Post-bath posing

Well, as posed as you can get these two. Especially with Charlie's freakishly fast flapping arm. Those infant limbs move fast.

Pay no attention to the woman with the camera

  

Ignored by my subject. That's what you're seeing here. And not in the cool photojournalist style, either, but in the I'm-so-not-cooperating way.

We went to Tower Grove Park this past Sunday for a little wading pool time, and I was just so proud of myself for remembering to bring our camera. Taking the big camera along on family outings used to be a given, but lately I'm lucky if I manage to take some camera photos.

Mary Clare, of course, rewarded my thoughtfulness with a whole lotta nothing. Well, I'm sure photos of her back and scowling face count for something. It's just not quite what I had in mind. But darned if I still don't think she's cute.

Framed

It was a set up. No one this sweet or innocent looking could make such a big mess.

Just don't ask her brother to vouch for her.

All hands on deck

When dad travels and mom works full time, everyone in the Jones family is expected to pitch in to keep the household running. While Brennan tackles the toilets, Alexandra straps sponges onto her hands and knees and spiffs up the floors. No task is too big or small for the Jones children.


I tip my hat to you, Sherri. Brennan's real-deal toilet brush work surely puts Mary Clare's play broom and dust pan to shame.

And so this happened

In case you happened to notice that Charlie's one month post went up a week late, or were wondering why I went radio silent for a week or so, the little lad gave us a bit of a scare this past weekend.


It started on the evening of Friday, July 15, with a low temp, and continued off and on through Saturday and Sunday. Since Charlie was continuing to eat, sleep, wet and dirty well, Chip and I just chalked it up to babies running slightly higher temps. Early Sunday evening I took Charlie's temp, and when the thermometer greeted me with a 100.4 reading, I shook off my blase second-time mom attitude and gave our pediatrician's exchange a call. Because of his age and the above 100 reading, they suggested I have him seen by a doctor. So I packed up our bag and headed to the Children's Hospital ER. Chip had played in (and won!) a golf tournament that day, so he came straight from the course. After waiting for almost four hours -- severed fingers and swallowed objects trump slightly high temps, natch -- we finally saw a doctor. Charlie checked out well and the doctor told us we would probably be heading home after some routine blood work, which was pretty much what we assumed would happen. But then the attending physician came into the room and said that because of Charlie's age, he would be subjected to a full work up (urine sample, blood draw and spinal tap) and we would be admitted to the hospital for at least 48 hours until all of the lab work and cultures came back.


Bam. I did not see that coming. I tried to stem off the waterworks, but the combination of the words "spinal tap" and the thought that we had waited too long was just too much. The doctors assured us that we hadn't hurt him by not coming in earlier, and that this was absolutely routine for babies his age.


Soon after they started the process, beginning with the catheter for the urine sample, quickly followed by the combination blood draw and IV insertion. After applying a numbing cream to his back, the nurse and doctor suggested we leave the room for the spinal tap. An eternity later, they brought Charlie to us in the room where we were waiting. He was content and the nurse said that he did fine throughout the procedure. I didn't ask any other specifics, and I still prefer not to think about it. Because they operate under the assumption that something is wrong, and can't wait for the lab work to return -- some of the cultures take 36- to 48-hours to develop -- they started Charlie on an IV and antibiotics while we were still in the ER.


Chip ran home then to shower and pack our bags, and returned around 3 a.m., at which time they moved us up to the 8th floor. After settling in as best we could, I set up camp in the chair/bed and Chip headed to the parents' lounge to sleep.


The next few days were a blur of nursing (completely nerve wracking when your child is attached to an IV), beeping machines, doctor visits, morning rounds, reinserting the IV and non-stop checks for vitals, antibiotics, etc. Thankfully, our pediatrician's office does hospital rounds, so it was fantastic to see familiar faces on both Monday and Tuesday. I honestly didn't think it was possible to love Southwest Pediatrics more than we already did, but even after two-and-a-half years with them, they continue to impress.


Along the way, the doctors were able to rule out various infections and such, and Tuesday morning Dr. Schmidt from our pediatrician's office told us that because Charlie was doing well and everything so far was coming back negative, if the 36-hour cultures looked good we would be discharged that afternoon. Huge relief. Around 3 p.m. the Children's doctor came by and told us that everything looked good, it was probably a viral infection of some sort, and we were free to go home. I can't tell you how happy and relieved that made us. And within another hour or so, we were packed up and strolling out the door with our Charlie bird.


