A Few Things

Things that are hard:

Keeping up with this blog while working third shift and taking care of my son.  Can you tell?  I've been back to work since my last post and in all that time I haven't found a moment when I had the time and energy to update.  We've just come through the two most trying weeks of life since we brought Elijah home.  And my least favorite part about them has been:

When other people have to step in to help take care of Elijah.  We are really lucky to live close to both my parents and Nathan's parents.  We are also lucky that they are all crazy about our little guy and don't mind watching him for us.  That said, I hate it when I have to ask them to.  If being back at work has done anything it has made me more aware of time.  I only have so much time at home with him now, and I want it all.  So what if I've only slept 2 hours in the last 24?  I want my baby, damn it.

Taking care of the house.  Not in general, mind.  Just while I was on thirds.  I would get home from work, feed the baby and take a nap with him.  After that, the days are kind of a blur of playing with him and wishing Nathan would get home.  Then, when Nathan got him, I dragged myself up to bed to sleep until I had to wake up for work.  House chores kind of fell away.  I washed bottles only when we didn't have any clean and the laundry definitely piled up untended.

Admitting how happy I am to be on seconds.  I love third shift...love it.  I love the hours, the work, the people.  Everything about third shift is great.  Or was.  But now, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to be working from 3 to 11.  I get to sleep like a normal person, and wake up at a normal hour.  I get to play with my son and not have a haze of exhaustion keeping me from enjoying myself.  I am so happy to be on seconds.

Things that are great:

Elijah's progress.  We went out for a birthday dinner tonight and as we sat at the table, me holding Elijah, my plate started sliding towards me.  I looked down and his tiny hand was clamped around the edge.  He has started rolling over and can sit relatively straight for periods of time, while he's supported.  He laughs--my favorite sound ever.  He has started vocalizing a lot more and we think he might be starting to get a tooth.  And he sleeps through the night for the most part.  He's just great.

Nathan.  I have Nathan.  How lucky am I?

Getting books for my birthday.  All Our Worldly Goods by Irene Nemirovsky and Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton.  Yes, that last one was for Elijah, but I don't care.  I love it.

Doctor Who.  Nathan used to tell me I should watch Doctor Who.  He said I'd love it, but I ignored him, because it seemed like such a strange show.  But he was right.  I started watching it when Elijah was about a month old and we were still spending quite a bit of time in the sun room.  I love it.  More than I've loved any show for quite a while, I love it.  And in case you have any Doctor Who background and you're curious: 9 is by far my favorite, but I also love 11.

English folk music: Kate Rusby, June Tabor, Seth Lakeman, Eddi Reader, Smithfield Fair, all great.  Can't get enough of them.