baby

The Catchup

7:35 PM

Wow, so it's been a while since I blogged. Life happens. I have a baby. The struggle is wanting to spend time with her but also wanting to write a blog post to remember everything that's happened. So here are some quick highlights:

  • Daycare - Maisie has been attending daycare full time since the week before Thanksgiving. She is really thriving. She appears to love her teachers and having that interaction. She's usually the first child to be dropped off and loves that one-on-one time with her teacher. Having her on a set schedule has worked well for her. They taught her how to nap and go to sleep (no more fighting it!) And I think she sees the older kids in her class and wants to do what they are doing, so she comes home and it seems she has learned something new every day. 
  • Illness - She had her first cold the first week in December. And her first fever the first week in January. I am sure this isn't the last, but we survived. STRESS!
  • Solid food - I waited until she was 6 months to start her on solid food. I let her tell me she was ready and boy was she ever! She sits in her highchair while we eat dinner and kept eyeing our food and wanting it, so we offered her baby food and she loved it. We haven't really found anything she doesn't like. She takes it like a champ, some days more than others. She also hasn't had an allergic reaction to anything either. Fingers crossed she stays a good eater because Mommy and Daddy are adventurous eaters.
  • Teeth - Her first bottom tooth popped through Jan. 11, and the second came, a week later, on Jan. 18. I haven't figured out yet if teething is going to be terrible for her or not because she was sick the whole time. I am hoping the fever doesn't come every time she has a tooth because that was miserable for her.
  • Sitting and Crawling - These two go hand in hand because they happened together all of a sudden. She has always liked to sit up but she can finally sit up on her own and not look like a weeble-wobble. She started crawling last week and by the beginning of this week is full on using it to get anywhere, especially Caesar's gross dog toys. She loves those the best. 


Other than that we are enjoying watching this girl grow..(Seriously, how is she 7 months!?). Every day is a new experience and we can't wait to see how she blossoms.

baby

The Fourth Trimester

6:57 PM

We made it. In one piece. I had heard so many things about “The Fourth Trimester” and at first never gave it any thought, but it is a real thing! If you have read any of my previous blog entries, you will know Maisie and I had a tough go at life for a while. However, as I eased myself back into work after 12 weeks off, she eased herself into a routine and it has been smoother sailing.


Now, I am not saying I have an easy baby. This girl fights day-sleep, she is alert and wants to know what is going on around her, and we still are dealing with the witching hour. Yet, this girl is now content on playing in a bounce chair, sleeping in a swing, sitting in her highchair while we cook food and sleeping pretty much through the night. I thank my lucky stars we are moving into greener pastures.

Of course, this all happened the week before I went back to work. She has been a gem for her Grammy during the week, something that I stressed about before I went back. Speaking of going back to work, the transition went better than I thought. I like my job, I knew Maisie was safe and I went off to work without any tears. The only time, in the two weeks since I went back, that I got upset is when she was awake and alert when I left. Most of the time, she is still sleeping when I leave so it makes walking out the door much easier. It has been fun to anticipate coming home and seeing her face as I walk in the door. She babbles constantly and I feel like it’s her way of telling me about her day, I love that.


Routine helps. Even when I am not home, I know when she is being fed, how much and when I can expect her naps. I think this also helps her to know what to expect no matter who is watching her. The routine has helped me figure out the cries – tired, hungry or dirty diaper. And the routine has helped her become a great night sleeper. *Fingers Crossed* It stays that way.

Now that I am out of the Fourth Trimester I get asked, “Ready for another?” Nope. I am not. I doubt I will ever have another baby. I am sure Daniel would love another – he says we make a really cute kid, I agree, but I do not want to ever have to go through that newborn hell again, nor do I want to tempt fate with another baby. So many people have told me I will change my mind, but I am standing pretty firm on this one. Those first 12 weeks took its toll on me and if I had another child, I would be afraid to go through that WITH Maisie around. It just wasn’t a pretty time. So my girl is very special, she’s it.


I am looking forward to what the next few months bring – sitting up, crawling and whatever other surprises she has in store for us. It seems like every day she’s doing something new.

baby

The Return

11:37 AM

My emotions are all over the place about returning to work. Ask me a month ago and I was eager to return to work. But with it staring me in the face, I have a lump in my throat. While I don’t feel that I am the stay at home mom type and she is in EXCELLENT hands, it seems it has caught up with me.


Excitement – I am excited about returning to work, having adult conversation, doing a job I really love. I am excited to see work friends, catch up and just getting back in that routine, but it also leads to…

Fear – I am not sure how this new schedule will work out. Miss M and I have just been flying by the seat of our pants really. Yes, she is on a feeding and somewhat sleeping schedule but will all that be upset by mommy’s new schedule? Although, I still feel…


Relief – Since my mother-in-law is watching her, I know she is in good hands. She will be loved and taken care of to the fullest extent. She will not want for anything and with Daniel working from home, he is only a few steps away. But that makes it…

Sad – He will get to see her and kiss her whenever he can. My mother-in-law will get to see little milestones that I will only discover when I get home. There are plenty of things that make going back to work sad, but I am trying to be strong.


All in all, I think me going back to work is good for Maisie and me. We will get to miss each other, and the time we spend together will be that much sweeter. I will get to use my brain again for things beyond baby and feel creative again. So yes, I am emotional about going back to work. If I see you on Tuesday or even Wednesday, there might be a tear in my eye, my voice might quiver a bit but know all is fine and this is just growing up… for all of us.





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