"How is my baby?"
That is what I have texted to my mom at least once every day that I have worked since C was born.
I've been dreading tomorrow for awhile. Tomorrow is C's first day at daycare. (Cue crying)
Obviously, I am not anti-daycare. Sending C to daycare is somewhat of a "choice", although my mom is exhausted from watching a toddler all day every day (as she says, 'This is why God doesn't give babies to women over 55!').
So even though we have wonderful full time care, it is partly to give my mom some rest time during the week and partly for C's benefit. I think it is time for her to start socializing with other kids, learning to listen to other adults (or any adults, I'm not sure what she does with me constitutes "listening"), get some daily structure and learning time, etc, etc.
But I can't help but be worried. Oh, and this is why I have been pushing the sippy cup agenda! No such luck though, she still refuses milk from anything but a bottle for the most part. So will her caregiver feed her milk from a bottle while C sits on her lap? (I kind of doubt it.) Will she read her 500 half-eaten books each day? (I kind of hope her books are not half-eaten like ours.) Will she love her like my mom does? (Obviously not.) Will she be willing to "assist" C with bowel movements like we sometimes have to? (Sorry for the visual.) How many times is it appropriate to text the caregiver to check in? (Probably zero.)
So even though I know it is time, I will always worry about her. I know it is my job to do that but when I left her with my mom I never had to worry. This is a big step for me. Oh yeah, and for C too.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Books are Yummy
Mmmmmm... books are delicious.
Exhibit One: This little beauty was the result of two seconds of taking my eyes off of her this evening.
Exhibit Three: The Piece de Resistance - the most NOMable book she has.
I could go on.
Of all the things I thought I would be saying a lot during toddlerhood, "We don't eat books!" was not chief among them.
Her appetite for books has even led to secrecy. (I think this is what defines a true book-eating disorder.) She can be found hunched behind the kitchen island eating books. She can be found pretty much anywhere, looking over her shoulder, book perched precariously close to her open mouth, ready to eat the book.
Don't get me wrong, I love the newfound interest in books. I couldn't even get her to pay attention to a book for months. She also reads them with enjoyment now but I can't be sure if reading or eating is the more enjoyable book-related activity.
I think it will all be okay. Hopefully one day she will cease eating books. If not, tune in to one of those TLC type shows about "My Weird Eating Obsession" in a decade or two and there she will be. Still eating her books.
And drinking her milk out of bottles.
Exhibit One: This little beauty was the result of two seconds of taking my eyes off of her this evening.
Exhibit Two: This is her favorite book. To read and to eat.
Exhibit Three: The Piece de Resistance - the most NOMable book she has.
I could go on.
Of all the things I thought I would be saying a lot during toddlerhood, "We don't eat books!" was not chief among them.
Her appetite for books has even led to secrecy. (I think this is what defines a true book-eating disorder.) She can be found hunched behind the kitchen island eating books. She can be found pretty much anywhere, looking over her shoulder, book perched precariously close to her open mouth, ready to eat the book.
Don't get me wrong, I love the newfound interest in books. I couldn't even get her to pay attention to a book for months. She also reads them with enjoyment now but I can't be sure if reading or eating is the more enjoyable book-related activity.
I think it will all be okay. Hopefully one day she will cease eating books. If not, tune in to one of those TLC type shows about "My Weird Eating Obsession" in a decade or two and there she will be. Still eating her books.
And drinking her milk out of bottles.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Anger Clarification
I know, I know, it's like I'm blogging constantly. Weird, right? And I'm actually suddenly busy at work so it's not just out of boredom. It's just that I really want to talk to write at you guys right now. Also, according to SiteMeter, I have far more people reading than the 3.4 I estimated. Coolio.
Anyway, after reading the comments on my last post it occurred to me that when I was talking about "management" maybe my dear readers thought I meant the managers of my company. Actually, my company leases space in a commercial building so "management" refers to the property management company.
Right now I can no longer remember why I felt it important to inform you of that. Except that I guess it could be to point out that, at the current time, I have nothing to be mad at my company's management about.
Oh! Except! Except that this exchange recently occurred between the CFO and one of my coworkers about our water cooler.
CFO: So, do you guys use this water for anything besides drinking?
Coworker (confusedly): Uh, we make coffee with it...
(Which we then drink, duh.) (I wanted to interject that we use it to measure evaporation rates in the parking lot. We are scientists after all.)
