At this time of the year, I always get some grand ideas about what all I'm going to accomplish, from gift shopping to home decorating to baking to crafts. Just before Thanksgiving, I start thinking that if I start now, I'll have five full weekends to do everything that I want--who needs more time than that? And yet somehow, those weekends quickly get accounted for, and shopping happens on-line, if at all, and the homemade plates of cookies and treats that I was going to make for neighbors and everyone in the office turns into one platter of homemade cookies to take to the office (forget the neighbors!), and then to store-bought cookies in a box. The gifts that I had planned to "make" for people never get made. And my home-decorating ends up being a hodge-podge of Christmas crap and ideas that stay mostly in my head.
This year will likely be no different. Except for the fact that now that I have a kid and one on the way, I want to make sure that no matter what I accomplish or don't accomplish, that we actually enjoy the holidays and have fun doing whatever it is that we decide to do, whether that's making cookies, or decorating the house, or making homemade ornaments, or just simply spending time with family and friends, or lazing about the house getting absolutely nothing done. I think we've clearly established that I'm not the most organized, efficient, "get things done" kind of person. So I'm aiming low this year and will do what I can. And who cares about the rest.
So with that said, I'm going downstairs to make the dough for sugar cookies, which I may or may not roll out into cookies this weekend. If not this weekend, maybe next weekend. And I may or may not look for the garland to hang up on the fireplace mantel. And I may or may not try to add lights to that garland. Either way, I'll be happy with what I can accomplish. I just need to keep reminding myself of that each time I try to go over the long list in my head of what I "need" to get done this weekend or the following weekend, or the weekend after that. So that's my goal. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Blogging Sabbatical
I've taken an unintended blogging sabbatical, and the longer I'm away, the harder it is to get back into the "habit" of blogging. With Mom visiting, and the holidays approaching, I've been busy, to say the least. I've been spending my computer time uploading holiday CDs onto my iPod, uploading pictures and trying to create holiday gifts, and of course, Internet shopping. Add visiting with my mom, real-world shopping, and gardening to all of that, and I've been left with little time or energy to blog. Mom left today, though, the flower beds have been planted and mulched, holiday CDs are on the iPod, and I've made progress with shopping and pictures, so it's time for an update on the Hahn Household.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and counted so many blessings. William enjoyed all of the attention and managed to entertain a houseful of guests, despite his recent bout of "Mommy-itis" (where it's terribly painful to be any further than two steps away from Mommy's side, and preferably in Mommy's arms). On Friday, we went Bowling with Ed's cousins on his dad's side, and all of their kids. There were nine second cousins in all, and William had a blast! He loved bowling, and after the game, we went back to one of the cousin's house where William got to play with a ton of new and interesting toys. He was way more laid back and easy-going than his 20-month old cousin, which made Ed and me look like great parents. (Well, not really. It just made William look like an easy kid! But this is my blog, so I can interpret it however I want!) Here's an action shot of him in his bowling shoes.
And here's a shot of all the cousins. This was a tough picture to get!
The rest of the weekend was filled with shopping, gardening, putting together William's new tricycle from Baba, and keeping William out of trouble. Baba bought William lots of new toys. So far his favorites are the Hot Wheels trucks and helicopter. And he's still enjoying those potatoes. His latest game is throwing them up onto the counter. Here's a video:
In other exciting William news, he's starting to string words together into phrases. He'll say, "water all gone," for example, or "Daddy outside." If he wants me to do something, he'll grab my hand and say, "walk." He talks A LOT, but I still only understand about 10 percent of what he says. He says "I love you" when I say it to him, which melts my heart. In really big news, two nights ago, he went to sleep without his before-bed bottle, and slept all night! I've been reluctant to try to take away the bottle because, A) I was worried he'd wake up hungry during the night, and B) I was worried he wouldn't drink enough milk without the bottle. B may still be an issue, but he didn't even miss it before bed and didn't wake up hungry. Tonight he didn't have it either, so we'll see if he wakes up. Last night could have been a fluke. At any rate, he hasn't been eating much lately, so I don't want to try to take away the morning bottle yet. But give us another month, and we may be bottle-free for a few short months!
