Pumpkin Season

Lauren started clapping her hands when she saw all the pumpkins!

I love fall and pumpkin-scented anything, so when we were out in the country visiting my dad this weekend, we stopped at a farm for a little fall decor. We picked up gourds, a mini-pumpkin for Lauren, and a big pumpkin. Later in October, Lauren can watch Nick carve our pumpkin.

We were in town for my 10-year high school reunion, and had a better time than I expected, lots of hugs and stories were exchanged. It was the high point of my week; after the economy faltering and some friends going through some personal stuff this week, I loved hearing about the new kids and the careers. People are now everything from a stay-at-home-mom moving to France with her husband and three children, to a doctor, to a non-profit business founder, to a temp (who, in a brief stint in one of my city’s government buildings, actually typed and filed my marriage license!). We did good, Class of ‘98.

Tonight, finger food just clicked with Lauren. She tried pieces of ham, mashed-up banana (no puree! Yay!) and small pieces of chicken. I’m thrilled, because our caregiver is going to be gone for seven business days, and I’m looking for ways to make mealtime easier when Lauren’s staying with our friends. And Nick and I are each taking two days to be with her – I’m really looking forward to it.

Girl Time, Daycare Confidence, and New Beginnings

The temperature continues to hover in the mid-seventies, but on a recent Saturday, Nick, Lauren and I headed out to purchase baby-proofing stuff for the house and fall clothes for Lauren. (She needed pants) After dropping Nick off at Menards, Lauren and I hit Wear it Again, my favorite consignment store, and Goodwill. Nothing. Reluctant to go to Target and pay full price, we went to Marshall’s and Burlington Coat Factory, conveniently next to each other, and at Marshall’s I found five outfits and Brewer-logo pajamas for $30. By this point, Lauren was sleeping soundly in the cart and I smiled, thinking of all the shopping “girl time” we have ahead of us.

Lauren is still army-crawling and walking when her hands are held, but now she gets on all fours and tries to get up on her knees. She also can go from a sitting position to the army-crawl. Best of all, I’m feeling more confident about daycare, because I can see physical proof that she loves her friends. Nick told me a super-sweet story about one morning when he dropped Lauren off. She wanted to be by Austin (10 1/2 months old) and the blocks, and they were sitting side-by-side and handing them to each other! Lauren had no idea Daddy was still in the room, but Charlie (girl, 19 months) is very vocal with Nick and came to say hello. Lauren is very toy- and task-oriented at this age.

We headed up to see my sis-in-law L and bro-in-law J this weekend. The main task at hand was delivering maternity clothes to L, who’s about 5 months along. I had a harder time than I expected getting together clothes for her – I was a bit nostalgic – but I’ll get them back someday. Naturally, the pants were too short for L (she’s about 3 inches taller than me) but she came away with some cute tops and work-friendly shirts. And she made me laugh by rejecting all the pink clothes (her least favorite color; it’s kind of a family joke). I admire L because she seems so confident; at this time last year I had so much internal worry. Would the birth be OK? Would we choose a good daycare? Would I be a good parent? And of course, it turned out fine.

My nephew Tagg was baptized this weekend. At 6 months and 20 pounds, he’s larger than Lauren, and so incredibly adorable. Brother A and sis-in-law J threw a very nice get-together at their house. Our camera battery died immediately, so unfortunately no pictures for us. Tagg made it through without crying as the oil and water was touched to his forehead, but by the end he was doing this cute babbling. I saw a lot of people I haven’t seen for a long time, like A’s stepmother and half-sister, and A&J’s friend T (who actually introduced the couple way back in the day).

Life has been busy…

First Finger Foods

Lauren attempting to eat bits of sliced turkey.

Lauren had her 9 month check-up this week. All was well: a bit below average for height and weight. I asked the doctor about the time table for foods. Should I start finger foods, even though Lauren doesn’t have any teeth? She does well with Cheerios and star crunchers, and Doc assured me that small pieces should be started, and would dissolve in Lauren’s mouth. So we are trying out the turkey, and cheese bits, and I have some fruit we can try.

