NaBloPoMo Day 30

Well, I did it. I managed to blog everyday in November. With the exception of my Thanksgiving post I can’t say that I have had anything substantive to say in the last two weeks. Most of my energy went towards finding a location and/or a computer to use; not much was left for writing.

Once or twice I did feel as though I might as well give up. Neither Dan and Lynne nor my parents have an internet connection, so the posts from the last two weeks have been made at Starbucks, Chris Perkins’ house, or Chuck and Laurel’s Spring Lake and Lake Michigan homes.

The last couple of days have been particularly challenging with Grace and Julia hanging on me all day. It’s a wonder I could even type a sentence. In fact, this post was written out longhand so that the time spent on the computer would be even shorter. No sense in wasting time composing at the computer when I could do it by hand while Julia slept.

Today the girls and I depart for Grayling to spend the weekend with my brother Paul, his wife Wendy, and daughter Taylor. Uncle Paul promises that there is enough snow for Taylor and Grace to go sledding. This is a first for my girl, and I can’t wait to see her face. I know Craig is sad that he will miss this momentous occasion.

Thus I probably won’t post again for a few days. I have many photos and Julia’s video that I would like to upload, and hopefully my next correspondence will include the video and a much awaited Flicker link to those pictures.

To end NaBloPoMo I would like to thank my friends and family for reading me and sending comments for the last month. I hope to get around to a few more posts about the neighborhood when I return to Macon. I know Grace and Julia will continue to provide lots of material to share. Who knows, maybe Oprah will stop by again (she did show a 2-second clip of our house). Even without Oprah there is always something to write about.

Cheers, Ellen

P.S. Welcome back Poppy. We look forward to seeing you December 8.

Technically Disadvantaged

Though I promised to upload Julia’s 6 month-old video today, I did not. My efforts have been severely limited by not having access to a computer.

We are all continuing to do well. Julia had a very rough night with her teeth. However, today she seems to be doing much better and I anticipate an easier night of sleep for her. Grace is excited because her Grandpa came home from Flint today and now she has a new playmate. We shelled a bag full of Macon Pecans and the weather keeps us cold and frigid while outdoors.

Well, I need to get some rest before the potentially long night. Tomorrow marks the end of my month-long endeavor to blog everyday in November (NaBloPoMo). I will wait until tomorrow to say anything more meaningful.

Six months old

Julia turned six months old yesterday. I captured two videos of her sitting up, but I forgot to bring the camera with me today (I am posting at another house, which overlooks Lake Michigan...click the sidebar link to the Lake Michigan Camera and you will see what I see). Her top right incisor finally broke through the surface yesterday, so she is in much better spirits (the left is coming in next, so there are more sleepless nights on the horizon).

I intend to come out here tomorrow (with camera in tow), so the video will be up ASAP.

New Toys

Today it is bitter-cold with a wind chill temperature in the teens! We are not used to this kind of weather after being spoiled by long autumns lasting until December and early Springs beginning in February. Julia felt the wind and made a face that is the equivalent of how you might look when a bucket of ice water is poured over your back.

We went to a secondhand toy store and Grace came home with a "Little People" A-Z animal playset. She has been marching them around all afternoon telling us which one poo-pooed in their pants. We talked to Daddy and he promises to get a postcard in the mail for Grace tomorrow.

Just the Girls

Craig left us this morning to return to Macon and finish his semester. My Dad drove him to Detroit to catch his flight and then traveled on to Flint to visit with my Grandfather. That left just us girls at the new Williams family homestead.

We had a great day. Grace and Grandma went grocery shopping. We hung the birdfeeder in the backyard and played house in the basement. Even Julia with her sore little mouth managed to have a good time.

All went well until bedtime and then the waterworks began. Grace misses her Dad. Grace misses her Granpa. She can't go to sleep because she is too lonely. All I can say is me too kid.

It's almost enough to make me miss Macon

We arrived in Michigan today after an easy drive. Julia still isn't crazy about traveling, but sitting in a larger car seat improved her disposition significantly. We saw some evidence of snow along the roadways, but not enough for "snowmanses", as Grace likes to call them. She is obsessed with snow, and I hope that we actually see some during our visit. Otherwise she will be very disappointed little girl.

Michigan feels so familiar to me...not surprising since it's the state where I was raised. The homes, the people, the weather, it all takes me back. It also gives me a few thing to be thankful for in my current life. The weather for one. Gloomy. Gloomy. That is Michigan. I know that by the time I return to Macon (two weeks from now) I will be very happy for a little sun.

