9 Months

Oh, I still have a job, which is good! I drove back home Sunday night as I'd planned and still hadn't heard anything so Monday I was off. Then about 7pm Monday I got a call from the HR lady saying everything was fine and I should go to work in the morning. That's it - no details, no 'sorry for scaring the crap out of you and ruining your family weekend because I'm sure that was pretty much all you could think about." Nope. So that is reason 5,097 how a baby changes you. I think in the past after something like this I would just go look for a new job and tell them to go screw. I have insurance to think about though now, and I'm willing to stick it out. My heart just isn't in it which I think it bad for them, not me. Actually it has been a less stressful experience at work the last week...maybe this is good.

I have had Elba outside the world about as long as I had him in my womb now. I much prefer him independant from my body. It's just crazy...I feel like pregnancy took forever, and now it has already been 9 months and soon it will be his first birthday! Aww! He is cruising around more now, getting used to his feet. He makes all kinds of fun noises and really likes mimicking. He is often pointing. Not at anything in particular, but rahter his hands are held at the moment in the 'pointer' position and I think he likes it.
I have been working out. I don't know if I talked about this yet, but I invested in a personal trainer and am working out once a week with him, then twice by myself. I've been doing this for 2 weeks shoddily and then last week for real. Next week we are doing another weigh in. I've been stuck right at 210 since dropping baby weight after the first few months. I would like to try and add another day to do a fun class, like Zumba or something for a fourth day. The other three days I do weight training and then cardio. I actually look forward to going to the gym now. I get to be by myself, de-stress and I feel amazing afterward. I'm also sleeping much better already.

I found this unposted blurb from a few months ago:

"When you are out and about something about being a woman with a baby sometimes brings out the softer gentler side of people. Rather than noticing the jerks in the world I noticed this today. It started while I was at a friend's baby's first birthday. I came into the house baby, diaper bag and gift in tow to have perfect strangers offer to take Elba off my hands to get the three ring circus I now travel with in the door. This was great, since I'd left the two cases of soda in the car for round two. I promised myself to also think of carrying capacity next get together before choosing what to bring. Medusa never had to think things through like this; that's what I need - four more arms. Oh I could be so much more productive! The kindness continued throughout the day; I needed help to get food, go potty and then getting ready to go. Have you tried to tell a 6 1/2 month old to lay still while Mommy puts on her boots and coat?
I thought, well of course, they are my friends (and friend's family)...but then I noticed in running errands that doors were being held open; a lady even offered to help me to my car with the package I had. What a breath of fresh air! Thank God I'm out of Southfield! The rude behavior and selfishness was becoming so the norm that the kind gestures today almost shocked me."

My friend Logan has started his journey accross our great earth visiting so far England, Amsterdam, Germany and on his way to Prague. I'm so happy for him and I wish he had this idea about 2 years ago when I finished my adventure and was still thinking about what else I could do for a while. Damn, next time! And oh yes, there will be a next time!