She's no longer a newborn?!?

I mean, sure I know the days are going by and that they all add up to 37, but I sure didn't expect the pediatrician's office to say she is no longer a newborn.

Sadness.

Where did the time go?

Soon she'll be riding a bike and learning to drive and then walking down the aisle and I don't mean as a candle lighter.

But if no longer being a newborn means she can put herself to sleep and enjoy her crib and no longer startle herself completely, why then, I guess I will just have to resign to her growing up.

I sure do love her and all her preciousness.

Happy Halloween!

Did you miss me?

We're back from our retreat to the land where there is no super highway de informaciones. While we were gone: Rosa Jane celebrated her one month bday in a Rosy outfit, Don spent his first nights away in the town of Big D at a user's conference, Honey and RJ bonded as only grandmother and granddaughter can, Robyn drove to town in her new used boxy volvo just as she wished and made delicious spinach lasagne (we need that recipe!) and the grandparents went to their 45th class reunion... click on the picture to see all this and more...

Oh, yeah, and for the record, the picture above was taken on Saturday, Rosa Jane's start of week number 5. I can't believe how quickly the time is flying by!

Not so bad for a life sentence

fire up, buttercup

Okay, so today wasn't as bad as I had initially feared. Turns out my friend, Kat, was right in her advice in the last comments section. RJ and I had a pretty good day being just girls and hanging out at the mall. We were on a mission from the grandparents to find a 50's style flat-top 'do for my dad's 40th high school reunion. Couldn't find one anywhere.

At one point today I found myself thinking... "whoa... this is a lifetime commitment to babysitting." but the very next thought was, this is easier that I thought it would be. Excuse me while I find some wood to knock upon.

We're heading to Richland for the week to spend some QT with Honey at her hive. Don will be in Dallas all week working at a user's conference. All that to say, we might be sparse on postings seeing how there's no internet in the doublewide.

Don had a great first day at work and the latest bit of excitement is that he's getting his very own office. I'll let him blog all about it when he gets the chance.

As for now, it's bedtime. Be good.

The 4th Anniversary

donr and I just spent the last two hours re-living one of the best days of our lives by watching our amazing wedding video (Video It Productions/Nashville). We laughed. We cried. Sally wore the fake hair. Robyn brought the fringe. And thanks to Chad and Jonathan, it was said that we wore our underwear on the outside. We were engulfed in love and by love that day, that whole weekend really. And that love continues to ripple today. We are hugely blessed.
A big thanks to everyone who makes up our community and celebrates in our joy.

Little Rosa Jane has been called a kranklepuss by my darling husband today. She is still a little fussy -- so tired yet she doesn't know how to get to sleep on her own.

Tomorrow is a big, big day. Don goes back to work. And it will be my first with RJ all alone. No one else there to share the load. I'm more than a little nervous. But it's just a day and who can't do anything who babysteps through it?

All you need is love.

Sweet dreams

After a long, long nap (which followed a long, long, long sleepless morning), little RJ had a BIG meal and, well, ended up intoxicated again.

Fortunately, she had nothing else to do today, so sleeping and eating and sleeping again ended up being the perfect way to spend the day...

Post Aluminium Foil Photo Shoot

I thought you might enjoy seeing a look behind the scenes, post FauxToe Shoot.

You Say It's Your Birthday?

Why, It's My Aluminium Foil Birth Day, Too, Yeah!

Yup, it's Day 24 and I was born on the 24th day of September so here I am livin' large on Aluminium Foil Shiny-ness. Enjoy!

Happy to Know You

For Those of You Who Could Never Get Enough Rosa Jane

Here are some more pictures. But please, if you think you might overdose on RJ and her mighty, mighty cuteness, then we are counting on you to provide your own rations. We are smitten with Rosa Jane and so here are some of her many adorable faces and expressions. Day 21.

Zdogg's coolness

IMG_6988
Originally uploaded by The Roedner Fam.

I just finished hanging one of my most prized pieces of art. Photo'd by the one and only Lindsay Maiorana. Priceless.

Happy Birthday, Brett!

Wednesdays are for Field Trips

Yes, two days ago, we ventured onto the UT campus for a photography field trip. Marty at NESOP would have been so proud and envious of us. There are 126 prints of Ansel Adams on display along with the Gutenberg Bible and the Niepce's first photograph, taken when ladies?? Yes, 1826. Who knew those treasures would be on display as soon as you walk in the door? All this time I had envisioned traipsing up to the 5th floor way back corner to see the jewels.

The exhibit was quite spectacular and we all really enjoyed it. Rosa Jane caught up on some zzzz's, but we've made sure to retell the highlights.

It was a great day and don tried to staple it onto the back of my previous birthday celebration. Nice try, but no go. I'm a stickler when it comes to birthdays. Anyone noticed that yet?

