All good things must come to an end...

...and so it is with my maternity leave.

Tomorrow it will be officially OVER. The working part-time gig I've been doing the past 2 months has been fantastic and I'm a little nervous about what is ahead at this point. The main kicker? Friday I got an email from the daycare person I had picked (and received confirmation from...and scheduled out for the whole month of March...) saying that she couldn't actually take Conley anymore due to limits with her license (or lack of the license I suppose). Bummer.

So, what is a girl to do? I'm not sure. I cried and called Ryan. Told my mom she had to move up here. Neither helped. I still don't have daycare lined up, but I do have a few leads.

How in the world am I going back to work FT tomorrow without daycare you ask? Well, this is the point to be extra grateful for this job that allows me to work with my boy. It is hard, it is exhausting, but boy oh boy am I lucky. I DO NEED DAYCARE, but only for a couple days a week for now. And not this week. One day at a time right? Yikes-a.

So, it is just crazy to reflect on the past 3 months and what a different world I'm living in. I went from THIS...



...to this...



...to this...



I can't believe we've had this little man for 3 whole months and at the same time I feel like we've had him forever. I even mentioned to Ryan yesterday that I feel like a real person again...no weird aches and pains and strange body things (sorry...TMI). Let's not jump the gun and assume I'm forgotten about the traumatic experience known as LABOR, but I don't shudder quite as much when I think about it...and Conley might get a brother or sister in the next decade....maybe.

I have a (huge) pile of folded baby laundry in front of me and I remember the days before he was born when I would wash them with the special baby detergent and fold those tiny little things. Now, these (huge) piles have items that need to be added to those that have already been packed away from him outgrowing them. Such a big boy.

Love, love, love him.

So, off to work we go tomorrow. (Hi-ho, hi-ho).

And now the need for mommy-Conley PTO days begins. My goal is once a month.

Because as much as I'll try, I know the hustle-bustle of work days will leave me wishing he'd be napping too often and rushing us around a little more than I'd like. I need those vacation days to stop and enjoy these moments.

Mom sounds like a geeker, but Conley is cute :)

Conley and Daddy

In love

Tonight before bedtime, Conley and I got to read lots of books, dance around his bedroom to a lullaby CD, and play with his toys. Then, I rocked him, admiring those fluttering lashes as he fell asleep with milk dripping down his chin. I couldn't possibly love him more!

Lifesaver

Oh what would I do without this bouncy chair? It is MY favorite because it seems to be a favorite on Conley's! We just recently introduced the actual toy/waterfall part that goes on top, but he has always been so content to sit in it. I take it with me to my houses when I have to work and it is sooo worth lugging it around! Thank you garage sale (and mom who bought it at said garage sale....!)!

Inchworm

Conley's first toy is inchworm that he got for Christmas from Ben, Jackie, and Allie. It's fun and I'm hoping to get monthly pics of him next to it--it's 2 feet long.

Here's the start!

January


February

Carseat Pics

My growing boy!


1 month



2 months

Work

I've been back to work very PT for about a month now I believe. Very PT. This week is the most hours I've worked and that has been 20. Most weeks have just been home from my computer for the most part. There have been a couple of advantages to this...1) My whole leave is unpaid, but I wanted paychecks so I've been able to spread my PTO out by working PT; 2) I'm planning on working with Conley as much as possible and easing my way back into work rather than jumping back in full-force is wonderful. I'm learning how our schedule will work (for now) and what works and what doesn't, how to get out the door and to meetings on time, etc. So far it has been going well--he's been a very good baby for me when I've been working and when we're home I try to only work when he is napping or on my computer for work when Ryan gets home and we're hanging out watching TV.

As far as daycare, I've also learned in the past month that I will ABSOLUTELY need some. So, my thought is that I have a daycare person that can take him on Tuesdays and some Thursdays. So, I'm trying to rearrange my work schedule so that when I teach classes or have certain meetings he can't attend that they will fall on Tuesdays.

The important thing I need to learn as far as working with him with me is that I need to change my standards.... I might be late to meetings occasionally....I might not be able to give 100% at work...it might mean that my days are LONGER, but the plus side of that is that I'll be WITH him during that time. If he is fussy I need to be okay with that and take a step back from work remembering that he is a baby after all. My boss works with her son a few days a week at the office and she is obviously very understanding and supportive. That's the amazing thing about my workplace--if I have a quick 15-minute meeting where I can't have him, there is always someone willing to watch him. I joke that instead of "it takes a village to raise a child", around our office "it takes an office". Love that. Babies that make noise in meetings are the norm, and I need to be ok with the fact that sometimes that might be MY baby. Babies will be babies, right? :)

WHen I do go back FT I hope and plan to take 1 day off a month for a real mommy-Conley day to do non-work things. That's the other reason I'm glad to not go negative on my PTO for now.

Today is our PJ-laid back-nap day-work from home. TGIF! :) Happy weekend!

2-month appt and update

My sweet little baby boy is 15lbs. Yup. 15. (and 1.9 oz).

Yesterday we had his 2 month appt and.... his shots. So sad! He didn't cry for TOO long at the appointment itself, but basically cried from 9-10 last night and it was clearly from the shots. I felt so horrible for him. Luckily Tylenol seemed to give him some relief and then he slept "ok".

Here are his stats:

Weight: 15lbs 1.9oz--98.41%
Height: 2'.21"--89.17%
Head: 16.93"--98.32%

Doctor said he looked great and had no concerns, so that was good. Looks like we have a little chunker on our hands--no surprise there!

Here's Conley at 2 months:

Follows objects with his well--watches mom and dad walk around
Seems to love looking at and hearing dad's voice
Soooo happy in the morning. Full of smiles and giggles! SOOO much fun!
Not so much of a night owl--gets a bit cranky.
6 hours sleep in a row is his max. 5 hours twice. Otherwise, every 1-3 hours.
Absolutely LOVES baths
Makes tons of noise still--seems to like the sound of his voice. More high pitched coos and squeaks. So cute.
Took notice of Tytan. One day the dog walked by and Conley followed him with his eyes and smiled.
Hungry, hungry, hungry.
Loves his hands and frequently scratches his face (those darn fingernails are so hard to cut!). He sleeps with socks on his hands. :)
Does not like his carseat. Cries going in and coming out of it but sleeps the whole time he is in it otherwise.
Favorite item is his bouncy seat. It is a savior!!!
Got a floor play mat from Grandma and does pretty well on that too.
Lay down in your crib partially awake and are able to fall asleep with a little comforting from mom or dad


HHmmm...that's all for now. SOOO much fun and amazing to me every day. I especially love my mornings with him when he sits and grins at me. Makes my day!