So much to write! It's been so long! But I don't really feel like it. Sorry. I am now a bad blogger.

Things are good. Semester is ending. I've actually had time to sit on my couch and read! So nice!

Sam updates: He's big. He's 17 months old. He's silly. Sam's favorite things: balls, butterflies, ladybugs, dogs, cookies, and the Who. His favorite foods are mandarin oranges and sugary things. He's a good eater though, will happily eat carrots, asparagus, broccoli, and peas. He isn't yet talking, but will say "baba" to get us to put on the scene from the Who documentary where they cover "Barbara Ann". He does say "bye" of course. But he signs a lot. He signs: Sleep, water, orange, apple, cheese, cookie, ball, play, shoes, dog, book...I think there are many more I'm not thinking of. He is a happy guy. We are getting back to a good sleep schedule. He seems to pretty much have moved to one long nap a day (2-3 hours) but it varies. AND we are weaned! Or weaning anyway! Sleep at night is much better. He starts in his crib for a few hours. Then wakes because it was a normal feeding time. Sometimes he has a snack, usually we just cuddle him and he's back to sleep. The first or second night we cut out breastfeeding he slept for like six hours straight! Which is incredible for us. So it's going ok. He still asks sometimes, but it has only been like four days so it's not like he's forgotten about it yet. All in all, good news!

So things are fun in toddler land. Next semester I will get to spend much more time with the kiddo and I feel great about that.

Well as he naps I'm going to do some more reading. I'll try to post more frequently, but no promises.

Thanksgiving Part One!

Tomorrow we embark on the toddler road trip. At least Meg & Juan will be coming along and can help entertain the kiddo. I'm pretty sure the days of a sleep-filled road trip are gone. We are off to Big Rapids to see the Erlewine family for Thanksgiving. Thursday we will take a quick trip over to Zeeland to see part of the Nemec clan too. So there will be lots of car time, but it will be ok.

Last year at this time Sam tried a tiny taste of pumpkin pie, but I was far too conservative to let him have more. I think he's very much going to enjoy this holiday focused on food. Let's just hope he doesn't go too crazy from lack of running around time. And let's hope he sleeps.

The semester is rapidly winding to a close. Which is great. I quit my beloved library job. I really have grown to like that job a lot. Great people, great environment, I like the work. But when it comes down to it, I am excited for the gallery job and the pay and benefits are too much to turn down. I could keep the library job and do both, but really then I'm choosing the job over Sam time and I'm sure not wanting to do that. Well, at the very least, I think that if this art stuff doesn't work out, I might want a job in public libraries. I will work my last day in December. My next job begins in early January.

Sam is doing well. The major teething pain seems to have subsided, so that's nice. He is sleeping better the past couple of nights. He still sleeps well in his crib for naptime, but come bed time he wants to be in mom and dad's bed, and often wants to be with mom or dad. Right now he's sleeping on the couch beside me. I am loving every moment I have him near so it's hard to complain.

Some cute Sam things:
He likes to "swim" in the tub now, lying on his tummy and kicking his legs. If I say "Sam, want to swim?" he'll turn over and start swimming.
If I say "Sam, go give Dad a hug" he will run to his dad and hug his legs.
Today we were speaking through the baby monitor to his dad and I was whispering and I whispered "Sam, come tell dad secrets" and he put his lips up to the monitor and whispered "oodleoodleoo"
He plays air guitar now.
He likes to cuddle a lot more now.
He will actually watch TV for a bit, not that we should be encouraging it.
He still prefers it if Meg is the one to chase him around with his pull toys.

Hello Blogosphere!

So it's been ages upon ages. I feel like I'm finally getting myself back. One of my classes is wrapping up, the other won't be long behind. Next week is Thanksgiving and I virtually have the week off. On one level, I'm feeling good and able to relax, on the other I have this terrible feeling of impending doom. Like it can't be right that I managed to pull off this crazy semester in one piece, so there must be something that I've completely overlooked, or completely screwed up or something. I'm just waiting for someone to basically come up to me and say you suck. Hopefully that won't happen.