There is more to report, but my time is limited. We are having the Williams Christmas this evening, and my family is waiting for my return to start the festivities (yes, I am still posting on the run...this time from the house of some family friends...I really need a laptop).

Must. Post. Now.

Begin.

Last. Night. Craig. Bloomington. Julia. Not. Sleep. Ellen. Exhausted.

Today. Grace. Throw. Object. Toilet. Clogged. Must. Call. Plumber.

Leaving. Indiana. Grammy. Relieved. House. Disaster.

Stop.

Just to make things interesting

We decided to take a trip to the Emergency Room today.

Okay, you can call me paranoid. I deserve it.

This morning we took the girls to visit with Laura, Mike and Anne. We had some small gifts to exchange for Christmas since we won't see eachother over that holiday. During our visit, I took Grace to the potty. She sat down, and as soon as she started to pee she yelped "Mommy, it hurts!"

Given that she just finished her last dose of antibiotics four days ago, we were primed for concern. We made a quick call to Lynne, and she advised us to take her to the hospital just up the road from her house.

Thankfully the ER was slow. If only Grace were able to pee on command, it would have been a very short visit. In the end we spent a couple of hours walking to and from the bathroom with samples that were too small. In the end (after coaxing her to drink nearly half a liter of water) she gave a good sample.

The good news is that it didn't show any signs of infection, but her little parts are pretty inflamed. She needs to keep drinking lots of fluids and take extra care to avoid irritating an already sore area. We will find out about her culture in another 48 hours.

I am kicking myself a little bit for making the trip, but then again, we are very far from home. She is barely over a UTI that persisted for a month. I think I can cut myself some slack for being a worry wart!

We have one more full day in Indy, and then it's off to Michigan to visit with my family. I can only hope that the rest of our trip is boring!

On this day

I give thanks to…

Craig, for being my partner, my best friend, and a wonderful father. You are my love.

Grace, for making me laugh and making me love more.

Julia, for making me a mother for the second time and filling my heart with joy.

My mom, for her supreme sense of humor and for understanding who I am as a mother.

My dad, for being head over heels in love with my girls.

Betsy, for telling me I’m beautiful when I’m feeling low and for always, always listening.

My grandma, for a lifetime of memories filled with love.

Quentin, for being my soul sister and for knowing and loving the real me.

Mom Byron, for her unwavering support and pride in our little family.

Dad Byron, for teaching Grace to walk backwards and being a great Poppy.

Nina, for loving me.

Mary, for being my cheerleader and constant champion.

Matt, for reclaiming his life and teaching me about gratitude.

Dan, for giving the very best bear hugs.

Sarah, for always checking her email and replying with wit, wisdom and support.

Paul, for being a softie.

Wendy, for loving Paul and Taylor.

Mike, for teasing Craig and keeping him straight.

Laura, for giving me perspective.

Ani, for being my saving grace in Macon.

Jeri, for making it to the hospital on time.

Belynda, for teaching me to trust my body.

Yosi and Aaron, for keeping their doors open to us.

Mindy, for being vulnerable.

Vicki, for reminding me that “this too shall pass.”

Bryan, for enriching my life with music.

Ms. Flanders, for teaching Grace with love.

And for those who remain unnamed, I thank you for the thousands of shared moments that remind me how wonderful it is to be alive, to love and to be loved.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Say Cheese

All events with children in the equation result in a little chaos. Imagine this: it’s 6:30 pm (a witching hour for many toddlers), and we have three little ones (ages six months, 16 months and three years) and six adults in a room filled with photographic equipment. Parents and Grammy are singing loudly to encourage smiles, and children are alternately picking their noses, pulling up their skirts, and scooting out of the room mid-picture. It was bedlam.

Julia is teething (this time the top two are just about to break through), so not only was she not smiling, but she also had at least one finger in her mouth the entire time, drool cascading down her chin and onto her dress. Grace was, well, typical Grace. She was very cheeky for the camera, posing like a Cheshire cat. Anne had the best smiles, but she was also the fastest escape artist, making a break for the living room at every opportunity. That we managed to get a photo with all of us seated at the same time is nothing short of miraculous. And you can be sure that they will be posted as soon as we get copies.

Tomorrow is turkey day, and I intend to write a post of thanks. This has been a year of great change for us, with many things for which I am thankful. At this very moment, however, my list is rather short: I am thankful that both Grace and Julia are sleeping. I hope they stay in that state for at least eight more hours.

