MAY!

First of all, thanks so much for all your notes about my return to work this week. Things are going well so far. But man, I forgot how SLOW weeks go when you are at work. Are we SURE it's not Friday? 

But the month of April went fast. I enjoyed some beautiful weather (though it's hard to imagine at the moment, this week has been terrible!) and I read a few books: The Husbands Secret, Fear Nothing and A House in the Sky. I gave 4 stars to all 3 books. A House in the Sky is a memoir about being kidnapped and held in Somalia, so that was a tough book, but good. The other two were much lighter reads and hard to put down. ALSO, I met my 2014 Reading Challenge ha ha- so I guess I aimed too low. I think I will add to my goal a bit :) 

Here is how I did with my April goals:  

1. Organize and simplify. I guess. I put away Max's winter and newborn clothes and donated some of my own clothes. I still just feel like I have so far to go on this goal. But I suppose I did do all my individual goals within this, simplification will always be a work in progress for me. 

2. Attend at least 4 yoga or pilates classes. I think I did 2 classes this month until I found out I had diastasis recti and I haven't done anything yoga or pilates since. I'm not totally clear on what I can and can't do so I just haven't even attempted yet. 

3. Run 2 Miles. Yup, I can definitely run 2 miles in a row now :) AND I actually got on a bike… once, but still. 

4. Try a new restaurant. I actually don't think I did this one… but I went to some old favorites. 

5. Be in the photos. I did better with this, but I want to keep up with it. Basically I have Caroline to thank since she took lots of photos of us down the Cape. Have I mentioned how great it is to have a very talented photographer as a sister? 

 

As for May, I don't have any specific goals in mind. I basically want to stay as calm as possible, fit in as many workouts as possible, and try my best not to throw a hissy fit in the pumping closet at work… ha. I would like to enjoy my more limited time with Max, and enjoy the end of the year with my great group of students. Oh, and try not to over schedule my weekends… which already might be a fail. I'd also like to wear summer clothes, but I suppose that one is out of my hands...

What was your favorite part of April? Being down the Cape was definitely mine :) 

 

I Love Boston Project: Day Trip to Falmouth, MA

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you may remember when I started a series called the "I Love Boston Project." It's been quite awhile since I did a post but I had some fun adventures at the Cape that I think others would like so I'm bringing it back, at least temporarily :) 

Last week we took a trip to Falmouth, which is found right over the Bourne Bridge at the Cape. It is probably about an hour and a half trip from Boston. Our first stop was a short hike called "The Knob." Eric and I had been once before with our friends Katie and Adam, but this time we took Max and my parents to enjoy the beautiful walk and view. The walk itself is about 10-15 minutes each way, so I recommend a little picnic lunch or dinner so you have more time to enjoy the view. Speaking of the view, it looks west towards Buzzards Bay so while I can't say from experience, I would imagine the sunset view would be amazing!

To get to "The Knob" drive through Falmouth Center towards Woods Hole. Then, take a left on Woods Hole Road and a right on Quissett Harbor Road. Follow this road to the end and you will be at the trailhead. There is some parking, but it's limited so you may have to be creative if you are there during peak season. 

There are two trails that lead to the same place and seem to be about equal in length and gorgeous views. I recommend going to the right first, within 5 minutes you'll be rewarded with gorgeous views and you'll see why this area is called "The Knob." 

The views are gorgeous the whole walk, but once you are up on the Knob itself there are some places to sit and enjoy  looking at the Carribean-esque blue waters. 

Also, do as I say, not as I do. I have a problem where I like to take photos doing exactly what signs say no to do. I promise there was not rock throwing happening though. 

It was a bit too windy for us to enjoy a picnic there this time, but I'm pretty sure we had a late breakfast up on the knob last time during the summer months. This time we headed back towards the beach where we were more protected from the wind. The beach is gorgeous itself and well worth a short detour. 

On the way back, we went to the right to the other trail (it would've been to the left if we started that way). This way we got to see nice views of Quissett Harbor, also worth seeing. 

After we left the Knob, we took a short drive down to Woods Hole which is a favorite area of the Cape for Eric and I. We took our engagement photos in this adorable harbor village almost 5 years ago. There are a lot of options for fun things to do in Woods Hole, but this time we decided to visit the Woods Hole Science Aquarium. Woods Hole is basically a hub for marine biology between this and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. The aquarium is awesome because it's small and manageable and also FREE. It's the perfect aquarium for kids and has a hands on area for kids a little older than Max :) 

 

But don't worry, Max was not too young to enjoy the fun. He loved looking at the fish...

He also had to experience the rebellious ways of his parents...

