As I mentioned last week, Jennifer and James (our dear friends and JR’s godparents) finally welcomed their little boy into the world on November 30th.
Despite camping out at the hospital while Jennifer was in labor (for, oh, 70 thousand hours - she’s a champ, that one) we ended [...]
Our new(ish) movie theater does this awesome thing on Saturdays and Sundays called “Movies and Mimosas.” You show up, have a little drinky-drink, and then head into the theater to watch a classic film.
This weekend’s movie was “White Christmas” (snow, snow, snow, snoooooooow!) so some Twitter friends (shut up) and [...]
JR has always been very good when we tell him “no.” He would stop doing whatever prompted the correction, smile, shake his head back and forth, and move along.
Well, it seems things have changed.
He still stops, but rather than happily directing his attention towards something else, we get a very [...]
Why hello there!
Sorry for the absence. I’ve been busy doing a few things. Such as…
Making our house look festive for Christmas. This is an improvement over last year when I had just given birth and had just about as much motivation to decorate as to, well, give birth again
Putting [...]
A healthy, happy, beautiful baby boy
My wonderful, handsome, and loving hubs
A job I love
An amazing church
Supportive friends (both in “real life” and via the Internets)
Selfless family
You, the ones who keep coming back and listening when I really don’t have much to say.
***
My cup runneth over, as they say. Have a [...]
JR started his day by clipping the edge of one of our dining room chairs. A lovely purple line immediately took shape on his forehead.
Then he went to the doctor where he got a finger stick (and a Band-Aid which bothered him more than the stick), and a few shots.
Later, [...]
Rain jackets, rain boots, and umbrellas should always be brightly colored.
If you’re going to buy Oreos, you might as well go for Double Stuff… because who are we kidding?
Children should only wear shoes when absolutely necessary.
Tylenol is useless.
There’s nothing wrong with not raking your leaves.
“Tell us how you really feel” [...]
Cake! Cake! Cake!
What happened to my shirt? No matter, seriously, let’s see the cake.
CAAAAAAAAAAAAKE.
Um. I’m not sure about this. Hmmm…
Jk, guys, this is great.
NOM NOM SMACK [...]
JR,
What? How did this happen? How is it possible that an entire year ago today you joined our family?
I can’t understand how you’ve already gone from this:
To this:
And on to this:
But alas, here we are. This evening we’ll [...]
Dear dogs (you a-holes),
I know it’s raining. I’ve been lugging a 23+ pound child in and out of the rain all day. I am aware.
I am also aware of the fact that perhaps squidgy grass does not feel exactly pleasant on your dainty feet, so maybe going outside isn’t so [...]
Dear dogs (you a-holes),
I know it’s raining. I’ve been lugging a 23+ pound child in and out of the rain all day. I am aware.
I am also aware of the fact that perhaps squidgy grass does not feel exactly pleasant on your dainty feet, so maybe going outside isn’t so [...]
This past Thursday I got home from work at around 3:30 to find a delightfully healthy boy toddling around the front yard with his lovely babysitter/our lovely friend. JR was all smiles and laughs, bright eyed and on the move.
About 90 minutes later his nose was a river of snot [...]
JR was born right before Thanksgiving, and he technically celebrated his first Christmas last year. But come on, he was basically a blob then, so other then a few festive pictures, we deemed the holiday season kind of a wash and moved on.
Now that he’s a smiling, babbling (LORD [...]
I’ve mentioned Momversation here before, but let me just tell you that I feel the same anticipation for these that others feel for new episodes of Mad Men or So You Think You Can Dance? I love it so.
Anyway, as you may remember, I’ve struggled with depression in the [...]
The bigger JR gets, and as he becomes a bit of a “bruiser” as they say, he is reminding us more and more of, well, Tommy Boy.
Pictures like this kind of seal the deal:
“Lots of people go to college for seven years.”
(Also: What up, drooly?)
[...]Remember when I used to post every day? Sometimes even twice a day? Well, now it seems that I’m struggling to write even once a week. I have no excuse other than my life, my kid, and way to much watching of Gilmore girls.
I don’t know what my deal is. [...]
