wordless wednesday: the mess i never envisioned but now love...

itching to get back to it...

Mr. Boom and I have been talking for weeks about both of us needing some "me-time" and with the way we have filled our weekends in the past couple of months, it's been impossible.

What now? One weekend each month we will decline any invitations, refrain from travel and just keep things low-key and close to home. If we can accomplish this then we will devote the weekend to switching off with one-on-one time with G, while the other indulges in a hobby, reading, a nap or whatever we'd like to do.

My itch? Scrapbooking. I've been a scrapbooker since 1996 and have albums upon albums brimming with pages of my single life, my family, travels and the story of my relationship with Mr. Boom. There is one huge, glaring hole in those albums. I am ashamed to say that I have not created a single page for G.

Not. One.

It's certainly not for lack of photos. Got those. Not even for lack of printed pics. I have some of those too, and more on the way as I type. The lack of time is the kicker. Since no one has yet come up with a way to add more hours into the day, my hobby is the thing that is constantly pushed to the bottom of the to-do list and is never crossed off.

So, what's the plan?

1. Organize: my on-hand supplies are in G's closet. This Sunday, I will carve out some time better organize what I have so that I can easily pull from my stash when I find the time to scrap.
2. Make page-kits: On days I am home from work, I will aim to put together 2-3 page kits while G plays next to me in his room. I can use his dresser/changer as a makeshift workspace. If page kits are handy (with photos, too!), I'll likely be much more productive when I can actually sit down to do a page.
3. Create space: Dedicated space? Not happening now but, that's okay. An on-going goal is to keep our kitchen table free of mail, baby stuff and general clutter. Today a large part of the surface is covered with boxes of everything leftover from G's baptism. Need to find alternative space and re-claim the table.
4. Scrap: Whenever I can steal 15-30 minutes (at night, while watching t.v.) and those low-key weekend days. I am not going to strive for publication worthy pieces of art. My goal is to create nice, simple pages that tell the story. Likely, many of them will be scraplifted from my existing albums or magazines. It's okay! G won't care and, really, I won't either in the long run.

Got it mapped out now, just need to set things in motion. And...go!

oh hello, september 28th! i've been waiting for you...

I've been waiting on this morning since mid-summer, when my Google search turned up the fantastic news. Finally, months of enduring the same few scenes and sounds over and over would come to an end. There was an end in sight. New things on the horizon!

This morning when it was time for my shower, I turned on the DVR, scrolled to yesterday morning and turned on...

...a brand-new Sesame Street season!!!!
Something I never thought I would say, let alone look forward to or get excited about. But, there it is. PBS Kids played the same 15 or so episodes from last season in a loop all summer and I was over them. They weren't fooling this mama. I know that they have thousands of episodes in the archives. Thousands. Remember, PBS? I was a consumer once before when I was a wee one. Haven't you heard that vintage is in vogue?

G didn't seem to mind but, I couldn't stand to see Abby and her gang upcycle the genie's lamp one more time, or hear the "Murray had Little Lamb" rap. Over it.

So, this morning G and I welcomed Super Grover into our living room and breathed a sigh of relief for something new.

nine months of you...

My precious boy,

You have been with us now for three quarters of a year. In the last month you have really begun to show us more of your personality and are keeping us on our toes, quite literally, as we try to keep up with your crawling and cruising.

At nine months you:

• have two teeth, your bottom, front two.
• are an incredible eater. You will try anything we put in front of you and are less and less interested in purees as you discover new tastes and textures of table food.
• are crawling (at lightning speed), pulling to standing on anything and everything and cruising along furniture.
• are tenacious and persistent. If you can't go through it or around it, you'll find a way over it. When you set your sights on something, it's very hard to distract you from that goal.
• have quite the memory. If we take something out of your sight and you happen to see where we've hidden it, you'll come back to that spot an hour later to retrieve your prize. Amazing.
• are making lots of pre-verbal sounds and will 'talk' for long periods of time in your incredibly sweet little voice. Most of your sounds consist of "da-da", "ya-ya", "ma-ma" and lots of cooing and hissing.
• said your first word on 9/12/10 at 1:45 pm. Baba walked in the door from work, you crawled right over to him and said, "Da-dee". He thinks it was a fluke but, I'm counting it as the real deal.
• love your Mama and Baba. When one of us has been gone (for a few minutes, or hours), we return to your squeals of delight, big grins and you'll crawl right to us with arms extended, asking us to pick you up.
• way hello and good-bye.
• point to things that interest you.
• weigh 19 lbs, 10 ozs (35th%) and measure 28.5 inches long (55th%). Our long, lean boy.
• are wearing mostly 6-9 month clothes but, those pants are getting short so we'll be moving you into 12 months soon.
• love the park. When we head out for a walk, you squeal with delight as you see the park and the swings in view.
• love to swing and the back-and-forth motion rocks you right to sleep at times.
• love watching animals and other kids.
• are very social. You are fine with being held by anyone we hand you to and are a merciless flirt when we are out and about, smiling and waving to anyone who pays attention.
• are still nursing, mainly mornings and nights. You have dropped a couple of bottle feedings during the day in favor of foods. When Mama is at work, you now get one bottle of infant formula. It took you a few days to get used to the different taste but, now you will drink your bottle with no problem.
• are happy! It doesn't take much to get a smile out of you. You have a ticklish tummy and sides and give us great belly laughs when we do 'raspberries' on your belly or neck.
• love, love, love bath time! Whenever we open the bathroom door, you make a bee-line for your bath toys and the tub...ever hopeful.
• were baptised on 9/18/10 and Father Nick was astounded that you were not only calm and happy but, splashed around in the baptismal font. That may have been a first for him.
• make diaper changes quite challenging. As you are so mobile, you'll spin around and don't like to lay still long enough to get a new diaper on. Bribing you with toys and singing works...sometimes.
• love the sound of Mama's singing voice (for some odd reason!). If you get fussy in the car, I just need to start singing to you and you settle down in a moment.
• are a little explorer. You love checking out every inch of our home and any new space.

