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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Part-Time Happy House Wife

I feel like I'm missing something when I come home from work, take care of Jules (which I really miss during the day), make dinner, and work on whatever project needs to be done (right now, it's repairing some used BumGenius diapers I bought on diaper swappers.).

So, I'm trying, with some success at being a part-time housewife on the weekends. This past weekend we did all sorts of household chores and projects.

Friday: Loaded up the car with Justin and Jules and headed to the JBF sale - or as Justin calls it, the baby swap meet. We bought a bunch of second-hand winter clothes for Jules. Now he's set!

Saturday: Justin made pancakes and I did laundry. ALL.DAY. Between loads, we also worked in the back yard. Pulled weeds in the soon to be vegetable garden, trimmed all the ferns, pulled all the stupid, little, naughty trees that are everywhere and yelled at Scully to stay in the yard. I'm still sore. I also made crockpot chicken for dinner, two apple pies (from our apple tree!) and chicken stock from the leftover chicken.

Sunday: I finished the laundry (you should see my laundry room now!), swapped out summer/fall wardrobe with winter wear (booo!), watched the Vikings and told a baby to go to sleep. Which he did. Justin installed our garage door opener (Finally! Well, not like "Finally he installed it-geez!" more like we finally got around to it.).

While the weekend was jam packed, it felt good to get it all done. Hopefully we can finish our outside work before... Well, we all know about Minnesota and how cold it can be here. Let's pretend for a few more weeks it won't happen.


Justin took this last night. That's our garden (next to the black thing on the left - compost bin), it needs work. But look at those colors!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Pumpkins

I don't know what else to call this, except, we went to a pumpkin patch with family. It was fun. We got pumpkins, apple pies (it was an apple orchard too), apple cider, chatted, wore sunglasses, only lost one little, took photos, went home and took a nap.


He loved his sunglasses.


Chilling with the pumpkins.


Too cool to make funny faces with his cousins.


Still too cool to take a photo with his cousins. "I can't be seen with this bunch!"
(Olivia holding Jules, Adrienne holding Natalie - 5 months older than Jules, Reese, Max and Zach.)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Me At 4 Months

Let's talk about postpartum hair loss, shall we? Yes, it's horrendous. Mostly because during my 9 months of carrying Jules (and a few months after he was born), my hair was full, thick, grew like weeds, awesome, and I didn't lose ONE hair. And now, four months postpartum, let's just say don't be surprised if it shows up in cake batter or in my baby's diaper or stuck to your socks or permanently on my fleece jacket.

It's everywhere and I can't stand it. I knew it would happen. And when it didn't happen around two months, I thought I was one of the few who didn't experience it. Ha! Little did I know it usually shows up around three or four months. Basically all the hairs I should have lost (approx 100 a day!) for the past nine months are falling out NOW. This minute!

And there goes 10 more.

The only comforting thought is that it will end, eventually.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

4 Months

At four months, he's into Scully. He's enthralled with her.



And, surprisingly, she's very gentle with him. She loves to sit next to him and lick his toes and hands. She'll cozy up to his face, showing her love. And in return, he loves to grab her ears, her necklace, and poke her eyes.



He's also into rolling over. But now that he can do it, he doesn't. Weird huh? He's sleeping through the night and has been since I went back to work. Of course there are a few set backs like he'll wake up around 4am but, the best part is he'll talk himself back to sleep. We just lay in bed listening to him babble then he's out again. It's really cute. He usually sleeps about 10 hours at night and about 3 or 4 hours during the day.



And speaking of babbling, this kid can babble! We don't know who he gets that from. He's also serious. Very, VERY serious. But all you have to do is change his diaper or change his clothes and he's all giggly again.



He's officially in 3-6 month clothes. I think he's around 17 lbs. but we'll find out tomorrow at his 4 month appt. (shots!) Actually, I think he's thinning out a little - staying the same weight but growing in length. Still a boob boy 100% (I work! It's amazing!)



Justin is doing good with him at home. They watch tpt (PBS) during tummy time and lunch, it's the only channel he'll let Jules watch.



"Come on dad, mom lets me watch Maury Povich when she's home."

Friday, October 09, 2009

Perspective

If you have cable television in Minnesota, then you have countless channels of cable access. (Tens of TENS!) We have one for Fridley. Guess what's on it? You name it. From the lunch menu at the elementary school that airs for about four hours, to the most recent city hall meeting.

(booooorrring. Actually, that's how Justin found out the Northstar Rail will start in November. He's all caffeinated up on it and wants to ride it the first day it rolls. Cause that's how he wants to roll, by train.)

Anyway, the cable access channels are something we hurriedly pass over when channel surfing. Because they ARE boring. But I feel bad. I remember when I was in school and parents would record our events. Band concerts, color guard performance, and... well... that's all we did. Oh, wait, I was in some musicals. I'm sure my parents have a tape of those somewhere. Anyway, if Friendswood had cable access, all those things would have aired on it.

Being past musicians (can we call ourselves that? We both played in College for some time. I'm gonna say.... yes, we were musicians.) and Drum Corps alumni, people always ask Jules, "You gonna be a horn player?"

I usually respond for him saying, "He can play anything he wants, even color guard!" (We're still waiting for his answer of course.) But the reality is, he'll probably take up an instrument. An instrument that we won't have any idea about (sax - oh dear, we BOTH hope not.). And he'll play it. Very, very badly for a few years. And we'll be forced to listen to him and 50 other out of tune players. And it will be on cable access boring others and they'll hurriedly change the channel too.

But, we'll do it because we love him and we want to encourage him to be the best player he can be. To be the all-star musician his dad, Aunt Heather and Uncle Joe are - me, I'm mediocre. Our parents had to endure us sucking it up for a few years before we started sounding "decent" (Well, Heather was the exception to the rule. That chick was 1st damn chair from year one. Always jealous of that.) They had to sit through countless concerts and then proceed to tell us we sounded great!

Although Jules is only *almost* four months old, I'm realizing all the stuff we'll have to endure - and possibly hate - is just part of parenthood.* And, you know what, I'm fine with that. Actually, I'm excited to see him learn, grow and excel at whatever he decides to play, instrument or not.

*It's still hard for me to realize we're parents. Parents are adults, Justin and I aren't adults, we don't feel like adults. I'm only 5 feet tall. Adults are taller and so are parents.

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

We've Been Waiting For This

This could be the reason for some recent fussiness.



And the real thing (it's been really rainy here and I didn't turn on the lights - sorry for the darkness. It was 4pm! Minnesota and your weird weather.):