Changes

Wow! I can't believe how fast time flies by. So much has happened in the last month. Stirling now has two teeth on bottom, and two almost in on the top. He has moved from scooting on his belly to crawling so fast I can hardly keep up, to pulling himself up on the furniture and cruising around the room. He can even stand a few seconds at a time occasionally. He is only satisfied if he is standing or moving around. And, much to my surprise and dismay, he is climbing the stairs!!! I thought I had a few more months until he was this mobile! Stirling is very active for an almost 8 month old.
Stirling also went on his first airplane trip just after Christmas. He was so good on the airplanes- he got fussy only once and calmed right down as soon as I stood up in the aisle with him for a few minutes. I was in worse shape than he was- especially on our way home when weather derailed our original travel plans. We ended up taking an extra day, and extra flight, and $500 extra to get home. Yikes! I have decided that I enjoy the sun and 70 degree weather and don't need to go up to Washington during December anymore! There was sooooo much snow, and then soooo much flooding. Family and friends are all invited down to warm, sunny Arizona next Christmas. Overall, though, it was really nice to see everyone and see have everyone meet Stirling. He enjoyed meeting everyone. He really is the most easygoing baby ever. He didn't mind all the people at the family get together (though he did prefer some people over others) and loved the dog. I am so impressed and so proud of how well he did. I should learn from him just to take everything as it comes....

Hello Again!

Happy Christmas Eve!!

Well, as I predicted in my first blog, this has taken a (way) back burner to the rest of my life. Working full time and being a mommy hasn't left much time for goofing around on the computer. Stirling has gotten so big in the last few months. He is seven months old today!!! and is a happy, active baby. He has started following me from room to room- not quite crawling, but scooting along on his belly pretty quickly! He can also kind of pull himself up on things (the bottem step, his bouncy chair, mom's lap) and tries to climb up whatever he can. He is busy right now talking to his toys on the floor! Teething is the next new challenge for all of us. We think he is cutting his first tooth, though it is hard to tell since we can't get a good look at his mouth. It amazes me how fast Stirling changes. It seems like everyday he can do something new, and I can't really remember the day before. His first months have flown by.

RJ is working today, but we are looking forward to spending this evening and tomorrow together. Then on Friday Stirling and I are flying up to Washington to visit all the family. It will be Stirling's first flight, and I'm nervous about how he will do, especially being cranky from the teething. Looking forward to seeing family, though not all the snow and freezing temperatures!

Anniversary

This past Thursday was our anniversary. We have now been married four years. For our anniversary, I had originally been thinking of going out to eat to celebrate, but we decided that it would be too difficult to take Stirling along with us to a restaurant. Instead we picked up some food from the Olive Garden and ate at home. There was also a HUGE!! thunderstorm that afternoon so we got some rain (yay- I appreciate rain so much more now that it happens four times a year rather than every day!) and the loudest thunderclaps that I have ever heard in my life. I took Stirling outside to listen, but he was pretty oblivious. I can't believe that RJ and I have been married for four years and together for eight!

Sad

Yesterday I took Stirling to daycare for the first time. Waaaa! Yes I cried. I kind of just shoved my baby boy at the infant teacher and got out of there before I completely broke down. I drove to school in tears. It was a practice day since I don't have to start work until Wednesday, and I think it was wise choice not to try to start work and leave Stirling on the same day. I never thought I would want to be a stay-at-home mom, but after spending the last two months with my son, I am really sad about going back. If we had the means, I just might think about being at home, or doing a job share and only teaching part time. I keep getting choked up when I look at Stirling, knowing that next week isn't practice anymore, and that I have to leave him for real.

Work and Guilt

I go back to work next week. I am looking forward to being at work, having a more firm schedule, and being intellectually challenged. I always get nervous this time of year, but it is also fun meeting all my new students, and getting to know them. Every year I feel like I have to get better and better at my job and so try to do something new and different. This year I haven't had much time to prepare and am feeling a little stressed and a little guilty for not having something spectacular and new planned for my class.
One thing I am dreading is leaving Stirling in day care. We have to have him go two days a week while RJ is working. How great is it though, that RJ can be with him the other three days. Still, leaving my baby with strangers is scary. The daycare we picked is right across the road from my school so I can get there in a hurry if I need to. And it is clean, bright, and looks like a very nice place for kids. I still get a guilty feeling however...
Should I get used to feeling like I am not doing my best for my job or my son?

Stirling Faces

Stirling is often a very happy baby, and he just looked so sweet in his little Pooh overalls. Occasionally, he does let us know he is upset and I had to snap a picture of that too. What a cutie!

ComicCon

On the 24th, RJ and his friend Bryan drove over to San Diego to attend the first day of the annual ComicCon. Last year, RJ went three of the four days and had a great time. Going for just one day wasn't ideal, but he couldn't get days off for more. (And it would hve been much more difficult for me to go hang out in San Diego like I did last year.) RJ and Bryan saw som speakers, shopped for comics, and stocked up on free stuff to give the teens at the library.