In the land of the boy, things are going well. I don't get to see him enough. I miss him. We are off rhythm a lot of times because of it.

SLEEP
His sleep is all messed up again. We've been napping with him a lot since we are both severely lacking night time sleep, so he's getting used to sleeping just with us and doesn't like to sleep alone or in his crib. Plus he is doing some MAJOR teething right now. His first molars are pushing through, along with a few others, and it's so clearly bothering him more than previous teething. He even has taken to biting his hand. Poor little guy. And this definitely leads to restless sleep. In other sleep-related concerns: I can't figure out how to wean him. We are all in such desperate need for sleep that I will just nurse him so that we can get some sleep and plus, if he's really teething so much then it's not really the time to stop. But it seems it's never an easy time to stop but I'm ready to be done and it's becoming increasingly clear that he nurses for comfort and not food. Not to say that nursing for comfort isn't important, but I think he's old enough and I'm ready and we should just make it happen. Current thinking is for Aaron and I to finish the term, accept a sleepless week and just go cold turkey. Maybe I'll have to sleep in another room. I don't know. Suggestions? He's crying for me right now, but rather passively. I know I will soon give in and go get him. Because, well I'm his mom and I don't want him to suffer.

TALK
He doesn't talk yet. He pretty much said cockadoodledoo a few times the other day, and since then likes saying "oodle" or "doodle". He says "baba" for mabel and "ga" for clyde, so maybe he's been talking and I just am too particular. He seems to sometimes say mommom for me when he's stressed out and really wants attention he's not getting or something he can't have. Mostly though, he's signs signs signs. He has about a dozen or so words he signs, but his new favorite is "help" because it is so versatile. He will often want to do something not ok for a toddler to do, like, I dunno, grab that pair of scissors or whatever, and when he can't do it, he turns to me and asks for help. It is so cute and funny and a little bit sad because he of course doesn't understand why I won't help him. It was very sad though, the other night he was napping beside us on the couch and he grew restless and uncomfortable and started crying and was still half asleep and signed for help in his sleep. So sad. I do not know if it was a bad dream, or just wanting help from uncomfortable teething pain or what.

Well I think I'll wrap this up and go get the little cutie. He is so beautiful and funny and fun and we play all sorts of games and laugh and he loves to be chased. These are fun days that go too fast and I hate that I'm not around him more to watch it all.

Quickly.

mmm french fries. (he didn't really like the chicken nuggets)

So I'm super tired. I'm overworked, behind on deadlines, too much going on. Completely and totally back on coffee. Cannot wait for the semester to end.
But things are good.
Sam had a Halloween. Two hours before we went to a local Halloween party for kids, I threw together his costume: SAMZILLA!! Next year when he can actually trick or treat I promise to devote some real time to making him an awesome costume.
AND
We bought a new car! Well, new to us. A pre-owned Pontiac Vibe. I actually love it and it is the first time I actually feel like driving.
AND
A quick look at Sam's world:
He loves playing with magnets right now. He loves drumming. He loves playing fake guitar. These he loves doing while watching The Who documentary the Kids are Alright. He LOVES watching this documentary. He loves playing with cell phones. Loves playing outside. Loves to eat lentils. And veggie burgers. Cheese is still probably his favorite. Still isn't talking, but still signs. He is really getting the hang of running. He's really funny. He is very into the dogs right now. Loves to hug Mabel, and tries to call her to come to him. Tries to get close to Clyde, but Clyde's not interested. It's all very cute.

Good day, sunshine

It has been a lovely autumn day! So needed after a week of very chilly temperatures. Meg and Sam and I got to hang out and play in the grass, and it was just what I needed!

Thanks so much for your congratulations. I'm really excited about the new job. I won't begin until January, since I need to wait for my contracts to end first. I will probably go ahead and quit the one job I have the liberty of quitting, though I'm not looking forward to that. But really, the new job is about the same pay (maybe more) than what I'm getting from the three part time ones, and what my family needs more from me is time, not the little bit of money the job brings in.