So that we're all on the same page . . . The Birthday Order of Specialness

This coming Monday, October 17th, is a big day for our girl, Rosa Jane. It marks her twenty-fourth day on the planet, which I needn't remind you is significant because she was born on the 24th day of September.

Now, we all know that when you turn the same AGE as the DAY you were born, we call that your GOLDEN birthday. That's a big one. I wonder where RJ will be on her 24th birthday

And when you turn the same age as the YEAR you were born, why that's your MAGIC birthday. Donr got to celebrate his in 2004 -- the lucky dog. RJ will come due when she's five. Lucky me, I'll wait until I'm 73. Yippee!

Now, when you turn the same DAY - old as the day you were born, we call that your ALUMINIUM FOIL birth day. Perhaps we've eaten too many burritos since we've arrived in Austin, but at any rate... we're planning to wrap our little RJ as a burrito in just 4 days from now.

We also believe that when you turn the same months old as the day you were born that that is your Silver birth day. RJ will get her day in the sun at 24 months.

Now, please, don't come up a-belly-achin' just cuz you missed all your most remarkable birthdays. We must seize the day and always, always, always make the most of what we have. If nature has dealt you lemons, git yerself a fruit squeezer and make yerself a nice tall glass of lemonade. I'll take some too. I'm thirsty.

ROAAAR says RJ

Yesterday RJ practiced her best SIC'EM BEARS! Practice makes perfect. I think we'll be ready by the time of Baylor's Homecoming Oct. 29th.

A Mum as Big as She Is

Click on the picture to see Bree and her Corsicana Fightin' Tigers Homecoming 2005 Mum. It truly was as big as she is. Let's hope the wind don't blow.

Some Guys Have All the Luck

Don got the coolest new local cell phone number from Cingular. If Sprint doesn't do me right, I just might have to drop them.

Stay tuned...

Back to Spontaneity

Saturday was a fun day. We woke up and decided to take a little trip up to Richland to visit the fam. Granddad was participating in his first Richland school reunion and the huntin' had been so good we wanted to partake of the good eats. Rosa Jane had a great time meeting her cousins for the first time. Brett was in awe of the baby and on his best behavior. I think the two year old is finally starting to come around to Zia's side of the street. And I like that.

Last night we took baby out to dinner to Trudy's where we met good pal, Allen Powell. Allen was recruiting some of the finest from UT's Law school. It was great to see him, but even better to have my first margarita in many, many months.

With only ten more days of being home all together, we've decided to make the most of every day. Having our priorities in mind, today is mall day, tomorrow is Ansel Adams exhibit day, the day after that might be Texas Imax movie day... the list goes on and on. So much to do and so little time. One thing we know for sure... not a minute will be spent ironing or on other such chores. This time is precious and we intend to make the very most of it.

Unbelievable

Don is constantly telling me what a great mother I am and how he can't believe how wonderful and patient I am with her, even when she is most upset (which is hardly ever).

I can't believe how all-caps WONDERFUL my dear husband has been at fathering little RJ. He takes her to and fro and gives me all the time I need to take care of myself and just heal after the ordeal of childbirth. RJ has definitely taken to her big, sweetheart daddy. Nobody really talks about all the healing the mother needs to do, but I know that I couldn't be a mother if I didn't have all his love and support the way I do. It's this unbelievably amazing circle of love thing. My cup runneth over.

And if all that weren't enough good news, little miss Rosa Jane is thriving and getting bigger! She's gained a 1/2 pound and while she measured 19 3/4 tall on her birth day, she's shrunk to 19 1/2. We're not surprised with the size of her precious little cone head. Little precious cat.

A friend suggested that I give the camera to Don and get in some of the pictures with RJ, but I was talking with the Pixie (my stepdaughter) who said she didn't really want to be in any pictures with RJ because she couldn't stand not being the "cuter one" in the photograph. I have to say I feel the same way. Pretty stiff competition. I'm only half-kidding.

Precious dearheart is squirming, so I better git. It's a beautiful 66 degree day today. Make it a great one!

Made it

Hey, guess what's new in the Roedner household?

We made it out of the house as a family yesterday afternoon! Precious little Rosa Jane was a little skeptical at first (wailing her brains out as we pulled out of the driveway), but quickly calmed herself with the sound of the road. She's such a terrific baby. We went to Costco and walked around for an hour as we waited for pictures to be printed.

We purchased our first box of 704 Huggies baby wipes. I feel like that might last us until she's 16, but that remains to be determined. We also couldn't resist Cinderella on DVD. No, little Rosa Jane will not be spoiled by us. Only the necessities, please.

I was so glad to get out of the house I can't even begin to tell you! Everything looked beautiful and rosy as we passed our favorite BBQ spot, catfish joint and the countless rolling hills.

When we got back, RJ and I totally crashed. We slept right through our newcomer to the neighborhood orientation meeting. Guess we'll have to wait for the December meeting now.

