Noah's First Haircut

Noah didn't really have hair until he was around 9-10 months old. He had the blonde fuzz but it wasn't until later that we started to see sweet little curls forming on his head.

As someone who has had straight hair forever, I was baffled by what to do with his curls but found that for the most part they took care of themselves. Beautiful, tight little curls.

Lately, the husband has been wanting to take care of the length, which until recently had been manageable. A friend who is a hair dresser recommended a specific product for Noah's hair type, so I could easily get it tamed but he always had patches that were longer than others. When wet, he was totally sporting a mullet and another section just seemed to poof out uncontrollably. 

I don't know what came over me. I never expected to have an attachment to this milestone, but I found myself holding back tears today as the husband and I took Noah for his first haircut.

It's a kids-only salon with special chairs for the smaller kiddos. Noah was thrilled at first to get to sit in one of the old, tin firetrucks they had hoisted in front of a small TV playing our choice of Mickey Mouse or Dora (we went with Mickey). After a few moments he started looking very confused. He maybe fussed for a second but when the stylist showed Noah her "tickle wand" (aka clippers) and let him touch it and feel the tickling vibrations, he seemed to be ok with that. 

I thought we were going in for a trim but the husband ordered for Noah to get a #2...yeah, as a woman I have no knowledge of which to base that on. So a #2 turned out to be a lot shorter than I had wanted...definitely NOT a trim. About halfway thru he started squirming so we whipped out a sucker to keep him occupied. It worked!

All his little curls were in a pile behind his chair. I seriously almost couldn't look. At first he just looked like he was 9 months old again which made my disappointment even greater. I know! I know! They'll grow back. But I didn't want to lose them completely. Maybe if we had done a level or two up. 

Overall he did really well and was a good boy for the stylist whom I loved. He felt comfortable with her and she around us for his first haircut.

I'm still getting used to it. I'm sure his head feels a lot cooler at least. We got a certificate and a lock of his hair but in some ways I wish I could take it back. I honestly didn't think I'd be "that" mom!

My mom-opinions aside, he still looks so handsome and instead of a toddler he's now looking more like a little boy. I'm ready for him to grow out of some things but I find myself loving his toddler stage and not wanting it to go by too quickly.

A "before" picture - Feeling the "tickle wand"

Here we go!

The sucker hit the spot!

All the beautiful curly locks of hair.

The #2 cut

Hair is "trimmed". Driving the firetruck with sucker in mouth. All is well.

Brace Yourself

Fact: I am a mom.
Fact: I am 31 years old.
Fact: I have braces.

Yes, I made the orthodontic plunge. While most people bare a metal grin in their teen years, I have the pleasure of starting mine....well, now.

If you know me, I was graced with a very prominent gap smack dab in the middle of my upper teeth. No misaligned teeth or crooked smile, just a gap. I remember inquiring of my childhood dentist once about getting braces but he just looked at me baffled and said my teeth were fine. And they are for the most part.

However for the longest time, I've wanted to close this gap. A gap that my close friends call "cute" and tell me that I wouldn't be me without it. There are always things about ourselves that we're not going to like that no one else sees or notices. I can't help but always notice mine.

As a teenager (and my mom can attest to this) I perfected my smile for photos. I'd practice in front of the mirror and memorize the muscle placement and the way it felt. It wasn't just because I wanted to be able to have a nice, natural looking "fake" smile after all those awkward pre-teen years; it was also a ruse to hide my gap. I was able to figure out a way to place my bottom teeth behind the front to help blend my teeth seemlessly. It worked too!

I didn't seriously begin to consider braces to close it until a few years ago. I went as far as to get a consultation but backed out for two reasons. 1.) I hate anything having to do with stuff being done to my mouth (ie. the dentist has always made me sick with claustrophobia, gagging and terrible tastes). And 2.) The place I visited was minutes from my job at the time but a long drive from home. My job was in upheaval and I didn't want to get stuck driving forever to a 20-minute appointment if I was no longer going to work there.

That was 4-5 years ago. I think to myself now that if I had just done it then, I'd be finished and it'd be all said and done. But I didn't so here I am today. I set up a consultation at a place near my in-laws (the best babysitters to date) and went in for a look at my options. After an hour of x-rays, pictures and discussions on procedures and payment plans they looked at me and said "we can do it now if you want."