Two. Eight. Twenty-eight. I am twenty-eight today. Well, as of 2:41pm at least.
I fully understand that this isn’t old, but JEEZ.
I know a lot of people use their birthday as a time to wax poetic about what else they want to do with their lives and what not. I’m not [...]
JR,
Remember how last month when I said that we’d keep up our nursing relationship until you showed me that you were 100% ready to stop? Well the very day after I wrote that, you let me know that you were for sure, totally, OMG-get-away-from-me-woman done. It’s been bottles ever since, [...]
I’m not one to ever get all Soap Boxy McRanterson, but I need to talk about something. Perhaps even yell about it a bit.
I have a SERIOUS problem with what’s happening on The Hills right now.
(Yes, I realize the absurdity of that statement. Of all the things I could be [...]
I got a call from a friend of a friend last week. He works for a company that does commercials and the like in town. They were getting ready to shoot a commercial for some children’s hospital in West Virginia and needed some babies.
You see where this is going.
So! At [...]
I’ve been referring to this past Wednesday as “The Day Of Much Woe.” Work was frustrating on many different levels, JR was determined to do anything but nap, the house was (and still is) a disaster, and, ugh, just a million other things that I just can’t muster up the [...]
It is impossible to nap too much.
Grandparents are incredible.
A dirty Arnold Palmer is a lovely way to end an evening. Or every evening.
One can never eat too many peanut butter cookies.
It is very possible to become even more addicted to your child.
A tan after a week at the beach does [...]
Now that it’s been 10 (holy heck how did that happen?) months since I had a baby, I’m finally in a place where I can really, really talk about what it was like afterward.
I don’t mean the physical pain or the exhaustion, which, in retrospect, weren’t that awful for me [...]
JR,
It’s finally started to register with your dad and I that your first birthday is just around the corner, I’m assuming because you’ve hit the double-digits when it comes to how many months you’ve been with us (outside of my person, that is). And we’re celebrating this milestone while on [...]
We left Richmond on Saturday** and I’ve already lost track of what day it is. I’ve also only sent maybe two work-related emails, which is monumental.
And I haven’t been able to do more than that because I’ve been busy witnessing things like this..
(Ross will be adding [...]
I haven’t posted for eight days. I think the longest I’ve gone is five days, and that was after I birthed a baby. I don’t really have any excuse, other than being insanely busy trying to get ready for vacation. I’ve basically had to do two week’s worth of work [...]
I hate birds. HATE. The beaks, the feet, the TALONS. They are horrible.
There used to be this pet store in the mall near where I grew up. They let the birds just hang out on perches in the middle of the store. And they would just sit there. Staring at [...]
JR was baptized yesterday. We decided to make the most of the day and have a party to celebrate.
And have a party we did.
The church was pretty packed, as was our house later on that day. I spent the better part of Saturday freaking out over how everyone was going [...]
I got an email today from the person we hired to clean our house saying that she’s decided not to clean houses anymore. Something about being really busy and tired, etc. Which I could sympathize with. But I *did* cry when I got the email. Big ugly tears.
SHUT UP. I [...]
So. We hired a person to come clean our house.
Not just once. Like, regularly.
I’m almost embarrassed to even talk about it because, seriously, who am I? Why can’t I clean my own damn house?
Well, the answer is, I just can’t. With work, more work, a shit-ton of work, raising a [...]
Last week I noticed that things were a little tender on my c-section scar. Odd because I really haven’t had much sensation at all along the scar, which is somewhat common at an incision site. Or as I like to call it, “My Baby Exit Zone.” I’m kind of thrilled [...]
Dear JR,
Today you are 9 months old. I think that’s a big deal for a lot of mothers because you’re quickly approaching the status of “more time out than in.”
The biggest change this month has to do with nursing. At this point, you only nurse in the morning and at [...]
I’ve got a cold. The baby is an equally snotty mess due to the same cold or teething. Work is nuts, and I barely have time to do anything not related to things that pay the bills.
Be back soon…
[...]I know my last post was a list. I’M SORRY I AM VERY BUSY. But I have some things to share with you, all of which you will LURRRRRV. So here you go…
My darling, dear friend and co-contributor on RVANews, Patience, has just launched a website highlighting her [...]
