Where Did September Go?
There is so much to write about. First, I’m not sure where September went. My starting work and transitioning into life with childcare happened overnight and suddenly that was our new life. I guess that’s how we transitioned into life with Oliver as well. One day there is the old life, the next day a new life. The folks who make Franklin Planners (Franklin Covey – remember those? Made from this pulp from trees called… what was it again, paper?) capitalized on research that says it takes about a month for people to develop new habits, so they would try to get you to use a day planner for a month… at which point you’d be accustomed to the new lifestyle and (they hoped) a newly devoted plan book user. I had 5 months with an amazing little boy (plus a whole lotta hormones, other biological bonding stuff, and brown eyes that penetrate your soul) to get me devoted to a new schedule and new lifestyle. Yet the need for insurance and a paycheck is a powerful motivator, thus the need for this new stage of life.
For those of you who haven’t been following along, Calle helped the transition to leaving Oliver at home that first day by making me not want to be anywhere near our house due to extreme skunkiness. Thank you Calle. Your thoughts for helping were appreciated, if not the actual method.
Work has been crazy. Horace Mann has gone through a lot of staffing changes and BPS is going through a lot of changes in terms of staff evaluations and information management. Perhaps I’ll expound on that later, but let’s just say it would have been a really tough start of year whether or not Oliver had come into our lives.
There have been a whole bunch of firsts which I will try to post about individually. Also Jeremy and I have been made aware of the importance of lasts. Check out a Huff Post article written last month, The Last Time to see what I mean. Already I had been thinking about lasts as I pack away clothes that now seem impossibly small for our tall, skinny dude. This puts lasts in a new perspective, though.
This post will end early so I can go be with the aforementioned tall, skinny dude. Hopefully there will be a bit more time soon to chronicle the events that have happened since I last had time to blog.
25 years?!? Inconceivable!
Watching The Princess Bride to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the movie. Oliver fell asleep right before the shrieking eels. Probably just as well.
More on life later.
Later…
Oliver woke again to watch Wesley kill the ROUS. He handled it well. 
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
… or at least the Hostess does.
This weekend we went north to Portland to spend the new year with Jeremy’s parents. When we arrived in Portland we decided that we had enough time before Oliver went to bed to continue our tradition of a dinner at Bull Feeney’s. As we walked in with “the O” the hostess, Christina (a name we found out later), said, “you’re back!” I was in doubt as to whether or not this was a ploy to make us feel welcome, when she followed with… “and this is… Oliver, right?”
?!? Oliver has been in Bull Feeney’s once.
In July.
Christina’s take on why Oliver is so memorable, “you don’t forget a well behaved baby.” I guess not! Needless to say we felt a little pressure to produce similar results, which Oliver did. Phew!
Here’s a slightly pink photo of “the O” from our trip. I’ll try to upload a few better ones later.
O in Portland, September 2012
Going Back to Work Stinks – Literally
Yesterday was to be my first full day away from Oliver at work. I had anticipated being awake at night stressing about leaving him with C, the nanny. Instead at midnight Calle was sprayed by a skunk and thus began a 2 1/2 hour ordeal of trying to destinkify her. Followed by a 4:30 am wake up by Oliver. And a stinky house.
And a stinky car…
And a stinky computer bag…
And a stinky pump bag…
In fact, everywhere Jeremy and I went yesterday there were traces of skunk smell. Synthetic fabrics in particular seemed to hold it the worst. Our friends were supportive (read as “highly amused”) and helped us through the day. But by the end of it, we were wrecked. All that drama and only 2 1/2 hours of sleep will take a toll on you.
Oliver also was off, sleeping only about an hour between 8am-8pm! Not good for a little guy. Luckily we all got a good night’s sleep and are much happier today.
That is why going back to work stinks, literally!
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Yup.
I’m up at one in the morning. Why? Because I tried to do a good deed. Rather than wait for the morning to take Calle out or wait for Jeremy to do it, I was a good dog owner and brought her downstairs.
Right to where the skunk was waiting.
Our whole house reeks. After two rinses, Calle still reeks. Jeremy is off to buy hydrogen peroxide (recommended along with baking soda & dish soap by the vets at Angell Memorial). Recipe here.
I had imagined I’d have trouble sleeping tonight because tomorrow is my first full day away from Oliver. This was not at all what I had envisioned I’d be doing as I remain awake at 1 am.
Early Literacy
If this picture isn’t an ad for early literacy, I don’t know what is!
Hmm… I wonder where the baby is hiding this time.
Book courtesy of Anne S. Thank you Anne! We are really enjoying the Peekaboo book right now. Uncovering the baby makes Oliver happy every time.
Don’t I look cool in my Powell’s onesie?
Onesie courtesy of Alice and Randee as they hit Mecca the bookstore on their way back East. Thank you Alice & Randee! I was indeed Born to Read!
Overheard in the Bedroom
J: I think Oliver needs a hot dog shaped teething toy.
K: Why?
J: I don’t know. He just looks like he wants a hot dog.
????
Rock Climbing Evidence, Exhibit B
While I was pregnant my friend Lisa, mother to twins (bless all moms of multiples!), said that she was amazed and vindicated to see her boys twisting and turning in the real world just as they had in utero. During my pregnancy I always complained that Oliver was practicing rock climbing moves on the right side of my rib cage, curling his toes in between my ribs. When he was born, his big (but exceedingly cute) tootsies were my first piece of evidence.
While I’m sure what Oliver was really doing wasn’t exactly like this, here’s an illustration of what I was feeling. I present exhibit B:
Check out his toes!
The Reality Is…
The reality of parenthood is that you celebrate the firsts while you can, during the limited time you are around to see them. I know that so many firsts can happen once a child has started school or while they are out with friends or family. I had been mourning (in advance, if that is the proper word) the fact that once school starts Oliver may experience a lot of firsts with his nanny and not with us. Yesterday he spent some alone time with his nanny and by the time I arrived home a couple of hours later, another first had happened. Oliver went on the swings. I had considered doing this several times over the last week or so, but with the heat the black baby swings were always too hot, so I put it off. (Interruption: I will not be using this as a venue to talk about our relationship with our nanny or to vent about that sort of thing, so I will be keeping her name out of it. However, my mom’s grandma title is “Nanny” so I need to distinguish. For now, the initial C. This may change.) Oliver and C went for a walk to the playground in the late afternoon and she mentioned that he seemed to enjoy the swings. Viola! It had happened already. My first missed “first.” I’m hoping I didn’t look crestfallen when C told me. However it’s now out of the way and happened when I wasn’t even anticipating it. The band aid has been torn off, if you will. I’m sure there will be plenty more “ouchies” that have a greater impact as the school year progresses. Please refer me back here if I need some perspective.
That said, what did we do today? Go to the swings! We’ve been having difficulty posting video so I only have this still shot which does not capture the full effect of Oliver’s enjoyment.
Kicking back on the swing!
Today was his first time on the swings with me. Jeremy can have some swing time this evening and we will all be caught up. On a side note, Calle isn’t sure she approves of the swings. Such a protective puppy!