Around the 'hood

The smell of lavendar hung in the air and fresh-cut grass hung in ther air as Jessica and I strolled through our neighborhood under a clear, blue sky. The fat, green leaves on the trees provided us just the right amount of shade to keep us comfortable as we strolled down the street, past other pedestrians and and neighbors taking in the gorgeous evening. Today Jessy and I got home once again long before the sun set so we took advantage with a stroll around the neighborhood. It was just me and her, walking along the street and talking about nothing.

Life has simplified since I started my new gig on Monday. I get up at one time, go to work at one time and come home around the same time now. As for going to bed, well, that still needs work. It's 11pm and I'm still up, for example...

But most of all, I have more time with Jessica. That's the most important thing here, and it was my goal for switching jobs to begin with; to reduce my working-mom stress. So far it has worked. Even Keith mentioned that I seem happier. And I certainly am. My little girl deserves better than to spend a minimum of 10 hours at daycare. Not that there's anything wrong with our provider- it's actually an in-home care run by an older lady. She knows what she's doing and does it well. Every day when I go to pick Jessy up we chat for a few minutes- usually about babies (there's one other infant girl there) and what Jessy is up to. I get to hear about how she smiles like crazy and hardly cries. Such a good girl! And before you ask, yes, she is good at home too.  hehe.

As for the new gig, I am back to discounting contracts for a major auto finance company. Basically, it is entering new deals into the system to activate customers' accounts and fund the dealers for their business. That's the simplest way to explain it. I actually did this same job at Ford for a short time and enjoyed it. With this job, as with at Ford, I don't find myself staring down the clock (with the exception of today, but today was Friday! lol) and wanting to throw myself onto the floor and throw a tantrum because time isn't going fast enough, only to have time race by me when I am at home with my two favorite people. (But no tantrum temptations today)

Keith drops Jessy off at daycare in the mornings and I pick her up in the evenings. I get home some time later, and spend time with her some way or another. Whether I'm feeding her (we feed on demand, so no set times here), walking with her or just plain sitting and chatting with her, I enjoy my time with her so much now that we're not so rushed anymore. Before this, it was more like get up, drop Jessy off, go to work, get Jessy, come home, scarf down dinner, wash bottles, prepare diaper bag for the next day, take a shower, go to bed. Where's the time to relax in that? Not sure here either... whenever I even tried to find the time to relax or do whatever I was wanting to do I would end up not having time to do something else I needed to. Way too rough, thankyouverymuch...

Now this working-mom schedule I can do. As long as I can spend time with two of my favorite people on this planet, it's all good.

Getting a baba after we arrived home. Sweet girl found her hands today and enjoyed sucking on them and her burpy-cloth.

Out and about, exploring her world. Exactly 11 weeks and 10 minutes (as of the minute I type this) after she was born.

The Latest Picks

Jessy enjoys watching TV with her daddy

Her onesie says "I'm a good luck charm"

Sleep with one eye open...

Ninja Jessy!

The sweetest little grin on earth.

Motherhood Musings

So much to talk about, and so few words to say it with. Since I started back to work, things have been crazy. Before I started back to this crazy job of mine, Jessy and I were starting to get a bit of a rhythm. Well, as much of one as a six-week-old little girl can get, anyway. I got a little too caught up in trying to force a schedule on my little girl that I frustrated and stressed myself out.

I was going to write about my first day back to work (c'mon... you know you want to know!) but I found myself getting so teary-eyed I decided it wasn't worth it. What I will say is that tons of JessyNicole pics cover my cubicle wall at work. It takes the sting out of not only what I do, but the fact that I work outside the home. In fact, I just brought home about 50 or so prints of her and want to take them all to work with me. 'Nuf about that, let's talk about the fun stuff!

I need to dig up my flip album! The little flip album I have is nothing special, just a simple, A-frame design with a cover and several pages, into which two pics can slide, that flip over the A-frame. The little brown album with some sort of design on it stands on its own. That's how long it's been since I have seen the thing... I haven't had it at my desk since I worked at Ford last year and can't remember what kind of design is on the darn thing??? C'mon, Kimberly! I know I have it somewhere, just have to locate it. Hello, housecleaning! Oh, wait, I have to find the vacuum cleaner and trash bags for that, don't I? Oy. (Don't worry- before you start having visions of TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive, it's not that bad. Yet.)

Since I have pretty much let loose with JessyNicole's scheduling and let her keep the reigns as far as eating/sleeping/changing, things are a little less stressful. A little. Never mind the endless running around and juggling that happens around the job. We are finally figuring things out as far as a routine; I even bit the bullet and went and bought more bottles (sale at BRU! YEAH!) and started using the dishwasher to wash them instead of washing them by hand. Oh, the relief that has come out of just that! Let's just say that Jessy has not found my hairs in her bottles since. Just kidding.

Come to think of it- that's one thing that's definitely worth hoarding around here- baby bottles! lol  I had bought the kind I am using as a trial to see if they helped with Jessy's fussiness. The bottles I originally had just weren't cutting it. Sure enough, they worked- third brand was a charm! A little pricey, but a charm. And if my little girl is comfortable, that's what matters at this point.

Ahh, the Crazy Thoughts of a busy runaway mommy mind. The gears have slowed down, which is a good thing, as the smoke detector will stay quiet for the time being. Off to get some oil to cool those gears.

I wanted to post some recent Jessy pics, but Blogger is being a butt about uploading tonight. :( ARGH!

Two Months

My dearest Jessy,

You turned two months old today. My, how time flies!

At birth, you were:
8 lbs 2 oz
20 3/4 in. long
Unknown head circumference

Now, you are:
11 lbs 8 1/2 oz
22 3/4 in. long
15 3/4 in. head circumference

You have rolled over from front to back and even back to side. Even though I wasn't in the room to see the latter, I still know it happened since you haven't figured out yet how to hide the evidence. hee hee.

You are cooing like crazy (when you want to) and smiling so much more these days. More and more amazing every day, little girl!