Ick!

Let me preface the story of this post by saying that I hate cockroaches.  I think they're absolutely disgusting.  We have them in our apartment occasionally, rather more often than I would prefer.  We're usually quite good at changing our roach baits every three months, so it's not usually too big of a deal.  But, we've been a little distracted lately (something about having a baby), and haven't yet changed our overdue baits.

Usually if I see a roach that is mid-size or larger it is accompanied by a small shriek of disgust and a call for Nate to come with a shoe and get it.  At times I've even exchanged unfriendly words with the critters and made it very clear that they were not welcome in my home.

Last night I was putting away the dishes.  I opened up our utensils drawer (not the silverware drawer, thankfully, though they're all connected, so it only really makes a difference in my mind) and what did I see?   Yes, a mid-size roach scurrying toward the back all over my spatulas, ladle, and beaters.  Sick.

However, I was pretty tired by this point in the day and Nate wasn't home.  So, what did I do?  I closed my eyes, gave a shudder, and closed the drawer.

We need to get some new roach baits, post-haste.  And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to scrub out the drawers in my kitchen.


But, before you all decide to stop reading my blog because I post gross things about bugs, here's a picture of Manu to keep you coming back.  Some of you have seen this one before, but it's so cute I'm going to post it here as well:

Manu in his church duds.  He's wearing a tiny ie faitaga (basically a formal Samoan man-skirt.  Kind of like what Feki wears in Other Side of Heaven) that my mom made for him.

A Diapering Confession

During my pregnancy Nate and I stocked up on several different kinds of cloth diapers.  They were cute and would save the earth, but above all they were much cheaper for the long haul.  We were pretty gung-ho about it.

Then, I received a Costco-size box of diapers as a gift and I thought, "oh, that'll be nice to have around in emergencies or when I forget to do the laundry."  Then I started saying, "oh, I'll just use these until his piko (bellybutton) is all healed up."  Before I knew it we'd gone through the whole stinkin' box!  There were 216 diapers in there!

But, before we'd quite finished, another set of friends gave us a Costco-size box of diapers as a gift.  (Thanks, friends!)  So I kept using them, and using them, and using them.

Here's the confession:

I've been seduced by disposable diapers: by their ease and convenience, by the lack of laundry they add to my already exploding laundry basket.

When the second box ran low, we went to Costco and bought our own Costco-sized box of diapers.  I felt like I had to smuggle it in to the apartment before anyone saw it.

Here's the other confession:

We've used the cloth diapers for one day.  It was great - no leaks or explosions.  However, Manu was only two weeks old or so at the time and the cloth diapers just looked so huge and bulky I didn't think I'd be able to fit his little onesies over it.  Seriously they made his cute, tiny, little derrière look ginormous!  Oh the vanity!

Conclusion:

Will I ever use the drawer full of diapers I've stockpiled to save the world and save myself a bundle of cash?  Yes.  I really think I will.  Just give me a bit until I settle in to this whole mothering thing.  And until my little dear's derrière fits them better.  Then Manu will be rocking' the cloth diapers.

1 Month Old!

And now the moment you've been waiting for! Pictures of our handsome little Manu!

Manu turned one month old on Saturday! It's gone so fast I can hardly believe it! He's getting cuter every day and starting to smile and coo, which just melts our hearts every time.

We went to the doctor yesterday for his one month checkup:

weight: 10lbs 3oz

length: 22in

The doctor told us he was destined to be a huge Mid-west sized football player because he ranked in the 90th percentile. I was thinking, "I know he's gained a few pounds, but I don't think he's that big!" It turns out the nurses accidentally plotted his size on the girl's growth chart. Sorry, Manu! You're average-sized on the boys' chart.

Manu one day old. (7 lbs 15 oz; 21 in)

Manu one month old. He is such a good sleeper! I'm talking 6 straight hours last night a quick meal and then another 3 hours sleep! This mommy's feeling good today!

I just can't get enough of that smile.

Usually Manu hates tummy time, but this time he figured out a sure-fire way to get out of it altogether. Instead of the usual crying, he immediately fell asleep.

Manu

Deb has graciously asked that I, Nate, give the background for the alias that we've selected for use as we write about our newborn son on our respective blogs.

By way of introduction, you should know that for two years I served a full-time mission in the Sāmoan islands for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My time amongst the Sāmoans profoundly changed, redirected even, my life forever. In their honor then we have selected Manu for our son's alias, and here's the reason why.

As explained by my recent Sāmoan professor, ʻAumua Mataʻitusi Simanu, Sāmoan children are not traditionally "allowed to be in close proximity of the aliʻi (chiefs), particularly when they are meeting" to discuss the affairs of the village.

She continues, "In ancient times, Chief Fānene of Falealili violated this tradition by allowing his grandson to climb about him and make noise while the chiefs were seated in ceremony." Annoyed, Fanene's fellow chiefs demanded that the child be taken away, calling him a manu or animal.

ʻAumua remarks, "Fānene begged for forgiveness and, through his gift of oratory, referred to the child as an 'animal for the chiefs'--'ʻo si manu a aliʻi'"--meaning that in due time, through his association with the chiefs, the child would learn his proper place and act accordingly.

ʻAumua concludes that the "essence of the Faʻasāmoa," or Sāmoan way, is "to learn through serving and through living the culture--in the case of Fānene's grandson, through his future tautua or service" to his family, his village, his country, and his God.

Now, technically we aren't Sāmoans, but that's really only a biological technicality. The lessons that I've learned from the Faʻasāmoa--especially the importance of serving one's family, community, and God--I plan on passing on to my son as if we were Sāmoan. After all, he is, with those of his generation, the future of humanity.

Deb and the Fe'e

Right now I'm enjoying having my sister and her family in town and there will be lovely posts to come from our adventures around the island. But for now, here's a pic from our tri-stake youth conference in late March. Definitely one of the greatest moments of the conference:

Yes, I'm holding an octopus (a fe'e). Yes, it is very slimy and disgusting and my fingers are where are brain ought to be. Eww.

A Dream

Pregnancy has a lot of strange things that go along with it, and one of those seems to be odd dreams.

This weekend I dreamed that Dennis the Menace zipped me into a large suitcase so that I could be smuggled onto a 12hr plane flight. It was very uncomfortable in there.

Weird.

Enjoying Nature

We were at Costco the other day perusing the book section after our weekly shopping trip when Nate pointed out a book he thought I'd be interested in. We'd never heard of it before, but it was about someone who hiked the Appalachian trail, which I think is super cool. It talked about his experiences on the trail and the people he met, etc.

After I investigated the book further, I decided that this one wasn't for me. But, just as I was about to put it back a quote on the cover caught my eye.

"The best way of escaping into nature is to read a book like A Walk in the Woods..." said a reviewer from the NY Times.

That's funny, I thought the best way to escape into nature would be to actually get into nature, not read about someone else doing it.

Nate also just mentioned a resource he saw at the baby store today. A dvd about how kids need to play outside more. Ironic?

While it's true I believe we should all be getting ourselves outside more, we don't need to sit around inside reading up on the literature or watching dvds about it first. Just open your door and go outside, enjoy the sun, explore something!

Happy spring!