G.

Also, I will have you know that I did not partake of mommy-guilt today. I don't believe in it.

solids

2009-05-08T17:51:00.001-07:00

baby's first duet

2009-04-30T19:55:00.000-07:00

we'll be doing three nights at carnegie hall in june. previews on-going in gigi's room every night at 6.

animal pile-up

2009-04-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

birth of venus

2009-04-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

birth of peeps

2009-04-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

My Easter diorama:

mary peepins

2009-04-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

Check out the Easter peep diorama my sisters-in-law Bid and Pear made. Genius.

a current dance review: "Treasures of the Ballet Russe"

2009-04-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of Ballet West)

I get season tickets to Ballet West every year. A few weeks ago Matt and I attended their performance of "Treasures of the Ballet Russe" and we enjoyed it. My favorite was Balanchine's "Prodigal Son" (of course, with my background), but the other two pieces were interesting and enthusiastically done. I was very relieved to tell you the truth, because I had gone the entire season this year feeling rather non-plused after every performance ("The Tempest" and "Madame Butterfly" were unremarkable at best and melodramatic crap at worst). "Treasures of the Ballet Russe" was recently reviewed in the NYTimes, and I agreed with Alastair Macauley's assessment. Here is an excerpt from his review found here:

These three ballets feature men of virile force rather than poetic elegance; and each makes a differently striking division of gender. “Polovetsian Dances,” gorgeously picturesque, is Romantic primitivism. Men are seen at two levels: warriors and youths. And there are two opposite kinds of women: the energetic, trouser-wearing slaves, who initiate the revels with head-shaking and brisk (nonballet) spinning on the spot, and the more glamorous but passive wives, robed in flowing veils, criss-crossing the stage to the most sumptuous of Borodin’s many superb melodies (including the one known, from “Kismet,” as “A Stranger in Paradise”).
“Les Biches” is a comedy about gender, sex and sexuality as seen within a 1920s house party. Diaghilev had been presenting men as sex objects since 1909, but only now did this become a joke: the men, stripped to their beach attire, are dumb hunks, the corps de ballet members are preening gossips, the androgynous page is brusquely inscrutable, and the hostess, wielding a cigarette holder and pearl ropes, is elegantly rapacious (as she picks up the two athletes not already taken by the page).
In “Prodigal,” very lively here in Elyse Borne’s staging, the meeting of the cold, commandingly erotic Siren and the ardent, impulsive and ingenuous Prodigal feels archetypal. When their intensely sexual duet ends, their legs are conjoined in a swastika shape on the floor. His head is buried in her breast as if in Oedipal desire, and she raises a hand like a cobra’s head (her motif).

All three works excel just as dance constructions and as vivid musical theater. Each features unforgettable steps that recur nowhere else in the ballet repertory, like the Polovetsian slaves’ rapid toe-tapping spins, the Page’s unprepared and abrupt pirouettes ending on point, and the Siren’s turns with one leg extended (knee bent) sideways.

The female corps executes dances in which spruce jazz syncopations make the academic-ballet vocabulary look new and keeps moving in differently numbered subsections. (At one point seven women dance facing front while five perform with their backs to us.) The three “Biches” athletes keep doing double air turns (one of them does 17) to both right and left; and these men, like most of the women, also do prodigious numbers of jumps in which the feet cross and beat, open and close, in the air.

This program is also evidence of the enlivening effect that Adam Sklute, who became Ballet West’s artistic director in 2007, is having on this troupe. All three of his male principals are currently injured, yet it’s his male contingent that looks particularly strong, not least three men who joined only in 2008. They are Thomas Mattingly (Saturday afternoon’s Prodigal and at the two evening performances the “Biches” athlete who knocked off all 17 double air turns), Owen Gaj (who did the same “Biches” role at the matinee and was impressive as one of the Prodigal’s companions) and Rex Tilton (whose big thighs and handsome cartoon-simple features might have been made for the central “Biches” athlete, which he danced both evenings).

Mr. Mattingly brought an unusual and exciting degree of force to the Prodigal; and the fetal positions through which he passed in his scenes of collapse — a man so powerfully built reverting to such vulnerability — were startling.
Technically even brighter than any of these is Christopher Sellars, who was the Prodigal at the evening performances and the lead “Biches” athlete at the matinee. He has a most appealing innocence too. Though his spontaneous acting of the Prodigal is sometimes too naturalistic and his “Biches” athlete a tad too eager, he is a dancer I would like to see in many roles. Aaron Orlowski was an impressively severe, vaulting, lead Polovetsian Warrior Chieftain.

