I feel like I could write a post almost daily with all the new things Baby Girl is learning. Just yesterday she repeated "teeth" when her daddy said "let's go brush our teeth" and in the morning she repeated "shoes" when I told her I needed to put my shoes on. She's making logical connections that I didn't think possible--she's starting saying "woof" at all dogs, whether they're cartoons (Brian on Family Guy...lol), stuffed, real, or real in pictures.
Of course, she's also making connections that we don't necessarily want to encourage. We've been telling her the oven is "hot" and that she shouldn't touch it (which, of course, turns into a game some nights). So I was blowing on her food and she wanted it and I told her it was hot. Now she thinks all food is hot and won't eat it without a 5 minute argument and us telling her it's okay. She doesn't seem to understand the word "not". So when we say "it's not hot" she just says "hot". It's amusing for awhile, but gets pretty frustrating! We're working on it, though. And it *is* adorable to watch her try to blow on her food (she's actually sucking in air) to cool it off.
Just this week the sitter has started giving Baby Girl her milk (still breastmilk, thankyouverymuch) in a sippy cup and she also tried to move her to one nap. We'll see if it sticks. At home last week she was very happy to take two 1 1/2 hour naps at 9:45ish and 2:30/3ish, but yesterday (9/27) she took one nap 1:30-3:30 and had quiet time on her cot until 4. We didn't see any ill-effects at home, so we'll see how she continues to do. My guess is that she'll still take two naps at home on the weekends.
Baby Girl is a bit confused about both possessive words (Mommy's nose, Daddy's nose, etc.) and who Mommy and Daddy each are. She'll get it--it's just funny to watch her. I ask where Baby Girl's nose is and she points to mine. I ask where Mommy's nose and she points to her daddy's.
She is definitely starting to know her body parts, but it comes and goes. At some point she has successfully identified: head, hair, nose, ear, eye, mouth, tongue, knee, belly, belly button, fingers, and toes.
Baby Girl is starting to learn animal noises. She growls at a picture of a tiger in a book that she has and woofs at dogs. I've been told she moos, but I've never heard it. I'm a little surprised she's never quacked with how much we do it at home!
We're starting to see bits of separation anxiety, but find that she is fine once we leave and we haven't had any actual meltdowns (knock on wood), just a bit of whining and clinginess. The sitter is really good at grabbing her and saying a happy goodbye to us, then engaging her as we walk out the door. By the time we pull away, she's either hanging out in the sitter's lap or already on the floor playing with a friend.
The kid still loves love. She will hug any kids she can find and apparently tries to kiss many of them. The sitter has had to enact a "no kissing" policy because she left teeth marks in someone's cheek (unintentionally, of course). She's just so sweet!
Speaking of kissing, Daddy has taught her how to eskimo kiss. He has been sick the past few days, so he didn't want to kiss her, so he taught her how to eskimo kiss. You ask her for an eskimo kiss and she offers up her nose to you--it's adorable! What's great is when she leans in for one unprompted.
I am loving this age of exploration and learning. She's testing some boundaries sometimes, but generally is a really happy, fun little girl. I can't wait to see what the fifteenth month brings!!!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Shouldn't you be nursing LESS than when you were 6 months old?
(Written 9/24...stupid scheduled post not working)
I've spent a lot of time with Baby Girl this week because our sitter was on vacation. I could go on and on about how special this time has been--it has been.
But I want this post to be about the strange thing she's been doing. Now that she's got an effective way of asking for milk (meaning that she doesn't just pull at the neck of my shirt and whine...most of the time...), she's started asking for it more often. Before this past week, I figured we were on our way to weaning, so I resolved to just give her milk when she asks for it...which has backfired on me! We were nursing after she woke from naps and then before bedtime (so 4 times during the day and once overnight), but she's now asking before each nap as well, which means we're now nursing 6 times during the day and once overnight!
Of course I could say no, but as long as she isn't getting frustrated by my not having a ton of milk when she eats, I don't have a reason to refuse her. If we were out and about, she wouldn't ask--it's only when we're sitting around the house. And if I were busy, she probably wouldn't ask, either. So I'm relishing it...but just confused! Shouldn't she *not* be wanting it as much now?
I've spent a lot of time with Baby Girl this week because our sitter was on vacation. I could go on and on about how special this time has been--it has been.
But I want this post to be about the strange thing she's been doing. Now that she's got an effective way of asking for milk (meaning that she doesn't just pull at the neck of my shirt and whine...most of the time...), she's started asking for it more often. Before this past week, I figured we were on our way to weaning, so I resolved to just give her milk when she asks for it...which has backfired on me! We were nursing after she woke from naps and then before bedtime (so 4 times during the day and once overnight), but she's now asking before each nap as well, which means we're now nursing 6 times during the day and once overnight!
Of course I could say no, but as long as she isn't getting frustrated by my not having a ton of milk when she eats, I don't have a reason to refuse her. If we were out and about, she wouldn't ask--it's only when we're sitting around the house. And if I were busy, she probably wouldn't ask, either. So I'm relishing it...but just confused! Shouldn't she *not* be wanting it as much now?
Meal Plan 9/26-10/2
Sunday: Breakfast Burritos
Scrambled eggs
In a pan, sauteed 1/2 pkg smoked turkey sausage, 3 bell peppers (they needed used), an onion
Topped with cheese, sour cream, and taco sauce/salsa
Baby Girl LOVED eating the stuffing!
Monday: Pasta & Meatballs
This was my first real foray into Aldi's brand of food and I loved it! I bought their Fit & Active whole wheat pasta and their frozen turkey meatballs (LOVE these!!!) and then their Reggano (I think) pasta sauce. It was a fabulous meal and something I'll definitely buy again.
Tuesday: Chicken Taco Bake
Although I was already very familiar with cooking a whole chicken, I tried it in the crockpot (as described in the link above), which worked out really well! I also saved the liquid and will use it instead of canned broth in the future. I then used some (maybe 1/2?) of the meat and made two 8x8 pans of the Chicken Taco Bakes (also described in the link) and froze one. The one we baked last night was great with some rice and chips for dinner and I'm eating leftovers with chips as I type! Baby Girl ate everything we gave her and even asked for more when we were done!
Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Pizza (just planning on using the cooked chicken, some BBQ sauce, cheese, red onion, and cilantro on a pizza shell)
Thursday: Pork Tacos (this has become a favorite recipe of ours, as exemplified by the repeat appearance in the blog!). Not sure what I'll serve with the tacos--probably some sort of rice, even though Baby Girl isn't a big fan of rice.
Friday: Pork Quesadillas (using the leftover pork meat) Very excited to have Baby Girl try this since we now know she doesn't have any problems with cheese.
Saturday: I think we're going out with friends for my birthday--the planning is all left up to The Hubby, so we'll see what he comes up with!
Scrambled eggs
In a pan, sauteed 1/2 pkg smoked turkey sausage, 3 bell peppers (they needed used), an onion
Topped with cheese, sour cream, and taco sauce/salsa
Baby Girl LOVED eating the stuffing!
Monday: Pasta & Meatballs
This was my first real foray into Aldi's brand of food and I loved it! I bought their Fit & Active whole wheat pasta and their frozen turkey meatballs (LOVE these!!!) and then their Reggano (I think) pasta sauce. It was a fabulous meal and something I'll definitely buy again.
Tuesday: Chicken Taco Bake
Although I was already very familiar with cooking a whole chicken, I tried it in the crockpot (as described in the link above), which worked out really well! I also saved the liquid and will use it instead of canned broth in the future. I then used some (maybe 1/2?) of the meat and made two 8x8 pans of the Chicken Taco Bakes (also described in the link) and froze one. The one we baked last night was great with some rice and chips for dinner and I'm eating leftovers with chips as I type! Baby Girl ate everything we gave her and even asked for more when we were done!
Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Pizza (just planning on using the cooked chicken, some BBQ sauce, cheese, red onion, and cilantro on a pizza shell)
Thursday: Pork Tacos (this has become a favorite recipe of ours, as exemplified by the repeat appearance in the blog!). Not sure what I'll serve with the tacos--probably some sort of rice, even though Baby Girl isn't a big fan of rice.
Friday: Pork Quesadillas (using the leftover pork meat) Very excited to have Baby Girl try this since we now know she doesn't have any problems with cheese.
Saturday: I think we're going out with friends for my birthday--the planning is all left up to The Hubby, so we'll see what he comes up with!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Always learning
Things Baby Girl has learned this week alone:
Other things she's learned but I don't know if I've posted about:
- The sound a dog makes: "woof"
- The sound a tiger makes (she sees it in her books): "rawr"
- The sign for "please" (I said, "say please" and showed her the sign and she's been doing it ever since in context--she even now says "eee")
- She squats down when we say "ready" and then jumps up when she says "up"
- When she sees pictures of a football game (we were looking at the newspaper after the Buckeyes win yesterday) or hears the word "touchdown", she throws her arms up in the air
- When she needs help, she says "ep" (which sounds a lot like "up")
- When we went out for breakfast to Subway, she scooped and fed herself her oatmeal (the first time she's scooped it on her own). We've since let her do her own applesauce, too--she isn't great at it, but she tries!
- She's started walking backwards--it's hilarious!
- She also asks sometimes to go upstairs for nap. Never thought I'd see that day!
- What a bug is (well, a cartoon bug that appears on each page of a book she has)
Other things she's learned but I don't know if I've posted about:
- I don't know if I already posted that she now signs "milk" (it looks like she's playing the world's smallest violin between her fingers, but we know what it means)
- When she wants to get down off our laps, she says "dow" (which The Hubby always thinks is "dog")
Thursday, September 23, 2010
What I Want/Need
When I saw the counselor last week, she mentioned that it sounded like I'm having a hard time telling others what I want and need. And she's right. I find it difficult to voice my wants and needs, especially if they create a conflict with someone else's wants or needs. Unfortunately, this leads to some unhappiness on my part, especially when I feel like I'm negatively impacting Baby Girl's well-being by not voicing my wishes (specifically, to the sitter).
Since the meeting was on Friday, I had pushed the meeting to the back of my mind throughout the weekend and it wasn't until yesterday that I revisited the discussion because I found myself thinking "I want..." and feeling defeated because I had no idea how to get what I want or need.
So I thought it might be a good exercise to write out the things that I want and need so I can have all of my thoughts in one place and can then discuss them with The Hubby. He's always very receptive to what I have to say...if I just say it.
I Need...
...more consistent sleep
...quality time (what does this consist of?) with Baby Girl every day
...some downtime for myself each day, even if it just means surfing the web for 15 minutes
I'm having a harder time with my "wants", though, and trying to decide which of them are actually "needs"
I Want...
...quality time actually interacting with The Hubby
...a cleaning routine so our house doesn't get out of control (cleaning up after dinner, laundry, keeping Baby Girl's toys in check, cleaning bathrooms, dealing with mail and coupons...)
...an exercise routine so I don't feel so badly about myself and so I will (hopefully) have more energy
...to be able to watch the few shows that we have set to record each week (this list has been pared down considerably since last year!)
...help keeping track of what needs to be done for our household
...to create time to do the things I enjoy (which could count as my downtime for the day) like crafting and baking and dealing
And I find myself getting overwhelmed when I think about all the things I want and need and combine that with my list of all the things that other people need/want of me. I think about how many hours I have in the day and cannot imagine finding time to do all the things I need or want.
During the work week, I have about 4 hours from the time I get home until the time I need to go to bed to: cook dinner, eat dinner and feed Baby Girl dinner, spend a bit of time playing with Baby Girl, nurse Baby Girl, clean up from dinner while The Hubby puts her to bed, clean up toys and books, watch a bit of TV (typically done while I pump), pump for the next day, and relax. Between the time The Hubby puts her to bed and when I start pumping, there's about 45 minutes. That our normal routine and obviously doesn't include working out, baking or doing anything else I'd like to do that can't be done while sitting down, cleaning, or even really interacting with The Hubby.
How do you do it all? If you can't do it all, how do you prioritize? I'm having a hard time picking the things I can give up routinely, but find myself getting overwhelmed trying to cram everything in that little bit of time on weeknights and during the weekends (and who wants to spend their whole weekend catching up from the week with laundry & cleaning and you can't exactly only work out on the weekends...).
