Fondness makes the heart grow stronger

Ah, yes. Words of wisdom from my typically very intellectual husband. He was trying to tell me that "distance makes the heart grow fonder" and got a little confused. But I guess I'll cut him some slack. He allowed me to have a very rare and much appreciated "girls night out" last night while he stayed at home and watched Jr. It was fantastic, but I am definitely paying for it today! I literally got home, showered and have left the couch only for food or water, or to feed Braden.

My night out reminded me....I am definitely older than I feel. Not sure if its the fact that I have a child or that I live so damned far from the city is the reason that when I go out I am not dealing with the same "bounce-back" factor that I operated with in my late teens and early 20s. Probably a combination. Nope, not one part of my body re-cooperates the way it used to after a long night at KAMs back in the good old days. I am not sure HOW I used to do that so often!

Every time I sit back and think of what I used to put my body through while in Champaign, it makes me even more amazed that, A. I didn't and still don't weigh 300 lbs. and B. I somehow survived college. I'm pretty sure that a majority of at least my first 2 years of college consisted of: wake up, eat, class, eat, sleep, homework, sleep, shower, out, drink A LOT, eat, sleep, repeat; and most of the time, what I was eating was probably something with a lot of grease and a lot of cheese. I suppose that is the reason that in all of our pictures from college, my friends and I seem to have a recurring case of "face bloat." Over the years, the number on the scale may not have moved a ton, but the width of my face in pictures luckily has been decreased since those nights have ended.

Last night was a blast. I got to catch up with people I haven't seen in ages and have dinner at a BYOB sushi place (places that are non-existent out here). I definitely miss my time in the city and being so close to friends. I wouldn't trade my life for anything, but its nice to pretend to be a single, city girl once in a while. Single, of course, being a relative term :) . I felt like myself again, pre-mom, and am so grateful to have had some time away. Unfortunately, my body is used to waking up at 6 am , so I awoke, head throbbing in pain at 6:08am this morning. Rough is an understatement. After what seemed like a 2 hour drive home, I have since become a fixture on my couch. Getting off to go upstairs to bed seems like a chore. Yep, I'm having a "I'm in college again" kind of day and I kind of love it :).

Being sick stinks :(

Upon rolling out of bed this morning, I immediately knew it wasn't good. My body ached, I was freezing cold and burning up at the same time.....yuck. I thought getting up and taking a shower would help get me out the door to work, but unfortunately I only felt more sick as time went on. Being sick is one of those things that makes me feel like a kid again. I want my mom or dad to call me, ask how I am, and when I say "not good" bring me soup and 7up and make me better.

I guess you know you are an adult when you call home and say "yeah, I had a 102 temp today" expecting some form of sympathy, and your mother replies with a very prompt, "well, you'll be fine." Yes, I know I am fine, I will be fine, but when I feel as yucky as I did today, I want someone to come and say "you poor baby."

I guess that's what husbands are for. Mine is one of the best, and called home several times throughout the day to check up on me and make sure I was okay. He is currently at Panera, getting me a chicken noodle soup remedy. Hopefully it all works, cause I'd really like to enjoy my girls night out tomorrow night. I'm trying really hard to get better fast.

Braden makes it hard to feel too sick, either. No matter how I feel, he always gives me that big huge "hi mom!" smile whenever he sees me for the first time in a while. I feel much better after seeing him and after a day of rest. Let's hope it's what the doctor ordered! :)

Oh my god, your son is HUGE!

Yes, we are very well aware that we have somehow created a giant. Braden is a mere 5.5 months and is already wearing 12 month clothes and weighing a massive 20 pounds. He's huge. I get it. I feel like I have literally spent my entire weekend fielding questions and comments on that topic, and trying to downplay his size as passersby are so intrigued as to how "YOU TWO" created "THAT". Yeah, not too sure how that happened. I just smile and nod, trying to hide my growing complex over the issue.

Brett just beams when the comments come our way. He told me today that he takes them as a compliment, and that the bigger our little monster gets, the more he can forsee his future as an athlete. He is so proud that we might have a future lineman on our hands.

I, on the other hand, can't help but get a little concerned. I am afraid that as he gets older, he'll be made fun of or develop a complex about his size. While Brett is hoping he keeps on the growth train, I am hoping he starts to slow down so that he can blend in with those his age a little easier.

We were at our friend Nancy and Bryan's son Kyle's first birthday this weekend and while Kyle, who is 6 months older than Braden, used to dwarf our little man, they are now almost the same size. Quite the eye opener. I guess until we see him next to other kids, its hard to see just how big he is. Its pretty humorous to hear people guess his age.....8 months, 9 months, a year?? Haha. Not quite.

Today, the three of us made our first trip out to the grocery store. As Brett was waiting in line at the deli counter, Little B and I made our way past the meat and seafood section where I was approached by a man with a baby carrier in his cart. Braden is too heavy to be carried in the seat, so we have resorted to sitting him in the front of the cart, the "big boy seat" as we call it. As I passed by the cart with the baby, the man looked over at me and says, (those who are parents will understand the "instant friend" scenario at stores when you have kids) "Oh he looks just a little bit older than mine". "Oh," I said, "how old is yours?" I was thinking he couldn't have been older than 6 months. "9 months". I had to laugh...."Yeah, he's 5.5. He's a big guy" As I watched the man's jaw drop, I thought to myself, "I really hope he is going to be a stellar athlete or this is going to get old very fast."