Every dancer in every role looked motivated. This is the Diaghilev effect: the company as true ensemble. The performers were caught up in something beyond themselves, something stylistically different in each ballet.

Bravo! Adam Sklute for expanding Ballet West's stale repetoire to include such exciting choreography.

found: a ballet review

2009-04-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

(photo by Paul Kolnik)

I found a copy of this dance review of me in the NY Times when I was in the School of American Ballet Spring Workshop. You can check it out here. Of course, at the time I was disappointed by the review, but in retrospect, I was just a kid and to be reviewed in general was quite an honor. Interesting how time puts this in perspective.

homebirth study

2009-04-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Interesting study on homebirth in the Netherlands. Check it out here.

peeps show II

2009-04-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

Check out the second annual Peeps Show here. We are having our own peeps diorama competition this Easter Sunday. Matt and I are still brainstorming ideas. Any suggestions?

indulgence

2009-03-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Matt claims, "You can't just put up Geege pictures with every post and call it a blog." Au contraire mon amor.

flower

2009-03-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

Check out this non-traditional, beautiful video game called Flower. I first heard about it on NPR. You can listen here. It is described as: "The user is a stream of petals on the wind — navigating around electrical towers and other flowers."

all night long

2009-03-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

Last night we evicted the Geege from our room. She turns 6 months tommorow, and I suddenly felt that it was time. Also, I was tired of waking up every 3-4 hours for her midnight snacks (getting enough food has never been a problem for this little lady). Amazingly, she slept from 7pm until 4am. I woke up feeling like a whole new woman. I didn't realize how chronically sleep deprived I had been. It was like putting glasses on for the first time; the world looked so detailed and the colors so rich. I had a smile on my face all morning. I hope she does it again tonight. Could I be so lucky?

take me to your leader

2009-03-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

nerdette

2009-03-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

waiting

2009-03-03T08:47:00.001-08:00

Waiting early in the morning while parents run around like crazy people trying to leave on-time. Geege is the eye of the storm.

look around you -- maths

2009-03-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my BIL, Dave, for introducing us to this series by Simon Pegg and causing Matt to laugh so hard he cried. Now everyone get your copybooks ready:

sleepwalking

2009-02-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

I recently heard the comedian, Mike Birbiglia, interviewed on NPR about his new off-Broadway show "Sleepwalk With Me." He was featured in an episode of "This American Life" last August and made me laugh very very hard. Check out Act 1 of the episode here and enjoy!

glamour shot

2009-02-13T19:06:00.001-08:00

Mysterious woman from the nineties:

Mysterious Geege:

yo hablo Henry

2009-02-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

My sister Liz's son, Henry, is what we like to call a growler. Oh, he makes other noises too, but the overwhelming theme of his discourses is growling. The other day, Gigi spent an evening with Henry and he taught her a few things about the hard-knock life, cruising, using your hands, as well as the finer points of rhetoric. Growling has been unfairly overlooked by academics in the past, but it can be a very persuasive rhetorical tool. Sure enough, the next morning Matt and I are awakened at the ungodly hour of 5:30am, not by the soft delightful coos and even gargling (yes, she gargles most impressively) of the Geege, but by insistent growls. In our delirium, we both sat up in bed and looked around to see if Henry had come to visit, so convincing was her impersonation. When we peered into the side-car she calls her bed, her brow was furrowed in extreme concentration until she recognized our faces and smiled in satisfaction. All her work had payed off.

the perfect birthday

2009-01-24T22:00:00.000-08:00

My birthday:

1. Woke up at the delightful hour of 9 o'clock (thanks to my sweet man who whisked the Gig aways when she began her daily vocalizations at 6am)

2. Eggs on toast

3. Deep tissue massage: 90 minutes working the kinks out that have been around since I was pregnant (I think I've been storing some major birth-memories in my gluts).

4. Sushi at Takashi (while my sis watched the babe)

5. Play at Pioneer theater

6. Opened present: brand new beautiful snow shoes

7. End of the day: Cozying-up on the couch with my man, while Gigi slept

gigi categories

2009-01-20T15:27:00.000-08:00

I found these pictures Matt took yesterday on the desktop in a folder entitled "green morning." He had named the pictures as follows:

"cheeks"

"mattish"

"smiley"
that pretty much sums it up

chilly buns

2009-01-19T11:25:00.000-08:00

I want to do this next year. Who's with me?

rat race

2009-01-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

The other day, after two crazy work days, dropping and picking the Gig up from the babysitter's, and dropping off and picking up each other from work, Matt commented that we had officially entered the "rat race" of parenthood. The last two weeks have been a little harried. From the babysitters to work to the gym, I've been so exhausted, and of course the Gig doesn't sleep through the night! The house is in disarray and laundry is piling up, but overall it isn't so bad now that we are getting a little used to the pace. It definitely isn't dull. My favorite time is at night when the Gig watches us make dinner in her seat and then after dinner we see who can make her giggle for the longest stretch (Matt always wins).

