Growing up so fast...

Marissa's 9 month appointment was fine. She checked out healthy. She weighs almost 17 lbs and I can't remember her length but she'd grown about an inch since Sept. So, she is now 25th percentile in weight instead of 50th. She's small...can't imagine why. Have you seen her parents? :-) I asked Dr. Fleming about her lack of teeth and she wasn't one bit concerned. She said they usually come between 6 and 12 months on average. We'll see. I am not worried anymore. She has some, they are just hiding. Rumor has it, the longer they're in there the more healthy they'll be. I don't know if that's true or if it's something people say to parents whose kids are late on the teeth-sprouting.

Not going to write too much tonight, but she's doing some really cute stuff lately that I want to make sure I record. One, she has started clapping...it's so adorable. She claps and sings (I use the term singing loosely...it's just a more melodic version of her talking).

She's also started holding her own bottle. This is a major feat. She is self-feeding finger foods and starting to eat more textured foods...she still gets confused sometimes, but for the most part she's getting the hang of it.

Her hair is getting thicker and longer and is starting to grow over her ears and stuff. I don't necessarily know what to do with it...I can't push it behind her ears (it's not quite that long) yet it looks somewhat disheveled when it's just falling "as is." Hmm.

She is enjoying bath time a lot...get lots of giggles and smiles. Oh, and speaking of smiles...she has my dimple. Same side and everything. It's barely noticeable right now but I can see it (it perhaps gets a little lost in her monstrous cheeks).

I'm glad the holidays are upon us. I am crazy-busy at work (the busiest I've been by a longshot since I returned to GMAC Insurance over a year ago) which is good and bad. However, I have lots of time off to spend with my little one between now and the end of the year. I've got most of next week off for a visit to my parents' in FL. Then, I have taken every Friday off in December, in addition to extra days the week of Christmas and the week of NY. Should be great to spend that time with Marissa. I know I will get spoiled and January will be a bummer. Christmas should be really amusing this year, though.

Updates from Fall 2008!!

I'm pretty sure no one probably reads this anymore, since I can't even make it a once-per-month endeavor to update this thing. However, I will still keep posting when I have time so that I can have my online record of Marissa's first year (and beyond, possibly...).

I don't even know where to begin. I guess I can begin with Matt and my first overnight trip away from Marissa. My work was taking a trip to Vegas for the DMA (Direct Marketing Association's Annual Conference and Exhibition). In fact, my whole department got approval to go. We stayed at the Bellagio and it was great!! Matt HAD to tag along since we were going to his favorite place...which meant we had to leave Marissa. Now, I guess it's not exactly true to say that we'd never left Marissa before. We did leave her for a night over the summer so that Matt and I could take a trip to Athens to go out with Liza and Big T. This was entirely different, though. We left her Sat night - Weds with Grover and Candace. She seemed to do very well. I was worried, because the week prior to leaving her she started to have some major separation anxiety. I guess she got over it while I was gone because it looked like she had fun. Anyway, we had a good time in Vegas but I did miss her a ton. I was ready to get back. Not sure when I'll be ready again to leave her for that long.

She is still having separation anxiety, but it's OK. It won't last forever, and as one of my books says, it's kind of a sweet period because "never again will you be as perfect in your child's eyes as you are right now." So while it can seem heartbreaking at times (like when I leave her and she pouts and tears well up in her eyes), it's also sort of sweet.

Marissa is crawling now, and it's just so funny. It isn't exactly smooth yet, but she can get all over the place...and pretty quickly!

We've had a different football season than in years past...we have watched a lot of the UGA games with our friends the Forgiones (Marissa's Godparents). It works out pretty well and we've had a good time. I haven't made it to any games this year but it's ok with me. The Dawgs are sort of annoying me this year, anyway :-)

Marissa's first Halloween was pretty cute. At her daycare they had week-long events, where each day they asked us to dress the kids with a different theme. Monday was pajamas day, Tuesday was sports fan day, etc. They wore their costumes on Friday (which was Halloween). It was pretty cute.

