Weekend Update: Eating, Shopping, and Politicking

This weekend was a quick one, but we sure stuffed as much in it as we could with continous rain, a newborn, and a Daddy who didn't get home from his business trip until Saturday at noon.  (JB and I survived another 4 days by ourselves, with minimal crying from Mama or baby! Woo hoo!)  First I have to complain about something: this rain - ugh! Granted, we were more fortunate than all my Texas friends and family who were (still are?) iced in.  But, when you have a million things to do, the rain makes it hard to run errands or go out and not look like a hot, frazzled mess.

So what did we do: first, we ate out a lot.  We rarely do this, but somehow the thought of taking time to cook/eat/clean up was just too much.  Second, we nearly completed our Christmas shopping.  Basically, anything I could not buy off Amazon (where I do 75% of my shopping) we found on Sunday. Also, we took the little guy to Publix for the first time.  All the store clerks got to ooh and aah over him - and when they said "he's so small!" I didn't even remind them how they called me "huge" for a good 4 months of my pregnancy.

Lastly, the most exciting thing we did this weekend: we attended a small political fundraiser. That would be exciting in itself, but what really makes this one interesado is that James and I belong to different political parties. So the fact we attended one together means someone (cough, cough, me) took one for the team.  I was subjected to several "you know what's wrong with liberals?" conversations, but I played along and talked about my firearms I keep in my nightstand. (JOKING!) 

In all seriousness, it was a very nice, small event, the hosts and guests were lovely, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Congressman who is running for Senate here in Georgia.  Regardless of political affiliation, discussing issues with our decision makers is a real privledge that I don't take for granted!  Plus, it gave me a chance to step out with my favorite moderate Republican on the planet. :)

Despite very little downtime this weekend, at least we got to spend all the craziness together as a family. Good times!

Ready, Ready, Ready, Ready - Ready to Run!

This week has marked a couple of things for me:  first, a return to work (part time till January), but I'm not ready to talk about that...  :(

Second, I'm back in my running shoes!  YEA!

Atlanta Half, 2010

I gave up running last February when we learned we were expecting, after about 12 years of mid-distance running and lots of short (5K) and some longer (half marathon) races a year.  Now, I know many, many people run throughout a pregnancy, but with our history and all my fears it made sense for me to put away my minimalist running shoes and invest in some good walking sneakers for those 9 months.

Fast forward to 9 weeks postpartum, and I was ready to start up again.  I gave myself an arbitrary date of December 1st, and a very achievable distance of 2 miles each run.  With my running partner (Enda) by my side, I am happy to report that I logged 6 miles this week! And one of those runs was in the rain, which made me feel like a total moron bad ass!  Overall, I have felt great. No big pains or twinges or discomfort that I can report.  My pace is pretty terrible, but, hey, it's still fast enough to be considered running.

With this first goal under my belt, it's time to turn to my new goal: the 2014 Atlanta Half Marathon in March.  I know it seems crazy to shoot for this, but I really want to try. Well, CONFESSION, I actually already registered.  (I'm trying to sound all non-committal in case I can't do it, but the reality is I already have paid for a spot in the race -YIKES!!)

Here is my current plan, adapted slightly from the normal 12 week plan I use:

Totally doable, right?  I certainly have a few things working for me: being able to run at lunch and on the weekends when I have help with JB (nanny, husband, etc); a very motivating running partner in my energetic Vizsla; and the fact it's wintertime (I hate running when it's hot).  I also realize a few things will make it more challenging this year: my body just recently produced and delivered a human; I'm still sleep deprived; and I'm the sole food source for our little guy.  (Some ladies can successfully nurse and run distances without it impacting their milk supply, and I'm hoping I'm one of those ladies.  If not, the Atlanta Half becomes a low priority, of course.)

People, keep me honest!  And motivated!  Here's hoping that next March there is an Atlanta Half Marathon post up on You've Been Sass'd.  :)

James Benjamin - 2 Months Old!

