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Thursday, February 24, 2011

2 Month Check Up

We had our 2 month check up yesterdday... he was a trooper with his 3 shots.
He weighs 12 lbs 13 oz and is 23.5 inches long/tall.  75% percentile.. whatever those mean.

She said to start watching for his grabby hands and things he might swallow...  yay!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Final Stretch

This is my last Sunday night on Maternity Leave....  There's a basket of mixed emotions next to me here on the sofa.

On the one hand, I am SUPER STOKED about getting my ass out of the house.  This has been the longest I have gone without working since I have been of legal working age.  I am comfortable when I'm at work, that's the "normal" I've been missing.  I would love to say that being a stay at home mom these few months was fabulous, but it really hasn't been my cup of tea.  It was nice to have the break from the stress of work, especially when I was still pregnant.  But now I need a break from constantly having to take care of someone else.  I do feel horrible for feeling that way, but I'm just being honest.  I'm still going to be responsible for the night shift when i start back to work - it's not like he's going to magically start sleeping all night just because I have to go to work.

On the other hand, it is sad to think that I'll only see Callen for a few hours at night and on the weekends - that I'll only be involved in his parenting for these few hours a week.  I trust his daycare provider and and I trust Ryan, so I suppose this is ok.  This will be another "letting go" lesson for me - not being involved in every little decision.  I think I will be sad if I miss cute things, but Ryan promises to bring him up to my office anytime I need.

Zoloft or not, I am still depressed a little each day - I am free of the emotional breakdowns (anxiety free, not depression free) of the early weeks, but I still feel what I feel.  I am bored... I am tired of being in the house... I am tired of MY daily schedule being dictated by what Callen needs.... I am tired of not getting things done that I want done... I still want some parts of my old life back.... I can't wait for him to be independent of me a little bit.   I realize that all this may seem awful to some people, but at least I can admit it.

I am anxious about what this new change in the routine (like there really has been one) will bring.  I am worried how I will function at work with the broken sleep.  I am worried that the evenings will be rushed and crazy and that I won't have a chance to wind down.

Off I go, to my last week at home.  I will make the best of it!  OH... my birthday is this week!! Yay me! 29!!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Top 10 Most Irritating, Least Helpful Parenting Tips Ever...

Man O Man am I glad that there are other people in the world who share the thoughts in my head.

You'll laugh the whole time.. unless you are one who gives this kid of advice... then... sorry...

Found it on Yahoo Shine CLICK HERE

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Soap Operas and Bon Bons

What's a bon bon anyway? I prefer Snickers or a nice cold Coca-Cola for empty calories. 

I have been home, not working, since Friday, November 12, 2010.   Callen was born Tuesday, December 14, 2010.  That's a long time for a self proclaimed workaholic.  

I have managed to NOT watch a single soap opera.  You'd think this wouldn't be an issue, but it is.  Something about the ABC Soaps (All My Children, One Life to Live, & General Hospital) remind me of my childhood with my mom.  Throughout my life I'v been in and out of watching these shows, but I can usually catch up on what's going on - not that it's difficult. I do hate when they switch actors on me.

Anyhow...  less than a month to go until I got back to work (Feb 28th) and General Hospital drew me in! I blame the 700 channels on my cable for not having anything else on to watch and Ryan for working a later day.  I have things on the DVR to watch - Chuck & The Cape to be specific - but I need to wait for Ryan to watch them.

So here I am, watching soaps and having a nice cold Coca-Cola.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Victorious!

Today...  I successfully put Callen down, while awake and fussy, and he fell asleep... on his own...  in his crib... and after waking himself up twenty min's later.. fell back asleep!

This is victory.  Hopefully this is the first of many naps that go this way.

Backstory:
Callen is his mother's son, he's a little sensitive and gets overwhelmed easy... and when he's tired - he's TIRED.  There are these "sleepy signs" to watch for in babies - sure sounds good - but he goes straight into a meltdown when he's tired sometimes. Arms and legs and head flailing, crying, pouting, all that - sounds like a toddler you say? Yea, I know - it's weird.  Sometimes the "sleepy signs" come first, sometimes they come after the meltdown.  If he's overstimulated - like to many people around, too much noise and light, or just not enough good sleep that day - we have to break out the swaddle and use the Happiest Baby on the Block techniques to bring him back from the dark side.  This leaves me in the rocking chair for a long time, sometimes I even have to put a blanket over his head.
This isn't the case all the time, just when the environment is right - or if he's more hungry than usual.  Dealing with these meltdowns have made me worry that he'll never be able to fall asleep on his own, that always being rocked, walked, swung, jiggled, held in to submission for sleep would make him sleep dependent. He's a big boy now!

Friday, February 4, 2011

RIP Callen's First Pal


We call the pacifiers "Pal."  This came from Ryan's family.  It's his trusted friend.  Daddy say's "Hey buddy, you wanna little Pal time?," when he's being fussy.  We have LOTS of Pal time. 


This is the culprit. Leo....  Bad Boy...  

Thursday, February 3, 2011

February Blizzard

This is what we have been doing all week...



It has been SO cold here. Temperatures in the single digits and wind chill's in the negative teens! Is this Texas!?!