Perspective

I fed Belle lunch outside while talking to our 104-year-old neighbor. Two other neighbors joined us: men who've lived together for years but who only recently were able to marry each other in New York State. One was celebrating his eighty-fourth birthday today. We all talked, and I warned the 84-year-old that Belle was catching up to his age now that she's one. He said he's wait for Belle at 84 to make the catching up easier.

The birthday boy talked of troubles with his computer. The 104-year-old said, "Computer troubles? Who cares."

I suppose when you're spending your 84th birthday with your new husband/long-time partner and you're enjoying a sunny day with your 104-year-old friend, computer issues don't seem like such a big deal.

The short end of the stick

We decided that Craig should drop Belle off at day care because he can do so later than I could (8 or 8:30 instead of 7 or 7:30). And then I pick Belle up at the end of my school day (around 3pm). I have the better deal. Craig most certainly has the harder job. While she crawled away to play and didn't seem to notice that we left on Wednesday, Craig had a very different experience solo on Thursday. Meanwhile, Belle was playing with another little girl when I picked her up at 3:15 this afternoon. Poor Craig. First he had to accept late evenings at work that keep him from saying goodnight to Belle. Now he is learning how to leave her in someone else's care, sometimes in tears. Yup- Craig got the shorted end of the stick.

A Tough Week

It's a tough week in these parts, though it started innocently enough. My cell phone died on Sunday night, so I knew I had to get a new one on Monday. It was two years old, so while I wish it hadn't gone kaput, I was more or less fine with it. I also had a big hearing this week at work, so I had lots of work to do when Irene was here. But on Monday, the office opened late, and I thought I could get more work done at the library than at the office, with less of a commute, so I stayed home. I started my day working at Starbucks, then meeting Seren and Belle for a photo session, followed by a tri-lunch. From there, I went to Verizon and then Verizon store 2 (where I saw Angela Lansbury!).

After Angela time, I went to the library and worked for a few hours, getting my work mostly done. My folks came in to wish Belle a very happy birthday, and she had a very happy birthday. Belle had a cupcake and sushi. She was happy.

I should rewind and mention that the TriCeps had a private birthday cake session Sunday before having a playdate with the twins upstairs (it was a nice apartment for hanging out in on an inside-day). That was her first cake time. and the girl was absolutely wired after the sugar. It was adorable.

Anyway, Wednesday morning, I woke up at 5:18 a.m. to a baby crying in my bedroom. While that doesn't seem noteworthy, Belle doesn't usually wake up in the bedroom. She wakes up in the middle of the night, and Seren moves her to the pack n'play in the living room. I usually sleep through this. So on Tuesday night, Belle slept through the night in our apartment for the first time (she had slept through the night in places where we don't share a room - grandparents' houses, Ithaca).

Unfortunately, Wednesday was a rough morning. It was Belle's first morning at day care, and the first time I had to drop my daughter off so she could spend the day with someone who wasn't Seren. Seren and I were both saddened by the ordeal, but it's necessary. Today, I did the drop off solo and it wasn't much better. I was told to do the drop off like I'm pulling off a band-aid. Obviously, that's easier said to me than done by me. Maybe next week, I'll have it down. In the interim, it's tough.

We also got ourselves a new car this week. We are now the proud owners of a Toyota Sienna. I'll save you the Google search; it's a minivan. We're growing up.

All in all, an eventful week for the TriCeps.

Easing the pain

I am so lucky.  I have wonderful friends and fantastic colleagues.  

My colleagues welcomed me back to school warmly, and comforted me when I unexpectedly burst into tears when asked, "how did the drop-off at day-care go?"  The High School English teachers were especially kind in terms of filling me in on what I'd missed and making me feel right at home; as if I hadn't been away for 15 months.

And then I was called to the School's main office between meetings.  My thoughtful and generous (and out-of-state) high school friend Adrienne sent "Thinking of you and best wishes today!" flowers (see pic) to school.  What a wonderful way to brighten the day (and now our apartment).

Today was tough, but the support of colleagues and friends certainly eased the pain.  And I hope the days will get easier...

Pulling her own weight (or at least pushing her own stroller)

Belle fussed on our way back from the playground: she didn't want to get in her stroller.  "Fine, then," says I, "walk home yourself!"  So she did.

Growing Up

I can't believe this kid is a year old.

Belle's Birthdays

(click on the picture)

Thanks, Belle

Belle slept through the night in her crib last night...until 5:20am. While I appreciate not getting up and moving Belle in the middle of the night last night, I could have used another 30-60 minutes of sleep. But I won't complain. Thanks, Belle, for sleeping more than 10 consecutive hours in your crib for the first time in your life.

Back to school tomorrow

Returning to work after a full year of being a stay-at-home-mom seemed like a great plan when I made it. Now one year seems like too short an amount time to have spent exclusively with Belle and I'm filled with a million questions:

Will Belle be OK in daycare? How will my teaching compare to my pre-mom performance? How will my parenting fare now that I am away and working all day? Will Belle still respond to me as she does now that I'm home with her all day? Will daily tasks get completed as I juggle full-time work and motherhood? Will I find time to have any life outside of teaching and being a mom?

I keep telling myself that people dumber than I have juggled work and parenthood with fewer resources, so I'll be fine. I also remind myself that Belle and I will get through all this because, well, we have to. There's not choice. There's no "stop the ride: I want to get off" button.

I'll get through day 1 back at school looking forward to seeing Belle's smile at 3pm.

