My coworkers are awesome

Tomorrow one of my coworkers is going to watch kiddo for about 5 hours. She volunteered a few weeks ago, when I was having a mini-breakdown at work after the combination of sleeplessness and stress got to be too much. She is excited to spend the day with a baby. I am excited because I get a few baby-free hours.

Need I mention that I feel guilty about being excited for a baby break? Now that kiddo has reached the clingy, gets sad when I leave for work stage, I feel extra conflicted about the whole working outside the home thing. Not that I have a choice, since the mortgage must be paid. But, it's like, shouldn't I want to spend every possible minute with my son? He's so cute, and loves playing with me so much. Of course I know that it is crazy, and that I need breaks too recharge my soul. I used to have entire weeks of free time. The house to myself. Now I get the an hour here and there. So, honestly, I wanted to kiss this woman when she said that she would love to spend the day with kiddo.

Another coworker has also offered to baby-sit whenever. These people rock my world. The majority of nurses and MAs that I work with are amazing (even those not offering babysitting services). I have been peeking at job listings. But it is hard to think of leaving these people behind. I hate the thought of ending up in one of those dysfunctional workplaces where, instead of your coworkers having your back, they want to stab you in it. Good coworkers are worth their weight in free pens and chocolate. They certainly deserve more than a $3 coffee card and a giant cookie. I wish I could take them with me where-ever I go. Well, not to the bathroom, because that would just be weird.

More ramblings about my child

Dear Blog,

Sorry that you are so neglected. But lord, I am so tired. And what free time I have is spent either trying to do a modicum of housework, or napping. I am all about the naps now.

Almost 11 months is exhausting and so much fun. Today my child got into our supposedly child-proofed cabinet and dumped the garbage container on his lap. The garbage container that had not been emptied into the composter the entire 90 degree weekend. Yes, gross does not begin to describe it. He also screamed and screamed during the night, and refused to take his 1st nap. I think about sleep with desperation. I feel like I would sell my soul for an uninterrupted night's sleep.

But! While eating crackers and yogurt and cheese and cheerios, and whatever else I could shove in his mouth today, he went "mummummummummum!" He was all laughs this afternoon. Standing up, cruising around, impossible to keep up with. Hiding behind chairs, and bouncing his ball over to me to roll back to him. The cuteness is overwhelming. And given the terrible tragedies in the world right now, I feel so blessed to be able to cuddle his warm, little body, and have him try to steal my glasses about a million times a day.

I have about a thousand work related posts floating about in my head, and a few about my forays into gardening ( Note the composting!), but I need get ready for work, and the crawl under the covers. I promise to write something else soon (within the next month!) non-baby related posts. Or least add a photo or something.

OK, Thanks!

Happy Mothers' Day!

To my own mom, of course.

To all the other moms out there. I was going to link to your blogs, but I have only a brief reprieve from sad, sick baby to type this. And there are so many wonder mom bloggers out there.

And to me! What a journey it has been.

We are so appreciated

Whoo, it's Nursing Week. Yea-haw.

As recognition for all the hard work we do, our hospital gave us... wait for it... wait... a 3 dollar card to the hospital coffee bar. And a large cookie. Except apparently some of us don't rate cookies, since there was no artery, clogging, sugar-filled pick me up waiting for me in my box today. I can't believe that they stick us with cheap-ass gifts, and don't even get enough for all the staff. So classy. (Unless someone stole my cookie, in which case, you suck, cookie thief!)

I would be less apt to complain, if I thought that the hospital showed its appreciation for us in any other way. Like by paying attention to staffing needs. Summer is coming, and with it trauma season, and new doctors. We are having a hard time making sure that our patients get the basic care they require now, since they cut a MA position, and we are frequently short a nurse. I don't want to think about what it will be like in July. I don't want to be there in July. I need to update my resume.

So yeah, Happy Nurses Week. Hope your hospital didn't give you the finger too.

Baby in Motion

A mobile baby is a dangerous, exhausting creature. Sure it's cute to watch him motor himself across the room to say hi. Or see the proud smile on his face when he pulls himself up to stand. But there is trouble a-brewing.

