Alive and well-fed

We've returned to our humble abode in the Chicago 'burbs. Thanksgiving was good. In attendance: Nina, Gary, Erica, Myself, Adrian, Anna Mae, Ed, Ernie, Dick, Cheryle, Rick, Elaine, Jeff, Nick, Alex, Barb, Dave, Cameron, Kennet, Shanna...I think that's everybody. If I left anyone out I offer you a million apologies. There were a lot of new faces and I was completely obsessed with keeping Adrian on his sleep schedule.

I promise to be verbose and funny next time. Right now I'm in desperate need of a shower.

Family is cool

Heya!

I am about to suffer from family-overload. I just got back from a week at my parents. (Wherein I convinced my cute mom to start a blog because it is easy-peasy to do) Then on Monday my sister-in-law Erica the wee showed up and we've been shopping and playing chase the baby and it's been grand. And tomorrow, Adrian, Erica-the-wee and I will drive to Rock Island for a Thanksgiving feast that will include 12-15 persons; none of whom will be my husband as he has to work. I've already made sweet potatoes to knock your socks off and pecan tarts...I don't know that the tarts will make it though.
We've all been surreptitiously swiping them from the kitchen...call it the first casualty of Thanksgiving.
Also! VeryMom and Petite Banane have new baby girls and it makes me miss the tiny, cuddly bundle that was Adrian 11 months ago. sigh. babies!

Did you miss us?

Here we are!

I don;t have pictures to show you yet, but I'll tell you that we had a fabulous time and that I learned a few things.

1. Adrian should only be allowed to fly in the mornings. This is out of consideration for fellow passengers and my sanity. We flew home last night, dangerously close to his bedtime, and half way through the flight he drops a deuce. That's right. Cruising altitude, recycled air, changing poopy diapers on an airplane. In my efforts to stick to Aaron's night-shift schedule I completely neglected the fact that Adrian is an afternoon pooper.

2. No matter how many times you say "no"; the dogs will still get more than their fair share of Cheerios or goldfish crackers. At one point Blaze was so excited by the prospect of treats from the high chair that he actually ate broccoli.

3. Naps are no fun anywhere. But I am now a slave to the nap schedule. I may even be a cult follower of the nap schedule.

4. One week isn't enough time to see everyone that I know who lives within driving distance of DC. So sorry, guys! I promise you're on the top of the list next trip.

5. My parents need to buy a car seat. Ours is still sitting on the tarmac at Dulles.

More later, dears!

Ready. I'm ready. Are you ready?

Ha!
I am (mostly) packed up for this trip. One suitcase for myself and the small fry.
We'll be gone for one week. Posting may or may not occur from Arlington.
It's hard to say with these things.
I simultaneously love and hate travel. I love the part between the actual travel bits. I don't really like the airport, I have a hard time sitting still for flights and I hate packing.
I always forget something, so I always have that I'm-forgetting-something feeling; which is nauseating to someone who makes as many lists as I do.
I make lists about lists. It's very satisfying, seeing everything all arranged on paper.
Which is completely different than my housekeeping style: not-quite-chaos.
But that, dear friends, is another story for another time.
ta!

Anxiety sets in.

I am flying to Arlington the day after tomorrow.
With Adrian. The boy-who-will-not-sit-still.
Just me and Adrian.

Can't breathe.

seriously.
What if he screams the whole flight?
What if he suddenly develops motion sickness and vomits all over us and anybody within a 3-foot radius?
What if he frees himself from my grasp, goes running down the aisle, is mistaken for a hijacker and get arrested by an undercover air Marshall?
Will I have enough money for bail? Do they send toddlers to Guantanamo Bay?
No, but they probably send moms.
Ooh...A vacation.

What time is it?

Boy it seems late.
Adrian has been in bed for over an hour now and it's not even 8 pm. Before we started this whole sleep-training business, I'd usually still be chasing his turbo butt all over the house wondering when he'd calm down so I could get him to sleep.
Our new pediatrician recommended this book, and it's made my life wonderful again. I love the pediatrician, I love the guy who wrote the book. I only wish I had read the book about 7 months ago.

