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9.30.2010

to help you decide...

No bites on the hair stuff? If it will help you decide, picture it with these... my new glasses, just ordered:

(Everyday)

(Special snowflake kind of day... when I just need something MORE)

(Sunglasses)


And, as a reward... a sleeping baby. She's so sweet.

I love how she fell asleep holding her teething toy. <3


Real post tomorrow.

9.29.2010

thoughts?

Idea #1:

Idea #2:

Crazy Idea #3:

Obviously I'm thinking of going short... thoughts?

9.28.2010

hi! sorry! here i am! (or, my Ode to Vicks)

New Mamas - Another from my Uncle
I get annoyed when I'm clicking through my blog links and find that most of my favorite posters haven't updated. I have this "need to know" thing. But I've definitely not been a great updater lately, so Sorry! And Here I am Now!

Honestly, I was going to post yesterday, but then we had A Night. A Night to End All Nights. Seriously, it was the worst night we've ever had sleep-wise, including Gwen's newborn days. My poor babe had a rockin cold and it kept waking her, since she would get so snotty that she couldn't breathe clearly. She had been fighting going to sleep for a few nights prior, so I was all excited when she went down easily, in her crib by 7:30. Boy was I in for a treat. She did sleep for an hour... then woke at 8:30, 9:15, 9:45. We were up from 9:45 until about 10:30, when I unfolded the futon. I got her to sleep with my arm propping her up a little, until 11-something, then we were up until 12. I did get to sleep in my bed (her in her crib) from 12 until 1:30, then again from 1:45ish until about 3:45ish... then it was back to the futon and temporary bedsharing! We half-slept from 4:30 until 5:30, then a little bit more from 5:45 to 6:15 when we were up for the day... quite blurry eyed. In those times that she was awake, she would cry (poor bub was so uncomfortable and tired), eat, or lay in my arms sucking her fingers while I rocked her. Occasionally I would torture her by using the boogie sucker.

Anyway, so all that to say that yesterday I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone form coherent sentences! So I didn't make it here. Thankfully all by two other people in my office are in DC for a conference, so I didn't have to worry about my boss trying to engage me in conversation! Last night was better though, armed with a better boogie sucker, saline nose drops, and some Baby Vicks (which, by the by, smells nice) we approached bedtime with a sense of purpose. We were going to get a good night sleep, dagnabit! So we did the drops, sucked some huge boogers out, and then Vicked her up.

Then I dropped all the false bravado and literally fell to my knees and prayed, "Dear God in Heaven, I can't do another night like that... I am physically running on empty. Please, me and the babe need a good night sleep." I put it in his hands, then I hopped into bed myself, at 8:15!!

And she woke once at 10:45/11ish to eat vigorously, and slept the rest of the night away! I was still a little sleepy this morning, but I felt about 200x better. So here I am.  :-)

Anyway, this is already long, but lets backtrack for a minute with some cute pictures from this weekend.

Saturday was hotter then expected, but we trekked up to the Celtic Classic anyway. It was fun... lots of checking out the booths of goods with Nonnie, lots of food, some tossing of the Caber, and lots of men in kilts.

Nonnie and her grandbaby, so sweet.
My silly silly Loves.
Family picture.
I didn't feel well Saturday night... too much heat, too much salty food, too much men in skirts... so I went to bed early. Sunday Trav let me sleep in a bit while he took the babe shopping (thank goodness for that!). It was a much rainier day, so we stuck pretty close to home. I took Gwenie out to run some errands, and Trav got a lot of projects done around the house. All-in-all, pretty productive.

Now we're back to today. Everyone feeling better (Gwen still has some sniffles, but she is so much better for her good night sleep too). This morning we had an appointment for shots, and got some updated stats (I updated the month-by-month page), our little string bean is now 14lbs 3oz (~10%) and 26 in (~48%). My growing girl.

And that's all she wrote for now... time to finish up, pack up and get home to my girl! Wish us luck for another good night of sleep.

9.23.2010

things that make me happy

Happy Autumn!! 

I'm so glad its here officially... even if its going to be 90 today and 92 tomorrow. Back into the 70s by next week!

Check out this amazing new Harry Potter trailer, plus a few "making of" scenes (keep watching after the annoying ads):






(Or watch HERE if that doesn't work.) Oh my goodness, I can't wait!!

Gwenie slept through the night last night, which is wonderful. Hopefully she'll do it again tonight. And hopefully she'll do it without staying up until 8:45 first!! 

Almost the weekend! Yay!

9.22.2010

I'm sitting here at my desk, drinking some hot chocolate, checking my email while waiting for others to arrive. I didn't get enough sleep last night, Gwen woke three times, put herself back to sleep once. The alarm this morning was hard, and I had to hit the snooze button twice before I could get myself to sit up.

