Weird Dreams

I haven't had any really strange dreams since I was pregnant. Actually, I don't know if I've slept a long enough stretch to enter into a dream state at all, but that's another blog. Last night I had a dream that I was roped into attending this retreat for women who'd had  traumatic childbirth experiences. I'm not quite sure how I ended up there, but we were stuck on this island and everyone was doing a lot of blaming of all their current problems on their birth experiences that didn't go according to plan. Somehow, I couldn't seem to come up with anything to relate or share myself. I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to give birth and we didn't make any real plans. Luckily, I didn't reach the end of the dream because Anika woke me up part way through. I'll never know if these women sorted out their issues, went on to have more children or what not. Ah well.

The Big 3-5

Well, I'm officially 35 today. The reproductive world equivalent of old age, LOL. Thank goodness my brain still sort of works. Here are my musings from my special day.

DH is still away for another few days, so it's been just me and my little 7.5 month old sidekick. She's actually really good company. We had a lazy morning playing on the floor together between naps.  She has a new favorite toy (one with buttons and little animals inside doors that pop up). She's got some pretty solid babbling words now, and has just discovered her index finger so everything gets pointed at.

This afternoon we actually attended a first birthday party for a little friend from one of our mom & baby classes. It was a fairly relaxed affair in their backyard with lots of extended family and a few other baby friends. There was lots of idle chitter chatter since many of the guests didn't know each other. Of course the topic of second pregnancies came up in the mom's corner. Eye roll. My rote answer to this question is that we will more than likely just have the one. Next came all the mom-mom advice about how to conceive quickly. Barf! I hate listening to these "experts" who know it all.  Anika and I thought that was a good time to wander around and check out the decorations.  Burgers were served, then cake, and soon it was time to open gifts. Here's where it gets interesting...

The birthday boy's mom keeps saying she'll open one specific gift on the table at the very end. Hmmm... must be something special. Well, it was. Out of the box came a shirt with "I'm a big brother" printed on it. It took most people a brief moment to clue in. Then someone said "I wondered the other day, but I saw you drinking a glass of wine last night". She countered with "yes, I had just a little wine. I'm only 5 weeks along". Whoa!  Announcing that early and drinking!  Double barf! Of course the chatter went back to that favorite topic of everyone's. Suddenly Anika started to fuss a little (love my intuitive little girl) so I took the timely opportunity to bid everyone a farewell and took her home for nap time. Whew we got away!

She didn't nap so well after all the birthday excitement, so my plans to go out somewhere together or pick up a take out dinner got foiled. Ah well, I was still full from the party lunch and sometimes cereal for dinner is a welcome treat even if it's just Cheerios. We spent a little longer doing her bath and bedtime routine. She gives the best hugs and cuddles and I enjoy that last nursing session of the day and tucking a tired little one into bed so much.

So that was my day. I had my little girl with me to share my special day and wouldn't change that for anything, even if I have to eat Cheerios for dinner and endure baby #2 chatter at birthday parties every year from here forward. She is the best gift ever.

Pub Oops

When my father-in-law was here visiting we decided to go for lunch just before taking him to the airport. There is a lovely English style pub near there, with a garden patio that is perfect for a warm day. Off we went without much thought about it. As soon as I stepped foot inside the door, the staff yelled out "Excuse me ma'am we don't allow people under 19 in here, we are going to have to ask you to leave immediately!". At first my reaction was a little flattered that they thought I was so young looking and I needed to pull out my ID to prove that I was indeed 34 and not 18. Then I realized that the entire pub was staring at the baby. Ooops. After spending all that time in Europe this spring, we completely forgot that it's not legal here! Anika and I went and sat in the van while my husband and his dad ordered take out, and we enjoyed our pub lunch at a nearby park instead.

Single Parenting

DH's work takes him out of town now and again. This month it seems it is again, again, and again. He's got three week-long contracts essentially back to back with just a day in between to catch his breath, do some laundry, and re-pack. He's getting lots of work so it's good in that respect. It's leaving me to do 100% of the parenting though and that's not as easy. Hats off to those single moms out there who live this reality day in and day out. Here's what I've learned so far:
-I purchased some new toys and pulled toys out of storage that she's never seen, novelty is good for extending her self entertaining time just a little.
-the playpen can be very useful for going to the bathroom or having a quick shower.
-quick to throw together food makes amazingly tasty easy meals. Some days my plate is also filled with Cheerios and finger cubes of veggies/meat/fruit... when in Rome
-I've started wiping the highchair tray down while she is still sitting in it. This way I don't have to find time to come back to it later, sometime before the next meal.
-the house hasn't seen a vacuum since DH left over a week ago. Impossible to do while she's awake and equally as tricky when she's sleeping.
-evenings are the loneliest, baby is in bed and I'm home on my own.
-I am actually caught up on sewing projects, reading, and e-mails.
-my new bedtime is 8:30 pm (might as well make up for those months of lost sleep)
One week down and two more to go...

Birthday Party Invite

Anika got her first invitation to a birthday party yesterday. This is just the first of many over the next few years I would assume. A good friend's little girl turned 2, so there were a number of toddlers attending the late afternoon picnic at the beach park. There were kites to fly and blow up float toys to sail. Anika spent most of her time on a blanket attempting to crawl onto the grass/rocks/sand to have a taste.

"Dinner" consisted of a variety of softer foods all cut into little 1/2" cubes and was served in paper bowls. Anika ate like a horse and actually emptied two full bowls, and then topped it off with a cupcake.

Presents were exchanged in a flurry of excitement. Beach toys, art supplies, and hair ties were among the loot. Our gift was a bit unusual and I wanted to put some effort in because they have been very supportive through our journey to parenthood and so generous in passing baby things down to us. I asked my friend to send me the measurements of her dining table, and made a fabric play house to fit over it out of an old duvet cover and bed sheet. It should provide hours of entertainment.

A good time was had by all, until bedtimes got pushed up and the crankies set in. Parents shuffled off tired, sugared up kids to their cars to head home to bed. Anika sang all the way home and made it to the turn off to our street when I saw her head bobbing. I skipped bath and story and whisked her off to her room to nurse her and put her down in her crib. She crashed hard. Whew, that was a party!