Being a mom and missing mom on mother's day

Maybe it's because it's spring time and I'm reminiscing about this time last year when I was hugely pregnant with Trey, but I am feeling as scatterbrained and flaky as I did a year ago.  This week I bought something at a plumbing store, put it down in the parking lot to load Trey into his carseat, and then promptly drove away without my purchase. More than one person has told me that it's fortunate it wasn't the other way around...

Mother's Day is just around the corner and I have been thinking a lot about how much I love being a mom and how much I miss my mom.  There have been multiple incidents over the past few months where I want to talk to someone about something very specific about motherhood and when I go through my mental list about who to call or who I want to talk to, the list gets whittled down to one single person - my mom.  I didn't miss her as much when I was pregnant as I thought I would, and I didn't miss her as much during childbirth or right after as I thought I would, but I really miss her now.  Some lessons my mom taught me that I hope to emulate include telling and showing Trey on a daily basis how important he is to me, taking care of my husband so he is happy and comfortable, and reaching out and trying to be a loyal friend to my girlfriends.  My mom also had little tricks that she used to keep her household running smoothly which I find myself doing and little oddities that annoyed us that I can see coming out in myself.  Also, as I have told my dad and my husband, I think I officially have my mother's body.

But on to Trey...I know these pictures all look pretty much the same, but I love them all and couldn't decide which one was my favorite.  Isn't he just the sweetest boy?

Some of Trey's favorite things right now include windows, lids, and anything we don't want him to touch (specks of dirt, electrical cords, my cell phone).  Just recently, he pulled the curtain back in the window in his room and saw outside. His eyes opened in wonder as if I'd been holding out on him for so long.  Now every time we sit in the rocking chair, he immediately goes to the curtain and pulls it back to look outside.  He also loves looking out the window in our bedroom or the living room, especially if it includes watching his dad come home from work.  He's also really enjoying putting lids on and taking them off of tupperware.  We've been giving him a lot more floor time to build those baby muscles, so we got a new rug at IKEA.  I can set him on the rug surrounded by toys, but inevitably he goes for the piece of dirt that I didn't get vacuumed up.

Trey has been eating more and more "real" food.  Beyond baby pureed food, he currently eats things like chicken noodle soup, eggs, waffles, french toast, pancakes, yogurt, sweet potato, bread, graham crackers, cheerios, corn chex, and... my newest discovery thanks to Sarah Long: bagels and cream cheese.  One thing that he does not seem to like is applesauce.  Here is a series of photos of Trey being fed some one day.  You get the idea...

This was the Friday before Easter when we were pleasantly surprised with a visit from my dad.  Dad drove up from Eugene to bring Trey his first Easter basket.  He brought him a cute teddy bear and some yellow tulips for Mama.  They bonded for a little bit, and then my dad drove back to Eugene.  I love these impromptu visits.

Randy and I went to the spring brewfest with Kris and John.  Trey is a real trooper during these events.

On Easter morning I gave Trey his first Easter basket.  Little did he know that it is a basket that my mom gave to Randy five years ago (or at least parts of it) with a book about Easter that I have been reading to him for weeks.  I figure he doesn't know the difference and next year I will do it for real.  Or maybe he'll get this basket again since he won't remember anyways...

Here is Trey dressed in his cute Easter shirt during our brunch.  I love seeing both my boys "dressed up" in their collared shirts.  I'm such a lucky girl...

Last weekend we went down to Eugene for three nights.  Trey was sick with another cold, so he wasn't his usual delightful self, but it was still nice to spend some quality time with my dad and Sandy.  We also got to spend some time on Monday with my dear friend Sarah who is recovering from surgery.   The ride home wasn't as smooth as I'd hoped...what does one do when they are driving alone and have to pee and there is a sleeping baby in the back seat?

 Trey at his first baseball game

Trey and Grandpa eating graham crackers (not sure who got more of the snack...)

The rest of this month has some exciting things coming up: finding out if I will have a new niece or nephew, a trip to the beach with the family, and the end of daycare (for now).  Summer is just around the corner and I can't wait!  Now if I can just motivate to do some work in my garden and yard.