Belle's first year in numbers

Belle's first year in numbers

1: Cousin, whom she is lucky enough to play with often since he lives in Manhattan

2: Parents who adore her completely

3: Uncles (and the same number of aunts) who made her giggle

AND

Plane rides (round-trip)

4: Great-grandparents who showered her with love

AND

Grandparents who spoiled her rotten

5: Nights Belle has slept 11 hours straight without a wake-up

7: Different states in which Belle has slept (New York, Texas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois); she napped while we drove through Rhode Island in January- so maybe this number should be 8?

AND

Different pediatricians who have examined Belle

AND

Her weight at birth in pounds (plus 4 ounces)

10: Inches Belle has grown since birth

14: Different babysitters who have cared for Belle, NOT including family members

19: Her weight the day after her first birthday (plus 13 ounces)

367: Days I spent with Belle as her stay-at-home-mom

Belle's birthday lunch

Today, Belle enjoyed her first sushi lunch (OK, Belle ate some sticky rice, cucumber and bits of avocado).  She and her father sure had fun with their chopsticks!

Belle's new shoes

Happy FIRST Birthday to Belle!

Belle's First Birthday (Cup)Cake

Yesterday, Seren and I baked birthday cupcakes in honor of today's special day. After taking an afternoon walk, we sat down and sang happy birthday to the guest of honor. We followed that up with eating. Enjoy.



Belle's attention span promptly dropped from barely minimal (which is average for a one-year old) to speed addict long. She was jumping and running from toy to toy and couldn't sit still. We started playing the tennis ball game (video to come when she nails it). Then we had a playdate with Charlie and Mariel upstairs where the sugar high continued. When Belle started to crash, we decided it was bed time.

Today's festivities began promptly at 6am. We already had a birthday breakfast of oatmeal.

Belle's bday treats

In preparation for Belle's bday, we baked cupcakes and a small cake. She'll be one soon!

Better a birthday than a birth

I went into labor last year on August 28. This year, Hurricane Irene is paying NYC a visit on August 28. Cancelling Belle's birthday party because of a hurricane is not as big a deal as giving birth during one. Boy, am I glad that in 2010, August 28 and 29 were beautiful, warm and sunny days.

Impromptu post-walk playgroup

A diagnosis

Belle woke up this morning with a rash on her face, belly and back. Now it seems that Belle has a virus called Roseola Infantum. The symptoms of Roseola, which is common in babies 6month-2 years, included 3-7 days of a high fever (often over 103) with no other symptoms besides loss of appetite and fussiness, followed by a rash just as the fever breaks. Belle seems to have a rather text-book case of this virus.

Hope now that the nasty rash has appeared, she really is on the up and up!

Weaning: and then there were two

The process of weaning Belle off the middle-of-the-day feeding in preparation for my return to work is complete. I now nurse Belle when she wakes up in the morning and before she goes to sleep at night and that is all. She isn't drinking cow's milk in place of the daytime nursing sessions, but she is consuming cow's milk (in her morning cereal and also sips here and there during the day). It's likely that both her aversion to drinking a whole cup of cow's milk at once and also the weaning are related to her illness, which is on its way out the door (I hope). At any rate, she is healthy and I am no longer vital to her nutrition during the day.

Julie and Belle :)

Dr. Julie (of successful throat culture fame) and Belle share a smile
at the Fairway Cafe. Belle is wearing her Brown and Blue onesie- Go
Jumbos!

Phases

Good or bad, every thing a "just a phase" for a baby. Belle's new-found detestation for bath time, manifested by screaming while dangerously trying to climb out of the tub, will end at some point. In the meantime, I deal with quieter screams while I shower her. Yes, it involves me getting undressed, wet from the shower, and re-dressed. Indeed, she has peed on me more than once while I held her pre-shower. And, as was a concern with her climbing from the bathtub, babies are dangerously slippery when wet. But she most certainly tolerates the shower more than the bath, and her bath-hating days are just a phase.

And now Belle has found her shrieking voice. Her shrill shriek seems to indicate "NO!" and well as "YES!"; "NOW"; "I'M TIRED!"; "I'M HUNGRY"; "PUT ME DOWN!"; "PICK ME UP!"; "I WANT THAT TOY!"; "PACIFIER PLEASE!"; "THESE EGGS COULD USE SOME SALT!" For the record, it only seems fair to type out the translation of Belle's shrieks in caps since it gives a similar feel to how the screeching sounds. This, too, is a phase that will one day end.

Today, like her mother in her youth, Belle shrieked her way through her doctor's visit. She was especially uncooperative when the doctor took a tongue depressor and attempted to look at Belle's throat. Like her mother when she was younger (you, know, like 30), she proved an unpleasant patient today. It's just that my "bad patient" phase only (sort of) ended in my pregnancy- like during labor and delivery. I still shudder at the sight of needles and get tense when the needle approaches my skin. Heaven help the medical professional who has to give me a throat culture (though my friend Dr. Julie recently successfully got the cotton swab in and out of my throat without eliciting my usual screaming fit). Despite being the daughter of a doctor, I spent my life in the running to be named the world's worst patient. Anyway, this is all to say that Belle's behavior at the doctor today may have been influenced by her 102 fever, or it could be a phase. And if it's a phase, maybe it's a phase like my patient behavior is a phase: one that lasts a very long time.

I certainly hope that's not the case for her bath-hating, shrieking phases.

Her smiles still light up my world and her laughter sounds like rainbows and her affection (she has taken to interrupting her play time to crawl onto me or Craig just to give a hug; she then climbs down and continues playing) is truly heart-warming. It make all of her less-pleasant behavioral phases seems less significant (sure, I'll shower a baby who nuzzles her head into my neck affectionately after the shower is done and she's all clean and wrapped in her ducky towel).

Unfortunately for me, this stay-at-home/snuggle-all-morning wonderfulness is also just a phase and will end very soon...