Today we went to "Thankspigging," which is a big party that our friend Chip co hosts every year. It's a big pig roast with TVs, beer, and band, lots of food (seriously, they roast a pig...that makes a lot of BBQ). It's all free...they just ask for a donation for the Center for the Visually Impaired (one of the hosts has a son who has visual problems). It was fun and Marissa came with us and was great...she really loved hanging in the Baby Bjorn and singing along with the band. I'm not joking...when the music was playing she kicked her legs and sang in her own special way. I think she likes music a lot. It probably helps that I'm sort of crazy and sing to her a lot...and also dance with her a lot whenever music happens to be playing. She loves it!

This Fall has been so fun. I can't really describe how great it is to watch her grow up and discover things...learn things on her own. It's sort of bittersweet for me to watch her accomplish each milestone. On the one hand, it makes me very proud and it's very exciting to see her figure these things out on her own..but on the other hand, each milestone sort of marks a step towards independence...and I am beginning to see how fast it all will fly by. I honestly can't believe we've had her for 9 months. Where has the time gone?

I'm sort of tired of typing so I hope those highlights get you somewhat caught up. Next up: on Tuesday we have her 9 month checkup. Later this month we take our first flight with Marissa, down to Orlando to see my parents. Oh, and by the way...she still doesn't have any teeth. Not a one. So she's a little late in the teeth-sprouting department. She's been textbook on everything else :-)

Update

So, I'm a terrible blogger. It's just hard to make time to get my posts in, but I'll try to do better!!

Marissa is changing so much every day. I can't believe how quickly she's growing up. She is on the verge of crawling...today she spent a lot of time on her hands and knees trying to figure out how to get moving. It's so cute. She'll spend some time rocking back and forth, and then she'll roll over and lie flat on her back with her arms and legs spread out...like she needs a break so she's taking a breather to gather her strength for another attempt. So funny.

She's been sitting up on her own for a while now. She would occasionally fall backwards so I would have to prop a boppy or something behind her. But now, she's pretty stable and can just sit there and play and I don't have to worry about her falling. I do stay pretty nearby, however, just in case. Plus, she's rolling all over the room so I can't take my eyes off her since we haven't babyproofed the house yet.

Her personality is definitely becoming more defined and perceptible. She is definitely impatient. I think she gets that from me? Not sure. I think she's fairly laid back for the most part, which I think she gets from both of us.

A few weeks ago we had some people over for a UGA game...vs. South Carolina. It got pretty loud when everyone would cheer or groan, and every time, she would look at me, look at everyone, look back at me and her bottom lip would start to quiver. I'd have to immediately scoop her up because the tears would start flowing and she'd be in a full-on cry within seconds. She's not used to all the noise and she didn't know what to make of it. So cute, so funny.

Marissa is also a little ham. She knows exactly what the camera is for and she knows to look straight at it. I tried to get a picture of her crying one day (so 10 years from now I can remember how cute her pouty face is), but I couldn't get it because she would smile every time I pointed the camera at her. She'd have tears in her eyes and a pouty lip, but as soon as I brought the camera to my face she would smile.

She's becoming quite a little eater. She now has "solids" at 3 meals a day. Breakfast consists of oatmeal mixed with prunes (yes, she gets prunes every day and even then she gets clogged up sometimes) and formula. Lunch is a veggie and formula (usually some sort of sweet potato mixed with something else...corn, etc). Snack at 3:00ish is a bottle. And then dinner is some sort of veggie with a meat (for instance, tonight she had a jar of 'chicken and vegetable dinner' which is a jar of mush that has a couple different veggies, chicken, and rice I think). It's pretty gross, actually...no seasoning, either. Yes, I taste everything before I give it to her. The meat is pretty disgusting, but I guess she is Ok with it. So far, she gets really mad if I try to give her green beans. Everything else has been OK. Oh, I tried to give her straight chicken mush (not mixed with a veggie) and she threw a fit and practically choked (dramatic...). She also gets a bottle with dinner.