Its not just the tiredness though. I feel sort of dreamy today, ghost-like. I think its partly the passage I was just reading in the Time Travelers Wife, partly the wistfulness of the season, partly the odd dreams I had last night (which lead to odd daydreams). Getting off the train, I drifted into work, one foot falling infront of the other, in a way that can only be done when you have walked the same path hundreds of times before. I felt sort of wispy and insubstatial, like a memory that could be blown away in the breeze; and I was a bit surprised when I shook myself and realized that I was at work already.

I wish I were still outside right now. Its beautiful out, a perfect breeze, mild temp... but its going to get hot later. And all this silliness will burn away in the heat, and I'll make my way through another busy, too full day of work before heading home for 5 minutes of quiet, then an hour or so with my sweet babe. It has been so busy lately, I had a blogger window open all day yesterday, but just never got a moment to pause and write anything. The evenings are my balm.

Honestly, rereading the above it all sounds so much more depressing then it is. I'm not sad at all. Maybe a bit wistful or melancholy, but not sad or depressed. I have so much to be thankful for lately, and I appreciate every bit of it. My sweet babe, my wonderful husband, the impending season change, our first crock pot of beef stew that was waiting for me - full and bubbly - when I got home last night. Our pup too, who is just so good. 

For now though, I get back to work.

9.20.2010


I'm a little frantic today... we have an event, and I have a few big projects that are needing to be done today. So I'm going to be in and out. But I had a moment of downtime and thought I'd come here.


We had a nice weekend. It too was busy (of course), but full of good things. Saturday I had a hair appointment, then my mom, Gwen, and I popped over to Bethlehem to see my Uncle Wray who was up from DC to do a book signing! I'm so proud of him. His wife Susie was with him, and Susie's daughter Megan and her son (who I like to call) TJ Finny were visiting as well. Wray got some nice shots (which I've sprinkled throughout).


Sunday Gwen and I met to go walking with Ro at the state park again. It was a nice day for it... and we rested for a moment at the little playground we pass to do some swinging.


Gwen was a fan!


It was my baby's first time on a swing by herself!!  :-)

And that's all I have time for... so I'll be back later! 

9.17.2010

outtakes

It's getting harder and harder to get a good monthly shot with pumpkin the dog. Gwen just wants to go now... so its hard to get her to sit still, and look at the camera, and smile. Here are just a few of the outtakes from our "photoshoot":

Seriously guys, its hard work being on all the time.
 (Tried moving the dog to the floor, didn't help:)
This is what happens when I start to take a picture, and Gwen decides to lean towards the floor!
She LOVES her brown bear.

And there are outtakes not just in a "photoshoot" but all the time:
I do love her eyes in this one!
I did get some cute pics with Daisy the other day, definitely want to share those too:

The best part of these outtakes... they are probably even more fun then the "good" pictures anyway!

And just for fun, Gwen's cute dress from the other day:


Have a great weekend!

9.16.2010

7 months


Dear Gwenivere,
Today you are seven months, and I'll admit, this one really snuck up on me. Its not that I can't believe you are this age, but that the past month was so busy and full that I really didn't realize another 31 days had gone. Earlier this week people were asking how old you were and I was saying, 6 and a half. But nope, its the 16th already, and another month has flown by.

And what a month, I can't believe all the things you are doing now. Lets see... you easily crawl all over, and can put yourself into a sitting position. You pull up on all sorts of things, and love to practice standing. You say "mama" and are starting to enjoy this eating thing a bit more. You are smiley and happy, sociable and sweet... though you do definitely prefer your mama at the moment. You also have the cutest giggle. And you're our growing girl... we just had to raise the straps on your carseat!

As for that eating thing, you've now tried a handful of flavors: green beans, peaches, sweet potato, roasted carrots, banana, and avocado. I definitely think carrots are your favorite at the moment, but you seem to like them all in varying amounts depending on the day! I think we'll be trying some squash soon, and I've been told that squash was my favorite growing up, so we'll see what you think.

You had some special occasions this month, getting to spend big chunks of quality time with both of your grams (your Nana and your Nonnie). Nana was in town from Arizona for a wedding, and she watched you for a whole afternoon while your daddy and I worked. You guys took walks together and played on the floor. Your Nonnie came over to watch you all day one weekend, while I went to a friend's bridal shower and your daddy went to a meeting and a football game. You guys played with every toy in the house, and days later your Nonnie called me just to say again what a great time she had with you!


