Today is the last day of the month of January. Which means it's the last day of the month that I got to spend entirely with Milo. In February I have to return to work, and while our babysitter Melissa is going to be fabulous, I'm just not interested in leaving Milo during the day. Maybe someday I'll be a mommy who looks forward to getting away, but right now, I can't even imagine it. My days are all about my family, and I love that.
I've practically become a real live housewife. I find myself enjoying dinner preparation and ironing. I look forward to my naps each day, and I look even more forward to when I can go wake Milo up from his. This work business is going to cramp my style. I can feel it already.
Tell me how I can work from home! And even better, tell me how Nate could work from home with me! And to make it the very most fabulous, how could Nate and I work from our home, and have that home be in Colorado? Ahhhhh, sweet dreams. Speaking of which, it's just about time for my nap.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
A new photo
Mommy moments
Here's how you know you've become a true mommy.
Your baby spits up and somehow aims it down your shirt. You first wipe him off and make sure he's not too traumatized by the whole event (he absolutely hates spitting up). You then just pat the shirt to absorb the spit-up and go on with feeding/changing/tickling/rocking/etc. your baby. Some time later in the day, you realize that you are still wearing the same shirt and you have a clump of dried spit-up caught in your bra. You also realize that you don't really care because changing the shirt or fussing with yourself would have meant moments away from your little guy while he was awake.
Oh yes, I have arrived.
Your baby spits up and somehow aims it down your shirt. You first wipe him off and make sure he's not too traumatized by the whole event (he absolutely hates spitting up). You then just pat the shirt to absorb the spit-up and go on with feeding/changing/tickling/rocking/etc. your baby. Some time later in the day, you realize that you are still wearing the same shirt and you have a clump of dried spit-up caught in your bra. You also realize that you don't really care because changing the shirt or fussing with yourself would have meant moments away from your little guy while he was awake.
Oh yes, I have arrived.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
???
SHHHHHHHH! He's finally asleep!
Milo has decided to remove himself from any sort of rational schedule the last few days, and instead is on a sleep fast. He's not afraid to scream for an hour at a time and refuse to take a nap at all. Keep in mind, the child is only 4 weeks old today. What on earth? I'm bewildered, to say the least. But after an extremely rough morning, he's finally asleep. Poor sweet baby. And poor sweet mommy who is just trying to be an awesome mommy and somehow feels stumped on what to do for him in this situation. AHHHHH!!
Milo has decided to remove himself from any sort of rational schedule the last few days, and instead is on a sleep fast. He's not afraid to scream for an hour at a time and refuse to take a nap at all. Keep in mind, the child is only 4 weeks old today. What on earth? I'm bewildered, to say the least. But after an extremely rough morning, he's finally asleep. Poor sweet baby. And poor sweet mommy who is just trying to be an awesome mommy and somehow feels stumped on what to do for him in this situation. AHHHHH!!
Monday, January 24, 2011
A tragic day for football
Yesterday was a disappointing day! If you're a sports fan, more importantly, a sports fan from the Chicago area, you know what I'm talking about.
Milo and I were all dressed up, ready for the big face-off between the Packers and the Bears. We had a long conversation about how Grandpa Jay and Great-Grandma Marilyn were big Bears fans, so even though we live in Texas, we need to support our team. Milo stayed up for some of the game, and napped here and there. And then heartbreak of heartbreaks, the evil Packers won. YUCK. I'm boycotting the Super Bowl this year since it involves the Packers and the Steelers, and Nate and Milo feel the same way.
But Grandma, if you're reading this, check out Milo's outfit (did the best I could without a way to buy Bears paraphernalia here in Texas). He was supporting the team from a distance!
Milo and I were all dressed up, ready for the big face-off between the Packers and the Bears. We had a long conversation about how Grandpa Jay and Great-Grandma Marilyn were big Bears fans, so even though we live in Texas, we need to support our team. Milo stayed up for some of the game, and napped here and there. And then heartbreak of heartbreaks, the evil Packers won. YUCK. I'm boycotting the Super Bowl this year since it involves the Packers and the Steelers, and Nate and Milo feel the same way.
But Grandma, if you're reading this, check out Milo's outfit (did the best I could without a way to buy Bears paraphernalia here in Texas). He was supporting the team from a distance!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Meltdown #1
Well, I had my first mommy meltdown yesterday.
I woke up from one of the most terrible dreams I've ever had. And it involved someone hurting my babyson, and I was feeling like a pretty bad mommy. I was so upset that I called Nate at work, in hysterical tears, not even quite sure how to deal with the dream. He had to call me right back, so I stood in the dining room weeping.
