Bookworm

So after more than two months of my attempts to read with her, Mary Ellen was finally interested in a book today. If she is anything like her mother, this is just the beginning of a love of books and story. I can't wait!

Cloth Diapers

Isn't it cute? Our little daring is modeling a Thirsties Duo Wrap which is covering her first cloth diaper. This was our first attempt at cloth diapering, and it didn't go too terribly. That being said, she only made it through one change before she leaked out of it, but that was likely a quantity issue and may have happened whether she was wearing a cloth diaper or not. There are so many products out there, and I'm not sure this is the right one, but it's a start. I've got a lot of experimenting to do, but now that I'm home the experimenting will actually be possible. Is it weird that I'm actually enjoying this challenge?

Don't worry I'll keep you all posted on our adventures!

Hand friend

So Mary Ellen has made her first real friend, and she's learning a lot about relationships. For example, it takes a while to get to know someone and to figure out how they really work. Sometimes your friends are there for you, and some times they aren't, but when it comes down to it, nothing can make you feel better than spending time with a good friend. This particular friend is a part of her, in fact it's her hand.

I had to bring Mary Ellen to my doctor's appointment the other day. She was really good for the longest time, but you know how waiting rooms are and eventually, well, she got very tired of waiting. Of course, this time came right when the doctor appeared and I could feel my anxiety kicking in. Here we go, I thought. My first real test of her patience (and mine). But wait! Mary Ellen's hand came flying in to the rescue, and she chomped happily on it for the next 15 minutes, giving me just enough time to finish the appointment. Hooray, little hand friend! You're welcome to come play as often as you want!

G-T-L

So some of you know that when I was first pregnant, we referred to the pregnant belly as "The Situation." It's weird to think that The Situation is now our sweet little Mary Ellen, but we got a lot of mileage out of the phrase early on. Now in true Jersey Shore fashion, Mary Ellen has taken on the priorities of The Situation by beginning to workout at her gym. Her gym is a little different that Mike's, though, unless his gym is also filled with monkeys and giraffes. Anyway - Mary Ellen LOVES her play gym, and she spent a good 45 minutes there today, mostly doing cardio. See for yourself:

The new normal

Mary Ellen woke me up at 4:45 for her feeding last night (in case you didn't know, this girl is a rock star sleeper), and I found it very difficult to go back to sleep. It was the first day of my new job, and I was just too excited to sleep. Today was extra special, too, because I got to share it with my mom. She's been here for the past 10 days, and we had one last day to enjoy together before she heads back home (boo!). Mary Ellen cheerfully went along on all of our little errands, gave us plenty of huge smiles, and is now soundly tucked into her bed for the night.

Anyway, while I'm a little nervous to start this new chapter of our lives, I am so thankful and so blessed to be able to be home with my little one. With one day down, I am even more excited about the new normal. Today I got to see how happy and busy she is throughout the day and catch a glimpse of just how busy she'll keep me. Even though I was home with her for seven weeks, she's changed so much since I started back to work on Sept. 2. She is now willing to spend time on her tummy, she's happy to be left to chat with one of her many friends (Deer, Lion, etc), and she has a fascination with ceiling fans. She took a few good naps during the day, and best of all, she was so happy during her awake time. Mom says that she smiles with her whole body, and it's true. This was just one day of many, many more to come, and I can't wait to spend my days with my baby.

Okay, now for the pics:

Mary Ellen is 2 months old!!

The Rams may be headed for another dismal season, but it's much more fun to watch when you're hanging out with a baby. Right, Brian?

Grandma's Best Girl


We see this face from time to time, and usually it's pretty easy to figure out what's wrong. The list of possible issues is pretty short right now: tired, dirty diaper, bored, or hungry (though, let's face it, this would be a full-blown wail if she was hungry).

A snapshot from my first day of "retirement." Life is so good!

Tummy Time

Mary Ellen and Nana (we're trying "Nana" out this week, but she's still not sure what she wants to be called) have been hanging out this week while I finish up my last week at work. They're having a great time, and Mom has had Mary Ellen spending some more time on her tummy. She's starting to tolerate it a little better, but I think today we found the key. Hand + Mouth = Happy Tummy Time.

New Pics

Things are busy, busy here, but I found a few minutes to put up a few new pics. Enjoy!

The latest addition to Hat Fashion Show. This one actually fits her!

Thanks to Mary Anne for taking day care duty for us last week. It was great to have her here for an extended time, and I know Mary Ellen had a great visit (though her expression here doesn't back that up).

Doesn't it look like I caught Mary Ellen in the middle of an explanation? Mom and Mary Ellen had some serious catching up to do.

Dream Job

For the last ten years, if anyone had asked me what my dream job would be, my answer would have been very simple: Mom. Well, this dream job came a knocking, and I answered the call. And thanks to Brian's support and a little belt tightening, I've accepted the full-time position. On Tuesday, I put in my two-weeks notice at HMH. My last day will be next Friday.

I've always worked. I've had full-time summer jobs since I was 14, and I've often had two or three jobs going simultaneously. But it only took two days of being back at work to realize that I am not willing to let anything get in my way of doing the best job I can as a mom. This isn't a long-term strategy, since I can't imagine being out of the workforce forever, but it was an opportunity that I could not pass up. And when I do decide to return to work, I'll have a chance to find something that is much closer to home and closer to my heart. But for now - this is a dream come true.

Meeting some very important people

We had a very special visit from Uncles Matt and Mike and Aunt Nicki. It was a great weekend, and Mary Ellen was in rare form. She wasn't shy at all with the smiles - I think that means that she likes those brothers of mine. I love that they were able to make the trip, and Mary Ellen misses them already. If you don't know my brothers, they are quite entertaining. They are already fabulous uncles.

It's so fun to share her with people for the first time because you never know what they'll notice. For example, my brothers were totally distracted by how much she reminds us of our dad. There are some expressions that Mary Ellen and Dad share, and they both have an uncanny ability to nap during the day. I can't wait to see what other traits she shares with other family members, too.

Thanks to Nicki for posting some pics from the weekend. Enjoy!

Hi there, Uncle Mike!

Chillin' with Aunt Nicki

See what I was talking about with the smiles? And no one can make her smile bigger than Brian. She's become quite the Daddy's Girl.

Thanks to Aunt Nicki for the fab hat - just one more to add in the rotation for Hat Fashion Show.

Yes. We are "that" family. Go Tigers!!

All good things must end

Well, here it is. Today I head back to work after the most amazing 7 weeks home with my little girl. I'm heartbroken, but I know that she's in good hands with her daddy today. I know they'll have a great day and I absolutely can't wait to get home tonight. Here's hoping the day goes quickly. I don't know how I'll be able to do this every day. Not just the getting up at 4:15 to start my day (because that in itself seems like punishment enough), but how do I walk out the door each morning without her? Deep breaths had better help since I'm positive my coworkers do not want to hear me sniffling all day. Only 9 more hours, and I'll be back at home with my family. I can do it!!

A little taste of the outdoors

For the past two mornings, we've been treated to some nice, mild temperatures. And since Brian rearranged the porch last weekend, Mary Ellen now has the perfect spot to enjoy some fresh air. Her Pack-n-Play rolls right out the door and into the "seating area" that Brian created. And let me tell you, she loves it! See for yourself: