Back Again?

I've been thinking of blogging again. 

The main reason I didn't stick with it in the past- I hate writing. Simple as that.

So why spend time doing something I really don't enjoy? 

I have a terrible, horrendous long-term memory and I'm feeling a strong need to keep a record of what is happening in my life. 

We will see which wins out...my desire to avoid as much writing as possible, or my need to document daily events so that they don't disappear into the abyss. 

First Haircut

(As with most posts, I'm a little late.  This event took place about a month ago, but I still wanted to document it.)

We were so appreciative that G's very talented great aunt was willing to give him his first haircut before his first birthday party - birthday post to come - give me another month :) .  Both hair stylist and client did very well as evidenced in the pictures below.

New Year's Resolution

34 days ago I made a New Year's resolution to make a crockpot dinner every Monday of 2011. I figured coming home after work to a hot, home made, ready-to-eat meal, was a good way to start the week.  So far I'm 5 for 5 - thanks to the help of my mom and mom-in-law. 

Statistically, February, is usually when those well-intended new year's resolutions go right out the window.  So I thought a little public accountability might help me over the hump. 

My plan for next Monday, Jane's Slow - Cooked Italian Chicken.  It comes from my favorite crockpot recipe book, Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly by Phyllis Pellman Good, and sounds delicious. I'll post if it lives up to expectations. 

On my wish list...

A recent search of math-geek t-shirts led me to this find...

The thought of someone having a pair of fuzzy 20-sided dice hanging from their rearview mirror makes my morning. 

I'm also a fan of this shirt...

O, Sleep

I couldn't keep you at bay at 9pm last night.

Now, at 4:30am you have eluded me for the last hour. 

But I know your evil games.  I will fall back into a deep slumber in another few minutes only to be mercilessly dragged out of bed by my 5:15am alarm. 

You're a fickle friend. 

Moving from 2006 to 2009

Today I said goodbye to a loyal friend,

my Motorola Razr. I've had it since the fall of 2006. I think this makes it 120 in phone years. 

At one point in techie history, all the cool kids had one, but it has since fallen from grace, and now it just looks archaic. 

But regardless of appearance, my Razr was steadfast and got the job done. 

Until recently...now it can't hold a charge longer than a good 15 minute conversation.  This tends to hamper communication...the sole purpose of its existence. 

So I have ushered in a new friend,

 the enV3. 

May it have as good of life as its predecessor. 

Who knew produce could be this much fun?

June 2010 - Freshly shelled peas

My joy this summer - besides my baby boy - was our CSA (community supported agriculture) program.  Check out the website here, if you are interested. 

Fresh produce delivered to our door every Wednesday for 14 weeks - we were in organic veggie heaven! I experimented (mainly with olive olive and a roasting pan in hand) with kohlrabi, beets, and sweet potatoes to name a few, and we enjoyed the normal summer classics like zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, corn, white and red potatoes, etc - the list goes on and on.

There were a few pitfalls of the experience.  1) Sadly, vegetables do not wash themselves. There were several hours of work involved through out the summer cleaning, prepping, and cooking.  2) I was not creative enough to figure out how to make okra less slimy or find a dish that would inspire love for eggplant.  (Please feel free to make suggestions if you have any.)

That said, however, I will join the CSA again next summer in a heartbeat. Every Wednesday I was like a kid in a candy store (except I was dealing with veggies) opening my cooler to see what loot I had acquired.  I can't wait to do it again next year. 

Ascending to the Top of Geekdom

As I was tidying up a few things in the house preparing to end another day, I realized that more than anything I wanted to crawl into bed, snuggle under my covers, and read my National Geographic. 

I mean, who wouldn't want to learn about the Bahamas' blue holes?

Ah. Bliss. 

All I need now is NPR playing quietly in the background. 

IT'S BACK!! Let the Saturday Circle Games commence!

In lieu of my recent post this week and also inspired by my dear friend at Written Permission, I felt it was time to bring back Saturday's circle game.  Grab your spouses, grab your friends, and let's play!