Since these things are located so close together, you could probably do more than just these 2 things in one day. But, when you have a 3 month old who takes an hour to eat in the middle of this- this is enough of a day :) Eric and I did an awesome walking tour at the Oceanographic Institute that I would recommend. I am also obsessed with the Shining Sea Bikeway which is nearby. 

Tell me about your favorite short hike and/or aquarium in your area. When I come to visit you, I want to go to both! 

On going back to work

Tomorrow begins my first full week back at work since I had Max in January. I did technically go back for one half day on Good Friday, but that was just a transition day since it was so short and Eric had the day off and was home with Max. 

I know moms have a wide range of emotions when it comes to going back to work. I respect all of these emotions and I recognize that mine are influenced by my childcare situation. My mom will be staying with Max full time, which is pretty much ideal because I never ever have to worry about him. I also have the advantage that I'm a teacher and summer is coming in about 8 weeks :) 

So how do I feel?

excited to think about normal things again and eat lunch with adults (and by "eat lunch with adults" I mean scarf down my food in 20 minutes so I can pump the last 10… yippee)

stressed thinking about getting everything done at work in a much shorter time frame (I'll be getting to work later so I can feed Max in the morning, and I probably will not have time for much work to be accomplished at home)

sad to not spend as much time with Max as I used to

happy to see my kindergarten students and to spend my favorite time of the school year with them

exhausted thinking about doing a whole day with the kindergarten kids and not even being close to done when I get home

nervous that I will miss all future "firsts" while I'm at work

But mostly I feel ready. I have said before I'm just not stay at home mom material. Anyone else give me until Wednesday to change my mind on this? Wish me luck :) 

Max: 3 Months

Max turned 3 months last Thursday. He is the best baby. I'm not biased at all. 

He seems to have turned a corner between newborn and baby. He is much more aware of what is happening around him. He really wants to interact with the person holding him. He does a little bit of babbling when he is in a good mood, and it sounds like he is saying "A-GOO." It also seems like when he is smiling now it's really in response to something we are doing. Usually, anyway. 

He also likes to be entertained. The other day I had him on his boppy lounger pillow while I was eating breakfast. He started to get fussy, but then when I just got down near his face and started talking to him all of a sudden it was back to being all smiles. Just wanted some attention, now did we? 

This is actually very exciting because not only is it fun to have him really interact with us, but he also cares more about his toys and books. At home he has a small play mat that he LOVES to sit on and "talk to" the squirrel hanging above him. I decided he needed something similar at the Cape, so I bought him a play mat tunnel that I hope he will enjoy even when he is crawling in a few months. As expected, he loves the tunnel and will sit on it for 10-15 minutes just trying to grab the toys and babbling. 

I would say the nap fighting has improved only slightly, and mostly I just was TOO good at teaching him the difference between day and night. Ha ha. His sleeping at night is going so well though, that I really don't even care much about naps anymore. He will improve at naps when he wants to. Until then, I'll just force him to nap long enough that he won't be a super cranky pants in the afternoon. 

He also naps less when out and about, which I think is to be expected as he gets older. He used to sleep through restaurants without fail and now he often wakes up in the middle, which is a bit unfortunate but again, very expected and he is still pretty good, so I can't complain. 

Likes: his playmat, going for walks, bath time, listening to books especially about the little blue truck

 

Dislikes: still not impressed with tummy time, being too hot 

 

Feeding: Max continues to eat basically every 3 hours except overnight. He has really improved at taking a bottle, which is a relief given my return to work. He has now taken a bottle for his last feeding of the night three times, which was literally impossible when he was a newborn, he would cry hysterically when we tried to do that. I'm also thankful for this because now I am not the only one who can put him to bed, wahoo! 

Sleeping: Max is now regularly sleeping about 8 hours at night, which is just simply the most amazing thing ever. It varies a bit each night, and sometimes he still wakes up for a middle of the night feeding but it's becoming less and less frequent. Most nights he is asleep from about 10PM to 6AM. I know there will probably be a 4 month sleep regression, and he could just decide to stop doing this at any moment, so I'll enjoy it while it lasts. 

Speaking of sleeping, he continues to like sleeping in funny positions. Since he loves to fight naps, Eric likes to call this the submission position, ha ha. After we see him kick his feet and punch his hands for awhile, he eventually ends up like this...

Yup, he is even adorable on the video monitor. 

Again, thanks for reading about Max :) 

Boston Strong

Since the Boston Marathon is tomorrow (or today, depending on when you read this), I thought I'd check in to tell you what I'm thinking about. 

