showering with books

Last weekend I hosted a book-themed shower for my friend Jenny who is due with a baby of unknown gender in March. On the invitation, I asked everyone to bring a children's book in addition to their gift. Out of 15 guests, there were no duplicates. Win.

I decorated with stuffed animals and children's books from my library and supplemented with some newer books from Henry's stash.

Made cupcakes with a book theme, borrowed from this site. Do not judge my frosting skills. I had a fever of 101, and they got a little roughed up in the transport and transfer to the plate.

The menu was a crepe bar. I made the crepes myself and had toppings of strawberries, peaches, blueberries, Nutella, powdered sugar and whipped cream. Everyone loved it and other than the intense crepe making, it was low on the labor scale.

We introduced ourselves by talking about our favorite book from childhood and then played an alternative book title game.

Next time, I'll go to the used book store and purchase books there for the decorations and then give them to the guest of honor as my gift. Good gift and easy clean-up!

job security

I am a needy sick person.

Even into my high school years, I wanted my mom to sit on the edge of the bed and read me books. And when it was time for me to sleep, I still preferred she sit there so I wouldn't be alone. She made me malt-o-meal, birdie bites (bites of toast with cinnamon and sugar) and bought all my favorite juices. There was (and still is) nothing better than my mom when sick.

Henry got his first fever this weekend. Followed by an exhausting night of crying, moaning and no sleeping until 4 a.m. Even with medicine to bring his fever down, his nose is running and eyes red and watery.

The hard part is I can't make him birdie bites or reassure him that in a few days he'll feel back to normal again. I can't lay on the couch and watch daytime TV as a special treat. Instead I rocked him, let him sleep in my arms for hours, didn't pull my hair away when he wanted to twirl it around his fingers and googled "baby fevers" once every hour.

If I could control it, I would have him never be sick again.  I'd certainly be less sleep deprived. But it's cool to remember that when he does get sick, he'll always want his mama.

baby commercials rock

Happy Saturday!

one hundred percent class

Henry has never been a good sleeper. 

On the upside, the kid loves to play, stroke my cheek and pull the hairs from my head. He's curious. He loves to play. And his 3 a.m. smiles are worth it (possibly not worth it when my face hits the keyboard mid-afternoon). 

Just when we thought he had it figured out and was only up at 5 a.m., he, like all the books predicted, regressed into his new-to-the-world state. Hello, 1 a.m., 3 a.m. and 5 a.m! 

This change collided with two unfortunate goals. 

First, the hubs and I had made a pact to get up before 6:30 a.m. to avoid the frantic rush and always ended in us being late to work. Me with wet hair and no makeup. Twice last week I wore my shirt backward - all day long.

Second, I am trying to up my milk production to accommodate his additional night feedings plus just trying to keep up with the daycare bottles after the holidays and messed up routines. This all has led to intense hunger (me, not him) and really not a lot of additional milk to show for it. I'm holding out hope.

Sarah's body: "I'm tired. Give me a nap or give me some carbs."

Sarah: "Dude, I'd nap if I could. I'll give you the carbs."

Sarah's body: "How am I supposed to keep you alive plus make enough food to keep a baby alive? GIVE ME FOOD!

So today, I ate peanut butter. Straight from the jar. With the only utensil I had - a steak knife.

Pretty sure one of my shirts also might be on backward.

My life is the definition of class.

and, done.

Finally updating my 101 things. Yeesh, I need to get cracking!


#2 Send out Christmas Cards.

#58 Find good sushi in Kansas City.

Drunken Fish. Yum.

#67 Find a writing freelance job.

Check out my Monday blogs at Lauren Wants to Know.

#74 Forgive them even if they don't deserve it.

I think I did.

search words

Search words used to find my blog in the last week:

1. Five people are googling lightning in pregnancy? And finding me? It's this post.


2. KU peeing on K-State? I don't really care for KU in that sports kind of way but I'm pretty sure I've never peed on them or written about such a thing.


3. I have four plants, two being on their deathbed. 

five months

My sweet little Henry,

Happy five months! I skipped month four because it was really busy - the beginning of many motherly oops moments.

You are changing crazy fast. You had done your mother well by sleeping til 5 a.m. or even later. You've regressed, though, and throw in a 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. feeding, sometimes complete with crying. The articles tell me you're growing and developing so fast you need more food and also just have more trouble sleeping. I tiredly repeat, it's only a phase.

You grab for everything now especially my hair but even glasses of water. You are the loudest baby I've met and routinely scream happily (but very high-pitched) in public places. You get louder if you think people are talking to each other rather than you. You don't care much about rolling over and have found your feet only a few times but you are DYING to sit up and try your hardest. You love playing in your gym and walker (circa 1983) and will sit quietly while Daddy reads you books. I spend a lot of time trying to distract your gaze from the TV.

The last two months you met your extended family including cousins Jace and Adilyn in Minnesota, started daycare, met Santa and the Grinch, got baptized by Pastor Scott, attended an ugly Christmas sweater party, had your first Christmas and added two states to your list when you cheered on K-State at the Cotton Bowl.