Since the meeting was on Friday, I had pushed the meeting to the back of my mind throughout the weekend and it wasn't until yesterday that I revisited the discussion because I found myself thinking "I want..." and feeling defeated because I had no idea how to get what I want or need.
So I thought it might be a good exercise to write out the things that I want and need so I can have all of my thoughts in one place and can then discuss them with The Hubby. He's always very receptive to what I have to say...if I just say it.
I Need...
...more consistent sleep
...quality time (what does this consist of?) with Baby Girl every day
...some downtime for myself each day, even if it just means surfing the web for 15 minutes
I'm having a harder time with my "wants", though, and trying to decide which of them are actually "needs"
I Want...
...quality time actually interacting with The Hubby
...a cleaning routine so our house doesn't get out of control (cleaning up after dinner, laundry, keeping Baby Girl's toys in check, cleaning bathrooms, dealing with mail and coupons...)
...an exercise routine so I don't feel so badly about myself and so I will (hopefully) have more energy
...to be able to watch the few shows that we have set to record each week (this list has been pared down considerably since last year!)
...help keeping track of what needs to be done for our household
...to create time to do the things I enjoy (which could count as my downtime for the day) like crafting and baking and dealing
And I find myself getting overwhelmed when I think about all the things I want and need and combine that with my list of all the things that other people need/want of me. I think about how many hours I have in the day and cannot imagine finding time to do all the things I need or want.
During the work week, I have about 4 hours from the time I get home until the time I need to go to bed to: cook dinner, eat dinner and feed Baby Girl dinner, spend a bit of time playing with Baby Girl, nurse Baby Girl, clean up from dinner while The Hubby puts her to bed, clean up toys and books, watch a bit of TV (typically done while I pump), pump for the next day, and relax. Between the time The Hubby puts her to bed and when I start pumping, there's about 45 minutes. That our normal routine and obviously doesn't include working out, baking or doing anything else I'd like to do that can't be done while sitting down, cleaning, or even really interacting with The Hubby.
How do you do it all? If you can't do it all, how do you prioritize? I'm having a hard time picking the things I can give up routinely, but find myself getting overwhelmed trying to cram everything in that little bit of time on weeknights and during the weekends (and who wants to spend their whole weekend catching up from the week with laundry & cleaning and you can't exactly only work out on the weekends...).
Monday, September 20, 2010
Amazing Products!
A long, long time ago, I was given a product with the agreement that I would write a blog post about it. To tell you how long ago it was...I was pregnant with Baby Girl. I feel awful that I have neglected this promise so long--I'm so sorry, Cassie!!!
Cassie, of Ruby & Violet over on Etsy, is a wonderful woman and brilliant mother to two and a half beautiful girls (she's expecting her third around Christmas!). Somehow she's also found time to make fantastic handmade items, too!
The product she gave me was June the Giraffe because I ADORE giraffes and this is the cutest one around! The product is of fantastic quality--Baby Girl has it in her crib all the time and everything is holding together well. And, again, it's adorable. Cute cute cute!!!
Then, just a few days ago, I entered a giveaway by Brandis Allison Photography to celebrate the launch of her new website--I was so excited to find out that I'd won another product handmade by my friend Cassie! This time, I received an art wallet, perfect for trips out and about with the kiddos! It came with markers (she asked if I preferred markers, crayons, or colored pencils) and a pad of paper and has a velcro closure. I love it! I can't wait to give it to Baby Girl to entertain her (once she learns that markers/crayons are for coloring, not for eating)!
The third Cassie-related thing I wanted to write about is that she's actually the winner of my giveaway! Do you remember this post, from November 2009? (Yes, folks, that was almost a year ago) As soon as I closed the post, I used random.com to pick the winner, then thought I would reveal the winner when I was done answering questions. Well, when that time came, I wasn't sure what great thing I could give to Cassie! But now I know. I'm dabbling in some new crafting, so I'll be sending her something adorable for the beautiful head of her beautiful baby girl!
I'm so sorry for all the delays, Cassie! And I hope all of you will go check out Cassie's Etsy shop--her stuff is great, beautiful, fun, and of very high quality!!!
Cassie, of Ruby & Violet over on Etsy, is a wonderful woman and brilliant mother to two and a half beautiful girls (she's expecting her third around Christmas!). Somehow she's also found time to make fantastic handmade items, too!
The product she gave me was June the Giraffe because I ADORE giraffes and this is the cutest one around! The product is of fantastic quality--Baby Girl has it in her crib all the time and everything is holding together well. And, again, it's adorable. Cute cute cute!!!
Then, just a few days ago, I entered a giveaway by Brandis Allison Photography to celebrate the launch of her new website--I was so excited to find out that I'd won another product handmade by my friend Cassie! This time, I received an art wallet, perfect for trips out and about with the kiddos! It came with markers (she asked if I preferred markers, crayons, or colored pencils) and a pad of paper and has a velcro closure. I love it! I can't wait to give it to Baby Girl to entertain her (once she learns that markers/crayons are for coloring, not for eating)!
The third Cassie-related thing I wanted to write about is that she's actually the winner of my giveaway! Do you remember this post, from November 2009? (Yes, folks, that was almost a year ago) As soon as I closed the post, I used random.com to pick the winner, then thought I would reveal the winner when I was done answering questions. Well, when that time came, I wasn't sure what great thing I could give to Cassie! But now I know. I'm dabbling in some new crafting, so I'll be sending her something adorable for the beautiful head of her beautiful baby girl!
I'm so sorry for all the delays, Cassie! And I hope all of you will go check out Cassie's Etsy shop--her stuff is great, beautiful, fun, and of very high quality!!!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
13 months
This monthly update is coming in a different form because I started jotting things down and just want to get this post published since Baby Girl will be 14 months in less than 2 weeks!
Words:
HI!
Uh-oh
Duck
Truck (which sounds more like "Guck" and is really cute when we say "Terrruck" and she replies "Guh-Guck!")
