9:33 - 9:37 pm

Arlo took a late nap this afternoon/early evening. So, I knew that he would be up a little later tonight, but we were watching a family movie so I felt like it would be nice. Around 8:30 pm I could see he was ready for bed, yawning, rubbing his eyes...you know the signs. I rocked and nursed him...it was so sweet. He looked up at me and smiled with his rosy cheeks and nose. He looked like a little cherub baby with his blues eyes sparkling....mmmm. This is why I love nursing him to sleep.
I set him down in his co-sleeper and quietly left the room. Over the next hour I helped get Sam ready for bed, brushed his teeth, cleaned the kitchen, and convinced Sam that it would be ok for Daddy to put him to bed. At 9:33 pm, Arlo woke up with painful gas. Here is what went through my head in the following 5 minutes:

9:33 ~ Oh, my poor sweet boy. I'll burp you...pat, pat, pat...uuururuurrrrrp...ok, all better now, let's get you back to sleep.

9:34 ~ Why are you still whining? I just burped you...I really need you to go back to sleep...mommy needs a break!

9:35 ~ Uuuuuuurururup...ah, yes, there you go. Why are you still whining? I can't believe we actually want to have a third baby, and go through this again? Could I even go through this again?

9:36 ~ Oh, his eyes are closing. That's it sweetie, go back to sleep...wow, that was a quick change in mood. He looks so sweet sleeping there against my breast. What a beautiful boy. I love him so much. I love you Arlo.

9:37 ~ There you go sweet boy, back in bed. Ah, yes, I can see why we'd do this again...what a sweet baby I have, sleeping so softly.

Moving

Well, as many of you know blog-city will no longer be hosting free blogs...bleh! So I am in the process of moving my blog to blogspot. Here is the new blog address:

http://amanda-athome.blogspot.com/

This will be my last blog-city post and you can now find "AT HOME" at the new address!

I am in the process of copying and pasting my past posts to the new address, so my new blog home will look a little strange for a while. It is fun to read the old posts though....

Thanks blog-city for helping me get started in the blogging world!

New Site

Well, being that blog-city will soon be deleting all free accounts, I have created a new site for my "At Home" blog. I am hoping to transfer all of my previous posts to this blog...I just need to figure out how....wish me luck!

What's Up

Here's what we've been up to:

• I started serioulsy working on my CSA project/job...devoting 2 evenings a week to work...except I hate working at night so I have found small bits of time to jump on the computer or phone during the day and that leaves my evenings free to spend time with Matt or be on the internet!
• My AP group has started walking every Monday morning and I LOVE it! I look forward to the walking and talking every week and it is a great way to start the week off. I find that my spirits are much higher when I am exercising.
• Sam's speech was evaluated again on Wednesday and he actually qualified for services this time based on his articulation, or lack thereof. He will start a speech therapy program in 2 weeks. He tested very high in vocabulary and comprehension, and was said to be very "bright" by the speech therapist! I was quite pleased and am glad to get Sam involved in a program that will help him communicate more effectivley.
• Matt and I are still waiting to hear about the Michigan job and it is really driving us crazy!! We'll keep everyone posted, of course, as we find out more info.
• It has been 3 weeks now since I removed ALL dairy from my diet to help Arlo's digestion of my milk. It seems to be going well, though he is covered in a rash right now. This rash is believed to be tied to a cold virus he and Sam had, but it is literally covering every square inch of his body! He doesn't seem to be uncomfortable though and for the most part his gassiness has subsided. I have rediscovered the beauty of dark chocolate...no milk and so yummy!
• After we returned from Maine, Sam developed a fear of the dark. Matt and I have been trying to find ways to squelch his fear. Matt's brother sent along a gift of glow-in-the-dark solar system parts that we have now hung all over his room. Tonight was the first night we were able to turn off his bedside table light and leave his door open with the hall light on!! He loves looking at the glowing planets and stars...especially the moon. The moon is about 8" in diameter and is a photo reprint with glowing parts...very cool! Even I like looking at it all glowing!
• Sam and Arlo and I met with a pre-school teacher today at what will be Sam's pre-school in the fall (if we're still here). It is a Montessori blend environment with a great atmosphere and NO plastic , loud toys in the building...all wood, all simple and fun...a HUGE messy-art room with a large water table and sand table!! I loved the school and so did Sam...it is called Seeds of Learning (www.seedslearningcenter.com in case the pop-up window doesn't work)! Check it out. Sam will need to be potty-trained by then...September....
• Yeah, potty training...not going well...enough said.
• Arlo is doing well, getting more smiley everyday. He found his feet the other day and now he takes time everyday to say hello to them. He has such a cute, inquisitive face when he investigates his body. I love it. He is now big enough to be in the Ergo carrier on my back and he loves it...and so do I!!!! I can get so much done and he'll sleep back there and I don't feel like I have to rush around during his naptime. It is a great arrangement! I still try to lay him down to nap atleast once during the day...we're so active that he takes about 3 naps a day, each in a different place. Second babies are great that way!
• The last thing that is a consuming parts of my days I can't really come right out and list...but I'll describe it and those of you that know me will understand....a dear friend helped us find this fantastic organic delicacy...I haven't actually owned any in a long time, but used to own it a lot in college...it has helped me get through some rough times and made my fun adventures even more fun...right now it is helping me escape my grieving thoughts when I need to and focus on them when I can't otherwise. A nice find and a real pleasure! Hmmmmmm.....

