Little/Big

Baby L wearing his cashmere Grateful Buns soaker...at four days:


And today, at 19.5 weeks:

Nocturnal visitor

And for once, I don't mean the kids :)

This little guy was hanging out on the dining room window a few nights ago. I put the big window picture in for some element of scale...the lizard was translucent enough to see the "guts" show up, darker. Pretty cool.



In other news, a friend from IC was here on her way through town...she's actually the daughter of our former childcare guy, and it was wonderful to see this sweet, kind young woman! She left us some prickly pear fruit syrup, which is simply gorgeous. I haven't tried it yet...

The fruit on the plant:
The fruit processed into syrup:

Grandparents J will be here soon. Weather is lovely (highs in the 90s, cooling into low 70s, high 60s).

My sister is getting settled in Jaipur. Her description of the city's smell was this (hope you don't mind, A):

"It smells like dust, sweat, incense, rotting garbage, All Out (mosquito killing plug-in), hot cooking oil, animals (pigs, cows, and dogs), garlic, paan (look it up on Wikipedia!), fruit, beedis, ganja, sometimes cardamom, sometimes jasmine, leather, phenol...Oh, I also forgot urine and petrol fumes..."

Sleep

Here is Baby L's new way of falling asleep:



He's now done it twice - just checking email with mom!
Crazy boy :)
He's also porking up quite nicely...my beautiful, happy, fat baby (if I say so myself...)!

Four months!

...and 16 pounds, 6 ounces!

Have you...

...ever seen Bill Staines in concert? Heard of him? D and I are wondering who of our friends and family are "in the know." :)

I'm a proud *gulp* grandma

Let me introduce you to my daughter Serena (age 18), her daughter Popcorn (1), and their kitty Zappo:



(the world, according to E this morning)

Nurse-out wrap-up

This video is circulating on one of my mama-groups. Thought some of you would enjoy the wrap-up from our Applebees nurse-out.

New trick

...and I'm talking about me, not the kids. With help from Rixa, I figured out how to take, upload, and broadcast a home video all using my digital still camera! So, presented for the first time ever, Baby L in "like-live action."

Nurse-out

The Applebees nurse-out was a great success! Over 100 supporters (moms, babies, dads, and others) converged on a busy intersection in Phoenix, outside an Applebees. News coverage can be seen on local Fox and CBS stations as video, and on AZCentral and the East Valley Tribune papers.

Thanks to MB for the pics!

Applebees Protest

FACT SHEET ON:
PUBLIC PROTESTS APPLEBEE'S RESTAURANTS NATIONWIDE


WHAT : Breastfeeding advocates will gather across the country to protest Applebee's Restaurants standing corporate policy of discrimination against mothers with nursing babies.

WHEN : Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 7:00 pm

WHERE : Applebee's Restaurant

WHO : Sponsored by Birth Without Boundaries, International; and local grassroots organizers

WHY : On June 14, 2007, while Ms. Ryan was breastfeeding her baby discreetly in a corner booth during an anniversary dinner with her family, an Applebee's Manager asked her to cover her baby with a blanket. Ms. Ryan responded by producing a copy of the Kentucky law that states that "no person shall interfere with a woman breastfeeding her child." The manager, after reviewing the statute, continued to insist that she had to "cover the baby with a blanket" if she wanted to breastfeed in the restaurant, and that nursing her child was "indecent." The family left the restaurant in tears before being served their meal.

"When I go to a restaurant, I am not forced to eat under a blanket. I don't understand why my baby isn't given the same respect," said Diane Targovnik, a Phoenix attorney who helped organize the local Applebee's nurse-in. "We are here to normalize breastfeeding. When breastfeeding becomes normalized, then issues like blankets becomes irrelevant and we can then focus on why human breastmilk is the best food for human babies," said Targovnik, who will attend the protest with her seven-month-old exclusively breastfed nursling, LeahHadas Targovnik Jacobs.

In the spirit of the existing diversity and inclusion policy published by Applebee's Restaurants, Birth Without Boundaries, Intl. is asking the corporation to adopt and implement an official breastfeeding friendly policy.

"Because most public breastfeeding laws do not provide a clear remedy for women who are harassed or discriminated against," said Salem Hamilton, Executive Director of Birth Without Boundaries, International, "we are asking for breastfeeding supporters across the country to encourage their legislators to add enforcement provisions to their state's laws that would provide the protection women and babies need."

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Here's how YOU can help!

• Forward this info to your friends & family;
  
• Call your pediatrician and obstetrician to encourage them to come out in support of their clients!;
• Email your state legislators and let them know that the offending company (Thomas and King) owns the Applebee's restaurants in their constituencies, so this could easily happen here!;
  
• Show up on Saturday ready to be loud!

Dream come true

Auntie B got a pony for the girls! We spent yesterday at the Ranch, getting to know Zoui Rose (Zowie, that is). The girls came up with the name thanks to their favorite dinosaur name, Caudipteryx zoui, and their favorite play name, Rose.

At the Western town (part of the ranch):

Comparison with Nikki, who they used to ride (yikes!):

And washing her up after riding:

Wait, who got washed?? Zoui Rose stomped in the puddle created under her, and C got covered! Of course, at 113 degrees it's all the more fun to then wash off herself!

And the little guy, hangin' by the chickens and goat...