Mamamamama (I'm still not convinced she's ever said it *at* me)
Da or Dadadada
"Sheesh" (we have no idea what it is, but she says it when she points at many things, including the seagulls she was obsessed with at the beach, even after three days of us saying "bird")
Oh (which I think is the beginnings of "nose")
Tikikikiktikitikiki (Tickle tickle tickle)
Nononononono (never in a defiant way--just nonononono)
"ot" (Which is "hot"--what we say when she goes to touch the oven or dishwasher, even when it isn't hot. Unfortunately, she doesn't understand yet that that means she shouldn't touch it)
Dah-og (dog--although all dogs are now "Shu-shee", or Suzy, which is the name of my ILs' dog)
Up (we're working on getting her to say this when she wants picked up instead of whining at my feet...it's not going well)
Mmmmm! (when she likes something she's eaten--it's especially nice after she's done nursing! It lets me know I cooked up a good batch for her ;) )
Yeah
Actions:
Nodding
Shaking head "no"
Dancing
Tickling
Puttting away items when asked in the appropriate place, even if it's been awhile since she took it out
Itsy Bitsy Spider--her favorite part was when the rain comes down, but now she's more into the sun coming up
Knows nose, eye, belly button, belly
Ornery:
Tantrums (laying down slowly onto floor and looking up at us--only one real tantrum so far)
Spitting water
Take-away game (offering something to you, then taking it away)
Signs:
More
All done
"I don't know"--raising hands in the air
Words:
HI!
Uh-oh
Duck
Truck (which sounds more like "Guck" and is really cute when we say "Terrruck" and she replies "Guh-Guck!")
Mamamamama (I'm still not convinced she's ever said it *at* me)
Da or Dadadada
"Sheesh" (we have no idea what it is, but she says it when she points at many things, including the seagulls she was obsessed with at the beach, even after three days of us saying "bird")
Oh (which I think is the beginnings of "nose")
Tikikikiktikitikiki (Tickle tickle tickle)
Nononononono (never in a defiant way--just nonononono)
"ot" (Which is "hot"--what we say when she goes to touch the oven or dishwasher, even when it isn't hot. Unfortunately, she doesn't understand yet that that means she shouldn't touch it)
Dah-og (dog--although all dogs are now "Shu-shee", or Suzy, which is the name of my ILs' dog)
Up (we're working on getting her to say this when she wants picked up instead of whining at my feet...it's not going well)
Mmmmm! (when she likes something she's eaten--it's especially nice after she's done nursing! It lets me know I cooked up a good batch for her ;) )
Yeah
Actions:
Nodding
Shaking head "no"
Dancing
Tickling
Puttting away items when asked in the appropriate place, even if it's been awhile since she took it out
Itsy Bitsy Spider--her favorite part was when the rain comes down, but now she's more into the sun coming up
Knows nose, eye, belly button, belly
Ornery:
Tantrums (laying down slowly onto floor and looking up at us--only one real tantrum so far)
Spitting water
Take-away game (offering something to you, then taking it away)
Signs:
More
All done
"I don't know"--raising hands in the air
Thank you, baby
Baby Girl,
Recently you've had some amazingly easy nap- and bedtimes. You've gone down without fuss and put yourself to sleep in the way I had previously only dreamed. I, of course, don't get any credit for this, as your daddy has been doing bedtime (and naptimes during the weekend if he's home) for a long time and has been getting the wrath of your stubborness.
Today, though, was a bit different. I put you down and you didn't fuss, so I left the room. About ten minutes later, I heard a thudding that I thought could be coming from upstairs or from outside, so I went upstairs to check on you, only to find you sitting in your crib, quietly playing with your GloWorm (a first--if you're wide awake in your crib, you're usually upset and ready. to. go. NOW.). You saw me peeking, so I walked in, to discover you'd pooped, so I changed you and then put you back in your crib. You fussed a bit, but not horribly, so I assumed that you'd fall asleep soon. After another ten minutes, I went to peek through the door and found you laying down, but obviously not happy--all the toys in your crib (we keep three things in there with two blankets) were all moved around. It was apparent to me that you were tired, but having a hard time settling down.
I picked you up, wrapped in your crocheted blanket, and we swayed. You snuggled in right away, wrapping your arm around my neck, laying your head on my shoulder. I could hear you were still chewing on your fingers (you'd abandoned thumb-sucking a few months ago), and every once in awhile, you'd rub your face on my shoulder, as if you were trying to get even closer.
As we swayed, I was taken back to those days that we spent every moment together, the three months of my maternity leave. Most of those days were spent snuggling, with you drifting in and out of sleep, also rubbing your face on my chest, trying to get closer. In those days, there were times that I found your sleeping on me a nuisance. There were things I wanted to get done, different ways I wanted to spend my time. But as you've started to express your independence more, I miss the days of snuggling my baby, holding you until you fall asleep.
So thank you, baby, for giving me back some of that time that I didn't appreciate. I love the feeling of the weight of your little body on mine, finding comfort being close to your mommy. I love knowing that you need me and that I usually have the ability to get you to relax and give in to your need for sleep.
I hope you can find comfort in snuggling with Mommy for forever--I know I'll always love it and cherish the time we've had (and always hope for one more snuggle).
All my love, today and always,
Mommy
Recently you've had some amazingly easy nap- and bedtimes. You've gone down without fuss and put yourself to sleep in the way I had previously only dreamed. I, of course, don't get any credit for this, as your daddy has been doing bedtime (and naptimes during the weekend if he's home) for a long time and has been getting the wrath of your stubborness.
Today, though, was a bit different. I put you down and you didn't fuss, so I left the room. About ten minutes later, I heard a thudding that I thought could be coming from upstairs or from outside, so I went upstairs to check on you, only to find you sitting in your crib, quietly playing with your GloWorm (a first--if you're wide awake in your crib, you're usually upset and ready. to. go. NOW.). You saw me peeking, so I walked in, to discover you'd pooped, so I changed you and then put you back in your crib. You fussed a bit, but not horribly, so I assumed that you'd fall asleep soon. After another ten minutes, I went to peek through the door and found you laying down, but obviously not happy--all the toys in your crib (we keep three things in there with two blankets) were all moved around. It was apparent to me that you were tired, but having a hard time settling down.
