Bye, Bye Blue Roof

I got my new roof for Christmas. They put it on last Wednesday which happened to be the same day that I had a miserable cold. Fortunately I was able to synchronize my coughing with the pounding. It's gorgeous and I will stop fearing the rain now.

The Husband, Addy and I headed up to South Carolina for Christmas late in the afternoon on Thursday. During the drive up I found A Prairie Home Companion on NPR and got a flashback to our evacuation out of Louisiana nearly a week after the storm. At the time, PHC was at the Minnesota State Fair and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band was playing. The audience was going wild for them and Keillor made mention of how everyone was thinking of New Orleans at that time. I remembered hearing that broadcast and my eyes filling with tears. I remembered the uncertainty and the helplessness of having to leave.

When you talk to people day to day about where they went after the storm, all of the stories start the same: "Well, we only packed three days worth of clothes." I guess that would be a good title for a book of essays, "Three Days Worth". I've also come up with a children's book entitled, "The Wind that Blew My Friends Away" but that's much to depressing to think about right now.

I was talking to The Husband about how I've developed an "us versus them" mentality towards people who weren't living here before the storm. With the whole country developing opinions as to how we should rebuild our city, I think that people forget that when they have a New Orleanian in their presence, the debate to rebuild the levees is not polite conversation. In addition, to cancel Mardi Gras is impossible. It'd be like canceling the 4th of July or Christmas. All of these are actual dates on the calendar. The city can refuse to permit the floats to go down the streets but there is a lot more to Carnivale than boobs and beads. Few people know that.

Although I try to see the progress that is happening here, there are days when it all looks so bleak. There are trucks and trailers parked in what were once open fields. The military presence has lowered but is by no means gone. Up until recently, we had to contend with curfew when departing on or returning from long car trips. On our return from S.C., we came into the city over the Twin Span on I10 for the first time. A once well lit area of the city booming with car dealerships and box stores was black for miles. This was a wakeup call as to how much work still needs to be completed and how many people need to move back. While those of us who live along the river can try to get back to "normal", the others are still trying to get back.

Addy and I leave for Vermont to see my side of the family so that they can meet her for the first time. I always love returning to the Green Mountain State but it becomes harder and harder for me to leave New Orleans since the storm. I feel like I'm turning my back on her even though there are days that I just want to pack up and start anew.

The Horror

This is 19 pounds, 8 ounces, 25 and 3/4 inches worth of outgrown baby clothes.


Addy had her four month doctor appointment yesterday and got the seal of approval which happened to be a Strawberry Shortcake sticker on her toes. She is still in the 95% which is pretty damn big but proportionate so that's good. She got two more shots and this is the first time that she was obviously bothered by them so we broke down and gave her some infant Tylonal. This is a pretty big deal that we even had something to give her since the only pain killer that we have in the house is an expired bottle of Aleve.

She's doing better today so we went for a walk and met our next door neighbors of two years for the first time. We chatted with the roofer who will start tomorrow, YIPPEE! We no longer have to be afraid of the rain.

Dear Adelaide: Month Four

Dear Addy,

You're learning lots of new tricks but I know that in actuality you've only just begun. You've finally figured out how to get a solitary finger in your mouth. You haven't settled on a favorite just yet but I'm glad that you have found something other than me to suck on.


We still can't get you to take a bottle but you have become much more tolerant of your father which is a blessing as he now has no excuse not to be left alone with you for a couple of hours at a time. You might be teething too but we'll get more news on that at your next appointment.

Some days I feel like the best mom in the world, anticipating your every move. Other days I can't get you to stop fussing. Even on the days when I can't seem to soothe you, I still can't think of anything that I would rather be doing. I have never loved a job more.


You spend a lot of time on my lap but when you can't stand being held anymore or when I simply am not able to hold you, into the rocking chair you go! It's the most versatile piece of baby furniture that we have: playpen, straight jacket and crib.

