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Springtime Already, originally uploaded by errolbert.
Taken by Errol. We all really enjoyed the weather today. We even let the cats out in the yard with us. Sometimes winter just ends like a switch is flipped. Here we are planning a swing set all over again, and thinking about where to put a little pool.
Me, June 1986. I have been to Disney 3 times since then, and always get another picture with Tigger. In 10 days, I’ll be back! We’re heading down to Disneyworld with my mom and Nora in tow this time. For a whole week! I’m SO looking forward to this vacation.
So, let’s see. One month later. What happened in September? Not a whole heck of a lot, honestly.
Nora is still not walking on her own. And, I’m OK with that.
Number of football games attended: zero.
Presidential debates: one. Errol was an IT volunteer for the debate commission the week of the debate. He was in their offices Monday through Thursday, then was sick and stayed home on Friday. He missed the big action, but still got a glimpse of the governor, and a “hello” from Jim Lehrer. You can see his behind the scenes photos here.
Nora had her first school pictures last week! I can’t wait to see them. Here’s a peek at what she was wearing:
Upcoming plans:
>> Major swing set project in the works, stay tuned! Fall is my favorite time of year, and we still have a lot of mild days ahead of us. I have ambitions of spending those days in the backyard.
>> Errol’s dad and stepmother will be here next weekend. They will be staying at a campground nearby, and we might try to camp out for a night with them.
June was a busy month.
Nora got tubes on the 18th, and it went really well. She was already happy, and if you can believe it, she’s even happier. Her progress in learning to crawl picked up almost immediately, and now she gets around so fast it’s scary. So, childproofing: high on the to-do list. Although, we generally plan to take the approach of having her learn what’s ok and not ok to touch instead of removing all objects from everywhere and padding all walls and corners.
On the 23rd we headed to Georgia for what was supposed to be three nights of camping at Stone Mountain, and two nights near Chattanooga, TN. Plans changed. Nora did not handle the heat and change of environment well at all. We spent one night at the campground and one night at a nearby hotel, then we headed home… after a stop at IKEA in Atlanta. It had to be done. How often am I ever so close? Oddly, Nora seemed to enjoy the hotel and the shopping. Hmm…
We will try camping again. Perhaps not in such a hot time of year next time. Also, next time we plan to travel, I will have to put her down to sleep in a travel crib for a few nights before we leave. More than anything, not being in her crib seemed to throw her off. This baby is useless without naps and a good night of sleep.
The theme of the past couple of months, for me, has been the struggle to balance work-life and mom-life. I’m still working half days, and it’s clear that, financially, I can’t do this long term. We plan for me to return to full time after the Labor Day holiday. On the one hand, it’s the safe and practical decision, but on the other… I am so dreading it.
On a bright and happy note, our nieces are coming to visit next weekend! They are Errol’s step-brother’s two girls, ages 13 and 8. I think it’s something they’ve wanted to do for a long time. I have no idea why. Maybe they thing we’re cool or something? I don’t see it. Errol’s parents are bringing them and leaving them with us for the weekend. I’m pretty excited about planning girly-fun things to do, although with these two we’re probably just going to play a lot of Guitar Hero.
I have been meaning to blog about this for a while, but I finally am because now I have two exciting things to talk about.
First, let me tell you how much I adore my razor. I’m not kidding. The Schick Intuition is the best thing that has ever happened to my legs. I don’t have to use shaving cream or anything anymore. I can actually just grab the razor and shave in the shower without fancy acrobatics. I was skeptical, but the bar of soap thing that surrounds the blade on this razor really, really works. Every mother should have one of these. Nay, every woman needs one. Why, oh why, did it take so long for someone to come up with this. People, I will be baring my legs this summer. This is a huge accomplishment.
Thing the second! Oh, let me tell you about the mascara I bought yesterday. I had my brows shaped up by the Brow Gal at Zoe, and as I was checking out I asked for a mascara recommendation. I bought the tube without thinking much about it, because I hate what I was using and trust these ladies. SO, this morning I grab the box, which is interesting I suppose, and expecting a plain old tube of mascara inside. Now, pretend you are me in this moment, and click here.
Oh my gosh! It’s encased in purple crocodile! Eeee! I am a sucker for packaging, and Tarte has won my heart. The mascara is awesome, too, btw.
Also, my eyebrows look amazing.
