Monday, July 13, 2015

mid-summer day'sblog

Is it really midsummer already?!

Is my son really FOUR months old?? Seriously .... where does time go? :-)

I am actually typing this at my upstairs desk, the one I haven't used in months b/c this has been a combo adult/baby bedroom. Not so anymore! G. is outgrowing the bassinet so today for the first time I placed him on his "big boy bed" (floor mattress, toddler size) in the nursery. Swaddled and snoozing away. That boy ... so adaptable. And soon, I will have my room back! I will be sad to see the bassinet days go however. Now I have to worry about him rolling off the bed, though it is very safe (we have a Montessori-style nursery, no crib) and we can always roll towels up under the mattress later. Just another transition. Our family seems to "love" transition times ... big eye roll!

Tomorrow I will find out whether I have a new job. I am very excited but it is a new role other than "teacher" so I'm excited, but cautiously so. Still working at a Montessori school, of course. I would start full-time at the end of August, and just work a few days prior to that. I have so many emotions about leaving G. home with Grandma after flying solo with him for five months (It will pretty much be six months by the time I'm back full-time; and I do realize how lucky I am compared to most working women). I know he will do fine. And, of course, the plan is to have him coming to work with me every day in the fall of 2016 as he would be in the toddler program! Next best thing to homeschooling :-)

I have finally picked up the knitting needles again, stolen moments during naps and after G. goes to sleep. I am currently working on a hat, a baby sweater, a burp cloth (for that Etsy shop I was going to have sooo much time to knit for, ha!), a baby blanket. When these projects are wrapping up I'm going to start work on a shawl, possibly to enter in a fall fair back in New England just for fun. I would also love to make another Milo for George for the winter. I really loved his first Milo, which does still fit as he's a slow grower.

 I'm also trying to swim twice a week after G. is in bed. It winds up being a very late swim, 9-9:30 pm, but that's the time we have to work with right now (and the time there aren't swim teams using the facility) so it's better than nothing.

My nursing book is currently The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman. Wonderful story! Next up I plan on reading the entire Anne of Green Gables series for the first time. I've only ever read the first book.

It's been a really rainy summer here. I've actually enjoyed being able to take G. on 20-30 minute stroller walks outside under an overcast sky and we can both breathe easy.

Lately, I've been feeling a bit restless. I sort of wish it was a "normal" summer of picnics, traveling, etc. but it's not life with a baby under one year, esp. one with a medical condition we are still learning to manage effectively with medication. Basically he needs very regular sleep. So my days feel chopped into chunks at home between naps and nursing. The nursing has tapered to every three (sometimes four) hours though so that's been a bit of a break. We do go on short adventures with daddy on weekends, out to breakfast or Target or the farmer's market. I keep telling myself soon enough he'll be doing regular stuff with us! We can't wait to take him to the art museum in DC when he's a bit older.

Because I've missed yoga in my life the last few years, I've been looking for ways to start up my practice again given that time is more precious. I can't remember where this first cropped up, but I'm currently "taking" a two-week free mindfulness yoga class online through Hunter Yoga. I'm hoping also to try out a new studio on a weekend sometime s win the neighborhood my new school would be a in, a neighborhood we'd really like to move to at some point as it's walkable and seems so friendly and UN-suburban. People are too isolate from the neighbors where we are now. Though to that end I did at least join a parents Facebook group for our townhouse development, as well as a "Creative chicks with Babes" Meetup. Baby steps ... literally!

I am back to menu planning and meals are very easy to put together as it's summer. Soon George will be eating a few fruits and veggies, too. We set up his Montessori weaning table and chair and I will need to go shop for glass bowls, tiny silver spoons, placemats, some artwork, a small plant, a protective floor mat. He can't sit up on his own yet so I suspect it will be closer to six months that we start on solids.

Gains he has made include rolling onto his belly to indicate he's done with naps, reaching for and grasping his wood ring and his bell on the play gym, crazy loud squealing for several-minute stretches. He's the best, that boy.

I will post pics as I am able.

Love and light,

K.