I've started letting her play with a sippy cup. She gets pretty confused by it. Usually because it put water in it...once the water hits her mouth she won't swallow...just lets it all run out of her mouth.

I am really having so much fun with her. Watching her concentrate so intently on things and try to figure everything out is so great. It's amazing how they process and learn. Oh yea...she's babbling a ton now. Her favorite thing to say is "da da da da da da" or "da." I'm working on the "ma ma ma" but nothing yet. One day she was pooping while I was giving her dinner and I started saying "poo poo poo poo" and she watched my mouth so closely and started going "puh puh" and I started getting nervous that her second word would be "poo poo" so I stopped. Matt, however, thought it was hilarious and noticed how she was really paying attention, so he tried to keep going with the lesson but I made him stop.

That's it for now, I think. I'll try to be better about posting. No promises, though!!

Baptism

We had Marissa's baptism in August. It was a small celebration, with just family and some close friends, and was held at Our Lady of the Assumption - the parish that I attended growing up. I actually celebrated my first communion and confirmation at that church (though it has definitely been remodeled since then).

We chose Amanda and Matt Forgione as her Godparents. They are great friends of ours, are Catholic (a requirement is that at least one of the Godparents is Catholic), and will definitely be around to see Marissa grow up and will be great role models for her.

The Forgiones kindly offered their home as the site for the after-Baptism brunch, which was very convenient and lovely.

In all, it was a nice time. Marissa looked so cute in her fancy baptismal gown and bonnet (which Amanda let us borrow...it was her daughter Caitlin's baptismal gown and worked perfectly). It was just gorgeous.

So now she's even more of an "angel." :-)

First Vacation!!

I've been so bad about posting lately...we've just been really busy and I was battling various illnesses for the past three weeks (strep throat, stomach virus, and then a cold). And, Marissa is so much fun now that it's hard to find time to post...I'd rather be playing!!

We just got back from our first trip with Marissa. We went to Seagrove Beach in Florida. She did really well on the ride down there, and got back into a good schedule rhythm after only about a day! We had a few bad weather days, but towards the end of the trip we had a couple of beautiful days.

Vacation with Marissa was definitely different than before she came along. Now, instead of hours leisurely lounging around on the beach, we shove beach time in between naps and feedings...it was hectic but still very fun. And, we had a few extra hands to help us out so we were able to get some more beach time while Candace, Grover and Meredith took some time out with Marissa.

She was just too cute in her little swimsuits. She was fascinated by the ocean...and liked dipping her little tootsie toes into the water. She also did great in the pool...and loved kicking (I guess the weightless feeling of the water felt weird and fun to explore).

I'll get a link to some photos posted as soon as I load them into Shutterfly.

In terms of where she is developmentally...she's changed a bunch lately. She is rolling over a ton, back and forth. She also tries to scoot along on her belly, but is still probably a long way off from crawling. She can't quite sit on her own, either, but is getting closer every day. She babbles pretty much constantly...makes excited squealing noises, laughs, and lately has started with a "ra ra ra ra" sound. Perhaps that will migrate into "ma ma ma ma?"

I'm going to start incorporating more solids into her diet little by little. We were taking it slowly for a while...I was trying to follow her lead. Now, she seems ready to eat a little more so we're starting two meals with solids...oatmeal in the morning and some sort of veggie at night. After her doctor appointment this month we'll see what our next steps will be. No sign of any teeth yet so I'm not sure exactly how advanced we can get...but I'm pretty sure that babies have an amazing ability to chew things with their gums...

Exciting developments...

It's been ages since I've posted...sorry about that. It's been quite hectic lately. I'll try to be brief but thorough.