We are going on vacation in September. VACAAAAAYYYY-SHUNNNNN.
JR is *this close* to crawling. Although I understand that this will no longer be exciting once it actually happens.
It’s August which is almost September which is almost October which equals my birthday.
I’m getting a manicure, pedicure, and lunch out tomorrow. And I [...]
The other night Ross and I were going through some pictures on his computer when suddenly one popped up of a baby being cleaned off just after being born. Specifically, MY baby. In a picture I HAD NEVER EVEN SEEN.
As Ross kept flipping through, more and more images (also unseen [...]
For the last few evenings, JR has spent his last nursing session latching on for about a minute, pulling off, screaming, and diving back in again. Lather, rinse, repeat for about 20 more minutes until he either seems satisfied or gets so worked up that we give him a couple [...]
So, I entered JR in a beautiful baby contest.
LET ME EXPLAIN.
One of the prizes is $529 invested in a 529 college savings plan. Who is going to willingly turn down the chance to get a contribution to her child’s education fund?
Now, I bet you all feel horrible for judging [...]
Today has sucked. I’ve had a ton of work to do. I still have a ton of work to do. Plus, I’m home with the baby whom I love so dearly, but can be a bit of a distraction.
When I work from home, I have two blocks of time in [...]
1. Staying up late working on things that could wait until tomorrow, next week, SOMETIMES even next month.
2. Spending my time nursing my baby messing around with my iPhone instead of soaking up every last fat roll and dimpled knuckle, remembering that this sweet phase in our life will be [...]
Friday: Up to feed the baby. Took Ross to work. Home to put the baby down for his nap. Various cleaning of the house and work things. Shower. Out to meet my mom for lunch. Drove to the office to take part in the LemonAid stand. Got rained out. Headed [...]
JR,
This picture pretty much captures what our life is like these days:
Put simply, you are grabby and happy. In fact, most of the pictures I get of you now include something that’s blurred because you can’t! stop! moving! Hey you there, always with the wiggling and [...]
Remember this picture? I had planned on posting a picture regularly but those plans were made when I was just three weeks in to being a parent and, therefore, blissfully unaware of how you barely have a chance to go to the bathroom let alone take pictures of yourself [...]
Watch out. I’m crabby. Here are things that aren’t helping…
1. JCrew and their not-fair practice of charging extra on swmsuits for those more endowed up top.
2. Jon Gosselin. Just in general.
3. The fact that Ross can go outside in shorts and not get a single mosquito bight. I go out [...]
Real Simple is running a feature this month in which several different female writers describe what situations or life experiences have made them feel beautiful. I’ve been in a major rut lately, so I thought (instead of picking just one) I’d list a few of those moments for me.
When I [...]
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tooth.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of the tooth because SOMEONE is being a butthead about letting me take a picture of it.
(For the record, I didn’t say my child *is* a butthead. I said he was *being* a butthead regarding a particular situation.)
(Don’t [...]
Ross took this on his iPhone when we were at the park this weekend. It makes me happy for two reasons:
1. It’s obvious where JR inherited his tendency to furrow.
2. Why do I look so confused by a playground toy?
[...]Friday: Up to feed the baby. Welcomed the in-laws for painting at around 8:30. Put the baby down for a nap. Went back to bed myself. Yes, I slept while my in-laws painted my living room (Hey! They told us they wanted to. We told them we had made a [...]
It’s been a while since I’ve assaulted you all with large quantities of baby pictures. THE TIME HAS COME.
Stunned by the magnificence of the blueberry.
Iowa is EXHAUSTING.
A little help here?
[...]So this was The Weekend. The much anticipate/dreaded weekend trip to Iowa. I say “anticipated” because JR and I were finally getting a chance to meet a good portion of my mother-in-law’s family. I say “dreaded” because this was our first overnight trip with the baby anywhere - and one [...]
This evening we were in the thick of the unholy hour between the baby’s dinner and bedtime while trying to coordinate who was going to do what in preparation for our dinner and getting the kid off to sleep. Trying to process that along with all of the work and [...]
