7 months later... I'm still here!

Hello everyone! I'm still here although I haven't posted in 7 months (yikes!). As you can probably assume, going back to work full-time plus having a young daughter = no time to blog. Why am I blogging now? A Tuesday at 1:20pm? Here's that story:

Around the end of November, my husband and I found out we were pregnant with number 2! We are both incredibly happy about this, as we had hoped to have our children close in age, and summer babies are great for me. As a teacher in Canada, my maternity leave lasts for a whole year, therefore I miss an entire school year. It's best for me and for potential students, rather than having a replacement come in during the year. The holidays went by in a whirlwind of family, friends, dinner parties and a lot of fun. January came along and we kept visiting and going on weekend trips and my mom definitely told me to slow down... which I did, but the damage had already been done (don't worry though - baby #2 is still A-OK!).

By the end of January, I was a complete mess. I would break down and cry at least once a day. My colleagues didn't recognize me anymore - I'm usually very energetic and enthusiastic and I was feeling very low and exhausted. At the beginning of February, I started having contractions and went to the clinic. The doctor (not my regular doctor but a colleague of hers) told me to slow things down and do no physical activity. My family and I are very active people. My husband and I are to. Up until this point, I was walking to the metro, walking to the daycare to pick up my daughter, walking the dog, etc. But we now had to buy a car so I could actually get places without feeling winded and getting contractions. I was sure once we had the car I would be a lot better. Fast forward a few weeks and no such luck - the best metaphor I came up with was feeling like I was swimming in the ocean and the waves just kept crashing over me. I wasn't drowning - yet - but I was so exhausted and couldn't see the shore.

I went to my regular follow-up pregnancy appointment in mid-February and explained the situation to my doctor: the fact that I could no longer walk for 5 minutes or go up stairs without feeling exhausted, the fact that I would come home and cry every day, the fact that sitting at the dinner table was so exhausting I would rather be laying on the couch and the fact that I didn't seem to be able to recuperate on any sleep as I'd have insomnia every second night. It seems as though she had had patients like me before because she said, "Oh ya, that can happen" and immediately gave me a month's leave of absence from work. She told me the hormones were partially at fault, the weather wasn't helping (it was one of the coldest and longest winters here!), and that I just really needed to rest. When I started asking (through tears) why this was happening to me and why I couldn't do it all like so many other women around me I had seen be pregnant and work and have kids, she told me to stop immediately. She said, "comparing yourself to others will not help, feeling guilty will not help and these thoughts need to stop". Easier said than done, but OK.

Well here we are, three weeks later and I can say I am feeling better. If we go back to the metaphor, I still feel as though I'm swimming in the ocean, but the waves aren't crashing over me every two seconds - I feel as though I can catch my breath. I've been having less insomnia, naps every day, and the warmer weather is encouraging as well.

My husband was and continues to be the most amazing support I could ask for (along with my family and friends). He is such a strong man and sometimes knows just what to say. As I was doubting myself once again he told me to notice that we haven't been seeing as much of Kate Middleton this time around, as she is pregnant with number 2. He said, "She's probably finding it more difficult too". Being compared to a princess just made my day!

Piñata & more

Hello hello! Long time no see! Between throwing my daughter her first birthday party and going back to work, I haven't had much time to blog. I have a few minutes ahead of me between folding laundry and the time she'll most likely wake up from her nap to try to update you on what's been going on around here.

Although her birthday was rainy and we had to hold the party indoors, I still think it was a success.

I really REALLY wanted to share with you the step by step process of making a homemade piñata, but #1: daughter just woke up and #2 I can't understand iPhoto... so I guess this was more of a tease than anything else. Oh dear. Who knows when I'll be able to blog again?

Daycare...

I feel like saying "Nobody told me it would be this hard" but that would be a lie. The truth is, they told me, I just didn't listen. Actually, I just thought I was immune. I had this. I had sent baby Z to drop-off daycare before, she'd been babysat a bunch of times, she just spend 8-2 for two weeks with her abuela, therefore we would both be pros at 'real' daycare. 'Real' in the sense that this is a 7-4, 5 days a week thing that will last as long as the school year. Oh boy. Thankfully I gave us two weeks integration time to adapt to the new schedule, new daycare, new everything.

To moms who have not been through this yet, what I can best describe it as is a terrible break-up. You know, when rationally you know this is the best decision, but emotionally it feels like your heart has been torn to pieces and stepped on? That feeling. It is AWFUL! Similarly to a break-up situation, I have cried, I have found it hard to concentrate, I have wondered if I had made the right decision, and I have mourned the time we spend together. It is very, very weird to go from seeing someone 24/7 to not seeing them for big chunks of the day.

Today is day 3 of integration and overall, things are going well. Today was the first time she had her afternoon nap in her crib at daycare. She has been eating well. Yesterday morning she began playing with the other babies. I feel so much better knowing that I can trust the daycare we chose for her - everyone who works there is amazing!

On the plus side, I have a ton of free time now and I don't have to worry about what to pack in the diaper bag before I leave my house. It is very liberating. Let's hope this journey continues to be positive!

11 months - late!

I let blogging fall a bit behind this month because I took a two-week intensive course to finish my Masters and I'm not finished my final paper. I promised myself I would only blog once I finished my final paper, but it looks as though I'm breaking that promise. Anyway, this will only take five minutes (or less).

Baby Z is going to be a year old in a few weeks!!! She has evolved into this wonderful little person who is witty and funny and whom I love beyond words. She starts daycare next week (wish me luck!) and I'm sure that will be a whole new adventure.