The cow has retired

I think I officially am done with providing Trey with breast milk.  I wanted to say I am officially done with breastfeeding or nursing, but that happened a few weeks ago when Trey refused to nurse.  Since then I have been dropping pump sessions, and today is the first day that I haven't pumped.  I think the cow has officially retired.

I am feeling a little more melancholy about this than I anticipated.  I think it is partly because Trey is no longer a wee baby relying on me for nourishment and partly because he is moving out of his infant stage.   We haven't decided yet whether we will have a second baby, so this makes Trey leaving the baby stage even harder.

I am also feeling a little neurotic about Trey's eating (I am blaming any current neurosis or emotional instability on my weaning and changing hormones).  Today he has hardly eaten anything.  I feel like I'm in a food slump and can't figure out what to feed him.  Then when I do feed him something new, he often has a nasty diaper soon after so I am paranoid that he is having reactions to the food.  My poor sister, a stellar registered dietitian, is probably very sick of my phone calls and questions.

And then there's his legs.  Although today I found out it is his arms and trunk too.  Trey apparently has low muscle tone which has caused him to have some delays in his gross motor skills.  We have been keeping an eye on this for almost four months (a long time for an anxious special educator mother if I do say so myself) and today I took him to his first physical therapy appointment.  I thought I was just supposed to be worried about him not using his legs to bear weight, but now I find that he has all sorts of other muscles he isn't using either.  She gave us a list of activities to do to help and we go back in two weeks.  I am sure lucky to have Randy to help with these exercises because this is not a strength of mine (causing my child any discomfort OR exercising - ha!).

On Monday we went to visit Kjersten and Nolan at the park.  It was one of those Oregon spring days where the sky was blue so it seemed like it should be warm, but it was really quite chilly.   So chilly, in fact, that we left and went to Kjersten's house instead.

On Wednesday Trey got to ride in a grocery cart for the first time.  I thought he would be super fussy because he had a crappy nap day at daycare, but he was thrilled!  Smiled and was enthralled with everything around him for the whole trip.  And he was pretty cute to boot!

My sister Julie is having a pretty awesome spring.  Currently, she and her husband, Tim, are in Maui for a surprise birthday trip.  Tim kept the trip a secret for three months and they flew out yesterday morning for Julie's 32nd birthday.  What a guy!  Also, Julie and Tim are expecting their first baby in October!!!!  So so so excited to have a niece or nephew and can't wait for Trey to have a cousin!

Loving our bobblehead

We have had a busy few weeks at the Clark house.  Randy and I are figuring out how to do this two working parent gig and managing pretty well overall if I do say so myself.  The days feel really long and there is no rest for the weary, but we are working hard at raising our son, maintaining our household, and keeping our sanity.  It is exhausting, but it is a lot of fun!

Trey recently had his nine month well visit.  His current stats are 11th percentile for weight, 50th percentile for height, and 73rd percentile for head circumference.  Randy said we have ourselves a little bobblehead.  Trey and I love our pediatrician so much that we decided to make a second visit the following week.  Thanks to daycare and I also think the OMSI infant area, Trey was sick off and on for two weeks.  After a weekend of fever, I decided to call the doctor and we went in for a visit.  We got my favorite answer: "I don't know what's wrong with him."  I think maybe Trey just wanted to spend a few more days at home and not go to daycare.  Luckily, he is on the mend now, but I expect after another week or two at daycare we will be back for round two.  Oh well...

Here are some pictures from the past few weeks with a little commentary:

Trey and his buddy Camille (Mindy's daughter)

Camille was born 10 days after Trey and they have been getting to know each other since they were just a few months old.

Trey getting some love from Tango

Our friends Jen and Steve moved away from Portland in December.  It is still hard to believe that they are really gone.  Steve came back for a visit in the middle of March, and it was really good to catch up.  One night we went to dinner with him and the Kopplins at Hopworks.

