Advertisers Everywhere

If you are expecting this next post to be about Emily, you should stop reading now. Instead, I am using my blog as an avenue to vent about the advertising industry and how it permeates all aspects of child rearing. (I am currently reading "Packaging Girlhood," but more on that later.)

Like many of my friends, I subscribe to Baby Weekly, an on-line news letter that provides tips and developmental charts for "baby" on a weekly basis. This week's letter discussed eating solids.

"Now that your baby is eating some solid foods, fresh is usually best. However, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, beets, carrots, collard greens, and turnips contain large amounts of nitrates in some parts of the country. Nitrates can cause a type of anemia in your baby. Even though you can't personally test the vegetables in your area, rest assured that baby-food companies take precautions not to use vegetables high in nitrates. So if you want to feed these vegetables to your baby, it is safest to buy commercially prepared jars."

Carrots and beets are some of the first vegetables recommended to feed babies. This letter asserts that commercially prepared jars are the best. I have a hard time believing that the baby food I make at home contains more hazardous ingredients than commercially jarred food.

Firsts

Emily successfully cut her first two teeth last week. She spent the weekend at GranAnne and GranDan's house while Dave and I celebrated Suzanne and JP's wedding. Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Stephen contributed to her entertainment as Emily decided it was more fun to be with other people than to play on her own. (Jennifer inquired, "How can 14 pounds rule an entire household?") During the reception, Dave called Jennifer to check on Emily since my parents attended the wedding as well. She said she noticed a little white in the baby's mouth when she put her to bed. Of course, my mom and I shared the Jennifer-does-not-know-what-she-is-talking-about-look. The next morning, my mother called me and said we would be disappointed because we missed Emily's first teeth. Dave and I actually got lucky as the teeth are still in her mouth today.

In other news, Emily started solid foods last week. Accustomed to the continuous flow of milk in a bottle, she cries like a banshee in between bites. I can't possibly get the spoon re-filled and into her mouth quick enough. Wait until I introduce ice cream.



She now rolls over and over and over. Dave has her on a strict work out regime so we expect her to be walking by the end of the month.

Beach Beauty

Emily went to Duck, NC for Memorial Day weekend to celebrate Suzanne's up-coming wedding. Since she carries both Dave and my genes, I though she would crave hours in the sun, relaxing to the sound of the waves. However, after about an hour, she decided the sand and heat irritated her skin. I decided that her wining irritated everyone else on the beach, so Dave and I spent the day portion of the vacation planning Emily's first stay with her Grandparents. Emily thoroughly enjoyed cocktail hour by the surf and she slept so well those nights I enjoyed three margaritas before feeding her.

Power Lunch

Emily insisted on meeting her GiGi for lunch yesterday. She said they had some serious business to attend.


Emily wonders, "Why do I have pants on when it is a 100 degrees out here? Would somebody please show that woman how to dress me properly. Can't she see how flush I am?"

First Love

Emily met her first love when we went to Richmond to visit Jackson.

Then, we decided to use her as the center piece for brunch with Great Aunt Nancy since Mom ran out of flowers.

Bottled Emotions

Lately, my emotions are linked to the number of ounces Emily decides to eat from the bottle at each feeding. I start my mornings out grumpy as I fight with her to eat a mere 3 ounces. The day usually improves as she increases to 6 by the 12:00 feeding. Yesterday, I felt high as she guzzled 8 ounces at once. I think she will be ready by the Fourth of July for the Coney Island Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Snowsuits in May

So much for posting every other day - though I refuse to allow it to become every other week. Emily's millions of fans protested the last picture claiming it added pounds to her usually flat stomach. Although, as her publicist, I am not pulling it from the blog, I will no longer post "skin" shots. You will notice in these pictures, she is very well covered.

Why is Emily wearing a snow suit in May? Because her parents are crazy. Certifiably crazy. A chill seemed to fill the air and I didn't want her to catch a cold. Even though all my microbiology classes taught me that viruses and bacteria cause colds, not actual cold weather, I was not taking any chances.

Emily likes to take a walk with her parents every evening before bedtime. Because she struggles to see when she is trapped inside her carriage cell, her father carries her, facing out of course, for our two mile walk. He tries not to complain about her weight because we don' t want her to develop eating disorders.