Right then, the doorbell rang. I wiped away tears, took a big breath, and opened the door. This is what I saw:
The picture doesn't do justice to what are literally some of the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen, and they came with a card telling me what a good mommy I am. Nate had sent them a few hours earlier, and they had come at the perfect time. I have the most incredible husband in the world, who is doubling as the world's best daddy, and I couldn't be luckier.
I proceeded to finish with the meltdown, settle myself down, and go on with a good day. Somehow I kept getting flashbacks of that horrible dream, but every time I walked into the dining room, the scent of these gorgeous flowers managed to put a smile back onto my face.
I woke up from one of the most terrible dreams I've ever had. And it involved someone hurting my babyson, and I was feeling like a pretty bad mommy. I was so upset that I called Nate at work, in hysterical tears, not even quite sure how to deal with the dream. He had to call me right back, so I stood in the dining room weeping.
Right then, the doorbell rang. I wiped away tears, took a big breath, and opened the door. This is what I saw:
I proceeded to finish with the meltdown, settle myself down, and go on with a good day. Somehow I kept getting flashbacks of that horrible dream, but every time I walked into the dining room, the scent of these gorgeous flowers managed to put a smile back onto my face.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tiger Mothers
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html
Oh my word. If you're in the mood for what I found to be a disturbing read, check out the above link. It's about the difference between Chinese parents, or "Tiger Mothers," and Western parents. I clicked on the link because I was thinking, "Heck yes, I'll be a tiger mother. I will tear up any person who even looks at my babyson wrong." I had the wrong definition in mind, and when I figured out what a tiger mother really was, I was floored. The idea of anyone treating a child like this is terrifying to me, whether that child becomes wildly successful or not.
The author basically talks about how Chinese parents aren't afraid to deride and humiliate their children if they don't succeed, and that the kids owe their parents everything and must spend their lives pleasing them. She also said that Chinese parents aren't concerned about their kids' self-esteem. She said that one time her father called her "garbage," and that it spurred her to succeed, and she has used the same insult with her little girl.
Wow, it made me sad, I guess because I think about the way I'm structured. My "love language" is words of affirmation, meaning that I thrive on positive feedback and have my feelings extremely hurt when anyone has anything negative to say about me (and they don't very often - haha). Of course I will encourage Milo to be his best, especially in school. Of course I will teach him not to quit, even when things are hard. But am I going to call him stupid or make him practice 3, 4, 5 hours a day at something in order to do well? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Because, first and foremost, kids need to be kids. The world is so full of responsibility and headaches and work that they should enjoy just being first, right? Responsibility can come a little bit at a time as they grow, but for goodness sake, I want my baby to have fun and play. That's what being a kid is all about.
I'm curious to know what you think about this article, so if you have a few minutes, please read it and let me know. Maybe I'm just extra-sensitive since I'm a new mommy and still have enough hormones surging to make me cry through the first five minutes (and honestly, the entire episode) of Extreme Home Makeover every week. But that's another story, for another day.
Oh my word. If you're in the mood for what I found to be a disturbing read, check out the above link. It's about the difference between Chinese parents, or "Tiger Mothers," and Western parents. I clicked on the link because I was thinking, "Heck yes, I'll be a tiger mother. I will tear up any person who even looks at my babyson wrong." I had the wrong definition in mind, and when I figured out what a tiger mother really was, I was floored. The idea of anyone treating a child like this is terrifying to me, whether that child becomes wildly successful or not.
The author basically talks about how Chinese parents aren't afraid to deride and humiliate their children if they don't succeed, and that the kids owe their parents everything and must spend their lives pleasing them. She also said that Chinese parents aren't concerned about their kids' self-esteem. She said that one time her father called her "garbage," and that it spurred her to succeed, and she has used the same insult with her little girl.
Wow, it made me sad, I guess because I think about the way I'm structured. My "love language" is words of affirmation, meaning that I thrive on positive feedback and have my feelings extremely hurt when anyone has anything negative to say about me (and they don't very often - haha). Of course I will encourage Milo to be his best, especially in school. Of course I will teach him not to quit, even when things are hard. But am I going to call him stupid or make him practice 3, 4, 5 hours a day at something in order to do well? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Because, first and foremost, kids need to be kids. The world is so full of responsibility and headaches and work that they should enjoy just being first, right? Responsibility can come a little bit at a time as they grow, but for goodness sake, I want my baby to have fun and play. That's what being a kid is all about.
I'm curious to know what you think about this article, so if you have a few minutes, please read it and let me know. Maybe I'm just extra-sensitive since I'm a new mommy and still have enough hormones surging to make me cry through the first five minutes (and honestly, the entire episode) of Extreme Home Makeover every week. But that's another story, for another day.
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