juggling

Sorry for the lack of posting since Charlotte came along. First, I was struggling to keep up with her, to figure out her rhythms and catch some sleep when I could. Plus, the whole pumping and bottle-feeding issue ate up a huge chunk of each day. Luckily, we resolved that before I had to go back to work.

Now, I am working again. The niece we spoke with last September, who then agreed to come to our home 3 days each week to babysit, agreed to sit for someone else 3 days per week, so we only get two. I am struggling to get work done on those no-sitter days as well because I have to prove to my boss that I can work from home, even with an infant. Otherwise, my accumulated vacation time would last only 7 weeks, and then I'd be faced with a tough decision- quit, decrease my hours, or find daycare. I'm hoping to stretch the vacation hours as long as possible, probably just delaying the inevitable, but I'd really like to win the lottery before my time runs out.

Anyhow, our niece adores Charlotte, and for those two days each week I am confident that she's in good hands. It's a huge difference, though, between working 3 days in the office versus two. My boss is not happy with the schedule we started with, so my mother offered to take the baby one afternoon each week... since we work in the same place, I'll take Charlotte to work with me, feed her in my office then send her home with my mother for a few hours. Luckily, mom lives only 10 minutes away from work, and the same distance from my house as my office, so there's not a lot of extra drive-time. We'll see how it goes and how long it lasts, starting next week. Meanwhile, these two weeks of spending just 2 days in the office have been hectic. Every time I put Charlotte down for a nap, I am on the computer and calling my office voice mail. It seems that whenever I am in the middle of something, Charlotte needs me. I think I've juggled well, but this isn't something I could continue long-term. I am exhausted, and no one is getting 100% from me. On top of that, C's and my new business is going very well and I have all the paperwork to deal with for that on top of trying to be a good mom and responsible employee. I feel like I haven't had a break in two weeks, on top of not having a full night's sleep since December.

Anyone want to share their lucky numbers with me for my next lottery ticket?

no time for words

Baby girl has learned to smile. She's suddenly interactive, and so much more fun than I imagined. I can't wait for giggles!

p.s. I never intended to be one of those moms who put a bow on her baby girl's head, but she looks so irresistably cute that I simply cannot resist. We save it for special occasions, though. Last weekend, she went to a bridal shower, and that's where this photo was taken.

no time to blog

Yowza- I never knew time could move so quickly. It's been 7 weeks now since we brought our darling daughter home from the hospital. At her last pedi appointment, when she was exactly one month old, she'd gained 1 1/2 pounds and grown 2 1/2 inches since birth. Unbelievable... but then I looked at her in the car seat and glanced at the photo I took when she was 2 days old. She definitely sits a lot taller in the seat now. And the outfit she swam in at two days barely fits her at 7 weeks. Especially her feet. Does anyone know if baby clothes just tend to have too-small feet, or if my girl is simply oversized? They look proportionate to me.

The latest developments, in bullets before she wakes up-
* Feeding- we're no longer dependent on a nipple shield, and she latches like a pro so breast feeding has become as routne as it should be. We've nursed in such exotic places as the car, the doctor's office (in an empty exam room), an infant massage class, and the bank (she cried and they offered me an empty office- how could I refuse?). Tomorrow, she'll feast in my office after my colleagues take me out to lunch (belated birthday meal), unless she demands food in the restaurant in which case we may attempt our first truly public session.
* Sleep- Baby knows the difference between night and day. At night, she nurses and goes immediately back to sleep. Now that we're feeding sans shield, she's a lot more efficient and wraps up her meal in under 30 minutes. As a result, I'm out of bed for only about 45 minutes each time which leaves me more than 2 hours to sleep between feedings. And, luxury of luxuries, she's begun to occasionally skip one middle-of-the-night feeding. I slept for FIVE hours straight one night this week.

It's time to feed my angel and get some sleep myself. I'l try to write more tomorrow.