we are loud

I feel like so much has happened in such a short period of time.

• We moved
• I stopped breastfeeding
• Nomes started crawling
• Nomes started pulling up
• We need a new roof
  • subsequently I’m looking for new clients or going back to work

On the gainful employment end, it is the holiday season and I could get a seasonal position in retail.  That would be an easy way to bring in a few extra dollars.  It would also be an easy way to contract any of those nasty viruses that are flying about this time of year.  While I am not overly concerned over the flu, including H1N1, I do want to be cautious.  The numbers on H1N1 are minimal.  2009 has less than 6,000 death cases world-wide (appx 1,200 in the US).  While 500,000+ have contracted the virus that leaves a very small percent who have not survived.  In the US alone, seasonal flu causes an average of 36,000 deaths each year (according to the CDC).  I understand that we are just entering the flu season and the number of deaths are going to increase… I just have a hard time accepting that we are all going to die this year.  Especially since people are taking strong precautions.  I would love to see the numbers decrease in H1N1 and the seasonal flu this year.  That would be fantastic… and I believe it to be possible.  Just be smart people.

Alright, off my soap box.  So we’ll see how it all works out.  In the meantime I need to start sending out my resume and see what bites and then make a decision from there.

In other news, the house is coming along.  While still a bit of a OCD/clean-freak’s bad dream (no longer a nightmare) it doesn’t make me crazy anymore.  I don’t mind having people over now.  Well, at least close friends.  I wouldn’t throw a party yet. Ha!  We’ll get there.  The furniture has found their final resting place, things are finding their way onto the walls.  It’s coming along.  Nomes will have a bedroom again in a few weeks, which means we can pull her things out of boxes and clear out space in the garage.

Relationally, this move has been great for my marriage.  Mark has turned into a totally different person since we’ve been here.  He is motivated to turn a house into a home.  He is stretching his comfort zone in Husbandhood, Fatherhood.  As a team we are challenging our spirituality and faith.  We are pulling off the heavy blankets and putting on our swim wear… because its time to dive in again.

It seems as though we have found a new church.  I need to write about that… but not now.  The wind is kicking up and I need to watch the trees dance for a while.  Because if love’s like a hurricane, I am a tree.  Bending under Your wind and mercy.

 

So we’ve started Naomi on “solid” foods.  So far she’s had rice ceral and bananas.  Next week we will introduce an avacado.  Wow! How time flies!

She’s a good eater.  I was reading something on wholesomebabyfood.com that said not to be suprised if baby only eats 1/2 tbspn the first few times. Ha!  Naomi didn’t have a problem finishing everything off, once she got the hang of it.  This morning I gave her a sizable piece of banana (mashed of course) and she was opening up her mouth for more!  Funny… this is going to change the structure of my day considerably.  Especially since I want to pump to keep up my supply and create a reserve.  I’d like her to have breast milk for at least a year if not longer.

I need to spend the next few days learning how to make and store baby food.  I’m so excited!

 

It’s war…

First, I have a confession.  I’ve lived in this house for almost four years.  I’ve scrubbed and sanitized, purged and organized.  However there is a small area in the kitchen which has been no man’s land.  A place where fear lives.  It has taunted me, and I have backed down.  Weak.  Afraid.

Well today… today everything changed.  Today I declared war on the space behind the refridgerator.  Battle was conducted.  My weapons of choice were paper towels, Clorox Clean-Up, and the Dyson.  They were well chosen.  After a vicious battle, the war was won.   I’d post photographs from the field, but I’m afraid my journal isn’t rated for mature content.

Today was an exciting day in the Carey house.  After the aformentioned battle, another large scale even occured.  Naomi was placed in her Bumbo chair and given rice ceral.  It was messy and the spectators cheered on the players.  Naomi and Mommy.  It started with the two sides going head to head.  A spoonful in, 3/4 of a spoonful out.  After some struggle, the two sides decided to play nice.  By the end of the campaign, they were about on equal terms.  Photo and video documentation will be posted … eventually.

 

I’m so proud of my daughter.  She’s been lifting her head since a day or two old.  About a week or week and a half she would lift and turn a bit.  And it’s continued on.  This evening I had her on my chest and she lifted her head and looked back and forth for over a minute and then arched her back a bit and held her head high (she kinda looked like a turtle!) and held that for a minute or so before laying it, controlled, back against my chest.

She’s amazing.

 

I smiled at Nomes… she smiled back.