I'm keeping it light this week.  I figure we gotta ease back into it.

Please tell us about your absolute favorite I-can't-live-without purchase. 

 

The Art of Conversation

I recently observed a conversation where one person sat and listened to another person babble for hours and hours...about himself and his two favorite hobbies.  It was torturous to watch, and I am guessing, even more excruciating to listen.  Truthfully, I am amazed that the person talking did not get bored of himself. 

I know there are days where we aren't on our best "small talk" game.   Babies, relationships, new houses, work, hobbies etc... - all of these things can disconnect us from the rest of the world and we can close in on ourselves (for better or worse) for a while. I understand.  I have been guilty myself of dominating conversations at times.   

However, as adults, I feel that it is important to know how to carry on a conversation.  It's not enough to simply listen to what people have to say, but we must learn to ask questions of each other.  I believe it's a way to show that we care.  And, at the least, even if we don't care, it's the polite thing to do.
 

Nursing and thank yous

I began reflecting about my own short journey with breastfeeding after reading a post by Grumbles and Grunts about nursing in public, and although I could say a lot about this sensitive topic (mainly that American society has some screwed up views when it comes to breastfeeding and sexuality), I realized that more than anything I wanted to take the time to thank the people in my life that have made these 4 1/2  months of nursing my son possible.

First, some background.
I went into this venture without many expectations and little knowledge about breastfeeding.  I was going to give it a try and if it worked - great, if it didn't - fine. 

Four and a half months later, I am still giving my son breast milk and my goal is to make it at least another month and a half. 

Why do I have this goal?  The health benefits, the milk is free, it relaxes me, I have not yet learned how to mix a bottle of formula, etc...
 
If I like it so much why don't I extend my goal, you ask?  Well, I head back to work right around G's 6 month birthday, and I've decided on a no-guilt policy.  If the babe and I can continue nursing, we will.  If it doesn't work - fine, and I'll figure out the magic of mixing a bottle of formula. 

Second, the thank yous. 
I have come to the conclusion that my feelings of success with breastfeeding are due to two main factors. 

First, the timing of my maternity leave was perfect.  Had I gone back to work right away, I would have definitely figured out how to mix the bottle of formula.  The logistics of pumping at work combined with the lack of sleep from nursing every 2-3 hours would have been too much for me to continue. 

Second, the people around me have been wonderfully supportive, and I owe them a HUGE thank you. 

My families on both sides have been fabulous. If there has been any discomfort with me nursing G while sitting in their midst, I have been blissfully ignorant. They have kept me company and always made me feel at ease, and when I have been brave enough to ask, my friends and co-workers have reacted in the same manner.

I owe three people a special thanks...my husband, mom, and mother-in-law. In the beginning, before I felt like I could leave my house because I was so overcome by all the baby equipment and logistics, these three made the idea of nursing palatable. Just when I would think I couldn't handle another feeding session out of sheer boredom, one of them would join me in the nursery and keep me company.  They have logged hour after hour with me while nursing, and I am incredibly grateful.

And now, as I am cautiously testing the waters of nursing in public, the same three people have sat with me at least once keeping me company and giving me that extra sense of security. 

Thank you for all your patience and support. 
 

Work in progress

This past weekend the fam packed up and headed south for a few days to G's Nana and Poppa's house. 

It's a mini-miracle to get the three of us packed up with all the needed (and non-needed) essentials; how people with more than one child ever leave their house is a mystery to me.  As I was carefully planning and folding G's clothes, I was simultaneously thinking of how many bottles we should pack.  The internal debate raged for 1/2 hour, but I finally settled on 1-3 bottles.  I went downstairs to confer with my spouse. 

"How many bottles should we take for this weekend?" I question.  Without pausing he states, "4," which clearly told me he wasn't painstakingly thinking through the situation as I had hoped - we were only leaving for 2 days, and I am still nursing the wee one 90 percent of the time. 

I give him a look as if he just suggested trading our first born son for the latest and greatest piece of lawn equipment.  He picks up on my disapproval and tries again, "2?" Pause.  "Hell, I dunno, 8?"

