Weekend recap - reverse mullet?

Our weekend:

Was interesting.  But it was actually a pretty nice wedding, considering the prior circumstances.

Friday the rehearsal was disorganized and chaotic.  The bride’s dad wore a leather fanny pack and her mom skipped down the aisle.  The children (her nieces and nephew) ran amok and her family seems just as nuts.  And I saw Andrew’s (god-awful!) haircut.  Think Friar Tuck meets Tom Sawyer.    It was just as thick as Mr.’s on the right, but SHORT in the back, a reverse mullet of sorts. 

Rehearsal was boring and the dinner was quick.  Little Aaden was crabby and tired (as was Mom!) so we left early to head home.

We awoke in the wee hours of the morning to a rattling/manly breathing baby.  He was so congested he was struggling to sleep.  We got up, suctioned the heck out of his nose and did the hot shower/steam room to help.  After two hours (2:00-4:00) we were finally able to get a little more sleep.  But by then we had decided to get up early to head to urgent care to be sure he didn’t have my pneumonia. (That I had the weekend before!)

Urgent care was quick!  Like lightening fast.  We got some steroids for the little guy and he was diagnosed with croup.  We were then off to my parent’s place to see my sister quick before the wedding.  We got to see her adorable little puppy and Aaden got to play with his auntie.  Then we rushed home for Aaron to get ready and Aaden and I to start preparing for the wedding.

At the wedding, Aaden was all amped up.  (From the steroids).  He wasn’t having the service, so I skipped out during the vows to entertain him.  Ironic that he got super fussy during the vows.  Just saying…

We hung out at the church for a while afterwards, visiting with family and friends.  Then I drove Aaden around for an hour trying to get him to nap before the reception. Did a drive by of my old neighborhood and my old stomping grounds.  Everything has changed so much!  I miss my old house and the great memories I have there.  But I was glad to see the new owner was trying to take care of the place, and the pool was still there!


The newlyweds- don't you just see "crazy" in their eyes?



The reception was busy with family again, and a fussy baby.  Aaden was a bit of a handful, and I’m going to blame the ‘roids.  We stayed later than I would have liked, but it is Aaron’s brother.  The piece I thought was interesting was everyone’s attitude and lack of enthusiasm for the newlyweds.  I had many people tell me they were their only for Andrew and Aaron’s parents.  They didn’t agree with the elopement or the fake church wedding they had afterwards.  They were happy for the couple, but thought they had a lot of growing up to do for how inconsiderate they were of others in regard to the wedding.  Thinking back, I’m surprised at my general lack of excitement for them too.  I never paid any attention to the bride and groom – and they didn’t have the same charismatic charm that a typical bride and groom on their wedding day would have.   No one clanged the glasses for them to kiss, and they didn’t have any takers for the dollar dance.  Guests were their to see one another and support the family, not the couple.  It was weird.  But it was honestly very well put on, considering they Aaron’s Mom planned the whole thing in a matter of two months. 

It was really nice to see so much family, and we were super excited for Aric (Aaden’s godfather) to be around too.  He stopped by Sunday before he was to head back to Montana.  We probably won’t see him again until Aaden is at least a year old.  It’s sad he’s not around more, but we enjoy visiting with him when he is here.  And he loves seeing Aaden too!

Can you see how short in the back his hair is?

It'll be an interesting weekend...

This weekend should be interesting....

We have the church wedding/reception for Aaron's brother.  You know the one... the one that eloped.

Since their wedding, their story has only gotten crazier.  I think they have gone and lost their damn minds.  Therefore, this weekend will be interesting.  All of Aaron's family is in town for the wedding.  Some of his aunts, uncles and cousins we haven't seen in years.  So the majority of them haven't met Aaden.  I'm excited to introduce them all to him, but not for the grabby - pass the baby atmosphere that is his family.  Plus I think the better than half of his family is certifiably nuts, so it should be fun.  (Although who doesn't have family that is crazy?!  I know some of my family is!)

I am VERY excited for Aaden to spend time with his godparents this weekend though!  He gets to see my sister on Saturday since she's in town, and Aaron's brother is here from Montana for the wedding.

Sunday will hopefully be a nice relaxing day at home - and finishing up the last of some tax returns!

A few of the items that make his brother, Andrew and his new wife nuts.
1. They live in their grandparent's old farmhouse.  Paid for by the gparents estate.  It has no shower.  Oh, and they are hoarders and slobs.  Can hardly make it in the front door.
2.  Since these two crazy kids have met, they have both started and quit their jobs.  Andrew used to have a respectable career, but it "got in the way" of his time with Amber.  So he has since quit all preceding jobs.
3. They mooch off Aaron's parents in order to get by financially.
4. They want kids now - i think they forget that kids cost $$.
5. They invited some of Andrew's cousins to the wedding.  A few here and a few there (leaving out only a handful).  And hand selected which kids could attend too.  So now some of the family is not attending at all to make a point.
6. They waited weeks to announce their elopement to the extended family. And when the did, they did it at a bridal shower thrown for them, after the party was over.  (Essentially lying during the party - it was very uncomfortable for the half of us there that knew).
7. (My favorite) Their reasoning to rush the marriage - "If we didn't get married when we did, we probably would have broken up.  We couldn't handle the constant commuting between where we were living." (They lived 30 minutes apart).

