Ode to Brian...

One memory sticks out at me that I feel I need to share…Over Christmas time, we were getting ready to leave my parents’ house after staying for several days. I was busy gathering and packing stuff into the car. Brian was changing Norah’s diaper and getting her dressed. Mom says to me “You know, Brian is such a great Dad. He does things that dads typically don’t do very often or hate doing (like dirty diapers, etc.)” I responded something like this - ”Yeah, well he has no choice. I have to work full time, so he can’t sit back and watch me do everything for Norah. He needs to help out because I’m not there all the time.” I have struggled with becoming the kind of mom I always thought I would be and the reality of having to work full time. I have good days and bad days; obviously when I made this comment, it was a bad day.

 

Brian doesn’t change dirty diapers, give baths, feed bottles, clean up puke just because I’m not there all the time. He does it because he wants to, because he takes his role of being a Dad seriously and loves every minute of it. I rarely have to ask him to do something for Norah because he’s already done it. Brian knows what she eats for breakfast, lunch dinner, her favorite books/toys/games, how to play with her, give her a bath, when she needs a nap…everything. Watching Brian become a father has made me fall in love with him all over again. Mushy, I know…but it is Valentine’s Day after all. :) 

long overdue update...

When I watch that video below, I realize how many things have changed since November! Norah’s development is so incredible to watch. She went from scooting in November, crawling/pulling up at Christmas time, cruising on furniture/using a walker toy in January, and so far in February she is working on her walking skills. We have always known that she would be a fast learner when it comes to walking and I’m sure she will be taking her first steps well before her 1^st birthday. When I watch Norah playing with toys and book, I notice that she is transitioning from a baby to a toddler. The way she uses her pointer finger for everything (she loves to point at dad), figuring out how to actually push a ball through a toy to make noise, or tossing a toy around the slippery wood floors in our kitchen and “fetching” it. Sometimes the dog gets it before she does! Her vocab is expanding and is filled with long sentences of baby talk. Sadly, we stopped breastfeeding in January. It was a sad day for me, but Norah didn’t seem to mind and that’s what matters most. It’s extremely hard to be a full-time working mom and breastfeeding, so I’m proud that I was able to make it last as long as I did. One more month of formula, then we can start introducing whole milk! My baby is definitely becoming a little girl.

Brian and I have been busy balancing our time between work and home life. The winter is technically our “off season” at both our jobs and that has given us more time to find our hobbies again. Brian has resumed brewing beer…yum! His first batch - an American Pale Ale, should be ready by St. Patty’s Day. I have been reading more and training for a few 5k run races in the summer.