Happy 28 Weeks (aka: 6 Months)

Mr. Man,

As of December 2nd, 2009, it is official: you are half way to your first birthday. Wow. It's so amazing to think that it was 6 MONTHS ago that you made your debut at Northside Hospital. The whole time-flies-and-gets-even-faster-after-you-have-children thing is definitely true.

At your checkup this past Friday, you measured 25 3/4 inches and 18 pounds. We decided, after speaking with the pediatrician, that you probably don't need 5 feedings every day anymore so we are now on a schedule of feeding you every 4 hours. Your meal schedule is starting to look a lot more like ours... you get a bottle and solid food at 7am, 11am, and 3pm. And you get a night-cap bottle at 7pm. At that point, it's off to see The Sandman!

Of course, I think you are nothing short of the most brilliant, sweet, and cute baby in the world. And I have documented some proof of your amazing skills: On October 25th (4.5 months), you rolled over (one way) for the first time.

And, some might argue that what occurred on October 24th is even more impressive: your first kiss. We went to the Willifords cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains and had a fun weekend with the Surgalas.

I think it's safe to say that you and Samantha enjoyed each other's company.


The next steps are to help you roll over onto your stomach, to sit up, and to crawl. You are learning how to do these things but are in no rush. If I had to guess, I would say that you are going to have a laid back personality like your dad. That's a good thing and it makes me smile to realize that you know what you are doing and that you'll roll over and sit up... it'll just be on your schedule, not mine.

We visited Santa right around Thanksgiving this year and you weren't quite sure what to do with yourself. You have been really intrigued with hair lately and I'm not sure if his facial hair or the fact that he had a whole lot of WHITE hair amazed you the most, but I am glad that you at least smiled for the camera and seemed to be OK with this big, strange, white-haired man holding you. Wait, maybe that isn't such a good thing...

Connor, I love you! Happy almost first Christmas!

Lv,

Mom

There Are Many Things I am Thankful For...

Dennis and I made a game-time decision this morning to take today as a vacation day and extend our Thanksgiving weekend. I think I could get used to a work-two-days-and-vacation-five-days type of work week.

Being the incredibly spontaneous people that we are, we decided to do something that we've been meaning to do for several months: take Connor to RBA (Reproductive Biology Associates) to put his footprint on the "Miracle Board".

It's truly amazing: Dennis and I have our own family to be thankful for this year. It's still hard to believe. Dennis, Echo, me, and now Connor.

A New Generation

As I sit on the couch researching our margarita machine rental business (more to come on that later), I am looking at the most sweet thing that I've seen in a long time. Dennis has Connor on his lap and they are both captivated with Cars, the movie playing on his computer. I am reminded very quickly how different things are going to be for Connor as he grows up compared to how things were for us. I mean, we had to WALK to school, barefoot, and it was uphill BOTH ways!!

My emotions went full-circle: for a minute I felt happy, then I felt old, I felt sad and then I felt happy again. He is growing up so quickly but he has so much to look forward to.

Especially his Thanksgiving Day meal.

Must.Have.This.

The simple mention of Mario Brothers conjurs up many emotions and memories for me. I am taken back to a dark time when Kelly and I pretty much locked ourselves in our unfinished basement and prayed (yes, we PRAYED) that we could pass one of the most difficult levels, Water World. It was so hard not to drown when you were being attacked from every angle!

Kelly and I were absolutely obsessed. And I have to admit that my dad was not far behind and he may have actually been the third victim to get sucked into this addictive game. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he played Nintendo after we went to bed.

I guess this is where I should say that you must thank God for unanswered prayers because Kelly and I never made it past stupid Water World. So, we obviously never beat the game. Pretty pathetic, I know. Pathetic that we prayed to pass Water World and pathetic that we couldn't beat it EVEN with the help of God.

I learned that there is a new Wii game coming out. Mario Brothers for Wii. Are you kidding me? Could there be anything more awesome? I am so excited and cannot wait to get it.

When I purchase it, it'll be for Connor, of course. I wouldn't buy something like this for me.

You Say It Best

Lately, Dennis has been traveling for work a lot more than he usually does. I am not a fan of him being gone - nor is he. With him there and me here, you'd think that it is difficult for us to talk to each other between feedings, working, taking care of Connor, Echo, traveling, and all of the other fun stuff that goes on during a typical day. Somehow, though, Dennis and I still manage to talk to each other numerous times throughout the morning..and, well, throughout the afternoon and night, as well.

The point that I'm trying to make is that when he's out of town, we still talk to each other. A lot.

Upon occasion, I don't have a whole lot to say. Especially in the morning, before my more-than-generous-gallon-of-caffeine has touched my lips. Earlier this week, I thought that Dennis might like to wake up to a short video of Connor and Echo so I pulled out my trusty iPhone and got the crew in place. I was hoping that Connor might smile or possibly goo or giggle for a quick second.

I couldn't have been more wrong.



Dennis appreciated this form of communication much more than a typical phone call or text message. Without saying a word, Connor managed to say "good morning" better than I could have ever said it.

In fact, Connor hasn't learned how to talk but he has definitely learned how to make us smile. And laugh. And Dennis can attest to the fact that it's typically pretty hard to get me to do that before 7AM.

A Month Early

Yes, I am guilty of being negligent and not posting much lately but I am going to surprise you today with TWO POSTS IN THE SAME DAY. I hope you were sitting down when you read the last sentence because otherwise you are probably on the floor right now. Overwhelmed with excitement. I know, I know, it's hard to believe. Get up, put on your seatbelt or whatever you need to do because here goes post #2 for November 1st, 2009. (Yes, I'm still drinking coffee. It is highly likely that I need to slow down on my caffeine consumption this morning.)

You've probably seen the same things that I've seen on TV: Christmas is coming early this year because retailers are worried about the cutbacks in consumer spending. So, the deals are already here and I'm sure that you will see no less than 78 bazillion misteletoes, garlands, and Santa Claus' the next time you step foot into a mall. Christmas Carols will be imprinted on your forehead.