Safe Arrival

We arrived safely in Indiana after two days of driving. The trip went reasonably well; though Julia is not the best traveler. She detests her car seat, but who can blame her. She's nearly busting out of it.

Our trip was made much easier because of the Davis family's hospitality. Gramps and Gran-Sally provided warm and comfortable beds for four weary Byrons and filled our tummies with a delicious pizza dinner. Thank you, Bill and Sally.

In place of any more relevant picture I have posted a GoogleEarth image depicting the field site at which Craig will be collecting fossils from January 3rd-13th. This "badlands" locality is inside Big Bend National Park in remote West Texas on the Rio Grande River. Craig is chomping at the bit for this paleontology/camping adventure he will carry out with colleagues from the University of Texas at Austin.

Going, going, gone

Bags packed, camera stowed (sorry, no picture today). I had one more post I wanted to write about the neighborhood. I even had the title ("where the sidewalk ends"), but Oprah threw my posting schedule off.

We leave today at noon for Nashville. We will spend the night with Quentin's parents and then head onto Indy the following morning. After Turkey Day the girls and I will go up to Michigan to spend some time with my family in Spring Lake. We will be gone for a total of three weeks, and I know that I will be missing home (possibly even Macon) by the time we return. This will be the longest stretch that Craig and I have been apart since we got married. It's also the longest he will have been away from the girls.

I'm going to do my best to continue posting for the month of November, but it feels like my posts may be on the downhill slide. How does one top Oprah anyway?

curse my busy life

To make myself feel better about missing out on Oprah tickets, I have told myself that I'm simply too busy, my life is too full, to even contemplate watching TV at 4 pm.

Well, damn, my busy life.

Oprah wasn't shooting a show about small town America (which is what I had heard). She chose to film her "favorite things" episode here (you know, the one where she highlights her favorites and gives them out to her audience). Why Macon? Because more people watch Oprah in central Georgia than anywhere else in the US.

That is everyone, but me.

Oh, well. Truth be told I watch Oprah infrequently. I can't remember the last time it was on. If she managed to find someone home at four with their TV tuned to her show, that person deserved tickets far more than me.

You aren't going to believe this

First off, good news on Grace (we think). The nurse called, and Grace's urine culture came back clear for bad bacteria. Why the pus and blood? We don't really know, but she is drinking A LOT of liquid today to flush her little system. Keep your fingers crossed.

That wasn't the only development yesterday. This one you're not going to believe.

At 4:10 pm there was a knock on my door, followed by a doorbell ring. Oprah Winfrey was standing on my porch.

I'm not joking. Seriously, Oprah Winfrey came to my house.

I answered the door and said "Oh My God, Oprah Winfrey is at my house."

Oprah: "It's four o'clock, what are you doing?"

Me: "Come on in" (Oprah enters with a woman carrying a camera and a very large bodyguard) "I'm sorry but I'm not watching Oprah on TV."

Oprah: (enters my living room to confirm that her show isn't on my TV) "You're not watching?"

Me: "I have two babies sleeping right now. I was keeping the house quiet, so the TV isn't on."

Oprah: "Well, we gotta go then."

Me: "It's nice to have you in the neighborhood."

Of course, I called everyone I know in the next five minutes to tell them what happened. There was a fair amount of confusion about why she left so quickly (I think she was in search of someone watching Oprah, so she could give them tickets to the show she is filming in Macon today).

I spent a little bit of time yesterday kicking myself that I didn't have the TV turned on. When I told my good friend Nina, she said "I think it's great: great that Oprah is in town filming a show, and great that you have so many things in your life that you don't have time to watch Oprah."

She's so right. I had much bigger things on my mind yesterday, the health of my oldest child for one. That tops Oprah any day.

When I shut the door after Oprah departed, I realized that Grace was sitting at the top of the stairs, very much awake.

"Who was that woman, mommy?" she said.

"That was Oprah Winfrey."

"Well she woke me up from my nap."

Yes, she did. You see here's the funny thing: Oprah may have the biggest book club in the world, but she can't actually read. I have a sign posted over my doorbell that reads "PLEASE KNOCK, Thank you". I often have one or more small children sleeping in the house, and I don't want them to be woken with a doorbell.

Oprah looked at my sign and rang the bell.

life as her mother

They tell you having children changes your life. You agree, thinking that you know what they mean.

But you don't.

Not really, not until you have one of your own.

