Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Fun Times

My husbands parents were here to visit for almost a week. We had such fun! It was really nice to have people around and do fun things! We went to an aquarium and saw penquins, beluga whales, sea lions and lots of fish. Sage loved it of course. I am sure he will remember it for years to come! He was so good while they were here. He missed so many naps and wasn't fussy. It makes me think he does too well with little sleep. He slept in our room in his pack-n-play and the parents slept in his room on an air mattress. He slept all night every night. He was waking up early like 6. Last night, he is in his own room again, and wakes up at 3am. Then slept until 7. Weird. I wonder if we always slept in the same room, if he would sleep through the night. Tempting.

Remember the washer being delivered?! I am finally using it today for the first time! I am washing the towels. It can only wash about 3 to 4 towels at a time plus some washcloths and hand towels. So, it will take me a while to catch up on the laundry since I haven't done it for a week then add towels and sheets on top of that. Maybe I should go to the laundromat one more time. Then I could take my rugs and wash them too.

It is pretty hot here and with no air conditioning, that means I do my cleaning in the morning and then try to lay low in the afternoon. Maybe I should go somewhere air conditioned or the beach!

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Sweetness

My husband and son are asleep on our bed. My son is laying on my husbands chest. There is nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby except a sleeping baby laying on my sweet husband.

Andrew's (my husband) parents are here. They arrived yesterday. It is so much fun having someone familiar. I almost cried when we picked them up from the airport. I find that I can cry pretty easily lately. Like sitting in a new church again and thinking again that we left the best church and friends in the world. Or thinking about my two nephews that we lived with back in Iowa and how much I wish I could see them right now and to hear them talk. Or just to have someone to go to a chick flick with or the pool or to watch Sage while I just run out. I have an overwhelming desire to go home. I feel like I am on vacation and ready for it to end. You know how sometimes a vacation can be just one day too long and you are so ready for the familiarity of home. That is what I feel like everyday. And the hardest part is to remind myself that this is home.

Since they are here, Sage is sleeping in our room. Which means up at 6! Why can't he be a kid that sleeps late? Why do I have to get an early riser? Sage has all of the sudden gotten picky about what he will and will not eat. He used to eat anything I put on the spoon. Now, he will often scrunch up his mouth and nose and turn his face to the ceiling when I try to feed him. It is hard not to laugh because it is so cute, he is getting more ornery everyday. He walks around furniture now. I can't believe how fast time flies. He is getting so big!

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Busy Tuesday

Today was laundry and cleaning day. Remember how the washer got delivered? Yeah, I still haven't gotten to use it so I spent two hours at the laundromat. And then cleaned for about four hours. My in-laws are coming tomorrow. They are staying for almost a week. I have everything as ready as can be. Tomorrow morning I will set up the air mattress and make it and move some of Sage's stuff into our room. They are going to stay in his room and Sage will move into our room for the week. I am excited for them to come. They will be our first over night guests in our new apartment! I am tired from the day and dinner still needs to be made and I want to make chocolate chip cookies.

Yesterday, I did a bunch of errands. I returned a video, deposited money at the bank, and went to the post office. I walked to those places and later drove to Target. It is nice to be able to combine exercise with errands except that I might not be walking fast enough to really call it exercise! I need to start doing something too.

Do you ever think about your position on the Iraq war? For it or against it? And why? I was recently asked my opinion and didn't feel like I am knowledgeable enough to articulate why I support the war. I support the war because the UN was giving Sadamm too many chances to get rid of his weapons of mass destruction. I know they didn't find any but it is partly the (can't think of the right word). I mean how many times do you tell your kids to do the same thing and when do you expect them to comply with you. I would bet you expect them to comply the first time they are told to do something. And why do you tell them certain things? To protect them from things. Maybe parenting and world politics shouldn't be compared but that is what relates to me.

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Tag Sales

Garage sales, yard sales, whatever you call them. I am not impressed with them here. The advertising is miniscule, so you don't really know what they are selling until you get there and of course, they are all about 15 minutes away by car. So, I was all excited to tag sale here this summer but now I don't know if it will be worth it. I think I might try the consignment stores. I'll let you know about those.

Today has been a lonely Saturday. My husband is working so he can take days off next week when his parents come to visit. And I don't feel like doing much of anything. I did dishes, bills, filed, took Sage to the park, basically, I am trying to stay busy. Sage is crying in his crib. I put him down for a nap at 2:32 he cried until 2:52 slept until 3:25 and has been crying since. He is still tired though so I want him to go back to sleep but I doubt that is going to happen. It is always a debate about what to do. Get him and rock him back to sleep or listen to him cry and have us both be miserable? But he has to learn to put himself back to sleep. Sometimes, I go in, comfort and lay him back down. That doesn't usually work either. Any suggestions? Or do I want to open myself up to that?! Just kidding.

My husband just called and said he is coming home! That is almost an hour early! How exciting!

Friday, June 17, 2005

Random Things

Have you ever wanted to get out of the house and be around people? I feel that way a lot in my new city. Sometimes, I will go for a walk and take Sage to the park but today I didn't want to go for a walk. So, I packed a lunch for Sage and went to Target! Yes, we ate lunch at Target and then walked around for a little bit. I wanted to get the Jergens lotion, Natural Glow but they were all out so I had to stop at Wal-Mart, but it had to be fast because I didn't want Sage to fall asleep in the car and then not nap when we got home.