And, being completely honest, I wasn't excited about Christmas arriving the day after Halloween this year until I got the paper this morning. In years past, I would be feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and unprepared.

This year is different, though.

I opened the newspaper this morning (still with my large cup of coffee in hand) and went straight for the ads. There are so many cute toys and kids gifts that I cannot wait to buy for Connor. Many of the toys are for children older than him but I know in just a few years we'll be buying him all kinds of fun toys. And seeing his face on Christmas morning will be the best gift that I could ask for.

In a few years, I am imagining Connor ripping open presents from Santa and Dennis spending hours putting together toys that claim to be "easy-to-assemble" but never are. I'll be cooking...wait. No, that's not right. That's not a realistic vision. Ok, stick with the first part and then picture me helping Connor make a mess with the wrapping paper and then bringing Dennis a stiff drink to help lessen any frustration he may have. Echo will be helping out with the ruckus, too. And, of course, I will be there taking PLENTY of pictures.

Halloween 2009

We were nervous about the time-change and Connor needing to stay on his schedule but all of our concerns faded away when he consumed a whopping 2 ounces before bed. He's had yet another bout with a cold and tends to not eat very well when he can't breathe. That is understandable but frustrating to parents that not only want their son to feel good but also selfishly want to sleep through the night like they are used to. As you might have guessed, we all survived the transition and Connor made it through just fine because he woke us up at 4am to eat. Those two ounces before bed just didn't do it.

Trying to be a glass-half-full (or coffee cup that is overflowing with caffeine) person this morning, I am focusing on the fact that Connor made the transition OK. Not that the entire household was awake at 4am.

And it's sunny outside. A beautiful day to follow a dreary Halloween night.

People have children for many different reasons but one of them is the fact that they keep you young. I have a renewed excitement for the Holidays, buying gifts, and doing the cheesy photo-op's at every chance that I get.

That being said, it is no surprise that we have photos of sweet little Connor dressed up in nothingless than two of the cutest costumes EVER. Of course, the only option for his costume was something Disney related. Any time I mention Disney World, Dennis says, "it's the most magical place on Earth" before I can finish my sentence. Yes, he drank the Kool-Aid when he worked there as an intern and the Kool-Aid must have a long half-life because it is obviously still pumping through his veins.

I guess that's OK because Connor looked adorable in his little costumes. I mean, have you ever seen a cuter Pooh Bear or Tigger?

The First (and Last) Flight For A While

Ok, first let me say that I'm sorry. I cannot believe that it's been 8 days since I last posted something on the most exciting blog in the world. My bad. This whole being-a-mom-thing takes a little more time than I originally anticipated.

ANYWAY, I am so thankful that my sister decided to make the trip to Columbia with us because I really don't know if I would've survived without her. Some babies don't mind flying. And, to be perfectly honest, after our flight TO Kansas City I would've told you Connor fits into that category. After our flight back to Atlanta, though, I am confident when I say that we do not have one of those children.

When I say that the flight to Kansas City went well, I am simply saying that he didn't really cry while we were in the air. I have never felt as un-welcome as I did when we boarded the plane and everyone looked at me as if to say PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP WALKING. DO NOT SIT NEXT TO ME.

The first problem is that the people at Delta Airlines suck. All that we needed was a microwave or some means to warm up Connor's bottle before we boarded the plane but OH NO they didn't have one of those. In fact, Kelly took the lead on our search and we somehow ended up in a Delta breakroom. She asked if they had a microwave and the guy gave her a blank stare. She said, "y'know, one of those things that heats things up?" Needless to say, he didn't end up helping us out. The nice people at Starbucks gladly took his bottle and zapped it in the microwave. Ahhh....finally. A bottle that Connor would accept.

In what seemed like an eternity later, Kelly, Connor and I boarded the airplane and found our seats. Right next to a nice - but weird - lady named Pat. She was fascinated with EVERYTHING that we were doing with Connor but she didn't seem to be a big fan of ours when we needed to change his diaper. She quickly started waving her hand in front of her face and kept saying, "PU" as she looked around the airplane for moral support. Yes, you read that correctly: we changed his diaper right in the middle of the plane. Seats 14A and 14B, to be exact. He had a poopy diaper and man-oh-man did it stink. I haven't checked to confirm that airplane bathrooms do not have changing tables but I think that I'm safe to say that the worlds smallest bathroom is unlikely to have any type of changing table in it. So, we did what we had to do. The worst part was that it was not only poopy but it was green, messy and smelly. Nice. Way to go, Connor.

We managed to survive the remainder of the flight and when we exited the plane, we walked into the welcoming arms of Connor's Nana. I gladly handed him off for a few minutes and we continued on our never-ending-adventure as we drove 2 hours home.

Once we got home, we were ecstatic to learn that the electricty had been cut off from our house. Suh-wheat. It's not like we wanted to actually be able to relax and SEE each other after the days events. So, we did what any normal family would do: we sat in our living room and talked. In the dark. As I held Connor in my lap, I felt some movement and knew that he needed another diaper change. So, being the great mother that I am, I changed him. In the dark. By candlelight. I wasn't too excited to use the flashlight because I noticed a new spot on my shirt that was right where Connor was sitting. Again, suhh-wheat.

The electricity eventually came back on, but we were all ready for bed by that time. I mean, it was almost 9pm. And we were still awake?

The next day seemed to be off to a better start as we did have electricity and we didn't have to fly anywhere. Connor was able to meet one of his Great Gradma's, Megan and her daughter Georgia, a few of his aunts/uncles, and tour his Grandpa's office. What more could a little man want?

Our trip on Saturday to Peach Tree Farm was a spectacle, as well. We saw billygoats, pumpkins, "midget horses" (aka donkeys), chickens and Connor was introduced to the cold Missouri weather.

