Crazy baby!

Oh no...I'm now blogging via my phone! Maybe now I can keep up with my blog easier. Anyways...I wanted to get up some photos from last week's "crazy hat and crazy sock day at daycare. Love my crazy looking baby...






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It Might Not Matter to You...but...

----WARNING----

If you do not care about my child's hair, spit, thumb, or acne then you might want to move on. I actually do care about those things and that is what this post is about...yes spit is important!

Apparently my little bean is over 3 months now. I have been telling people he is 2.5 months for a long while now and Dennis just made me realize the other day that Nolan is actually older than three months. I think I blocked this out because I want Nolan to stay a newborn and refuse to believe he is "growing up". Most of his newborn clothes no longer fit (YES I do still try to squeeze him in some of them). I know I need to clean out his onesie drawer and take the clothes to Once Upon a Child but I just can't bring myself to do it. Sweet sweet memories...

Recently some new things started happening with Nolan so I just wanted to document them so I have this to remember them.

*Nolan's hair is REALLY falling out, he's almost completely bald

*Nolan has some blonde hairs that recently sprouted

*Nolan drooled for the first time this week...like drool came out of his mouth and got all over his car seat straps.

*no more baby acne (well at least not like before)

*Nolan can completely suck his thumb now to soothe himself

Workout

Got back in the gym today...

Walked a mile (even ran a VERY little bit)

Biked a little over 8 miles

SWEET!

Lots of protein this morning...I'm back on track!

Cuddle You and 10 Minutes of Halloween

This weekend Dennis has been working each day, 8 hours...blah! That's really okay because then I get bean all to myself and even if he's crying...his smell is still sooo intoxicating! Last week I talked to one of Nolan's teachers and we talked about how Nolan likes to be held and they are trying to break him of that. Growing up and being around as many children as I was I always heard how terrible it is to have a "hold me" baby. Well, I have one now, GASP!!! But I actually don't care. I don't really see the issue here...it's not like Nolan will be 50 years old and still wanting to be held...he will be broken from it one day but right now he needs his mommy and to be held by people. So I say to you daycare, "is it really that difficult to hold my baby longer than just feeding him? you have FOUR babies in your room with TWO teachers...I'm pretty sure this is doable". I am only going to get this baby stage one time with Nolan and I am going to enjoy it from him being in my arms...not by staring at him in his swing and saying "ha ha I told you you were going to learn to not be a hold me baby!"

Last night we went and got Nolan's Halloween costume....yes the outfit that he will wear for a total of 10 minutes MAYBE so that we can take pictures. But that's really okay...I would never forgive myself if Nolan didn't have a costume for his FIRST Halloween! I'm not going to disclose what he is going to be for the entirety of ten minutes, but it will be cute! I really struggled with this costume thing because there are about 10 different costumes in the entire world that are made each year for babies and then a million stores sell them at all different prices. So really...anyone that has had a baby recently will have seen Nolan's costume a million times before as they searched for their own costume this year. I really wanted Nolan to be something clever and something people had not seen on a million babies before, but oh well. My baby boy will still be the cutest this Halloween (and cousin Greta will be the cutest girl this Halloween) and that's all that really matters!

Next weekend is the Boo Fest and I'm gearing up for all the photos and fun with family...plus it is going to be our first night not at home (staying at my mom's) so we will have to start packing the car a good day or two before we leave. The only thing I can't seem to find is a Halloween outfit for Nolan to wear (it's going to be about 86 degrees, so no costume!)..has anyone seen any cute outfits he might be able to wear? We looked at Baby's R Us yesterday but they only had about three different types and some were too warm and others just looked entirely too big. Any suggestions?!

Mornings...

