Reflections on our first week home

On one hand, I can't believe it's been a week already. On the other hand, it feels like she has been with us forever. Here are some of the high points of our week:

• La princesa has slept from at least 9pm to 4:45am the last two nights. Do you think I just jinxed myself?


• The critterboy is adjusting well. He pretty much hated me the first few days, rejecting all of my love and attention and ignoring me completely. He started back at daycare, aka school, on Monday and is back to his old self. For the most part.


• We took both kiddos to the ped. on Tuesday for the little man's 3 yr. check and la princesa's first visit. Things went well. Little man is still a little man at 35 3/4 inches tall and 29 lbs. He has the start of yet another ear infection/tonsilitis, so he's back on amoxicillan for 10 days. La princesa was 14 lbs 4 oz, ironically exactly what the critterboy weighed at 6.5 months. Weird isn't it? She's long, but I didn't catch her length, if they even measured her. At her last visit in Guatemala she was 26.5 inches.


• I have mastered the poopy diaper. Not a small accomplishment for me, who used to use about 13 wipes for one of little man's messes, but I can usually do it in 3 with the lady bug. Woo hoo! We're going through diapers like crazy though, and we're so thankful for the 5 packs we got at our baby shower.


• We're settling into a routine at home, though I'm a bit more bored than I had expected to be. I enjoy every moment with our lady bug, but gosh, I'm just not the homebody that I wish I was. The first day home alone with her I cried every couple of hours for no reason. Then when the love of my life came home, I cried to him about crying about nothing. I even cried that I was afraid I'd ruin our plasma TV by having it on so much for the next several weeks. Those things ain't cheap and they have a lifespan of only so many hours . . . I need to get out more! It comes down to this: I applaud all stay at home moms for what they do. I just can't do it long term. I think, unless we hit the lottery that we don't even play, that I'll always work at least part-time for my sanity. Girls at the office--be prepared--I'll be chomping at the bit to get back. See you in August, if not before :)


• I'm allowing myself to get out of the house 2x per week. With gas prices nearing $4/gal. and me soon to be without a paycheck, I just can't justify getting out just to get out. Don't get me wrong, if sanity depends on it, I'll go, but otherwise, I'll find ways to entertain us here at home.


• La princesa is eating well, but is hit or miss with her rice cereal. Lately she blows it all back at me as she "blows bubbles". The girl is a master of the bubble blowing and well, if you've ever fed a baby runny rice cereal, it makes for a huge mess! Oh yeah, and we brought home 2 cans of formula from Guatemala to ease the transition--I kept telling the love of my life that it smelled like ice cream to me. Not at all like the nasty North American formula, even though it's made by the same company, just in Central America. Well, guess what the 2nd ingredient is? You guessed it--sugar. Holy moly why oh why do they add sugar? I'm scared that she's going to HATE the nasty stuff we bought here for her after having "ice cream" for so long.


• There was a toad in. my. house. Yesterday. Living room to be exact. I screamed like a little girl when I saw it. The wind has been horrible here and I'm guessing it jumped in through the dog door or something, then made itself at home. I keep telling myself that it had just come in, that it hasn't lived in here for weeks, because I can't stand the thought of jumping out of bed in the middle of the night and stepping on a toad. eeeeeekkkkk! I am so totally grossed out. Another reason I'm not good at being at home so much! It was about to hop behind the couch, so I got a shoe and blocked it's path, got a huge paper sack, then shooshed it into the bag. I threw it outside. Yuck. I'm cringing just reliving the experience. Yuck yuck yuck!


• I miss the critterboy being at home. I know I'm not quite ready to have both of them together with no one to help me, but I miss all of his non-stop activity. I actually look forward to butting heads with him in the evenings. Ahh, the joys of parenting.

If you're still reading, here are a couple of pics of the lady bug for you. We'll be getting out to see people soon, so be on the lookout!