As for my pregnancy, things are going well. I'm definitely feeling better and not so exhausted. I've gained 10 pounds so far, so obviously no problems in the eating department! I'm 18 weeks this week, so time is really flying. It's funny how you're so focused on your pregnancy and your body with your first baby, but you don't give it much thought when it's your second (or third or fourth or fifth). Not that I don't give the baby much thought--but it's the pregnancy itself that just doesn't consume you like the first one does. As for the baby, I think about him or her all the time and imagine what she/he will be like. I think of how I want this baby to be different from William (I hope he or she SLEEPS!!!!), and I how I hope he or she is the same. Will the infant stage be just as hard? Will I be a better mom this time around? Will William become a monster when we bring the baby home? Or will I be pleasantly surprised like I usually am when it comes to William? Time will tell, I guess.
I guess that's enough for one night. If I plan to get back into the habit of blogging, I better ease myself in. Good think I opted out of participating in NaBloPoMo! Maybe next year!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and counted so many blessings. William enjoyed all of the attention and managed to entertain a houseful of guests, despite his recent bout of "Mommy-itis" (where it's terribly painful to be any further than two steps away from Mommy's side, and preferably in Mommy's arms). On Friday, we went Bowling with Ed's cousins on his dad's side, and all of their kids. There were nine second cousins in all, and William had a blast! He loved bowling, and after the game, we went back to one of the cousin's house where William got to play with a ton of new and interesting toys. He was way more laid back and easy-going than his 20-month old cousin, which made Ed and me look like great parents. (Well, not really. It just made William look like an easy kid! But this is my blog, so I can interpret it however I want!) Here's an action shot of him in his bowling shoes.
And here's a shot of all the cousins. This was a tough picture to get!
The rest of the weekend was filled with shopping, gardening, putting together William's new tricycle from Baba, and keeping William out of trouble. Baba bought William lots of new toys. So far his favorites are the Hot Wheels trucks and helicopter. And he's still enjoying those potatoes. His latest game is throwing them up onto the counter. Here's a video:
In other exciting William news, he's starting to string words together into phrases. He'll say, "water all gone," for example, or "Daddy outside." If he wants me to do something, he'll grab my hand and say, "walk." He talks A LOT, but I still only understand about 10 percent of what he says. He says "I love you" when I say it to him, which melts my heart. In really big news, two nights ago, he went to sleep without his before-bed bottle, and slept all night! I've been reluctant to try to take away the bottle because, A) I was worried he'd wake up hungry during the night, and B) I was worried he wouldn't drink enough milk without the bottle. B may still be an issue, but he didn't even miss it before bed and didn't wake up hungry. Tonight he didn't have it either, so we'll see if he wakes up. Last night could have been a fluke. At any rate, he hasn't been eating much lately, so I don't want to try to take away the morning bottle yet. But give us another month, and we may be bottle-free for a few short months!
As for my pregnancy, things are going well. I'm definitely feeling better and not so exhausted. I've gained 10 pounds so far, so obviously no problems in the eating department! I'm 18 weeks this week, so time is really flying. It's funny how you're so focused on your pregnancy and your body with your first baby, but you don't give it much thought when it's your second (or third or fourth or fifth). Not that I don't give the baby much thought--but it's the pregnancy itself that just doesn't consume you like the first one does. As for the baby, I think about him or her all the time and imagine what she/he will be like. I think of how I want this baby to be different from William (I hope he or she SLEEPS!!!!), and I how I hope he or she is the same. Will the infant stage be just as hard? Will I be a better mom this time around? Will William become a monster when we bring the baby home? Or will I be pleasantly surprised like I usually am when it comes to William? Time will tell, I guess.
I guess that's enough for one night. If I plan to get back into the habit of blogging, I better ease myself in. Good think I opted out of participating in NaBloPoMo! Maybe next year!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Holy Appetite!