Huh? What? Now? Err....

Apparently they set up their office for cases like this. Folks who take off from work or people who set up babysitting just to do a free consult....since there's extra staff and the client already has the free time why not get started today! It's a great sale actually. And it worked perfectly on me and gladly for me because if I had left I can honestly say it would have been months before I got the courage to call them back.

One hour later, my mouth was fitted with braces and I was off on my merry way. I have an 18-24 sentence with these binding brackets with visits only 12 weeks apart. One way or another we're making progress!

I'm not sure yet what closing my gap will mean to me. Right now, I feel as if I really needed to do something for myself to make me feel better about myself since the life of a mom is more self-sacrificing than people give it credit. Given the years I've pined over the thought of it (even talking about veneers with my dentist), I don't feel it a rash decision regardless of jumping into treatment the same day I meet my orthodontist.

The husband didn't even know about it until he came home from work and saw me smile. He was very happy and proud of me for doing it. Noah noticed them for the first time the other day and while I would love for him to touch them to explore mommy's mouth, I'm keeping him little prying fingers at bay.

I'll be excited and nervous in two year's time to show some before and after pics but for now, all you get is to hear me talk about it.

Aaron - Four Months Old!

Likes:
- Peek-a-Boo
- Watching Noah play
- Being outside
- Baths
- Being swaddled

Dislikes:
- Being alone
- Not being held
- Tummy time for too long
- Missing a bottle

Mom Fail

We celebrated Mother's Day this morning with the husband's family, enjoying a nice breakfast at a little cafe we've been frequenting a lot. It sits right on this small airstrip just a few miles north of us. Local pilots literally take off and land within several yards of where you're seated. They have great food too, I might add.

Noah absolutely loves this place (and so do we) because of the prop planes. He's incredibly fascinated by them. Plus it doesn't hurt that on the opposite side of the airstrip are train tracks with the occasional train choo-chooing and passing by. Noah's in transportation Heaven what with the trains, planes and all other modes of transport we've seen there. I don't think I'd be incorrect in saying we've gone at least once a week for over a month now. The servers know us.

The weather was beautiful today so we sat on the patio for breakfast and everyone went about their typical way socializing and watching the mini-airshow. At one point, the husband comes over to grab a diaper and wipes to go change Noah's diaper. He's been dealing with his first bout of diarrhea so I gladly let the husband handle this one.

Next thing I know, Noah is back in his high chair sans shirt and shorts and sporting only a diaper and socks and shoes. Mom fail!! The ONE time I don't have any extra clothes in the diaper bag is the ONE time we desperately needed it.

It was nice out but a little chilly what with the wind so I rummaged in our bag only to pull out Aaron's extra outfit. Hmmm....after a little test stretching we thought why not see if the onesie could substitute as a shirt. Sure enough...it fit. Snugly, but it fit. Same went for Aaron's pants which hiked up to Noah's knees. As odd as it looked - he was clothed in his 3-month-old brother's outfit.

The rest of the meal we could not stop laughing at his appearance. It's all my fault of course, but he just looked so stinking cute and silly at the same time. He was a cross between a newsie or a little English boy in his knickers. Eventually we figured it looked more like an old fashioned football uniform. 

Needless to say, I will not be forgetting additional clothing again but I love this picture I captured of him. Makes me smile...a lot.

Aaron - Three Months Old

Likes:
- Watching his big brother play
- Mommy kissing on his tummy
- His toy dinosaur
- Bath time

Dislikes:
- Being cold
- Not being held or entertained
- Big brother poking him in the eye
- Being hungry

Picasso Jr.

Technically Noah's very first "art work" was my gift last Mother's Day (see post here), but there's something about your baby bringing home his first drawing/coloring project from church that makes my heart sing.

I attended a women's conference at my church early this week and was lucky enough to have Noah registered for childcare during the daytime sessions. (Aaron was with Grandma) I brought him along on Tuesday afternoon and he was signed in and over the partition before he realized what was happening and could get too upset. I love the nursery workers and program at the church so I knew he would be ok and eventually have fun.

Two hours later I headed back to pick up my little guy and lying outside the room was a row of papers each with a duck stenciled on. Lo and behold, Noah's little class had completed a coloring project! I don't think Noah has every seen a crayon let alone been allowed to hold a pen or pencil. Nor does he know what to do with them.

