Hola Tejas!

Today was our first full day back from our trip to Texas. We spent just about a week there. It was J's first plane ride (he did great). We spent the whole time mainly just hanging out, waiting for Ike to arrive. Little did we know he'd breeze right by DFW and slam into the midwest (including central Ohio here). We came home to power and little damage so we're happy. Now it's time to settle back into routines.
Here are some of the details . . . .


I was nervous. I was worried J would cry uncontrollably. He didn't. He fussed a little here and there but for the most part was great. He was the hit of the second leg of our Southwest Airlines flight from STL to Dallas. He got a 1st flight certificate and a pair of wings. Very cute. They were all super nice to him and J returned the favor by flirting non-stop with anyone and everyone he could see. He loves to smile.
We landed in late afternoon and by the time we got through traffic to D's sister's dinner was waiting for us and J had gotten his late afternoon nap. J was more than a little overwhelmed with excited cousins crowding his space (before this he probably didn't realize he had such a large comfort zone), new faces, new places, and a new bed! He had a meltdown which led to a hasty night ritual but he did sleep all night.
We spent our first day visiting, and our second day at Grapefest (just in the evening). Ike was hitting the coast and vendors were packing up since he was heading through DFW, supposedly. Saturday it rained but not even heavy rain and not all day. We had a group photo and then went to a wedding shower with more family (my side this time). That night was all about Guitar Hero and a quest for D first to beat Slash and later the Devil before we headed home.
J continued to do well, rolling with the punches of yet more new faces, staying out way past bedtime, using a stroller in a new fashion, photos (ugh), and the time change. He was a real trooper. He only really had the one meltdown the first night.

Stay tuned for tales from the second half of the trip, another night.

nervous nelly

How my poor heart aches
with every step you take

It seems like nearly everyday J is learning something new. It's exciting, but bittersweet also. Yesterday morning I awoke to J awake & squawking as usual. But when I looked at the monitor to assess if I really needed to get up yet or not, what I saw caused me to leap out of bed with shock. It was nothing bad, just a surprise. J had rolled over onto his belly. Now he's doing it all the time. Unlike rolling onto his back from his belly, this he loves. He spent quite awhile on his mat this morning rolling around and seemingly loving it. This afternoon I caught him getting up on his arms & toes for a moment and other times today up on his knees. Crawling is not too far off now. He's so different than even a month ago or for that matter 2 weeks ago. He notices his toys, he gives hugs, he's much more interactive with us now, and of course there's the rolling.

Soon he'll be on an airplane for the first time. I'm rather nervous about it. I get stressed when he cries in Half Price Books so crying in a flying metal tube with God knows how many other passengers, well that's about more than I can take. I've already begun to stress out subconsciously. I'm great at convincing myself that by doing an Excel spreadsheet for both J & I (of what to pack of course) and making lists of what we need to purchase are things that help me not only prepare but remain calm. No. It just keeps me busy mentally and physically so I don't dwell, but deep down it's already lurking. I know because I've had a stomach ache for 3 days now. I blamed it on the vitamins I took that one random day, but I know better. My neck hurts from the stress lingering in my shoulders.
In comparison to the flight, the actual stay out-of-town in a home with both a 3yr old and 2yr old is nothing. Well, almost nothing. I do worry a little about J's sleeping arrangements and if curious toddlers will cause any interruptions. I also worry a little about 2nd daycare germs but that's part of why I'm still nursing. After all that comes the naps - we've spent all week getting J used to napping in his crib. On the 4th day he caught on and is doing really well now. Let's hope that lasts with all the running around we'll surely be doing.
Oy vey! I sure did inherit the worry gene. Not exactly straight from grandma considering my dad has it too, and I believe he shares it with his sister (and I with her daughter). Well, no alcohol or Xanax while nursing so I'll have to settle for some ice cream.

Enjoying the present

I'll start with a quick update on J. He's changing so fast and these days he is almost always learning or doing something new. This morning started with his monthly progress assessment (he's fine). J & I will be focusing on fine motor skills (switching the toy from hand to hand & working with an offered third toy). I'll also be encouraging elevated play while sitting to help him strengthen his neck muscles and keep his head upright. He's not sitting unassisted yet. We're also going to be helping him learn to "army crawl" (gulp).
I'm not too excited about crawling. I know it's coming - soon. He's growing too fast and crawling is the gateway to independence! I already miss him falling asleep in my arms and sleeping on me for his nap. In no time at all (in roughly 2 weeks in fact) he'll be closer to 1yr old than newborn. Ugh! Besides we're having dog issues. The pack has become wiley and aggressive, and fall will bring all species together under one roof until spring. That will get me out of the house everyday!
Last Thursday, J had solid food for the first time (rice cereal). Since it'd been a week and we really want him on oatmeal we got to switch him today. He seems to enjoy it as much as the rice. Finally, during his bath tonight he decided his toes indeed DO look delicious. They finally made it to his mouth, yum.


