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Saturday
Aug162008
Our New Baby (Not that one)
August 16, 2008
Thanks to all the lurkers who gifted me with their comments. I'm working on responding, because I so appreciated your words.
("Lurkers" sounds so derogatory, doesn't it? Maybe we should do something about that. Like we could call those who don't comment "Internet pixies" or "Hoverers" or "Hummingbirds" or something pretty. Just so you know, I love lurkers. Because there just isn't always something to say. And if you have nothing to say, then better to be a hummingbird.)
Anyways, for the last couple of months, on any given day you may have looked into the bedroom that my kids share and seen this:
Because it is so very rare that we have enough sun or even dry weather to dry our clothes outside. So it would end up that we let them dry in the kids' room, under the fastest fan, for approximately 48 hours, after which they still weren't dry and they smelled like the dog's tonsils. I'm not kidding. (The other day the recorded humidity here was 98%)
We were coping. Then the rains started in earnest again, and it started taking 72 hours to dry the clothes, and at one point all the clothes in the house were in the washer waiting to be dried or on the line, waiting to dry. Waiting and waiting. And Leafy was underwearless not because I chose it, but because there was not a single pair of dry undies.
I have a bed-wetter. I have a potty-trainer. And I have an older kid who still, at times, simply CANNOT TEAR HIMSELF AWAY FROM WHATEVER HE IS DOING ON TIME TO MAKE IT TO THE TOILET. You know what I mean, if you have boys.
And the idea of adding a bunch of baby diapers and clothing to the mix, adding nursing wear and the overall generosity of fluids that accompanies Newborn Land into our drying kerfuffle simply overwhelmed me.
I'll add here that we will be attempting to be infant potty training. But even here in India, the babies use diapers. There are some fairy tale books about women who know instinctively, every single time their baby needs to pee or poo, but really, it's just rather messy. It's just that you are committing yourself to the mess with the idea in mind that if you pay attention and run to the potty a lot, you can teach your kid to use it early on. I'll write more about that later.
There is no way around a lot of newborn laundry. We looked at dryers, and they were all very expensive. For us. (I was actually shocked to see a dryer in India at all. I had never seen one before.)
So, I was talking to my mom about this stuff, and she happened to be sitting next to my grandfather. They were all sitting and perhaps looking at the ocean at my parents' new house in Victoria, B.C., the one that I can't wait to visit. And I got on the phone with my dad and then part way through he said, "Hey here's some news. Grandpa's going to buy you a dryer."
And my dear wonderful Grandpa did it. He sent the money. Which is why we have this:
The first time Chinua pulled sheets out of it that were dry, he wept. And then Renee began to dance.
("Lurkers" sounds so derogatory, doesn't it? Maybe we should do something about that. Like we could call those who don't comment "Internet pixies" or "Hoverers" or "Hummingbirds" or something pretty. Just so you know, I love lurkers. Because there just isn't always something to say. And if you have nothing to say, then better to be a hummingbird.)
Anyways, for the last couple of months, on any given day you may have looked into the bedroom that my kids share and seen this:
Because it is so very rare that we have enough sun or even dry weather to dry our clothes outside. So it would end up that we let them dry in the kids' room, under the fastest fan, for approximately 48 hours, after which they still weren't dry and they smelled like the dog's tonsils. I'm not kidding. (The other day the recorded humidity here was 98%)
We were coping. Then the rains started in earnest again, and it started taking 72 hours to dry the clothes, and at one point all the clothes in the house were in the washer waiting to be dried or on the line, waiting to dry. Waiting and waiting. And Leafy was underwearless not because I chose it, but because there was not a single pair of dry undies.
I have a bed-wetter. I have a potty-trainer. And I have an older kid who still, at times, simply CANNOT TEAR HIMSELF AWAY FROM WHATEVER HE IS DOING ON TIME TO MAKE IT TO THE TOILET. You know what I mean, if you have boys.
And the idea of adding a bunch of baby diapers and clothing to the mix, adding nursing wear and the overall generosity of fluids that accompanies Newborn Land into our drying kerfuffle simply overwhelmed me.
