A little perspective and a lot of fun!

This past weekend I spent my first night (actually an entire weekend) away from Emily since she's been born.  I had a reunion with some old college friends in Pittsburgh (which, ironically, is nowhere near where I went to college but convenient for me because I could catch up with friends and family all at once) and it was so much fun!  There have been so many long days at home alone with Em where all I wanted was to escape for a bit and yet as this weekend neared, I was consumed with fear and worry.  Would Emily think that I had abondoned her for good?  Would she forget me entirely?  I had no doubts about Eric's ability to take care of our baby girl, but I maybe have a wee bit of a problem giving complete control over her schedule to my - how can I put this nicely - more laid back husband.  (Case in point, Emily slept in until 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, which is about two hours later than she has EVER slept in before).  Still, I was excited to go, to reminisce with friends, and have a good time.

Interestingly, I found that I wasn't worrying about Emily (or Eric) much at all while I was gone.  I was able to enjoy the weekend, and barely paused to think about what I would normally be doing.  I was completely schedule free, not worrying about naptimes, snack times, or bed times.  I found it a lot easier than expected to slip back into a version of myself before having a kid.  Still, there were differences.  Having a child has changed my perspective, the way I see the world, the way I experience things.  In the end I learned that I can still have fun when it's just me, that I can appreciate the opportunity to take a well deserved break, but that I love my little family with all my heart and most days, there is just nowhere else I'd rather be.

Picky, Picky

I don't know how I ended up with a daughter that is such a picky eater.  Emily wasn't overly enthusiastic about rice cereal the first time it was offered, but she came around to the idea of solids pretty quickly.  She embraced baby foods, both fruits and vegetables, with a healthy degree of interest.  Real food though, as in food that doesn't come from a spoon, is highly inspected by our picky eater.  Take today's lunch, for example.  I was eating grapes, and that generated some interest from Emily, so I bit off half and offered the other half to her.  She took it, looked at it from every angle, smelled it (I swear!), licked it, put it in her mouth for a good five seconds only to finally spit it out and try to give it back to me a little later.

The only fruit that she'll eat, unless it's pureed and mixed in with oatmeal or yogurt, are bananas.  And frequently the only vegetable that I can't get past her lips are sweet potatoes.  And Emily, let's be honest, that barely counts as a vegetable.  I feel like I'm failing miserably when it comes to teaching healthy eating habits despite my best attempts.

And then there's the frequent changes of heart that are so typical for toddlers.  She loved a homemade soup I made one day and completely rejected it the next.  She gobbles up pasta here at home but our caregiver, Julie, insists she won't touch it at her home.  The only food group that is never rejected is the cracker and bread food group.  Bring on the carbs!  I keep trying to tell her those foods will straight to her thighs but so far, she seems unconcerned.

Under the Weather

Emily was running a fever and feeling a bit under the weather yesterday.  I should have clued in right away when she wanted to cuddle when she woke up, but we went to church and came home and she did okay.  Later in the afternoon though, all she wanted was to be held, for hours on end, preferably by me.   I hate it when she's sick, but I have to admit, I sure relished being able to hold my normally squirmy baby.  Have no worries though - today she was off and running from the moment her eyes fluttered open.

Fourteen Months Old!

Dear Emily,

This has been another huge month of learning for you!  If only I could gain knowledge at the rate that you do, I'd surely be on my third Ph.D. by now.  You are understanding so much more of what we say to you.  You know to run to your high chair when I say it's time to eat, to toddle to the closet for your shoes and coat when I say it's time to go bye-bye, and if we so much as utter the word "bath" you are off and crawling up the stairs, tugging at your socks and shirt as you go.  You are also saying a few more things with consistency: "uh-oh" when something is dropped, "baby" for your doll (this one is more sporadic), and "ju" when you want milk or juice in your sippy cup.  I'm sure your vocabulary will expand like crazy in the coming months, which we will both like, because you are getting pretty frustrated when I can't understand what you want these days.