I call him out, "You didn't even think about the question.  You're just trying to guess the right answer." 

He starts to laugh because he knows he's caught.  After a moment of  I-can't-believe-he's-laughing-doesn't-he-realize-feeding-our-son-is-important!, I join in because 1) he's eating a Klondike bar and I'm afraid it's going to come out his nose he's laughing so hard, 2) of course he cares about our son eating - my thinking is ridiculous, and 3) it hits me that our exchange could be a vignette straight from Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages or John Gray's Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. 

Me? I want to discuss and consider all possible angles of the situation, finally coming to a decision that we both work toward.

Him?  He wants to solve my dilemma...immediately. 

And the truth - I did want to confer as a team, but, in my mind, there was a "right" answer. 

"Well," I tell him, "the good news is we're trying to work together. You were sincere in wanting to answer correctly, and I sincerely wanted you to get the correct answer."

For the first time in 7 seven years, we got it.  For that day, the communication improved drastically. We started the conversation again. 

"Should we take 1, 2, or 3 bottles?" I ask.

"2," he responds confidently. 

I practice my new skill again giving only options that are acceptable in my mind.  "Should we pack the bottle in his diaper bag or suitcase?" 

"Diaper bag" he states decisively, and I nod in agreement.

Will we make the same communication mistakes again?  Probably, but we sit on the couch content for a minute enjoying the moment of clarity before resuming our packing.    

Sleep

It's lacking in our house these days...again.

Things were going well for a while. For most of the month of May G-man was sleeping 8 hours a night - he would scream for an hour before going to bed, but the uninterrupted night sleep was well worth the screaming. I had mentally awarded us a parental gold star in the sleep arena.

Then I went back to work for two weeks, and selfishly I HAD to get sleep - this is hard with a baby screaming like a banshee in the background. I tried to pretend it was the sound of the ocean crashing against the beach - but this technique was unsuccessful. And well, we broke down. We started bad habits like diverting from our bedtime routine...and the ultimate habit that put the nail in our sleep coffin...a pacifier.

It seemed like a GREAT idea at first - it works magic with many, many children, right? With it G could fall asleep by himself without screaming and the first two nights with this new habit he slept for 8 hours again. Halleluiah! I still remember waking up the next morning. It was glorious!  A smiley, well-rested baby and mommy make a great combination, and I put the mental gold star back on the board.

Then he started waking up once an evening, needing me to pop the paci back in his mouth. It seemed innocent enough. One time...not a big deal.

Two weeks later, however, I am getting up four times a night to find the missing paci. My child goes back to sleep in an instant, however, I am left wide awake.

I HATE to hear my child scream - who doesn't? - but as the parent I need to take control. There will be no paci tonight. And most likely, no sleep, but I am hoping that it will pay off in the long run - for all three of us.

 

I Guess I'm One of Those Women

I hyphenated my name when I got married several years ago.  The decision got an eyebrow raise from my HR director at work.  "Oh, you're one of THOSE women," was his comment.  "Yep, I guess I am," was my response. 

Then yesterday my mother-in-law and I planned to run an errand and go out to eat - something I have not been able to do as frequently as I used to since the birth of Baby G.  I was really looking forward to some time out of the house, and I believe that it is important for G-Man to get use to being out and about as well.

As it turns out our errand lasted much, much longer than anticipated because of a very kind, very talkative woman, and of course, by the time we were ready to go to lunch it was feeding time for the babe.  I had to make a decision.  Should we turn around and abort our lunch plans so I could nurse the little guy at home, or should I bite the bullet and feed him in public?

I decided to live up to the reputation that, apparently, in the eyes of my HR director, a hyphenated name affords.  I feed the little guy in public...in a restaurant (gasp)! 

I felt liberated.  My mother-in-law and I had a very nice lunch, and so did Baby G.  If people were offended by the fact that I fed my baby while managing to show LESS skin than seen plastered over all media outlets...well, I didn't care.  I was just glad to have a break from my house. 

World Fair Trade Day!

May 8 is World Fair Trade Day - yep, there's a day for everything.  So, I'd like to take a moment and shamelessly push my favorite fair trade store.  Ten Thousand Villages not only practices fair trade but offers fabulous products.  My personal favorite is the jewelry.  Haven't picked out a mother's day present yet?  I'd suggest taking a look.   

Dear flowers

Dear flowers,

Do I need to remind you all that we live in the Midwest? I know the weather has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL, but, again - we live in the Midwest. There are probably at least 1/2 dozen mornings ahead of us where the temperature will be below 32 degrees, and we know you all despise this. So although you are absolutely fabulous to look at, I am begging you to stop blooming for about 2-3 more weeks so you don't meet an early demise.

Thanks!
Management

Baby G is Two Months!

Some pics

  

G loves the swing he borrowed from his friend, KA!

Enjoying a spring day with daddy

Getting some exercise on his exercise mat. 

Here he is checking out the new shades.  They didn't last long. 

Take a look at his Daddy's jersey, circa 1980s. 

The smiles quickly turned to screams when he realized lunch was 30 seconds late.

Some skills Baby G has been working on during the past month

1) Vocalization in the form of both cooing and screaming.  T and I prefer the first to the second. 

2) Smiling. I love this. I swear it's not just gas. Starting about three weeks ago he really smiles back when you smile at him. 

3) Focusing his eyes on an object like a face, rattle, etc... It is especially great when he combines #3 with #2. 

4) Controlling his head for brief periods of time. 

Some points from Baby G's two month appointment

1) He's 12lb 10oz, 23.5 inches long. 

2) He's 75th percentile in both height and weight, and his head is in the 30th percentile.  Huh?  Interestingly, his head started out in the 90th percentile when he was born. Again...huh?

3) The blocked tear duct in his left eye is still an issue. We're hoping it will work itself out soon. 

4) He took his two month shots like a champ. 

Lessons I've learned from my short time of being a parent

1) Stay humble and alert when changing diapers.  Everytime I get a little too cocky about my diaper changing skills, Baby G pees on me. 

2) Our daily rountine and life is not about T and me any more, but it can't be ALL about Baby G either.  There has to be balance.  Note: I'm still working on finding the balance. 

3) I feel most empowered when I view parenting as a problem solving task that demands creativity and flexibility. 

4) Burp cloths and bibs are no longer optional. 

5) I've learned to expect change when we feel that we are getting into a routine or rthym. 

I'll say it...

I was disappointed with Glee. 

I really, really, really wanted to like it, but it didn't live up to my expectations. 

Perhaps next week will be better. 

Diapers.com

I'm in love with this website. 

It captured my heart when Baby G was a wee one and one night we found our diaper supply seriously depleted.  G was new enough that trips out of the house were a BIG deal.  So, I used the $10 off coupon from Parenting Magazine and almost cried with relief when the diapers arrived on my porch less than 48 hours later. 

Six weeks later, a trip to Babies R Us by myself with the little guy to get a 200-something count box of diapers still does not sound appealing, so I continue to utilize the website.

My favorite part - free shipping if you spend $50.  This minimum is NOT hard to meet for anyone with a child in diapers.  My second favorite part - they have one of my favorite brands, Aden and Anais.  The burpy bibs are wonderful and Baby G lived in the muslin swaddles for the few weeks of his life.  The swaddling days are over, but we still use these blankets everyday.  I highly recommend. 

Tricks of the Trade

For years I have been watching my mother in awe as she cuts fruit with a pairing knife and no cutting board.  Rather than using the cutting board she sticks out her thumb to stop the blade.  It always looks dangerous but after using all four of my cutting boards in one day, I decided to give it a go.  (Apparently cleaning one was just not an option for me.)
So, for the last three mornings I have been cutting my strawberries sans board - putting my thumb in the line of fire.  It's been a slow process, but I'm determined to learn this trick.  I have decided, though, that as soon as I slice my thumb, it's over - I'll be back to my cutting boards.