I don't watch the Boston Marathon every year. To be honest, sometimes I don't even like watching it. The logistics of parking and road closures, the inevitable headache from focusing so hard to find the runner you want to see, and the hoarse voice from yelling so loud… Yes, I know it's much harder for the runners, but sometimes spectating a marathon is no joke either. But, some of my best memories from college are from Marathon Monday. When you live on the route, the logistics are a lot less, and when you are in college you can acceptably drink away your worries and just cheer with reckless abandon. The Boston Marathon is amazing because of the runners, because of all they sacrifice to train in the cold winter months, because of all they sacrifice to be able to run up Heartbreak Hill, because of so much more. But, the spectators are important too. They are also what make it such a great marathon to run. That is why it broke my, and the world's, heart when two men placed bombs down next to the spectators at the finish line. The hardcore spectators who had braved the parking and road closures to support the people they love and cheer for the people they don't even know. The running community took it personally, Boston took it personally, everyone took it personally. 

I was in DC last year during the marathon. Eric and I woke up early on Monday morning and were being crazy tourists  in the city when the text messages started flooding in checking to make sure we were okay. We saw the effects of what happened in DC: flags at half mast, much tighter security, etc. The effects of what happened were clearly felt outside of Boston. But when we got home, it was hard to think about much else. I wrote about being thankful for the good moments in these big moments of crisis. It was easier to focus on the positive.

Boston gets a bad reputation because we don't always seem friendly and welcoming, but I think we showed the world that we are strong and we take care of each other. That Friday we took such good care of each other that the city of Boston and several surrounding towns literally stopped completely so that the police could find one of the bombers. It was scary to be told not to leave your house on what seemed to be a Friday like any other, but no one protested because finding one of the men responsible for attacking our city was everyone's top priority on that day. From the business owners who lost money keeping their shops closed, to my students who were stuck inside on a beautiful sunny day. 

I'm still proud of this city. 

I am sometimes reluctant to be a proud American (but don't you dare say anything bad about us), but I am always proud to be from Boston. We have a beautiful and historical city, with great restaurants and amazing sports teams. It doesn't bother me at all if you don't want to talk to me in the grocery store line, actually I'd prefer it if you don't. You'll take care of me when it matters. 

I am so proud of all the runners and spectators for the marathon this year. I am so proud of you for overcoming your fears and showing the bad guys that they will not win. 

 

Tea Date: Weddings and Workouts

The weather is getting beautiful, so shall we grab a quick Iced Passion Tea? Well, that's my favorite anyway :) 

It's officially my last week of maternity leave. I go back to work Friday, and then I have a vacation, ha. So, maybe it's not officially my last week? I'm not sure how blogging will go when I'm back at work… I'm thinking nonexistent for awhile since it's been hard to get on my computer even without work. Does anyone know a good app for blogging on an iPhone? Because that I could do… ha. 

If we were having tea today I'd tell you...

We went to our first wedding of the season on Friday, and first wedding with a baby. Max didn't come to the wedding, but since it was a little over an hour away and Eric was in the wedding, we did bring him and my parents to the hotel. It is unbelievable how much preparation and packing is involved in taking a baby to a wedding specifically. When we take Max to the Cape, we have some stuff already down there. But, taking him to a hotel involves a Pack N Play, some entertainment, clothes, blankets and so much more. Plus, there is just a lot for ourselves. Eric had his tux, and I had a dress, fancy shoes, my pump, my big camera… the list goes on. It was basically absurd the amount of stuff we had. 

The wedding itself was a lot of fun. The guy getting married is a very close friend of Eric's from high school and I love his wife. As an added bonus, he is somewhat responsible for guilting me into hanging out with Eric when we first met, and he is completely responsible (legally) for us being married since he was the one who did it! 

Having Brian be our officiant was probably one of my favorite things about our wedding, so I was very excited to watch him get married on Friday.

The reception was at a winery in New Hampshire, which was gorgeous and I will definitely be back to. As an added bonus, they had a nice bridal room, which I know all about because I had to visit there to pump. A much better situation than the nasty closet I will be pumping in at work… love you Max, really. 

I love that all the photos had a pink tint. Ha. Of course Eric had to do a crazy move during his entrance. During the last wedding he was in, he broke the girl's dress with his crazy acrobatics. This time the girl just ended up with a small rug burn… it's dangerous business being partners with Eric. 

My favorite detail of the ceremony was the place cards/favors. They were small bottles of wine from the winery itself. 

I'm proud of the fact that I took the photo that is on the label :) Just try to ignore the absolutely TERRIBLE picture I got of the wine glass and didn't have time to edit, oops. 