Here are two pictures Matt took while we were in NYC that I love:

Dreams are going so cheap right now.

christmas in ny

2009-01-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

Christian and Lauren in NYC (we miss you guys already!):

Bath time the night before Spencer's wedding (check out the Ronald McDonald fro):

Christmas in tartan:
Mother and daughter tet-a-tet:
Trina and I being entertained by our beloved Aunt Rebecca:

Snack time (undercover) in the temple waiting room:

welcome to the fam, Erica (now you're stuck with us)

2009-01-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

werewolf bar mitzvah

2008-12-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

Matt and I have been singing this on and off to each other for days. We can't get it out of our heads since we finished season 2 of 30 Rock, and what's more, we don't want to . . . ("spooky, scary").

psa: eat more vegetables

2008-12-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

Many of us could use more vegetables this time of year. Crunch, crunch, crunch!

snowshoeing

2008-12-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

Andrew threatening poor baby Gigi with a snowball:

Posing on the trail:

back to work

2008-12-19T08:29:00.000-08:00

Of course I got called into work my first day back to be there at 7am, AND we had a huge snowstorm making it impossible to get our car up the hill to the hospital. Matt had to drop me off at trax just so I could get to the hospital to relieve the night midwife. It was a crazy day, with two women in labor, one birth, and me running back to the call room every 3 hours to pump! When Matt picked me up after 7 that night I was pretty beat. The Gig did fine of course, under the care of her auntie Liz and tolerating the shrieks and swats of her favorite cousin, baby Hank. Going back to work so far has been bittersweet. On the one hand, I miss the Gig and our time together, on the other hand, our time together can get mundane and boring. Also, I really love my job and the work I do with women. A few people have asked me so far if having my own baby has changed me as a midwife. I'm still trying to process it all, so right now I'm not sure. It does feel a little different attending a woman in labor. I can't say that I am a better midwife, maybe just different. I'll keep mulling over this question and let you know in a few years what I come up with. Here is some more of the Gig for those of you who can't seem to get enough (my Mom):

colic

2008-12-13T07:22:00.000-08:00

This is the Gig and I after she had a very cranky day. We both look tired.

resemblance

2008-12-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

Me

+ Matt

happy thanksgiving

2008-11-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

An early morning snooze in her favorite contraption:

Turkey-hungry eyes:

Gigi, learning the art of Thanksgiving dinner-making:

Beautiful Karin and her rolls:

Serving ourselves a heaping:

Old people row (Matt's grandparents):

dance dance

2008-11-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else as taken with the new Beyonce video "Single Ladies" as I am? Doesn't it just make you want to memorize her moves? Apparently the inspiration for the video came from a Gwen Verdon act on the Ed Sullivan show.

Ed Sullivan show:

You can check out Beyonce's video here.

Now if only I could get myself in leotard shape by New Year's I could really rule the dance floor (or maybe just my own kitchen). Ricks ladies are you with me?

(BTW, Justin Timberlake's SNL spoof of Beyonce's video is hilarious if you can get it on YouTube before they delete it -- nothin' like a man in a leotard and heels)

laughs

2008-11-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

Recent media consumption that made me laugh:

1. I know I'm late to this but I love 30 Rock. Matt and I just got Season 1 at the library. I laughed so hard especially at the "Cleveland" episode.

Don't you love how Alec Baldwin says, "we'd all like to flee to the Cleve?" And I love the musical Cleveland montage (unfortunately I couldn't find this on the internet). Now if only we could move up a little faster in the library hold-queue for Season 2.

2. On a similar note, I enjoyed Terry Gross' interview with Tina Fey on Fresh Air. You can check it out here.

3. I've been catching up on my New Yorker reading since Matt has been otherwise occupied grading endless high school papers on Thoreau. "A Desert Encounter" by John Updike, in the Oct 20 issue made me laugh out loud. I'm not able to link to the text so you're on your own unless you already subscribe to the magazine.

apple cider doughnuts

2008-11-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

I have such fond memories of going apple picking in upstate New York every autumn and eating warm apple cider doughnuts at the roadside apple stand. A month ago we visited Matt's brother's family in Boulder, CO. I decided to take advantage of their deep fat fryer and try out the doughnuts on my own. The trick is keeping the oil the right temp (a fryer is essential for this), otherwise they can soak up too much oil and get greasy. I found the recipe here. Thanks to my skilled niece and nephews I had lots of help.

baby wearing

2008-11-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

I've found two baby carriers to be indispensable so far. You can read more about baby wearing and the benefits here.