Speaking of Sage and naps. He will have good days and bad days. This morning was bad. He cried for 30 minutes before finally falling asleep. And then only slept about an hour. This afternoon he didn't make a peep when I laid him down. Our neighbors little boy, Samuel, sleeps in the same room as they do but not only that, they don't shut the door or turn a fan on for white noise. He has just learned to fall asleep with noise. It is so great. Their bedroom is between the kitchen and living room so Samuel hears everything, no matter where the people are. It makes me think that is the way to do it. It also makes me think that Sage should be sleeping in the same room as us. I mean, he does sometimes, but just when we are staying at someone elses house.

It is hard to make friends. Where am I supposed to meet people? The only people I have met, live in my building. At least I have Nico. We go somewhere together at least once a day. For a walk usually. They are going to look at a minivan this weekend. And Gabri said that we could all go on trips every weekend together. That would be fun.

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Delivery

No, not labor and delivery, a washer delivery! Yes, we are getting a brand new washer delivered today! No more going to the laundromat! It isn't your typical washer, it is a small washer. It only holds 10 lbs. I am not exactly sure how much that is but I weighed one of two bags of laundry before I went to the laundromat and it weighed nearly 30 lbs! Needless to say, I will be doing laundry everyday! It is hard to decide the worse of the two evils, laundry everyday or laundromat. Laundry everyday also implies, laundry hanging somewhere everyday. Outside or inside. Outside until the weather no longer cooperates and then inside for the winter. However, we also need a place to hang the laundry outside. Thank goodness for father in laws coming to visit and requesting projects!

Last night we went to our neighbors for dinner. They happen to be Italian and made us an Italian dinner, so yummy! We are having so much fun getting to know them and have already got an invitation to visit in Italy! Did you know that pen in Italian is box? English can be a very confusing language with one word with several different meanings.

Guess what! The washer just got delivered! Now I will have to wait for hubby to get home to set it all up. But a little more waiting won't hurt.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Life

Life is starting to seem normal here. Everything is unpacked, so it is more comfortable. Our neighbors just moved here from Italy and have a son the same age as Sage. She stays at home with him so we are starting to hang out some. Yesterday, we went to the park with the boys and today we went to the library for a program. Sage happily sat in my lap but Samuel crawled around and she had to chase him. It is funny to see the difference in the babies. And at the park, Sage loves the swing and Samuel was scared. Last night, I took them to the grocery store because they don't have a car and it is too far to walk. After that, they came for an American dinner. We grilled hamburgers. Tomorrow night, we will go to their apartment for an Italian dinner. I decided that Sage will stay in his crib until 7am even if he is crying. The last two days I have done that, he has gone back to sleep! And his naps are getting better. He is so cute and so smart. My husband taught him to say aaaggghh after he takes a drink. So cute!

Friday, June 10, 2005

Fits

My son, Sage who is almost 11 months old has started to throw fits. If I tell him no or do not touch, his pouty lip comes out and then he will lay his head down on the floor and cry. It is funny to watch but also frustrating. I don't know how to tell him that he can't throw fits. I have tried ignoring him and I have tried picking him up, holding him away from my body and putting him in his crib until he stops crying. But as soon as he stops crying in his crib the moment I walk into his room, he starts again. Help! Just now, I put him in his high chair so he could have a snack of Cheerios, I don't know if he didn't want them or what but he immediatly started dropping them on the floor, I told him no harshly and his lip came out, his head went down on the pile of cheerios and when he lifted his head, he had two cheerios stuck to his lip! I couldn't help but laugh. He stopped throwing them off and started eating them, but I don't want him to have an attitude.

In other news, an Italian couple with a son the same age as Sage moved in upstairs. They have had a lot of trouble moving. Long flights, dirty apartment, then last night, they had no hot water. We hauled up buckets of hot water so they could give the baby a bath. They are so nice and we look forward to getting to know them more.

I went to a Stay and Play at the library yesterday. It was for kids ages 0 - 5. I met some other moms and one even gave me her phone number. She lives close to the beach and said to call her when I bring Sage, they are always up for a trip to the beach. But today is another day of what do I do all day with Sage and myself? The easiest thing is to go shopping, but our budget can't handle that.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

First Blog

This is my first time blogging! I am excited and have no idea what to write. We just moved to a new city and state, half way across the country. I don't know anyone yet so I have a lot of time on my hands!

I am a stay at home mom for my son, Sage who is almost 11 months old. He is so much fun. He crawls and scoots, waves bye-bye and babbles all the time. We took him to the beach and ocean for the first time last weekend. He wasn't impressed with the grittiness of the sand or the freezing cold water. I guess I will be looking for some kiddy pools. He hasn't quite adjusted with napping and sleeping at night. I am now rocking or patting him to sleep for his naps and he is frequently getting up in the middle of the night and the only way I can get him to go back to sleep is by giving him a bottle. His naps are really short like less than an hour and he usually will only do that twice a day. I don't know what to do. I just keep telling myself that it is a phase.