Now I understand why a mama grizzly bear will shred a person who gets between her and her cub. M-U-S-T P-R-O-T-E-C-T is engrained into every fiber of your being when that baby crowns and you push her out into the world.

I watch Grace's body, long and lean, as she runs and plays, and I ache to protect her, though I know that I can't and in some instances I shouldn't, from all of the hurts in the world.

Grace had a follow-up appointment with her pediatrician yesterday, and they found pus and blood in her urine sample. What this means is unclear. Is her UTI still unresolved? If so, she will have been sick with it for over a month.

I am waiting, anxiously, as any mother would, for the results of her urine culture. She is irritable and clingy. I am feeling like a grizzly.

NaBloPoMo Day 15

Fifteen down, fifteen more to go. I think in order to be eligible for NaBloPoMo I have to be the one to post every day. That said, Craig's post below is far more inspired than what I could come up with today. I will end my post here, and simply add a picture from the neighborhood.

Centenary Steeple

"Mary had a little man..."

Somedays I feel like a better father than others. This morning got off to a frustrating start. In my defense I must say it is hard to maintain one's composure when you are awoken at 5 AM with your child (who refused to eat dinner) complaining about being hungry. I resisted the futile attempt of trying to explain that if she ate dinner at night she would not be feeling so hungry in the morning. Unfortunately Grace's early morning wake up call was accompanied by her opening and shutting her door forcibly. I know she was not trying to slam her door and be loud, but for Grace there is no volume below "maximum". Of course Grace's morning calls woke up Julia which pushed me over my limit...(i.e. my temper got the best of me). Soon after Grace was screaming at me from her bed telling me to "leave her room" and that I am a "mean guy".

I retreated to my bed as Ellen got Julia back to sleep. Of course, then it was 5:15 AM, I was awake, Grace was hurt, and I felt terrible about what just happened. By 5:45 Grace was singing "Mary had a little lamb" from her bed. I decided to just get up with her and try to get our day on the right track. I retrieved Grace and we made our way downstairs for what has proved to be a perfectly typical morning with smoothies, coffee, toast, and some play. The resilience of children is amazing. My only hope is that there are few residual scars from these bad morning encounters.

What made the morning so much easier for me was listening to Grace sing when I went to retrieve her. I realized her choice of lyrics and felt compelled to share them. To the tune of "Mary had a little lamb", she sang:

Mary had a little man, little man, little man
Mary had a little man, and police came out of snow

How is that for cuteness?

Craig

the western edge

Mercer's alumni house (pictured above) sits at the western boundary of our neighborhood. When Craig came to interview, this is where he stayed. Little did he know that he would be offered the job or that we would buy a house just two blocks from his lodging.

Mercer's role in revitalizing our neighborhood can't be understated. As I wrote about earlier the University gave us a forgivable second mortgage for settling here, and remains one of the key partners (along with the Knight Foundation and the City) working to ensure the neighborhood's success.

This wasn't always the case. In the 1980's and early 90's, faced with increasing crime and blight surrounding the campus, Mercer erected fences and became quite insulated. Memory is very long in Beall's Hill, and to this day some of the long-standing residents still harbor suspicions about Mercer's intentions.

In a recent conversation a man told me that Mercer intended to purchase the entire neighborhood and turn it into student rentals. When I disagreed with him, he told me that I didn't know Mercer. Obviously this is a hurdle that the University must continue to overcome.

Mercer v Alabama

While Macon doesn't meet the criteria of a college town, there is certainly a lot of spirit on Mercer's campus today. As some of you may know, the Mercer men's basketball team defeated No. 18 USC in Los Angeles over the weekend. They're up against the Crimson Tide tonight in a game that looks to be sold out.

Craig managed to get a great ticket for the game, so he will attend (as soon as he helps me get the girls to bed that is). Who knows if the boys really have a chance, but it should be interesting to watch.

The reality is that nothing can put Mercer on the map like another win. I suppose it's somewhat of a sad commentary, but Mercer's financial and enrollment goals would be met (if not exceeded) should the team play well. Go Bears!

Just look at the picture

Tree in the middle of Tatnall Park

__________________________________________________

Stop reading if you don't want to hear me complain......

We woke yesterday to an infant covered in snot. It was matted in her hair, on her bunny, and all over her sheets. When we heard her wheezy cry, Craig went to get her out of the crib. I stumbled into the bathroom, my head pounding, to get a drink of water before nursing her. My eyes felt like they were on fire, and as I looked in the mirror the reason for that became clear. There was green goo covering my lids.

I have bacterial conjunctivitis AKA pink eye.

What the #$%@!

The last time I had pink eye was high school (that time was the viral form). From what I gather, Julia's cold (which she got from Grace who got it from Craig) isn't giving me respiratory issues, it's making my eyes boogery. Thankfully, I have antibiotic eye ointment (unopened from the last time Grace had conjuctivitis).

We spent the bulk of the yesterday disinfecting the house. I did three loads of laundry on hot with bleach added. We used a container of clorox wipes on the door handles, light switches, you name it. My eyes are a little better today. I don't look like a drunk at least. Julia's nose is clearer as well.

I really don't care that this post reads like a pity party. It took all of my reserves yesterday to not break down and cry. I wish there was a rental service for grandmothers. We could use one right now.

My Top Ten

I heard from my mom this morning, and she finds my posts about the neighborhood to be a little depressing. I guess they are, but living with a mix of poverty and progress is my reality these days (aside from sick children, that is). She wondered why I hadn't posted any pictures from the new houses that have been built, so I'm going to remedy that right now.





In addition, I thought I would post my Top Ten Reasons for Living Here:

10. A Network for Revitalization. We know that revitalizing this neighborhood is a priority for the city of Macon. There are multiple organizations working hard to ensure that this neighborhood is a success. These include the Landbank Trust, the Housing Authority, Mercer University, Historic Macon Foundation, the Knight Foundation, and Centenary United Methodist Church (to name a few).

9. Mercer Functions. From plays to concerts to basketball games, we have only a short walk to take advantage of the many programs that Mercer offers. We have listened to concert pianists and choirs at no cost (talk about a cheap date).

8. Tatnall Park. Two and a half blocks from our house is the second largest city park in Macon. I take the girls there regularly. Being able to walk to the park is a huge benefit.

7. The Money. As an incentive to buy in the neighborhood Mercer gave us a forgivable second mortgage for 15 grand. Each year three thousand of that is forgiven. In addition, the state of Georgia provides a five thousand dollar tax rebate for living in a rehabilitated historic property, and our taxes are frozen at historic levels for nine years.

6. Schools. Two blocks from our house is the top rated elementary school in Bibb County. Alexander II is a Math and Science Magnet school (though it scores at the top of the charts for all disciplines). Because we live in this neighborhood we are given preference for Grace to attend Alex II. We couldn't hope for a better elementary school education for her.

5. Community. From the moment we took possession of this house, people in the community reached out to us. On countless occasions people in and out of the neighborhood have expressed their appreciation for our commitment to living here. We know all of our neighbors. We talk to them on a daily basis, and we look out for eachother. Not since I lived in the UP have I had such a sense of community.

4. Living our Values. Prior to living in this house Craig and I often dreamed of living in a neighborhood with diversity (in both color and class). It's important for us to raise our children with a sense of the haves and have nots. Our neighborhood provides daily teachable moments on these topics, and we do feel as though we are living our values.

3. Location. Given what I have posted some people may find this reason a little crazy, but it's true. Location is a great asset for our family. It takes Craig seven minutes to walk from our front door to his office. He comes home for lunch nearly every day. With work so close, we have been able to sell our second car.

2. The house. I may never again live in a house with this much character. We have the old charm of 11 foot ceilings and heart of pine floors, BUT the house has been completely rehabed. This means things like the 7 foot windows in the front room are brand new, and so is the heating/cooling, plumbing and electric. We could not have afforded this house in any other neighborhood. A different location would easily add 50,000 to the price tag.

1. Each of the reasons above contributes to our success and happiness as a family. With two small children I can't think of a better place to be. Craig is so close that I never feel isolated, and our cost of living is so low that I am able to be at home with the girls. Staying home makes our lives run smoothly. In short, it contributes to a general sense of well being and happiness. For someone who battles depression, I can't think of a better number one.

no neighborhood picture today

We are leaving for Indiana in a little over a week, so today was spent running errands in preparation for that trip. Thus no photo was taken, but I did shoot a video of Grace yesterday. It doesn't follow my This is Macon theme all that well. Though the park where she is playing is only two and half blocks from our house (across from Mercer's campus), and is a major positive on our list of things we like about Beall's Hill.



Likewise, I decided to add a couple of photos I took of the girls yesterday. Grace is on her second antibiotic, and we think that she's improving (though in all honesty, it's hard to tell; no accidents is our standard for improvement). Julia now has a cold on top of teething, so my little bug is very out of sorts. She wants nothing more than to be held by me or Craig the entire time she is awake. Next week will undoubtedly bring a brand new challenge...I just hope it doesn't involve anyone getting sick.

