A nice little Saturday

This morning Lilly and I met my friend Clair and her daughter Amalia at the Parenting Center at Children's Hospital. Clair and I met in pre-natal yoga, took the Positive and Prepared Childbirth class the same weekend, and had Dr. Peeper deliver our babies (though not at the same time. Dr. Peeper had been her doctor all along. Amalia was born June 30). So we hung out during our maternity leaves and have been in contact since. Anyway, I digress. I went last Friday to check out the Parenting Center, on a recommendation from a friend. I got a tour of the facility, couple classrooms, indoor play area, kitchen, and library. It's really close to us, juts up to the edge of the park at Calhoun and Camp. So we can easily walk there (which we did yesterday, to meet a friend of a friend). And I digress again, but last Friday I found out that there was an infant massage class and sent the info to Clair. It is three Saturdays and sounded like a great class. So I signed up as did Clair.

So we got to the class this morning. The instructor told us to bring a blanket so the babies could lay on. Clair was already there when we got there, so we sat next to one another (it was really great to know someone in the class, to see a familiar face). Amalia had change so much since I last saw her, her hair is strawberry blonde and she was wearing super cute yellow pants. There were four other babies in the class. The instructor had us undress the babies down to their diapers and then put them on their individual blankets.

Well it was really funny because this was the first time Lilly was really interested in other babies. Perhaps because she was so close to them and could really see them. And here's something even funnier, the babies would set off like a chain reaction. One would start to cry, then another would hear it, and go, and then Lilly, poor Lilly, she would hear it, her lip would curl and she would startle and begin crying. This happened several times. Today we learned leg and stomach massage. Stomach strokes will ease gas and other stomach indigestion. But unfortunately I couldn't practice on my model, as she fell asleep 20 minutes into the class, after crying several times in response to the babies. But she had a nice nap on my shoulder. I saw the instructor practice on the doll and I do have pamphlets with the moves as well as some oil so we can practice. Amalia did great, she loved the massage. I'm hoping Lilly will like it, we go for two more Saturday sessions.

Then this afternoon I went to Harrah's Casino to audition for Wheel of Fortune. Unfortunately my name was not picked to play the game ( you have to fill out a form and then all the forms are put into a bin and 5 at a time are picked at random to play). I still have a chance to get on the show, slim though, as the fake host (no Pat or Vanna) said some spots would be reserved for those who came but were not picked. The show is coming to NOLA in April to film for three weeks worth of episodes. If anything else, I'd love to be in the studio audience. Perhaps we'll get tickets and go!

Anyway, we're in for the night. Mark's going to pick up dinner and after Toots goes down to bed, we've got a movie (Get Him to the Greek) to watch. I'm excited for some chilling and relaxing. I've scrubbed the casino stench off me, so I feel refreshed and good to go. And Toots is good too! Enjoying her mat. Perhaps I'll give her a leg massage! Got to show Mark the techniques.