She isn't walking yet... but she does stand unassisted for a few seconds (3 Mississippi's is her best so far). She's been learning animal sounds, thanks to my mother-in-law who stayed with us and watched her while I was in my intensive course, and she's got the lion down! Her roar is the cutest thing you'll ever hear (I may be biased). She doesn't do any of the other ones on her own, but we're working on the horse, cow, cat, and dog. Speaking of dogs, she absolutely loves Taco and has figured out how to feed him, which is really bad because he has a weak stomach and throws up whenever he eats human food! She also has a few more words and hand gestures, such as 'bye' with a wave. Sleep is inconsistent, last night she woke up what felt like a bazillion times (teeth?) and the night before that she slept straight through from 7-7! Who knows what's going on with that!

I have to make good use of nap time and my five minutes are up! Next month post will be the birthday one!!!

Trip to New Jersey

We had a fun-filled five-day trip to New Jersey! The main event of the trip was my nephew's third birthday, which was a huge success, but we'll get to that.

First of all, before I left I realized I had a mild case of hand-foot-mouth disease, which is a childhood illness similar to chicken pox in that a virus infects you, you get spots (but only on your hands, feet, and mouth, hence the name), and there isn't much you can do about it. Luckily, I got a mild case, as I've heard it can be pretty terrible. I had very few spots and the most discomfort I felt was a loss of appetite. I didn't even get a fever. Our guess is that baby Z had it before me, though her case was pretty mild too and her spots were mostly around her diaper, oddly enough. Anyway, all this prelude to say that in order to lessen the chances of contaminating my nephews and the rest of the family, we decided to spend the biggest chunks of our days outside of the house.

Spots on my hands

On the drive down, there was a major downpour! At certain points during the drive, we could barely see the cars in front of us. At another time, we were listening to the radio and there was an emergency broadcast to say that a tornado warning was in effect in our area! Scary! We had to pull over and wait it out a few times, but we made it slowly but surely. Z was pretty good in the car, she slept most of the way, and when she started getting cranky, we'd stop. It made the drive that much slower with all the stops, but it beats having a crying baby in the car!

The next day we decided to take the train to NYC! It was Baby Z's first time in the big city and I think she loved looking at all of the different people! We walked from Penn station to Central Park and then went to the zoo. She absolutely loved the animals, it was fun to see her get excited! We then went to F.A.O. Schwartz (a big toy store) and I was surprised that at 10 and a half months old, she already wanted all of the toys that she saw! She would cry when I walked away from a toy, but then she would get happy a second later because she saw more toys, it was kind of funny and kind of annoying too! We walked back down 5th avenue towards Penn station and got home in time for a delicious dinner. Baby Z's abuela and tia had arrived from Mexico at this point and we had a great evening catching up. They say NYC is the city that never sleeps, but it sure tired out little Z, she slept like a log that night!

Our next day trip was to the Jersey shore. We went to Point Pleasant. I had never seen a beach like this before; it was just like in the movies with the boardwalk, the arcade games, the rides, the snacks and everything! We had a lot of fun watching Z find seashells in the sand. She didn't like it when the waves touched her feet, as the water was cold and I think it surprised her each time. We walked up and down the boardwalk and Z enjoyed people watching once again. She saw so many new things on this trip! We accidentally missed our exit on the way back, so the one and a half hour drive turned into two and a half hours... it was good to come home to family and a delicious dinner once again.

First time in the ocean!

As I said before, my nephew's birthday was a huge success! He turned three and to celebrate, my sister in law and her husband had organized a party at a farm. We got there and got to enjoy meeting his friends and the picturesque scenery (exactly what you'd imagine a beautiful farm to look like). Then we ate (pizza, fruits and veggies) and had cupcakes. Then we all got on a tractor ride up to see the animals. The children each had a bucket full of carrots to feed the animals, it was the cutest thing! There were pigs, rabbits, chicken, goats, poneys, sheep, and maybe more that I'm forgetting. Baby Z especially liked the rabbits. There was also a playhouse, a huge sandbox, a water play area, and a play tractor area! Basically, it was a kid's dreamland! Z loved the sandbox. We then got a train ride, which was super cute as my nephew absolutely loves trains! We headed home afterwards and hung out and watched a world cup soccer game.

Having a blast in the sandbox

The drive back was pretty uneventful. It was hot and our air conditioning broke, so we let the windows down and had the wind blowing through our hair pretty much the whole way back. It was an amazing trip but I was sad I didn't get to play with my nephews more because of the virus... oh well, hopefully they'll come up for Baby Z's one year birthday party and we'll make up for it then!

10 months

I just re-read the 9 month post and not much is new... oh but she is talking more!

She can say:
-ba (which sometimes means ball, balcony, bath, park, etc.)
-maman (melts my heart every time)
-papa
-ta (for Taco, our dog)
-na (for no, obviously)

She can sign:
-milk
-all done
-more
-sleep

She also claps, waves and points.

She sometimes sings, which is cute! The screeching is not so cute.

It is really fun to be able to communicate with her more and more!

Father's Day craft

This post is a few days late but I wanted to share the father's day card my baby helped me make. This was how I envisioned the process:

1. She would enthusiastically help me tear pieces of paper.

2. She would help me spread the glitter glue.

This is how it actually went:

1. She ignored the paper and looked for everything else she could get her hands on.

2. After I showed her repeatedly how to tear the paper and gave her a few pieces she just held them in her hands and then tossed them aside. 

3. She got angry because she wanted to hold the glitter glue and did not help me spread it.

I love my feisty little girl! She has a mind of her own, is determined, knows what she wants and isn't afraid to get it... watch out world - she's growing up!!!

See how she tried to steal the glitter glue?

I think my husband enjoyed his first father's day - he appreciated the card and the framed picture I got him, the breakfast I made and the day spent together. We went to one of Baby Z's friend's first birthday party and it was really fun to watch all of the babies interact!