Sunday was our final adventure. All that we needed to do was to survive a 2 hour drive to the airport and then a 1.5 hour flight to Atlanta. It sounds so simple when I type it but in reality it was the most exhausting event of my life. I'm not being dramatic - - just truthful. He cried, fussed, and complained the entire flight. I bounced him on my lap, blew on his face, sang (yes, SANG) to him, but nothing worked. The bad weather and turbulence that we encountered probably had something to do with it, too.

As much as I say it was crazy and a true adventure, I have to also say that it was so much fun. It's always great to see good friends and family. And I absolutely loved introducing my grandma to her very first great grandchild. Connor didn't ruin the trip. Instead, he made it more fun. More challenging and more eventful but definitely more fun.

Happy 19 Weeks

Little Booger Butt,

You are now 15 pounds and 25 inches of pure sweetness. You are growing so quickly and I cannot believe that you are already 19 weeks old. Nineteen weeks old!

We are most definitely having a lot of fun at our house because time is literally flying by. The excitement starts the second that we walk in the door each afternoon and continues until we put you in bed around 8:30PM (we still haven't pushed you to go from 7PM to 7AM for some reason). Your face - which is almost always smiling - welcomes us home. We feed you at 4 o'clock and then you get a bath at 6:30, your rice cereal at 6:45 and another bottle at 7pm. We feed you your last bottle about an hour later and then whisk you off to bed. In between there we squeeze in some time for your contagious belly laughs, playing in your exersaucer, working on sitting up/rolling over and just talking about what you did that day.

I am so impressed with you ability to put away some rice cereal. You chow down (OK - chow down might be a little agressive) on two or three little spoonful's of that stuff each night. Being as advanced as you are, it is no surprise that you are well on your way to mastering the art of swallowing and learning about texture. Echo is enjoying the fact that you are starting solid foods, too. A little rice cereal for Connor usually equates to a little rice cereal for Echo.

While I do feel like we are short on time, I will make sure that we are never short on photos of you. I love - and admire - your patience as I snap as many photos of your smiling face as I possibly can. I counted last night and we officially have 189 bazillion photos of you.

And that's just from last week.

I love you.

Mom

RUFKM?

With all of the hoopla about the Nobel-piece-of-you-know-what-prize the past few days, I have had to step back and prevent my knee-jerk reaction to the nonsense. I wanted to spit, spew, puke, and rattle off some not-so-nice words like dumb, jerk, and stupid head butt face. Don't worry, I have regained my composure and won't write about any of that ridicilousness because I am not only mature but I am SO over all of that.

Or....maybe not.

So, here it goes ... While most of the educated crowd - those that don't just blindly believe what the media portrays to be true - recognized this award (The NPOYKWP) as the complete sham that it is when Al Gore won for his work on "global warming", I am a sure that there are a few people out there that still believe in the goodness behind this recognition.

If you still view this prize as being even slightly credible, Obama's nomination after a mere TWO WEEKS in office (do I need to say that again - - TWO WEEKS IN OFFICE) should prove otherwise. Or the fact that he has accomplished NOTHING since he took office should clue you in. But, hey, if that isn't proof enough for you, then that's OK because there is this bridge Ihat I'd like to sell to you...

The bumper sticker below perfectly summarizes the most recent shenanigans involving good ol' Barry:

How Old?

Feeling old is new to me. It's not fun, easy to accept, or anything that I'd recommend to someone else. It's here to stay, though, or so it seems. So I guess that I need to get used to it.

I'm not sure if its the fact that I am now a mother (read: supposed to be mature), almost 31, or that my weekends are not the same as they were B.C. (Before Connor). As I write this, I feel like I should stop because I'm not supposed to feel this way. Please don't get me wrong: I love Connor and if I could go back in time, I'd do it all over again. But (and you knew that a "but" was coming, didn't you?) I'm not good at this whole "change" thing. That's all that I can guess. I'll get there... eventually.

Part of my frustration is the small amount of time that I get to spend with Dennis. Just me and Dennis. Dennis and me. When we do get a free minute to ourselves in the evening, we are both too exhausted to really enjoy each other. On the few occasions that we have managed to escape for a dinner out, I am reminded very quickly how much I love, love, LOVE being able to talk to my husband. Isn't that sad? [Insert double-edged sword here.] As much as I enjoy our alone time, I still manage to feel guilty for not having Connor with us. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? THIS MAKES NO SENSE WHAT-SO-EVER.

Now that I'm thinking this through as I type this post, I am seeing that more of my frustration and feeling like an old hag is due to the fact that our old-school-Dennis-and-Krista-fun-and-relaxing-time has diminished ... if not completely disappeared. I need to find a way to squeeze that back into our routine. And not just during Connors nap time.

More Rolls Than a Bakery.

And WAY cuter, too.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

"Dennis, please take one more picture of her. And give her a kiss good-bye for me."

"I'll take a photo of her but I am NOT kissing her."

"C'mon, she's been part of the family for almost 5 years. She's been with us since we got married and has seen us through SO many things. I mean, she saw us through having a BABY. Helllooo."

"Krista, we didn't take her to the hospital when Connor was born. So, she really didn't 'see us through having a baby'."

"Well, whatever. It's still sad. I am going to miss her."

Obviously, Dennis and I deal with the grief from a break up in very different ways. I cry, pout, and reflect on the good times and he ... well, he's OBVIOUSLY oblivious to the pain he is feeling.

Break-up's are never EVER easy. They suck. And no matter what Dennis says, this is no exception.

I am going to miss you, Camry.

It's Snot Funny

If you were to ask Dennis if I am a normal person, he would smile and say, "no way". And he is entirely correct. I'm not offended; being normal is probably boring. Being weird is way more fun.