I'm not even talking about the obvious trouble areas, like the stairs (he has crawled up 2 steps, and I had to fling myself across the room to keep him from falling backwards onto his head). Babies, much like cattle and other livestock, can easily be contained by gates and pens. Nor am I referring to the magnetic like pull of any small object on the floor to his mouth, or his desire to play surrounded by cords and electric plugs. We can cover and hide those irresistible objects.

No, it is much more terrifying than that. For example, Kiddo is a pain in the butt to get down for naps. But now, he has discovered that he can flip himself over, push up and crawl to the other end of the crib. Where he sits, shaking the crib rails and wailing. Apparently, he has not yet discovered that he can lie back down, so he requires mom to come in, tuck him in again, and restart his music box. Several time before he suddenly realizes that he is tired, and can no longer resist the call of the nap.

Or, the fact that he will try to escape after bath time, and frolic naked in his room. Hilarious and terrifying at the same time. There is a disgusting version of this fun activity - the try to squirm off the changing pad onto the floor when your bottom is still covered in poop. The changing pad is on the floor now to keep a squirming baby from falling several feet Humpty Dumpty style. The floor is easily accessible. His carpet almost needed a very deep clean yesterday.

With walking sure to follow soon, I expect that we should change our home insurance to something more comprehensive. Possibly including coverage for the apocalypse.

Just Do It

I'm typing this with one eye on my child, who is playing with my running shoe in one hand, and my husband's jump rope in the other. I think he is getting more use out of them as toys than we do for their intended purpose.

I just starting running again after over a month off. A month off leads to painful runs. I need to get my act together, because in a fit of madness I signed up to do a triathlon in August. The shortest, most baby of the triathlons, but still, I will need to do something in the way of training. It's been almost 2 years since I've been on my bike. And longer than that since I've done any swimming besides a little lazy summertime floating. I'm not sure why I decided to torture myself. Something about 3 of my mom friends were doing it, and it seemed cool at the time. Damn you peer pressure!

We had a lovely, warm day on Saturday. It was amazing - the end of April and I didn't even need to wear a winter jacket (I'm ignoring the fact that I had to wear it today. Seriously, the weather is out of control)! We took kiddo for his first real hike. It was a short hike, but we were in the mountains, and there was a river and waterfalls. He loved it. He laughed and babbled the entire time. He was equally amazed by the chipmunks that ran up to eat his cheerios and the waterfall.

I always feel this tug between my need to get exercise and be outside, and the little sloth imp that tells me that I am tired, that I 'm on my feet all day at work, and aren't the television and the computer so appealing. I know I feel better mentally and physically when I am active. And, I want to raise an active, outdoor loving kid. Seeing how much fun he had getting toted around the woods will hopefully keep me motivated to both be a good example for him, and to keep dragging him on outdoor adventures. The sloth imp has his place. But, sometimes I just need to drag him outside for a run.

Starting down the path of childhood obesity

Ok, not seriously, because mostly kiddo is fed things like sweet potatoes, squash, and bananas. He's tried tofu, and loves an organic, sugar free version of cheerios. He's also a very long, lean baby, and very active. But last night he discovered a love for greasy, salty, french fries (who doesn't love fries?). We were eating out with a friend, and kiddo had devoured all of his sweet potato puffs, and was starting to get that I'm going to scream if I don't get something else to put into my mouth right this minute look on his face. In a fit of madness, I thought what the hell, and handed him one of my french fries. It was a big hit. Before he had finished the 1st one, he reached out and grabbed another, and shoved that one into his mouth too. He would have grabbed a 3rd one, but I moved my plate out of the way just in time. He then tried to grab one off our friend's plate.

Clearly I have created a junk-food eating monster, who will end up one of those 500 lb guys, who need the electric lift to move them in bed.

But then again, maybe not, since today he tried to eat mulch with the same enthusiasm. Not to mention a leaf, and several small rocks. Why do I waste my money on fancy, organic baby food? I could just free-range him in the back yard.