CFO: Oh, because it costs us $150 a month. We might have to stop the service.
Cue outraged bitch fest after CFO leaves. WHAT?! People, we live in the desert! The actual humidity a few weeks ago was 2%. Do you know what happens when you don't drink water in the desert?! Of course you do; you're not stupid.
That's a little hard to swallow coming from someone who makes approximately 4 times as much as any of us. Apparently that salary is justified because he makes important budgetary decisions like "cancel drinking water service" that save the company $1800 a year. As compared to our $15 million spending per year, give or take.
Also, have you ever tried to drink Phoenix tap water? I don't recommend it.
Sheesh, I forgot about the water cooler thing. I haven't been riled up about that in a good three or four days. (My husband thought I was overreacting.)
Anyway, after reading the comments on my last post it occurred to me that when I was talking about "management" maybe my dear readers thought I meant the managers of my company. Actually, my company leases space in a commercial building so "management" refers to the property management company.
Right now I can no longer remember why I felt it important to inform you of that. Except that I guess it could be to point out that, at the current time, I have nothing to be mad at my company's management about.
Oh! Except! Except that this exchange recently occurred between the CFO and one of my coworkers about our water cooler.
CFO: So, do you guys use this water for anything besides drinking?
Coworker (confusedly): Uh, we make coffee with it...
(Which we then drink, duh.) (I wanted to interject that we use it to measure evaporation rates in the parking lot. We are scientists after all.)
CFO: Oh, because it costs us $150 a month. We might have to stop the service.
Cue outraged bitch fest after CFO leaves. WHAT?! People, we live in the desert! The actual humidity a few weeks ago was 2%. Do you know what happens when you don't drink water in the desert?! Of course you do; you're not stupid.
That's a little hard to swallow coming from someone who makes approximately 4 times as much as any of us. Apparently that salary is justified because he makes important budgetary decisions like "cancel drinking water service" that save the company $1800 a year. As compared to our $15 million spending per year, give or take.
Also, have you ever tried to drink Phoenix tap water? I don't recommend it.
Sheesh, I forgot about the water cooler thing. I haven't been riled up about that in a good three or four days. (My husband thought I was overreacting.)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Misplaced Anger
Every time I go into the women's restroom at work I get angry. Sometime between when I was laid off and when they realized they couldn't go on without me I got hired back, a sign appeared in each bathroom stall. The signs say "Please do not dispose of feminine products in the toilet. Thanks Management."
We'll skip right over the part where they fail to use punctuation in their closing and also referred to themselves as "management" instead of the more traditional "the management". Although those things only intensify my anger.
No, what makes me mad is the lack of clarification and the potential ramifications. Are they referring to tampons?! Because guess what "Management", you're darn skippy I'm going to dispose of my tampons in the toilet! If you had asked nicely AND provided some of those waxy-lined modesty baggies right there next to the toilet (you know the ones that look like they have not been redesigned since 1972), it's possible that I would refrain from disposing of my tampon in the toilet.
But you do not provide the waxy-lined baggies. What am I supposed to do?! Chuck my tampon, sans baggie, into that little garbage can that spans two stalls?! Everyone knows you can't ever actually get things into the brown bag that lines that garbage. The best you can hope for is that you get it in the can and it isn't full with partially exposed products hanging out. You know what I mean. Ew.
Unless you are just talking about pads. But Management, why would anyone flush a pad?! Because then we have bigger problems than a lack of waxy-lined baggies.
I think we can all agree that what I am really angry about is that someone else moved into my old office about three seconds after I was laid off. And my new office is 2/3 the size. And my old office had two desks set up in an 'L' shape and a better computer. And sometimes I accidentally walk into my old office because it is right next door and that is embarrassing.
But actually my new office is just fine and it might just be the tampon thing I am mad about. Who knows?
We'll skip right over the part where they fail to use punctuation in their closing and also referred to themselves as "management" instead of the more traditional "the management". Although those things only intensify my anger.
No, what makes me mad is the lack of clarification and the potential ramifications. Are they referring to tampons?! Because guess what "Management", you're darn skippy I'm going to dispose of my tampons in the toilet! If you had asked nicely AND provided some of those waxy-lined modesty baggies right there next to the toilet (you know the ones that look like they have not been redesigned since 1972), it's possible that I would refrain from disposing of my tampon in the toilet.