Somewhere in my childhood I recall a song or saying (or something along those lines) that went like this: "never kiss your honey when your nose is runny because you may think it's funny... but it's snot." And that phrase came to mind this morning as I called my boss to tell him that I wouldn't be working today. I wiped my runny nose with my bare hand and looked at the clock. It was 5am and I couldn't breathe. I hadn't been able to breathe at 2am or 1am or at any other point in time since Wednesday. (And don't worry - I called my boss on our company voicemail system so I didn't wake him up at the ungodly hour of 5am.)

Anyway, back to the story. I called my boss, wiped my nose, coughed a bit and then looked up at the most sad and sweet thing that I have ever seen. You see, Connor had a runny nose, too. And a cough. And the sneezes. I hate, hate, HATE it that he is sick. But you must know that there is nothing more cute or sweet than his little ahhh-chew! Oh it's just so adorable. And oh so pathetic.

As I type this I am realizing that there really isn't a good story line to this post. Or a story, at all, for that matter. Just plain and simple: Krista and Connor were both home sick today. Dennis doesn't usually catch whatever germs I bring home but I think that I heard him clear his throat earlier, so you never know. Maybe I'll get crazy and give him a big kiss, runny nose and all. Even if he isn't sick, I'm sure he'd like to participate in the fun. He supplies the nose and I supply the "runny".

Don't worry about us. We will be just fine. I mean, as long as it isn't Mad Cow Disease. Not AGAIN.

Happy 15 Weeks

Connor,

We survived 15 weeks together! What an accomplisment. It has been - and continues to be - a learning experience for all of us. It's a lot of fun to watch you grow and change every day.

What's new? Well, I am guessing that you weigh about 14 pounds now so you are almost double your birth weight. Your dad thinks that you'll be really tall which means that you'll get your tallness factor from him, not your vertically-challenged mother. And the bobble-head that you had several weeks ago has officially given way to a steady neck and sturdy back. Your (precious!!) giggles are contagious and often cause your father (and me) to do ridicilous things in public. We've always done ridicilous things in private ... but now we are proudly displaying them to the outside world. There is no shame if our goofy antics lead to the anticipated laugh or at least a big grin. When they don't lead to a laugh, well, then we just look stupid. But we're OK with that for now.

An important "first" took place about a week ago. We went together to Hilton Head Island and you put your feet in the sand for the first time. You seemed to enjoy the ocean a lot, which is nothing short of AWESOME.

One thing that I will NOT let you forget is that you refused to take the bottle AT ALL while we were on vacation. I was looking forward to a break from breastfeeding but ohhh nooo, that wasn't in the cards for me. You probably enjoyed a little margarita during your feedings. Maybe that's why you slept so well.

And, last but not least, we were playing with you on your activity mat last night and your dad was trying to help you learn to roll over on your own. Echo was excited because she understood what we were talking about and seemed to smile every time we said "roll over". Unfortunately you didn't quite comprehend our request, but I'm sure you'll get there soon enough. Maybe Echo will work with you on it tonight.

We love you Connor!

Mom

Breakfast of champions

Apparently each cigarette that you smoke will shorten your life by 7 minutes. Following that logic, each Krispy Kreme doughnut that you consume should shorten your life by at least 7 minutes. Probably more like 70.

And man-oh-man is it worth it.

Redefining Take-out

When you are on vacation, there are several tell-tale signs that you have a baby.

The first one is when you are on the beach (before 10AM or after 4PM) and your IPOD plays Baby Einstein instead of the Zack Brown Band.

The second sign is when you actually care what is on the "early bird" menu. Yes, we look at it. And as much as I hate to admit it, we typically order from the menu. And it's all because we have to be home to feed TLM (The Little Man) by 7pm.

So, last night we decided to go out to a nice dinner at the Kingfisher Restaurant. We were very excited and I COULD NOT WAIT for the hush puppies. For some reason, I associate good hush puppies with the beach. Not sure why. But, they, just like everything else, always taste better when you are at the beach.

We ordered a bottle of wine and some HEAVENLY hush puppies. Then we started to peruse the menu. We selected our items and then almost as if on cue, Connor started to fuss. He was upset - and rightfully so - that we were eating the hush puppies that he had been hearing about all day long. I tried to explain to him that if he quieted down then he would get some processed hush puppies later on in the evening. He didn't quite understand.

I asked the waitress if we could please get our meals to go.

As Stephen would have said, "There is NOTHING like a good, romantic meal. And THIS was nothing like a good, romantic meal."

And yes, we took the wine glasses. And the wine. It made the two mile drive home less stressful.

Men are From Mars

At 7AM this morning, I asked Dennis if he'd like to go out on the patio (overlooking the pool and ocean, by the way) to drink our coffee, spend time together, and talk. What followed were some typical "man" comments.

"Why? Didn't we just spend 8 hours laying next to each other?" he asked, smiling.

"Yes, we did," I said. "But it's not like we talked while we were sleeping."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. We could just talk."

"Aren't we talking right now?" he asked while he carefully added just enough creamer to his cup of joe.

My glare served as my response and we walked to the patio for what was going to be an incredibly thrilling conversation. Don't ask me how I knew - maybe I'm psychic - but I just had this feeling that it was going to be a truly AMAZING conversation.

And I was right. As soon as we were situated outside, Dennis looked over at me and said, "OK, let's hurry up and talk so I can go set up the tent on the beach."

Constitutionally Challenged

I. LOVE. HER. (Michelle, not Whoopi.)



"I will vote adamantly against the interests of my district if I actually think what I'm doing is going to help".

WHAT?! (Insert sound of screeching record here.) I thought that the job of a Congressman IS to do what his or her constituents want. Guess I need to re-read the Constitution where it outlines the tasks and responsibilities of holding such an office. Maybe the people in Congress need to re-read (or read it for a first time) it, too.

"I pledge to serve President Obama."

I just threw up a little (OK - a lot) in my mouth. Doesn't this scare you? This is the exact OPPOSITE of how this country is supposed to work. Elected representatives serve the people they represent. Not the other way around.