Outside of those updates (which really do make up the majority of my time considering J is my job currently), I chose a logo for my shirts today with the help of some friends who voted. There was a clear winner and as soon as I have the logo in-hand I'll most likely post it here with more info on the business.
I also spent some time avoiding a blog today. My friend Aj sent it and it's written by a friend of hers, H. Aj sent it along because it's a lesson in making the most of today and how small things can be as memorable (or more) than big extravagant things. It's really the day to day times people spend together and the everyday encounters that can leave lasting impressions and mean the most. I think it's also a reminder that the only time you have is right now, this very second. The past is gone and the future is not promised to you. I'm avoiding it because it's sad. I'm playing the part usually left for Aj (who does not want to waste time with unhappy movies or books) and avoiding reading what I know does not have a happy ending. Or a happy beginning as the blog was started 1 month after H's husband died of cancer. They have a young daughter and a newborn son and I was familiar with her husband's struggle through Aj the past few months. It's of course terribly sad, and it hits far too close to home. As much as I also avoid reading Eckart Tolle, I think I'll pick up his book this evening in lieu of finishing this blog. I'm going to have to read his unemotional plea for everyone to be present and live in the now, versus her emotionally charged, and frankly uncomfortable healing process. It's how I'm going to live in the present because it's safer. Maybe safe is not what I should do or what others would do but it's what I've chosen. Now as part of being present, I need to abandon any guilt I feel for such a decision. [Exhale.]

Bizzzness

I'm officially an entrepreneur. I have one business up and running (Full Circle Editorial & Research) though I've only had one job so far. I'm hoping to help out on another one in the near future and supposedly all my contacts will have stuff available in the fall. I'm biding my time and remaining hopeful. I don't need a ton of work - leftover scraps and filling in gaps are perfect for my schedule.
I'm using this downtime to get my second business started (name is not set though I'm leaning towards one - stay tuned). This would be my t-shirt business. D helped me map out an 8-month plan to have t-shirts in hand. I need them by mid-May at the latest so I can take them to vendors starting at the end of May. This month I'm supposed to fill out my art specifications and locate artists. I'm workin' on it. I have had some referrals over the past few months and have been getting a few more. This afternoon, procrastinator that I am, I decided I needed a logo to sit atop my art specs. Surely there was a way to get one quickly online - yep there is. Logo Maker lets you build one using their graphics & fonts (and Pantone colors). You can invite friends to vote on your logo options (they do not have to sign up for anything which I like). Then once you are settled on one you purchase it. The cost is really reasonable. I may have a logo as early as tomorrow. Exciting. Now if J will adapt to the new nap time location I'll have time to work on the specs!
I've honestly spent the last couple weeks stuck. I've been spending too much time on Facebook and LinkedIn. I've researched tons of things on the Internet and spent way too much time on IM. I need to be more focused. I think I will be. I do have the 8-month plan. So now I will not get lost surfing the web trying to figure out where to start and what to do first (t-shirts). And I will not stare blankly at my Gmail account, continually hitting Refresh in hopes a job has fluttered into my InBox or someone has joined my LinkedIn network. I have a plan, in list form no less. I'm ready!

J.O.T.

Rather than do one super long bullet-list of updates, I'll just do a handful of hopefully better thought out entries. I just can't seem to get to this site often enough to avoid the list. So now this blog is becoming a list of lists.

J.O.T. - yeah, that's the boy. He's getting big. I'm losing track of days, but early last week we noticed J has a tooth. His first tooth at 5 1/2 months old. It's his bottom right and his bottom left is next. In fact, based on the rash he had yesterday, I'll expect it to break the surface by Friday. He had a rash now almost 2 weeks ago and I rushed him into the doctor for it. We re-washed all his clothing after a diagnosis of contact dermatitis and re-reading of the laundry detergent instructions. With the soap being concentrated and having new high efficiency machines I was overdoing it by using the same amount I always have with regular soap & machines. I was using nearly 3x the amount I should have been.
Even with the overuse of soap my mother insisted that the rash was due to his tooth. She's "seen it a million times before." Well, yesterday it re-appeared and both the doctor and mom say the second tooth is ready. So if we're following a rash then tooth pattern then as I stated the tooth should break the skin by Friday. We'll see.
Tomorrow is our second visit with the Help Me Grow (HMG) specialist. J was automatically qualified for the county program due to his NICU diagnosis at birth. It wasn't a diagnosis that affects him now at all except that it puts him at risk for developmental delays. HMG's early childhood specialist comes out 1x a month to assess his development. So far so good. Tomorrow she may not get to work with him though as it's prime nap time.
Naps - that's a whole other can of worms these days. Since he'll outgrow his swing within another inch of height, and because we're traveling in a couple weeks, I decided he needed to start taking naps in his crib. He thinks this is a terrible idea. I don't understand - he sleeps there all night. He's getting about 1/4 the nap time he should be because he's spending it fussing, writhing about in frustration, playing, and screaming/crying. It has my nerves frazzled. I hate to hear him cry but when I walk in to pat his belly and calm him down half the time he giggles. I'm being played! I'm trying to be strong and stay out of the room until he falls asleep but when he gets to the screaming/crying part I have to go in and soothe him. Tomorrow is day 3 of the process. I had heard babies adapt in 3 days - I think he's on a slightly longer term plan but we'll see. I'm hopeful AND tenacious!
What else . . . oh, yes - RICE. J has started on solid foods. He's had rice cereal now for about a week and I think tomorrow or Friday we'll move on to oatmeal. He's doing really well and seems to really like it. He gobbles it up. I really have to watch for his subtle 'I'm full' signs, if that's what they are. He's not mastered the feeling full thing yet at all.
Grandma & Grandpa were here last weekend for my birthday. However it was J that got all the gifts. We made a stop at Toys-R-Us and he made out like a bandit. We're holding back some of the toys so he'll get new things every so often, not that I think he necessarily notices. I do know he gets bored with toys though, but after a few weeks he normally will like them again and play with them in a whole new way (like his playmat). We've already had to move his exersaucer height up a notch. It seems like only a week or two ago that he fit in it at all and now he's outgrown a notch! He really is growing so fast. The time is flying as all you moms (and dads) out there can surely attest to.
More updates later.