I’m wearing cream-colored trouser socks today. I feel old. Age is creeping up on me like a trouser sock, sagging down my leg as the day goes on. I know I’m not as old as some of my friends but I still feel it, some days more than others. I don’t usually wear stockings, but my pasty feet looked so silly in loafers this morning and I didn’t feel like wearing strappy shoes because my heels are feeling the effects of the hot summer.
I think Spencer is getting used to his sleep schedule a little better. After a discussion with a friend who has a little girl a few months older, I think I’m not feeding him enough and maybe that’s why he’s been cranky lately. He usually eats about 24 oz of formula where he used to eat about 32 oz, and he eats once a day about ½ a baby food container w/ a couple tbs of rice cereal. Today we started feeding him in the morning too, so he’ll be getting more, and I think I’m going to at least up his feeding to a whole container for dinner. Workin’ it out :) He’s still not getting better about going to bed, but it’s almost like he gets frustrated trying to find a comfortable spot on the bed, because last night he cried for 45 minutes and I went in there and he was on his tummy so angry, and I popped his pacifier in and he fell right asleep. I want to put him to bed on his tummy so that he already has a comfortable place and maybe he can go to sleep easier, but then I’m worried because they (the formidable “they”) say never to lay babies down on their stomachs and to let them turn over instead. Why? What’s the big deal?
The thunder is taking over here. I sit next a wall of windows at work and whenever it gets dark and foreboding I just want to sit and stare at the impending rain rather than work. I do it at home too. Can’t I bring a futon and a small tv set and lay down and watch old movies when it rains?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Art of the Rollover
Now you thought I was going to talk about my predilection for sleeping facing the outside of the bed, didn't you?
Nope, Spencer has learned to ROLL OVER. It took him a little more time than it would have taken a dog, but I didn't send him to obedience school. He turned over from tummy to back about a month ago once but it seemed really by accident and he couldn't figure out how to do it again, and then on my birthday he turned over twice! So I was excited. When oh when would he start turning over from back to belly? Not long at all, actually.
This weekend we had a lot of sleeping problems. We actually thought it was teething issues, and while they might be bothering him (who would notice a difference with that drool factory?) I the real reason seemed to be that he kept trying to turn over and couldn't figure out how to keep moving. So he would get stuck up against the side of the crib. Ha! So Sunday night was super bad (Fogell... shut the fuck up. And take off that vest. You look like Aladdin. ... oh wait, not that Superbad ... damn it, I digress) but it was Christen's night (haha, sorry), but last night he finally figured out how to scoot away from the side of the crib and he fell asleep on his belly clutching his light-up teddy bear. God bless that bear (thank you Joy, it didn't help in the car but he sure likes it in bed) because I got a damn good night's sleep on my night.
So that's the deal-eo. You know you wanted a Spencer update, so really instead of being a total mommy-blogger I'm just giving my public what it wants. Next I'll try to move onto pictures. He is five months now, after all. Where does the time go???
Nope, Spencer has learned to ROLL OVER. It took him a little more time than it would have taken a dog, but I didn't send him to obedience school. He turned over from tummy to back about a month ago once but it seemed really by accident and he couldn't figure out how to do it again, and then on my birthday he turned over twice! So I was excited. When oh when would he start turning over from back to belly? Not long at all, actually.
This weekend we had a lot of sleeping problems. We actually thought it was teething issues, and while they might be bothering him (who would notice a difference with that drool factory?) I the real reason seemed to be that he kept trying to turn over and couldn't figure out how to keep moving. So he would get stuck up against the side of the crib. Ha! So Sunday night was super bad (Fogell... shut the fuck up. And take off that vest. You look like Aladdin. ... oh wait, not that Superbad ... damn it, I digress) but it was Christen's night (haha, sorry), but last night he finally figured out how to scoot away from the side of the crib and he fell asleep on his belly clutching his light-up teddy bear. God bless that bear (thank you Joy, it didn't help in the car but he sure likes it in bed) because I got a damn good night's sleep on my night.
So that's the deal-eo. You know you wanted a Spencer update, so really instead of being a total mommy-blogger I'm just giving my public what it wants. Next I'll try to move onto pictures. He is five months now, after all. Where does the time go???
Monday, July 14, 2008
Good weekend
It was, actually. We got a ton done on the house -- I've unpacked all my books and found places for almost all of them, and we bought and put together the new desk (our last one was an OD display and was falling apart from all the moving) and the library/office is looking so cozy! Once I get my loveseat in there and art on the walls I'm never going to want to leave that room! I need to build floating shelves above the loveseat for my antique books so Spencer can't get to them, and get a filing cabinet for our bills and house stuff and my writing so I can get back to submitting things to journals and filing my rejection slips.
