I last posted about going back to work, I cant believe I have been back at it for about three months now. Except, I'm not at my same job anymore. That's right, I went back to work and then moved to a new position in a new company. I'm working with Interstate Batteries now. Still doing research. Its pretty good and the team is great. I like the work life balance-and it actually takes place!!! and of course being a permanent employee is always better than contract. It may seem strange but I actually like going to work. Sure there are some days I still miss Atticus and wonder if I am doing the right thing, but I have fun at work. Imagine that! Also there's a part of me that gets fulfilled by actually doing work that gets recognition and is valued- and uses my intellect and thinking. And people know me as a professional expert in my field not as someones mom. I know there's value and skill in being a mom but I was so worried about losing my sense of self and this new job has definitely helped with that. I get to feel needed not as a mom but as a smart contribution to a team that makes a difference. It helps that I still get to wear jeans and tennis shoes too though :)
As far as whats going on in our home- Well Atticus is almost Six months! It's been a time or adjustment- getting settled into life as we came back from our road trip, went back to work, started daycare, settled into a bit of a routine and got situated. He has grown so much and has quite the personality. He is almost always smiling. We actually had a babysitter cancel on us and so we took him with us to a party where my neighbor said to someone who commented on how relaxed he was, "For what its worth, I've never seen this baby cry".
Atticus is definitely proving to be quite the easy baby so far and very laid back like his daddy. Most nights he is to bed and asleep without crying by 8:30 and sleeps through the night till about 7am. Of course he still has an off night or so but usually its our fault for having kept him up late or getting him off schedule. But he usually is pretty go with the flow. Whether its grape-fest with friends, a party, going to a trunk or treat or going out to dinner (this past weekend we actually took him with us to a brewery! no beer for him though, no worries) he gets lots of oohs and ahhhs and attention for his cute smiles and shy looks.
Lately he has been experimenting with his voice. Babbling, doing some squeals and most recently clucking. Who thought I would have a baby who clucks? Its almost like he's smacking his gums since he now has his first tooth. Well part of it anyway. Its broken the surface and you can feel it when he bites your fingers but it has yet to show up where you can see it like a full tooth when he grins.
He's definitely growing up to be his own person though. He has a bestie in daycare already. Romeo. They do tummy time together and talk to each other try to pull each others hair and such. Atticus doesn't have too much hair though. He also has socialized a bit to even form a clique in school. Yes, our kid at five months old already has formed opinions about others and deemed them worthy to be his friend or not. While he loves Romeo, he is so very jealous of the twins. He even started laughing when one of them started crying and mocks them when they cough by doing his own halfhearted cough. There're four boys all the same age in his day care class so they will have plenty of time as they grow up together to work it out- Atticus, Romeo and the twins- I kind of see them being their own little CasaView Christian Academy gang. Maybe they will grow up and be like the friends on Stand By Me or play baseball like in The Sandlot...who knows but I am glad he is socializing and enjoying his time there.
We are definitely embracing life as a family. The thoughts have crossed our minds about having another one already and then they quickly vanish and they come back and go again. So we are pretty sure there will at some point be another Barrowcuda but for now we are trying to enjoy the Team as it is. I've definitely been warned already that since Atticus is so easy we should be prepared for a holy terror with the next one. Lots of firsts. The first cold pointed out how much of first time parents we are and we went to urgent care with a 101 temperature. He made it through just fine though. Then, the first time being thrown up on gave me a real good shock. I was feeding him "on the go" and we stopped at Walgreens to do one last errand- I had to jump out of the car quick and held him away from me while I saw my own little exorcist spewing all over the Walgreens parking lot. My mom of course was looking for a camera to take a picture of my expression. I got to wipe myself off and take off one layer so I could get in the car to go home without getting puke on the seat. I don't think I have ever seen him smile bigger than he did right after he realized it was over. James took him for his first run (in the jogging stroller) which wore him out so much he fell asleep two minutes into it. That's only one of the ways he is getting around- he has started rolling from front to back and sometimes back to front- mainly when he wants to "chase" the dog. His first TX OU game was so much fun- I'm pretty sure he will love football as much as his daddy- he watches the cowboys games with him every week (about the only TV we let him watch is sports so there might be a little bias there). October 31st found us dressing him up as a tiger for his first Halloween. The costume was one James' mother and sister made about 25 years ago for he first grandchild. Apparently each of the cousins had worn it for their first Halloweens too. I was touched that his sister would pass it on to us. We were able to have a bit of his mom with us for one of Atticus' "firsts". My mom was with us for his first feeding of solid food- that was... shall we say interesting :)
Another first will be coming up day after tomorrow- Thursday we take our first flight with Atticus to California. I'm sure he will do great- well he did wonderfully int he car so I'm at least hoping :) Wendy and Jason have moved and bought their first home in San Diego, CA. I cant wait to introduce Atticus to his cousin Easton and of course to visit with my family I don't see very often. Atticus was one month old when he first met Rylan and Kaden. Kaden was not so impressed, I will wonder what he thinks of him this time around. We will also be introducing him to his Aunt Wendy and Uncle Jason. On top of all that, I finally get to meet my newest niece. She is so adorable and has the cutest hair- and so much of it! I hear she is kind of a mommas girl though so I am going to try not to get my feelings hurt if she doesn't let me hold her. I wonder what Atticus will think if his mommy turns her attention to another baby? We'll definitely post again after his first thanksgiving. I'm sure there will be lots of pictures.
Ah, his first Thanksgiving...So much to be thankful for this year- most of all I'm thankful that our life is what it is. For me, I couldn't think of anything I would want to change- well we could win the lottery- but I mean the stuff that matters- we've got it!
Here's a link to pictures from the past three months. I know its very baby centric- but such is our life at the moment :)