Little James Benjamin is two months old!

Month Two...well, it was hard y'all.  After a very smooth first month, the second month has brought a few challenges.  Although I know some is just normal newborn fussiness, a lot of it I blame on silent reflux and a bad milk protein intolerance. This poor little guy has been suffering quite a bit over the past 4 weeks, and it just breaks our heart.  It leads to lots of fussiness at feedings, not a lot of sleep, and lots of tears (from both JB and Mama). We started on Zantac, have switched to Prevacid, and I've eliminated all dairy or products with milk from my diet. Our doctor thinks this - plus his little tummy maturing over the next few months - should really help. Fingers crossed!

Still, this is by no means a negative update.  JB is growing very well - both physically and developmentally.  My favorite thing about this month has been the grinning that started a couple of weeks ago!  At first, he would only grin at the ceiling fan.  Then, he started smiling at Grammy.  Now, he will smile at his Mama (after she begs and begs and begs and talks like a crazy person), his Daddy, and his Gia. This weekend, he shamelessly smiled and flirted with one of our pretty girlfriends, then hammed it up for his (young, female) pediatrician.  He likes the ladies!

JB's Measurements:

• Weight: 11lbs 4 oz 
• Height: 22 1/2 inches
• Head Circumference: 15 3/8 inches

At 2 Months Old, JB...

...Eats every 2 - 3 hours, and sometimes snacks in between.  We used to say "growth spurt", but after saying that every week since Week 5 we've decided that he just likes to eat.  He used to take one bottle a day without issues, but now he shows a definite preference for nursing. He'll drink an ounce from the bottle to take the edge off the hunger, and then refuses it all together (even if it means waiting until the next feeding).  Stubborn little boy!

...Sleeps so-so during the day, taking lots of cat naps and then one longer nap.  At night, he has started to give us some longer stretches - on his two month birthday he slept 5 hours!  Although he's not doing this consistently yet, I'm hoping it becomes more of the norm as he gets a little bigger and his reflux improves.  Call me crazy, but I'll have mixed emotions when he drops his middle-of-the-night feeding.  Part of me will miss those sweet cuddles!  Fortunately for me, he shows no interest in doing that anytime soon.  :)

...Wears 0-3 month clothes, and is totally out of his newborn clothes.  He's in Size 1 diapers, and still goes through them like we have a vested interest in Pampers.  

...Loves walking around the house or the neighborhood in the k'tan infant carrier; looking at his mobile; riding in the car; being held and cuddled while he sleeps (who can blame him!?); being in the bath; and, most of all, his changing table.  The changing table is truly his happy place, and he will lie there for an hour while giggling and smiling and pumping his legs.  (There is a mirror on the wall above it, and I think he sees the fan in the reflection.  Highly entertaining for a two month old!)

...Does not enjoy red lights; dirty diapers; cold bottles; Zantac; tummy time and those 3 minutes between getting out of the bath and getting into his PJs.

...Has mixed emotions about taking his Prevacid; eating from a bottle; and his swing.

Second Month Milestones:

• First smiles - yea! 
• First prescription medications - yuck!
• First Halloween and Thanksgiving
• Rolled tummy to back (in order to avoid tummy time)

Month Two - it was a doozy! Hoping our little guy feels better and that Month Three brings even more smiles!

iPhone Photos, Weeks 5-6

iPhone Photos, Weeks 7-8

Previous Updates on JB:

• Birth Story
• One Month

A Tragic End to my New Boots

Since today, Black Friday, is all about retail, I thought I would share a slightly humerous, yet tragic, story that unfolded yesterday.

It all started a few weeks ago with stupid Rue La La, an online boutique that tempts me every day at 11am with killer deals on high end brands.  Now, I haven't shopped there in quite a while, nor have I been watching the emails while on maternity leave.  But one day I happened to be on my work computer approving expense reports when, suddenly, I saw the email and it said STUART WEITZMAN BOOTS!!!