Therapy

There is a place called The Good Grief Center here in Wenatchee. I decided, after noticing some unhealthy patterns in myself, that I should explore this place. This afternoon I met with Iris, my good grief counselor. It was a nice talk and I felt pretty good after I left...though it took a couple hours of processing to feel that way. I will return again, I think. As a sort of self-induced therapy I decided to create a memorial for my mother on our family website (see "family related sites") . Please feel free to look. There are photos of her final days and a brief description of all that has happened. I find myself looking at the web page periodically now that it is complete. It feels good.

How Can You Not?

Here are some "how-can-you-nots" (um, yeah, I think I made that phrase up...):

How Can you Not....

• Love babies! They are so sweet and cute (listen to me, am I a new mother or what?)...but seriously, they are! I love being in this baby stage in my life. I can completely understand why people (especially women) keep wanting and having babies. I understand now why my mother always told me to have more babies. "Have more babies, Amanda. I always wished I'd had a third." I don't know how many times I have heard that from her...even on her deathbed. Having two children has made so much in her life more relavent to me and Matt and I have decided to let nature take it's course and not go back to any birth control when my cycle returns. Arlo is only 3 months and I am already thinking about another baby! A dear, dear friend just announced her third pregnancy and I am so excited for her. I can learn from her so much...as I did watching her with her first two. (Love you, T!)...okay, small time-out while I stop to find our baby backpack....which leads me to the next one....

• WEAR YOUR BABY! One question sums it all up.....how would you get anything done if you didn't wear your baby? I am not even mentioning the incredibly bonding that happens while you wear your baby...I could go on all day.

• Love reading to your child! I read to Sam three different times today totalling about an hour and a half of reading. He loved it and I had a great time.
  
• Watch American Idol and like it just a little bit! I have become very interested in the pop culture of American Idol and really enjoy the singing (most of it anyway)...a good guilty pleasure.
• Have a drink after the day I've had? What a day! A very challenging day...I think I totalled about 2 hours of my enitre day so far without wearing a child...and at one time I was wearing both! A strange fog has settled over Sam and he is so needy lately....Arlo as well, so that leaves me with a sore back, and some great bonding time with my kids.
• Nurse your baby. I have been enjoying my nursing time with Arlo. I can sit down and rock in chair, look at his eyes and his sweet smile when we're done. I love the security he seems to feel while all snuggled in next to me. I still love it despite my drastic dietary changes!

What are your "how-can-you-nots"?

Where to Begin?

Where do I begin? It seems that over the last few weeks I have thought of a thousand things I wanted to write about and yet, I have found little time to sit and write....here's why:

• We are out every morning doing something that requires us to leave the house by 9:15 a.m. and we frequently don't return until noon, at the earliest...
• Monday: 9:30 a.m.~Mom's walking group
• Tuesday: 10:00 a.m.~AP playgroup
• Wednesday: 9:30 a.m.~YMCA gym workout
• Thursday: Our only free day and I usually plan to do something with a friend or a grocery store!
• Friday: 9:30 a.m.~YMCA gym workout

• Tuesdays and Thursdays I have started a babysitting trade with my friend Stacy. This leaves me with Tuesday afternoons without Sam and Thursday afternoons with an extra 2 year old!
• I have started preparing for my seasonal Farmers market job as the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)Coordinator position. A CSA program is very interesting...for those of you who aren't familiar with it check out this link .
• Sam has become so incredibly needy in the last few days. He is asking to nurse (I have let him and he essentially kisses my breast and then asks, "Where did the milk go?", so he's forgotten how to nurse and I am thankful for that, but felt it was important to honor his desire to try again), wanting hugs and cuddles numerous times throughout the day, generally feeling a bit jealous of Arlo. I am pretty sure his recent behavior is due to a delayed adjustment to having a baby brother. Tonight was the first night in 5 days I have eaten dinner without a child on my lap.
• As soon as I get Sam interested in something, Arlo needs me. I am not complaining at all...actually, I have really enjoyed giving to my boys...I feel so lucky to have the time to do it and I know how important it is to honor their needs.
• The weather has become quite nice here and there is suddenly a large amount of yard work to be done!

And why do I keep myself so busy? I am still mourning the loss of my mother in an extreme way. Keeping busy helps me deal with the myriad of emotions I am experiencing everyday. Next week I will meet with a grief counselor and I hope that I will find comfort in my meeting with her. Iris is her name. How pretty.