This is just a sampling... nuts right?!  Thank goodness we only see them on holidays.  This weekend should be interesting.

My little man is 7 months?!

It’s official, you are closer to being a one year old little boy than my adorable little newborn! Just the other day I looked at you and realized you are really starting to look like a little boy, and not my baby.  I love watching you grow and learn, but time can slow down a bit too.

Aaden's stats:

Feed:

You had a bunch of different veggies and fruits, and you seem to like most of them. You've had carrots, green beans, peas, squash and yams. You got a little backed up from all the veggies, so we were excited to introduce pears, apples and bananas.  You love the fruits and you inhaled bananas for the first time.  Since your first taste, you haven’t been too interested in bananas. You started snacking on mum mum’s too.  The Dr. wanted us to try to get yourself to start feeding yourself, and you have yet to have any interest in that.  We’ll keep working on it!   

Weight:

I tried weighing him at home - a whopping 15.5 lbs.  Our peanut seems to be even skinnier than normal.  Between daycare and home we are constantly offering him food, and he eats all the time.  Just our little runt I guess.  That’s okay though. J

Length:

27 inches

Diaper Size:

Size 3

Clothes Size:

You can still fit into a few Gap brand 0-3, but almost everything is 3-6 months.  The 6 month sleepers are getting too tight, and the 9 month ones fit perfectly.  You are still so long and skinny!

Hair Color:

It's turning really light - and blond!

Eye color:

Blue

Funniest moment this month:

You are really starting to giggle.  You love to watch Vada play and you love it when we blow on your tummy.  You instantly get fistfuls of my hair the second I go to blow on your tummy.  And it makes you crack up!

This month you have gotten SO STRONG!  You love to stand up and look around.  You can sit on your own, but you are constantly moving so sitting on your own ends up with you face planting or throwing yourself backwards.  Your getting really good on your tummy too.  I know you could crawl if you tried!  You can push yourself way up from your tummy, or use your hands to spin yourself in a circle.  But your favorite move is the “sky diver pose.”  Your core is so strong!

You are getting so fun!  You love to play with Mommy and Daddy and started trying to “kiss” Mommy.  You open your mouth really big and press it against my cheek.  You are so proud of yourself and I love the wet kisses!

You started daycare this month too!  (A few weeks earlier than planned – due to Daddy’s new job!) It’s going really good so far, and you seem to be one of the girls’ favorites.  I heard you just watch them walk around the infant room and smile and giggle for them.  You come home tired from all the fun toys they have there. 

Just a few pictures from recently.

On being a working Mom - a successful working Mom.

Just when you think you have it all worked out, after months of struggling to balance Mommy-hood and work you get a rude slap across the face.  This hurtful slap came in the form of some of my staff's opinions on my ability to balance the two - and how I'm a "horrible Mom."

Sorry if this is a vent - I need to get this off my chest.  As it is currently feeling weighed down with pain and ache that people would judge me on this.

The first two week's of Aaden's life were the best and worst two weeks of my life.  I had this adorable, precious little baby who was being cared for by nurses in the NICU, not Aaron and I.  It killed me that the stories you hear of people bringing their babies home and showing them off to visitors in the hospital were not going to be our stories.  It ached that I had to balance the pain of having a NICU baby, with the raging hormone's and trying to fulfil other's expectations for me at the same time.  Let's not even get started on my Mother's and my in-law's feelings about not getting to hold or visit their new grandson whenever they pleased.

I was struggling to say the least. My world as I had known it had changed.  Being a brand-spanking new parent was tough regardless, then add the rest of the dilemmas to it and I was coming apart at the seams.  While I loved being at the hospital with my son 24/7, I was missing my home, and my "normal" life.  I barely left the four walls of the hospital over a 2 week period.  I can not begin to explain what that does to someones mental state. 

With the suprise (early) arrival I had a ton of loose ends to tie up.  The nursery wasn't ready, the house wasn't clean, my bags weren't packed.. so on and so forth.  I figured I would have at least another 2 weeks at work to formally hand most of my stuff off to my boss. 

(Side note - I'm a controller at a large construction company.  I have 16 direct reports and I oversee ALL of the financial aspects of this 7 company business.  I had a TON of stuff on my plate - not to mention we were about to close the busiest month of our year - August.)

The whole time I was in the hospital, I was feeling terrible that I left my place of employment in such a mess.  Not that I had any control - I just wish that I could help it.  (Totally Type A here!)  I was in the midst of two large projects and trying to communicate in any down-time I had at the hospital (ha).  I managed to go into the office to put an "out of office" up, hand off my projects and update my boss the first chance I had.  Which also happened to be the second day Aaden was home. 