I know it's your job but, you are growing far too fast! We are enjoying watching and loving you upevery day. You bring so much joy to our little family, little guy.

Love you to the moon and back,

Mama

wordless wednesday: truth...

(borrowed from the Work in Progress blog)

i guess i'll sleep when...

I'm currently enduring yet another round of sleepless nights with G.

10 nights of 5+ wake-ups, followed by 1 night of 2 wakes (little tease!!!), followed by last night with 4 wakes.

We follow a bedtime routine that helps him transition to sleep initially but, are so far from sleeping through the night that it would be laughable if I weren't so sleep deprived. I'm beyond the point of needing the proverbial toothpicks to keep my eyes open. Instead, they are just stuck in the open position, at the ready for the next scream from the nursery. For about one wake-up a night he'll settle himself back down but, the rest end up in screaming fits that require intervention. We've tried letting him cry it out a couple of times but, all that accomplishes is getting him so wound up that he gags and wretches (no, thank you!).

I know that babies go through growth spurts, teething and periods of sleep regression, I just didn't count on them coinciding or lasting for such long stretches. I. am. Tired. He is such a wonderful baby during the day - happy, playful, curious and goes with the flow. Are the sleep issues some sort of penance for the daytime hours? Yes, I know that is a ridiculous notion and he wil sleep at some point. Right now I'm just praying that day happens before he leaves for college.

peek-a-boo...

So you want me to show off my two new teeth, huh? Yeah, I don't think so.

Peek-a-boo!!!
Hehehe...you tricked me Mama!

the dreaded day and mommy guilt...

This morning, I ended up doing the one thing I have dreaded more than any other in my short time as a mommy - supplementing with formula. After a full 8 months and 3 weeks of exclusive breastfeeding, there was not enough pumped milk to leave for G.

I wanted to be the one to give him the first bottle, fearing that he may refuse it or have a reaction so, I gave him 2 ounces. He drank the bottle in record time, as I cried, and wanted more. Honestly, for a few minutes I didn't know whether to be relieved or upset that he had no problem with the formula. Then, I knocked some sense into myself. My son is a champion eater and that is a good thing.

Today I am struggling with mommy guilt, disappointment and sadness. I was not ready to wean yet, even if it is partial. I know that supplementing means the beginning of the end of my nursing relationship with G and wasn't ready. I know so many women celebrate this time and getting their body back but, I'm feeling the exact opposite. I loved being able to provide the only nutrition our son needed for over 5 months and looked forward to making it past this point.

So, what now?

I plan to carry on nursing whenever I am home and hope that my nighttime and early morning supply hangs on for a good while longer. And, I will continue to pump at work as long as I am producing enough while at work to not be physically uncomfortable and to justify carrying the pump through New York City. And, I will try not to carry this disappointment beyond today.

George is 8 months, 3 weeks today.

he is my sunshine...

tooth no. 2, tomatoes and all that babble...

Our Labor Day weekend was mostly spent upstate visiting my family and celebrating my aunt and uncle's 30th wedding anniversary at their lake house. G was an incredible traveler in both directions, napping most of each three plus hour drive and entertaining himself with toys for the rest. He was a huge hit at the party and we were reminded yet again just how lucky we are to have such a happy, easy-going baby. He flirted, giggled and was content to be passed from person to person all day long at the party. When it was time to nap, I put him in the Ergo, walked him down to the dock so that there were less faces around to distract him and he drifted off in a deep sleep for an hour. (photos to come...)

Just before we arrived at the lake, he was getting a bit restless in his car seat (so were we!) and I wondered if his tooth might be bothering him some. I grabbed the orajel to soothe him, went to apply it to his bottom gum and - bingo! Tooth #2 had arrived. Now his front two bottom teeth are in a race to see which pearly white can come all the way through first.

Probably the only drawback of not getting teeth until past eight months has been that G is wanting to eat more solid foods than his gums will allow. He'll try anything we will let him and will lunge for our plates in hopes of grabbing something new to eat. He's still eating the purees but, I'll often have to give him breaks at meals to eat a few puffs or cheerios so that he can work on his chewing and self-feed. On Sunday, we went out to lunch with my mom, sister and nephew and he was eyeing everything on my plate, even as he hungrily ate his yogurt and applesauce. When he had finished both, I gave him a few bites of my pasta salad then (against my single gag-worthy food bias) a few pieces of tomato. My little traitor loved every bite! I suppose there wil be tomatoes in my grocery cart in the near future. But, you still can't make ME eat them.

And then, there is the babble.

Yesterday, as soon as G woke up we knew about it because he sat chattering away in the pack and play. For a half hour. I had tossed in a few of his favorite toys to buy an extra few minutes of rest before we started the day and he happily chattered away as he played. That was the theme for the rest of the day. When he was awake, he was babbling. Lots of vowels and consanants, some squeals and sound after sound strung together in his sweetest little voice. Love.

Every month and at every large miletone, I catch myself saying, "THIS is my favorite age." Though I'm sure to continue doing so, 8.5 months is just so much fun with this happy boy.

G is 8 months, 2 weeks.