One good thing about my commute is that it gives me alot of time to think about things. Just found out that a mother of a person I know (sorry about being so cryptic, it's just that the family wants to keep it under wraps for now) was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a lumpectomy. I felt terribly for this person, he's got a lot on his plate these days. And then I thought of my own mother and how much I miss being near her. Particularly as I raise my own children and recall the little pearls of wisdom my mom imparted as my sister and I were growing up.

I can't help but be envious of women who have their mothers nearby. Before marriage, being off on my own wasn't difficult; I'd always been a bit of a loner, kept mostly to myself growing up. I had no problem eating, going to the movies or traveling alone. Since marriage; however, I'm realizing more and more the importance of having a female support network and what better support network than your own mother and sister! It'd be wonderful to just call my mom or sister up and ask them to meet me for lunch or have a girls spa day or when things get too crazy to cook, rush over to my mom's to pick up some nice tidbits or damn just the ability to get sick and not worry about crawling out of bed to make meals or clean up the house because mom would rush over and help with those things without being asked. I love hanging out with my girlfriends but let's face it, they have their own busy lives and families, I can't call them to chat whenever or ask for help outside of a real emergency.

I talk to my parents and sister multiple times a day and we try to Skype whenever we can but I feel sad about every birthday of theirs that I had to miss and feel guilty that I couldn't throw a decent bridal shower for my sister and lonesome that they couldn't be with me on my 30th birthday.

Sigh.

Basically, I just miss the people I grew up with.

Bits and Pieces

We had to adjust our schedule and so far it's working great. Last week when Moo started daycare, we bathed him, rolled him up in his blanket, did one last nursing and he passed out at 8 pm...until 7 am the next morning. !!!! K and I didn't know what to do with the extra free time. Should we run silent but exuberant laps around the house? Make snow-less angels on the living room floor? And even more daring, eat dinner....TOGETHER?! Actually, I think we just sat stunned on the couch...it just happened too suddenly.

Well by Monday Moo realized just how easy things had become for his hapless parents and woke up 2 am demanding food. So after a few days, we decided to push back his bedtime to 9:30, bathe him after his sister, give him a big warm 5 ounce bottle and then roll him up in a nice tight burrito.

It worked! Huzzah!

He'll snooze blissfully until 5-ish, which works out because that's wake-y time for moi. I'll give him a quick feed in bed and then burp him and roll him back in his blanket. Not sure how he does it but he manages to get one arm out so that in the morning he looks like a little bald Mother Theresa, waving one fat, indignant arm. Luckily for K, after a mini feeding, he'll settle back down until K is ready to start his day. We plan on slowly pushing the bedtime so by six months, we're hoping that the entire barnyard will be asleep by 8 pm.

The Daily Grind

First full work week cometh!

This will likely we our Monday, Wednesday, and Friday routine:

5 am - I wake up and because I'm not a morning person, curse my life. Get dressed, madeup and that other girly stuff. To keep from waking Moo who's still sharing a room with us, I've been putting my things out in the guest room.

5:30 am - Go downstairs and pump. Wash pump parts, pack pump up for work.

6 am - Head out the door and into car. Depending on traffic, listen to talk radio and enjoy drive in or again curse my life as I sit at a standstill on New York Avenue.

7 - 7:30 am - Get to work

8 - 11 am - Work, work, work

11 am - Pump

12 - 1 pm - Lunch

1 -3 pm - Work, work , work

3 pm - Pump

3:30 pm - Quittin' time, drive over to K's kumdo dojang to meet him and kids. Depending on traffic, usually takes about 1.5 - 2 hours to get there.

5 pm - Meet K and kids and take kids home.

5:30 - 6 pm - Strap Pig into her booster chair and feed her dinner. Start on preparing dinner for K and I. Nurse Moo while Pig is eating.

7:30 pm - K gets home, he takes the dog out and then gets Pig upstairs for her bath.