William ate TWO entire hot dogs for dinner and a whole string cheese serving, and that was after eating half an apple on the way home, and half a grapefruit when we got home. (Guess he has a bit of Florida in him after all! The boy loves grapefruit!) Too bad I didn't make something a little more healthy. Of course, that may be the point. Maybe he's just not into healthy these days.
Last night, William discovered that the gate lying flat on the floor is a lot of fun. First he walked over it several times. Then he got some trucks and rolled the trucks over the gate. Then he got his ride-on car and his push walker toy and ran those over the gate. Apparently, it's very entertaining, because he did it all again tonight. Last night he also discovered the bag of potatoes that I keep in one of the cabinets. He proceeded to take all the potatoes out of the bag and carry them to the fireplace hearth, one by one. That was pretty fun, but then he decided to see what would happen if he started throwing the potatoes. Mom quickly put all the potatoes away, so I guess that answered that question. Tonight he decided it was hysterical to spit drool wads onto the sofa and carpet, and then spread them around. Actually, the hysterical part was when Mom said, "William! Don't do that!" Funny stuff, I tell you. At least he's easily entertained!
So there's a glimpse into our evening activities. Always something new and fun going on in the Hahn household. Stay tuned for more!
Last night, William discovered that the gate lying flat on the floor is a lot of fun. First he walked over it several times. Then he got some trucks and rolled the trucks over the gate. Then he got his ride-on car and his push walker toy and ran those over the gate. Apparently, it's very entertaining, because he did it all again tonight. Last night he also discovered the bag of potatoes that I keep in one of the cabinets. He proceeded to take all the potatoes out of the bag and carry them to the fireplace hearth, one by one. That was pretty fun, but then he decided to see what would happen if he started throwing the potatoes. Mom quickly put all the potatoes away, so I guess that answered that question. Tonight he decided it was hysterical to spit drool wads onto the sofa and carpet, and then spread them around. Actually, the hysterical part was when Mom said, "William! Don't do that!" Funny stuff, I tell you. At least he's easily entertained!
So there's a glimpse into our evening activities. Always something new and fun going on in the Hahn household. Stay tuned for more!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Happy 18-month Birthday!
Dear William,
Today, you turned 18 months old. You're one and a half! Almost old enough to stop counting your age in months. Wow--where has the time gone? You are such an amazing little boy and you bring your dad and me such joy. You are learning new things by leaps and bounds these days, and I love to watch the wheels spin in that precious little head of yours. You are so observant, always paying attention to the world around you. You are a little cautious by nature, preferring to watch from the sidelines before jumping in with both feet. Once you're comfortable, though, look out! You love to make people laugh, and to laugh yourself. And you're so tough! You hardly ever cry when you hurt yourself, and if you do, it's only for a minute.
You love trucks and buses and motorcycles and trains and helicopters and airplanes. You point them out when we're driving, or playing outside. And you even point them out when we're inside and you hear them. You love books and listen to the stories very intently. Some things scare you at first, like the dinosaur that roars in "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" and the wild things in "Where the Wild Things Are." But after we've read them a few times, you like them and eagerly anticipate their arrival in the pages. You are often content to sit and read books by yourself, too. You love to push your trucks and ride-on toy around the kitchen, family room, and breakfast room. You sometimes go so fast that you crash into the wall, which you think is funny, but it always scares me. You also love to draw with pencils and pens and will do so happily for quite some time. You're pretty content to amuse yourself, as long as I'm close by. And you often stop for a hug, or to check out what I'm doing.
I love it when you wake up in the morning because believe or it not--I actually miss you while you're sleeping. I love your hugs, and the way you sometimes hold my cheeks and smush your face into mine. I feel your love so fiercely in those moments, and want to hold onto that forever. And even though you are a mama's boy through and through, no one makes you laugh like your daddy. In the mornings when I bring you to our bed, the first thing you do is lie on top of daddy and make sure he's awake. And when he comes home from work, it sends you into a fit of giggles and silliness. There's nothing better than seeing you give Daddy a hug. Or listening to you and Daddy play together. Or watching you help Daddy in the back yard.
