TGIF. In my case a sentiment expressed not with a bang but a whimper. I just finished my first week back at work, and I am pooped, physically and emotionally. Everyday I came home more exhausted than the night before. One morning I was so tired I forgot Angie’s lunch of expressed milk at home and l had to drive all the way back to get it.
I can’t help but miss the idyllic few months I spent with all three kids. That picture at the top epitomizes my summer. When I recall what we actually did I’m amazed at how productive a time it was, filled with my home brewed Chinese lessons, Alex’s percussion classes, Ana’s nighttime potty training (very successful!), etc., because it felt so slow-paced and relaxed, whereas the past week has felt like a long sprint.
I do have hope things will get easier. This is an adjustment period after all. The number of hours that I devoted to filling out school forms for the kids the last two weeks would make anyone cringe, but at least it’s only once a year. I’m just glad that the kids seem to have already gotten used to their new routines. It’s just a matter of time before I get used to mine.
Angie @ 18 weeks
Julie| August 31, 2008 11:59 pm
This week Angie started attending daycare. Since I don’t go back to work until next week I was able to pick her up early everyday and spend a lot of time chatting with 老师, who said she did great. She balked a little at being given the bottle but got over it quickly. I guess all it took was someone other than me or Kevin giving her the bottle for her to accept it!
Friday was her 4 month checkup. Kevin took her to the appointment because I was finishing up a project. He reported that she’s 90th percentile in height and weight and 95th percentile in head size. The doctor told him that judging by how strong she is, she’ll probably crawl early. (Note to self: start baby proofing soon!) She got two shots in the leg plus an oral vaccine. Afterwards we kept her home to watch for reactions to the vaccinations, but she was fine.
Yesterday morning she rolled over for the first time ever!!! But of course we couldn’t get her to do it again for the video camera 
Later in the day we took all three kids with us to a wedding. This was Angie’s first major outing, and she was very cooperative. She spent the whole time looking around curiously and smiling at everyone. She even took a spin on the dance floor with me! Now I’m looking forward to planning many more outings with baby in tow.
Angie @ 17 weeks
Julie| August 24, 2008 11:59 pm
Angie has grown so much! I especially see it in her hands and feet, but also in her chubby arms and legs. So yummy! I could kiss them all day!
This week she did less talking and more observing, of me and Kevin as well as her siblings. Except when she’s sleepy. That’s when she babbles up a storm right before falling asleep.
She is now willing to drink from the bottle. That’s a good thing because her first day of daycare is tomorrow. I’ve been too busy with back-to-school preparations to dwell on it, but now that all the backpacks and lunches are packed, I feel really, really sad.
Summer’s End
Julie| August 18, 2008 9:05 pmThe kids go back to school next week. Alex is in 3rd grade this year, but he’s going to have the same teacher as last year, and his best friend will be in the same class again, so I’m not too worried about him. I’m much more concerned about the girls. Ana is starting preschool, and Angie is starting daycare. Fortunately I don’t start work until the following week, so I can spend as much time as I need to make the morning drop-off go smoothly. Plus I’m going to pick up all the kids early and spend some time chatting with the girls’ teachers to see how they did on their first day.
I’m sad that my time staying home with Angie has come to an end. I’m going to miss sniffing the top of her fuzzy baby head every other second, but seeing as my back has ached continuously for the past month because of carrying her around all day, I’m also really looking forward to a break.
Kevin thinks that my job is the best thing that ever happened to our work-life balance. I was less sure, at least until this year. I enjoyed hanging out with the kids the last two summers, but I didn’t really see any benefits. Now I see how my staying home over the summer gives them much needed time to decompress and lets us all reconnect with each other. It also gives us all a chance to grow in other ways.
I guess it didn’t hurt that Kevin also took a lot of time off this summer. In fact we all enjoyed having him around so much that he’s already making plans to spend as much time home as possible next summer.
Postpartum Update
Julie| 5:49 pm
I finally got a haircut. As much as I loved how crazy long and thick my hair had gotten during my pregnancy, I couldn’t keep it. First of all it had started its postpartum fallout. It’s not as bad as other women have described where their hair starts coming out in clumps, but it’s enough to clog drains if I don’t be careful. Also I’m going back to work in a couple of weeks, and I need an easy style for those harried mornings. I like what I ended up with, layers that are short in front and a few inches past my shoulders in the back, with the ends styled using a flat iron. It looks okay straight, but I liked the flippy ends so much that I bought a flat iron so I can replicate it when the occasion demands it.
I stepped on the scale this morning and got some good news: I’m down 3 more pounds. Just 7 more to go before I reach my pre-pregnancy weight. More importantly I can now fit into my weekend jeans without sucking in my gut. Huzzah.
Angie @ 16 weeks
Julie| August 17, 2008 11:59 pmThe Dinner Solution
Julie| August 15, 2008 1:47 amAngie @ 15 weeks
Julie| August 10, 2008 11:28 pmThis was a happy week. It was all about the laughing, the blowing of wet raspberries, and the socializing.
My sister visited with my two nieces, the younger of which is only a month younger than Angelina. Don’t they look almost like twins?
Here we are visiting some friends who are expecting a baby in a few months. Their dogs have not spent much time with kids, but they were very well behaved around ours, especially Angie. They’re going to become very good companions for a little boy soon.