P.S. West Virginia is rescheduled for the last weekend in May. I am sooo relieved to be going to see my friend. I’m sure she’s pretty excited, too.
When you have a sick baby, it feels like everything swirls around you. We were locked in the house all weekend with Nora, trying to remain calm. She was congested and coughing on Friday, but still smiling and acting like herself. Then, Friday night she slept. All night. From 8 til 5. Now I know that this is less awesome, and more like a sign of trouble. I fed her at 5, and went back to bed. A couple of hours later, she woke up crying. I sent Errol to check on her, and heard through the monitor “Hey, babe, you should come here.” She was burning up. On fire with fever and screaming. For the rest of the day, if she was awake… she was crying.
We were giving her Tylenol, but it’s effects seemed to wear off fast. I was beginning to worry that she wasn’t eating. Finally, Sunday afternoon, we hit the breaking point: bloody mucous coming out when she coughed and coming through her nose. We called our pediatrician at home. I nearly cried when he told Errol we could meet him at the clinic right away I was so overwhelmed. The good news… it’s not RSV. The bad news… it’s an ear infection. So, we got some antibiotics and ear drops. Hurrah! Having an answer to what is hurting her is SUCH a relief.
All Nora has wanted is to be held, and to sleep in our arms. This, I have found, I am no good at. I get too fidgety. Errol, however, is a master of sitting still for over an hour with a hot little baby in his arms. Bless him. I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have him. This very morning, he is at home with Nora a second morning in a row while I go to work. I have no personal leave right now. Thank goodness he is seemingly more capable at this sick baby thing than I am. I hate it.
Contrary to what I expected, it kind of felt like a relief to hand off Nora at daycare and take off. Motherhood has defnitely changed me. I’m less worried about things being done my way as I though I would be. I admit, it helps that she’s only going to be there 4 hours a day.
It’s my first day back, and even though this is my desk and everything is familiar, it’s like starting a new job. The biggest thing that makes it like a whole new job is that I am part time now, working just the mornings. I think my student worker will be working more hours than me in the month of December! I feel like I have come back to work in a new year with resolutions and focus and suchlike. This will require some new, fresh discipline from me, and put my time management skills to the test. Speaking of which, time to stop blogging and get to working. Ack!
Oh, and I have to say, being genuinely missed is a great feeling. People are hugging me, and seem truly excited to have me back. It’s nice. 🙂
Nora is 7 weeks old today. I can’t believe this tiny person person came out of me. It’s a daily revelation. She is so beautiful, and she makes me laugh every day. This baby thing is getting easier every day, too. We truly feel blessed. She takes great naps, puts herself right to sleep when we swaddle her up and put her in her crib. It’s amazing, and I’m thankful every time she falls asleep. Once we got naps figured out, I found this amazing, happy baby. She is so happy. Yes, she’s fussy sometimes, but what baby isn’t? But for the most part, wow, happy is the only word I’ve got. She’s getting to this point where she just stares wide-eyed at the world, and is really taking it all in. I see a smile every day now, too. We’re still not sleeping through the night yet, but I feel like we’re really close.
I know, I said I would post a birth story, but it’s been a long emotional process to get it written. I have a draft sitting on my desktop and I plan to open it back up this week, read it again, and get it finished. I’m just now coming out of what I can only describe as kind of a fog. I’m breathing sighs of relief and looking around me more.
Other goals: write thank you notes, then put away all the gifts we have received since Nora was born that have been lying around the house. Have mercy. We’re talking like 8 thank you notes I have to write, here, and it’s been so hard to get done. Why are thank you’s so hard to write?
Speaking of napping babies, I better go take a shower while I have my chance!
Born August 28, 2007 at 8:30 a.m.
7 lbs. 14 oz., 19 1/2 inches
We came home on Friday, August 31. Let me tell you: being in the hospital was the easy part. I wish we could have stayed a little longer.
Parenthood has hit us with some challenges, but we’re surviving and loving this little girl with every ounce of ourselves. She is amazing. More details about her birthday to come. I’m still working on getting all the details out of my head and written down.
To make a long story short, she is still breech and we have decided on a c-section tomorrow. We report at 5:30 a.m. and my surgery time is 7:30 a.m.
No internet access at the hospital, but pics will be uploaded as soon as possible.
Tomorrow, I will be a Mother. If I say much more, I might start crying and never stop.