You definitely assert your independence from time to time, and you clearly let us know when you're not happy. But so far, you get over things very quickly and you seem to be okay with the fact that your Dad and me are in charge. We are thankful for this, although we know it might change any day. We are excited for you to become a big brother, and although your world will change more than your could probably imagine, I think you will take it in stride, and will love having a friend and playmate eventually. It will be hard to share mommy at first, but like always, you will adapt quickly.
We hope that we are giving you everything you need to be a happy, confident, thoughtful, and industrious little boy. We know that we have made mistakes along the way, and probably will in the future, too, but we are so lucky that you are so easygoing and forgiving. We can't wait to see what the next 18 months, and 18 years and more, will bring. And in the meantime, we will treasure every moment that we get to spend with you.
Here are some pictures to remind us of your journey.
On the day you were born:
Six months old:
One year old:
18 months old:
We love you William. And we're so proud of you.
P.S. At your 18-month checkup, you weighed 22.5 lbs, measured 31 inches tall, and your head is 18 and 3/4 inches around. You're still a little guy, but growing just fine!
Today, you turned 18 months old. You're one and a half! Almost old enough to stop counting your age in months. Wow--where has the time gone? You are such an amazing little boy and you bring your dad and me such joy. You are learning new things by leaps and bounds these days, and I love to watch the wheels spin in that precious little head of yours. You are so observant, always paying attention to the world around you. You are a little cautious by nature, preferring to watch from the sidelines before jumping in with both feet. Once you're comfortable, though, look out! You love to make people laugh, and to laugh yourself. And you're so tough! You hardly ever cry when you hurt yourself, and if you do, it's only for a minute.
You love trucks and buses and motorcycles and trains and helicopters and airplanes. You point them out when we're driving, or playing outside. And you even point them out when we're inside and you hear them. You love books and listen to the stories very intently. Some things scare you at first, like the dinosaur that roars in "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" and the wild things in "Where the Wild Things Are." But after we've read them a few times, you like them and eagerly anticipate their arrival in the pages. You are often content to sit and read books by yourself, too. You love to push your trucks and ride-on toy around the kitchen, family room, and breakfast room. You sometimes go so fast that you crash into the wall, which you think is funny, but it always scares me. You also love to draw with pencils and pens and will do so happily for quite some time. You're pretty content to amuse yourself, as long as I'm close by. And you often stop for a hug, or to check out what I'm doing.
I love it when you wake up in the morning because believe or it not--I actually miss you while you're sleeping. I love your hugs, and the way you sometimes hold my cheeks and smush your face into mine. I feel your love so fiercely in those moments, and want to hold onto that forever. And even though you are a mama's boy through and through, no one makes you laugh like your daddy. In the mornings when I bring you to our bed, the first thing you do is lie on top of daddy and make sure he's awake. And when he comes home from work, it sends you into a fit of giggles and silliness. There's nothing better than seeing you give Daddy a hug. Or listening to you and Daddy play together. Or watching you help Daddy in the back yard.
You definitely assert your independence from time to time, and you clearly let us know when you're not happy. But so far, you get over things very quickly and you seem to be okay with the fact that your Dad and me are in charge. We are thankful for this, although we know it might change any day. We are excited for you to become a big brother, and although your world will change more than your could probably imagine, I think you will take it in stride, and will love having a friend and playmate eventually. It will be hard to share mommy at first, but like always, you will adapt quickly.
We hope that we are giving you everything you need to be a happy, confident, thoughtful, and industrious little boy. We know that we have made mistakes along the way, and probably will in the future, too, but we are so lucky that you are so easygoing and forgiving. We can't wait to see what the next 18 months, and 18 years and more, will bring. And in the meantime, we will treasure every moment that we get to spend with you.
Here are some pictures to remind us of your journey.
On the day you were born:
Six months old:
One year old:
18 months old:
We love you William. And we're so proud of you.