The Ergobaby carrier:

The Moby wrap:

my saturday (by gigi thomas)

2008-11-17T13:51:00.001-08:00

I woke up bright and early:

I helped dad with yard work:

Working hard:

Catching a ride with my mom:

My first leaf-frolic:

my baby the cheeseball

2008-11-14T13:17:00.001-08:00

Unlike most babies who instantly fall asleep in the car. Gigi HATES the car. She will scream with tears running down her cheeks for a good twenty minutes when I have to go pick Matt up at work. The other day I decided to run through the radio stations to see if it would make her stop. When I got to FM 100, the station that plays continual Christmas music from Halloween until Christmas, she instantly stopped crying and appeared to be listening. I tried it again the following day with the same result. Matt is beside himself. The verdict is in: Our daughter is a cheeseball.

Smiles:

Whigging-out with the camera flash:

grateful

2008-11-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

This season I am grateful for not being pregnant anymore.

(picture taken by James Rabdau)

juno

2008-11-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

Check out my brother, Spencer, and his fiancee, Erica's, Halloween costume. Isn't he a dead ringer for Michael Cera?

baby's first rock concert

2008-11-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

Matt's brother Dave and family were in town this weekend for a reunion Stretch Armstrong show (Dave is the drummer). It was so great to spend time with them and rock out with the Gig. We put little earplugs in her ears and she slept the entire time--oh well; maybe she was dream rockin'.

Girls lunch out:

Two hot babes:

moptop and cousin Henry's foot

2008-11-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

(thanks to Liz for this pic)

cloth diapers

2008-10-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

Let me just start out by saying that when the issue of cloth diapers first came up early in my pregnancy, I was extremely skeptical. I grew up with disposable diapers in my family; it is all I ever knew. Matt grew up with the old cloth diapers and had vague memories of time-consuming, messy, folding, pinning and then dunking diapers in the toilet before laundering. But I felt it was my duty to at least look into cloth diapers as a responsible resident of planet earth. A few midwife friends of mine were using cloth diapers and swore to me that they were NOT a big deal, almost as easy as disposable, and cheaper in the long run. Matt and I are busy working people, so we needed something that didn't take up any time. In preparation I did a ton of reading. Here is some of what I've found:

1. Are cloth diapers really more environmentally friendly than disposable? This is not as easy a question as you might think. The cliff notes answer is YES. You can read more about this here.

2. There are so many kinds of cloth diapers. What kind are right for us? I chose to use fitted one-size diapers. You don't need to fold them, they are already shaped like a store bought diaper, you just close them with snaps. The one-size diapers have multiple snaps so you can use them on a child of any age, just adjust the snaps you use to close them as the baby grows. To prevent them from leaking, you put a waterproof cover over them that also snaps. Gigi was able to fit into them from the very beginning, and I have friends who have used them through until potty training.

3. Which cloth diapers are the best quality? As far as consumer reviews of one-size cloth diapers, the Mother-ease cloth diapers get some of the best ratings for being leak-proof and durable. I have one friend who used them through two kids then gave them to her friend who used them through another two kids before she resold them (still totally in decent condition) to another mom on eBay.

4. How do you care for them? Step 1 - Remove soiled diaper, spray with Biokleen if there is poop, and throw in diaper pail. We line ours with a diaper pail liner that you can just throw into the wash with the diapers. Step 2 -- Put in a hot rinse cycle with normal detergent then wash on hot cycle as usual. Step 3 -- Dry in dryer on hot. I like to do a small laundry load every other day, but my friend, Jen, only does a load every 3-4 days. The covers only have to be washed every 3 days or so.

5. What is the cost? For the Start up Mother-ease Complete Package it is $334. This includes 24 diapers, 4 covers, and diaper inserts if you need even more absorption (especially at night).

A few anecdotes . . .

--We've never had a "blow out." And if you know newborn poop, this is pretty amazing.

--Matt likes them (also pretty amazing if you know Matt).

--When we are on the go we put the wet diaper in this bag. It works great.

--Cloth diapers are known to make potty training easier as the kid can feel when they are wet.

--Gigi likes them. Who can argue with that endorsement?

our scary neighbor

2008-10-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

fav fall album

2008-10-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm addicted to track 4. Check it out here.

blessing day: bride of Hulk

2008-10-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

The hair may be getting longer but it gives no sign of lying down on the head.