Them's good eatin'

We are in the midst of a record breaking drought. Our spring was exceptionally dry, and the fall is proving to be just as parched. There are few benefits to being this dehydrated. The most notable of which is a bumper pecan crop. Growers are expecting a banner harvest.

Uncultivated pecan trees grow all around Macon, including one in our back yard. Thanks to some recent tree pruning, we have been able to collect a three gallon bucket full of nuts (pictured above). They are smaller than cultivated varierties, but the flavor is just as good. Craig and I plan to spend a lot of time this weekend shelling the nuts and stocking our freezer. Given the amount we have collected, I may also need to roast some of the whole nuts to preserve them without refrigeration.

We aren't the only ones to benefit from the pecans. We have a pair of squirrels who have stocked their larder with nuts from our tree. Unfortunately, said larder was in our attic. For the last two months, we have been battling this couple. And they are formidable. The tree pruning I mentioned above was done to prevent them from accessing the house. It took the squirrels three days to find an alternate route to the roof; a route that required them to leap over seven feet from a mulberry tree at the back of the house.

My mild mannered husband was nearly apoplectic over the squirrels. I wasn't too thrilled either; their incessant gnawing was annoying and frustrating (all I could think about was the damage being done to the roofline). We tried driving them out with a combination of critter ridder and loud music in the attic (turns out they like NPR at full blast). We then resorted to having eight limbs trimmed from our trees (not the cheapest option, but we thought it would be effective). Finally, when Craig observed squirrels making the leap from the mulberry, he took out a hack saw and went to work. I was ready for him to cut the mulberry down completely, but each spring it fills with Cedar Waxwings on their migration north.

We have spent a total of 420 dollars doing battle with them, and up until last night, the squirrels were winnning. What they hadn't counted on was the lengths to which Craig will go when he's a little mad. After trimming the mulberry, it was clear that we had trapped one of the squirrels in the house. Given Craig's vocation he has access to things like live animal traps, and this is where the squirrels met their downfall.

Last night as I prepared dinner, I heard a thud; it was the trap falling from the roof onto our back porch. I looked out the window onto the porch, and there inside the trap was a very scared squirrel. She should have been scared. Back porch kitty was already circling. I yelled to Craig "we have a live one!" He was THRILLED, absolutely thrilled. I'm not sure what this says about him, but I think I should post a warning to all other nuisance animals: beware! anatomist on premises.

As Craig retrieved the trap, our back yard neighbor, Amanda, yelled to him: "Whatchya gonna do with that squirrel?"

Craig: "I'm going to take it into work and deal with it there."
[again, he's an anatomist, I'm sure you know what he means by that.]

Amanda: "Well, them's good eatin."

They may be good eatin', but I'm going to stick to pecans.

New Grace Artwork

Hello all, Craig here posting another piece of Grace artwork. This drawing is of interest because it represents a gorilla. For those who don't know, I had an extremely fond affection for gorillas as a young lad. In fact, I was so fond of them that I begged and pleaded with my mom for a stuffed animal gorilla. This story has become a bit of Byron family lore. Another bit of family lore that relates to this drawing pertains to the round objects drawn between the gorilla's legs. No these are not gonads (to use a neutral anatomical term) but rather the animals buttocks (again, another neutral anatomical term). When I was hospitalized for an infection caused by stepping on a toothpick and having it break off into my foot, I had a similar illustrative epiphany. Those in the know might remember the buttocks I drew onto my Bert (Sesame Street) doll. The doll still exists at my parents house, and Grace has seen it. Although I think the anatomically correct modifications I made as a 6 year-old will make a little more sense to her now.

sick, sick and teething

This will be really short. I'm fighting off another round of mastitis and possibly the flu (it's so hard to tell; my last round with mastitis certainly felt flu-ish). Grace is home because I suspect that her UTI is back. Julia is teething (tooth number two broke through last night). Anyone want to trade places with me?

I went to bed at 7:30 last night aching all over. Craig didn't get Grace down until 10:15. She ran to the the bathroom six times, and she complained that her tummy hurts (a side effect of her antibiotics, I think). I have a call into the pediatrician this morning to check on her cultures and determine if we need a different medication. Thankfully, her doctor is quite opposed to antibiotics, so I trust that she really needs them if he writes a prescription.