I was ELATED that Aaden was home - but I was also completely drowning in the change of life and feeling completely helpless to care for my infant.  I needed some fresh air and a small piece of time to focus on me.  I wanted to get into work to take care of the above projects/"stuff" but I also needed that time and that familiar setting to feel like "me" again.  I felt so helpless in the hospital, and it was nice to be in control again, if even for a few hours. 

I took the next 3 weeks to fully be at home - to love and care for my new son and to find our new "normal."  After those 3 weeks, work was in the midst of tax planning for year-end (my responsibility again) and another month end.  I offered to come in for a partial day to help out - since my boss was struggling to do his job, mine and manage all my staff. 

I don't feel bad for saying this - but I loved getting out of the house.  I loved the adult interaction and the familiarity of work.  I talked to Aaron and we decided to arrange our schedules so 1 day a week I could go into work for 6 hours to help get stuff done.  I thought I was being generous with my time ( to my company), but I also felt great knowing I would have some of my own time at work.  The days at home were great, but they were a struggle to feel like I was "accomplishing" enough.  That's why I craved my time at work.  It was normal, comfortable and I could focus and knock things off the giant to-do list waiting for me.

Back to the reason for this post - I learned today that some of my employees thought that my 6 hours/week away were wrong.  They commented that I was a "horrible Mom" and should know better.  That since I had a preemie, that I should have devoted every second to every day taking care of him.  The part that gets me is that I was.  Mom's need time for themselves too - so they can be a great Mom.  If they don't have their own time, they can't be fully present for their kids.  These women that thought these horrible things of me are Mom's themselves. 

Obviously I'm upset and hurt by their words.  But really, it's none of their business.  They didn't live this, and I feel I made the best decisions for me.  These few hours a week that I worked earned me extra (paid) maternity leave with my son. 

I went to college, passed my CPA test and worked (really) hard to be where I am today.  I don't want to be viewed as that "slacker" that has kids and lets my work focus fade away.  I understand that while I'm at work I need to be present there - but I also make time to be home and "present" there.  I have a wonderful husband, who is the BEST father!  He is working a lighter load, so I can continue to balance my career with my family.   It's a tough balance, and I feel like I'm still working on it.  Every day gets a little easier (until this week when Aaden started daycare!). 

What do other Mom's do?  How do you find the balance?  And more importantly - how you you handle the negative opinions?

And of course - a photo of my little man!

Family Photos - Eau Claire

Last weekend we spend the weekend visiting Christina in Eau Claire, WI!  We had fun doing some shopping (the guys went to shoot), going out for dinner and playing some Wii games. Then on Sunday we hung out and went to get some family photos taken.  I think they turned out pretty good - except all the squinty eyes from the sun! 

6 Month Post

 

 

How did you get to be 6 MONTHS OLD already!?!  Where has the time gone?  I've loved watching you grow and change.  Although my heart breaks a little thinking that you are already cruising through your baby stages and turning into an adorable and energetic little boy.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for you little man, but I'm also trying to "be" in every moment we have together. 

Aaden's stats:

Feed:

You are really starting to like your vegetables!  You've had carrots, green beans, peas, squash and yams.  You devour your veggies and rice cereal and whine to get your bottles.  You love your food!  You've started eating more sporadically, smaller feedings anywhere from 5-8 times a day.  Peas haven't been your favorite, but you still eat them.  Next up.. fruits!
 

Weight:

We thought you would be about 16 lbs, but you weighed in at only 14.1 at your 6 month appointment.  Still our little peanut.  In the past you were compared against the preemie scale (for %'s) and now you are on the regular scale.  You finally made the scale though - at the 2% mark!
 

Length:

26 inches at 6 mo appt (24% on the regular scale)

Diaper Size:

Size 2, but you wear size 3's to bed.   

Clothes Size:

Depends on the brand. You are so long and skinny! You wear mostly 6month outfits, but each brand is different.  3-6mo outfits from Gymboree and GAP fit the best, but a good 6 month from Carter's.  You need 9 month Carter's sleepers since the others are too short. 
 

Hair Color:

It's turning really light - and blond! 

Eye color:

Blue

Funniest moment this month:
Your big poopy blow-out at Home Depot?  Thank goodness they have family bathrooms - Mommy and Daddy were both needed to get you cleaned off, changed and clean our your car seat!!!

We've gotten you giggling more often this month too!  It's turned from a weekly event to nearly a daily occurrence.  We still have to work for it, but the noise is just music to our ears.  I love spending my mornings waking you up and feeding you before work, and spending my nights playing with you and tucking you into bed.  We've started playing some nursery rhymes at nighttime to help you wind down, and they seem to really calm you down.

Still making all your baby food!  We have daycare lined up to start April 1st - and I'm really really not looking forward to sending you off to spend your days with someone other than Mommy and Daddy!
 

Bella-Rae

This weekend we got to meet my sister's new puppy, Bella-Rae!   She is adorably tiny with beautiful coloring.  She's a schnoodle, part schnauzer part poodle.  I'm excited for my sister and the new addition to our family!!  Weekends at the cabin will definitely be different this year!