Pooped

Time to update the blog, though not sure what to write about.  Of course, I'll give the compulsory "update" on what we've been up to over the past few months, but its hard to find much substantive to write about.  When Caroline's colic ended abruptly between the 4-5 month mark, she quickly turned into a happy, bubbly, and most of all, rambunctious baby.  She sleeps through the night (mostly), doesn't cry much, eats well, and smiles a lot.  She has learned to crawl, is on the verge of walking, and loves everyone she meets.  She is pretty much the perfect baby now, aside form the occasional peeing and pooping on the floor.  What more could parents ask for?

But even with such a wonderful baby (now), we are still carrying emotional scars and baggage, and feel more like survivors, than parents.  We take for granted the ease of just getting though the day now, but haven't yet been able to relax enough to enjoy the fruits of our labor (pun somewhat intended).  Further, having a child brings with it strict schedules that must be adhered to, lest the baby melt down, accompanied by moments of PTSD and the dark days of months past.  Schedules however, are the antithesis of spontaneity, and lead to fairly predictable days, leaving little to talk about.  Wake up, take care of baby, work, take care of baby, watch some inappropriate television (though be careful not to wake the baby), go to sleep.  Every once in a while. add take care of self to the routine.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about being a parent or that challenges it brings.  In fact, I find most of it quite enjoyable, especially the special moments when Caroline learns something new, or give a smile that melts my heart.  I can't hide the fact, however, that the adjustment to this new life has been more difficult than imagined, and that I was woefully unprepared, and still am.

Both Shannon and I are working in DC, and are fairly well settled in.  Caro is in daycare and loves it.  She is so sociable and thrives around other children, which is an environment we were unable to provide at home.  Our jobs are challenging, but not overwhelming.  We've managed the daily commute, and have figured out how to live in such an expensive place, with having the added expense of a mortgage.  Money is tighter than we're used to, especially after having lived four years abroad, but we're still living quite well.  Thankfully though, this DC tour is only two years.

I've been able to travel some for work.  First, with a trip to Tucson of all places, and next week I'm off the Zagreb for a week to do some training.  The entire family managed a trip home to Arizona for an early Thanksgiving, and Caro was a pro, sleeping through most of the long flights out there.  She is so close to elite status on Delta, I've been contemplating the possibility that she'll get a system upgrade to 1st class, while we're stuck in the back of the plane.  For Shannon's birthday, I bought us tickets to visit Iceland this spring.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the potential for disaster trying to go there with an infant on vacation is starting to keep me up at night.  I'm sure by the next time I post, I'll be able to give details on how it went, for better or worse.

Other than enduring the hot and humid summer, quickly turn into a chilly winter, and taking innumerable baby pictures of it all in varying outfits, that's about all I have to write for now.

M