It’s Labor Day weekend and I’m clueless as to how that’s even possible. Mother’s Day felt like it was 3 weeks ago and WORST, my BABY is going to be 1 a week from today. Meaning, a year ago, I was plagued with anxiety (legitimate anxiety – no laughing matter) and my very cobalt blue kitchen was going to be gutted and remodeled in a matter of days. Oh, I was also starting my new position as manager.
Fast forwarding 358 days from that, here we are. Everything is good – except that whole summer ending thing. It’s always bittersweet because admittedly, fall is my favorite season but with the end of summer goes the fun beach days, the frequent visitors, and the impending doom of winter. It isn’t that I hate winter, per se, it’s the lack of winter STUFF to do with little kids. You’d think we’d have a sweet sledding hill or something, at least.
Work is going well and I’ve temporarily paused my aspirations for a MBA in healthcare. I was accepted to an 18-month leadership cohort at the hospital and have been told to anticipate 10-15 hours a week devoted to its demands. I’m trying to stay calm and not have that oh crap! what did I do!? moment. It should be good!
August flew by in many ways because we were quite literally in survival mode. Of course there was Lily (one of our English bulldogs) who was suddenly diagnosed with v-tach, renal failure, and pneumonia which resulted in an emergent trip to the ER in Detroit (3 hours away) and 2 subsequent visits back there, a trip to Grand Rapids for the gastroenterologist (1 1/2 hours each way), countless trips to our local vet, and a small fortune. Lily is now on a regimen of heart failure meds at 7am, 3pm, 7pm, and 10/11pm daily. That said, she’s doing AWESOME.
Piper and I both had strep and she added an ear infection to go along with it. A week after that, Shea came down with some GI bug that lasted about 24 hours. And just last week, Piper had something GI with contents erupting from both ends. I love 4am vomit fun! Poor babe.
Mark managed to stay healthy, however that may be because he was on work travel 2 weeks out of the month. Single mom-ing is tough stuff – there’s wine included and no baths given, that’s for sure.
Piper returned to Montessori 2 weeks ago and she has transitioned really well into her new room. We’ve been really happy with her teachers and when I drop her off in the morning, she sits right down for Spanish with senorita Ellie. It’s the cutest. When I pick Piper up, she’s always found next to Bailey, her new little buddy. Some days she is napping well, some days not so much. When she doesn’t manage a decent nap, the evenings are pretty much a disaster and screaming ensues if she isn’t being held, pushed in the stroller, or in front of the TV. Sigh.
Needless to say, dinners have been hit or miss, as have evening workouts. I continue to say that once she’s sleeping through the night, I’ll return to morning workouts. But alas, that day is yet to come. She still shows promise, but it is never sustained for more than a few nights.
I stopped pumping about a week ago. I had planned to breastfeed and pump until a year, but Piper and my milk supply had other plans. I used the last bag of frozen breastmilk this week so all things considered, I’m happy with our journey.
Piper is proving to be the feisty one who remains impatient, passionate, and loving. She adores her sister and is extremely adventurous. The girl has no fear! She is a bit pickier than Shea was at this stage, so we’re continuing to throw anything and everything at her. She absolutely loves cheese, bananas, chicken sausage, pasta, and does well with many vegetables – broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, etc. She is warming up to whole milk and enjoys water.
Birthday planning is in full gear and all I know for sure is that there will be some balloons, this recipe for cupcakes and frosting made into a smash cake for her and a cake for the rest of us to eat, and the grandparents there to love her up. We’re excited!
Tomorrow we’re taking Shea to her first University of Illinois football team! Can’t wait!
Happy Labor Day weekend!
Be well,
yes it did! it flew by WAAAAAAAAAY too quick. As my years go by it happens faster and faster. Enjoy the remainder of the year and keep being positive.
best wishes,
love