Yummy!!

I went to the doctor yesterday for my check-up. I'm 15 pounds and 26 inches! She also told mommy all about food for me, and when we got home, mommy and daddy gave me banana - it was yummy! Watch out world, here I come :)

It's the End of the World as we Know it, and I Feel Fine.

Tuesday we had an earthquake!

(Me being concerned.)

Well, Virginia had an earthquake, but we felt it. I was down in the daycare, playing with my new friends, when the walls started shaking. The alarm went off and my teachers took us all outside. Mommy was on the roof eating lunch and came outside to find me - we were all ok! They checked the building for structural damage and then we went back inside. When we went home, everything looked ok, except my room! A few things fell off my bookshelf. Maybe mommy and daddy should think about baby-proofing about now...

I also want to let Campy know that, yes, the closet is STILL standing, and he doesn't have to come over again to fix it :)

Mommy and daddy also decided that it might be a good idea to get some "emergency" supplies for Hurricane Irene. This is what they came up with:

I think we're in trouble...

But, don't worry. The world isn't ending, and even if it is, I'm still having fun :)

Life As We Know It (by mommy)

Life as we know it is about to drastically change. (Heavy sigh.)

I'll try to compose myself as I write this. But that really doesn't mean much to those of you reading these typed words....Over here in D.C., though, the tears have been fallin'. Tomorrow, my glorious 4.5 months of maternity leave are over. O-V-E-R. Which, of course, means I have to set my alarm, wake up, take the bus, and drop my child off in the arms of someone else. While we have been incredibly fortunate to have received a spot in the daycare that my company offers - yes, it's IN my building - that only makes it a little bit easier. We were looking into nanny shares, but the thought of not seeing my babe for 9 hours a day was too much to handle. When we learned about the spot opening up at the daycare, it was a no brainer. I get to commute with her and use my lunch hour to go downstairs and feed her.

(Sob.)

We've spent the last few months side by side, day and night - and even more if you consider in utero. During the day, we laugh and play, listen to music, read books, and go for walks. And cuddle. LOTS of cuddling. I get to see her smiling face whenever I want to and have watched all of her "firsts" in action. She is my joy, my love, my life.

Tomorrow, I have to start sharing her joy with other people and trust that they will take good care of my little angel. And I do trust them - the women at the daycare are wonderful. But they are the ones who get to hold my baby during the day, feed her, change her, see her smile, hear her laugh. They might even see her sit up for the first time, crawl, or walk. And not me.

But this is how it is. This is the life we have chosen and that means I have to go back to work. The guilt and heartbreak are going to be a part of life for now, but I know we will both adjust. Eventually. And while I know I'm being slightly irrational, I also know that grief can make you think that the world is ending and you can't seem to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But it's there. And this is just another step in the journey of raising her to become the person she's come here to be. I'm just going to take it day by day, and hopefully each day it will get a little bit easier.

Catch up!

It's been over a month since I last posted...geez, sorry! In case you forgot, I'm just a baby so really its mommy's fault. Here's a lil catch up:

Mommy's two friends from college - Brittany and Cat - came to visit, and we had so much fun! Mommy went out to dinner with her friends, and daddy watched me alone for the first time EVER. But, again, that's mommy's fault because she doesn't ever want to leave me. I'm just so darn cute :) We took some pictures, but they are on daddy's camera. Of course, he can't find the cord. Thanks a lot, dad. I also met mommy's other friend Crissy, and she brought me a really fun book. We also forgot to take a picture of us together. Mom REALLY needs to get it together.

To make up for that, here's a picture of me chewing on my toes. Yum!

I went to a party at Campy and Susan's house, and I was, clearly, the belle of the ball. Here's me with Kimball.

We also went to a cookout, and I met Annalise. We had a lot of fun talking!

Grandma and Grandpa Workman visited us in July, and they helped daddy FINALLY pull up all the crazy landscaping that the lady before us had. We were getting tired of people coming to our house everyday offering to fix the yard up for us...

Lastly, this morning me and mommy dropped daddy off at the airport. He's going to Cupertino, CA for his new job at Apple for a WHOLE week. We're going to miss him a lot. Love you daddy!