I'll add here that we will be attempting to be infant potty training. But even here in India, the babies use diapers. There are some fairy tale books about women who know instinctively, every single time their baby needs to pee or poo, but really, it's just rather messy. It's just that you are committing yourself to the mess with the idea in mind that if you pay attention and run to the potty a lot, you can teach your kid to use it early on. I'll write more about that later.
There is no way around a lot of newborn laundry. We looked at dryers, and they were all very expensive. For us. (I was actually shocked to see a dryer in India at all. I had never seen one before.)
So, I was talking to my mom about this stuff, and she happened to be sitting next to my grandfather. They were all sitting and perhaps looking at the ocean at my parents' new house in Victoria, B.C., the one that I can't wait to visit. And I got on the phone with my dad and then part way through he said, "Hey here's some news. Grandpa's going to buy you a dryer."
And my dear wonderful Grandpa did it. He sent the money. Which is why we have this:
The first time Chinua pulled sheets out of it that were dry, he wept. And then Renee began to dance.
Reader Comments (26)
hey, i'm one of those lurkers. :) i love your blog.
just wanted to pass along some EC resources to you, i'm sure you've seen some of them before but:
http://catchingpoo.blogspot.com/ this blog is written by a cyber friend of mine, and she has tonnes of great sites and articles linked in her sidebar, as well as her own entries.
yay about the dryer! 98%... southern ontario humidity is bad enough for me, you're my new hero, double hero because you're doing it pregnant.
good luck with the EC and all!
I didn't get a chance to de-lurk (or de-hummingbird or whatever) on your last post so I'll do it now!
YAY for the dryer! Yay for loving people back home who feel sorry for you! We lived in the Amazon jungle in Ecuador for two years where the average annual rainfall was 22 FEET...so I understand why you might really find a dryer handy. I was very attached to my dryer in Ecuador. I was rather obsessed in my love for that dryer...it was probably a little on the unhealthy/weird side. But we won't go into that whole saga just now....
I love your blog!!
what a gift!! rejoicing with you in having DRY clothes! :-)
I feel your humidity pain--somewhat. We just returned from Seaside Fl...the humidity there was in the 80% range and it was almost more than I could stand. Thankfully the house had ac--but when you stepped outside you were instantly wet. How you are standing the India humidity I don't know--because you must, eh?
Also,I know you just want to give Grandpa a hug around the neck. What a great guy.
I'm so thankful that Grandpa did that for you! It's like a real affirmation about being in India.
I'm a de-lurking "pixie". I don't even remember how I found your blog, but I love the way you write! Grandpa's are groovy!!! Beautiful dryer!
I am another "hummingbird" (great idea). Absolutely wonderful new addition to the family. Do you have a name for it yet? (ha ha) Grandpa deserves a beautiful hug!
God bless Grandpa.
I am so happy for you. Got to love that grandpa!
I do have a boy and I do know what you mean and OH HAPPY DAY, YOU HAVE A DRYER!
Bless your sweet Grandad!
Your Grandpa rocks! There is nothing quite like the smell of clean DRY sheets. Now you just need easier water access before that sweet baby arrives. Any progress in that area?- the water, I mean.
So this comment has nothing to do with what you just posted although I am more than insanely stoked for you getting a dryer. glory!
There's this book that my husband and I just finished reading and since reading it I just have had to tell everyone I know and don't about it because it was that nuts, good, powerful, humbling ... the list goes on. It's called "The Shack" have you heard of it? I'm sure you could look it up on-line if you haven't and if you can't get ahold of it there I need your address to mail it to you because it's that good and that worth reading. It's hard the first 3 chapters but kinda has to be set up that way for the rest of it to make sense and for sure by the end of it you'll be facedown in awe of our gracious, loving, God who relentlessly pursues us and yet is patient beyond all measure. So long story longer... you gotta read it. and i'm serious, if you can't find it i'll mail it to you...
kristy
holy mother of india and grandpa of canada! that's amazin!