I am finally back to working out...completely! I was sick last week and now I'm back and kicked my butt this morning at the gym. Getting to the gym is a different story...and not because I'm tired...or not motivated...but I know I'm going to have to go outside and with a bob cat on the loose and alligators all around...it's frightening! Dennis saw the alligator in our backyard/pond yesterday afternoon, creepy! I haven't seen one since June but I guess they're back! It doesn't help that I have to take Sadie out back in the morning and it is basically pitch black out, our little light doesn't go very far. Sometimes the deer run right in front of you and all you see is movement...I scream when that happens. What happens when it is the bobcat? It's no secret Sadie is not a ....fast mover. More like..."lets go see what that is, we can play...but it's going to take me an hour to waddle over there". This morning there was a frog with horns (I'm pretty sure that means stay away...) on the INSIDE of our screen...thereby trapping the frog in the screen...only way out is for me to open my door and then the screen...and even then the frog would be open to the inside of my house. Because of the damn frog me and Sadie went out front. Sadie did her business and then started pulling away from the house because she saw something down the street...yes we have street lights out front but it's still pitch black unless you are RIGHT under the damn light. I basically ran inside...pulling Sadie the whole way. Even though I hate my neighborhood when it's dark I love driving home from the gym because the sun is just barely coming up...such pretty colors against the palm trees. I love it!

In other news....

-Nolan only slept for about 15 minutes at daycare...ALL DAY yesterday :(

-My pink grapefruit acne scrub apparently does not work on acne or else I wouldn't have the biggest zit on the bridge of my nose

-I did cardio for a mile and then did about 45 minutes of strength training...I even ventured into the "land of the man"...free weights area, woot!

Back to Work and Booooo to Daycare

Well today was my first day back to work in just about 2 and a half months. Wow, how time flies. I really took my time getting ready this morning, trying to make my vacation stretch out even a few minutes more, but it was inevitable. Finally, I brought myself to put my new shoes on and leave the house...ugh! I got to work to find that I already had work laid out for me as my boss is going on leave and so now I am the new boss for two weeks until she decides to come back to this lovely place. I was very busy all day, dodged a few obstacles that were (needlessly and sleazily) thrown my way and I must say I did pretty well. Of course I could not have survived without my good friend Jessica, thank goodness for her!

Apparently now that I am back at work I am not only a bad mother because I didn't "really try" to breastfeed but now also because my son is in daycare and not just because he is in daycare, but because I did not call a zillion times to make sure he is okay. Someone at my work today actually told me that when she had her children she used to bring their sleepers to work with her when she went back to work and didn't stop calling. Really? Is that necessary. To each his own...but wow. What is me calling the daycare going to do? I am going to call and see if Nolan is okay and of course they are going to say, of course! I'm not going to call and they are going to tell me the daycare burned down and forgot to call me, or Nolan cried so hard his eyeball popped out? Uhmm...I don't think so. If something happens they have my phone number. Is Nolan going to be upset and feel less loved because I didn't call a zillion times everyday? No! *sigh* Oh well...Maybe I'll call tomorrow just so I can show "them" that I am a "real" mother with a "real" bond to my child!

Oh and by the way...I hate daycare. My baby does not look like my baby anymore. I picked him up today and he was struggling to breath! Hello!! Maybe I should have called a zillion times?! My baby is so tired from daycare that he comes home and goes right to sleep, only wakes to drink his bottle twice and then back to sleep for the entire night...and I hate that. I realize Nolan isn't going to sing me a song right now but I enjoy him when he is awake and happy. Now I basically have no time with him...it's sad. I've come to the conclusion that the reason Nolan sleeps in ten minute spurts at daycare is because they don't swaddle him...don't they know newborns need to be swaddled or is that just my newborn? My newborn who can't sleep un-swaddled because his poor hands punch himself in the face while sleeping, startling him awake...it just doesn't work. Also, he just doesn't look the same, he looks hardened...like he's spent time in prison. Really, last night Nolan was staring us down and we just looked at each other like...is he giving us "the look"? The look that criminals have when they are tired and washed out but are still planning to live a life of crime and they are about to physically harm someone...that's what my baby looks like now. Thanks to daycare!

Convincing him I should be a SAHM!

Okay so tomorrow is the big terrible day...I go back to work. I have to say I am somewhat looking forward to it for the adult interaction and seeing my friends there but soon I will regret going back early, I just know it! I do have an argument to staying at home, whether it works or it doesn't (it really won't, but I can try right?).

Here is my argument....