'Cause Baby You're a Firework

We spent a whole week in Ohio over the Fourth of July! I met so many new people and had a lot of fun. It was about a seven hour drive, but I didn't mind it because I slept almost the whole time! Here's some of the things we did...

I went swimming for the first time! Well, ok I just dipped my feet in the water, but I loved watching all the other kids play. I can't wait to be a big kid :)

I saw my first fireworks! They were kinda cool, but I was more interested in watching everybody around me.

Daddy was very proud of me - I held my first football!

Here's me with Great Grandpa Koch and Great Aunt Susie.

And since I'll never get to meet Grandma Bassitt, we went to visit her grave. I also got to see a picture of her as a baby!

I love my family!

-Cora

I Thought This Blog Was About Me?

Mommy co-opted the blog momentarily, but now I'm back :)

In other news, I went to the doctor on Monday for some more shots - it was a little harder than last time, though, because I got stuck TWICE and had to drink some nasty liquid. But I recovered quickly and haven't had any reactions - I'm a tough little cookie. Or maybe it's because I'm about 14 lbs?? Anyway...

I saw Lyla in her Bumbo Chair, and I made mommy and daddy go buy one right away!

Mommy also finally bought a pump, and she was so excited about it. I, on the other hand, was not. Even though this picture looks like I'm taking the bottle, just to be clear, I'm not. And I don't intend to for the near future. Ssshhh...don't tell mommy that!

My room is slowly, FINALLY getting done, and daddy put some pretty flowers up on the wall for me.

Uncle Jim also came to visit me this weekend! I liked him a lot.

Tomorrow we're heading to Ohio for a long visit over the Fourth of July, and I'm going to meet my Great Grandma and Grandpa Koch, Great Aunt Susie, and Cousin Ashley for the first time! Mommy and daddy are nervous about the car ride...I'll let you know how it goes when we get back :)

-Cora

My Motherly Education

This morning, I woke up to Cora sucking her thumb. I was SO excited. She has been working for weeks now, sucking her hands and drooling everywhere in attempts to latch that thumb down. Well, this morning she finally did it! And I tell you, I was so proud of her - and so overwhelmed that I could feel so proud of a feat so "small." And it got me to thinking...something which I'm known to do and sometimes drives Matt nuts ;)

Before the little missy got here, life had taken on a not so interesting routine, as I was trying to "figure things out." As if any of us ever "figure things out." I met Matt and before I knew it, I had a human being growing inside of me. A little text from my father saying, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans," says it all. Though some women are able to bond with their baby during the pregnancy, I was not. I was in disbelief most of the journey, and by the end of it I was mostly concerned with discomfort and heartburn! Even after the birth, when they placed her in my arms, all I could think was, "What and who is this thing that just came out of me??" During the first week, I was actually relieved when Matt would take her for a walk or a drive so I could sleep. However, as I got my strength back and started to feel good, everything changed :)

Now, I can hardly put her down for a few minutes without wanting to pick her up again. Between Matt and I, she gets about a thousand kisses a day. We've even, I hate to admit it, gotten to the point of fighting over who gets to hold her! But all kidding aside, Matt and I are so overwhelmed by the amount of love that can be inspired by something so small. I know that's cliche to say, but, man oh man is it true. Several times a day my heart goes back and forth between bursting and melting. She's got the smiling down pat and is now squealing and learning to laugh. The laughing is harder than you'd think - sometimes she cokes and coughs on the laugh! But, like everything else, she will perfect that as well.

And this brings me to my next point...she will (sob) eventually grow up. Matt and I frequently muse that we want her to stay this little forever. Yesterday we were showing her the new toy Aunt Stephy bought her, and she got frustrated that she couldn't pick it up and play with it. Yes, she WANTS to get bigger and grow up. It's tough. And sometimes I have to ask myself if decisions I make are in her best interest or if I'm only thinking about what I want. Like when I pick her up the second she makes any noise or interrupt her when she's happily smiling at her best friend the ceiling fan...I'm learning. Hey, it's the first kid! I'm allowed a significant grace period. And, in the mean time, I will continue to cuddle and kiss her and watch her grow into the person she's come here to be.

And because I couldn't decide which picture was cuter...