funny that i am living in victoria now and we are fifteen minutes to that same ocean view, near gonzales bay,
yikes 98% humidity makes the people complaining of humidity in chilliwack seem kinda lame-o...
best wishes with the kids and 'potty training'
and i wonder if there are any more gifts you may need, from canada hmmmm the book diaper free perhaps? don't think that it's for women who want poo and pee all over, we used clothies too... but it sure did work, no lies! it's one of those take what you want discard the rest philosophies...
my seven year old has the same problem of tearing away from life to do the deed...
i see the contrast of approach to the task of control clear as day... she was in diappers till three, and the younger kid diapper free and no accidents or mis haps after a year! no wet bed's or poopy diappers after six months!!! the poop is the easies to connect with, pee just seems to happen more frequent, but poop happens like clockwork in the coming months after new born of course...
sorry i happen to like this topic, because of my success...
you rock momma! love and hugs from victoria!
(ps though i comment often i like the de-lurking title of internet pixies the best)
Oh congratulations! Tonight I am thankful that all my baskets of laundry are at least dry.
Howdy Journey Mama
Greetings from Montana. I have been peeking(perhaps fluttering is a better choice of words, it doesn't sound so wrong) at your virtual window, amazed at your life. I think I spotted you through Owlhaven/Mary's blog. I wish that I had the graceful words to tell you how beautiful your writing is, how you and your family journey's blow my mind.
Many times I found myself tearing up and other times laughing. I went back and read all of your past posts starting at the beginning {i was stuck in bed due to a car accident} catching up over the past three years (congrats on that!). You and your SuperstarHubby are truly amazing! Thank you, thank you for sharing your life. Your such a great light of Truth.
I was so happy at one point to see mama#1. I really think she and your daddy deserve HUGE kudos on raising Christ loving/honoring children that are non-conforming to the mass of society. I love the tattoos, dreads and piercings. So very beautiful.
Enjoy the dryer. What a great blessing.
Enjoy the last few days of your beautiful family of five, six will come soon enough. Trust your body. Trust your baby. Trust birth. Enjoy the moment/hours.
God bless.
Trisha
I like hummingbird:) Your blog is such a joy to read. Your writing is beautiful as is your family. Best wishes in all your endeavors in India. Oh. and your grandpa sounds like a gem.
Stepping into the comment land, yup... another "hummingbird" here. Grandpa is amazing... what a sweet and generous gift! Yay for dry things!
When I first opened up your page, all I saw was, "Our New Baby," and was so excited! Well, I'm still excited, about the dryer at the moment. Hurray for fresh, dry clothes that do not smell like things hanging in dogs' throats!
P.S. I'm potty training a child at the moment too... Fun fun!
not a pixie hoverer, but i love that you suggested an alternative name. lurker sounds so dirty. your versions so very magical.
as is the arrival of the dryer. you know we live quite communally here, including lots of teens. so the laundry is always on. we dry outside most times, but a lot of time laundry piles up and if it sits, it smells unbelievably ucky. so, i am feeling love course through me for your very wonderful gramps that just gave you back some comfort.
big smiles for family.
I am just so glad you got a clothes dryer!! I never realized how awesome it is to have one until I began reading your blog. Lots of love your way dear sister.
Jen
That IS big! Hooray for you, and hooray for grandpa! I remember how ecstatic I was to finally get a washer and dryer after carting clothes to a nasty laundromat when baby #1 was on the way. You must feel 500 times more so!
Sweet.. That is pretty cool. You must be having your baby anytime now. That is so exciting.
I am a hummingbird, mostly. I flitter and hummmmm in singing and dipping my beak into the sweetness of your perceptions on this planet. You help with balance in this world I think, therefore, you are a flower.
Hooray! I'm so excited about the new "baby"! What a sweet Grandpa you have. I can't imagine having to line dry my clothing at this stage in my life, even here in the US. Ugh, I feel like such a wimp even saying that. And I'm praying for another new Baby very soon. Praying all will go well. And lot of love to you all.