Heading Out

I'm headed out first thing in the morning for a girl's trip to the beach... it'll be the first time away from this cutie pie for longer than a couple of hours. Yikes! I'm looking forward to a fun return to Michael, Phoebs, and Jaker...

See you again Sunday!

(By the way, I am the one who took this picture, not Michael for once!)

Zombymom

At a local stationery/things-you-think-
you-need-for-your-home store, they sell these shirts...actually, it's a whole line of swag with "Zombymom" emblazoned across it. (Don't believe me? Seriously.) Anyway, I always thought it was a bit ridiculous, because let's face it, motherhood when you stay at home is ten times easier than working and being a mom, right?

HA. It's 4:30 am. That's right. My baby has been sleeping through the night for a month and a half (two and a half months if you count the off-and-on stuff that she started with). I've been accustomed to a minimum of eight consecutive hours of uninterrupted sleep just about every night. I feel human! A delight to be around! And now, since Sunday, Phoebe has woken up at least once in the night. Tonight we're on round two. (Round one was at 1:45).

This would probably be easier if I'd feed her or rock her. But I know she isn't hungry, because she's been eating great during the day. And I know that she can put herself to sleep if she just gets a chance to. (This makes me sound like such a mean mommy, blogging instead of comforting.) So here I am, waiting it out. This keeps me from going in there every 30 seconds to pat her or give her a paci or...whatever.

She's not really crying, just grunting and frustrated. After four months (!) she still hasn't found her thumb (not that I want her to at this point) and gets mad when she can't really "suck" on her other fingers that taste oh-so-good during daylight hours. Anyway, we wait. And although things are quiet in there at this moment (25 minutes later), I don't want to go to bed quite yet... honestly, I'd rather lose 10 extra minutes of sleep (I'm up anyway) than sleep 10 minutes and have to wake up again.

If you're asking yourself why I don't just stay in bed to begin with... well... seriously?

Big and Sweet

Well, I was tagged by Rachel, my MASH/Calculus study buddy from high school (who is expecting her baby to arrive anyminutenow), to list 8 random things about myself. So after some hemming and hawing, I figure I might as well get to it.

1. We call Jake (pictured at left) our "Bigsweet" and Phoebe our "Littlesweet". After hearing an elderly gentleman call his wife lovely his "Bittersweet" at the grocery store one day, Michael and I often call each other that in a loving way. When future children come along, they'll probably be "Littlestsweet." We are truly amazed at how sweet Jake is with Phoebe... sometimes a little too big and sweet, lavishing many kisses.

2. I wear sunglasses more often as a headband than as actual sunglasses. They're so much more comfortable, and much better at holding my wispy hairbits out of my face.

3. When it rains, or it's gray and drizzly outside, I like to call it a "Seattle Day". This comes from growing up in Seattle, where most days are actually gray and drizzly. Funny thing is, when Michael and I were in Washington for our honeymoon, we didn't see a single drop of rain or a single gray sky.

4. My new favorite hobby is figuring out how to make Phoebe laugh... I think she's still figuring out how to giggle!

5. I am really, really terrible about forgetting laundry in the washer. Often I'll start a load before leaving the house, and then, well... it slips my mind. I've had to rewash plenty of laundry in my days as a married woman. I'm sure our water bill isn't thankful! At least the clothes get clean eventually.

6. Michael and I will have been married for two years in a couple of weeks. It's hard to believe how much has changed in two short years, and although I never would've predicted Phoebe in the equation, I can't imagine it any other way. (We'll be going on a small getaway to celebrate, and Mops and Pops will be keeping the baby!)

7. I love spicy foods. The spicier, the better! When I was pregnant, one of my few cravings was chicken wings. I would have eaten them daily... and near the end of my pregnancy when I was diabetic, I pretty much did. It's a miracle I didn't have terrible heartburn.

