My PEEPS

We started our PEPS group tonight, which stands for Program for Early Parenthood Support. Dave insists on calling it PEEPS, so that's what I now consider it. A group of six or seven couples who have babies the same age get together once a week for three months to share the highs and lows of parenting, talk about life with baby, and shoot the breeze, all while missing Monday Night Football. We rotate hosting each week, and the whole deal is run by a volunteer facilitator.
[Dave wasn't even in attendance, I might add. He was playing his supposedly last softball game of the season. Edie shed one tear for her absentee father.]

Tonight was good. We shared our birth stories (which is like crack for pregnant ladies and new moms), discussed our pre-baby expectations for parenthood compared to how it actually is, and divulged our expectations for PEEPS. In a nutshell, we want cameraderie. Or the moms want cameraderie and they made the dads join. At least that's how it went down in our house. I also wanted to see other babies Edie's age, and maybe get her some baby friends.
Of course Edie wanted to eat five minutes into our introductory circle. I'm pretty modest about breastfeeding, and reluctant to feed in front of thirteen strangers. So I slinked off to the host's stairs to feed her. Meanwhile, the facilitator is explaining the ins and outs of PEEPS, and says that it's okay to feed/change/comfort your baby at PEEPS. Obviously I assumed since we all live in liberal, natural birth-centric Seattle, it was okay to feed your baby at our meetings. I just didn't want to be the first one to bare a boob. But I came out of hiding and went back to the group, where some other moms were feeding too. All in all, Edie was a peach and very interested in the host's designer lighting.

I'm looking forward to seeing our PEEPS again and introducing Dave to the group.

She smiles!

Edie has started smiling and cooing. We thought she was adorable before but this just clicks it up a notch. This morning I went in to her room and she smiled when I leaned over her crib. Her favorite place is on the changing table. She's just happy as a clam when she's there.

And here's Edie playing with her Crinkly Friend butterfly toy.

All in the Family

The last few weeks have been family-tastic. My jet-setting sis and Jeff flew out to meet Edie over Labor Day weekend. On par with Seattle's lame summer, the weather was grey, so we were all pretty content hanging around the homestead, taking turns making googly-eyes at the baby and playing Boggle on Jeff's iPhone. We also ventured out for daily Americanos, my first Bloody Mary in a long time, and some world-renowned bar-b-que down in Olympia, WA. It was a mellow but thoroughly satisfying weekend.

I get sad when I have to say good-bye to my family, but it brightens me up knowing that I'll see them again soon. I'm flying home in October with Cookie, my mother in law, to introduce Edie to our East Coast people. I'm also thinking of our trip as a trial run, because Dave and I are planning on going home for Christmas. I expect traveling with Edie at Christmas to be a little nutty.

Dave's parents have been coming down on a weekday afternoon to spend time with Edie. Cookie lets me take her car to run errands, so I've gotten a haircut and went running at Green Lake. These are the things that become a little trickier to accomplish with a little nugget. The first time I left Edie, I was going over the finer details of how to warm up her bottle and fasten a cloth diaper. Meanwhile, Art and Cookie couldn't get me out of the door fast enough. I will say, it's nice to get some time off, even if just an hour or two. Everyone wins!

Lastly, Becky (Dave's sister) came by on Saturday afternoon to whisk Edie off our hands. I used the time to study for a professional exam, while Dave vegged on the couch and watched college football. Dave suggested we go to our favorite cocktail bar, Oliver's Twist, (pending I change out of my stretch pants) and again I could see Becky thinking, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" (in a nice way).
We ponied up to the bar and realized that we hadn't been alone in a loooong time. It felt nice to have an adult conversation and a glass of wine out. After our drinks, Dave didn't twist my arm too hard to convince me to go out to dinner. I texted Becky, who swore everything was going well back at home, so we headed for some Oaxacan tapas in Ballard. When we got home at the late hour of 8pm, Edie was fast asleep in Aunt Becky's arms. Becky weathered Edie's evening freak-out session like the veteran parent that she is. Thanks Aunt Becky for date night!

More and more, Dave and I appreciate the value of being close to family. What does this mean for our move back East, I wonder?