Godmother Ashley at your baptism

You want to eat more. You still hate your crib. You fall asleep with your hand on my cheek which is partially why I am not making you learn to love your crib. The Cloud B giraffe and my old baby blanket are your favorite loveys at night. I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my blanket to you. Maybe you'll get it as a reward for not spitting up on my dry-clean only coat again.

The bigger you get, the more wonderful and more confusing this parenting thing becomes.

I love you, always.

Mama

Bowlin'

We spent last week in the Dallas area cheering on K-State in the Cotton Bowl. 

First up was the pep rally at the Texas Rangers Stadium in Arlington. Henry was enthralled with the 20,000 + K-State fans, fireworks, big screens and familiar fight songs. He yelled right along with the best of them.

Followed by the game at Dallas Stadium, which is unnecessarily huge and left me nauseated for the first quarter. We also visited the Fort Worth stockyards where Henry sat in his first saddle. Giddy-up!

Now we're home. There are no more road trips, holidays or extended periods of time off. Hello, real life.

obligatory resolutions post

Last year I didn't have time for resolutions because I was too busy trying to keep raw almonds and buttered noodles in my stomach and avoid smells like deodorant, cookies and lotion. Weird smellage and queasy stomach turned into a Henry.

There's something about this kid that makes me want to be a better person. So here it goes.

Get Henry to sleep in his crib or at least give it the good ol' college try.
We tried for four days. High-fived, rejoiced and then accepted defeat. We gave up because the holidays busted any semblance we had of a routine. Then on Christmas, Henry slept on his own but in our bed which means he does not need us particularly but just prefers a cozy bed to a stark crib. In this moment I realized a almost-five-month-old is bossing me around.

Routine and organization. Routine and organization.
I thrive on chaos but in a really unhealthy, angry sort of way. The fact I have multiple junk drawers, multiple to-do lists and a refrigerator that needs a hazmat crew makes me often feel like my world is falling apart. I will post about my actual plan to fix this when I find time to make a plan.

Do things to make my body less mushy.
I am back at or below my pre-preg weight but when they say your body changes, it's true. When I sit, there is this weird mushy stomach roll that I never have seen before. I got a Garmin Forerunner for Christmas last year. For my birthday, I got new running shoes. All signs point to me working running back into my life. See previous resolution.


Go on at least one date every month.
We thought we'd be immune from the post-baby marriage hurdles because we're best friends and love each other. We are not immune. It's hard to find a babysitter. Hard to have enough energy to want to dress up (i.e. something other than sweatpants and a ponytail) and go on a date. Hard to go on dates and not talk about running to Target afterward because I'm out of wipes. Hard to be light and happy when I am totally ticked off after discovering there are no diapers left and I have to get up at 3 a.m. to switch the dirty ones to the dryer so they are ready in time for daycare.

Pay it forward.
We've had a lot of people do a lot of really nice stuff for us. I fail miserably in doing enough for other people.  So I've decide in 2012, I'll focus on the other new moms in my life who need a friendly face in the hospital, a freezable dinner dropped off, a date night or just an encouraging email. I will be a better friend.

the best year

 
In January,
I told everyone I was pregnant. And then it all seemed real when we heard a galloping heartbeat.


In February,
we made a video that eventually got a lot of YouTube views announcing we were having a boy. We also made a less popular video of our cat opening the door.

In March,
we registered for the baby boy. I talked about my aversion to a lot of baby stuff. I take back my hatred for pacifiers and infant car seats. The bumpers, nursing pads, pack n play, bouncy seat and huge swings? Haven't needed them yet.

We also went to Belize where Shea felt the baby kick for the first time. I also drank a lot of watermelon juice, climbed pyramids in 115 degree heat and rode bikes along the ocean.

In April, 
we accomplished some really big budget goals. Then I gave up sugar for a week but wimped out and ended up passing my glucose test regardless. 

In May, 
We moved into a rental house. Got a temporary roommate. I got bigger, our fridge stopped working and my little sister graduated from college. I also had the worst day ever.

In June,
I had my first shower and received a lot of cloth diapers. Then it started to get really hot, and I got proportionately moodier.

In July, 
we had two more showers. Freaked out about the car seat,  and then freaked out about our marriage never being the same. Lots of freaking out.

In August, 
I gave birth really, really quickly after crying eight hours before that I COULD NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE. Henry heard me apparently. Then I lost blood and had iron infusions. And slowly got better. There was a lot of crying and not much sleeping from all members of the household. 

In September,
life was hard. And too busy for eating and showering. We were totally in love and totally and completely overwhelmed.

In October, 
Henry got a cousin. And I got new tires.

In November,
I celebrated turning 29 with pizza in bed. Henry started giggling. And I started work.

In December, 
we completely failed at getting Henry to sleep in his crib. But succeeded in making him way cute for his baptism.

By far the best year of my life but also the most challenging. I have no idea what 2012 has in store but I am confident my average weight will be less and my sleep will be more.