I picked you up, wrapped in your crocheted blanket, and we swayed. You snuggled in right away, wrapping your arm around my neck, laying your head on my shoulder. I could hear you were still chewing on your fingers (you'd abandoned thumb-sucking a few months ago), and every once in awhile, you'd rub your face on my shoulder, as if you were trying to get even closer.
As we swayed, I was taken back to those days that we spent every moment together, the three months of my maternity leave. Most of those days were spent snuggling, with you drifting in and out of sleep, also rubbing your face on my chest, trying to get closer. In those days, there were times that I found your sleeping on me a nuisance. There were things I wanted to get done, different ways I wanted to spend my time. But as you've started to express your independence more, I miss the days of snuggling my baby, holding you until you fall asleep.
So thank you, baby, for giving me back some of that time that I didn't appreciate. I love the feeling of the weight of your little body on mine, finding comfort being close to your mommy. I love knowing that you need me and that I usually have the ability to get you to relax and give in to your need for sleep.
I hope you can find comfort in snuggling with Mommy for forever--I know I'll always love it and cherish the time we've had (and always hope for one more snuggle).
All my love, today and always,
Mommy
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Well...
I'm here. Sort of.
I've missed you. Seriously.
But I'm afraid to come back to blogging much.
You see, I'm feeling really negative right now.
I don't want to be negative. I want to enjoy my daughter. I want to celebrate the fact that she slept all night last night, but all I can think is, "Well, of course she did. We were up until midnight, which means we didn't really get to enjoy it. Typical."
How's that for negative?
I've just been feeling really weighed down by a lot recently and I feel like I shouldn't be posting all about it because, well, who wants to read a blog that's all just bitching and moaning?
To give you a taste:
- We found out last night we have a mouse in our house. A MOUSE. IN OUR HOUSE. More specifically, in our living room. Where Baby Girl plays. Ugh. How incredibly dirty does that make me feel???
- We can't decide how much we want to fight for Baby Girl to get the sort of food we want while not in our care. We prefer fresh, non-processed, non-fried foods (for her....for us, that's a whole different post) and have found out that the sitter is giving her chicken nuggets and a graham cracker for a snack. Is it the end of the world? Of course not. Could she be giving her way worse stuff? Of course. So do we bother fighting with it, causing all sort of tension, or do we just roll with it?
- What *are* we doing with Baby Girl's childcare? We'd like to move her elsewhere, but where? And if (when) we have #2, we'll need someone that probably could take both, so the place where I used to work wouldn't be ideal (only take kids age 18 months and up). Neither The Hubby nor I can imagine her being at this same place until she's three. At the same time, we know she's safe and have established a good relationship with the sitter and the other families. We're so anti-confrontational.
- I've moved offices. My job is the same, but just a different location in the building. And I hate it. Pumping is much harder (there are more people in the same room, more traffic, more noises), working is harder. I'm sort of miserable.
- I'm working on a project with someone who is incredibly difficult to work with. I could punch her sometimes. The end.
- I've been feeling PMS-y for five days now. My first two cycles since having Baby Girl were 28 days, down to the time of day. This one? Today is cycle day 31. I'm guessing it was anovulatory because of having two deaths in one cycle, but...come on, body. Let's just get this over with.
There are other things that I just can't think about right now.
Oh, but I did bite the bullet. I called a counseling program they offer through work, did a preliminary phone conversation with her, and set up an appointment for me to meet her tomorrow at 3. I made the appointment last Friday. And I still haven't told The Hubby. Not trying to hide it...just not an easy thing to talk about.
Must run. Sounds like we're under a tornado and thunderstorm warning here and I have 3 minutes until I leave to drive INTO the storm to pick up my baby. And I just want to get the hell home with her.
I've missed you. Seriously.
But I'm afraid to come back to blogging much.
You see, I'm feeling really negative right now.
I don't want to be negative. I want to enjoy my daughter. I want to celebrate the fact that she slept all night last night, but all I can think is, "Well, of course she did. We were up until midnight, which means we didn't really get to enjoy it. Typical."
How's that for negative?
I've just been feeling really weighed down by a lot recently and I feel like I shouldn't be posting all about it because, well, who wants to read a blog that's all just bitching and moaning?
To give you a taste:
- We found out last night we have a mouse in our house. A MOUSE. IN OUR HOUSE. More specifically, in our living room. Where Baby Girl plays. Ugh. How incredibly dirty does that make me feel???
- We can't decide how much we want to fight for Baby Girl to get the sort of food we want while not in our care. We prefer fresh, non-processed, non-fried foods (for her....for us, that's a whole different post) and have found out that the sitter is giving her chicken nuggets and a graham cracker for a snack. Is it the end of the world? Of course not. Could she be giving her way worse stuff? Of course. So do we bother fighting with it, causing all sort of tension, or do we just roll with it?
- What *are* we doing with Baby Girl's childcare? We'd like to move her elsewhere, but where? And if (when) we have #2, we'll need someone that probably could take both, so the place where I used to work wouldn't be ideal (only take kids age 18 months and up). Neither The Hubby nor I can imagine her being at this same place until she's three. At the same time, we know she's safe and have established a good relationship with the sitter and the other families. We're so anti-confrontational.
- I've moved offices. My job is the same, but just a different location in the building. And I hate it. Pumping is much harder (there are more people in the same room, more traffic, more noises), working is harder. I'm sort of miserable.
- I'm working on a project with someone who is incredibly difficult to work with. I could punch her sometimes. The end.
- I've been feeling PMS-y for five days now. My first two cycles since having Baby Girl were 28 days, down to the time of day. This one? Today is cycle day 31. I'm guessing it was anovulatory because of having two deaths in one cycle, but...come on, body. Let's just get this over with.
There are other things that I just can't think about right now.
Oh, but I did bite the bullet. I called a counseling program they offer through work, did a preliminary phone conversation with her, and set up an appointment for me to meet her tomorrow at 3. I made the appointment last Friday. And I still haven't told The Hubby. Not trying to hide it...just not an easy thing to talk about.