But you do not provide the waxy-lined baggies. What am I supposed to do?! Chuck my tampon, sans baggie, into that little garbage can that spans two stalls?! Everyone knows you can't ever actually get things into the brown bag that lines that garbage. The best you can hope for is that you get it in the can and it isn't full with partially exposed products hanging out. You know what I mean. Ew.
Unless you are just talking about pads. But Management, why would anyone flush a pad?! Because then we have bigger problems than a lack of waxy-lined baggies.
I think we can all agree that what I am really angry about is that someone else moved into my old office about three seconds after I was laid off. And my new office is 2/3 the size. And my old office had two desks set up in an 'L' shape and a better computer. And sometimes I accidentally walk into my old office because it is right next door and that is embarrassing.
But actually my new office is just fine and it might just be the tampon thing I am mad about. Who knows?
Friday, August 12, 2011
Maybe Baby
*********Editor's note****************
We are going to dispense with this whole "Baby Girl" thing. I'm not particularly fond of the initials BG, nor typing out 'Baby Girl' all the time. Henceforth she will be known as 'C', mostly because that is the first letter of her name. You will now return to your regularly scheduled programming, whether you like it or not.
*************************************
Apparently when I had C it simply hit the snooze alarm of my proverbial biological clock rather than turning the darn thing off. Because lately I've been hearing a ticking sound. sshhhhh... do you hear it, too? Well damnit if I don't find myself already planning to give into my evolutionary drive to propagate the species. Really?! C is only 13 months old. But there you have it.
I am still waiting to find out if it looks like my company will remain in business for at least a few more years. I hope to know soon. If not, all bets are off for awhile because we will probably have to move and I would have to start a new job. I'm thinking any future potential boss would not be super thrilled to see a woman in her second or third trimester come waddling in. But if my job seems reasonably secure (I say "reasonably" because they're not known for rational layoff decisions around here), I would like to start trying at the end of this year/very beginning of next year.
But of course that brings up all the old feelings. I start thinking about due dates and babies and nursery themes and everything in my mind is like "Babies, babies, rainbows, la la la." And then suddenly I am thinking "Hey DUMMY, do you remember temping and clomid and OPKs and follicle checks and bloodwork and bawling after doctor appointments and how it took you a year to get pregnant?" Yeah, I remember those things. They sucked.
So am I really ready for all of that again? I guess we'll see.
We are going to dispense with this whole "Baby Girl" thing. I'm not particularly fond of the initials BG, nor typing out 'Baby Girl' all the time. Henceforth she will be known as 'C', mostly because that is the first letter of her name. You will now return to your regularly scheduled programming, whether you like it or not.
*************************************
Apparently when I had C it simply hit the snooze alarm of my proverbial biological clock rather than turning the darn thing off. Because lately I've been hearing a ticking sound. sshhhhh... do you hear it, too? Well damnit if I don't find myself already planning to give into my evolutionary drive to propagate the species. Really?! C is only 13 months old. But there you have it.
I am still waiting to find out if it looks like my company will remain in business for at least a few more years. I hope to know soon. If not, all bets are off for awhile because we will probably have to move and I would have to start a new job. I'm thinking any future potential boss would not be super thrilled to see a woman in her second or third trimester come waddling in. But if my job seems reasonably secure (I say "reasonably" because they're not known for rational layoff decisions around here), I would like to start trying at the end of this year/very beginning of next year.
But of course that brings up all the old feelings. I start thinking about due dates and babies and nursery themes and everything in my mind is like "Babies, babies, rainbows, la la la." And then suddenly I am thinking "Hey DUMMY, do you remember temping and clomid and OPKs and follicle checks and bloodwork and bawling after doctor appointments and how it took you a year to get pregnant?" Yeah, I remember those things. They sucked.
So am I really ready for all of that again? I guess we'll see.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Time Flies and Babies Grow!
I am far too busy in the evenings playing internet games, watching tv, and being lazy cleaning my house and finding ways to better humanity that I finally decided just to blog from work. GASP, I know. Scandalous. But actually, there is some serious down time going on right now that is out of my control so I am seriously bored! I would much rather be busy at work.
So anyway, we now have a 13-month-oldterrorizing gracing our home. So 11-month-olds can now begin their terrible twos? But actually, I love every minute of it. She is testing every limit and boundary and thinks the word 'no' is hilarious! But she is awfully cute doing it. And, AND, she now seeks hugs and will sometimes give kisses willingly. It's like the best thing that ever happened to me.
