First Tuesday Unwrapped

My baby boy has gone from I-only-want-to-sleep-on-and-be-held-by-my-mama infant, to a I-will-scream-if-you-leave-the-room baby, to an I-can-stay-with-these-other-people … gulp … near toddler.

I got a glimpse of this new stage the last (and second) time that Chris and I went somewhere overnight. I got another glimpse of it this past weekend when we spent Thanksgiving in Illinois with my family. I’m fairly certain there were close to fifty people at my uncle’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, and the rest of the weekend was spent at my parents’ house where we had eight people, three dogs, two cats, and several visitors. Eli did SO well with everyone, a lot of the time I wasn’t sure what to do with myself besides stand there and watch and wonder where this independent happy-with-seemingly-anyone child came from… torn between happy that he was doing so well, and kind of sad that it didn’t feel like he needed me quite so much.

I told my brother about my torn feelings and, having majored in psychology, he asked some questions and then quickly reassured me that Eli’s behavior was a tell-tale sign of secure attachment to Chris and I. And so I smiled. And so the part of me that has been wondering these whole past 12 months whether I’m doing things right began to relax.

And then, when I went back upstairs Eli crawled over to me. I picked him up, and the sweetest mouth came wide-open to my face and covered me in teething, drool-y kisses.

And that was all the confirmation that I needed.

(I mostly feel like I never know what I am doing. But God’s got us… even this parenting part of us. He’s not letting me do it alone).

Linking up with Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky

24 weeks

Yes, I skipped 23 weeks, but I have a good reason. We left on the 23rd to go to Illinois, so we could leave on the 24th for Wisconsin, to spend a week there. We got back yesterday.

Except our trip wasn’t that simple…

Long story short, my car died on 290 in Chicago, in a lot of rain, very very late at night. We thought we revived it the next day, but it died again on our test run, in an Oberweis Dairy parking lot. So we left in my brother’s truck the next day for Wisconsin, decided that God was telling us that my car was the car to go, and that it had to go now (we were going to replace Chris’ truck soon with a new-used car), RELAXED at my family’s cabin for about a week, and then drove back with my brother to Illinois, then to Ohio. He just left to go back to Illinois, and left my well tuckered-out and napping puppy dog with me (much to my delight – I’m tired too!)

We brought back tons of baby stuff from my aunt and uncle in Wisconsin, including a crib, stroller, carseat, baby bjorn, clothes, swings, tub and a couple toys!  :) Yay!

Okay, so 24 weeks…

In 2 days we have another appointment – just a check-up. I have a feeling the doctor might tell me “no more 14 hour one-way two-day car trips.” Baby went through a growth spurt last week for sure, and I have a custom-made maternity bridesmaid dress to wear for Chris’ brother’s wedding this Saturday.

Also school starts again soon… but not yet. I intend to enjoy every free day I have left to the summer.

*Edit*

August 5th, 2010

Baby appointment went well yesterday – still measuring right on time! We listened to baby’s heartbeat (and kicks – he doesn’t seem to like the doppler pushing against me!)

August 5th