News from two doctors.

I heard from Dr. Drone that some interloper wild bees took over the hive this fall. I haven't been out to see them (on account of baby) but we've had such a mild winter, I'm confident they're doing okay. I've written "GO TAKE PICTURES AT BEE YARD" on a note in large, marker letters. Once i find that note again in a few months, I'm sure that will happen.

Pictures or no, I'm excited to imagine actual honey this year. I've been eating a lot of oatmeal with honey and almonds this winter and I've convinced myself that eating my own honey that I steal from bees with my own hands and put into a container that doesn't look like a bear will be the most delicious thing ever.

In a related story, I was discussing baby food allergies with our pediatrician and she mentioned that kids aren't actually allergic to honey, and that the recommendation to avoid it in infants is due to several botulism outbreaks from a few years ago. I'm nodding my head, like, yes, we don't like botulism, yes! And she adds, "so unless you're planning to feed her honey processed out of someone's backyard, it should be fine."

And then I'm nodding my head, like, yes, I am planning to feed her honey processed out of someone's backyard!... but maybe not until I've eaten a significant quantity myself? What is the social etiquette for telling your pediatrician you plan to feed vaguely questionable items to your child? Or is this a need to know basis?

Test #1: Burt's Bees Belly Balm

Okay, I'm three days into testing the first dry skin/pregnancy tummy lotion:

Burt's Bees Belly Balm

Here's how it scores so far.

1. Smell: 5 (of 5)

This is fragrance free, which is kind of cheating, but I'd rather have something neutral than something yucky. And for once, fragrance free means fragrance free. No smell at all.

2. Texture: 2 (of 5)

This is made out of natural oils and beeswax, good ingredients certainly, but they're not really a lotion. It comes in a palm-sized, flat tin, and you have to kind of swab your hand around in the balm until the oils and wax melt on your fingers, then grease up your belly (or wherever). It's kind of messy, and it takes me a long time to cover this new expanse of skin. Once it's on, it feels a little waxy, my shirt stuck to my skin a bit, which is also not a great feeling. I tried just rubbing the tin directly on my skin and it was a lot better- if they made this in a giant chapstick form, it would be much better.

3. Skin results: 8 (of 10)

I have to dock some points for the greasy/waxiness of the initial application, but once I woke up, my skin felt fantastic! Some internet reviewers credit this stuff from preventing stretch marks, and I can't speak to that claim yet, but everywhere I applied the balm was soft and not at all itchy.

Overall: 15/20

So far so good, I like the results and the lack of perfumes, but the application hassle definitely makes this a before bed only balm. I'm going to keep searching for something I can use after my shower or even throw in my bag for mid-day itch relief.

Family Photo

The neighbor colony holds still for pictures, mine does not.

FINALLY got out to the bee yard to check on the brood. All that worry for naught, no more dead babies by the door and the hive seems busy busy busy. It was hot today, and I was in the way of their gathering. They were not impressed with my attempts to take pictures. Dr. Drone tells me that bees don’t like dark colors, and my black camera, shoved close to the door, threateningly and out of place, was not well received. Also, bees move fast and do not seem to like close up portraits. I left without opening the hive.