Must run. Sounds like we're under a tornado and thunderstorm warning here and I have 3 minutes until I leave to drive INTO the storm to pick up my baby. And I just want to get the hell home with her.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Word
If you actually go to my blog (I know most people use Readers), I'm keeping a running list of Baby Girl's words (I actually have about 4 more to add today). It's just for my own record-keeping, but in case you're curious, it's there :)
Friday, September 10, 2010
It's fall....*happy sigh*
I love fall. I love the changing leaves. I love football season. I love the cooler temperatures. I love the break from the heat (I definitely appreciate fall more than spring because of this).
I don't love the allergies. But I'm trying to overlook that for now.
The problem is, Ohio hasn't had much of a fall (or spring, really) in a few years. It seems we go straight from 90 degree days to 50s with very little time in between. Not this week, though. This week has been nearly perfect (well, Wednesday through Friday--Tuesday was ridiculously hot, especially in an unair-conditioned church and out in a cemetary).
Wednesday night? We went for a long walk around the neighborhood. Dinner went long, so it wasn't really as long as we would have liked, but it was still fun. Baby Girl loves riding on her car, so we pushed it all around the neighborhood. When she would get bored, we'd sing Itsy Bitsy Spider (she now does some sort of hand signals for each part of it) or one of us would run really fast and get her giggling at the wind in her hair. We even stopped to see a friend who lives in the neighborhood and her big german shepherd. He barked a few times, which made Baby Girl jump, but she didn't beg to be picked up or anything, which was good. After awhile of watching him, she started sticking her tongue out, imitating him--it was adorable! What a beautiful night.
Last night, though, was the best yet. We hadn't laid out any meat for dinner, so we picked up Taco Bell (got a chicken soft taco, Fresco style (eliminates the cheese and adds lettuce), for Baby Girl) and went home. Baby Girl LOVED the lettuce (weirdo...) and ate a good amount of the chicken, then some fresh pear. Since we were done with dinner so early (why can't we do this every night?), we decided to go for a bike ride. We ended up riding all around the neighborhood with Baby Girl in her trailer, again, singing Itsy Bitsy Spider when she got bored :) It was nice to get active, though, and not be dripping with sweat by the time we got home. We then played in the front yard, got on the swing for a bit, then came inside and Baby Girl went to bed. Then The Hubby got a fire going in our firepit...
We sat on our back porch with the fire going and I remembered! We have marshmallows inside! While he was getting the fire to a roar (it's truly an art to do it without lighter fluid), I found the sticks and marshmallows. We lounged in our rockers, slowly roasting the marshmallows to perfection. I pulled mine off the stick and bit into it, letting my teeth pass through the outside (with that perfect slight crisp) and into the gooey, almost-warm-enough-to-burn-your-mouth-but-not-quite inside. The marshmallow seemed to melt into my mouth. Heaven. We enjoyed spending this simple time with each other--something we haven't done in far too long.
It's been a great few nights. We've ignored things that need done inside the house and just focused on spending time together. Tonight we have to get back to things that need done (I have to go shopping for a baby shower present), but it's so good to be able to enjoy fall together.
I don't love the allergies. But I'm trying to overlook that for now.
The problem is, Ohio hasn't had much of a fall (or spring, really) in a few years. It seems we go straight from 90 degree days to 50s with very little time in between. Not this week, though. This week has been nearly perfect (well, Wednesday through Friday--Tuesday was ridiculously hot, especially in an unair-conditioned church and out in a cemetary).
Wednesday night? We went for a long walk around the neighborhood. Dinner went long, so it wasn't really as long as we would have liked, but it was still fun. Baby Girl loves riding on her car, so we pushed it all around the neighborhood. When she would get bored, we'd sing Itsy Bitsy Spider (she now does some sort of hand signals for each part of it) or one of us would run really fast and get her giggling at the wind in her hair. We even stopped to see a friend who lives in the neighborhood and her big german shepherd. He barked a few times, which made Baby Girl jump, but she didn't beg to be picked up or anything, which was good. After awhile of watching him, she started sticking her tongue out, imitating him--it was adorable! What a beautiful night.
Last night, though, was the best yet. We hadn't laid out any meat for dinner, so we picked up Taco Bell (got a chicken soft taco, Fresco style (eliminates the cheese and adds lettuce), for Baby Girl) and went home. Baby Girl LOVED the lettuce (weirdo...) and ate a good amount of the chicken, then some fresh pear. Since we were done with dinner so early (why can't we do this every night?), we decided to go for a bike ride. We ended up riding all around the neighborhood with Baby Girl in her trailer, again, singing Itsy Bitsy Spider when she got bored :) It was nice to get active, though, and not be dripping with sweat by the time we got home. We then played in the front yard, got on the swing for a bit, then came inside and Baby Girl went to bed. Then The Hubby got a fire going in our firepit...
We sat on our back porch with the fire going and I remembered! We have marshmallows inside! While he was getting the fire to a roar (it's truly an art to do it without lighter fluid), I found the sticks and marshmallows. We lounged in our rockers, slowly roasting the marshmallows to perfection. I pulled mine off the stick and bit into it, letting my teeth pass through the outside (with that perfect slight crisp) and into the gooey, almost-warm-enough-to-burn-your-mouth-but-not-quite inside. The marshmallow seemed to melt into my mouth. Heaven. We enjoyed spending this simple time with each other--something we haven't done in far too long.
It's been a great few nights. We've ignored things that need done inside the house and just focused on spending time together. Tonight we have to get back to things that need done (I have to go shopping for a baby shower present), but it's so good to be able to enjoy fall together.
Friday, September 3, 2010
A few quick snippets
I have some big posts ready to write, but needed to get these down:
* Go Buckeyes! We stayed up for the whole game last night and watched the Bucks beat down Marshall. Awesome. Only concern is the special teams, which is the first time in the Tressel era I have ever said that...
* I'm currently writing a 13 month post, but I don't think this belongs there since she just started it last night. Baby Girl can now say "Go Bucks". Of course, it sounds like "Go Guck" (it seems like she's hooked on using the "gah" to begin all words...you'll see when I write out her word list), but she picked it up super quickly. Go Bucks!