Marissa went for her first dip in the pool...she had no issues and seemed to enjoy the water. Fortunately, the pool was neither too cold or too crowded when I took her (we went one day after I got home from work). It was cute. She has a short attention span, though, and being carried around in the pool didn't excite her for too long.

We've mastered the "tripod" sit. I can put her down and she knows how to prop herself up...she can't sit on her own without leaning on her arms, but that will come with time. She will sometimes fall forward or to the side when she's doing the tripod sit, but I'm always around to catch her!

She's still not all that interested in rolling over. She's done it a few times but she's mobile in other ways...scooting on her back, rolling to her side, etc, so I'm not worried about it.

She currently has her first ear infection. She was having goopy eyes for a couple of days, then on Sunday she cried for about three hours. She didn't have a fever, but the doctor said to give her Tylenol, so we did and she fell asleep for a two-hour nap. When she woke up she seemed happy, but I decided to take her to the doctor to get checked out on Monday, anyway...her crying was very out of character so I wanted to be sure. And what do you know...she has an ear infection, which caused the eye goopiness, too. So she has antibiotic eye drops and is also on amoxicillin. To add to the fun...I caught whatever bacteria she has, and I have been diagnosed with strep throat. I was feeling crummy and my throat was killing me. I waited a couple days hoping it would go away, but when I woke up today and my throat hurt more than ever, I decided I needed to visit the doctor. So I am also now on amoxicillin. Thank goodness for antibiotics. I have to say...my boss has been so understanding. I went to the office this morning and he told me to go home if I wasn't feeling well because I needed my energy and strength to take care of my baby and to survive "this place" ... "this place" being GMACI. He's real cool and has been super-flexible...it's almost too good to be true, so I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I'm basically keeping a part time schedule, 9-4, and working from home 2 days per week, but with no cut in pay or benefits. He even ordered me a company cell phone so I could take meetings when I am working from home without using my own cell minutes. So, needless to say, it's a good incentive to stick around :-)

Marissa is just getting to be more fun everyday. Today we laughed a lot together...her giggle is so freaking funny. When she laughs, I laugh back, which makes her laugh again...and it goes on like that for a few minutes.

I'm sure I've left out some stuff, but I'll try to get back more frequently with posts.

Top ten surprises of new parenthood

There is an article on Babycenter.com about the top 10 surprises of new parenthood. I thought I'd take their list and add my thoughts. My comments are in blue.

No matter how much you prepare for it, parenting will blow your mind.Your kids will challenge you, bring you to tears, crack you up, and make you forget what you urgently had to do. They'll shatter the life you knew into a million pieces. Then they'll put it back together, like a stained-glass window, into something infinitely more complicated and beautiful.While every parent's biggest surprises are different, there are common themes to the ways that kids revolutionize our lives. Read on for the top ten surprises of new parenthood according to interviews with BabyCenter moms and dads.

Surprise #1: Your relationship with your partner will change.
"Before kids, we were inseparable. We talked all the time, went everywhere together. My friends said we acted like high school sweethearts," says new mom Kimberly Taylor of her relationship with her husband. Since their baby arrived, however, the couple has been constantly at odds."We hardly speak to each other. We're stressed out over money and bills. We fight a lot," Taylor says.

I wouldn't say this has been too much of an issue for us. I think at first, maybe for the first 6 weeks maybe, life was all about Marissa. We were trying to figure out this parenting thing and how to best care for this new little bundle. I had to spend a lot of time with the baby (I was on maternity leave, breastfeeding all day and night, etc) so there wasn't much time or energy left for Matt. But now, we feel like more of a family. Matt and I can enjoy some alone time in the evening after Marissa is in bed, which is great. So we have family time after work and on weekends, and "Matt and Jamie" time in the evenings after baby is asleep. It actually works out great (though mommy still tends to be drained by the time baby is in bed -- I pretty much go non-stop from about 6:30 am until she's asleep around 7:30 or 8:00 pm).

