Occasional Boredom in an Otherwise Exciting Life

For every fantastic day, there is an equal and opposite horrible day. Yesterday was fantastic! We didn't have one scream; mama predicted baby's every need and both were happy the entire day. We went to Barnes and Noble, well the parking lot to start, and wandered over to Starbucks to get a decaf one splenda iced latte. While in line an older lady begins the chatter I've become accustomed to - how cute!, how old?, girl/boy?, is she a good baby? My anonymous life is gone. Midway through the chatter I get nervous as baby shoves a fist into her mouth. "Is she hungry or teething?", Yes she's hungry. I debate leaving the line because my iced latte will only melt while I feed baby, but then I'll have to wait in this long line again - then my turn is up. Outside, feed baby, when finished prop her up on my legs to take cute photos on phone which are texted to grandparents and husband - I give myself mad props for figuring this out. Move onto to 2nd half ...

Which means I've been allowed to exercise for 4, and I have sporadically but I've also been eating lots of dessert, potatoes, pasta and my favorite fast food - Chick-fil-a where I get fried chicken, waffle fries and cookies and cream milkshake. Since the weight has not magically fallen off with breast feeding, sporadic exercise and eating whatever I want, I've decided to get back on the diet wagon. The next 4 weeks will showcase my ironclad commitment to eating better. Oh yeah and happy 10 weeks birthday to Charlotte!

I live in a condo complex that surrounds a pond which is home to Muscovy ducks and seasonal wildlife. Yesterday I returned home from work and took family dog for his evening walk. At one point he stopped to do his business and about 20 ducks rushed towards us. They see human = food and noticed I had something in my hand. It was only poo bags. As I reached down to pick up the poo, they rushed in to investigate and began to eat it. I left without picking it up. So sue me condo association.

On Sunday Charlotte made my mommy dream come true. She slept sweetly at an outdoor restaurant while I read a book! Back up a bit... Morning we left for church - on time - and I dropped her at the nursery. I'm such a trusting sort, I just dropped her off without a backward glance. 2 hours later, come back to find she slept the entire time. Slightly miffed considering she would not have done that at home, I take her to the nursing room for her lunch. 2 months of motherhood have taught that an awake baby must eat immediately. We lounge for another hour and listen to the next service start up along with all the songs and I get to sing to Charlotte. She falls asleep on the walk to the car so I take her to my favorite lunch spot, an outdoor walk with restaurants and such. Considering she just ate and is likely to nap a bit since it's quite warm outside, I stuff her into her backpack and take a walk to collect a few things. First stop Starbucks for iced latte and bulk espr...

I'm told she put her hand into mouth, dug nails into gums, then pulled lip really hard when she realized it was her hand doing the damage. Not happy folks! Not happy! I was not warned that babies tend to do damage to themselves. I've spent 7 years making toys safe and never once was told of the pain babies inflict on themselves. I've witnessed her poke herself in the eye, scratch the face - this one is common, punch herself in the chest, hit herself in the face, and this doesn't even begin to cover the damage she inflicts on my person with those nails. I cut them at every opportunity and I swear they grow back to the same size overnight. Anyway - Happy Birthday baby! Will try to make tomorrow a happier day.

Warning - this is a girly posting but if you show up PapaTV, feel free to read on but I'm just saying - you've been warned! Today was my first business trip since getting back to work. Everyone received fair warning that I required 15 minutes every 3-4 hour. The day went as follows: night before buy dry ice 4:30am - wake up, get ready for trip 5:50am - breast pump while eating breakfast, pack cooler and breast pumping equipment 6:15am - meet co-workers at office and take off for Orlando 9:00am - stop at turnpike bathroom to breast pump, choose hand-i-cap bathroom, basically have to stand while holding equipment for 10 minutes. It's really quite an ordeal. 12:00pm - 1:30 We were supposed to break for lunch and go to restaurant but mid-meeting realize we have much more to discuss so meetings are extended into a working lunch. Left equipment in car so after quick huddle with fellow gal co-worker, decide to get equipment and pump while everyone takes off to order...

YEAH! Off work today due to Tropical Storm Fay!

This past weekend I continued with my quest to get baby out of house, into car and stops as various locations in South Florida. Saturday - finally wrestled baby into car at 4:30pm, somehow it took about 4 hours to hit the right combination of post feeding and sleepy baby. - arrival at Barnes and Nobel and baby is fussing a bit. - get out of car, go to release baby from car seat prison and her face is bright red with exertion. She hasn't had a BM since Wednesday and it appears the poop fairy has chosen this moment to show up. I grab baby, her bag, her new Bijorn backpack, purse and run for the bathroom (checking first that poop is not escaping from diaper). Poor baby, this is the worst one I've seen yet and cleaning her in B&N bathroom is a daunting task but managed. - spend 1/2 hour reading magazines, breast feeding baby for first time in public - stuff baby into Bijorn backpack and stroll the outside shops, stop at favorite to get chocolate eclair - return home ...

Yeah! Another weekly milestone for baby. She celebrated by sleeping the entire night for the first time. Mom and dad were stunned to wake up and realize they had slept the entire night without interruption. Well mom got up at 3 to pump but otherwise had no interruptions. I got a break to get a haircut with the sweetest Italian hair stylist in the entire world. I've been looking for years to find a great hair stylist. I've tried many different salons in every city I've lived in and finally found Nina. She has curly hair - just like mine - therefore she knows how to cut it perfectly every time. Nina is awesome!!! Baby is awesome!!!

Baby has not had a BM since Wednesday. I’m not sure we noticed on Thursday, at least husband didn’t mention it but by Friday she was angry. I worked from home and by 11:30 left to visit a childrens store to pick up reference samples. Upon my return, husband announced she cried 40 minutes solid. He has finally rocked her to sleep and put her beside me while I wolf down Chick-Fil-A lunch. Just as he announces how cute she looks sleeping, she wakes up with a shrill scream. He blanches and dashes out the door to teach his afternoon class. I call after him to pick up some baby suppositories from Target on his way home. Later that day - Husband calls from Target and says the baby suppositories are for children ages 2+ unless doctor advises differently but the pharmacist has suggested Karo syrup. We try it out with slight misgivings that all the sugar will keep her up all night, nothing happens, she sleeps fairly well throughout the night, but no poo. Today - I wake up deter...

I can't seem to stop myself. Every Thursday I announce it's Charlotte's x birthday! Today I came home from work to the following scene:

Friday, husband called me at the office around lunchtime to say he had managed to get Charlotte in the truck for a drive and was in the area. Of course I invited him to visit the office so everyone could meet my baby. He arrived with a drowsy baby and as everyone gathered around she started waking up. We took her to boss's office to show off and just as we were discussing who she most looks like, I feel a warm goo shoot out of her diaper and in total alarm see it squirt onto the floor in 5 or 6 locations. Charlotte's revenge for mom going back to work early is served.