Guess this video is proof that you don't have to be smart to make it in Hollywood.

And...I survived.

Against all odds, I managed to make it through this week. I survived going back to work, coordinating Connor and all of his bazillion daily necessities for the nannyshare across the street. I survived even with Dennis being out of town. So, like I said, AGAINST ALL ODDS, I survived. Oh yeah, and so did Connor. Guess that's the most important part. Once you have a child, I have learned, you are no longer the important one. Nope, not even close. You are lucky to take second, third, or even fourth place in the ranking order.

I know you are dying to know the details about how I pulled off this miracilous feat. I must start by saying that it wasn't easy and I called Dennis once (or twice..or...well, ok, let's go with SEVERAL TIMES) crying. I was overwhelmed.

When you become a new mom, there are so many new, important, and challenging parts of your day. I never knew about this. THANKS EVERYBODY FOR NOT TELLING ME THIS! Not only am I a champion diaper changer, a food machine, a cuddler, a swaddler (still working on the Super Swaddler status that only Dennis has achieved so far), and nurse (providing gas drops, dosing vitamins, and giving baths) but I am also a wife, a woman, and an individual. Echo fits in there, too. No matter how busy or stressed I may be, I need to give her attention and daily walk(s), as well. Oh yeah, and she needs to eat, too. She managed to get some spilled breast milk the other day...

And, one other small thing: I have a full-time job. Learning to juggle all of these tasks quickly turns me into a "Jack of all trades". And I don't want to be Jack because even though he can do a lot of things, he doesn't do any of them well. And, as we all know, I'm a slight perfectionist which doesn't bode well with Jack. Jack, meet Mrs. Perfectionist. Mrs. Perfectionist, meet Jack. As you can see, herein lies my dilemma.

The phrase, "I can't", kept creeping into my dialogue this past week and I realized that while I may WANT to do everything perfectly, there is no way that I can actually do it all. Not without killing myself in the process, anyway. So, I had to really think about what I CAN manage and let the rest go. Or "let it go" enough that Jack would be happy. Mr. Compromise joined in on the conversation between Mrs. P and Jack and from there on out, things started to make more sense. I started to realize that there might be hope for me afterall.

SO....short story LONG, I learned a lot last week. The way that I survived the first four days of work was by realizing - and accepting - that I cannot do it all. And I especially cannot do it all perfectly. Enough playing on my blog for now. I need to put my computer down and go over and give Dennis, Connor and Echo a big squeeze...

It's Saturday.

In case you need another reason to smile, watch this.

Pee is running down my leg. And it's not mine.

An extended weekend with friends, golf, and lots of beer makes for one tired Dad. An extended weekend at home alone with a 12 week old makes for one tired Mom.

Yes, you guessed it. I'm talking about Dennis and me. When he returned on Sunday from his North Carolina golf adventure, he was greeted by three family members that were eagerly awaiting his arrival. I hugged and kissed him when he walked in. Echo greeted him with a...uh...well, with hugs and kisses, too. Connor had a slightly different welcome home gift in mind.

After a few hours of being back together, we fell into our normal routine and it was time for Connor to have a bath. I started to run the water in the sink, grabbed his bath tub, and Dennis took off his onesie and diaper.

Dennis held our naked child close to his chest and I commented on how cute of a derriere he has since I had a perfect view of those little cheeks. And, just so you know, Connor has the cutest little butt in the world. He really does.

So, picture me at the sink making sure that the temperature is just perfect and Dennis holding Connor. Then, for no seemingly good reason, Dennis starts moving around and holding Connor away from his body. "Oh. My. God. I have pee running down my leg and it's not mine." Of course, I lost it. And so did Dennis. There we were, two mature parents, laughing hysterically at the fact that Connor peed all over Dennis. The story got even better when we looked at Dennis' shirt. The entire stomach area was SOAKED with pee. (Dennis obviously isn't laughing in this photo...the picture was taken after the excitement passed.)

If the amount of pee on Dennis equates to how much Connor missed him over the weekend, I think it's safe to say that Connor REALLY loves him. What a lucky guy. If it doesn't, then, well... I am just so glad that Dennis was holding him and not me.

Ready or Knot

When I think about leaving Connor with the nanny and going off to work, I get a knot in my stomach that won't go away. So, as you can imagine, next Tuesday is looming over my head. It's like seeing that bird, ready to poop on you, and you are forced to just keeping marching towards it... knowing exactly what is going to happen when you are underneath it. Naah, I'd say that it is worse than that.

Over the last few weeks, I have tried so hard to NOT think about it and to really focus on just enjoying my time with this LBB (Little Booger Butt). I have to keep reminding myself that it's not like I am going away to war or that I'll never see my son again. But it sure feels like it.

Maybe one of my customers will be able to help me out next week and do whatever medical procedure is necessary to remove the knot. I am sure that there is some type of cure out there. I mean, there has to be...right?

X Rated Photo of Dennis

Stephen scanned and emailed this photo of Dennis (obviously taken a bazillion years ago) to me late last week. It was truly an X-Rated photo ... SO I used my high level Microsoft Paint skills to cover up Dennis' manhood. And now it's a much more appropriate, G-Rated photo.

I'm a little concerned, though, because I'm not really sure when I started worrying about being appropriate...

9 Weeks

Connor,

It's unbelievable to me that you are now 9 weeks old. Time has truly flown by. I catch myself staring at you, looking at your little hands and your precious little features. You seem to be particularly interested in your own hands this week, too. I'm not sure anyone told you that those things were attached to your arms. My fault on that one. I'll make sure to point out every part of your body so that you won't be taken by surprise again. We can even talk about the chubby little rolls on your arms. And legs. And on your neck.