8. I wish I had planted a garden this year. The timing didn't work out with Phoebs's arrival, but I am really missing those homegrown tomatoes and unending supply of basil. Everything always tasted better from the garden! Next year, I hope to plant bell peppers and cucumbers, in addition to the crop we planted last year. Then, Phoebe can help me dig around!

and one more, because it goes with the picture: I read almost in obsessive spurts. I'll go through a book in two days, and then go a few weeks without reading one, and then repeat the cycle. I do not know how to read slowly. I can't stand do not know how the book will turn out! Maybe Phoebe will be the same way!

It's 4:30... we're trying to get from frustrated to this. Since I'm blogging, I think she's settled... I'd much rather find out that she's not from the computer than from my sleepyhead spot in bed.

I'm still so thankful this only happens about once a week!

Sunday, Sunday

Ah, Sunday... the day of rest. However, when you have an infant in the house, you wake up at the same time as always. In fact, I wake up an hour earlier on Sunday so that I can get ready before having to tend to the little one. It is so wonderful to have a day designated for corporate worship...and for rest. Sometimes, though, I don't always allow myself the rest that I so desperately need. Busy, busy, busy around the house. Dishes to be washed, clothes to be folded, floors to be swept or vacuumed... those neverending chores always seem to creep into my Sundays. Well today, my sweet husband has helped me have a different kind of day.

When we came home from church, Michael took the baby and sent me to bed, where I napped for an hour and a half! (I was much better about napping when Phoebe actually slept more than she was awake.) Then, he continued to take "baby duty" and allowed me to scrapbook for an hour or so. Now she's napping, and I'm enjoying an afternoon in pj's. What a blessing it is to recharge batteries before another week.

It's really been a wonderful weekend... I made a pot of soup yesterday to freeze, and spent a great deal of time with a happy husband and baby. Although we unsuccessfully tried to change her schedule yesterday and she didn't get much napping in, she was a delight for her Nandy and Boompah as Michael and I went to a party for the Guzzos, a couple from church, and then went out for Ruby Tuesday appetizers with the Jordans. We've decided to return to our 2 1/2 hour schedule with 1 hour nap routine, and it's working swimmingly so far today.

Michael has now run out to get us a new microwave with gift card odds and ends, since ours bit the dust while trying to sterilize bottles yesterday...and since I promised to have a bathed and bedtime ready baby when he returned, I'd better hustle!

For Aunt Fave

The little bean was helping her Daddy snap beans for the fourth... isn't she already a big helper?

Toys, Toys, Toys

I have never ever really been a spender. I love to save up for stuff, I think, but I never actually spend it on something fun. I have three Wal-Mart giftcards in my wallet, but I'm afraid of not spending them on the right thing. Seriously, I have money issues. It's not that I worry that there won't be enough, I just think I feel better the longer I hang onto it.

When it comes to big purchases, the phrase "Just Do It" comes to mind. I hem and haw and waffle back and forth and never do it, and then end up regretting not making the purchase. So when the state income tax refund check came in, I could think of about eighty million ways that we could spend it reasonably (new carpet, savings/investments to name a few). But we knew that the best way we could spend that money was on a camera. Michael has somehow managed to take some really beautiful pictures of Phoebe in her first three months, but most of them are grainy and lacking. I want to have gorgeous memories of all of our babies and our family, but I don't want to pay someone else to have them. So Michael found a great deal on a Nikon D70s (that's a digital cadillac, folks), and bought it that day.

I was afraid I'd have major buyer's remorse, and thinking about the price tag, I really kind of did. But then the camera got here. And in the first 100 pictures taken, at least 40 were frameable, and they're the best 40 pictures we've ever taken. I'm so stinkin' excited!

Michael has the day off today, so he's spending his morning learning how to use this bad boy. He already knows several modes, the best light, the best focus, everything. I'm hoping for a workshop this afternoon! What a fun way to celebrate an Independence Day!

And speaking of the fourth, I truly do thank the Lord today for our freedom. What rich blessings we have as a country! In the midst of all of the bad news, we live in a remarkable place. I am so grateful for those who have sacrificed much for our independence. May God continue to bless America.