Somehow it felt like a really long weekend. I still didn't want it to end, but at least I felt like I sucked all the marrow out of the time I had. At the end of the day there were still things I wish I had done (like finishing the laundry) but I still feel like I've made progress.
I think Spencer is teething. He had a horrible night last night -- Christen was up all night with his screaming. He's also figured out how to turn over from his back to belly this weekend, but he can't figure out how to scoot away from the crib walls so he gets stuck on his side against the bars. And for all my worrying that the swaddle was going to prevent him from learning -- he does it in his swaddle.
So this week's menu:
I've decided to not plan the weekends because we usually eat out at least one night, and the other night we can have leftovers from the week. That's what we did last night -- I broke up the meatloaf into mac & cheese for me, and sauteed the leftoever pork tenderloins in medallions for Christen. He's supposed to take the pasta from Thursday for lunch today and then we are leftover-free for the week and I only had one pork chop that got thrown out. Amazing. I know that won't happen all the time, but I'm also trying to make smaller meals so we don't feel compelled to eat seconds and thirds to eat things up. For tonight I only bought two pork chops, and I asked the veggie lady at Publix to split squash packages for me so I only had 2 each of zucchini and summer squash. Beef stroganoff is a big meal, but I have no problem bringing that to work every day for a few days to eat it up -- delish! I don't mind buying larger packages and breaking them up at home, but it seems that nothing is on sale like that lately, so why bother. I have a smaller fridge anyhow, so I can't pack it particularly full.
Somehow it felt like a really long weekend. I still didn't want it to end, but at least I felt like I sucked all the marrow out of the time I had. At the end of the day there were still things I wish I had done (like finishing the laundry) but I still feel like I've made progress.
I think Spencer is teething. He had a horrible night last night -- Christen was up all night with his screaming. He's also figured out how to turn over from his back to belly this weekend, but he can't figure out how to scoot away from the crib walls so he gets stuck on his side against the bars. And for all my worrying that the swaddle was going to prevent him from learning -- he does it in his swaddle.
So this week's menu:
- Monday: stuffed pork chops w/ spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese and fried okra (using up the last of the fresh okra from last week before it gets slimy)
- Tuesday: General Tso's chicken with white rice and snow peas (we nixed it from last week's menu)
- Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff and a side salad
- Thursday: Kikkoman stir-fry w/ brown rice
- Friday: brown sugar bacon-wrapped shrimp with vegetable skewers
I've decided to not plan the weekends because we usually eat out at least one night, and the other night we can have leftovers from the week. That's what we did last night -- I broke up the meatloaf into mac & cheese for me, and sauteed the leftoever pork tenderloins in medallions for Christen. He's supposed to take the pasta from Thursday for lunch today and then we are leftover-free for the week and I only had one pork chop that got thrown out. Amazing. I know that won't happen all the time, but I'm also trying to make smaller meals so we don't feel compelled to eat seconds and thirds to eat things up. For tonight I only bought two pork chops, and I asked the veggie lady at Publix to split squash packages for me so I only had 2 each of zucchini and summer squash. Beef stroganoff is a big meal, but I have no problem bringing that to work every day for a few days to eat it up -- delish! I don't mind buying larger packages and breaking them up at home, but it seems that nothing is on sale like that lately, so why bother. I have a smaller fridge anyhow, so I can't pack it particularly full.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
A book of firsts
I did something this morning that I haven’t done in my entire work life. That would be 13 years, sometimes working 2 or 3 jobs.
I made coffee this morning, and brought it with me to work.
I know some of you can’t live without your coffee – my mother included, which is actually why we bought the coffee maker. But although I like coffee, I’ve never felt the need to have it every day, and usually drinking hot liquids in the morning gives me a stomachache so I generally stick to milk with breakfast. This morning I felt like coffee, and the coffee at work is terrible so I ground myself some decaf beans and started up a small pot. I didn’t drink any in the car, because I’m wearing a white blouse, and I still drank milk with my breakfast. But it was a welcome addition to my morning routine today. Not that it will likely become a routine, but it’s nice to know I can get that done before work if I want.