You are so incredibly expressive when you are asleep, awake and while we are immersed in deep conversations about how tall you will be, in which activities you will want to participate (you always say you want to skydive and ride motorcycles in our pretend conversations!) or when you and I discuss what we want your Dad to do (usually he is in the room at the time and typically picks up on the hint very quickly).

Echo has caught your attention several times and you are so good at watching her as she moves. But, I know it won't be long till you will be following her with more than your eyes. You two will be the best of friends. And don't worry - - I have given her a word of warning that you will get to the point where tugging, jumping, and pulling on her will be your way of saying that you love her. Right now, though, she can get away from you when she wants to. You don't seem to like it when she licks your face but I am sure it'll grow on you. Or you'll just learn to put up with it. If she isn't kissing you or trying to play with your toys on your activity mat, you can probably find her on the couch trying to get under a blanket. This typically happens when you are working on strengthening your vocal cords.

The Babywise approach is continuing to work for us. You do really well on a schedule (you are definitely your mothers son in that regard) and are eating every 3 hours. Sleep is really good in the evenings - your Dad feeds you with a bottle at 10pm and then everyone is awake for your next feeding at 7am. THANK YOU for continuing to sleep so much at night. Of course, there have been a few nights when you have fussed for a few minutes in your crib before the 7am wake up time. Echo's response is really cute: she is fast to run in there and check on things. I think she goes in to your room, looks at your crib, realizes that she can't help, and then comes back to bed. It's actually very sweet.

Your bouncer is now back in the living room after we banished it into the other room for a few weeks. You are big enough now (maybe 11 pounds?) that it actually bounces when you move. And you seem to enjoy it for at least a few minutes. Then your attention span wanes and we rotate to the activity mat, swing, or just go outside.

I could (obviously) go on and on about what you are and what you aren't doing. It's so fun and exciting because every day brings something new with you. The one thing that is the same every day, though, is that we fall more and more in love with you.

Connor, thank you for being you. We love you!!

Mom

I am thinking of a word that begins with a "R"

There is only one word that comes to mind when I see something like this in a refrigerator. Any guesses on what "R" word I am referring to?

We Only Left Him Alone for 3 Minutes

Dennis and I went upstairs for just a few minutes and when we came back down, we saw that Connor had not wasted any time making himself comfortable on the leather chair.

At least he was watching FOX News instead of CNN.

"Don't worry, it won't smell like urine and will be tasty too"

Since this blog often focuses on everything poop-related, I found this story to be especially appropriate.

I wonder if the democrats would consider putting a "Sugared Beverage Tax" on this drink if it made it to America? If it is competing with Pepsi and Coke, I don't see why they wouldn't. Not so sure if it will actually have sugar in it, though. If they [the dumb-a-crats] see it as "baaaaddd" for you to drink then they'll definitely make it more expensive for the American public. If so, I have a word of warning to the Indian company making this drink: "Urine trouble if you come to the US"!

Oh yeah, cow dung and urine are often consumed in Hindu rituals. Yes, I said CONSUMED. And you thought that I wasn't interested in being multi-cultural.

How much would someone have to pay you to get you to try this drink?

It's Official: I am THAT lady

I set out this morning with good intentions. Connor, Echo and I went on a walk through the neighborhood around 8:30AM. Then we went to the grocery store about 9:15AM. The day was off to a good start.

And, you won't believe it, but this story gets even better: I actually sat down on Sunday and made a plan for dinner for each night this week. Weird, I know. At this point, I had no reason to suspect that our trip to the grocery store was going to be anything less than the usual adventure: a little bit of independent seek-and-find that quickly gives way to me asking the store employees which isle has what I'm looking for. Lots of fun.

We went into Kroger, and I started finding the random items that we needed. I was probably 80% of the way through my list when Connor started to fuss. He fussed so much that I decided to carry him rather than having him sit in the buggy. He quieted down momentairly as we continued on our mission. Picture this: me frantically pushing the cart (with an empty car seat in it), my list in one hand, and Connor in the other. I quickly found out that he was not done fussing. Ohhhh noooo. I needed to get out of the store. Fast.

As he was bobbing his head back and forth on my shoulder, I scanned the store in desperation and luckily (for me) spotted a Kroger employee. YESSS. All hope was not lost. I could surely ask this nice lady where to find the refrigerated shelled edamame. At this point, it was close to 10AM, Connors usual feeding time, so I was fully aware of the urgency in this situation (as if the crying itself didn't keep me on task). I needed to find those damn beans!

I walked up to this lady (who, for some odd reason, looked terrified by my approach) and asked her where I could find the edamame. She answered and pointed me in the right direction. My boobs are huge right now so it didn't faze me when she kept looking at my chest as we spoke. However, I did manage to glance down at my shirt as I hurried over to the frozen food section and stopped in my tracks when I saw what she must've seen: two very big, not-discreet-at-all, wet spots on my shirt. GREAT. Now I smelled like milk.

At this point I was tempted to - but didn't - expose myself in the middle of the grocery store. I had no shame. None. Zero. Zippo.

Fast-forward about 40 minutes and we're at home. Connor is fed and the world is right again.

Y'know how we've always been told to avoid the grocery store when hungry? After today, I have some even better advice: avoid the grocery store when your BABY is hungry.

And...he IS my child.

It's obvious that this is Dennis' son. I mean, look at his hair color (although I will have you know that red hair must be on BOTH sides of the family for a child to end up with red - er, strawberry blond - hair).

As a kid, I was notorious for my pout. My uncle told me that I stuck my lower lip out so far that if a bird flew by, it would surely poop on my lip. That, fortunately, never happened. But it did make me think twice about pouting. Well, at least when birds were nearby.

Have you ever been pooped on by a bird? It's not fun. Not at all. I think that I've only been pooped on twice. OK, maybe three times, but that is the MAX. And by a bird ONLY...no other animals have dropped their flying-biscuits-of-love on me. I guess birds don't like me. Or maybe their excrement has a magnetic attraction to me. Either way, that magnetism must be waning because I haven't been pooped on in a few years. And, it only happened once on my head and twice on my arm.

