Hello, all!
I'm back, from a verrrry long hiatus. I apologize for the lack of posts during the past few months....being home alone with our baby this summer made it a bit tricky to fit in much computer time (especially on a computer that lives in our chilly basement office). And, to be honest, I was trying to just soak up as much time with Liam as I could, without the distractions of normal daily life. I don't regret it for a second (other than missing all of you).....because it was the best summer ever!
So, here it is....a Cliff's Notes-esque wrap-up of this summer:
What We Did.....
* Eat, sleep, poop
* Went for leisurely strolls through our neighborhood
* Eat, sleep, poop
* Hung out on Liam's activity center, watching the butterfly light up and the bumblebee shake its groove thing overhead
* Eat, sleep, poop
* Read all about: cows that jumped over moons, animals that exercise, singing pigs that say, "La, la, la", and loving each other all the way up to the moon- and back.
What We Learned.....
Liam:
* Mommy = Food
* How to stay awake while nursing
* If Mommy or Daddy leaves, they will always reappear
* I have hands!
* I am the ultimate champion of rolling over (both from tummy to back, and vice versa!)
* I love Mommy's silly songs, though I will never show it
* Hippo is my BFF
* Tooting is NOT fun; Peeing all over the walls during a diaper change, however, IS.
* Lights and music are AMAZING
* The world appears so much more interesting when I am sitting versus lying down
* Bathtime is awesome!
* I am known by many names: Little Liam, My Boy, Sir Toots-alot, Snickerdoodle, Butternut, Monkey Boy, Super Dude, Mommy's Sweetie-Boy/Lovey-Boy.......
* I love being talked to, and have started to find my voice
Me:
* In the beginning, learning how to nurse was so difficult that I nearly gave up; now, I wonder if I will be willing to give it up
* How to stay awake while nursing
* Baby sleeping through the night for the first time = PANIC! = amazement = utter joy
* A smile from my little guy is worth any effort, and can instantly make my heart melt
* My ability to dream up silly songs about Liam is neverending
* Our child has every intention of "marking his territory" all over the house, including our bedroom curtains, all floors, the walls of his nursery, my clothes, Daddy's head, etc.
* Spit-up: see above
* Liam's little noises and facial expressions are pretty much the greatest thing ever
* 1 Toot = funny; 2 Toots = DANGER!!!!
* Being a parent can be difficult one moment, and unbelievably rewarding the next
* The love I have for my boy is stronger than I ever imagined it would be
* The hardest thing I've ever had to do is go back to work, leaving him behind.
In the blink of an eye, my amazing summer with my sweetie-boy flew by...then came to an end. And now it is time to find a new way of being, and to learn how to be a parent with a day job. I will admit that navigating this new course over the past several weeks has been very difficult so far. To be away from Liam for 11 hours every weekday has taken every ounce of strength that I have, and then some. Though we are very lucky that Jeff's mom (and now Jeff) has been able to watch Liam for us (we can't commit to a daycare until Jeff finds a new job), I still struggle with the fact that I'M not the one who will be there for every new milestone. It literally breaks my heart to say goodbye to him every day, knowing that I will have only a few short (and busy) hours with him before bedtime. But it is the reality that I and many working parents find ourselves in....and I am trying to make my peace with that.
For now, though, I will continue to love my Little Liam.....to hold on to every moment I have with him....and to cherish my memories of that perfect summer.
Love,Farrah, Jeff & Liam