I'm going to cheat and post a picture that I took yesterday. This is a burned out house in the sketchier section of Beall's Hill.

Labels

One of the surprises we have encountered living in our neighborhood is how easily we are labeled. If you live in one of the more manicured portions of Macon our existence in Beall's Hill screams bleeding heart liberal. If you're one of the poorer members of our community then we're just those rich, white people living in that big house.

The truth is somewhere in between, and it almost doesn't matter. After all perception is reality for most of us, and Craig and I do perceive ourselves as liberal (but not bleeding heart). We don't think of ourselves as rich; though by the standards that some live in our neighborhood, we certainly are. We struggle at the end of the month like many do, but all of our needs are met. That's not true for many of the inhabitants of the Hill.

Many days I don't want the labels. We reach out to those around us, hoping to create a sense of community, take down the walls of class and color that separate us. It works sometimes.

premature

Hurried picture, hurried post. I really spoke too soon when I said that Julia was having an easy time with teething. I don't think I have had a single moment to myself today (aside from the brief naps she took which at least allowed me to bathe and brush my teeth). As I write this Grace is fixated on the TV watching a show that I don't normally let her see. Groan.

I had planned on taking a picture of some of the new homes in the neighborhood, but I got so distracted by the amount of garbage clogging our roadways that I couldn't think straight. Craig has become the defacto grabage man of the neighborhood. He takes Grace out weekly with old grocery bags to collect the remains of the week: krystal take out packages, coffee cups, various beer and liquor containers. On the positive side, Grace is a complete litter-nut. She lectures us on the need to clean one's space. The downside is that there's never an end to the refuse. Poor people=lots of garbage; a fact that Craig came upon when researching neighborhood clean-ups. But I'm rambling...garbage does that to me. It also makes me think what the hell are we doing here.

Pictured below is a boarded up business two blocks from my house. In the charette (sponsored by the Knight Foundation and the University of Miami School of Architecture), there were plans for this to be converted into retail space. My great concern is that it will become another liquor store.

Rest In Peace...a good dog is gone

I just learned today that one of the sweetest, most loving dogs I have ever known died last month. I knew Murray when he was only a puppy, and I shared a house with his owner, Heather. He was an exceptionally energetic pup and remained so for much of his life. I had the good fortune to see him one last time when Craig and I traveled to Minnesota for Heather's wedding last August. While he was confined to a wheelchair, his Murray essence remained: ever loving, ever loyal. He truly was a great companion, better than many humans I know. Rest in peace, buddy, you will always be loved.

In the process

Yesterday's post included a picture of a condemned house. This property will either be destroyed or rehabilitated by the Historic Macon Foundation (HMF; the organization that restored our home). HMF recently received a grant for over 700,000 dollars to restore homes in our neighborhood. They currently have three in process (including the one pictured below).



Developments such as these give Craig and I hope that indeed our neighborhood will turn around (after all we've banked a lot of money on that). In the 16 months that we've lived here an additional 14 new homes have been constucted, with nine of those now occupied. Given how close we live to Mercer's campus, there's a risk that many of these homes will be turned into student rentals. At present, only three of the new homes serve that population, but we are working to ensure that future contracts include covenants that the properties need to be owner occupied. It's not that I have anything against the students, but rentals drive the value of our home down (since I don't know how long I can actually stand to live in Macon, we need our house to maintain it's resale value).

But that's enough about the neighborhood. After all my family comes to the site for updates on my kids.

This morning I realized that Julia has her first tooth. It's the bottom left incisor, and it has just broken through the surface. I can feel its mate on the right is not far behind. Since I didn't actually know that she was getting a tooth, I am taking this as a good sign that teething won't be a terrible process. Grace was a really good teether. Only her molars gave her problems. Keep your fingers crossed.

The view from here

Call me crazy, but for some reason I decided to join NaBloPoMo, or National Blog Posting Month. The only requirement is that I post every day for the month of November. Like most spur of the moment decisions, I put absolutely no thought into the fact that we will be travelling at the end of the month. I'm going to give it my best, but I'm not entirely sure how I will accomplish posting from the road.

I'm also concerned whether or not I will actually have something interesting to write about for a whole month. I hope that I don't bore my family to tears. I'll try to stay away from posts about bodily functions (I do have a three year old and five month old, so that's pretty difficult).

There are some posts that ruminate in my mind for awhile before I put them out for the world (i.e. my postpartum post), so this month may provide me with an opportunity to put a pen to some of those ruminations. The most prominent of which are a series of posts I would like to write about living in Macon, and more specifically, living in a transitional neighborhood. That's where I got the idea for the title of this post, the view from here.