 Trey just waking up from a quick nap in the car 

Neil and Steve 

Sarah and Kai

Randy's parents, Doug and Carmen, came to visit us at the end of March.  I was super excited about Trey spending some time with his grandparents.  They live in Riverside, California, so we only see them a few times a year which is just not enough.  We had a great time with them and also got to enjoy our Saturday with Randy's brother, Bob, and his family.  Bob and Lisa drove down from Seattle for the day with their kids, Sara, Caleb, and Amy.  It was Lisa, Sara, and Amy's first time meeting Trey and we were so happy to have them here.  I love family so much and it was heartwarming to have them all in our house together for the first time.  

Grandpa Doug and Trey chillin' out

On Friday we took Doug and Carmen to OMSI to see the Egypt exhibit.  This was right up Doug's alley, and he enjoyed seeing how the artifacts were exhibited and was able to get some ideas for his own work. 

Randy showing Trey some pyramid blocks

Trey playing in the infant area.  I suspect that the little pile of spit up I found in this ball area right at Trey's feet is what gave him the stomach bug. Yuck.

Trey got a kick out of ringing the bells.

 

Grandma Carmen and Trey looking at something at OMSI

 Trey with his grandparents

 Sweetness personified

Trey and Cousin Caleb.  I told Trey that someday Caleb will show him the ways of the world.  We will be lucky if Trey turns out like Caleb because Caleb is an awesome kid.   

Trey with Cousin Sara - too bad she doesn't live closer because I bet she would be a fabulous babysitter!

Trey in the midst of teething and chewing on his finger.  He now has two teeth on the bottom and two chompers on the top - but not the two middle top teeth...the two teeth on the sides of those.  He's going to look pretty awesome once they come down more.  My pediatrician actually laughed out loud when she saw them. 

Trey with Aunt Lisa and Cousin Amy

Amy getting her turn too

Amy was very helpful in watching over Trey while he ate his lunch

Doug and Carmen's grandkids!
Caleb was torturing Amy a little bit hence the fists.

The whole Clark family!
Randy, Kristin, Trey (9 months), Sara (almost 15), Lisa, Amy (almost 6),
Bob, Caleb (8), Doug, and Carmen

Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa before they leave for CA.

Playing with new toys from the cousins.  We hit the jackpot!

Randy and I have tried hard over the last 9 months to keep up some semblance of our normal lives.  I think we've done a decent job even though we are home by 630-7 most nights and have to coordinate our schedules for the first time ever.  While on one hand I am a little sad that Trey is moving out of the baby stage, on the other I am super excited about all of the adventures to come.  

Happy hour at Breakside - both my boys have their treats.

Lunch with Aunt Nyree

Trey spent last weekend fighting a fever, having the runs, and teething all at the same time.  It was awesome.  I went to get some frozen yogurt and get some baby supplies at Target and came back to this. Randy said that Trey was doing fine but every time Randy tried to move closer to him, Trey would start to cry.  This picture cracked me up.  

Sunday was just as painful.  The only way we could get Trey to not whine or cry was to either stand up and hold him or bring him outside.   

I introduced Trey to the tupperware drawer this week.  What I discovered is that it's just another thing to guard from Tango.  I left the drawer slightly open one day when we were gone, so, of course, Tango decided to eat some of the bowls.  #$%$#$##&&*^%!!!!!!

Trey's first time in the swing at our neighborhood park.

Randy said he thought this was a cute picture, but I look at it and for the first time see myself aging.  

Another first!  This morning I made Trey scrambled eggs for breakfast and he seemed to enjoy them. He even fed himself little pieces of egg.

A few final thoughts:
Just got a card in the mail from my dad's sister, Eda.  She said that she has renamed Trey as "Little Gerts" because Trey reminds her of my dad when he was little.  Eda is the last family member we have from my dad's side, and I value her memories of the past so much.

I notice from looking at these pictures that Trey wears a lot of stripes.

Also, Trey has decided that he is done with nursing.  Glad that it was his choice but wasn't quite ready to stop.  Just marks another milestone and shows us that our boy is becoming less and less of a baby and more of a little boy.  REALLY liking not having to pump at work anymore though...