Besides that, we took a trip to the orchards the other weekend, and went for a long walk in the state park... both fun things anyway, but made even more fun by the impending Autumn. Summer was nice, but this month its officially over! Oh how I love Autumn, Gwenivere, and I can't wait to share all of the best parts of it with you. We'll play in fallen leaves, carve pumpkins, and hopefully you'll enjoy some of the wonderful smells and tastes associated with fall (apples, leaves, pumpkin, cinnamon, etc). I can't wait to share all of the things I love with you, but this especially.


You also got to spend some quality one-on-one time with your daddy this month. Four days of it when your daycare was closed. You guys went visiting with people together (your Pappy and my workmates), played together, and napped together. I think it was really good for both of you. A chance to bond a bit, and learn to rely on each other without Mama around to take over (which I do sometimes, without even meaning to).


Gwenie, my love, sometimes my days at work are so hectic and its hard to catch my breath. Even the evenings can get so full. But none of that matters when you and your daddy get home, and you give me that first golden smile. You are my beautiful ending to whatever kind of day.

I love you.
Mama


9.14.2010

work-a-go-go

It feels like the crazy, hecticness comes in waves. There will be weeks at a time when things are slow, and while I love that at home, I'm not a fan of it at work for more then a few days at a time, because then I have time to think about how much I'm not doing what I want to be doing. But inevitably things pick up, and boy do they seem to pick up, and there will be weeks when it seems like I'm going going going, and can't even breathe until after I put the babe to bed at night. That's great for at making the work days go quickly, but it also makes the rest of the day go too quickly as well, and leaves me a bit frantic and out of breathe.

Now is definitely one of the manic, go go go times.

The weekend was busy. Good... but very busy. And yesterday and today have been non-stop so far. The only reason I'm here now is because I decided to take a break from work while I pumped. Pumping, which definitely seems to suffer during this busy time. I get going on something, completely loose track of time and end up pumping late, and often I make myself feel rush. Getting off my schedule certainly doesn't help my supply, so its not good. But I'm being productive, which is good and makes me feel good. I'll just have to set some alarms on my computer to remind me when its pumping time!!

I've been working with an author on a monograph recently and its finally finished, so that should calm things down a bit. Its definitely nice to look at my desk and see it cleared of stacks of "things to do." Though I'm looking at the calendar hanging next to my desk and seeing lots of events coming up.

---

Ironically, here I am, hours later, just finishing this post from home before hopping into bed. I'm doing it on our shiny, new computer which is finally hooked up and running. It was time... our poor laptop was full to busting, slower then Hades, and just plain old. This new computer, our big Christmas gift to each other, while not top of the line, seems about 5,000x faster!!

But the day, like many, just got away from me and this is my first chance to wrap this post up and publish it. As a reward for the wait, Gwenie picture!

Taken after dinner tonight, when Gwen & Trav were playing around together. 
He was blowing raspberries on her back.

I'll definitely be back sooner... Thursday is 7 months!
Night all!


PS. Also wanted to share, and save for myself, this really neat article on grieving... The Way We Grieve Now

9.11.2010

kitty poo and ice cube attacks

I've been a bad blogger lately. I keep opening the edit a post window, maybe typing something short, maybe not even that, having the window sit open for ages, then just closing it. I don't know why I just can't seem to find the [something] to write lately.

And on that note, maybe I'll start with the things I'm NOT going to blog about:
1. 9/11 (9 years ago, can you believe it)
2. the anny of my original (unfulfilled) due date

I almost feel insensitive, guilty for not writing about them... but at the moment I'm feeling that it won't be a good, emotionally cleansing thing for me, but instead a draining thing. So I'm not going to [period].

What will I write about? Well, lets start with the craziness of this past week.
My Wednesday started out a little rough... I came downstairs to the quite pungent smell of kitten poop. The kitty that was still there because the family couldn't take it the night before. So I got to clean that up... which is really just so fun post-shower and already in your work clothes. Then when I went to get some ice from the freezer, two of the trays stuck together and the one I wasn't holding went flying... hitting me with lots of ice. And cutting me! On my thumb and foot. My train buddy asked, what kind of ice do we make in this joint. Razor sharp ice, apparently.

But my day got better. A cute pedi, kitty off to her new home, and a very productive day.
I had a bunch of very productive days actually... productive and veryfuckin'busy. Half the office was out for the holiday (l'shana tovah!!), but work does not stop. Its probably a good thing I was so busy and distracted, at least on Thursday. Trav's mom is in town for a wedding and she really wanted to spend time with Gwen. So she watched her Thursday afternoon, something I was informed was going to happen Wednesday night. Them spending time together is a good thing, and it went very well, but I was just a tad nervous about it beforehand. Numerous reason, none of them anything against Nana, but the biggest was just that Gwen's having some stranger anxiety right now and by no fault of her own, Nana is a stranger. Gwen's only met her three times total (the pitfalls of living across the country!), and the last time was about a month and a half ago (aka. a quarter of her life!). Apparently there was about 30 minutes of tears after Trav left, but after a walk together and a bottle, they had a nice day together. And she was great about respecting our wishes for Gwen. So I really am thrilled that they got the time together.

