As July ended, I looked forward to August as a month of rest* and relaxation. Beginning July 31st, we've had visitors or been traveling almost every day. Liz and Oliver came to visit, then we went camping, then Amelia and I went to visit grandparents in NC. Yesterday we had a one-day break in the action, and this afternoon I pick up DC Laura from the airport! Next week Jim and Luli will stop by on their way to visit the newly-arrived Micah, and then Meg and Sophie will visit. We will finish up with a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park over Labor Day.
So that doesn't exactly sound restful, I guess, but I have happily put writing and major errands or household chores on hold. I had gotten into the habit of overplanning for Amelia's naptimes, and then being stressed the whole time she slept because there was no way I could get everything done. I vowed to devote August to going with the flow, so I just do whatever I feel like doing while Amelia sleeps. Today it involves sitting around in yoga clothes (a step toward actually doing yoga? We shall see), and eating figs and blogging.
I have been enjoying homemaking. It is not all that boring. For one thing, Amelia has become super action funtime baby. She is very, very interesting. She crawls and stands and laughs and throws balls and turns the pages of board books. She chats and sings to herself while she plays. She can entertain herself with a pan and a spoon while I clean the kitchen. She "helps" me fold laundry (by systematically knocking down stacks of folded clothes). So it is both more fun to hang out with her and more possible to get a few things done around the house with her around than it was 9 or 6 or 3 months ago. I have actually always somewhat enjoyed tasks like cleaning and going through mail, within reason, probably because of the sense of accomplishment I get from creating order. Of course there are many moments when it all gets exhausting and seems perpetual--which of course it is. But as long as I don't set my sights too high and overplan, and think of it as what it is, a job with pros and cons, lately the homemaking enterprise has been rather satisfying.
In other Amelia news, I think she might have said her first word. She recently learned to wave, and two or three times she has said what sounds like "bye-bye" while waving at people or things we were leaving behind. Of course "bye-bye" sounds a lot like "ba-ba," which she says a lot. So it's too early to say. But it is exciting still.
She has also learned to kiss, bit wet kisses. She lunges at you, mouth open, dripping with drool. The French-kissing baby.
What else? I have been trying to read more, to some success. I have some ideas for new poems to write in September. I plan to post more pictures, including pictures of our camping trip, soon!
*Well, as much rest as you can get with a baby who still isn't sleeping through the night. Amelia slept through the night for maybe a week or so--it was heavenly--and then started sitting up in her crib. And not being able to lie back down. When we tried to let her just figure it out, she fell asleep in a forward bend, her head between her knees. So I am up with her about 3 times a night again after she sits or even stands in her crib. I am currently trying to figure out how to solve this, simultaneously hoping it passes suddenly and SOON.
No comments:
Post a Comment