We were invited to a birthday party last night. Awhile ago, a woman Nick knows volunteered her 15-year-old daughter’s services for baby-sitting. Voila, our first teen sitter! I was nervous to meet M. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was 13 and getting paid $3 an hour to watch three kids. (Nick and I weren’t even sure what the going rate was these days!) She was quiet but very nice, and she did great. Our birthday friend picked a nice restaurant downtown and told us she was pregnant again (her daughter is 1) so it was a special night. That certainly doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard for me to leave Lauren, though!

Walking and the Run

I lift my knees up high so I can position my feet!

Within the last week, Lauren’s started walking with help. She has this scooter thing with toys attached that she hated – until Nick lowered it so her feet touch the ground. Now she “drives” it around our kitchen. I bought a butternut squash at the farmer’s market and got a little carried away pureeing it; there’s at least 50 ”ice cube” servings. Poor kid might be orange the next time you see her!

Our church hosted their annual fall festival fundraiser, and I’ve spent part of the summer shadowing the chairs of the 5K run/2 mile walk so I can take it over next year. They’re a husband-and-wife team with two little boys. The volunteer job entails the behind-the-scenes work of gathering food (bagels, fruit, water, lemonade), coordinating 20+ volunteers (most of which are delightful and have been volunteering every year), and making sure the race course is safe (working with the police and EMS forces). We hosted the runners on Saturday morning, and it felt good to be in charge of a project for a good cause.

Work to Live, Not Live to Work

And now, for something completely different…

I started this blog with the intention to talk about the balance between parenting and work. Followers will note an abundance of Lauren, and an absence of work. That’s because my job is not particularly interesting. As a magazine circulation assistant, four times a year, I get the opportunity to design a promotional piece to entice subscribers. I put out a bimonthly company newsletter, which I LOVE! And the rest is data entry, or waiting for some more data to come in, so I can enter it.

I used to be an editorial assistant, but that didn’t allow me to have a life. I wouldn’t have been able to have Lauren, for sure, I would have never seen her. I’ve tried applying for other positions, and even one within my company, but I’ve lost any writing experience I might have had in their eyes. So my mind spins with other career paths I might excel in, but for now, I’m taking a break. I’ll work to live, because my co-workers and conditions are great, but I will NOT live to work. And that’s precisely what kind of mother Lauren needs right now.

If you have any advice for me, feel free. But you will not hear about me talking about work anymore.

Morning Routine

Lauren at 7 1/2 months. Photo taken at JC Penney

6:30 a.m. I have my alarm set for this time to get up and start pumping the day’s milk. Sometimes Lauren is already silently moving in her crib, kicking her feet in the air. Other times, she’s dreaming curled up on her side, with or without her pacifier. Still other times, she shouts, as if to say, “I’m hungry!” Even though I pump during work, the most difficult part is summoning these extra 12 ounces for daycare in the morning. If Lauren wakes before I’m done, I might take a break and dress her, change her diaper, feed her a solid meal of oatmeal and a fruit (either homemade pureed banana, mango or pineapple.)

This morning, the Tuesday after Labor Day, felt like a Monday. I brought Lauren down to play with toys while I pumped. Smart girl immediately saw the bottles and demanded breakfast. Time to call in reinforcements; Nick was already up and moving for the bowl of oatmeal I held to take over. We are in trouble: our sunny little girl has been replaced recently with a baby who cries when she’s not allowed to pull on electric cords, or touch the fireplace tools. (Yes, time for baby-proofing. The fireplace tools are now in the basement.) We gently tell her no, and move on.

It’s amazing how Lauren’s mood warms when she has a full stomach. I put her in the baby scooter and haphazardly try to get myself to look professional. I can see why moms swear off daily make-up. I can’t even take a shower these days. Nick finishes in the bathroom and gathers Lauren’s daycare things: the worked-so-hard-for milk, solid food, an extra bag of diapers. We hug goodbye, and head out into the late summer morning to start our days.