Surprise #2: You'll have no idea where the time goes
Those days of sleeping in or getting out the door in five minutes are a thing of the past. You will vaguely remember taking long, leisurely showers. You'll think you've left plenty of time to feed your baby and get him to the doctor's for his check-up — and you'll be late anyway. Where does the morning go?

I'm pretty sure I haven't been on time to a doctor's appt yet. It always takes me longer to get out the door than I estimate, though I am getting better at it. Having Marissa around definitely necessitates more strategic planning of our days, so we can work around meals and naps while still trying to get things done!!

Surprise #3: You may look different
The physical changes of parenthood catch many of us off guard. And we're not just talking about moms here.True, moms experience the brunt of changes like wider hips, stretched-out tummies, burgeoning then deflating breasts, and even bigger feet. But dads go through physical changes too — usually because of sympathy weight gain during their partner's pregnancy and lack of exercise time once the baby is born.

OK, yes, I'm still a little fatter and wider than I used to be. I would love to get a workout in occasionally but between work, errands and trying to spend time with Marissa, I have no time left for exercise. Sure, I could stop at the gym on the way home from work, but I'd rather go straight to pick up the baby and spend that hour with her.
Matt somehow still has plenty of time to work out and run, so he hasn't had any "sympathy weight gain" issues. Go figure.


Surprise #4: You'll join an exclusive worldwide club
Suddenly strangers smile at you, and moms start conversations in the checkout line. Your boss kindly asks how the daycare search went, and your neighbor comes over for playdates. With your babe in your arms, or in the stroller, you've earned a lifetime membership in this exclusive-yet-universal club called "parents."Many new parents enjoy this sense of belonging and security, as well as the automatic camaraderie with folks they meet.

This is true and I had no idea that it would be this way. I like the camaraderie.

Surprise #5: You'll be stronger than you ever imagined
"I've been shocked by what I'm capable of," says Alison Gluski, the mom of twin girls. "I never knew I could function — and run around all day chasing two children — on three hours of sleep and a granola bar."New mom Rachel Segobia says that she's still amazed by how she made it through labor and delivery.Other parents we spoke to say they can't believe how little sleep they survive on.

I was surprised to find out how you can make it through the day on very little food or sleep, especially at the beginning. Now that we have such a good sleeper, I don't have to cope much with that anymore!!


Surprise #6: You'll make "mistakes" you never anticipated
"I always swore I wouldn't let my child sleep with me — and then I had a baby. We co-slept until he was 10 months old because it was the only way I could get any rest," says Kimberly Taylor."I thought I'd never let my son have a pacifier past a certain age. At 3 years old, he still needed it to go to sleep — and all the other tricks never worked," says Doe Viscusi, the mother of three boys.We may go into parenthood determined to follow certain tenets. Then we meet our kids and discover they're little people with their own ideas and preferences. In other words, "mistakes" can be what happens when you find that what works for you and your child isn't what you had imagined.

We haven't really encountered this yet. I'm sure we will soon, though. I definitely swore I wouldn't let Marissa sleep in our bed as an infant and by gosh I've stuck to that (I want her to develop healthy sleep habits, not weird dependant ones). I think my brain works overtime in that I always try to think down the road to whether I will have to "break" a habit and whether the short term benefit is worth the effort of breaking the habit later on.

Surprise #7: Your friendships will change
"Friends? Who are they? All of my friends are still in their party phase," says Jill Furlong, mom to a 1-year-old. "They call me and ask me to go out clubbing. I laugh and remind them that I don't do that anymore."Many BabyCenter moms told us they're surprised by how their non-mom friends have drifted away. It can be hard for girlfriends who aren't going through the same thing to relate to constant talk of pregnancy or babies, or to understand how little time and energy is left for them."Three weeks into my pregnancy, my best girlfriend and I started drifting," says Alaina Shearer, who writes the blog Ms. Single Mama."She was the first. The rest slowly drifted out of my life as I became completely wrapped up in pregnancy and my forthcoming mommyhood," Shearer says. But good friendships can make it through life changes — sometimes it just takes work and time. Some of Shearer's old friends have resurfaced now that her son is older and she's more able to maintain contact. Plus, she's formed new friendships with other moms.