Plus, it's completely normal to get pooped on by all types of animals. I'm sure that it's a totally normal occurrence. Books are probably written about it.

ANYWAY, Dennis says that I still make this face when I cry. If I do - - which, I'm NOT admitting to - - then we finally do have proof that he is, in fact, my son. The only other proof that would be considered valid is for us to go outside and see if he has the same luck with birds as I do.

We'll be outside all day long tomorrow.

OH. MY. GOD.

I have to document this because the unimaginable happened last night. And, I am not worried about ginxing our luck because it probably won't happen again for a long time ... so I feel completly comfortable posting it online.

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

It's about Connor. And what he did (or didn't do) last night. He slept from the 10pm feeding to the 7am feeding. Did you hear that? At almost 7 wks old, HE SLEPT FROM THE 10PM FEEDING TO THE 7AM FEEDING. Dennis and I woke up several times because we were worried that something was wrong with him. Nope, he was just tired.

It's interesting (or maybe sad), that even though Connor slept really well, his parents didn't. I guess that's parenthood.

Totally Frameable

The pictures that are taken by Marathon Foto at the end of the Peachtree Road Race are always amusing. Usually I don't want to purchase any of the them, but this is SUCH a great photo of Dennis that I may have to give in and get it.

Yup, I need to buy it. It is totally frameable. Frameable and displayable. Maybe on the mantle?

Friday Humor

Everyone is undoubtedly wondering, "when is Krista going to post something political? She is such a genius and I cannot wait to hear (read) what she has to say about the nonsense going on in Washington right now..."

While I have taken a slight hiatus from writing posts about politics, do not fear. I will be back with my expert opinions very soon. FOX News is keeping me on the edge of my seat when I'm feeding Connor every day. Every 3 hours. For at least 30 minutes.

That being said, I received a funny email this morning from my Dad. (Yes, that's why I'm so hilarious - I inherited it from my father.) Hopefully this will tide you over for now.

Here it goes:

A driver is stuck in a traffic jam going into downtown Chicago. Nothing is moving north or south. Suddenly a man knocks on his window. The driver rolls down his window and asks, 'What happened, what's the hold up?'

'Terrorists have kidnapped Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton,Oprah Winfrey, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Rosie O'Donnell, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. They are asking for a $10 Million ransom. Otherwise, they are going to douse them with gasoline and set them on fire. We are going from car to car, taking up a collection.'

The driver asks, 'On average, how much is everyone giving?'

'About a gallon'

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Dennis, Connor and I went out for a fancy mexican dinner on Saturday night. I should clarify that because we did go to dinner but we went much earlier than normal. As Dennis says, we went to eat at retirement-home dinner time.

Since we now have to schedule all outings around when Connor has to eat - which is every 3 hours - the timing of everyday activities takes on a new twist. For example, I really wanted to see the movie Hangover this past weekend but the only time that would have worked was 10:45AM. Yes, I said AM. And I was actually considering trying to get Dennis to go with me at that time of day. Not sure that we'd do the regular popcorn routine but maybe the movie theatre would have pancakes? Or cereal?

As you know by now, I am not the best person at accepting and dealing with change. Connor has introduced us to more of the evil "c" word than I could have ever imagined. Good change and hard-to-get-used-to-change.

ANYWAY, back to our trip to the mexican restaurant. Dennis and I walked in with Connor and I asked for a table for two-and-a-half people. As we walked to our booth, I noticed all of the people around us. These were people that I had never seen before. They appeared to be normal but I wasn't entirely convinced. They all had kids and sippy cups and other toys or gadgets that I have yet to learn about. Some had kids that were loud and running around, others had quiet ones. Luckily for us, ours did sleep through dinner so we were able to enjoy our soft tacos and margaritas like we were used to. And, most importantly, I was able to get a styrofoam cup for my... um... water... when we left.

MORAL OF THE STORY: I walked into the restaurant fretting about how much things have changed. But walked out of the restaurant - with my to-go cup in hand - realizing that a lot of things are still the same.

Awesome.

This is Connor in 3 months. Once he can hold his head up, this is a no-brainer for him. Duh.

Impatient

As a married couple, you realize that you (unfortunately) have a bigger impact on your spouse - and your spouses' behaviors - than you may like.

My lack of patience has been noted and has been a topic of many conversations in our household. I'm OK with it. It's nothing new to me. JUST HURRY THINGS UP and we'll all be just fine.

So, on Sunday, I asked Dennis what he put in the microwave. He smiled as he looked at me and said, "my margarita". Apparently, he didn't want to wait for the leftovers from Saturday to defrost because he was in a hurry to have his drink.

Ten points for me because it looks like I'm no longer the only patience-challenged person in this house.

Almost 5 weeks

I love reading Dooce. While she needs to work on her political views, she is a great blogger. So, I must disclose that I am a complete poser as I copy her idea of writing letters to her daughter as she grows up. There, I said it. I'm a POSER. Now let's get back to my posering ways as I write another letter to the little man who stole my heart...

Connor,

These last few weeks have not been without great change.

To being with, your "squeaks" have almost been completely replaced by other forms of baby babble, your smiles are much more frequent and your parents are feeling a little bit more confident about what to do (or what not to do). You've become a pro at breastfeeding, and can now focus on objects and follow them as they move from one side to the other. One of the most fun things that you've done is that you have almost perfected the art of reaching out and grabbing onto the animals and toys that are hanging from your activity mat. "Tummy time" is required since you are constantly trying to strengthen your neck and back muscles. I'd like to say you are no longer a bobble-head... but I can't say that quite yet. But you are getting there. You can hold your neck up very well when you want to.

