The Vagaries of Sleep

A shocking development today--a post with no adorable pictures of the babe. I had some on my camera--new ones from his four-month birthday yesterday, but I forgot to load them on the computer prior to heading to the library, so this post will merely be words. If you are still reading, thanks. If you are cursing the lack of adorable baby photos, I'm sorry. More will be coming.

I'm adjusting to my new life fairly well--I miss school a bit, but I'm letting myself enjoy the relaxed nature of my days. Our goal everyday is to play, do laundry, dishes, and other household tasks, and try to catch The Price is Right. One of the more difficult things as babies age is sleep.

The newborn babe sleeps a good bit--not always at night, but he does sleep. Now, at 1/3 of a year old, he struggles a bit with sleep. We've had to move into our bright blue IKEA crib with elephant sheets from Target, as we got too big for our basket and chair in mommy's room. We don't seem to love that. See, and some parents will hate me, but for the last two months or so, I generally got 6-8 solid hours of sleep a night. Now, I get about six, but it's broken up into 2-hour chunks, interrupted by solid screaming, that is almost impossible to comfort. I like to think he just misses me, but I could be wrong. The books, and my pediatrician, all tell me I'm doing everything right, that babies have to learn to sleep.

This seems a bit odd, as all a newborn does is sleep, but no, they have to learn it. When you begin to observe life from a baby's perspective, you realize how much changes. My baby doesn't quite know how to go to sleep--he may be dead-tired, but he'll still cry and cry, not just lay down and close his eyes. His mom, on the other hand, 30 years older, would love to just lay down and close my eyes.

This rambled a bit--I haven't been getting a ton of sleep--but I wanted to put down my thoughts on our latest adventure, the final frontier--sleep.

I promise to post pictures later this week.

The Cute Get Cuter

Trunks are easy to grab.

Wearing the hat knit by mama--and overalls with a bear in the pocket!

Catching up on the latest sports news.

As soon as I logged into the blog, the lad began to fuss. And here he's been quietly sitting while I wrote e-mails, ordered shoes, and accomplished other internet tasks from our quiet carrel in the library. It's as if he doesn't want me to blog--or post pictures of his cuteness. I'm distracting him with silly faces, so please excuse any typos.

Back in Black

Kicking is what we do best!

Well, the wee one and I loaded up the laptop and strollered our way to the Safeway, to sit in their wifi hotspot. The wee one was doing fairly well, but is beginning to be a bit frustrated by his confinement in the stroller--he likes to be free to kick his legs.

I think we have tapped into a nice routine for the internet though, as they have chairs and free wifi and are within a quick walk. He is giving me this look--are we done yet, mama? Can I get out? He is dear, and the last few days I have realized I wasn't enjoying this whole process enough--I was focused on surviving, on doing laundry and dishes and changing diapers, and not enjoying him and staying home, and being free to walk to the internet whenever, and watch the making of LOTR documentaries in the middle of the day. So, I gave myself permission to enjoy, and it's been pretty wonderful.

A Quick Book Recomendation: My Aunt in Alaska (official title) sent me The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which I loved. I read it in two days, which is impressive at this stage of the game, and it was super. I love a good epistolary novel, being raised on Daddy Long Legs.

Free WiFi - thanks Safeway

Just a footnote to prove we intend on keeping this blog thing up even without the interweb at home. I'm currently blogging on a rainy colorado day from the comfort of our mini-van in the parking lot of the local Safeway - I didn't even have to buy some wings or an over-priced coffee.

You Can Still Have Hobbies with a Baby

I get some knitting done on the wee lad's Christmas stocking while he naps in the mei tai.

Mr. Cool plays some Mario Cart on the Wii while the lad is similarly sacked out.

See? You too can still have hobbies and a baby--you just have to work around their sleeping.

Farewell, Convenience

Today, we bid adieu to our wireless internet at home. Mr. Cool, the small Cool and I will now have to load up our trusty laptop and venture out into the wilderness in search of free wifi. It's all part of the baby budget--Friday, we lose our satellite TV--but this one stings a bit, as it will soon be harder to learn of the comings and goings of the world. We will not abandon the blog, though. We will be intrepid adventurers. I've left you today, with a few more snapshots of the most photogenic cool.

Publish Post

Labor Day -- Finally!

Well, let me tell you, I've been looking forward to this 3-day weekend for almost 4 days. Each of those four days I worked 4 hours. Hours filled with alphabetizing, filing, doing small projects for the gracious gals of admin who took pity on me. I worked a total of 16 hours this past week, and man, am I ready to celebrate my laborious effort. I shall enjoy this day to its fullest, as come Tuesday it is once more into the breech for an 18 hour week - I just hope I can handle it.

In all seriousness, for those of you are working real hours at real jobs - thanks, you make the world go round. It was a good week, nice to be out of the house and to have a "normal" schedule to the day. Work was good, and I'm looking to get back full time here soon - in six more weeks hopefully. Happy Labor Day!

100 Days in Office

No, not Obama. That has passed. Today is however, Lincoln's 1ooth day of life. I could list 100 things I like about him. or things he has accomplished, but I don't have time! He can smile, laugh, grab things, fill a diaper I've just changed, sit and read a book, sleep 7-8 hours a night if he feels like it, pull my glasses off, and be the best thing in life. Your term is off to an auspicious start.

Not getting enough attention? The angry gnome makes his displeasure known.

Starting his own motorcycle gang already.

Planning his future travels.

The Evolution of Beard

Well, blogger loaded my pictures in the opposite order I meant, and my small charge doesn't allow for a lot of extra blogging time, so this is going to be a reverse evolution--from man to amoeba, if you will. Mark had about six weeks of glorious beard time, and then had to shave. I could do a version of this as well, but nobody wants to see that. (I'm talking about my legs. Sorry to work a bit blue.)

Clean shaven and smiling?

The acceptable work moustache--forbidden by home, though.

The 1970s cop moustache--you have the right to remain funky!

The Chester A. Arthur--perfect for forgettable presidents!

The cleaned-up tough guy beard.

The full beard--six weeks of classy growth.