P.S. At your 18-month checkup, you weighed 22.5 lbs, measured 31 inches tall, and your head is 18 and 3/4 inches around. You're still a little guy, but growing just fine!
Monday, November 12, 2007
"Help, Please"
It's a great moment when something you've been "teaching" your child sinks in. I've been telling William to say, "Help, please" when he wants something he can't reach, or to open something, or anytime he's getting frustrated. I'm so tired of all the grunting/pointing/whining. So Saturday morning, he wanted to open the locked kitchen cabinet and he magically said, "Help, please!" I nearly fell off my chair! And he said it again later when he wanted to get in the chair to bang on the computer keys. And now he's either saying or signing "please" without me prompting it. Amazing! It seems like he's been learning and absorbing by leaps and bounds in the last week. Lots of new words and comprehension. I really really love this age. I love watching him play and interact with people. And he's still listening to me and hasn't started throwing monster fits yet. So all is fantastic in the Hahn household right now.
This weekend we went to a wedding in Delaware. Actually, Ed and I were in the wedding (his cousin's wedding), so William got shuffled around to lots of different caregivers. And he was wonderful! On the 2-hour drive to Delaware, he slept for most of the way. He was great at the hotel, and then ate dinner with Ed's parents and sister while we went to the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. They put him to sleep in his pack-n-play and said he went right to sleep. And then he didn't wake up until 5:00 a.m., and then got in bed with us and slept until 7:00 a.m. And then on Sunday, he was with Ed in the morning while I got my makeup done, and then he hung out with his grandfather while Ed and I had to do pictures, and then he had a babysitter who he had never met before during the wedding, and she said he was great. What a trooper! The wedding was over by 7:00, so we got him in his jammies, visited with family for a little while, and then hit the road around 8:30 p.m. for the trip back to Virginia. He fell asleep at 9:00 in the car, and then went right back to sleep in his crib when we got home at 10:30, and slept until 6:00 a.m. this morning. He was pretty tired from everything, though, because today, he took his nap at 10:30 a.m. and slept for 3 hours. (I did, too!) He was such a trooper, though, and it made everything so easy. I was feeling pretty anxious about how everything would go, but I needn't have worried. Here's a picture of Ed and me at the reception. We didn't bring our camera, but someone else sent us a few pictures:
So that was our weekend. It was nice to hang out at home today. And it will be nice to have a short week. I can't believe Thanksgiving is already the week after this. My mom is coming to visit this weekend and will stay through Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to her and William spending time together. And the fact that she'll be making my yard look great is an added bonus.( Right now we're going for the Goth look with the dead inpatients still in the pots out front. ) It will be a little stressful on Ed to have her here for that long, but she hasn't seen William in so long. And we won't see her at Christmas, either. So he'll just have to live with it. Besides, an extra set of hands might be a welcome relief for all of us.