I love Adrian, but his sleeping habits had become a nightmare. He would only nurse to sleep and refused to be put in his own bed. So he wound up napping on the living room floor, and sleeping in our bed. Which means that I was literally hovering over him 24 hours a day. I figured that I really couldn't leave him unattended during his naps. Getting up to pee at night became a real challenge, as he wanted to nurse as soon as I started to get out of bed. I was miserable. I had a baby attached to my side for 23 1/2 hours a day. The only time I had to myself was a 1/2 hour shower. But now! I have seen the light of early bed times and regular, scheduled naps, and we are both much happier people.
I realize that all of this will unravel as we travel to Arlington, but I know that it is possible to accomplish, ergo it should be possible to re-accomplish. (reaccomplish?)
I've also noticed that Adrian is nursing less, and requesting to nurse less often. It's possible that we may be seeing weaning in the near future as well. Although I'd like to hold off on that until I can get him to drink whole milk. Right now he takes it in his mouth and then gives me an open mouthed smile and lets the milk run down his chin.
He's so charming.

You know you're distracted when...

you try to remove a cookie sheet from the oven without oven mitts.

dumb. dumb. dumb.

and also, ow.

(photo) Adrian putting on a show for his birthday audience. 

To grandmother's house we go...

Here it is, the much anticipated trip-to-the-East Coast with the baby out of my uterus.

In mid-November, Adrian and I will be traveling to Arlington, VA to visit with my parents for a week. Anyone who wishes to see us while we are there can email me (karacrafts(at) gmail(dot)com), and we will set something up. I would like to stress that the purpose of this visit is to give my parents time with their grandson. (Translation: we will not be leaving the DC metro area during our visit. If you are beyond the reach of the Metro system, then you must come to us)

Also, I'm very excited! I love Arlington in the fall. I am a bit nervous about Adrian and my parents' dogs. These are big dogs, and Adrian has really only had experience with small dogs. Hopefully they won't scare the bejeesus out of him.

Yay!
Arlington!

Update: 12 months!

Happy Birthday, Baby boy!

Wowee. You made it one whole year. Nice going.
First, your stats:
Height: 28 1/4 inches
Weight: 22 lbs 4oz

And let me tell you, I am feeling all 22 pounds when you hang off of me like a monkey.
your annual check up went well, you seem to be hitting all of the bench marks for gross and fine motor skills, your language comprehension is good.
Now for the bad: you're a little behind on your verbal development. The pediatrician said not to worry unless you hit 15 months and still aren't saying "mama" or "dada". What's with that, by the way? 'Balloon' you'll say, but not our names?
This year has been so busy--it hardly feels like 12 months have passed. I can't believe that you were so new and tiny such a short while ago. I have loved this time that we've shared, with the exception of the sleep problems and the fact that you treat diaper changes as an excuse to scream bloody blanking murder. To be honest: the sleep problems are almost entirely my fault as I cannot seem to set a routine for you and I'll let you sleep just about anywhere so long as you sleep. This has, however, put a huge dent in my time, especially now that your Dad is working 12-hour shifts. So my goal for the new one-year-old you is to get you to sleep in your own crib and get you to sleep without having to nurse to sleep.

I have really enjoyed watching you grow and develop into this funny little person with likes and dislikes. I love that you now bring me things to look at: rocks, blocks, books, carpet fuzz. The world is endlessly fascinating to you, and I love that you want to include me in your explorations. I love your funny four-tooth grin and the way you scrunch up your face at things that you find silly. I love that you eat table food, and that you have a particular fondness for fruit. I love that you dance, and that you'll dance to anything--commercials, the musical interludes on NPR, lullabyes. I love it when you rest your head on my shoulder as I sit on the floor before you run off to explore something new.

Your birthday party was quite the event, sweetpea. In attendance were your Aunt Erica, Nana and Grandpa Flecker, Maemae Cherlye and Grandpa Dick Puetz. You were showered with gifts and phone calls from people who couldn't be here, but sent their love. You were quite the entertainer for your audience, and they all loved it. You were funny about opening your presents--you didn't want to tear the wrapping paper. We helped you tear into one but you pulled your hand away and wiped it on your pants as though you had touched something distasteful. You're a weird kid--further proof that you're definitely a member of this family.

Happy birthday, baby boy. We all love you so much.

I can't imagine my life without you, and I wouldn't want to.

Love,
Mama