You made your first buddy this month, his name is Krispin and you were both very interested in each other. He's five months older than you and you guys watched each other for as long as your tiny attention spans would allow. I couldn't take my eyes of him either. He had so many tricks up his sleeve like patty-cake, crawling, eating and drinking from a cup. I can't believe that you will soon be doing those too.

I've started to think about traditions that I want to share or start anew with you so we went to Celebration in the Oaks this year. You loved all of the lights and the music.


We had a fabulous photo shoot for our 2005 greeting cards. If I haven't yet given enough reasons to be declared unfit, putting you in that Santa hat should be enough to push anyone over the edge. I'm surprised that it didn't hop off and walk away on its own. Don't ask where the pom-pom went and why it was replaced with a pink bunny - I simply don't remember.


Love,

Mommy

Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen.

Despite my many trials yesterday (including nearly taking out a cop car and backing into a truck verrrrry slowly - no damage), I managed to get something done. I gave up my pig tails for the typical new mom do - a smart lookin' bob. Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that I always revert back to this cut. However, it was imparative this time due to Addy's new grasping abilities and the massive amounts of hair that keep falling out of my head.

The Associated Press was at Messiah rehearsal last night doing a feel good story about New Orleans. Keep an eye out for me and my sassy hair on your news station if they pick up the story.

The Power of Three

I packed Addy into her stroller today to run some errands. As I was crossing the street and keeping an eye on traffic, I neglected to look where I was going, stepped into a pothole and fell. I instinctively clung to the stroller so that it didn't go out into traffic and tried to catch myself on my knees - lost my balance again and caught myself on my face. My cheek made contact with the asphalt. The stroller went over backwards but so gently and slowly that Addy only looked at me quizzically from her new vantage point.

Later, after running errands and on my way home, I stopped to get a bubble tea for the first time in ages. I promptly dropped it not one block from where I bought it.

Finally, once I returned home and swore not to leave the house for the rest of the day, I thought I'd straighten out a pantry door that I had installed poorly. With a screwdriver in one hand, the door slipped from my other knocking over a domed cake platter causing it to crash all over the kitchen floor. Addy screamed, again, unharmed but shaken and the cats, well I probably won't see them until tomorrow.

No Man's Land

Today Addy and I had lunch with two other new mothers who I used to work with. We chatted about Mom things ... solid food, milestones and whether or not to tell your husband if Baby fell onto her head because you are a bad mother (general consensus is to keep mum unless there is evidence).

We all have different things going on in our lives from full time work to total home renovation but we all agreed that it's not worth changing clothes after getting spit up on. I for one have started wearing more light colors and if I'm in line at the post office and Addy hurls all over the floor, I simply whip out the burp cloth - if that's unavailable, I have been known to us my sweater. Yeah, it's gross but so is curdled breast milk all over Addy's face when I'm trying to be taken seriously by a contractor.

Yesterday I found myself in the car with a sleeping baby and rather than waste the quiet time by returning to the house, I ventured out into No Man's Land a.k.a. Lakeview a.k.a. The 17th Street Canal. I hadn't been out there yet. Depsite what CNN has been showing since the storm, affluent areas were hit too. Thousands of white people cannot get back into their neighborhoods and many white people drowned in their homes. In addition, not every black person here is poor and spent three days on their roof because "mandatory evacuation" did not apply to them. Everything is about race in this damn city. Even the great debate as to when to hold elections this year comes down to race.

Anyway that's not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about the progress I saw. Every home out there needs to be gutted and many were on their way. The damage was so extensive that I don't know if I could do it. At least in my neighborhood and the surrounding areas there are enough businesses back that you can feel some sense of normalcy - out there it's just empty. The silence is overwhelming.

Come What May

There's a new Blue Cross commercial that is so sappy, I love it. The Husband even knows now to pause on it while channel surfing so I can sing along. A lone singer expresses post Katrina feelings as images of locals rebuilding the city flash on the screen. It makes me tear up every time even though I know it's ridiculous.