She puts away quantities of food that never cease to amaze me! She'll eat anything we eat and that is so nice. AND, we're off formula! (Cue music from heaven.) I can hear our bank account growing! I wish we could just have her on whole milk but alas, her milk allergy is still present. Luckily she eats cheese, yogurt, and ice cream with no problems so that gives me hope she'll outgrow it eventually. The proteins in those foods are broken down during processing/cooking so they are easier on the tummy.
So we're actually on almond milk now. At the 1-year appointment the doc was going to have us do soy milk (which I was still wary of). But then she mentioned that we could start peanut butter and I told her we already had for awhile (I favor not holding off on the typically more allergenic foods). Then she said we could do almond milk instead. Great! Baby Girl loves it and drinks it even better than formula.
But, on to our next challenge. The dreaded Sippy Cup (of Doom). It took months before she would even touch the thing. She is so stubborn and only does things on her timeframe. Now she will happily drink water from it but Woe Be Unto You if you put milk in the thing. I have a goal to have her completely off bottles by the end of the month (more on that later) so I am trying to figure it out. Apparently this problem is really common; to have sippy cup usage but refusing milk in the sippy cup. My two plans, set to begin this weekend, are (1) go balls to the wall and hide the bottles, and (2) if all else fails add some chocolate or strawberry syrup to see if she will drink that and then slowly wean off the syrup. These are the most common suggestions Google informed me of. If you have other advice, I'm open!
I'm hoping to blog more in the near future but (1) I read that all the time on other blogs and think it all the time myself and (2) I'm hoping to do a lot more of lots of things in the near future!
But OH, I almost forgot! Did I tell you about the 1-year checkup? Shots galore and, I won't lie, she reacted to the MMR. But all it was was a runny nose and red-rimmed eyes for about three days. I'm pretty sure it was the MMR. I can't remember exact height and weight stats other than that one was 65th % and one was 55th %. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING (sorry, I am not yelling at you, just really excited) is that her head was up from 2nd % to 10th %. We were thrilled! We had hoped it would at least stay on course. I was terrified it would fall off the scale completely. So, things are going well in terms of us choosing not to have surgery for her craniosynostosis! Yay!
So anyway, we now have a 13-month-old
She puts away quantities of food that never cease to amaze me! She'll eat anything we eat and that is so nice. AND, we're off formula! (Cue music from heaven.) I can hear our bank account growing! I wish we could just have her on whole milk but alas, her milk allergy is still present. Luckily she eats cheese, yogurt, and ice cream with no problems so that gives me hope she'll outgrow it eventually. The proteins in those foods are broken down during processing/cooking so they are easier on the tummy.
So we're actually on almond milk now. At the 1-year appointment the doc was going to have us do soy milk (which I was still wary of). But then she mentioned that we could start peanut butter and I told her we already had for awhile (I favor not holding off on the typically more allergenic foods). Then she said we could do almond milk instead. Great! Baby Girl loves it and drinks it even better than formula.
But, on to our next challenge. The dreaded Sippy Cup (of Doom). It took months before she would even touch the thing. She is so stubborn and only does things on her timeframe. Now she will happily drink water from it but Woe Be Unto You if you put milk in the thing. I have a goal to have her completely off bottles by the end of the month (more on that later) so I am trying to figure it out. Apparently this problem is really common; to have sippy cup usage but refusing milk in the sippy cup. My two plans, set to begin this weekend, are (1) go balls to the wall and hide the bottles, and (2) if all else fails add some chocolate or strawberry syrup to see if she will drink that and then slowly wean off the syrup. These are the most common suggestions Google informed me of. If you have other advice, I'm open!
I'm hoping to blog more in the near future but (1) I read that all the time on other blogs and think it all the time myself and (2) I'm hoping to do a lot more of lots of things in the near future!
But OH, I almost forgot! Did I tell you about the 1-year checkup? Shots galore and, I won't lie, she reacted to the MMR. But all it was was a runny nose and red-rimmed eyes for about three days. I'm pretty sure it was the MMR. I can't remember exact height and weight stats other than that one was 65th % and one was 55th %. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING (sorry, I am not yelling at you, just really excited) is that her head was up from 2nd % to 10th %. We were thrilled! We had hoped it would at least stay on course. I was terrified it would fall off the scale completely. So, things are going well in terms of us choosing not to have surgery for her craniosynostosis! Yay!
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