Other firsts are that I made meatloaf last night for the first time ever, and fried okra (and wax beans and rolls). Christen’s request. This week we started making our menu on Sunday and shopping for everything. If we can truly make this a practice I will be thrilled. Tonight is stuffed pork tenderloin which I love to make and is very easy, tomorrow are tomato and mozzarella panini sandwiches (Spencer has a doctor’s appointment to check his croup and ears and I know I won’t have time for much of anything). Thursday is penne with vodka sauce and Friday is scallops with orange sauce (Christen’s birthday). General Tso’s chicken is somewhere in there if I decide I don’t feel like making something in particular because that’s something Christen makes (it was originally Wednesday’s meal but I’ve already substituted). Saturday we’re probably going out with his family for the birthdays so I didn’t bother planning a meal, and next week we start again! It was actually really easy, just took an extra 20 minutes of planning before going to the store on Sunday and since I had a purpose it didn’t even take much longer to go shopping even though I did the whole week of shopping instead of just a day or two. I don’t have much room in the freezer for any pre-made dinners, but I may try to fit some in just in case. I also got fat free cool whip and berries, and I’ve been eating a little for dessert every night to curb my sweet tooth and it’s delicious! And much better than ice cream which I’ve truly been craving.
I haven’t bought any snack food since we’ve moved, and hope to keep that up. We have some baked chips, but I’m not a chip girl so they’re safe. I also have found that I don’t have the time to snack. Isn’t that wonderful? The baby keeps me so busy, and with work and feeding him his solids I make time to sit down and have dinner with my husband but that’s really it. Eventually I plan to start getting up earlier to run and give myself a little time to myself, but I’m okay working on my eating habits first and giving myself time to get settled in the house first. I’ll just make myself sick if I overdo it, and I know that.
Spencer’s doing better, although yesterday he got clingy and cried bloody freaking murder every time I set him down so that I could make dinner or go to the bathroom or anything. I can’t figure out if it’s behavioral or if his ear infections have come back (which I was told could happen with the croup). It makes me feel so bad, but things have got to be done so sometimes he’s just going to have to cry. His follow-up appointment is on Wednesday and they can tell me if he’s really doing better. Last night he woke up at 3am and started yelling. No crying, no screaming. He would yell out like, “Hey, I’m awake – come get me!” Ugh. He needs to start learning to sleep through the night. All these bouts of sickness set him back on that front and I’m getting so tired!
Anyhow, work is doing well; I’m starting to enjoy it again. I’m still not caught up a little more than 2 months back, but I’m getting there slowly. In my profession you’re never really caught up anyhow, so I’m getting used to it. Before I left I was always caught up and sometimes I got bored so I guess slightly behind is better. They’ve started this silly customer service competition and I’ve been working on that and I’m way in the lead for my group, which makes me happy. I’m so easy.
I made coffee this morning, and brought it with me to work.
I know some of you can’t live without your coffee – my mother included, which is actually why we bought the coffee maker. But although I like coffee, I’ve never felt the need to have it every day, and usually drinking hot liquids in the morning gives me a stomachache so I generally stick to milk with breakfast. This morning I felt like coffee, and the coffee at work is terrible so I ground myself some decaf beans and started up a small pot. I didn’t drink any in the car, because I’m wearing a white blouse, and I still drank milk with my breakfast. But it was a welcome addition to my morning routine today. Not that it will likely become a routine, but it’s nice to know I can get that done before work if I want.
Other firsts are that I made meatloaf last night for the first time ever, and fried okra (and wax beans and rolls). Christen’s request. This week we started making our menu on Sunday and shopping for everything. If we can truly make this a practice I will be thrilled. Tonight is stuffed pork tenderloin which I love to make and is very easy, tomorrow are tomato and mozzarella panini sandwiches (Spencer has a doctor’s appointment to check his croup and ears and I know I won’t have time for much of anything). Thursday is penne with vodka sauce and Friday is scallops with orange sauce (Christen’s birthday). General Tso’s chicken is somewhere in there if I decide I don’t feel like making something in particular because that’s something Christen makes (it was originally Wednesday’s meal but I’ve already substituted). Saturday we’re probably going out with his family for the birthdays so I didn’t bother planning a meal, and next week we start again! It was actually really easy, just took an extra 20 minutes of planning before going to the store on Sunday and since I had a purpose it didn’t even take much longer to go shopping even though I did the whole week of shopping instead of just a day or two. I don’t have much room in the freezer for any pre-made dinners, but I may try to fit some in just in case. I also got fat free cool whip and berries, and I’ve been eating a little for dessert every night to curb my sweet tooth and it’s delicious! And much better than ice cream which I’ve truly been craving.
