beach, petting zoo, and general updates

Mommy Montage

I went on a work trip to Atlantic Beach this past weekend, Friday through Saturday. My work colleague urged me to bring Sprout, so I did. It probably will be the last time I can do something like that since A) I have to travel by myself and babies always have three times their weight in gear (I tipped a bellhop for helping me carry and arrange everything in my car); and B) Miss Sprout is alllmost walking so will soon not be content to stay (manageably) confined in a sling while her mama "works" a conference display table. However, it was a nice getaway, and much more relaxing than my trip to Leesburg (my actual vacation, eh). I had fun taking Sprout out to her first little (< 30 minutes) beach visit, where she tasted sand and was not freaked out by the ocean or wet sand :). A success, heh.









This next video shows my hubby holding on to Sprout as she walks, although she can walk just holding onto our fingers now too. She's still a bit off-balance when I try to just support one of her hands. However, she's getting there! I think there's just going to be a light switch moment soon, where she all of a sudden--boom--walks on her own. She already has started to 'trust leap': turning around and letting go of a window sill to fall/lurch into my arms.

Crazy how quickly they become little people. Yesterday, she surprised me by all of a sudden blowing a raspberry on my tummy when we were snuggling in bed (high toddler humor!), and by trying to stick her foot in various shoes (her own, my humongous flip flop). She also has the cutest "hi" and "he-roh" (hello). I could also see her mind go into adorable overdrive when she was trying to figure out how to carry her two shoes and a snack cup (where to put the third object?). Love :).

Little girl is the joy in my life right now. She's such a little character, as the videos I just posted show.

We did manage to get away for a mini-vacation last week, despite our ongoing termite disaster. We still have one whole side of our house boarded over and the flooring removed from a corner of our home while we wait for a new window to arrive--but I try to put it out of my mind, especially since we don't know what the total cost will be yet. When we do know the cost, I know it will be up to me (harrumph, story of my life) to figure out A) how we might afford the bill; B) whether the current termite treatment contract covers this damage; and C) whether we can get home insurance help.

However, back to the happier topic of our mini-vacation, last Thursday to Sunday. On one hand, we were able to get away for a few days and it was the most economical of vacations ever: staying with my gracious Aunt and her boyfriend at their beautiful home in Leesburg, VA; seeing my Dad and grandparents and other family; relaxing and lounging as my aunt helped prep all food (grilled salmon, salads, fresh fruit, shrimp, and scruptious desserts like the tuxedo cake pictured here); walking in the neighborhood; and going on a daytrip to the nearby petting zoo. That petting zoo was pretty awesome too: llamas, donkeys, chickens, turkey...but also monkeys and wild cats and a giant tortoise. Here's a few pics and videos under the cut:







Rooster! Guinea hens! Nilgai!




Look at the llama--crunch!




Turkey...whoa! (this video makes me laugh now)




Talking to the gibbons (love all her "oooh!"'s :))




On the other hand, I only had one full day with my husband there with me because we ended up driving separate, and I was with my baby the whole time--so didn't really get a break (exhausted from the 6 hour drive on my own with baby on Thursday, baby woke up at 4:30 on Friday, Saturday was the one 'usable' day, then travelled back on Sunday). That's just the story of being a parent, though--you know?

Wife, MD

This is a photo of the hubby from our mini-vacation, sleeping. As I said above, the hubby and I ended up traveling separately and only really had one usable day together. He napped as much as he could in the day and a half he was up in Leesburg. His schedule got messed up and he ended up coming a day and a half later than me, driving on his own. The one positive out of that travel scenario was that I learned I could manage a 6 hour car drive with baby girl by myself, packing for both of us on my own. The negative, however, was that nothing was mended between the hubby and me on this trip. We never had any time together, and when he wasn't napping, I was trying desperately to get him to help me with baby girl since the rest of the family didn't know how--and I wanted some 'hands free' time myself (didn't really get it, much).

This intern year of residency has been a killer. We knew it would be in theory, but it's definitely been just as bad in 'practice.' Last night, during the 20 minutes between him coming home and my needing to go to bed (he got home at 8:30 and I need to go to bed at 9PM if I want to function when I need to get up at 5AM), I told him that residency was really taking a toll on our marriage. It's such a frustrating stalemate. He has no control over his schedule, he's exhausted, and I can't depend on him. Most of the problems stem from med school/residency/him not being able to control his schedule, but he still has two more years of training and we can't change anything until then--?

He's such a kind man and he's doing such good work caring for sick people, and he's an awesome father--but I guess we're at a point in our marriage where I love him, but don't like him all the time, if that makes sense? Rationally, I know it's a phase and time will help and things will change, but our marriage in a bit of a grind right now...

Yoga Split

I continue to teach yoga on Saturday mornings, on and off. Things have slowed down a bit this summer, since a lot of people go away for travel--including my friend, in whose home studio I hold the classes. However, my friend was kind enough to give me a key to her home so I could continue teaching while she was gone, the sweetie. During my last class session, I had an interesting mix of students, from a young policeman to a pregnant nurse to a mama of an 18 month old (each could be its old specialty class to themselves!). I also taught a few 30-minute toddler yoga classes to some mama friends. I bought a cloth parachute to use, which freaked out one of the little boys when we unfurled it, aww. The toddler classes are a little hit-or-miss, but I'm going to continue to offer them when I can (especially while my little girl is a toddler). I have a fun music list of active songs (yoga-themed, on the body, doing animal poses and active movements) I play, and I think the moms have fun just chatting and being with each other (I know I do!). I signed up to take a childrens yoga teacher training weekend course in late May, so I hope to add a few more ideas to my teacher skills with that. Now, if only I could find time/energy to have a personal practice again.....

Paycheck Prattle

It took a whole year, but I'm glad I returned to work after Sprout was born. I like being a working woman, even though my job still continues to drive me batty at times.