Today was the day poor JR had to get a tube stuck in his pee hole (which is more more fun to say than “catheter”) and, overall, things went great. Well, I guess, as well as they could have when someone sticks a tube in your baby’s pee hole and [...]
Friday: Up to feed the baby and do some last minute tasks before leaving for the weekend. Handed the baby over to his grandmother for our first whole weekend away from each other. Some tears. Ate lunch. Hopped in the car and headed to Fredericksburg. Checked into our hotel. Got [...]
JR,
Here’s the text message exchange your father and I had today…
Me: He’s 7 months today!
Him: Holy shit
Me: I know!!!! Where did our baby go?
I’m asking myself that question a lot these days. While you are definitely still a baby, you’re gradually leaning more towards “little boy” than “infant,” [...]
So we went to the urologist today. It turned out to basically be an appointment to talk about what would happen at the next appointment, a fact I would have appreciated knowing ahead of time because I would have preferred Ross skipped this one so he would be available for [...]
A friend sent me her first “official” belly picture the other. My first reaction was “SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE HORAY YAY BABIES!” And I must admit, I had a slight longing for going through that again.
Slight. Very slight. So very slight. And then I got distracted by something else, and it was [...]
Friday: Up to feed the baby. Dropped Ross off at work. Home to shower and do some work. Fed the baby again. Headed out to have lunch with friends. Home to get the baby down for a nap and do more work. Fed the baby again. Out to do more [...]
Here’s a list of things that are making me say “What the mess?” at this moment in time…
As of Sunday, Ross and I will have been married for 6 years. My child is almost 7 months old. I have been sustaining said child with my own body (primarily) since February of 2008. [...]Friday: Up to feed the baby. Shower. Chores and work. Had a quick play date. Took a quick nap while the baby took his. More work. Went to the store. Got stuck in the store for a while because of the monsoon. Picked Ross up from work. Quick errands. Home [...]
We discovered the other day that JR has an odd reaction to people coughing:
JR laughs at coughing from Ross Catrow on Vimeo.
[...]At our old house, there was a tree in our backyard. A huge, old, majestic tree that was probably older than most of the people in our neighborhood (quite an accomplishment considering the majority of our neighbors were of the geriatric persuasion).
It was lovely to look at, really. But there [...]
Friday: Up to feed the baby. Put the baby down for a nap and got myself ready to go. Sister showed up at 10:00 to watch JR. Headed out to get measured for my bridesmaid’s dress alterations. Drove back into the city and pick up Ross for a business lunch-type-thing. [...]
So. I got a call from Dr. Cutie McSweaterVest this morning. Although JR’s ultrasound revealed that the size difference in his kidneys had not changed since birth, apparently there is still enough of a difference to warrant making a trip to a urologist next month where things will be looked [...]
The other day, JR and I joined my dad and sister for lunch. As I was trying to stuff some delicious pureed broccoli in his mouth, JR looked at me and shook his head from side to side. Each time I offered him more, he did this. So I stopped.
At [...]
I couldn’t help it. He just looked so funny. I did pick him up and cuddle him. After I took the picture.
[...]Friday: Up to feed the baby and get us ready for the day. Headed over to Henrico Doctors Hospital to have the follow-up ultrasound done on JR’s kidney. Was amused by the diversity of people in the Outpatient check-in area (including a dude in prison garb and shackles AND accompanied [...]
“I’m a shell. I have nothing to offer anyone right now.”
This is what I said to Ross as I sat crying on the couch in our basement this afternoon.
I’m not happy with how I’ve been approaching pretty much everything in my life these days. I greet every request with exasperation, [...]
JR,
How? HOW? How how how. How are you possibly going to be 6 months old this week? It pains my heart to think it.
Who do you think you are, being such a big guy now? Do you have any idea what you’re doing to your mother?
I [...]
Friday: Up to feed the baby. Did various chores and what not. Put the baby down for his morning nap. Got myself showered. Fed the baby again and headed out to have lunch with my mom. Home again to get the baby down for his afternoon nap. Did some work. [...]
JR and I stopped by the school where I used to teach on our way home from Mamaw’s house today. The ladies were all so happy to see him - and I was thrilled to see them. It had been almost two years since I’d been in the building. This [...]