I haven’t bought any snack food since we’ve moved, and hope to keep that up. We have some baked chips, but I’m not a chip girl so they’re safe. I also have found that I don’t have the time to snack. Isn’t that wonderful? The baby keeps me so busy, and with work and feeding him his solids I make time to sit down and have dinner with my husband but that’s really it. Eventually I plan to start getting up earlier to run and give myself a little time to myself, but I’m okay working on my eating habits first and giving myself time to get settled in the house first. I’ll just make myself sick if I overdo it, and I know that.
Spencer’s doing better, although yesterday he got clingy and cried bloody freaking murder every time I set him down so that I could make dinner or go to the bathroom or anything. I can’t figure out if it’s behavioral or if his ear infections have come back (which I was told could happen with the croup). It makes me feel so bad, but things have got to be done so sometimes he’s just going to have to cry. His follow-up appointment is on Wednesday and they can tell me if he’s really doing better. Last night he woke up at 3am and started yelling. No crying, no screaming. He would yell out like, “Hey, I’m awake – come get me!” Ugh. He needs to start learning to sleep through the night. All these bouts of sickness set him back on that front and I’m getting so tired!
Anyhow, work is doing well; I’m starting to enjoy it again. I’m still not caught up a little more than 2 months back, but I’m getting there slowly. In my profession you’re never really caught up anyhow, so I’m getting used to it. Before I left I was always caught up and sometimes I got bored so I guess slightly behind is better. They’ve started this silly customer service competition and I’ve been working on that and I’m way in the lead for my group, which makes me happy. I’m so easy.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Ahh, fireworks
Happy Independence Day! I'm always reminded of the mind bender question of yore which asks, "Does England have a fourth of July too?" to which the answer is "Yes, and a fifth of July, and a sixth ..."
Anyhow, We're officially in the house. I'm pretty sure I've said that. It's not in the least pulled together, but the nursery is completely done -- we bought the rug today (which Ikea does not have on their web site for me to show you). We also brought my new china cabinet in from the garage and I got to fill it, which totally excited me. I love organizing. It's really sad.
Spencer has croup. He started sounding hoarse Wednesday night and he didn't sound any better Thursday morning so I brought him in to see the doctor before the long weekend and it's a good thing I did. We caught it early; he never got the barking cough, just very hoarse when he cried or laughed and a dry cough. Too, since we caught it early it doesn't seem that the steroids they put him on haven't adversely affected him either; he hasn't been especially cranky or had any diarrhea.
Since he was feeling okay we went ahead and went to Ikea today. I'll be so happy when the one here gets built. We drove over for this cabinet and left 4 hours and $700 later. I wanted two of the cabinets but I couldn't bring myself to drop that much money on cabinets when the rest of my house isn't put together yet. Plus, we've been toying with the idea of building a library with Ikea bookcases, and that's far too much money to actually happen right now. I'm sticking with all my old bookcases.
And Spencer had peas tonight, and loved them -- it was so funny; I took pictures and hopefully I'll load them up tomorrow.
Anyhow, Toodles! PS- tomorrow is my birthday! So actually, 46 minutes from now ...
Anyhow, We're officially in the house. I'm pretty sure I've said that. It's not in the least pulled together, but the nursery is completely done -- we bought the rug today (which Ikea does not have on their web site for me to show you). We also brought my new china cabinet in from the garage and I got to fill it, which totally excited me. I love organizing. It's really sad.
Spencer has croup. He started sounding hoarse Wednesday night and he didn't sound any better Thursday morning so I brought him in to see the doctor before the long weekend and it's a good thing I did. We caught it early; he never got the barking cough, just very hoarse when he cried or laughed and a dry cough. Too, since we caught it early it doesn't seem that the steroids they put him on haven't adversely affected him either; he hasn't been especially cranky or had any diarrhea.
Since he was feeling okay we went ahead and went to Ikea today. I'll be so happy when the one here gets built. We drove over for this cabinet and left 4 hours and $700 later. I wanted two of the cabinets but I couldn't bring myself to drop that much money on cabinets when the rest of my house isn't put together yet. Plus, we've been toying with the idea of building a library with Ikea bookcases, and that's far too much money to actually happen right now. I'm sticking with all my old bookcases.
And Spencer had peas tonight, and loved them -- it was so funny; I took pictures and hopefully I'll load them up tomorrow.
Anyhow, Toodles! PS- tomorrow is my birthday! So actually, 46 minutes from now ...
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