With me being home I am saving us money, not just because I'm saving gas or anything like that but because of me I am finding out GREAT websites to help us as a family. Today alone I have found two amazing websites. First off, yesterday we cleaned out the garage and Dennis has a ton of electronics (including an old school xbox and tons of games) he has refused to get rid of and every year says, "I'm going to recycle that" and then it sits in our garage until the next year's cleaning out. Well today I found out that Walmart has a trade in program. You can trade in all sorts of products and they will send you a visa giftcard to Walmart. Now...I don't really like Walmart but if I'm getting free money to shop there, I'll do it. Thanks to me I found somewhere for all Dennis' crappy electronics to go and get paid for it!

Secondly, I found another website called Alice.com. I still have not mastered it or ordered yet, but the reviews are raving. It is a website which has TONS of products that you normally buy at the grocery store. They compare prices to other retailers for products on their website (I checked the other sites, and their price comparisons are accurate) and they are almost always cheaper. PLUS, you NEVER pay for shipping. They remind you to buy things after a certain time period, they find coupons automatically and apply that to your order EVERY time without you having to cut coupons (which we just started..and it is a pain!). I can't wait to get a list together and order from here. And since you aren't paying for shipping it really doesn't matter if you buy from them weekly, like grocery shopping! It's so exciting!

So maybe, just maybe Dennis will read this tonight and have an epiphany that I should stay at home and continue to save us money! Not to mention not needing daycare, gas, etc...it's perfect! I'll make sure Dennis reads this when he gets home and you all should begin to pray for me! ;)

---

Dear head cold (or whatever you are),

Please go away. More than likely my above post is not going to do any good and I am going to be FORCED to go back to work tomorrow morning. I cannot go to work and pretend to look happy if I am sick. Right now I can barely eat and all I am doing is sleeping because of you and I'm still tired. So PLEASE, think about what you're doing to me. I have new clothes and shoes I would like to look nice tomorrow, refreshed and happy to be back to work (even if it is all a lie!!). So please pack up and get the hell out!

Sincerely,

Erin

The Obligatory "Daycare Post"

Well I did it, I took Nolan to daycare...for a couple of hours. The hardest couple of hours of my life. I wonder, do they have pills for adult separation anxiety? If not, can we work on that? I am actually proud of myself, I held it together while at the daycare. I smiled and laughed and asked questions, I acted "normal". The director kept asking me if I was okay, do other mothers go through this their first time too? Of course I smiled back, "oh I'm just fine". When I got in the car though...the flood gates of tears opened up...I held it in as long as I could. There was a strange woman (whose english is not that great) holding my son, what if my son wonders where mommy is?, what if something drastic happens while I'm gone, what if he cries continuously? I know, all irrational fears but I'm a new mommy! Nolan wasn't even crying when I dropped him off, so I'm sure he is fine, and the lady who has broken english was really nice. There is always the "fairy godmother" there that has been there for 11 years (really she looks like the fairy godmother on Shrek) and she is great. I came home and made myself a sandwich...for the first time I was not rushing and throwing random things on pieces of bread in an attempt to run back upstairs to save Nolan from his crib before he started screaming. Wow, amazing! Think of all I can get done on Monday...and all of the crying to be done as well.

Onto other, less sad news...well actually..not really. Yesterday, Nolan got his 2 month shots. There were 4 injections and 1 liquid shot which Nolan drank up, thirsty baby! I made Dennis be right there with Nolan when he got the shots, I hid in the corner with my hand over my face. No..really..I did. Nolan really didn't cry for too long and I only had to give him two rounds of Tylenol. No issues at all! Nolan does have little bumps in his legs but the nurse said that is normal, poor thing! Here's my strong little boy...

Even more news...while Nolan was asleep this morning (until 10:30am) I could smell his poopy all the way down the hall and in our bedroom. I thought the puppy pooped for sure, but when I rescued Nolan from his crib I knew there was going to be something special about that diaper change. Wow...I never knew something so horrendous could come from something so precious! BTW...I'm sorry for writing about this Nolan, but really I could smell it down the hall, and your door was closed!