In other news, it's downright chilly here! We got our first cold front and the temps dropped 39 degrees. It's 53 and we've gotta bundled up our little hunk o' love as we head out to the pediatrician's office for her 14 day check-up. My how time flies!

I would tell you how well RJ sleeps through the night and how she's already on a pretty predictable schedule, but I fear the pattern will be jinxed, so I cannot breathe a word of it. Let's just say we have an angel among us. And I love her.

So What Does the Boy Monkey Think About All This?

Ok, little RJ is ten days old. How did she manage so quickly to twist me completely around her tiny finger?

I love this little girl. It's an unconditional, brain stem kind of love. It's unaffected by 3:00 a.m. wakeups, poop-filled diapers, and her inability to make a decent fist. And it isn't mitigated by a new parent's nervousness or uncertainty, unlike early days with my precious Sara. This is just fun and glorious and frickin' amazing. Who knew that being sleep deprived could be so exhilirating?

I realized today that I'm a slave to a ten-day-old whose whole reason for being is to get drunk on breast milk. No, worse than a slave, I'm actually a facilitator. Regardless of what I'm doing, when she starts turning her head to the side and opening her mouth and making sucking sounds and, lord help me, crying, I drop everything to carry her to the milk. I do it without hesitation and, yes, I like it.

We have two very smart dogs who are extremely concerned that they've lost their once-exalted status. Purdy, the girl dog, is sublimating her anxiety by becoming very maternal. When RJ cries, Purdy scrambles to find me and let me know ("What's that Lassie? Timmy has fallen down the well? Good girl!!"). On the other hand, with no real role in this new world Hank has become incredibly needy. He's a shadow of his former self. It's as if he knows that we no longer have the time or energy to keep up our old game, where we all pretended he was the big dog, and we were all just pups up on the porch. Lo, how the mighty are fallen.

Check out KB's picture of RJ and Hank practicing their synchronized yawning routine. That's why my brilliant and creative wife gets paid the big photograper bucks.

I'm scheduled to start work at Vignette on the 21st. I can't begin to imagine how, in a little over two weeks, I'm going to get in a car and drive away from this domestic paradise...

Miss Rosa Jane and her big ol' love me eyes

Sleeping Beauty

Click on the picture to see Rosa Jane on day 10.5. We thought it was time she start learning the rules -- Girls Rule. Just see her shirt for evidence.

Momma Said . . .

. . . that although Hank is cute and makes for some funny stories, she only wants to see pictures of her precious granddaughter here. So, as soon as the little dear wakes, we'll take some and post some for all's enjoyment.

Make it a great day!

Anything for a Friend

fire up, buttercup
My friend Robyn writes the following. If any of you can help, please do ...

I need a car.
Can I have your car?
Will you steal your neighbor's car for me?
Grandmother's sedan?
Santa's little helper?

Please help me alleviate the pain of the following cold call conversation:

Nice Lady: "Hi, my name is Robyn and I'm interested in your car for sale."
Suburban Prat*: "Huh."
Nice Lady: "The honda lowrider with mag wheels, is it still for sale?"
Suburban Prat: "Who?"
NL: "How many miles does it have?"
SP: "Maybe."
NL: "Okay...Do you have the title?"
SP: "Hunnie, if you wanna titled used car, you shoulda called somebody who cares....

Alas, any hints about where a reliable used car might be for sale that doesn't smell like Katrina, Rita, or excrement, would be greatly appreciated.

Today's Requirements: decent gas mileage and AC....but I do really like old, boxy volvos. Character is a plus, but it needs to be able to make it to Austin and Ft. Worth quite a bit on behalf of friends, family, and ritas, so i'll sacrifice character for uh, you know, decent tires. $3000 to $3500 sounds reasonable, $5000 is the limit...sunroof and orange flames, notwithstanding.

Thanks!
rh

*"Prat" is the British colloquial term for your local "Prick." (Use only for special folks)

Happy Birthday to

fire up, buttercup

My super star niece who is a teenager, BREE! and to special friend Holly! Hope your days are great!

Hankster the Prankster 

hankster's latest prank

On Saturday, the Feldott family came to visit us with their 8 month old son, Maddox. We had a great visit with them. While they were here, our dogs were sent to the backyard so as to avoid being a nuisance. All his life, Hank has desperately wanted to catch a squirrel by his toe. Saturday afternoon was as close as he's ever come. He climbed a tree! The squirrel got away, but oh what a story to tell! I'm hoping he'll do it again when we have the camera ready. A dog in a tree. It's something you all should see.

Rosa Jane is getting cuter every single day. It's such a blessing to be with her.

I'm getting a little stir-crazy in this ol' house... but unfortunately my body says, "Rest. Rest, little girl. There'll be plenty of time for shoppin' and showin' Rosa Jane the sights and sounds of Texas."