8 pm - Bedtime for the Pig. Nurse Moo one last time, swaddle him up and then nigh' nigh' for him as well. Pick up the house as much as possible.

8:30 pm - Scarf dinner. Wash dishes.

9 pm - Pump, get parts washed for next day, then, shower time for me as well.

10 pm (hopefully!) - Bedtime, goo' nigh'!

Moo - 100 days

Sob Sob Sob

Tomorrow morning I will be waking up and instead of padding down the stairs in my pajamas, Moo on my shoulder, I will be getting dressed in whatever work clothes I can squeeze into, packing up my pump and parts, clapping on a pair of heels and heading to my car...sans Moo. I could just cry.

I had a lump in my throat when I left Pig for the first time but I knew she would be fine, she has always been an independent little thing. Also, after 4 months at home in the dead of winter I was ready to get out and interact with adults again. This time..while Moo is roughly the same age that Pig was when she first started at Mrs. V's, he's clingier and I'll admit, I'm clingier. The weather is nicer and I'm more relaxed this second time and well, I'm enjoying my time with Moo. He has just started really taking notice of his surroundings, for the past few days he has been playing with the toys on his bouncy chair. He never fails to giggle when I put my face up to his and he loves having his legs jiggled. I really just want to stay home with him for another two months, unfortunately, I blew through my annual and sick leave during the first two trimesters of my pregnancy, so back to work I go.

Sigh, my heart just aches. I suppose that after a few days I'll be okay and in fact it's probably best for all of us. Moo will get more activity and be around other babies and I'll get to concentrate on work. But still...my last baby...won't stay a baby for long and I don't want to miss any of it.

More Favorite Things

A few more godsend items for your consideration:

Triple Paste Ointment - I tell ya, this is the miracle butt paste. When Pig develops diaper rash, usually right before she sprouts a couple new teeth, we bathe her in cool water and then slather this on thickly in her diaper area and presto the rash is gone the next morning. It's a beautiful thing.

Canus Li'l Goats Milk Tearless Shampoo and Wash - This smells wonderful and is a great milk wash for sensitive skin. We order it in a 3 pack from Amazon and it lasts forever.

First Juice - No sugar added, 100 percent fruit juice and I swear it helps keep Pig regular, incredibly important during the summer as Pig perspires like crazy.

Annie's Homegrown - Has great organic snacks for kids. We love the cheesy crackers, bear cookies, and fruit gummies.

Fruit puree pouches - There are a number of companies that produce these and we love them. Just throw them into the lunch bag on your way out. When your kid is ready to eat, screw the top off and he/she can slurp the fruit out of the pouch. It's fun for the kiddies and leaves parents' hands free to tend to others.

Backyardigans Born to Play soundtrack - Pig absolutely loves this soundtrack. When we turn it out, she turns into a dancing fool. I have to admit the songs are pretty catchy, I found myself humming this tune several times today.

Aden + Anais swaddle wraps - Wish I had found these earlier. The hospital blankets are great while your baby is in newborn sized diapers. But soon, our kids began busting out of even the best wrapped burritos. These wraps are huge, made of breathable muslin thus great for the warmer months, and super cute to boot. I throw one into our diaper bag and it doubles as a great blanket, breast-feeding wrap, or stroller cover.

Neutrogena Baby Pure Sunscreen Stick - I was raised to view the sun as my enemy so I am lovin' this big time. Lotions run into little eyes but this stick is easy to use and applies a nice thick layer of solar protection. After some initial struggling, Pig is great about sitting still while we slather this on her face and ears. We still use lotion on her arms and legs.

Halo Sleep Sack - Pig is a whirling dervish in her crib so this is the only way to keep her covered up at night. We have them in lightweight cotton for the warmer months and fleece for the chillier evenings. They come in three different sizes and different colors and cute designs.

Happy Independence Day

Pig watching her daddy water skiing on Keuka Lake.