* My aunt (my mom's younger sister) passed away last night in her sleep. She's had a long road--she was diagnosed with breast cancer years ago, beat it, but then had other cancer show up in her brain and neck. She fought it until the end and was given four weeks to live about 2 or 3 months ago. She'd been under hospice care for about a month now and I'm happy to hear she was sleeping and hope it was peaceful for her. I didn't have much of a relationship with her, so I'm feeling guilty (again) for not really being overly sad about it. I'm worried about my mom--she's never had a great relationship with her sister (not like they fought--they just weren't close at all) and I left her a voice mail today and she responded with an email: "I'm okay as long as I don't have to talk about it. I'll call when I feel I can." I didn't think she'd be this distraught about it (they went up and visited yesterday because she'd taken a turn for the worse, so they knew it was coming), so I'm not sure how to react now. The selfish side of me is irritated that our long weekend will be altered but I'm trying to overcome that and just think about what we can do to help my mom, grandma, and my mom's siblings get through this.
* Go Buckeyes! We stayed up for the whole game last night and watched the Bucks beat down Marshall. Awesome. Only concern is the special teams, which is the first time in the Tressel era I have ever said that...
* I'm currently writing a 13 month post, but I don't think this belongs there since she just started it last night. Baby Girl can now say "Go Bucks". Of course, it sounds like "Go Guck" (it seems like she's hooked on using the "gah" to begin all words...you'll see when I write out her word list), but she picked it up super quickly. Go Bucks!
* My aunt (my mom's younger sister) passed away last night in her sleep. She's had a long road--she was diagnosed with breast cancer years ago, beat it, but then had other cancer show up in her brain and neck. She fought it until the end and was given four weeks to live about 2 or 3 months ago. She'd been under hospice care for about a month now and I'm happy to hear she was sleeping and hope it was peaceful for her. I didn't have much of a relationship with her, so I'm feeling guilty (again) for not really being overly sad about it. I'm worried about my mom--she's never had a great relationship with her sister (not like they fought--they just weren't close at all) and I left her a voice mail today and she responded with an email: "I'm okay as long as I don't have to talk about it. I'll call when I feel I can." I didn't think she'd be this distraught about it (they went up and visited yesterday because she'd taken a turn for the worse, so they knew it was coming), so I'm not sure how to react now. The selfish side of me is irritated that our long weekend will be altered but I'm trying to overcome that and just think about what we can do to help my mom, grandma, and my mom's siblings get through this.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Just a little bit different
It's that time again...it's the most wonderful time of the year, and I'm not talking about the Christmas season! It's the beginning of college football!
I am not your average, run-of-the-mill football fan. Oh no, I fully advocate the setting up of FOUR (yes...FOUR) TVs in our living room. I am the one that comes up with the viewing schedule on Saturdays so we know which games should be on which TVs. I could rattle off the starting lineup for the Buckeyes and typically most of the backups. I can talk intelligent football with almost any man (I struggle a bit with specific plays and blocking schemes). I was the one to run all of our football prediction pools, counted down the days until Saturday, spent the day from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m. with at least one TV on ESPN (gotta watch College Gameday!)
But not this year. This year, something is...different. Today, the first day of Buckeye football, I feel the energy, the excitement, the electricity. But until today, I felt...not much. I think considered *gasp* going and doing something on Saturday instead of watching football. I also consciously realized that I might fall asleep at the end of the Buckeye game tonight (I haven't missed any major chunk of any games since 1998). And that's when I realized that there has been a major shift in priorities...and I'm not sure I like it. Having already been through one football season with a baby, I knew there would be times that I'd have to choose the baby over football (especially non Buckeye football), but now that she's older and actually needs entertained...that shift seems eminent. And I'm pretty pissed off about that.
For some reason, this is the hardest shift in priorities that I've experienced. Is it hard not being able to go anywhere with my husband after 7 p.m.? Yep. Is it tough knowing I'm not going to sleep through the night unless the baby does? You betcha. But miss my Buckeye football? Oh hellz no.
It'll be interesting to see what this season brings. Tonight is the easy game--Baby Girl will be going to bed around kickoff, so I'll just pause the TV until The Hubby is done putting her down--but subsequent games might be tough. We might end up shipping her off somewhere--something that we haven't considered doing for any other event.
Hmmm...football or the baby? That truly is a tough decision!!! But I have a feeling I know which one I'll choose...and she'll give me a big hug and a kiss on the lips (or a whine and a pinch of my nose) to thank me.
I am not your average, run-of-the-mill football fan. Oh no, I fully advocate the setting up of FOUR (yes...FOUR) TVs in our living room. I am the one that comes up with the viewing schedule on Saturdays so we know which games should be on which TVs. I could rattle off the starting lineup for the Buckeyes and typically most of the backups. I can talk intelligent football with almost any man (I struggle a bit with specific plays and blocking schemes). I was the one to run all of our football prediction pools, counted down the days until Saturday, spent the day from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m. with at least one TV on ESPN (gotta watch College Gameday!)
But not this year. This year, something is...different. Today, the first day of Buckeye football, I feel the energy, the excitement, the electricity. But until today, I felt...not much. I think considered *gasp* going and doing something on Saturday instead of watching football. I also consciously realized that I might fall asleep at the end of the Buckeye game tonight (I haven't missed any major chunk of any games since 1998). And that's when I realized that there has been a major shift in priorities...and I'm not sure I like it. Having already been through one football season with a baby, I knew there would be times that I'd have to choose the baby over football (especially non Buckeye football), but now that she's older and actually needs entertained...that shift seems eminent. And I'm pretty pissed off about that.
For some reason, this is the hardest shift in priorities that I've experienced. Is it hard not being able to go anywhere with my husband after 7 p.m.? Yep. Is it tough knowing I'm not going to sleep through the night unless the baby does? You betcha. But miss my Buckeye football? Oh hellz no.
It'll be interesting to see what this season brings. Tonight is the easy game--Baby Girl will be going to bed around kickoff, so I'll just pause the TV until The Hubby is done putting her down--but subsequent games might be tough. We might end up shipping her off somewhere--something that we haven't considered doing for any other event.
Hmmm...football or the baby? That truly is a tough decision!!! But I have a feeling I know which one I'll choose...and she'll give me a big hug and a kiss on the lips (or a whine and a pinch of my nose) to thank me.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
My Head is Spinning
Am I alone? I feel like I can't be the only person in this world who can't concentrate. Ever.
