katie allison granju

ground roll ball September 30, 2007

Nine year old E. and his friend Connor invented a new game. Then E. created a web page to promote it and explain the rules. Here is the downlow on ““GROUND ROLL BALL”

broken leg

For those who know my sister Betsy en famille, a bit of bad news to pass along: five-year-old McLean broke his leg yesterday, jumping on one of those deathtraps otherwise known as trampolines. They were visiting in Bell Buckle, having taken 4 week old Nancy Catherine down to meet our grandmother for the first time.

It’s a serious break, requiring a nearly full-leg cast. He may have to use a wheelchair instead of crutches. It’s gonna be something for B & R, managing a newborn and a five year old in a cast and wheelchair.

Poor Mac has been a very brave little guy. I know it hurts like mad.

practically perfect pop song - weekend edition

Zumpano - “The Party Rages On” (This was A.C. -Carl - Newman’s band before the New Pornographers)

This is a must-listen.

an open letter to the fathers of babies

Once again, K. nails it in her OPEN LETTER TO THE FATHER OF A NEW BABY.

I always wondered if the fathers I read and heard about - the ones who rushed to the door every afternoon, eager to get their hands on the baby after work - actually existed. The kinds of fathers who didn’t act like a “helper” or even a really good helper, but who were full, unasked participants in childcare and family life. Men who would never think of plannning evenings out alone or with friends that would clash with bath and bed time for kid(s).

My mother says my father was this kind of really involved daddy when we were little, and that is was wildly unusual for the time. I do remember him as very hands-on. And now that my little brother is a father to FOUR very young children, I see that my father’s example was passed on, because Robert is that way with his children. He’s an incredible dad.

But I still think those kinds of fathers are far too rare. Yet, somehow I found one. Jon is completely and equally involved in his daughter’s care. This still surprises me sometimes. He laughs when I act surprised that he doesn’t want to hand the baby over when she fusses. He finds it odd that I find it odd that he immediately gets up to change her diaper or clean up the spit up when she needs it. He makes sure - insists -that I get enough sleep since I am the one getting up at night to nurse her. Most of all, he just enjoys the heck out of her. I love watching them play together, nap together and just generally love on one another.

And while stepfathering is not the same as fathering, he excels at that family relationship as well.

It’s a revelation.

To me, there is nothing more attractive in a man than being a really good father. If more men realized this, there might be fewer unhappy marriages. Actually, I think there are a lot of men (and women) who probably never wanted kids in the first place and were pressured by partner, family or our culture to procreate. Then they spend the next 17 years more than a little irritated at the whole situation, but afraid to admit this to themselves or anyone else.

No one should have a baby unless they really, really, REALLY want to, because they are a lot of work. But when a man has one, he should do his share - joyfully and with a willing heart.

i may have to buy me some offsets September 29, 2007

What’s YOUR OBNOXIOUSNESS FOOTPRINT?

how much milk?

I am trying to figure out how much expressed milk to send with Jon for his first day caring for C. at his office (Monday!). Anybody have any idea how much a 2 month old baby might want from a bottle in 8-9 hours? She nurses many times each day, but a lot of that is comfort nursing and snacking, so I can’t figure out how much she is actually eating in a way that translates to a bottle.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks-

Katie

last day September 28, 2007

Today is my last (weekday) of maternity leave; I return to my full time job on Monday.

I can’t believe it’s been 8 weeks already. I don’t feel ready to leave my baby, but I know I am lucky that at least I am returning to a good job that I really enjoy, and I am leaving her with her father (he will take her to work 3 days each week) and grandmother (she will care for her two days each week). I think about how much worse it is for women who not only have to leave their tiny infants, but have to leave them in questionable childcare circumstances so they can return to a job they really don’t care about that much. But you do what you have to do. I am our family’s primary wage earner, and I have three other children to support. I just wish I could afford even one more month of leave; I think that would make a big difference in my comfort level in leaving her.

When I began my maternity leave, I planned to have a freezer packed with frozen breastmilk by the time I went back to work. Instead I have…..none. Zero. I am pumping individual bottles that Jon gives her, and I haven’t stockpiled any. I find it nearly impossible to find time to pump. I need to pump like crazy all weekend to get at least two days’ supply ahead before I go back on Monday. I also need to pump this morning to get a bottle or two ready for my mother-in-law, who is going to care for C. so I can go out to lunch with my boss today to get caught up on what’s going on at work. This will be the first time I’ve left C. with anyone other than Jon, and at 60-90 minutes, probably the longest I’ve left her, period.

the cousins September 27, 2007

Charlotte at 8 weeks with her cousin Nancy Catherine, 4 weeks old

time for first vaccinations

Tomorrow is C’s 8 week check-up. We scheduled it for a Friday, so we can both be home during the weekend in case she is fussy or has a bad reaction.

I have to admit that I am very nervous about these early baby shots. While I believe in the public health value of large scale vaccinations, I am not convinced that some individual babies don’t suffer neurological damage from infant vaccinations.

I am looking forward to reading THIS NEW BOOK about making vaccine decisions. I sure wish it were available now instead of in one month. I feel like I need some help making vaccne decisions. The number of choices are somewhat overwhelming.

With E., because he was born with some serious complications, and because he was staying home with me and exclusively breastfed, we decided to delay starting his vaccines until he was about 9 months old. But C. will be going to Jon’s office with him starting at 8 weeks (Monday) and encountering all kinds of people and germs, so I am not sure that delaying her vaccinations would be wise.

It’s a really difficult issue.

a small example of why journalism still matters

Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn Flustered by MSNBC Host (Memphis Flyer)