This weekend we went to a wedding in Delaware. Actually, Ed and I were in the wedding (his cousin's wedding), so William got shuffled around to lots of different caregivers. And he was wonderful! On the 2-hour drive to Delaware, he slept for most of the way. He was great at the hotel, and then ate dinner with Ed's parents and sister while we went to the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. They put him to sleep in his pack-n-play and said he went right to sleep. And then he didn't wake up until 5:00 a.m., and then got in bed with us and slept until 7:00 a.m. And then on Sunday, he was with Ed in the morning while I got my makeup done, and then he hung out with his grandfather while Ed and I had to do pictures, and then he had a babysitter who he had never met before during the wedding, and she said he was great. What a trooper! The wedding was over by 7:00, so we got him in his jammies, visited with family for a little while, and then hit the road around 8:30 p.m. for the trip back to Virginia. He fell asleep at 9:00 in the car, and then went right back to sleep in his crib when we got home at 10:30, and slept until 6:00 a.m. this morning. He was pretty tired from everything, though, because today, he took his nap at 10:30 a.m. and slept for 3 hours. (I did, too!) He was such a trooper, though, and it made everything so easy. I was feeling pretty anxious about how everything would go, but I needn't have worried. Here's a picture of Ed and me at the reception. We didn't bring our camera, but someone else sent us a few pictures:
So that was our weekend. It was nice to hang out at home today. And it will be nice to have a short week. I can't believe Thanksgiving is already the week after this. My mom is coming to visit this weekend and will stay through Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to her and William spending time together. And the fact that she'll be making my yard look great is an added bonus.( Right now we're going for the Goth look with the dead inpatients still in the pots out front. ) It will be a little stressful on Ed to have her here for that long, but she hasn't seen William in so long. And we won't see her at Christmas, either. So he'll just have to live with it. Besides, an extra set of hands might be a welcome relief for all of us.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Friday Guest Blog
Wow--I've gone a whole week without posting. I guess I've gotten out of the habit of sitting down to my computer after William's gone to bed and we've cleaned up from dinner and the day. That's okay, though. There's really not all that much I have to say these days, and I can only oooh and aahh over William so much. I never get tired of him, which amazes me. (Not saying that I won't ever get tired of him--just hasn't happened yet!) He is cutting his canines, however, so I should mention that. His bottom right one poked through, and he hasn't even been very fussy. Maybe the night waking last week was because of his teeth, though? Anyway, he's also saying "motorcycle" now, except it sounds like he's saying, "marker."
Anyway, on to the guest blog. Leslie Morgan Steiner has a daily column/blog in the on-line Washington Post called On Balance, which focuses on how people balance work/family/personal life stuff. Much of the time, it ends up being about parenting and today's topic is especially relevant, so I thought I'd share. I especially liked one of Leslie's follow-up comments.
Marathon Moms
by Leslie Morgan Steiner
So kudos to all of you moms (and dads!). We do amazing work, even if it's just the everyday stuff like getting dinner on the table, getting the house cleaned before going to bed, reading 5 books to your child before bed because you love it that he loves to read, and you're happy spending the extra 10 minutes with him, staying up late to spend quality time with your husband, putting in a full day at work and feeling like you were actually productive. All of this stuff counts, so pat yourselves on the back!
Anyway, on to the guest blog. Leslie Morgan Steiner has a daily column/blog in the on-line Washington Post called On Balance, which focuses on how people balance work/family/personal life stuff. Much of the time, it ends up being about parenting and today's topic is especially relevant, so I thought I'd share. I especially liked one of Leslie's follow-up comments.
Marathon Moms
by Leslie Morgan SteinerOkay, I'm flabbergasted: The winner of this past Sunday's New York City marathon had a baby in January? I'm particularly impressed because I could not possibly have run a marathon 10 months after having a baby. Okay, I couldn't have run one at any point in my life before I had a baby, either. And Katie Holmes ran it, too, less than two years after having Suri and after training a mere three months? Whatever...
But wait, wait -- there are a few things I've done since having a baby that have surprised me. I wrote a book between the hours of 9 p.m. to midnight every night, after working a full day at my job and wrangling my three young kids through dinner, baths, stories and into bed. I have put in a day's work and taken care of my kids -- good care -- after getting less than an hour's sleep at night. And I took up a grueling new exercise, power vinyasa yoga, which I practice three to four times a week for 90 minutes in a room heated to 93 degrees. None of my prized accomplishments are as hard as running, much less winning, a marathon. But they aren't things I thought I could do before I had kids.
What about you? Motherhood is heroic enough by itself, in my opinion. But have you done something post-parenthood that you never thought you'd be able to accomplish? What about your abilities, once you had children, has surprised and/or impressed you? Has parenthood inspired you to reach new or different personal or professional goals?
A lot of people posted comments that since the woman is a professional runner, and since Katie Holmes had both the time and the means to train in such a short period of time, it really wasn't such a huge accomplishment. So Leslie followed up with this comment:"I don't care that Paula Radcliffe is a professional, and totally amazing, runner. Or that Katie Holmes is a rich actress. I am STILL incredibly impressed that they ran (and that Paula won) the marathon so soon after having kids. I think they -- and the other mom runners -- deserve a completely free-and-clear no caveats CONGRATULATIONS.