Here's to hoping.....

Here we go.....

For the past 6 months, I have been overly anxious for Braden to start doing new "tricks" as my friend Emily calls them. I could not wait until the day he could hold his own bottle, eat baby food, roll over, talk, etc. I guess there is a reason they say to be careful what you wish for. Yesterday morning we awoke to Braden's first words : Mama and Baba (I can't say I am disappointed to have made the list!) He added "dada" to his repertoire today and I'm sure there will be more to come. We are very proud that amidst the aftermath of a 3 week+ lingering ear infection, he still managed to accomplish such a milestone with a smile on his face (most of the time).

Alas, we have begun the downhill spiral that is childhood development, and while I am super excited to watch the little guy reach so many different milestones, I know that there is no turning back now. Gone are the days of the silent, sleepy baby that did little more than eat and poop. We are now onto bigger and better things, which means busier and busier days for us. I have said many times over that I can't quite figure out how time flew so fast. I can't believe that I thought I was tired all the time before I had him. I wish I knew then what I know now. I'm pretty sure childbirth and parenting is the official definition of tired, and I'm sure any parent out there would agree. Braden is starting to talk, soon will be crawling, walking, running.....oh man, I'm tired just thinking about it.

My newest obstacle to overcome? How I can be running around after this child, working, working out and watching what I eat and still manage to gain 1/2 a pound this week?? Strange....

Back on the workout train!

Yes, I finally am back on it, and in full force. I am determined to lose these last 5 or so pounds I have left from pregnancy and then some. We leave for our San Antonio/San Diego vacation in T minus 8 weeks and I would like to be willing to at least leave the hotel room in a swimsuit by then.

I really don't understand why getting back on the wagon this time around seemed to take so much more time and effort than ever before. Yes, I know, I just had a baby, but for some reason I think it has been less of a physical thing and more of a "I've got an excuse so I'm going to use it" thing. In fact, I am pretty sure most of the 42 pounds I gained throughout the pregnancy were a result of that excuse also! I swore up and down I would not be one of "those" women who just eats because she can, but in the end, Braden wanted to eat and I did too, so I willingly obliged.... probably not my best decision ever. But, nonetheless, the weight is here so getting rid of it is definitely my biggest goal at the moment.

And anyone reading this, PLEASE hold me accountable to gaining only 20 or less pounds next time around. I don't know if having 2 at home will be as conducive to a workout regimen as it is now. And for all those out there curious....no, there will not be another one anytime in the near future. No worries there.

My New Years Resolution

So, I started this blog almost a year ago with full intentions of updating on a regular basis. Time has flown, this has taken a backseat, and I never have posted again...until now. I have made it my new years resolution to start doing a better job of documenting milestones in our lives.

It is so difficult to believe that our little man is almost 6 months old. The 9 months of pregnancy seemed like 9 years, and the past 6 months have seemed like 6 weeks. Funny how that happens. Braden has grown and changed so much over the past 6 months, I cannot even imagine what the next 18 years will bring. All three of us have adjusted to daily life with two working parents. Braden is one of the most easy going babies I've ever seen, and hardly bats an eye as we tote him all over the western suburbs before and after work. We are very lucky. He is easily sleeping 10-12 hours a night, laughs often, hardly cries, eats everything we put in front of him, grabs his feet non stop and is making a valiant effort to crawl and walk. Yes, at 5.5 months, he is even taking a sippy cup.

I am certain that having the two of us as parents has absolutely nothing to do with the amazing disposition of this child. He does, however, seem to have a very pleasant combination of Brett's serious and focused approach to any task at hand and my laid back attitude, for which I am very grateful. I can only hope that this continues through his childhood and teenage years.

Brett and I are adjusting well to this new life also. We are making a valiant effort to keep our marriage about us, while making family our priority. Its definitely a struggle, but we are getting there. The extra sleep over the past 3 months has certainly helped all 3 of us!

I am finding my most recent struggle to be finding ME time. I am, after all only 25, and while most of my friends are living in the city, single or newly married without kids, I am at home or working 24/7. Yes, I know that in having a child, this is what I "signed up for", but sometimes I just need to be one of the girls. I miss having time to just kick back and relax over dinner and drinks without thinking about when we have to relieve a sitter or if Braden is getting too sleepy for us to stay and have a good time.

I keep telling myself that soon all of my girlfriends will

also be married with children and living in these wonderful suburbs (all that is, except for Emily-she'll always be a city girl!). I just hope that "soon" comes quicker than I think.

In the end, what I have learned so far from having a child is the following:

1. I really don't matter as much as I thought I did. Not

being a Debbie Downer here. Seriously, I don't.

2. Being selfish is no longer an option.

3. Christmas is so much more fun now.

4. Being 25 with a baby makes you much more relatable to the 30+ age group.

5. I am getting old.

6. Going down the street or across the country requires the same amount of packing.

7. I have never done more laundry in my life, and I don't see it decreasing in volume anytime soon

8. Babysitters coming over after the baby is asleep is not nearly as cool when you are the one paying (I seriously have to pay you $10/hr to sit on my couch, watch my t.v. and eat my food?)

9. Living 30 minutes from our parents is both a curse and a blessing. Mostly a blessing, and I can't imagine NOT having their help

10. I have now become the biggest sap around, and totally understand why my mom cried at every major life event that has ever happened in our family