Friday, April 30, 2010

Time In Flux

A week's worth of minutes blows right by. Yet I can't find the time to cut my nails.


4-22: Roaming Chinatown. Found Heaven. Contracted serious case of building envy. 


4-23: One Rufus Love Machine - saving my spot.


 
4-24: First day back in the studio. Oooo pretty buttons. How I've missed you.

4-25: Rufus - Babysitting


4-26: Swimming lesson.

4-27: To the sea!

4-28: Why I wake up when I really don't want to wake up.



4-29: Mine and mine all mine.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Goose53 Makes My Day

No sleep will come tonight. Sebastien - even though his eyes are closed - is not really sleeping. As in he's half awake because he's SICK. At least I think he is. Congestion, excess drool, grumps (also in excess), restlessness, sleeping with one eye open...it must be a cold. His poor little whines sound like rusty hinges. And since I couldn't get an appointment for him until tomorrow, the first thing I did (after frowning at the receptionist through the phone line) was go online to search for something...anything that might be of help to him if his stuffiness got any worse. Because if I know anything, it's this:

No. 1: Breathing is essential to continuation of life. I know this one first hand.

No. 2: For how minor an ailment stuffy noses are, they irritate the living crap out of me. At least I can complain and then feel a little better. All he can do is cry, which makes stuffy noses even stuffier (I also have first-hand experience with this one).

Most forums I found on the subject suggested steaming the snot out of him (like a sauna for his nostrils), as well as employing the ever-popular bulb aspirator and saline solution trick (a.k.a. nose douche). Decided to hold off on that last one...

Then I found this forum, which reminds why I love the internet so much. And here's why: 'MarionR' had a 6-week old with congestion that could not be cleared up by any of the standard remedies. Her doctor (whom they'd visited twice) sent them home with no prognosis/remedy, other than 'it's just a stuffy nose...deal with it'. The posts that followed were mostly encouraging MarionR to see another doctor, get another opinion, and stress the importance of her daughter's need to breathe to her care-giver. Well, she did just that, and it turns out the baby was re-tested, then diagnosed with acid reflux. The mother was relieved that she could finally help her baby get better. Yay for happy endings...

The posts then congratulated MarionR for going with her instinct and getting the 2nd opinion. And then 'organic_fernando' enters the fray. Stage left. And I quote: "most patients don't realize that most of the time, the problems in diagnoses stem from an inability of the patient to understand the problems at hand, or communicate them in a non-hysterical, quasi-scientific manner...as the non-medical son and husband of doctors, I can tell you firsthand that overwhelmingly, the problems with most misdiagnoses have more to do with the patients than the doctor'

First of all...WHAT!? Could this be true? Yes we see doctors because we are having trouble understanding the problem. But it's MY fault if they don't understand it too?! And isn't the patient a NEWBORN?! AND, if your wife is a doctor, WHY ARE YOU LURKING ON THIS FORUM?!

'coleenoz' retorts in favor of 2nd opinions: 'Ladies, trust your instincts'.

'organic_fernano': 'Parenting is nervewracking, and makes you feel sometimes like you're just sitting there watching someone asphyxiate. But you're not (mostly). And thank God we don't just "trust our instincts". If we did, we'd still be burning women at stakes for "witchery" and bleeding people when they sneezed too loud at parties.

Okay...even though my nerves have been thoroughly wracked by parenthood, I doubt I'd find myself just 'sitting there' while my baby chokes. Which is a sure sign that my instincts are to be trusted.

And then out of the blue, 'goose53' diffuses the whole situation: 'did you two notice this post is over SIX years old? get a life!'

Ha! I always knew I liked poultry.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Pants - Circa 2008

A couple years ago, some guy asked me how I got these pants up past my ankles. Instead of kicking him in the breakfast I paused and realized 2 things: He has a point because these pants are tight and severely tapered at the ankle...and if I did in fact kick him in the breakfast the pants might rip at the crotch, giving the guy reason enough to say: Dude she totally fondled me AND let me see her underwear.

Skills?

My shoulder smells like cheese. Don't think anyone could appreciate this more that my good friend Johnny Helm. Several times a day I find myself wondering....how can I get this shirt off without smearing Sebastien's barf all down my arm and across my cheek? I've actually gotten pretty good at avoiding altercations with his splooge. One of the things I've mastered since becoming a Mama. That and dodging the golden shower.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Desktop Essentials

Salvation Army lamp, Sharpies, Voodoo candle holder, tortilla chips, gummy bears, blank CD's, Apple

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Monday, April 12, 2010

And I Live To Tell

I guess the only thing more daunting than taking a newborn on an airplane for the first time is...ummm...NOTHING. Though it took some convincing, convince me she did, to join her and my sister for a mini vacation in Hilo. My Mom even offered to pay for one leg of the journey, being that this week was the Merrie Monarch hula festival, and all flights to Hilo were double expensive. On Tuesday afternoon we booked, and on Wednesday morning we flew. No time time think about it. Much better that way.

We lucked out on our way to Hilo and I was able to fly with them, even though my reservation was for an earlier flight. And I even got a seat next to my sister, which would make the whole nursing on the plane thing a bit more comfortable. At the gate in Honolulu, I ran into a friend/producer/musician (who shall remain nameless) whom I have worked with in studio over the past couple of years. His wife recently had a baby...

And this is how I ended up talking breast pumps. With a dude. In public. Within earshot of other dudes.

It went something like, "Hey long time no see, so are you breast feeding?" And I was like, "Yes and no, I need to express my milk to keep up with his appetite." And he was like, "What kind of pump are you using. Is it 'meh' something? That's what my wife used." "Medela? No, I use a manual pump. Helps to strengthen my grip at the same time..."

Okay I didn't say that thing about the grip. Only in my head.

And this is not the first time I've had this conversation with a guy. It just so happens that I know more guys that girls who have recently become parents. And this is what parents with newborns talk about I guess.

Oh, Hilo. Right. It was beautiful as it always is. And buzzing with anticipation for the Festival. We stopped in at the makeshift Kealopiko boutique on Bay Front. Had some bowls at the `awa bar. Met up with family outside the Salvation Army after scoring some outfits for Sebastien. Oogled the plywood ceiling at the Sig Zane boutique. It was fun and tiring. A test of his tolerance for my meanderings.

Jamie & Hina & Sebastien at the Kealopiko boutique
He doesn't mind, I swear

I've come to appreciate the coordination it takes to travel with little ones. The never ending and ever challenging juggle of feedings, diaperings, burpings, nappings, and in and out of the car-seatings when you're on the move, all while trying to enjoy yourself and not ruin the vacation part of the vacation for your fellow travelers because these airline tickets cost an arm and a leg dammit! And you WILL enjoy this if it KILLS you!!! At times I felt like a 2-ton ball and chain packing a stroller. But my family was gracious, always helpful, and never once complained about the drag.

My Sis accepting award for Best Aunty

The following and final day of the trip went much the same, and before I knew it I was back at the airport, on my way home. Only this time I was flying solo - with Sebastien. With diaper bag on one shoulder, tired squawky and squirmy on the other, boarding pass and ID between my teeth, warm bottle at the ready, we made it to the gate just in time for pre-boarding. All without ruining my 1 hour old pedicure at security.


Monday, April 5, 2010

Anti-Gravity

After The Girlas opened for him at Pipeline Cafe in 2008, we took Justin Nozuka for a surf/swim off Diamond Head. I snuck up on him sneakily and got this shot. By the way, he stood up on his first wave...what a guy!