Bride of Hulk makeover: Before

After

my baby = monchichi

2008-10-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Do you remember these dolls from the early 80's? The resemblance to Gigi is a little freaky.

the 9 lb 11 oz time-sucker

2008-10-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

Taking care of an infant is a real time-sucker. Case in point: I just took a shower and got dressed today and it is a little past 1 pm! Now that we are almost through with week three, the body is feeling good, sleep is still few and far between, but overall I think we are adjusting pretty well to a family of three. I know infants aren't supposed to smile yet, but I swear Gigi has looked right at me twice and given me a big cheesy, gummy smile. She definitely lets you know what she wants, and usually what she wants is food all the time. We went to the pediatrician on Monday, and "little" Gigi weighs 9 lbs 11 oz! How's that for a good eater. Here are some more pictures:

"Look deep into my eyes, deeper, deeper. You will love me and take care of me OR . . . "

"I will gum you with my incredibly lethal gummy-bite!"

Puffy hair after a bath

Baby Nanook is whistling for her dog-sled team to take her back to the Artic.

Meeting Great-Grandma Rasmussen.

i heart homebirth

2008-10-10T13:43:00.001-07:00

Aunt Rebecca's Odd Narcotic Effect

2008-09-27T14:22:00.001-07:00

Gigi 2.0

2008-09-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

greet the parasite

2008-09-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

Today at 6:17, Celeste was pretty fed up.

As a result, we now have this:

Vitals:

Gender: Girl

Length: 20 big ones (inches)

Weight: 8 lbs 14 oz (Whaaaa? We blame the Nielsen's Frozen Custard. Flirting with gestational diabetes was never so delicious...)

Hair: Matt's

Lady Parts: Celeste's

Name: French, w/slightly disturbing cultural touchstones with which we have obviously made our peace. (The name is Gigi.)

We're all okay. We're going to sleep now.

Salut!

Matt+Celeste

mantra: I will not be pregnant for the rest of my life

2008-09-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

(meditation labyrinth used in labor)

I am three days away from my due date. Of course I know in my head this means nothing (how many times have I told my patients, "a due date is just a guess--you could have the baby two weeks before OR two weeks after"), but it's different when YOU are the pregnant lady who can't sleep at night and common movements are difficult. I keeping thinking, "oh, maybe I'll go into labor now that this low-pressure storm system is coming" or like last night "now that there is a full moon, surely this will do it." My sister Liz had her baby at 36 weeks (I am now almost a month more pregnant than she ever was!) I am glad that my baby is full term, but now that she is very very low, in a great position (left occiput anterior for you nosy types) why doesn't she just come out? I know that pregnancy and birth are all about surrender, and I find that I have had to re-surrender at multiple points during the pregnancy. Yesterday I surrendered to the fact that I can't control when she comes. I did this while Matt and I hiked up around Brighton and along Silver Lake (I'm using the word "hike" very loosely to include long strolls). So I guess this is the first lesson of parenthood: you can't control your children AND your children are not you. Last week I finally got everything done that I still needed to do before the baby came. Here was my list:

1. Can a bushel of peaches (26 bottles done on Wed - with help from my MIL, Paula)
2. Pick up breast pump
3. Clean bathroom
4. Drink red raspberry leaf tea and take evening primrose oil every day
5. Do five low squats a day (helps maintain baby's good position)
6. Wash and put away 24 cloth diapers
7. Find joy in these last days of childlessness

Of course, I'm still working, although my last day catching babies was last weekend. Now I'm just in the office seeing patients. I have contractions, but nothing regular. I guess I was right in telling my patients that these last few weeks of pregnancy are all about endurance.

daily show: vagina-american

2008-09-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

I love Jon Stewart's commentary on Sarah Palin. Maybe laughter will bring labor on? Pretty please?

blessingway

2008-09-03T08:18:00.001-07:00

On the appropriately named, Labor Day, a few close friends and colleagues gave me a Blessingway as ritual preparation for birth. You can read more about Blessingways here. I'm definitely feeling full and ready.

tragedy

2008-08-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

I'm still reeling from the news I received this morning. Liz Johnson, the sister of my close friend, Jjana, was killed in a plane crash in Guatemala. You can read more about it here. My heart is broken for the wonderful family and young children she has left behind.

35 weeks

2008-08-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

tetons

2008-07-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our trip to the Tetons with my family two weeks ago:

Baby Hank the hiker (even on the trail the bink must be accessible).
At the beginning of our 9 mile hike up cascade canyon.
Slow but steady with my front-load.
Belly vs. Tetons

summer school: a bleg

2008-07-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

Matt is teaching summer school these next two weeks and needs some ideas on good books for high school summer slackers. They are reading The Tempest right now. Any ideas?