The Delaney and Waylon Diaries

First food

It's official: he's ours. Took to food like a fish to water. Like a child to candy. Like an Irishman (or is it a mother?) to scotch. It's all smorgasbords and spaghetti from here on out...

Man, I feel like a woman.

Since the boy babe turned six months old on Friday I decided it was time to bite the bullet and entrust his care, along with his sister's, to someone else for four hours so Roger and I could remember what it was like to be alone. Yes, it had been over six months since our last date and, therefore, at least that long since we'd been anywhere sans children. It had been so long, in fact, that it felt kinda like a first date. I was nervous. What would I wear? Where would we go? Would we remember how to act in public? Would I try to cut his meat for him? What would we talk about? Would he think I looked pretty? Would the one glass of wine I'd allow myself make me easy? And, if yes, would that be a bad thing?

Turns out our date muscle had not atrophied. We had a great time over sushi and chardonnay. I went a bit crazy, allowing myself a GLASS AND A HALF which made me insanely chatty about things like: What we can do to ensure that Delaney and Waylon grow up to be self-respecting Democrats? Because my parents are Republicans and how did I end up becoming a Democrat when I was surrounded by all that Republican rhetoric and Oh. My. God. What if that happens to our kids??? What if they grow up with Democrats for parents and yet somehow turn into Republicans? Because that would kill me and how can we prevent that? We need a plan! Yeah, I'm a lightweight these days. But my charming chatter didn't seem to bother my husband one bit because he seemed really interested (or maybe it was the blushing cleavage I was sporting).

We ended our date browsing at a bookstore over fancy coffee which should have been romantic but wasn't because we ran into my sister and her family. Look, they're some of my favorite people but they prevented me from making a move on my husband in the computer book section (Not as strange as it sounds. A soused wife pawing him amongst all those C# books...it's gotta be one of my husband's top three fantasies.).

I loved getting dressed up and feeling like a sexy woman again and I had such a good time reconnecting and laughing with Roger. Maybe we'll do it again in a month, or six.

Exhale (for a minute)

This is probably not the longest break I've ever taken from writing on this blog but it's certainly the longest I've ever gone without reading or commenting on other blogs. I have no idea what's going on with anyone out there! How've ya'll been?

Life has had me by the hair and given me a good shake lately. "I'm busy!" is an understatement. We are living in the big house and it is fantastic but we're not exactly unpacked. The bare essentials are available to us indoors but lots of stuff remains in boxes in the garage. Makes me wonder if we need all that stuff (RIP George Carlin). I don't think we really miss most of it and it's possible I don't even know what's out there.

The old house is finally on the market as of a few days ago. While that lets Roger and me heave a sigh of relief, now we're just waiting, hoping, praying for an offer to come in, which isn't as physically stressful as getting the house ready but is kinda tough on the nerves. We've done all we can to freshen the place up and now what happens next is out of our hands. For a control freak like me, that's hard to take.

Work has been non-stop and while it (in addition to raising the kids) leaves almost no time for anything else, it's been so enjoyable. I'm lucky to get paid to do what I love. But it would be nice to take a break. Don't see that happening any time soon though.

Waylon got his Prevnar shot last week and, like all the other vacs he's received, what it really shot was his sleep pattern. He sleeps terrible for 4-5 nights after he receives them. And, because he's on the alternate vac schedule, that means we go through a crappy week at least once each month. Not fun, but I guess it's a small price to pay for the peace of mind I get from not giving him the shots all at once. He'll be six months old tomorrow and I haven't been able to fully process that, what with the move and everything else. It just can't be that six months have passed. They have truly been the most difficult six months of my life in terms of the stress and changes we've all been through but I wouldn't change a thing. He is big and broad and smiley and full of laughter and he never stops moving. I never knew that having a son would open my heart this way.

Delaney loves going to school three days a week (mom's kind of fond of it too). She had a few rough days transitioning from the old house to two weeks at nana & papa's house but once we moved into the big house she adapted wonderfully even though she caught a nasty cold. She loves her bedroom and her new playroom and outdoor playscape. She goes up and down the stairs with ease. And we no longer have a baby monitor in her room since we moved it to Waylon's room (this was a weird and big step for me because we've always had one in her room and not hearing my baby girl sigh in her sleep was unsettling for a night or two).

We are here, finally, in this house, making special new memories together. On our second night, after dinner, the four of us played in our new backyard. I sat with Waylon while Roger pushed Delaney on her swing. The heat of another south Texas summer day began to fade as a warm breeze blew around us, ushering in the beginnings of night. My heart flooded with a peacefulness and sense of complete satisfaction. This house, this kind of night, was why we'd worked so hard for so long, sacrificing weeks, really months, of family time. And it's only just the start of our wonderful, new life here together.