You're getting into EVERYTHING.  You will pick up a toy from your play area, run into the dining room and find a sock in daddy's gym bag, drop your toy in the bag and take the sock into the kitchen, find the magnets on the fridge, drop the sock on the kitchen floor, and take the magnet to the shoe closet, and on it goes.  This is how you fill much of your day, be re-arranging the clutter in our house.  And I wonder why I can't find things sometimes...

You're also a one nap girl now.  There's no denying it, and I have totally given up the fight.  But you're doing great with it, and though I often plan outings in the morning to keep you occupied until lunchtime, you go down pretty easily and sleep for two to two and a half hours.  Also, you tend to sleep later in the mornings, and we're not going to argue with that!

You have always been such a busy, busy baby and you are growing into an even busier little girl.  It's fun for your dad and I to imagine what you'll be like as a kindergartener, a third grader, or (gasp) a teenager.  I think you're going to be outgoing, funloving, athletic, and smart.  Those expectations aren't too high, are they?! But Emily, no matter what you do I will always, always love you like crazy.

Love,

Mom

My Head Hurts!

I had no clue how much my life would change when Emily was born.  I mean, everyone told me it would, and I knew in some abstract way that it would, but I still marvel at how much is different.  One of the main differences is much more worrying thinking I have to do on a daily basis.  Take today, for example.  Here are some of my thoughts: Should I give Emily one or two naps today?  How much sleep did she get yesterday?  Will she take two naps if I try putting her down twice?  Should I let her feed herself her oatmeal this morning or take the easy way out and do it myself?  Is she getting enough vegetables?  Did I close the gate to the stairs (this one's been echoed about a dozen times)?  She's outgrowing all her 12 month winter clothes!  Do I spend the money to buy larger winter clothes even though it's almost spring?  Is she getting another tooth?  Does it hurt?  Does she need orajel?   She's still not saying very many words - is that normal?  Should I consult a book?

And on and on it goes.  Now, I realize that I have a natural tendency to overthink things.  And I also know that Emily's my first baby, so I tend to worry more about well, everything.  But seriously, being a good parent is a HARD job!  So thanks, mom, for making it always look so easy.  And now, finally, a question for me: what do I want to eat for lunch today?

Furniture

Our furniture is endlessly exciting to Emily recently, and she loves to climb on and off of it over and over (and over!) again.  Here are some of the things she's been doing while exploring our chairs and couches lately.

Reading...

Watching a little Elmo...



And playing with some friends...

An Eleven Month Year?

I've never really liked the month of February.  In fact, if I had to pick a least favorite month, I think that it would win, hands down.  There are several reasons for this.  First, I'm always so ready to be done with the snow and the cold and slush and the wind chill readings in sub zero temperatures.  I enjoy seasons, all of them, but winter always lasts longer than I'd like.  And this year, with record snow accumulations in West Michigan, I'm definitely ready for spring.  To be able to step outside and, instead of shuddering and burying deeper into my coat, feel the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze.

Also, I'm sure all the caregivers out there will echo my view that it is so much harder to parent during winter.  Especially when you have a child like mine who, when it was slightly warmer last week, toddled gleefully up and down the driveway dozens of times and had to be carried into the house kicking and screaming when it was time to come in.  It's easier to do just about everything in the summer.  Sure, there are the obvious things like taking walks, going to the park, and perhaps even the swimming pool.  But also, you don't have to spend almost ten minutes bundling yourself and your kid up every time you want to go anywhere.  Seriously, sometimes it's easier to just stay home than take that quick trip to the grocery store.  And soon, home can feel a bit like a prison!

Also, Valentine's Day is in February.  Yes, I know that it's only one day.  But, it's often supposed to be the best thing about February. I'm a romantic at heart but starting in high school I never seemed to have someone to spend the day with (one time I almost delayed breaking up a guy I knew I didn't want to be with anymore just so I could be with someone on Valentine's Day).  And now, I have something close to the world's best husband and father.  He's superb in so many ways, but he hasn't ever wanted to celebrate Valentine's Day.  I know it's commercialized and I know he shows me that he loves me every day of the year in so many wonderful little ways.  But still, if there's no big huzzah for Valentine's Day - what's the point of February?  Anyone for March?