week 24

You know, having my mother here is not half bad, I tell you what. Being completely alone with baby and dogs is tough and I can't pretend I don't appreciate the help. In a way too having a child for my mother to focus on instead of me is nice. She can lavish time and attention on the baby who at this point at least eats it up. Plus, she has been keeping me from getting too morose or sad about Shannon's absence. Did I mention that I miss Shannon...

Childcare by grandma is going well. I get anxious about PJ establishing relationships with new caregivers. I got anxious this time about my mom's physical abilities (lifting, holding, walking up stairs with the baby, peeing every hour) in addition to my other anxieties. But it's been good all week. There are some bits that result in tears, but I think it's ok. I have a hard time letting/knowing the baby will cry, but it does not hurt her. Babies cry for a myriad of reasons and they aren't scarred or emotionally wounded because of it. The worst thing my mom does I think is not paying attention to PJ's communication cues. Thus the aforementioned crying that happens. It's set up a lovely feedback loop though because my mom doesn't like the crying either. So at the end of each day, she'll tell me things that she learned which I already knew, but it's sweet to watch her and PJ figure each other out. PJ's sweet and smiley when I get home every day. It's awesome having her just be there when I am done with work.

She's still my crazy mom though so she arrives in her minivan with about three or four bags of groceries. As if Minnesota or my house didn't have bread or milk or fruit. I ruminated on why this is so irritating to me and I think it's because I find it bad guest form. I approve of offering to buy some groceries when one is a house guest, but not showing up with them beforehand. She also continues to take movies of PJ and then play them so PJ can watch herself. Sometimes PJ finds this interesting, but not as much as my mom thinks. Lately I have been figuring prominently in these videos regardless of how sweaty or poorly dressed I am. Speaking of sweat, I put the window unit in the living room as well. My mother does not like our apartment and does some mild passive aggressive complaining about it. It's been humid this week so the AC can stop her from telling me how hot she is every other minute. I also find this bad guest form. Not all of us own our homes or have a six figure income so deal with it. We have bad water pressure, no central air, chairs that are a bit ratty and maybe a ceiling fan that is not hung right. Just accept this and move on. I mean I know I'm not the greatest house guest in the world, but I try to roll with it, try to be thankful and unobtrusive and nonjudgemental. That's all I ask.

PJ is continuing to want to sit up all the time. She's doing so in her bathtub which is making it useful again. Because it's been humid, she's been getting a bath every night. Mostly she just gets wet and cool and plays with her toys with a little cleaning. She has discovered splashing. Life may never be the same again. Not much rolling over going on but then I don't know how much tummy time my mom gives her. PJ is keeping up her short naps at home routine, but she seems ok. I've been nursing her to sleep after her bath around 6:30 each day. It ends up with about 6am-5pm with bottles and short naps and then 6:30pm-6am with nursing and sleeping. She has been continuing to play with food, cherries, toast, piece of carrot, but not putting them in her mouth at all.

Our weekend plans involve the dog park for our ever bored dogs, buying a digital converter box before the coupons expire, and buying diapers. We are also going to try to fit in some touristy stuff like Como park (gardens & zoo), the Science Musuem, and maybe the Apple Valley zoo. I also hope to go out to brunch. I've been craving pancakes and feeling way too hot/lazy to make them at home.