I am still feeling swamped, and like I'm constantly trying to catch up. My work in all FOUR jobs (including that important job of being a mom) is suffering, and it is hard to feel proud of anything when I feel like I'm just doing the bare minimum to get by. But, I got myself into this situation, and it's temporary, so I will persevere, even if my lectures are a little sloppy and I have to ask for more help watching Sam. I wish that every mom (and dad) could stay home with their children as much as they want to. I mean, I know I'm happier having some work outside of the home (rather than none) but 10-20 hrs would suffice ;-)

Well, I guess I better get back to work.

Got it!

So Friday I called about the gallery job and they are officially offering me the position! It's an 11 month appointment (I think July is off) and 20 hrs/wk with salary and full benefits. Hours are flexible. Can even do *some* work from home. WOW!! Perfect mom job!

15 month musings

Back from Sam's 15 month doctor appointment!

I canceled my class today because my regular baby sitter AND backup baby sitter were not available. Meg was out of town and my friend's daughter caught a stomach flu (or maybe it was something she ate) so it didn't sound like a good idea to bring Sam over there. So -- day off. I feel weird canceling class but I guess this is what happens some times. I'm sure the students are happy to have a day off. And I guess I am too ;-)

So this morning, Sam went to the doctor. Everything is great! 24 lbs, 8 oz. 32 1/2 inches tall (though I'm pretty sure that's not right -- I'm pretty sure he's shorter than that), Head Circumference 48.5 cm. Head is consistent in the percentiles, weight is now around the 50th percentile, and height spiked up to something like 75 but I'm pretty sure it's inflated and it seems every fraction of an inch means a lot in the land of percentiles. I got some good info about diet and nutrition, even if I've already heard it a million times.

BUT there was one concern... Sam is not yet talking. No first words. He has said "bye" for ages, so maybe that counts? But other than that, nada. Not mama, not dada. He has made lots of different sounds, da, ga, ba, ma, la, etc and sometimes links them together, but not consistently and not often to communicate. Usually his verbal communication is: "ga?" sometimes "ga? GA??". He sometimes seems like he's going or trying to say "dog" or "ball", but nothing really identifiable yet. So, doc seemed a little worried.

HOWEVER, he is signing up a storm! He knows signs for: baby, water, bath, eat, hungry, sleep, ball, play, apple, dog, cookie, and is learning to sign for help. He learned "apple" in one day. He understands SO much. When asked, he can show me where his head, toes, belly, ear, and nose are. He can find my nose and my ear. He can look behind when I ask him to. He can find the light when asked. He can hand me a toy when I ask. He will sit down when I ask. He will find his Dad, the dogs, the guitar -- just so many things. So he clearly has receptive language down and he's even expressive, just not spoken yet. It will come. Our doctor thinks so too. She really didn't express this as a big worry. Just said that "normally" children are speaking at this point, so if he doesn't have first words by 18 months, she might refer us to specialists who can offer suggestions and just make sure everything is ok. Both the doc & I are pretty sure those first words will come by then anyway.

In other updates:
I might have the gallery job after all. I got a call on it but it wasn't like "we're offering you the job" it was more like "we WANT to offer you the job" and I am expecting to hear back from them. I think I'll follow up with them later today or tomorrow. Weird.

We had a lovely visit with my Aunt Sally!

I'm too busy. Aaron is too busy. I feel like my work is suffering in all areas. But we're surviving. It's only temporary. I'm enjoying teaching, just prep for lecture class takes FOREVER. I have some great drawing students this term.

These days with Sam are the best. I LOVE this age. He is so much fun. Though I miss the days of him sleeping in my arms, we have so much fun playing together. He loves books now. He has favorites. Picks them off the shelf and brings them to us or takes them to the bed or couch for us to read to him. He is learning to get off the furniture "feet first". He is funny. Has a great sense of humor. Loves to play all sorts of games. Is really into blocks. Loves kicking and throwing balls. LOVES to be chased by his pull toys. LOVES cell phones and electronic gadgets. He's neat. Every night Aaron and I comment to each other about how fortunate we are and how great life seems now that we have Sam. Even though we're too tired and overworked, our little guy makes it all worthwhile.