Let me backtrack again and talk about my three year journey to find some tall, black, high heeled boots that would fit my skinny calves.  I tried on so many pairs over the years that James was scared to even venture in to a shoe department with me. I learned to ask for calf circumference, schooled quite a few people who tried to convince me that the enormous slack in the boot was "the style", and probably made a few sales girls cry as I walked out the door. The only pair I finally found to fit : Stuart Weitzman. I almost cried when I put them on, but cried harder when I saw the price.  I must have tried them on several times before my sweet husband convinced me to buy them one year during Nordstrom's preseason sale. (He encourages me to shop. Such a keeper...)

That is how I came to purchase the most expensive pair of shoes (or clothing, or any other accessory) that I own. And I wear them ALL THE TIME.  I have an unhealthy relationship with those boots.

So when I saw them on Rue La La in brown - and half the normal price - well...I had to have them.  One minute later, I got my order confirmation and had a mild heart attack, having just bought my second most expensive pair of shoes ever.  Again, husband-of-the-year told me "you deserve those shoes!", so I felt a little better.

Then they arrived, I tried them on and loved them, and didn't miss an opportunity to stack up the boxes for a photo on Instagram:

Then, sometime later, I got distracted by our sweet newborn and all the other craziness in our house and left them right where I snapped this photo.  Meanwhile, James went on one of his crazy rampages where he says "there is crap EVERYWHERE!" and throws out old newspapers...takes out the recycling...collects and throws out boxes...

...y'all see where I am going with this one...?

Fast forward to yesterday, Thanksgiving, where I am perusing my closet to find something cute and brown for my inagural wearing of the new boots.  Which I could not find. I searched everywhere, and everywhere again, until...#%^*!!!

I ran outside to find James (in my PJs and it was 20 degrees) and asked him if he remembered those boots stacked up on the floor beside the door with the other boxes.  This time from him: #%^*!!!

I almost threw up.

That's right, people: brand new, beautiful suede Stuart Weitzman boots are now in the ATLANTA LANDFILL! We threw them away!! 

James tried to calm me: "I didn't love them anyway" (what?! could he not tell me this before I bought them?); "oh well, at least it wasn't something really expensive" (did I not tell him what they cost, oops!); "it's just a way for us to learn a lesson...like that time you left my iPad in the rental car...or your sunglasses on top of the car and I ran over them...or..." (we get the point, James!!**)

I'm bummed, y'all.  I loved those boots. They would have had a nice life on my (skinny) legs.  James says I am going to look back on this and laugh.  I sure hope so!


(** For the record, James and I both claim fault for this incident.  I should have put them away and not left them in the living room with the empty boxes. James should have checked the boxes before they went into the trash.  Although Enda really didn't do anything, I am trying to find a way to pin this on her, too. It only seems fair for everyone to share the blame for retail tragedy!) 

So Very Thankful

Today, there are so, so many things for which we can give thanks.  For our family, our friends, our health, all the many blessings - too many to name! - that we take for granted as we live each day.  And especially for this sweet little blessing, who celebrated his first Thanksgiving today.

We spent this Thanksgiving here in Atlanta with James' family. Always a good time, and we enjoy the time with cousins and extended family that we don't get to see that often.  Our contribution this year was the turkey, which James smoked on his Big Green Egg.  Folks, it did not disappoint.  Slathered in dijon, bacon and thyme, the flavor was fantastic and some of the most moist white meat I've tasted.

The turkey joined a host of delicious sides - so many great sides that I almost could not fit them all on my plate!  I made it work, though, and pretty much hit every serving dish on the buffet.  It took effort, but was worth it.

Of course the Copeland sisters outdid themselves with some super yummy dessert: Pecan Pie, Bourbon Pecan Pound Cake (and then others brought Pecan Brittle and Pecan Bars).  There was a pecan shortage this year, you know, and we did our part to contribute.

More important than the food, we had a lovely time with our family.  So many people, so much love, lots of cuddling for the little guy.  A wonderful day!