I feel exactly the same way for all moms who return to their jobs. And for all moms who don't return to their jobs, and tackle the new job of being a stay-at-home mom. Bravo, bravo, bravo.
We don't congratulate moms enough in this country. We act like, well, it's natural to be a mom, so who needs a medal for it? But it's big stuff, motherhood. And we're all better off recognizing how big it is."
The last paragraph is the best. Motherhood is definitely "big stuff." We give ourselves completely to these little beings, and yet we still manage to perform as wives, employees, friends, daughters, sisters, and volunteers. Most of us manage to not go absolutely insane (which is a big accomplishment in and of itself!). As for the question, "Have you done something post-parenthood that you never thought you'd be able to accomplish?" I would have to say not yet, but I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm proud of myself anyway. I'm proud of my ability to function on so little sleep. I'm proud that I've made new friends and even maintained those friendships. I'm proud of this blog. And for now, I just want to get through baby number 2 without losing my mind, and I'll be proud of that, too. Then I can tackle professional goals, house redecorating, craft projects, being more thoughtful (more on this later), and other such aspirations. In the meantime, how would you answer Leslie's questions? In thinking of many of you, I could list a lot of your accomplishments that I am amazed by and proud of for you. But I'd rather read your own list!So kudos to all of you moms (and dads!). We do amazing work, even if it's just the everyday stuff like getting dinner on the table, getting the house cleaned before going to bed, reading 5 books to your child before bed because you love it that he loves to read, and you're happy spending the extra 10 minutes with him, staying up late to spend quality time with your husband, putting in a full day at work and feeling like you were actually productive. All of this stuff counts, so pat yourselves on the back!
Monday, November 05, 2007
15 Weeks
I think I can finally say that I'm feeling much much better these days. I'm still pretty tired, but that complete exhaustion seems to have abated somewhat. Thank goodness! I actually ironed yesterday, which is the first time since I got pregnant! Of course, it helped that Ed took William to his sister's house so I could have some uninterrupted time to get things done.
Anyway, I'm 15 weeks pregnant now, and definitely starting to show (and getting bigger just about everywhere). Here's a crappy picture. Ed's downstairs and I'm too lazy to go get him to take a decent one.
Even my boobs are getting bigger (yay!). My friend MJ sent me some AWESOME maternity clothes, although I'm bummed that a lot of them will likely end up not fitting. She is much smaller than me (everywhere EXCEPT the boobs), and I know (based on past experience) that my butt will end up expanding quite a bit over the next 6 months. However, she sent me a LOT of stuff, and there are a few items that I'm already in love with. In fact, over the weekend, I wore her olive green khaki Gap pants. They just fit me now (as do the Old Navy paisley topped khakis), and I bet in another 2-3 weeks, they'll be too small. (And I'm pretty sure the awesome Gap black full panel flare pants will be too small, too.) At any rate, I'll be keeping her apprised of what I'm wearing (and loving) as I go along. I am sooooo lucky to have such generous friends. During my last pregnancy, it was my friends Mistie and Stacey who lent me maternity clothes. I wore lots of Mistie's stuff (Stacey is tall and thin, so most of her stuff didn't fit me either) and would have been lost without it.
In other news, William seems to be picking up new words every day. He says milk now, and water (wa-wa), and this morning he said airplane. He climbed up onto one of our kitchen chairs today all by himself and proceeded to flip through the newspaper on the kitchen table. He's also very much into writing with pens or pencils. I let him have a mechanical pencil with no lead, and he "writes" on pieces of paper and envelopes and whatnot. He seems to be doing well on the Singulair, so knock on wood that it will keep him well. We both finally seem to be over the colds we've been enjoying for over 2 weeks now. Thank goodness!
