My Fear Exactly

Well, we're not even two months into this going back to work - and blogging - thing, and already my fear has come true ... I don't have enough time for you.  We'll define "you" from the previous sentence as my blog because my deep-rooted mommy guilt just can't handle thinking that "you" is defined as my son.  Work has gotten busy - too busy - and life has gotten busy, and all the sudden I've seen little of you.  It's been a week since I posted on the blog, and I've missed my son dearly for at least that long.  It's not that I haven't seen my baby or taken care of him, but it's amazing the way that work stress and less sleep affect your interactions and time with your child long after you leave the office.  

I have no resolution for my current situation, and I know it will always be a struggle of a working mom.  So this is just my (sad) documentation of what I knew was an inevitable situation, and let me be the first to tell you that it sucks (but don't say that phrase, son; it's really unbecoming).

I love you.  I miss you.  That kills me.

Your Mommy

You're so vain!

My Beautiful Son,


You're so vain!  No one could blame you because you are absolutely adorable, but you do love to look at yourself.  I believe most babies are like you, but it still cracks your daddy and me up how much you love to look in the mirror.  You also love to look at yourself on FaceTime, much to your grandparents' dismay at times when you look at yourself rather than at them on the screen.  You're so cute and so funny ... and so vain!


All my love,
Your Mommy

Have Brain, Will Travel

My Traveling Son,

We've previously discussed that you will travel, so now let's discuss how to travel.  I thought at first I would create a list of the top 5 or 10 rules for travel but then decided I couldn't stop at 5 or 10 or maybe not even 20, so let's leave it at use your brain, be conscientious of others and "make good choices" (as your grandmother would say).  It doesn't take a lot to be a good traveler, but it does require you to not cease utilizing your brain power and still take others into consideration.  

These techniques can be seen employed altogether in your skills at maneuvering through airport security.  First, don't pack things that are not allowed through security (using your brain to follow the rules, making choices that fit within those rules and therefore being conscientious of others by not holding up the line with your impermissible items).  Second, remove all items required from your person and/or your bag, as applicable (same rules applied as before).  Third, wait your turn!  Whether this be for the ID checker, to put your bags and bins on the conveyor belt or whatever else, everyone in the airport security line has somewhere to be that is equally as important to them as your destination is to you, so be conscientious of others and follow the common (though all too often uncommon) sense rules and wait your turn.

So that's my one soapbox example of how to use your brain, be conscientious of others and make good choices while traveling that will result in you, my son, being a good traveler and a good person in general.

Bon voyage,

Your doting Mommy

P.S. Kudos to Mommy for spelling conscientious correctly on the first try!

Roly-Poly

My Roly-Poly,

 

It might have taken you 6.75 months to figure out how to roll from back to tummy, but the roll itself takes only about 1.25 seconds!  You have mastered this roll, and we're so proud of you.  And you are so proud of yourself ... right up until you recognize that this means you're on your tummy, which you (still) hate.  And while you learned very early on how to roll from tummy to back (likely based on said hatred), you're not as inclined to show off those skills as you are the back-to-tummy roll - quite a conundrum, precious boy!  Each morning since last Saturday we have found you on your tummy in your crib pleading for us to come rescue you, and we have to laugh and comment how cute you are before we save you from the awfulness that is tummy time.  Now things will start to get extremely interesting when you learn to put the two rolls together for the steamroll - fun times ahead!

 

Roll on,

Your Mommy

Just a Swingin'

My Precious Son,

 

At 6.5 months, you still LOVE your swing.  I never knew we'd be so blessed.  Neither did I realize before you were born what a blessing the swing could be.  You love the movement and always have, but now it's more than that.  Between the rhythmic noise of the swinging, the music, the mobile and your beloved mirror, you are entranced.  Sometimes you take cat-naps in the swing and sometimes you like to just have quiet time, but if you're not sleeping you definitely prefer to have someone in the room with you.  Sometimes you stare outside and watch the birds.  But either way, you definitely still love the swing, and that is super helpful for the Mommy.

 

Swing on, baby!

Your Mommy

 

Why must you cry?

Dear Son,

 

You currently have two "mornings" - one around 6ish and a second around 8ish.  At 6ish you wake, nurse and go straight back to sleep for another hour and a half or so.  Then you get up "for real" around 8ish to nurse again and begin your day.  This wouldn't work for everyone, but I quite like it as it gives me two times with you in the morning before I head to work.  However, each morning, during your first morning, I lift you out of the crib and place you on the changing table because you've been in your diaper all night long ... and you cry.  Sometimes it's just a fuss but sometimes there are tears - all because I'm changing your diaper just before feeding you.  We do this every morning, in this exact order, but yet every morning you cry.  It makes Mommy sad that you essentially wake up crying each day (though never for your second, "real" morning), but if I don't change your diaper then, there will be an accident - trust me, we've tried.  So I'll ask the question again, why must you cry?

 

With love,

Your Mommy

The First Month

My Sweet Baby,


It has officially been four weeks, one month, since I went back to work.  I'm not really sure how to summarize this first month - some things have been hard and some have been kind of easier than I first thought.  I definitely miss you during the day and as the week goes on, it's harder to leave each morning.  But I know you're well taken care of and loved and happy, and I do enjoy that during my time with you it's much more about just you and me.  I still struggle and think that I always will, but I'd say overall it was  a fairly good first month.


All my love,
Your Mommy