Vacation, all I ever wanted

Golly do I need this vacation so bad! Since saving up all of my vacation for my maternity leave last fall, I don't really know what taking a vacation means. But this is going to be sweet. I had finally reached that burned out phase at work, where important folks (like your superiors) are talking to you about future plans and you just don't hear them that well. You try, but it doesn't really register.

I'm looking forward to lots of folks around to hold my baby. We'll be staying with all the parents at some point in the trip, so Michael gets equal time. It will be crazy but worth it, and there's a pool at each place so what do I care?

I will try to blog between now and returning August 30.

The Breaking Point

Yesterday we reached the breaking point after Michael's rough night on Sunday. Monday was spent tired, trying to struggle through the workday. I actually fell asleep at my desk. Luckily I have my own office, so it's pretty easy to do. I felt myself sitting in my chair and quietly going off to sleep, still upright, vs. the head-down-on-desk method. And, one of my staff came in to check on something and found me. Again luckily, she's a mom, too, and so she understands.

Finally broke down after David, Michael and I got in the car to go meet up with friends for a birthday celebration for Vern. Things were getting tense in the car from all of our lacks of sleep--almost like Friday night fights. We avoided it, but it was still lurking. Since the dinner reservation was changed, drinks got moved up and over to a "British Alehouse and Eatery". I approached the door with Michael in arms while David parked. I should have seen it coming, the waitress turning to me to say "he can't come in here". I replied "he doesn't drink much." "Oh, but it's our license." Silly country.

So we went to the park to cool off, our friends soon joining us after slamming their beers. Once they arrived, Vern sat down with me and I just lost it. All the accumulation of the past year. Of David and I "valiantly" raising our son through his first year, rarely going out on our own (the books tell you to do it, why didn't we?). Everyone was so supportive as I melted into a puddle on my friend's birthday. It really broke down all of my supermom walls and, I hope, took me to a better place.

I need sleep!

Today's link: The Nursing Baby - Answering your AP related Questions

Last night was very rough with Michael. He's very close to walking and is going through changes along with that developmental spurt. He went to sleep at a very reasonable hour, but then woke up one hour later ready to go! He stayed up for another two hours. We walked him around the apartment and read him books. It was clear that his mind was racing and taking off. We were exhausted but couldn't help but laugh. He also woke up in the middle of the night and "slept-crawled" toward the head of the bed. Good thing we have the Euro-pillows as barriers. I feel the end of co-sleeping is near.

Our Little Boy

We've been busy celebrating our son's birthday, which was last Thursday. We didn't do anything special for it, really--went to work, ate dinner, etc. Michael did have salmon in his lunch that day, so that's pretty special, but other than that, we're saving up for the big California vacation that starts next week.

Our son's first birthday is causing a lot of flashbacks and reminiscing. It was a really great birth experience, and he's such a neat boy (no colick, no extreme fussiness, very social and fun). We've definitely been run ragged this past year, and balancing parenting and work is no picnic, but I'd do it all again (I've been bringing up number 2 to David and he just changes the subject).

Tomorrow is church and fixing food to last us through the week. On Thursday we met with Pastor Bill and his wife Sue to get more acquainted and talk about where we are spiritually. It was a really great meeting over coffee at Greenlake. No pressure, no "I can convert you tonight" deals. That's one of the reasons why we like this church. It's open to questioning and doubting. Bill and Sue are also extending themselves as people which is new to us--for people to be so generous so early in a relationship. I guess that is something that comes with the territory. They offered their daughter for babysitting and future meals together. These folks are so welcoming I look forward to community with them.

Oh, I should also mention that Friday Michael and I had a great lunch with Auntie Heather at Cheesecake Factory (a little indulgence of mine--actually only my 2nd time there). Michael had tastes of whipped cream from the cheesecake, a little bit of birthday celebrating.

School's Out for Summer (but it's already August)

This article, Great Haven for Families, but Don't Bring Children, caught my eye this morning on the NY Times site. I'm trying to stay in the moment with Michael so that I don't miss his babyhood (he turns 1 tomorrow!), yet there are articles like this, and people talking about their school-age kids that get me thinking about what is in store for Michael once he reaches school age. Who knows where we'll be living? We've been living small since we got married, especially with the economy of graduate school, so we could get by in terms of living expenses. But I get nervous when I think about the quality of Michael's school. There's no way we can afford private schooling. Hopefully we'll be in an area with decent public schools. The boy will have access to plenty of books in any case.

Is this some kind of joke?

Pastor Bill's sermon yesterday was on loving like Jesus loves, in his series on how God thinks of us and what to do with that. He incorporated all of these "action items" to practice for the week, like performing acts of kindness, etc. After church and lunch, Michael and I went to Ikea in pursuit of a tray/placemat that was more durable than the taped-down piece of plastic wrap that we had on the table. The joke is that after a sermon about loving thy neighbor, I had to go to the most crowded and patience-trying places in all creation. We were very excited about getting our new catalog on Saturday. Why didn't I remember that the entire region would be getting their catalogs too?

Today promises a bunch of crisis items for work, hot things that fell into my inbox on Friday (Monday is always catch-up from last week's fifth day off). Plus, covering for vacationing and hobbled folks, so taking on tasks that one usually doesn't do. On the up side, I get to go to my first and probably only Mariners game of the season. I hope MAS does okay. Nothing like trying to see if a toddler will sit still for a few hours. We're definitely taking the backpack.

Christian Links, Fa, La, La

I found a pretty powerful Christian Song database here. What happens is that I end up singing the songs from Sunday's worship, and then I can't remember the title (or the words completely). So I end up searching for them. One of the problems is that with lyric searches some of the lyrics are so popular that it's really hard to find the song. I'm trying to find one that has "like you deserve" sung by the "backup singers" but I can't find the title. It's about praise, so if I go that route, too many hits. La, la, la.

The "Good Old Days"

This past weekend David and I attended the party of my good friend Holly (see bloglink at left since I didn't paste it in). It was a great gathering--a good mix of familiar folks and new faces. Of course, the occasion was her imminent departure to Missoula, which is bittersweet (not a bad job, and a reason to visit Montana). Another great feature of the gathering, prompted by the occasion, was the cleaning out of her alcohol collection. Someone's gotta do it. So David and I indulged in cocktails, he in gin and tonic, and I in that great pre-21 cocktail of rum and Coke. On the way home we were reminiscing a bit about the good old days when we drank and smoked. Today Slate has an article on why gays smoke, which kind of explains the "vice divide" of childless and childed. Wistful sigh. We didn't feel too bad the next day either.

Take that back: I wish I had time for this

OK, so there is something interesting to comment upon... I spoke too soon.

A fun article in the New York Times regarding flash mobs, where spontaneous groups are organized for innocuous fun. I can see myself never having time for this. I only watch less spontaneous Dean Meetup gatherings from afar. Maybe there's a point in one's life when there is no room for "mob-ness"? I have a hard enough time enduring the crowds at Bumbershoot, Folklife, etc. See also Howard Rheingold's Smart Mobs site.

What title? Title for what?

This week Michael goes to 4 days of daycare, so there's one more day of prepping lunch and an extra change of clothes. I guess I have many more years of this, unless I send him off with lunch money. I can't see David agreeing to that for some reason. We have a great daycare, but it will be hard to leave him with "strangers" for an extra day.

Nothing interesting on the news front: J.Lo and B.Aff's movie bombs, Melanie Griffith in Chicago, the Gray Davis recall (zzzz). The work week drags along, it's Monday after all, and nothing profound to discuss. Aren't you glad you stopped by?