I feel like I constantly have a running commentary going in my head--while I'm working, driving, playing with Baby Girl, watching TV, surfing the web...and my head is spinning from it. There's always a new thing to add to the to-do list. I actually started one so I could empty my brain once I write it down, but there are always new things. Just right now there are over 20 things on my list. Some small (get a flu shot) but some bigger (finish thank you notes from Baby Girl's birthday....which I STILL haven't done). I find my mind drifting when I should be concentrating on important things and I don't know how to stop it. The Hubby and I have always chalked it up to having an overactive brain, but now I'm wondering if I've got some adult ADD or something like that. I'm lucky that I'm good enough at my job that I still get enough done so no one notices how scattered I am, but someday it's going to catch up with me.
I'm sure part of it is that I still feel like I have to take on all the responsibilities of our entire household. If I don't remember all these things, they'll never get done. I left the responsibility of Baby Girl's one year doctor appointment to the husband and we went over 2 weeks late. The end of the world? No, but when you're a perfectionist, it's too late! I've talked to The Hubby. I've talked to other friends. It seems like we women are always the ones responsible for the household things. It's driving me insane, though--the perfectionist in me needs to make sure it all gets done in a timely manner and if I'm running late (like forgetting to drop a check in the mail before we left for vacation), I beat myself up over it. The Hubby, though? Doesn't even notice. Allison will take care of it. And I will. But I might not get any work done in the meantime.
Oh, and while I was writing this blog post in my brain (I was where I get all my profound thinking done--in the bathroom), I realized my underwear is inside out. And I've peed 4 times today and this is the first time I've noticed. See how scattered I am???
I feel like I constantly have a running commentary going in my head--while I'm working, driving, playing with Baby Girl, watching TV, surfing the web...and my head is spinning from it. There's always a new thing to add to the to-do list. I actually started one so I could empty my brain once I write it down, but there are always new things. Just right now there are over 20 things on my list. Some small (get a flu shot) but some bigger (finish thank you notes from Baby Girl's birthday....which I STILL haven't done). I find my mind drifting when I should be concentrating on important things and I don't know how to stop it. The Hubby and I have always chalked it up to having an overactive brain, but now I'm wondering if I've got some adult ADD or something like that. I'm lucky that I'm good enough at my job that I still get enough done so no one notices how scattered I am, but someday it's going to catch up with me.
I'm sure part of it is that I still feel like I have to take on all the responsibilities of our entire household. If I don't remember all these things, they'll never get done. I left the responsibility of Baby Girl's one year doctor appointment to the husband and we went over 2 weeks late. The end of the world? No, but when you're a perfectionist, it's too late! I've talked to The Hubby. I've talked to other friends. It seems like we women are always the ones responsible for the household things. It's driving me insane, though--the perfectionist in me needs to make sure it all gets done in a timely manner and if I'm running late (like forgetting to drop a check in the mail before we left for vacation), I beat myself up over it. The Hubby, though? Doesn't even notice. Allison will take care of it. And I will. But I might not get any work done in the meantime.
Oh, and while I was writing this blog post in my brain (I was where I get all my profound thinking done--in the bathroom), I realized my underwear is inside out. And I've peed 4 times today and this is the first time I've noticed. See how scattered I am???
Give me more!!!
Last night I cooked some baked fried chicken, baked sweet potato fries, and frozen corn. It was a great meal, if I do say so (and I DO!). Baby Girl agreed, apparently.
The fries and corn were done before the chicken and it was getting late, so I walked over to where she was playing and offered her a bite of a sweet potato fry. She started to suck on it, but eventually understood that she should bite it off, which she then did successfully. She ate two of them and we realized she was pretty hungry, so we put her in her high chair to eat more sweet potatoes and some corn. Once the chicken was done cooking, I gave her some of that, which she ate before I could get it onto her tray. My kid is a meat-eater for sure! She eventually got tired of food other than chicken and The Hubby and I were done with our chicken, so there was none left. She had a few pieces of sweet potato and some corn on her tray and she wasn't interested in that anymore, so we asked if she was all done, she gave us the sign for "all done" and we got her down.
We then headed to the living room. It was at this point that my baby threw her first big tantrum. She was shrieking like she's started to do when she doesn't want to sleep, only this had nothing to do with sleep. She wouldn't leave the kitchen/dining room area. She tried to throw herself onto the floor (she normally moves to the floor very slowly and just lays there looking at you when she's trying to throw a tantrum) but luckily The Hubby was there already and caught her. I cried in the living room. We didn't know what she wanted and I felt like an awful mommy for not having any idea what my baby needed.
And then The Hubby gave her another sweet potato fry, whole. And she was happy again. She ended up eating probably 12 more of them and shared some bites with both of us. Sweet potato? Really? Well, I guess she likes them...and I know what we'll be eating on a fairly regular basis from now on.
Geez.
The fries and corn were done before the chicken and it was getting late, so I walked over to where she was playing and offered her a bite of a sweet potato fry. She started to suck on it, but eventually understood that she should bite it off, which she then did successfully. She ate two of them and we realized she was pretty hungry, so we put her in her high chair to eat more sweet potatoes and some corn. Once the chicken was done cooking, I gave her some of that, which she ate before I could get it onto her tray. My kid is a meat-eater for sure! She eventually got tired of food other than chicken and The Hubby and I were done with our chicken, so there was none left. She had a few pieces of sweet potato and some corn on her tray and she wasn't interested in that anymore, so we asked if she was all done, she gave us the sign for "all done" and we got her down.
We then headed to the living room. It was at this point that my baby threw her first big tantrum. She was shrieking like she's started to do when she doesn't want to sleep, only this had nothing to do with sleep. She wouldn't leave the kitchen/dining room area. She tried to throw herself onto the floor (she normally moves to the floor very slowly and just lays there looking at you when she's trying to throw a tantrum) but luckily The Hubby was there already and caught her. I cried in the living room. We didn't know what she wanted and I felt like an awful mommy for not having any idea what my baby needed.
And then The Hubby gave her another sweet potato fry, whole. And she was happy again. She ended up eating probably 12 more of them and shared some bites with both of us. Sweet potato? Really? Well, I guess she likes them...and I know what we'll be eating on a fairly regular basis from now on.
Geez.
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