I know I’m late. I’m also very busy. BACK OFF.
Friday: Spent the day putting the baby on a new feeding schedule. It went beautifully. I also got tons of work done. Overall the day was a success. I don’t really remember much else though.
Saturday: Spent the day trying to get [...]
Instead I will say “unless you work at Kinko’s” etc. etc. etc.
Allow me to explain.
I was at Kinko’s tonight (even though I don’t think it’s called that anymore, but whatevs) running some stuff off for church. While at the checkout counter, the woman in front of me coughed. She laughed [...]
Friday: Woke up feeling relatively rested for the first time in a long while. Fed the baby. Did a little work. Took a shower. Fed the baby again and headed over the in-laws for a quick visit. Ran a few errands. Home so the baby and I both could get [...]
Sometimes I miss teaching so much that my chest hurts a bit.
And then I remember what teaching actually involved, and I shake my head and laugh. A thousand blessings to those of you who have made that your life career.
I realized recently what I really missed was teaching language arts, [...]
Regarding yesterday’s post: First, thank you for the kind and supportive comments and emails. Second, I have set a new goal of definitely nursing until JR’s 6-month check up on May 15th. After that, we’ll just have to see.
I got a haircut today, which meant I had approximately 45 [...]
I thought I’d cheer myself up this afternoon by eating some tator tots. Because I’m apparently seven years old and that easily amused.
So I loaded up a pan with some tots, popped them in the toaster oven, and went on my way. JR was in the jumper-roo squealing like a [...]
Maura’s future mother-in-law (and Matt’s mother, a lady who has more pictures of me during my adolescence than my own parents) sent me this picture from the shower this weekend:
It’s a nice picture, and JR looks cute (AS ALWAYS).
But, good grief, I look EXHAUSTED.
Granted, it [...]
Whatcha doing?
Where ya going?
Whatcha think?
Whose gotcha?
Whatcha see?
Whatcha got there?
Friday: Up to feed the baby. Out to have lunch with my mom and run a million errands in the fabulous weather. Home again to rest a little. After putting the baby to bed, met up with some friends at Kitchen 64 for a late dinner. Home and to sleep.
Saturday: [...]
JR,
This coming Friday will mark the completion of your 5th month of life outside of my person. And I must say, if babies came out with the personalities of 5-month-olds, people would have babies NONSTOP. Seriously, you, with the cuteness, you’re killing us over here.
It hasn’t just been this month [...]
JR has been “giggling” for a few weeks, but lately we’ve been able to coax some for real laughs out of him. This video doesn’t capture the elusive belly laugh, but it’s close.
JR laughing from Valerie on Vimeo.
Friday: Woke up feeling like crap. Ended up having a fever for most of the day. Got in a couple nappish-like experiences in between and taking care of the baby. Welcome home the hubs. Played with the baby, gave him a bath, fed him, and put him down for the [...]
Remember back a million years ago when everyone was doing their 100 things posts? I did one, too. This isn’t one of those. At least, it’s not about me.
I’ve decided to do a series of 100 things posts about some of my most favorite people in my life, just [...]
Friday: Up to feed the baby. Dropped Ross off at work. Home to shower. Did some work. Out to meet my sister for lunch. Ran some errands. Picked Ross up at work. Home to eat homemade pizza and watch some Firefly. Bed.
Saturday: Up to feed the baby. Went back to [...]
Hope you had a good day, too.
[...]I’ve talked about how much I love Michael J. Fox before.
He was on Oprah yesterday, talking about his experiences as an individual with Parkinson’s disease. He was so candid and honest and positive, it brought me to tears several times. Not just because of his bravery, but more [...]
WARNING: This is SUCH a mommy blog post. Part of me hates myself for it. BUT I HAVE INFORMATION I NEED TO SHARE.
Ok, so now that JR is 4 1/2 months old, I’ve started to finally be able to figure out what pieces of baby “stuff” work the best for [...]
Friday: Loaded up Ross and the baby to go into the office for a while. Headed home to shower. Back out for lunch with my mom and sister. Home so the baby and I both could get some rest. Picked up Ross and went to the in-laws’ for dinner. Good [...]
