Month: May 2011

Just a little sample of the nice note (and photos) we get from Rich on the days when Theo goes to his babysitter…

“hey guys, just a run through of the day. . theo and jay arrived about 930,
mara was already down . . . theo looked close but it still took a while, he fell asleep around 1015 after finishing half of his bottle, slept until 1115. he wasnt into the sippy cup this time, and since the bottle still had some milk in it, i tried the cup without a lid, and he was really into it! he drank a lot (and of course spilled a little, ok well a lot) we had some food (sweet potato with half of the millet) he was really into it, and pretty much ate about 3/4 of it, took a water break, again drank some spilled some, and then pretty much finished it off! then he finished the bottle.

they played for a bit, theo loves the jumper, and mara loves watchin him in it!

mara went down around 1, and theo was a little fussy, and it thought he would go down easy, but he was still kickin until 145 (after having another 4 oz of formula). he slept until 245, at around 310, we tried to have some more food, millet mixed with pears, and theo had only a little bit. we were at it for like 25 min, but he was not into eating, i offered him the rest of the bottle (there were about 2 oz, he drank a little bit, but that was it). i might try to offer him a little bit more formula in a bit. anyway see you soon -rich!”

We had a great time visiting my friend of over 25 years, Diane! She lives down there with her husband and two kids. I’ve visited several times but this was my first with the kiddo. She has a 4 year old (Henry) and a 18 month old (Eleanor) so she is a seasoned veteran. We took it easy mostly and wound up being a little bit of a slave to baby naps, but it was well worth it. I was so excited to bring Theo to a new place and to spend some special time with him, and also with my dear friend.

We visited the Austin Nature Center and we took Theo on his first kiddie train ride at Zilker Park, the Zilker Zephyr! I ate delicious food and can never get enough tacos when I’m there. I just want more of those Taco Deli tacos! I got to have some one-on-one margarita time with Diane after the kids went to bed (her husband stayed with the kiddos). We never made it to any swimming/”splash pad” – as they call it. The weather wasn’t exactly what I had hoped, but it was still warm and humid! Theo stuck well to his naps and he still had his bath and routine each night and was asleep by 7/7:30ish. Overall Theo was a great traveler and I would totally take him somewhere again. We need to reserve the first row of seats behind the bulkhead because there is room for him to sit on the floor and play. He really enjoyed looking out the window, too, so a window seat is key. I learned quickly how to change a diaper in those tiny airplane bathrooms (did anyone even know they have changing tables in there?) and how to go to the bathroom myself with a baby strapped to me 😉

seeing theo’s face first thing in the morning, even when i’m REALLY tired

sunshine

family walks & park outings

my morning coffee

days off with theo

planning a trip (even to Cleveland!)

sleep

cooking, even though i can hardly do it anymore

shopping

theo’s smile & laugh

family trips even when they seem burdensome

watching theo learn something new

Theo and I went to Austin, TX last week. I have photos to post later. I didn’t get many, actually. We had a great little trip and he is quite the trooper. Love that guy!

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Before my meal…

And, after…

Yum! Yogurt and Avocado Face! This week we added yogurt, tofu, mango, and white potato to Theo’s repertoire. Oh yeah, and prune juice. He seemed a bit stopped up. And he eats rice cakes, too. He actually picked up pieces on his own and fed them to himself yesterday! Such a big boy.

Thanks to the Horowitz family for Theo’s NASA space suit… he finally fits it and it’s awesome!

I’ve been throwing myself a major pity party lately. I know it doesn’t seem that way from my Mother’s Day post. I seriously try not to be a negative person, but it’s really hard. Hard when you are unhappy in your job and you have a beautiful kid at home spending his day with people other than you. Even when you trust them. And even when they are the father, or the grandfather. It’s still hard.

I read other people’s parenting blogs and talk to friends and also just live in the world enough to know that there is often this dilemma… would I rather be a working mom, or a stay at home mom?

What about when you don’t have a CHOICE? I think that is what gets me the most. I just don’t have a choice.

I hear from stay at home mom’s who seem miserable a lot of the time, struggling for an identity other than as mother to their children. I hear from other working moms many of the same feelings that I feel myself, guilt with a tinge of jealousy for those who get to be with our babies and uncertainty of whether our job is worth the sacrifice. Will I regret this down the road? Of course there are some who manage to find a balance. But, I feel like the grass is never just green. Can’t it always be greener? I have to be a working mom. How can I keep my grass healthy and green while balancing being a working mom?

For me it means, lessening my commute and finding a job that fulfills me enough to give me balance to my job as mother to Theo. I know that I enjoy my job as a mother, I enjoy making a happy, comfortable home for my family and I love the extracurriculars that I am involved with. Why is it that my bread and butter makes me the least happy? For now, I will continue to treasure my Sat – Sun – Mon where I get to be home with Theo. And the fact that my current job does allow me the flexibility to work less hours than I technically should be working. I will also continue to search for a new place that is closer and, hopefully, more fulfilling. Happy Thursday.

I’m not usually one for holidays like Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. I woke up yesterday, though, feeling really special and lucky that I am Theo’s mama. He such a happy, wonderful little person and I just feel so fortunate. He picked me. He picked us.

I got to sleep in as my first treat of the day. I didn’t sleep in too much because I wanted to enjoy as much of the day as I could. My special guys had a present for me when I awoke. A gift certificate for a mani/pedi at my local spot and a lovely bracelet from my fav store, Flirt! Very thoughtful gifts. Thanks Jay and Theo! The three of us went to breakfast at a little place in our neighborhood called, The Usual. We brought Theo’s food and fed him for the first time somewhere other than in our kitchen. We had a leisurely breakfast. I am thankful for the beautiful weather we had – finally! We took a nice walk to the grocery store and then came home and packed up a ton of stuff to head to the park for a BBQ. Our first Prospect Park excursion of the season. We met Cori and Scott, and their kids, and our friend, Sarah, joined too. Theo got to play in the grass for the first time, see some kites, and play with his cousins. Well, grab their hair and face and giggle and smile at them.

Strangers on the street, and in stores, kept saying, “Happy Mother’s Day”. I guess I always think about these holidays simply as manufactured for our consumer culture, and they are, and I don’t want to “buy” into it too much. But I also think it’s nice to have days set aside to remember and honor who we are and how important our relationships are with one another. I wish all days can be this special. I just need to remember this feeling when my patience is being tried by Theo. And when work sucks. Remember how lucky I am to have a healthy, happy family, and lots of people who love us.

Sorry, no photos from our day… just mama doing some reflecting.