So, successful wedding overall, though I am grateful we did not decide to have a baby in the midst of the million weddings we have had the past few years. It's so much more complicated now, like everything I suppose. 

The other thing I would tell you about if we weren't finished with our passion teas yet is my crazy lingering pregnancy issues. The Friday before last I went to my postnatal yoga class as usual, but I was the only student there. The teacher decided to have class with me anyways, and she did more of a normal yoga class since I was 11 weeks postpartum at the time and she knew I'd been doing yoga with her since 6 weeks. It felt AWESOME, but that night I discovered a small lump above my belly button. I went to my doctor that Monday and was diagnosed with diastasis recti, which is basically an ab separation that (in my case) was caused by pregnancy. Because… yay? I asked about what exercises I could/couldn't do and they said to call my ob, who then ALSO wanted to see me. So, I was back there. Because… yay x50? My ob confirmed the diagnosis, and confirmed what my doctor best bud Ash told me which is that the only real cure is surgery and how the BEEP am I going to take care of a baby I can't lift for 6 weeks… so no. She also said it's pointless to do surgery until you are done having kids (which frankly is looking more and more like now, but anyway) and that surgery may not be covered by insurance anyway. I really don't care at all about how it looks. My stomach has never been a strong area of my body and looking hot on the beach is just really not a concern of mine. However, when you don't have a strong core, it sets you up for all sorts of other injuries especially back problems. As someone with an active job, who lives in active lifestyle this stuff ALL concerns me. 

SO… I am now doing some daily exercises I found online, and saying goodbye to pilates and regular yoga (I can still do prenatal) for awhile. If I see any improvement, I'll obviously do another more specific post about this but for now I don't want to endorse anything I haven't tried. Hopefully this will help! In the meantime, my OB said I'm fine to do cardio workouts that don't seem to bother it more, so I'm carefully continuing to swim, bike and run. 

That is about all from me. Now I'm going to go try to reorganize my work life for a few minutes before Max wakes up. Tell me what is going on with you in the comments! 

Yay It's April!

I'm usually not a big fan of March, but it's amazing what not working will do for a month. Ha. I'm definitely ready to get some better weather this month though!

Highlights of March 2014: 

Hanging out with an adorable baby. 

Getting back into exercise. I completed 4 successful weeks of the Couch to 5K (only running 2 days a week, not 3). I attended yoga every Friday and tried both Pilates and Barre classes. I took lots of walks and of course, I did not abandon my ever favorite, swimming. I was even able to do some speed work in swimming, which felt so good to do again. I can't wait until I can return to my favorite pond, hopefully in May?

Seeing friends. It was a good month for seeing friends. My college roommate came to visit at the beginning of the month. I visited Katie and Teddy one Sunday afternoon. I went out to lunch with some college friends and was visited by others. A high school friend who lives in DC at the moment came home and got to meet Max. I went to a birthday party and got to see work friends I've been missing. I can't complain overall! 

Ironically, I did not take a single picture of myself with these friends, but I did take some of Max (of course). I need to work on that in April. Maybe I just need to work on taking pictures of ANYTHING other than Max, lol. 

More reading. This month I read 5 books. I did not LOVE any of them. The tie for my favorite would be Conspiracy of Silence and Viola in Reel Life. I really wanted to love The Thirteenth Tale but I just could not get myself into it. 

Rules of Civility by Amor Towls

Conspiracy of Silence by Martha Powers. 

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (technically I finished this on April 1st at 4am, counting it as March ha ha)

April Goals

I'm ready to try out some goals again this month. Technically I go back to work in April, but I think I only work like 3 days of this month so hopefully I can handle a few goals. Of course, if they don't happen, no big deal :) That's kind of my theory on daily goals right now too! 

1. Organize and simplify. Specifically, put away Max's winter and newborn clothes. Donate two bags of my clothing. Bring some of Max's things to the Cape, especially blankets, a few books and toys. 

2. Attend at least 4 yoga or pilates classes. I only have 1 more week of my yoga class, so I want to make sure I keep it all up. I can't aim too high though :) 

3. Run 2 Miles. I am still at the walk/run part of the Couch to 5K but I think there will be some continuous running soon. I'd like to do a Sprint Tri in May that requires running 2.3 miles after swimming and biking, so I need to be at 2 miles this month. Let's not discuss actually getting on a bike… I'm still so scared to do that. 

4. Try a new restaurant. Because the most peaceful eating I get these days is in restaurants. Hopefully Max's delightful restaurant behavior continues another month! 

5. Be in the photos. As noted above, I was not in many (if any) photos this month. I want to make sure when I look back on this time I don't wonder if I was actually there, lol. 

 

What's on tap for you in April?