Connor, you've been out on the town, too! We took you to J. Christophers for breakfast and learned how to get your infant car seat situated at the table. When we were walking in to the restaurant, Dennis and I were discussing whether we put your car seat on the table or in a chair next to us. We were amazed when the waitress showed us that the highchair that they had actually FLIPS OVER to accomodate an infant car seat. Who would've ever imagined such a thing?

On July 4th, we went to watch your dad run the largest 10K in the world - The Peachtree Road Race. I should qualify that last statement in that we didn't really watch him run so much as we waited for him at the end of the race in Piedmont Park. I was excited to take you there because not only were we going to see your dad, but the people watching is phenomenal at this event. My camera was ready because with 55,000 participants, you are bound to see some funny attire or interesting costumes in the spirit of the 4th of July. I did see those people, but for some reason, the only people watching that I did was of one person: you. I couldn't take my eyes off of the sweet little man in front of me in the stroller.

Last but not least, your dad and I are convinced that you are VERY advanced for your age. Just look at your parents, and, I mean, who would expect anything less? You'll easily be running the Peachtree Road Race next year.

I love you.

Love,

Mom

Officially Baby-tized

Connor has officially taken over.

How do I know this? Well, to start, my definition of "nap time" has completely changed.

PREVIOUS NAP TIME DEFINITON: Getting into bed mid-afternoon with Dennis next to me (don't let him fool you...he is a nap-lover just like I am!).

CURRENT NAP TIME DEFINITION: Taking advantage of any free (and quiet) minute that I have. And, apparently Echo and Connor prefer to use me a a pillow.

Here is the other way that I know:

It's no secret that I am, well, uh...pretty anal... and so it shouldn't surprise you that I keep a log of when Connor eats and when he goes pee and/or poop. Dennis was changing his diaper (Connor's diaper, not to be confused with Dennis' diaper) and I asked him what presents he left for us so that I could update the log appropriately (no pun intended). It was obvious that he had not pooped so Dennis decided to find out if he wet his diaper instead. The scientific method that Dennis used was really the only one that makes sense: he stuck his fingers in the front part of the diaper.

I laughed at him. Not because he used this method but because I've done the same thing. Several times. Hey, it's important to make sure that the log is accurate. And you can always wash your hands.

When I Least Expected It

It started last week when I was feeding Connor and watching Oprah. And then it continued while I was talking with a co-worker on the phone. I didn't expect it and no one warned me that it would sneak up on me like it did. But, it happened and I am still here to talk about it, so I guess that is what really matters.

Oprah was interviewing several mothers on her show. They were talking about how easy it is to get so overwhelmed with normal, everyday life. And how easy it is to be so preoccupied that small things often get overlooked. Unfortunately, the small things that were being overlooked were this lady's children. She accidentally left her daughter in the car - for 8 hours - and she died because of the heat.

Then, when I was talking with my friend and co-worker last week, I realized that life goes on at work without me. I know it's a total shocker - and believe me, I was more surprised tha anyone when this thought entered my mind. She was talking about the things that are taking place right now with work and I had the realization that our conversation sounded just like one that I had with her 6 weeks ago ... and one that I had with her 6 monthis prior to that. I now see that work is important, but not nearly as important as I previously thought. It's not worth stressing about and spending time away from Dennis (or Connor) in the evenings to do computer work. It'll be there tomorrow. And the next day. And it's not like I won't get it done.

Connor has undoubtedly helped me to realize my unimportance at work. I absolutely love spending so much time with him right now. And, you may want to sit down for what I'm about to say next because I wouldn't have believed it if someone told me this prior to Connor's arrival. While I don't enjoy the actual waking up in the middle of the night to feed him, once I see his sweet face, it's suddenly OK that I'm up at 2am, 3am, or whatever time. It's OK because this is what is important. Dennis has tried to impress this upon me in the past but now it is really sinking in. Work and sleep have moved down on the priority list. Dennis and Connor (and Echo, of course!) are what matter most.

To prove it, these are a few photos that I took BEFORE 8AM last week. Now that is not something that I would've been able to say 4 weeks ago.

Happy 2 Weeks

Connor,

First, I am going to acknowledge that this is one day late. That's pretty good for me these days. Since you made your debut on June 2nd, I am typically one, two, or more days late at returning phone calls, responding to emails, and, well...taking a shower. I'm not complaining, I am just letting you know that my day is filled with loving you, trying to breastfeed you, cuddle you, calm you down when you are upset, changing your diapers (and acting quickly to avoid the inevitable golden shower), and just staring into your beautiful eyes. It doesn't sound like that would take up the majority of the day, but it does. And I love every minute of it. Well, except for the diapers. And I wouldn't mind a few more hours of sleep.

Speaking of sleeping, that is one of my favorite things to do with you. We've gotten into the habit of falling asleep together around 3pm every day. You, me, and Echo. I'll sit up on the couch, prop my feet up on the coffee table, lay you down on my chest and Echo cuddles up behind us. There is a whole bunch of love in that one corner of the couch.

And, you suck. You love the pacifier as do your father and I. It has saved us many times when we weren't quite sure why you were crying. The pacifier is one of your best friends. We've made an expert decision that the reason for your crying is that you probably have gas. And I must say that we've grown accustomed to the very loud, adult-sounding farts that escape your rear end several times a day. I had no idea that such a loud noise could come out of such a sweet and small little boy. Like father, like son, I guess.

Each day means more and more awake time for you. And for me. When your Grandma and Grandpa Lang (or Nana and Papa, as they requested) were in town for your birth, they weren't sure that you had eyeballs because each time that they came to the hospital to see you, you were sleeping. When they see you next, they will be as mesmerized as I am with your beautiful deep blue eyes.

You smile in your sleep and I often pretend that it's because you are thinking about how much fun we have together. But in reality, you probably just passed gas. And I'm OK with that. If you keep smiling, so will I.

Thanks for the most special 15 days of my life. I know it'll only get better and more fun from here.

Lv,

Mom (wow - - it's strange to refer to myself that way)