Definitely true. Basically what I've realized is that I need to have QUALITY instead of QUANTITY here. I don't need a lot of friends, I just need a few really good friends. Luckily, I have that! I think time with friends is important, so that Marissa doesn't become my life. I don't think that would be healthy for her or for me! And it doesn't matter whether they have kids or not; though I may talk about Marissa a lot, it's not the only thing I bring to the table so hopefully my non-kid friend(s) aren't bored to tears. Believe me, I remember how it was before we had kids and how it gets old hearing about babies!!

Surprise #8: There'll be times when you hate parenting
Being a parent isn't all Hallmark moments and instant bonding."I love my son more than anything, but he's so fussy all the time," says new mom Maggie Craven. "It's really hard listening to him cry."In fact, many new moms told us they've been taken aback by how tedious and isolating parenting can be. You said that the never-ending diaper changes and attempts to get your baby to nap wore on you. And then you felt guilty for not enjoying every minute of it. Some said you welcomed the end of maternity leave because you felt like you did a much better job in the 9-to-5 world than at home with your newborn all day. It's normal to have moments when you wonder whether you're really cut out for this parenting gig.

I honestly wouldn't say that I have ever hated parenting. Part of that is due to the fact that Marissa is a pretty good baby and a pretty chilled out kid. I will admit, however, that the comment about parenting being isolating is somewhat true. I remember when we first brought Marissa home, I felt really lonely all the time. Matt and I were used to spending lots of time together and lots of time with our friends. Then WHAM! You have this baby and you don't see anyone (including each other), you're worn out from labor, delivery and lack of sleep...it's pretty unglamorous. But that was pretty short-lived. I honestly enjoy being a mom almost 100% of the time. Do I wish I had more time for myself, such as working out, taking a shower that lasts longer than 10 minutes, getting my eyebrows waxed more than once every 2 months? Yes. Did I know I'd have to give some of that up for a while? Of course. It's worth it!! :-)

Surprise #9: You'll be overwhelmed by love (and other emotions)
"I never thought being a mom would be this emotional," says Cristy Kennerknecht. "I catch myself looking at my daughter, and there I am tearing up again!"It's an old stereotype — the parent who can't watch a commercial about calling loved ones long-distance without tearing up, much less a movie about a missing or hurt child.Whether it's due to hormones, gratitude, awe, sleep deprivation, or all of the above, parenthood often gives our feelings new depth. In a BabyCenter poll, 79 percent of moms say they cry more now — either because of happiness or sadness.

This is so true. What I'm most taken aback by is the pure joy that I feel all the time. I had no idea how much happiness this little creature would bring to our lives. I get so excited just to see her smile, hear her laugh. I definitely try to appreciate it all and not take it for granted. I also am surprised by how much I am affected by hearing sad stories about other people's children...I hate to hear about anything bad happening to a child. Not that I ever liked hearing that before...it just seems to affect me more deeply now.

Surprise #10: You'll have to let go sooner than you think
With every milestone your child reaches, he or she is moving away from being dependent on you.This may hit when you first see your baby crawling across the room, your toddler dashing around the corner, your preschooler resisting your hugs, or your big kid saying "I can do it myself." And while you're proud of your child's accomplishments, you may feel a twinge of sadness.Letting go isn't always easy, but it's essential, says psychologist and mom Leah Klungness."Parents who constantly hover and give their children the message that they can't do things on their own deprive them of the precious gift of independence," Klungness says.

She's not real independent at all yet, so I can't really comment on this. I do think, however, that neither Matt nor I will be "hovering" parents. That's my hope, at least. I hope she grows into a confident, independent woman and I would love to help her get there.