On Saturday night, Ed's sister and brother-in-law babysat for William so Ed and I could go to a wedding reception. They had to do the whole dinner-bath-bedtime routine, and apparently, William did great. He ate for them, had fun in the bath, drank his bottle, read books, and went right to sleep when they put him in his crib. It's always a relief to hear that things go well when you're not there!
So that's about it. Life is good. William makes me laugh and feel proud every single day, and I'm getting excited about the prospect of another one. I'm getting excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. I'm thinking of having Ed's family to our house on Christmas Day for Christmas dinner. Am I crazy? I just don't want to have to go anywhere on Christmas Day. I want to be able to lounge around in our pajamas and enjoy the gifts and Christmas carols and playing with toys. Ed's aunt usually has everyone over for Christmas Eve anyway. (And did I mention that Ed's family is Jewish, btw? Yeah--don't even ask.) Just a thought. I don't even think it would be that many people. Maybe just Ed's parents, his sister and BIL, and maybe his grandparents. Maybe his other aunt. Well, now I'm just thinking out loud. I"ll close by adding this video using Blogger's video feature, which I haven't tried before. It's kind of long, so I hope it works and that it doesn't stall your PC! Enjoy!
Anyway, I'm 15 weeks pregnant now, and definitely starting to show (and getting bigger just about everywhere). Here's a crappy picture. Ed's downstairs and I'm too lazy to go get him to take a decent one.
Even my boobs are getting bigger (yay!). My friend MJ sent me some AWESOME maternity clothes, although I'm bummed that a lot of them will likely end up not fitting. She is much smaller than me (everywhere EXCEPT the boobs), and I know (based on past experience) that my butt will end up expanding quite a bit over the next 6 months. However, she sent me a LOT of stuff, and there are a few items that I'm already in love with. In fact, over the weekend, I wore her olive green khaki Gap pants. They just fit me now (as do the Old Navy paisley topped khakis), and I bet in another 2-3 weeks, they'll be too small. (And I'm pretty sure the awesome Gap black full panel flare pants will be too small, too.) At any rate, I'll be keeping her apprised of what I'm wearing (and loving) as I go along. I am sooooo lucky to have such generous friends. During my last pregnancy, it was my friends Mistie and Stacey who lent me maternity clothes. I wore lots of Mistie's stuff (Stacey is tall and thin, so most of her stuff didn't fit me either) and would have been lost without it.
In other news, William seems to be picking up new words every day. He says milk now, and water (wa-wa), and this morning he said airplane. He climbed up onto one of our kitchen chairs today all by himself and proceeded to flip through the newspaper on the kitchen table. He's also very much into writing with pens or pencils. I let him have a mechanical pencil with no lead, and he "writes" on pieces of paper and envelopes and whatnot. He seems to be doing well on the Singulair, so knock on wood that it will keep him well. We both finally seem to be over the colds we've been enjoying for over 2 weeks now. Thank goodness!
On Saturday night, Ed's sister and brother-in-law babysat for William so Ed and I could go to a wedding reception. They had to do the whole dinner-bath-bedtime routine, and apparently, William did great. He ate for them, had fun in the bath, drank his bottle, read books, and went right to sleep when they put him in his crib. It's always a relief to hear that things go well when you're not there!
So that's about it. Life is good. William makes me laugh and feel proud every single day, and I'm getting excited about the prospect of another one. I'm getting excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. I'm thinking of having Ed's family to our house on Christmas Day for Christmas dinner. Am I crazy? I just don't want to have to go anywhere on Christmas Day. I want to be able to lounge around in our pajamas and enjoy the gifts and Christmas carols and playing with toys. Ed's aunt usually has everyone over for Christmas Eve anyway. (And did I mention that Ed's family is Jewish, btw? Yeah--don't even ask.) Just a thought. I don't even think it would be that many people. Maybe just Ed's parents, his sister and BIL, and maybe his grandparents. Maybe his other aunt. Well, now I'm just thinking out loud. I"ll close by adding this video using Blogger's video feature, which I haven't tried before. It's kind of long, so I hope it works and that it doesn't stall your PC! Enjoy!
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