At our follow-up visit on Thursday, Dr. O'Neil said these summer viruses usually run their course in three to five days, and that he would be very surprised if Charlie ran another fever anytime soon. So while I'm sure everything is fine, we're trying to lay low until Charlie reaches the six-week mark next week.


So, whew. Quite more than I planned to write, but those were two long days. Two long days that made me realize how lucky we were to be in the hospital for a fairly routine reason, as opposed to the other families and children who log a lot of time at Children's Hospital.


Our thanks to our family and friends for the support and prayers. Charlie says you're all the best.

Sunday sorta smile

So, it's not a full-blown smile, but darn it if those baby smiles aren't impossible to capture on camera. Not quite as hard as the elusive dimples Charlie has been known to flash to a chosen few, but still nearly impossible.

But oh, those dimples. If he hangs on to them, the girls don't stand a chance.

Charlie, 1 month

Happy one month birthday to our bouncing baby boy! 

Based on how this past month has gone, I guess the whole "they grow up so fast" thing speeds up every time you have another child. Seriously, where has the time gone? 

Despite time flying by at warp speed, life with our Charlie bird is quite a delight. Knock on wood, he is a good sleeper and eater, and he takes his big sister's kisses of steel like a champ. He's still bunking with us at night because, video camera or not, we're lazy. Maybe one of these nights we'll take the leap and plop him in his enormous crib. Our little guy is continuing to grow, and can even fit into some 0-3 outfits. At his one month appointment he weighed in at 9 lbs., 8 oz., and measured 22.75" inches with a head that is solidly in the 90th percentile. We'll take it.

Oh, and another one of those sayings has come true -- there are no pictures of the second child. Seriously, it's pathetic. The only consolation is that there were very few pictures taken of big sister this past month as well. Click here for the June set (July photos coming soon) and here for the July photos to date.

Yes, exactly

As Chip and I cleaned up the dinner dishes, we went over the plan of action for tomorrow. Nerds that we are, we have always had daily POAs, but now that there are two kiddos in the house, well, they're kind of crucial. Sadly, there was a serious breakdown in communications tonight.

D: Okay, Jenny is coming over at 9 a.m. tomorrow, so I need to be showered by the time you leave.
C: Okay. Wait. You said you need to be showered in Italian beef?
D: What?
C: You said you need to be showered in Italian beef?
D: Yes, Chip. That's exactly what I said. I need to be showered in Italian beef before our friend comes over to visit.
C: Well, what did you say?
D: What do you think I said? For real.
C: I don't know. All I can think of now is Italian beef.

Seriously, you would think that he was the one getting up at 4 a.m. every day to feed our son. Honestly.

If it's fabric, it's monogrammed

Oh, how I love my mom's new sewing machine. Oh, and my mom.

In addition to all of the sewing she did for Mary Clare's new room (one chair cushion down, one to go!), she has also created a bevy of personalized bibs, burp cloths, blankets and bath towels for Charlie.

Rest assured, everyone will know this boy's name.

Chip Lindh, 34

Happy birthday to the best husband and father that a wife, two kids and a Lab could ever have. You're the bee's knees, Chip Lindh.

Three biggies

Yesterday was a big day for TB. Hence, my posting a day late.

This girl had her cast removed:

This guy went back to work (after seeing his best girl through her cast removal and follow-up x-ray, natch):

This guy turned three weeks old:

Best of all, everyone made it through with flying colors. Mary Clare received a good report from the doctor and is barely even limping. Chip survived his first day back at work after three weeks of paternity leave and only required one pre-dinner cocktail. Charlie celebrated the three-week mark by not peeing all over me and pulling through with a nice stretch of sleep last night.

As for me, I toasted the family's resilience with a glass of champagne. And I plan to do the same tonight. Such accomplishments must be properly celebrated.

Red, white and blue kisses

Fall in line

Dear Charlie,

We, your parents, formally request that you resume those blissful hours-long stretches of sleep you were giving us up until the last two nights. If you do not heed our request, we will be forced to get all Babywise up in here. And we're talking by-the-book Babywise, mister. None of this loosey-goosey awake for 15 or 20 minutes business that we've let you get away with because you were sleeping so well at night. 

Oh, and trust me, if you are annoyed by your mother's current attempts at post-feeding awake time, well, you haven't seen anything yet.

Sincerely,

The Management