Well, we're movin' on up*

Our house was a very, very, very small house.** Well, it was small for four people anyway. I'm sure that once we sell it (cross your fingers and do a send-tons-of-luck-our-way dance) it will make a wonderful home for a lovely couple or a lovely couple and their ONE child. Something about adding a 10+ pound baby to the mix made it feel ridiculously small. Actually it wasn't Waylon who made the house feel small. It was all of the sh*t he brought with him. Swing, bouncer, bassinet, jumperoo. hop 'n' pop, Bumbo, etc., etc. Why do babies need all that stuff? Oh, yeah...because they NEVER nap and their mamas' still have to find time to bring home the bacon. But I'm not worried about that annoying no-nap thing. We're moving into the big house tomorrow (laundry, being done INSIDE the house! bathrooms galore, no more waiting on line to pee! a garden tub that I'll never find time to use, but still...a GARDEN TUB!) and things will be perfect. We'll have that no-nap situation figured out in no time (ahem).

That's all for now. Too busy packing, working, writing and parenting to tell more. But since you were probably wondering (Admit it. You've missed me.), I had to be sure to let you know: tomorrow, I can pee whenever I want! There may be an infant dangling about me while I'm doing it, but by God the very fact that I can choose where and when to pee may just be the best thing that's happened to me all year. Oh. Other than the birth of our son. Yeah, there is that.

* Yes, very original. I know. I'm sure I'm the only blogger who's ever moved and used that title to talk about it. But I'm freaking exhausted and it's the best I can come up with. Sue me, or better yet, grab a six pack of beer and head over to help with the unpacking.

** Even less original. I know. You didn't even think that was possible. It is.

Things you can only learn about your parents by living with them, part 1

My white, suburban, retired Army colonel dad watches ABDC (America's Best Dance Crew) on MTV. Seriously, ya'll. If he asks me if I want to watch The Hills with him, I'm going to freak out.

Super Savvy Work

One of the (many!) job titles I've recently accepted is "City Expert" for the brand new city blogs on the popular parenting site, Savvy Source. Therefore it's time for me to come clean and reveal where I live. I've been vague about it during these last three years of blogging, only saying that I'm somewhere in south Texas. But San Antonio is the place I've called home for the past 18 years. That's right...the Alamo, World-champion Spurs and mighty margaritas. Lucky me!

With everything going on in my super crazy life right now you may wonder why on earth I'd take this on. Well, the reason is two-fold. When I heard who was recruiting bloggers (CityMama! Woot, woot!) and then learned about the amazing bloggers who were participating (you can find them all by visiting the city list dropdown on my blog's main page) I was thrilled to be included in such a super-fun, worthwhile endeavor and could never have turned down the experience. And this is also a wonderful way for me not only to share my own knowledge of how to hit the town with toddlers (and preschoolers) but it's also a cool way for me to get out there and learn more about my city and all that it offers young children and their parents. Delaney and I have already made some rather interesting trips around town (see The Peen-yis Post for more on that!).

I hope San Antonians reading here will join me over at Being Savvy San Antonio to contribute your brilliant comments and ideas. As my bio says, I may be savvy but I'm not omniscient. Be sure to chime in with great ideas to share with your fellow San Antonio parents about things to do with preschoolers here in S.A.

And for those of you who aren't in San Antonio, I know you wish you were. So plan a trip to see the Alamo (or the River Walk or the Texas Hill Country). Or, visit the other City Experts on Savvy Source to see what's going on in your town.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get back to my To Do list. Someone needs to stop me from getting more jobs!

I took Delaney to the Museum of Art this week. We had a great time viewing the paintings and sculptures but the thing that impressed her most was a nude angel from the Western Antiquities collection. She kept saying over and over, "Mom, that angel has a peen-yis!"

Fast forward to tonight when my mom was putting Delaney to bed (we're staying with my parents until we close on our new house). They were reading a book of children's prayers and one of the prayers was about angels. My mom told to Delaney that angels watch over and protect us but we can't see them. Delaney leaned in close and explained to her, "Actually you can see angels, Nana. And they have peen-yises!"

Because this IS a mommy blog...

I must share the big news: Waylon got his first tooth today, one day after turning five months old! And Delaney's doing super with potty training these days and rarely has accidents. The kids? Are growing up!

LOTS going on 'round here. I quit my job, they woo'ed me back, I took on two other jobs, we're packing, finishing the house to list it, moving in with my parents for a week then moving in to our new house and have I mentioned that I now have three jobs, a preschooler and a baby? So, um, yeah, doesn't leave much time for blogging. Also? I'm crazy. Send help.

One of these things is not like the other

Delaney's dance recital last Saturday...I don't have any idea where she gets those exhibitionist, non-conformist tendencies from. Honest.

Maiden America, Made by Moms

It's the simple things in life, right? We mothers of girls wish for pretty barrettes that won't slip out of our daughters' flowing locks. Really, it shouldn't be too much to ask for. I mean, if they can transplant a human heart from one person to another why on earth can't they come up with non-slip barrettes? You've tried every barrette on the market and still, they slip! You've given up. Such a thing just doesn't exist, you think to yourself. Or does it? Look no further. Maiden America barrettes do not slip. That's right, you heard me-- no slippage! Read my review of Maiden America non-slip barrettes to regain your faith in humanity. The impossible has been made possible. Rejoice!