When I walked up to the door they had the kiddos sitting in booster chairs in a semi-circle blowing bubbles and talking - no tears or fussing. They really are amazing. I may have been happier to see Noah than he was to see me. Well, he did start to cry so technically I was happier. But the second he was through the door he was my sweet bubbly boy.

As soon as we got home, I put Noah's duck on the refrigerator and now every time he sees it he beams with pride! You ask him where his duck is and he'll run to show you. I love it! The funny thing is the babies were given yellow crayons to "color" with. So you can barely see Noah's markings on it but who cares!

I promised myself a long, long time ago that when I had kids, I would not be one of those moms that kept every single piece of paper my kids brought home. I'm still sticking to that promise but getting to see the start of what we'll experience for years to come really excites me and makes me feel more official as a parent.

Noah's Duck

A Year in the Making

This past Friday marked one year since my last day of work.

Depending on the day, if you'd asked me if I was satisfied with my decision to become a stay-at-home-mom, you would most likely get a different answer. Probably depending on a different time of day as well - such are the ups and downs of being a parent.

So I guess I'll start with a rabbit trail. I'm a very sentimental person when it comes to experiences. That's what most life is about, right? Our experiences and how they shape us and mold us. The people we meet...our choices (or lack thereof). Rather than think of a small experience though, think back to a time when everything felt perfect; a time "frame" of your life that you would give anything to go back to. A time that when you hear a certain song (or a smell, etc.) it floods your memories of that place and the people you were surrounded by.

As an admittedly sentimental person, I hold a couple of my experiences/time frames very dear to my heart. It makes for some sweet memories and I enjoy reminiscing every once in a while with others who shared those experiences with me. Would I give anything to be back where I was? In some ways, yes. But being the emotional person that I am, I discovered that longing for the "good old days" can be dangerous and unhealthy in some ways. Instead of focusing on the present, my heart sometimes longs too much for the past.

My job was one of those experiences. I was thrilled to become a mom and the decision to stay at home was not made lightly. I had one of those jobs that most days did not feel like a job. I loved my work and I enjoyed my co-workers. I had the freedom to be creative. I was respected and experienced and felt I was a contributor to something bigger the myself. Sure, the job had its hiccups and its personalities to deal with but I knew how to manage. When our call came about Noah, I was pleasantly uprooted from work to take maternity leave all the while still feeling apart of my team. Four months later I left that all behind and closed the door to a phase in my life that I will never forget and for which I will always be grateful.

Ultimately, would I take back that choice? No.
Do I miss it? Oh, yes!
Would I go back if I had the chance? I don't know.

I've played that third question over and over in my head and what I finally realized was that I could go back to work if I wanted to - whether there or elsewhere - but it would be because of a desire to repeat what I had had before. I will never be able to repeat that time of my life - those same people, that same situation. My final day is still so vivid in my mind and I try to hold onto that feeling of accomplishment yet bittersweet sadness that I carried with me. I'm sure to some folks I was a blip on their career charts and in the end business is business. Your work friends are your work friends usually no matter how much you try to keep in touch afterward. It's a necessary evil that our lives move on and, being the nosy person that I am, it's always difficult to see myself being left out. Life goes on...even for me.

Now, a year later, who would ever have imagined that I would have not just one but TWO amazing, sweet baby boys to care for! There are amazingly tough days and other days where every moment is precious and perfect. I do miss the camaraderie of working. I do miss feeling useful and seeing the immediate physical results of hard work paying off. Being a parent doesn't always bring that same satisfaction, especially when your littles are still babies. But knowing that it will pay off in the long run makes my new job bearable when I need it to be and that much more joyous the other 99% of the time. (It doesn't hurt either to hear from former coworkers that I'm sorely missed and had been hard to replace.) I get to see my boys grow and learn everything amazing about life there is to experience! I get to sit and cuddle with my oldest while we read his favorite book and point at all the pictures and name them and make their sounds. I get to go on mom dates and play outside and blow them bubbles and snuggle after naptime watching "DJ Lance" (aka Yo Gabba Gabba).

I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to be at home with them. As much as it might drive me crazy to be unproductive or constantly in workout clothes and covered with sticky things and missing out on some of the corporate world, I hope I look back on this time as one of those "experiences" where I'll long for my boys to be little once more. Only time will tell. They have to grow up first.