And lucky Gwen got to spend today with my mom, her Nonnie, since Trav had a Lehigh game and alumni meeting, and I had a bridal shower for my sweet hoser. My mom came an hour earlier to give Gwen some warm up time, and to give me some help with Gwen while I finished getting ready. It went great... they played a ton, took some naps, and no tears. It was a lot of fun for me too... I loved seeing my hoser, Hannah, Ro, and some other great girls... though man do I wish we weren't two hours apart. I had to leave the shower a little earlier to get home, so my mom could get home. I was gone almost 7 hours and almost 4 of those were driving!! It was worth the trip though and I really hope that she had a fabulous time. No pictures to share right now since I didn't bring my camera. One semi-amusing anecdote though. Hannah is also a breastfeeding mama currently, so we had a little pumping party together halfway through. Two ladies, boobies out (don't worry, we were behind closed door). Motherhood really kills the modesty!!

Well, I'm going to head to bed now. I get the whole thing to myself tonight, since Trav is staying up at Lehigh. Hopefully Gwenie and I will both get some good sleep. And hopefully the rain will hold off tomorrow morning so we can get to enjoy the beautiful fall temps we've been having, by taking a walk with Ro and GG. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

9.08.2010

country girl prayer...

Okay, its really the "Cowboys’ Prayer"... but it fits for the most part:
(Got this from Ree at Pioneer Woman)



O Lord, I’ve never lived where churches grow;
I’ve loved creation better as it stood
That day you finished it, so long ago
And looked upon your work and called it good.

Just let me live my life as I’ve begun!
And give me work that’s open to the sky;
Make me a partner of the wind and sun
And I won’t ask a life that’s soft and high.

Make me as big and open as the plains;
As honest as the horse between my knees;
Clean as the wind that blows behind the rains;
Free as the hawk that circles down the breeze.

Just keep an eye on all that’s done and said;
Just right me sometime when I turn aside;
And guide me on the long, dim trail ahead
That stretches upward towards the Great Divide.

-Author Unknown


9.07.2010

(updated with kittie pictures, and a video everyone can see!)


I'm sitting here eating delish, creamy broccoli and cheddar soup. I'm pretending its fall already... though I won't have to pretend for long now. 2 weeks, 2 days to go!

How was everyone's long weekend?

Ours was fun. Saturday was gorgeous, like early fall. Trav, Gwen, and I met a coworker at a local orchard to have lunch and shop in their huge, incredible farm store.


We checked out their animals, and Tally took a turn wearing Gwen.


Gwen is so cozy in her carriers... even though it was only her 3rd time meeting Tally, she was completely comfortable.


There were so many great colors around... the deep, jeweled blues of the peacocks, and the bright vibrant oranges of the early pumpkins.


It made me even more excited for the coming fall, and its changing leaves.


Sunday started off lazily... with Gwen waking at 5:50, but then joining us in bed and sleeping until 7:30!! That was amazing. After that, Sunday was a big cleaning day, which isn't fun in and of itself, but we definitely felt very productive. Vacuumed the house top to bottom, changed sheets, dusted, did laundry, sorted out a ton of Gwen's clothes, and just straightened up a bunch. Gwen is crawling now, so we are working our asses off to get the house really baby proofed. We had started, but now that she's going its a lot easier to see what she'll get herself into.



Monday was a lazy day, but it got a bit more exciting when we found a kitten. I heard something from outside, but it sounded like a bird at first... but after a little I realized it was teeny mews. I pointed Trav in the direction and he got her. Its the tiniest little ball of fluff, and just so sweet.


I'm guessing its only about 4 or 5 weeks old, and it will be going to a new home tonight. Trav asked me at one point if I wanted to keep it... and while I had daydreamed about that earlier, it just doesn't make sense for us now. He breathed an audible sigh of relief when I answered in the negative!! Lol. I had fun snuggling it last night though, and hope the little girl does okay.



Oh, and I forgot to mention this last week, but we removed the snuggle nest from our bed finally. Its been there for the past 6 months... even though she hasn't slept in it full time since 2.5 months, or even part time really since 4ish months (?). But we just kept it there for those occasional times that we brought her into bed in the morning. We really didn't need it though, and Sunday morning was fine with her just sleeping in my arms. Its really great to have our bed back!! 


Now its back to work... though I apparently could have used some more sleep this weekend, since I was not paying attention this morning and completely forgot my damn wallet. Opps!