Jenny: August 2007 Archives

So Ollie and I spent the morning "acclimating" to day care. The thought of it makes me so unhappy. I understand it's the best thing for us- me getting my dissertation done, him being a social butterfly playing with other kids. And even a few months ago if you'd asked me I'd have said I was excited. But as it turns out, I was lying. I am not at all excited. I love being Ollie's mom. I love it. I never thought, honestly, that I'd make that great of a mom. I'm pretty impatient and seem reserved to the rest of the world. But I'm really good at being Ollie's mom. I never run out of patience with him. I love seeing him giggle. I love taking baths with him, every night, even though that's technically when Eric's the parent and I'm off the hook. I love snuggling with him late at night when he's trying to figure out how to go to sleep again. Today I read him Click, Clack, Moo six times in a row (because he never grows tired of hearing it) and I did it in six different accents. Seriously, I brag because I am so damn confused at how much I love being his mom.

Nobody gives you much positive feedback as a PhD student. Mostly they tell you your work sucks, you're lazy, you're a bad teacher, etc. Mostly they just make you feel like shit and completely inept at everything you try to do. Never do they giggle at you. Never do they rip off your glasses, study you seriously, grab you and kiss you, and try to put your glasses back on as if they were the hero in a bad romantic comedy. Never do they smile their biggest, happiest smile everytime you enter the room.

So why exactly am I giving up time with Smudgey to be a PhD student? Lord if I know.

So new Ollie pictures are up, and he is finally bigger! He is now in 6-9 month clothes. He's a wee little man... by the time he's 2 he's projected to be 22 pounds. We know lots of people with big ol' babies so it worries us a little, but he seems fine. One of the comments we get most about Ollie (besides how gorgeous he is) is the intelligent curiosity he radiates. He stares at everything fascinated by it. Sometimes he doesn't blink, which is uncanny and creeps people out. I love that he has those qualities (well, not necessarily the creeping people out). Other babies may be friendlier, or more mellow, or faster to crawl or sit, but Ollie is my little philosopher, viewing the world and striving to make sense of it. I couldn't have asked for anything more perfect.

I'm going to try and use this blog to talk about Ollie and not just stuff for Ollie. Transition it over, as it were.

One of the other things I want to record is that being a parent has made me a better person. I'm still me... silly, goofy, sarcastic, snarky, sometimes pretentious, and sometimes too quick to snap at Eric, but I'm also nicer, more patient, more unguarded with strangers, more approachable, I think. When Ollie won't sleep and I'm spending 45 minutes rocking side to side with him, I think of how much I love him, and I try to radiate that love to him, plus sleepy thoughts, safe thoughts, warm thoughts, and think how I will always love him more than anything. And even though I get tired of swaying, I never get impatient with him. I know I couldn't have done that before. I've been doing better writing on my dissertation too, when I do writing on it.

Ollie starts daycare on Sept 4th. I am alternately excited (I want to get done with this stupid dissertation! 14 hours a week to just write- what luxury!!) and freaked out. What if he sits up for the first time without me? What if he walks? Talks? I will be so sad to miss those. Speaking of talking, at the moment we suspect he is calling me Bob. We say "Mama" to him and he says "BobBob" back. I guess he hasn't quite gotten to the making m's yet.

So already my Mom has been asking what Ollie would like for Christmas. I have decided to do a quick list here of good possibilities and then not think about it again.

Also, I'm thinking that maybe this blog could become more of a chronicle of Ollie's life than just a registry. So I might start writing posts about Ollie here instead of the top secret pregnancy journal. It was top secret because so much of pregnancy is GROSS. Of course, much of parenthood is gross too, but we're no longer talking about my body or my shame. Humiliating your child is fair game, right?

Anyway. Christmas:

I've included practical and impractical here for your pleasure. :)

First off, is a car seat. We need to buy him a new car seat by 1 year of age, and they are expensive. We plan on getting a Britax Marathon and it's a pricey sucker. It's like, $300 almost. This is really the only thing he truly needs (besides diapers, see below).

We would like an Ollie sized chair and ottoman. I like this one from Babystyle:
http://www.babystyle.com/common/dProductDetail.asp?SIND=1&PMId=16787&cmCL=srch-chair
here is a picture of Ollie posing in it:

We would like medium or large sized Fuzzi Bunz (new or used or seconds from http://www.fuzzibunzseconds.net/store/Default.asp we don't care). It works best for us to have about 18 diapers in each size and three extra liners or so.

We would like a toy chest for Ollie. Here: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2627221&cp=&sr=1&f=Taxonomy%2FTRUS%2F2255957&origkw=toy+chest&kw=toy+chest&parentPage=search is the one that goes with his furniture. But I've heard that a bin system where he can see his toys is better for him developmentally. I've seen some of those at Target or wherever. So it doesn't matter to me either way.

We also like wooden, open ended toys. He's not allowed anything that lights up, blinks, or plays music (anything that requires batteries) so we'd really rather he didn't get them. We also don't (and won't) allow him to watch TV for quite some time, so he's not going to recognize anybody like Elmo or Spongebob.

Melissa and Doug make some cool wooden toys, but we're not picky here (well, please try not to get them painted with lead). Honestly we are uncomfortable with him having too many toys. I get overwhelmed. A few, nice, carefully chosen toys are greatly appreciated!

At some point I want to get him an easel and some art supplies, like non-toxic finger paints.

Also, gift certificates for experiences are good. The Austin Children's Museum. Gymboree for play time, etc.

Oh, and so far he doesn't seem to like stuffed animals. But who knows, that might change. And books are always good. Though he has a lot!

Anyway, now I have a handy list to refer people to. :)