Happy Thanksgiving - from our family to yours!

Visit From Grammy!

When my Mother said she wanted to come visit this past weekend (last week), I sprung in to action to make that happen. It had been a pretty difficult few weeks due to our new enemy SILENT REFLUX (poor little guy), and this new Mama thought a visit from her Mama would be a great idea.

Fortunately, my many years of taking up a second residence onboard a Delta plane mean I have the points to make these spur-of-the-moment trips doable.  I used to hoard my Delta miles for tropical vacays, but now think they are well spent on emergency "I need my Mother / I need to see my Grandbaby" trips.  James even took advantage and went deer hunting. Wins for everyone!

Obviously we did not have many plans except to hang out and let Grammy get in plenty of snuggles.  With both her human and furry grandchildren.

As you can see, Enda was pretty sure the visit was partly to see her. She spent a good deal of the time in Grammy's lap when it was not occupied.

Since it was a "casual" weekend, our meals were quite simple and low key. By Kerr standards, that is...

We did indulge in fish sticks because we didn't have our menfolk to snub their nose at the delicious Mrs. Gordon's delicacy.  

As I mentioned, JB has been suffering from reflux and it's not fun for anyone! He doesn't feel good, and it breaks our heart! We moved on to a new medicine last week that we are hoping and praying helps him feel better.  I already see some improvement - enough for him to start grinning a little at his Grammy!

Such a fun visit!  JB is super lucky to have his Gia here, and his Grammy only a quick flight away.  Lots of grandmother lovin'. :)

The Other Big Sisters

Okay, terrible pet mama, I realized that I neglected in my last post about Big Sister Enda to give an update on my first fur-babies, Lupe and Carmen.  Those girls have been with me for nearly 10 years (crazy to think about), but yet they - admittedly - continue to receive less and less attention as we add new family members.  First it was James, who they hate.  Then it was Enda, who they despise even more.  And now we have James Benjamin, who they still can't really figure out.

Take Lupe, for example. She's my real temperamental gal, who has acted like a grumpy old lady since she was 2 years old. She will hiss, spit, and totally freak out at the sight of the dog, and will also react that way if James tries to talk to her or touch her.

James: "Hi there, sweet Lupe."

Lupe: "You will never be my real father!"

However, with the baby, she seems to be very interested and want to actually be around him.  When he's on his activity mat, she'll go sit beside him.  When he's resting in the napper, she curls up right beside it and sleeps.  It's very odd...and maybe a little concerning.  Is she actually showing love and affection in her distorted, twisted way?  Or worse, plotting....?  Either way, I keep an eye on that one.

Lupe: "At least he doesn't chase me....yet..."

Carmen has showed ZERO interest in JB, nor does she even seem to realize we have a new baby.  She does, however, love all the new things for the baby.  She hangs out in his chair, in his crib, in his stroller...  I've googled "danger of cat in crib" a gazillion times, but, so far, she hasn't actually tried to get in these things at the same time as JB.  (For the record, most accounts say the cat will not hurt a baby.  Plus, my mom said our Siamese cat slept in my crib every night, and the only effect was that I'm now a cat lover. Of course, James thinks this is an actual risk we should keep in mind.)

Carmen: "Get away from my new chair!"

So, that's the update I have on the other sisters.  When they are not checking out the baby/baby gear, they still spend 20 hours a day sleeping upstairs in my office to avoid chance encounters with the dog.  I'm sure their lives continue to get worse and worse by their standards.  <Sigh>

(Quick story: since becoming a Mama I hear "phantom baby cries" all the time.  I swear I hear JB crying, even when he is not.  The other night in the kitchen, James claimed he heard them, too!  We had a good laugh about how we're "so crazy and sleep deprived" and went to bed.  In the middle of the night, after continuing to hear them, James realized Carmen - our adventurous indoor kitty -  was locked out on the deck.  These phantom cries were actually her crying to be let in.  PET PARENT FAIL.)