Watching Sullivan and Calliope

year1/Monththree/P7280164.jpgThe three of us were invited as veterans to speak to a childbirth class taught by our former instructor. We talked about how our perspectives have changed in the last three months since our class ended. Sullivan was a star, both as a birther and as a baby, which put the soon-to-be-parents’ minds at ease.
 
year1/Monththree/P8070261.jpgAnd Sullivan has discovered his digits! Finger, thumb, or any combination seem to be great for self-soothing.

The day after our return from Calgary, Sullivan had his first shots. He was smiling and happy until jabbed in the leg with a needle! The doctor warned of some mild side effects including a low fever. Sullivan weighed in at 12 pounds 10 ounces and 23 1/2 inches.

We went out for dinner, leaving SMG with his grandparents for a few hours. He had been a little out of sorts. Usually he is very happy, but all afternoon he had seemed a little needy. We chalked it up to the high heat and humidity.

year1/Monththree/P7270161.jpgReturning home, his forehead felt a little hot, so we took his temperature, and were shocked to find it at 102.5 F (39.2 C)! T called the doctor, who assured us it was a normal reaction to the shots, and suggested baby Tylenol and a cool cloth. He was better in a few hours, but we felt the stress and helplessness for the first time. We had to remind ourselves that eradication of these diseases is dependent on immunizations, and that the alternative (catching something bad, bad, bad) would be much worse. Nevertheless we had some serious parental guilt. Poor guy!

We had so many people we wanted to see in Calgary, and though we met up with many there wasn’t enough time to see them all. We can’t wait for our next trip when we hope to see those we missed.

For those of you itching to know the results of the canasta game, the gals jumped out to an early lead, but the guys roped them in with minimal cheating.

Lastly, we can’t resist these two photos of Grace and Sebastian who are growing up at least as fast as Sullivan. There are plenty more photos in the Third Month Album.
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We miss you all already!

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In the city you go to the zoo to see the animals, but Alberta is ranch country, so Sullivan got to see his first pigs, cows, and chickens at Grace and Gavin’s farm in Water Valley, an hour outside the city. The next day he saw some real cowboys (and cowgirls) at the Dog Pound Rodeo just up the road.

The Dog Pound Rodeo is one of North America’s first rodeos, having begun in 1906. It is held the first Wednesday following Stampede every year, and every seat is a good one. Pull your RV up to the arena fence for ringside seats if you’re real serious. We saw everything from calf roping and steer wrestling to bronco and bull riding. And Marsh learned to yahoo properly.
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Auntie D and Sebastian took Grace and us to the zoo. Sullivan wore his special zoo outfit featuring a hippo, crocodile, and lion, which he then got to see full size (as well as elephant, giraffe, hippo, zebra, warthog, ostritch, etc…). We had a terrific time, topped off with a couple of scoops.

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All of Sullivan’s first cousins live in Alberta. Sebastian and Grace, both age 3, had been preparing to meet SMG for weeks, picking out their favorite toys to share with him, completely unaware that a 2 month old doesn’t yet “play” like they do. Gavin, nearing nine years old and having a little sister, had a bit more experience. The kids were all adoreable with Sullivan, very gentle, and wanting to help however they could
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Great Nan, who rarely reveals her age, has held her share of babies in her lifetime. She and Bill were thrilled to meet her newest great-grandchild. On our last night in Calgary she feted us with an amazing homemade meal of roasted duck, slow-cooked pork ribs, shrimp cocktail, salad, pureed vegetables, and plum crisp for dessert! Marsh traded a computer lesson for a knitting lesson. Watch the blog in future months for knitted apparel. (Do dishcloths count as apparel?)
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Sullivan also met his Auntie Denise and Uncle Joel (who belong to Sebastian) and Auntie Sheila and Uncle Wayne (who belong to Gavin and Grace). SMG also got to spend lots of quality time with Nana and Grampa.
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Our first morning was also the final day of the Calgary Stampede, so Burck fired up the bar-b-q (it ain’t a grill out west) and cooked pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage Stampede-style for all of his kids and their kids too plus Great Nan and Bill and family friend Tony. Western wear was encouraged, and you know Sullivan’s dad doesn’t need a lot of encouragement, though he had to borrow proper duds.

We got up early on Saturday to catch the bus to Boston for our flight to Calgary. We were a bit nervous about taking a nine week old baby on the plane, but as the child of parents who met while travelling, he proved to be an intrepid traveller himself! 544He nursed on the ways up and down and had little trouble with the pressure changes. It was the diaper changes that turned out to be the tricky bit…

Let’s just say that we had to change both Sullivan’s clothes and his dad’s.