The photo above was taken from my front porch; it is my view of the world every day I descend our stairs and look out the front door. For those who wonder what "transitional" means in the context of a neighborhood, this picture illustrates that concept quite well. We live in one of the houses that has actually transitioned from being derelict to pretty wonderful (watch a video here). Living in an environment of such extremes (e.g. condemned vs rehabed homes) messes with my brain on a regular basis. And I suppose my goal in posting about our neighborhood and/or Macon is to air some of those thoughts and perhaps gain some clarity on our choice of living space. If nothing else, I will have a lot of material to work with.

To help document our life in this neighborhood, I'm going to take a daily photo. This has dual purposes. One, it will get Julia and I out of the house, and two, there's some pretty hysterical stuff to take pictures of out there. So here's to my month of posting, day four already completed.

(And for those looking for pics of Aunt B's visit, go here).

Rolling, rolling, rolling....

Just about a month and a half ago Julia learned to roll from her stomach onto her back. Once she completed the roll she almost always grabbed her foot and put it in her mouth to chew on her toes. How I wish I had that kind of flexibility.

Since that time we have been waiting for her to learn to roll in the opposite direction, from back to tummy, and last week she made her first attempt. Since then she's been going back and forth, tummy to back, back to tummy, clearly thrilled with her new skills. This is just the first step of many towards mobility, and one that gives me pause. She's growing up too fast! Here is a very short video of her roll.



In other news, Aunt Betsy is here for a visit, and the girls are thrilled. B makes it no secret that her goal is to be the favorite aunt. I hate to say it, but Laura and Wendy have some very fierce competition. I don't think that Bets will actually let anyone else be a favorite. Photos of her and the girls will be posted tomorrow.

Halloween Reconsidered...

Dear all,

I am slightly ashamed to admit that this may be my (Craig's) first post on the new family blog. It's not like I have just been sitting around with my finger up my nose while Ellen has been blogging. I have fallen into a bad habit of leaning on Ellen to be the family voice. Well, here is one small step towards me regaining my own voice. Allow me to explain a little more about Halloween.

I think Ellen feels a little guilty for being such a grinch about the costumed festivities this October. I use the word grinch as Ellen's choice, not mine. She had very good reasons for grinching out, as pulling ourselves together proved difficult this year. Her enthusiasm for the holidays outmatches my own, and it is a tribute to the importance of holidays in her own childhood memories that this is so. I have become much less of a skeptical, sarcastic, cynical holiday grouch because of Ellen. So where was I .... oh yes, Halloween. On the 31st I asked Grace multiple times if she would like to go to the In-Town Macon Neighborhood Association Halloween party (which was being held at the home of colleagues of mine from the Philosophy department). I actually wanted to go because I knew it was going to be fun for adults too, so when Grace told me she would rather stay home, eat dinner, take a bath, and hang with mommy and daddy, I kept pushing. I asked her in several ways, many times. I even included the information that there would be cookie decoration and candy all while wearing her purple butterfly costume. She did not bite.

Yes. Now we know that she has been suffering from a urinary tract infection and we both feel like insensitive parents. Mark another one up in the "mom and dad can be idots too" column.

Regretfully yours,

Craig

What? You mean she's not a pain in the neck, she's just sick.

Yep, that's right, all bad behavior needs to be re-examined in the light of new evidence. Just about a week ago Grace started having night time accidents. This was a bit disconcerting, but not nearly as much as the daytime accidents that began soon after. Craig and I wracked our brains, what the heck was going on? Was this behavioral? We went so far as to take away some of Grace's toys to induce peeing on the potty. This was only mildly successful.

At one point, I whined to my mom about the situation, and she suggested that perhaps Grace had a UTI. I dismissed this because Grace exhibited no other symptoms (note to self, your mother does actually know best). Regardless, yesterday Grace had a record four accidents, and I quickly surmised that SOMETHING VERY WRONG was happening. Last night, we decided that a trip to the pediatrician in the morning was in order. As if we needed any additional evidence, she slept in until 8:00 am. This event, in and of itself, would have been enough to send me running to the doctor. To my knowledge, she has never slept that long! But I digress. We met with Dr. Kallay this afternoon, and sure enough her urine was full of puss and blood. Oh great, let's just nominate me for the most clueless parent of the week. Antiobiotics in hand, she will be on the mend soon.

Miss Lucy