This is our love; this is our life;
This is our home; Louisiana.
This is our day; come what may;
This is our home.

Addy saw her first movie yesterday which was the new Harry Potter. Fortunately the theater was mostly empty and the best thing about movie theaters is that you can whip out your boob and no one will notice. Of course this is something that most people figure out in high school but I always watched the movies I paid to see. Addy startled at the loud noises in the beginning but then snoozed for a while. We then tried to press our luck and have a fancy dinner out for The Husband's birthday and it went well until some lady leaned over a sleeping Addy and expressed loudly how good she was. Thanks lady. Fortunately we were just starting on desert so most of the meal was eaten without incident.

World Leader Pretend

I dreamt early this morning that I was in a public bathroom, kind of like the ones you would find at a state park or campground. It must have been co-ed because Janet was there, an alto that I sing with as well as the president. Mr. President was asking Janet about he weather and a hurricane that was coming through. Janet told him what she knew but assured him that he was privy to more accurate information than she. He replied that perhaps he was but he liked to get his information from the common people.

Then the president went into a stall and took a leak.

My dream featured the President of the United States peeing. I hope that I will have subsequent dreams with other world leaders in the bathroom. Perhaps I'll see Jacques Chirac flossing or hear Tony Blair taking a dump.

Sweet Success

Last night for the first time after returning from chorus practice, I came home to a non-screaming household. Neither The Baby nor The Husband was rocking in a corner. In fact they were interacting peacefully and enjoying each other's company.

Tonight the three of us went out to dinner and I did not freak out in the restaurant when Addy started making noise. I merely picked her up and consoled her while shoveling chicken curry into my mouth.

We're making real progress.

TRASH CAN UPDATE: The second trash can reappeared next to our house. We're totally perplexed, amused and nonplussed. WTF?

It's Started

I've been dreading this faze because the baby has been so reasonable up until now. She was unable to grasp items and was therefore safe to leave next to just about anything; knives, fire, etc. Not so anymore. A disposable camera just made its way off of our desk and onto the floor and across the room.

I would also like to mention that I am typing with one hand as I slowly loose the use of my right thumb due to some major chomping action.

TRASH CAN UPDATE: I know this whole trash thing is thrilling for everyone but one of our two trash cans reappeared next to the house. I thought that I was going crazy and had to confirm with The Husband that they both were indeed missing at one point. My hunch now is that our other trash can is in the possession of our next door neighbor who rents the house out normally and does not have the common sense to know that trash cans on our side of the property line are not HIS. Wait until I see him. He should be afraid - just ask animal rescue.

Also a shout out to my brother - even if I can't ever seem to talk to you on the phone, I still love you. Also I've been giving it some thought and I don't think that you need a job just get a kid and plead your case to stay at home. Just a suggestion.

The New Normal

I was going to entitle this post "Baby Got Farts" but despite how little sleep I got last night due to passing on milk infested with asparagus? Salad? Poptarts? I am going to touch instead upon "the new normal".

First I would like to share that our brand new shiny trash cans were stolen from the side of our house the other day. You may remember what happened to the previous pair. This never would have happened if our friendly neighborhood crack dealer still lived here as he kept our block crime free. Go figure. I am hereby boycotting trash cans and am putting my trash at the curb soley in plastic bags free for every stray cat to rip into.

It is now normal to...

have to leave the city in order to mail a letter;
be seen standing in the middle of the street on my cell phone shouting my social security number;
be offered hot meals from a Red Cross truck parked on my block;
watch New Orleans Town Hall meetings on CNN;
get all of our shopping or eating out done before 7pm;
be completely without a Popeye's chicken for a 30 mile radius;
call twelve roofers in one day and feel fortunate that three called back;
consider needing a new roof "minor damage";
go to The Jewish Community Center not to use the pool but to meet with FEMA;
lose utilities for undetermined amounts of time;
and to count my blessing daily.