Let the Balloon Training Commence!

We we attended the Infant Safety and CPR class in December, the instructor spent a little time talking about pets and how to adjust your pets to having a new little creature in the house. It seems like most of the problems that can arise do so with dogs and cats are fairly benign. Knowing that our cat is anything but benign, we asked about training the cat to stay out of the crib and bassinet. The instructor said that we had three options, ranging from mild to extreme. The first is to fill the crib with balloons. When the cat tries to jump into the crib, it will pop a balloon or two and become so traumatized by the noise it will never approach the crib again. If you cat doesn't quite get the whole one-trial learning thing, you can move on to Method #2. This involves buying a sensor that is hooked up to an air can. When the cat jumps into the crib, it gets blasted with air. And then, if your cat is unfazed by puffs of air (I am sure Sierra would be as she is unfazed by water spraying), you can try Method #3. This method uses another purchased product that consists of a blanket you place into the crib. When the sensors in the blanket sense a change in weight (i.e. when the cat jumps into the crib), it gives the cat a small electrical shock. About what you would experience from static electricity. Very annoying to the cat, but sure to provide entertainment for the adults.
At first I didn't think that Sierra was going to even attempt to jump into the crib. She didn't like us putting it up and seemed to spend a lot of time sniffing it, then running away. But then I discovered her sleeping in the crib one night as I was making dinner. Right on top of some nice warm baby blankets. She looked at me like I was crazy when I told her to get down (I am sure she thinks that we have set this crib up just for her to take naps in) and I decided that we needed to try the balloons.
It took forever to find balloons. Seattle, unlike most of the country, seems to think that balloons are not one of those staples that should be carried in grocery stores. We have noticed this with other products as well, like risotto, pignoli nuts, and barley. Even the little card store, which had an entire wall devoted to party supplies, did not carry balloons. I guess they are not that popular for birthday parties anymore. We finally found some over the weekend and filled both the crib and the bassinet with balloons. Sierra was terrified of the balloons as we inflated them...she usually doesn't like anything that moves on its own. Especially if it is about her size or larger. But now she seems even more curious about the balloons in the crib. Two of them have popped in the crib, seemingly spontaneously, which has really scared her. But she has discovered that she can climb up into the changing insert on the bassinet, look out the window, and be totally unbothered by the balloons. I think we will have to line it with aluminum foil...something else that cats are not supposed to like.

Happy New Year!!!

Lots of big exciting changes await in 2006! Only three more months until Claude/Maud makes his/her appearance and we have been getting ready. We went baby shopping this weekend, picking up several things. We got our cool stroller so that we can take lots of walks around the neighborhood. We also picked up a chest of drawers for storage; the unfinished furniture store was having a "No Sales Tax" sale so it was like having a 9% off coupon. We also got some onesies for newborns, a dust ruffle, and more little socks. I am contemplating making some little flannel pants, especially since the fabric store has the flannel on sale right now. We are waiting until Christmas is over to start putting the nursery together.

We had a pretty quiet Christmas, once again forgetting to take any pictures. It was different not to have a bunch of family around this year. But we had a nice breakfast with two of the other women from the church choir, then went down to Olympia for dinner and to spend the night. I made way too many cookies (so they might be appearing in lab this week) and also date bars. I have concluded though that Seattle is too humid to make date bars properly as the powdered sugar kept melting. Maybe I will get to watch Granny make them next year and see what secret tricks I am missing out on.

New Year's was quiet as well, although we did walk down to Kerry Park to see the fireworks shooting off the Space Needle. Today was another day off of work (although we both went into lab for the morning) and another day spent watching football. Both Louisville and Notre Dame lost. Playoffs start next week though and we will be watching the Bengals play and eating the "Who Dey Bar" that my Aunt Dotty gave us for Christmas.

Here is a picture from our baby shower in Maryland where I am opening Bobby's gift of a Ravens sleeper. I said that we would have to get a little Bengals sleeper as well. Especially since the Bengals were playing the Ravens that day and beat them soundly. At least it wasn't a Duke outfit. It was a nice shower though and Dan's family was very generous. Our favorite gift though was from Uncle Chuck, who gave us a little horse stuffed animal. We promptly nicknamed him Charlie Horse. We also recieved lots of Pooh things, which will only aid in converting our small nursery into the Hundred Acre Wood. I will be starting on the drawings I have planned later this week.