6 1/2 weeks

So our beautiful baby girl is about 6 1/2 weeks old now. I usually wait until the weekend to update the blog but everyone is asleep, daddy included, right now so I figured I might as well do it!! Things are going pretty well I must say. Charlotte is settling into a bit of a routine with a few hiccoughs every now and then. We think she has been going through her 6 week growth spurt because she has been really fussy at 5:30 and wanting to eat every 2 hours from then on until bedtime - usually around 9pm. This is tapering off a bit, we think, so it must have been a phase or something. She really is a great baby! She doesn't fuss all that much so when she does we are both a little troubled. Something has to be wrong right?? I have learned that when she starts to fuss I try to flip my switch over to nurse mode and check her out - she's breathing, her color is normal, she isn't oozing anything from an orifice that shouldn't ooze, basically she is healthy. If this is the case I try not to stress too much. We don't like to hear her cry though and we have only made it 3 minutes before we scoop her up in our arms and cover her in mommy and daddy kisses - totally against all book recommendations but we can't help it.

She is definitely growing up. Last night I was sitting in her room looking at the clothes we brought her home in and they were so tiny!! They were made for a preemie - she is definitely not a preemie now. The last time we weighed her she was almost 9.5lbs!! She is perfect though. Everyone always says, "they grow up so fast" - they do!! She is able to follow us now with her eyes, she knows who her mommy and daddy are for sure, and she is able to laugh and smile a lot more now too! She is starting to interact some when we play with her and that is a lot of fun. Her head control is still questionable. She tries very hard but she is still bobble heading around a bit.

All in all things are moving along pretty good. We are still sleep deprived and I anticipate we will be for quite some time (18 years or so). She does sleep more at night but I have never been a "get up in the middle of the night to complete a task" kind of girl so that alone makes me tired. I am fortunate that I am able to take the full 12 weeks off of work to devote to baby Charlotte. Some days all I want to do is go to work - I know what to do there, there are adults there, and it isn't as stressful. I do work in a hospital so there is always a chance that I would be spit up on or I would have to change a dirty diaper - that would not be different. I realize though that a lot of women do not get the chance to be with their newborn during this time so I am grateful for sure!! Plus, I get to catch up on all my reality TV during nap time!! Today I am going to organize the pantry - I am so excited!!! :)

Robbie has been pretty busy now too. In addition to the baby, his school, and teaching it is time for him to apply for jobs. That is right folks! 7 years ago we migrated to the desert for Robbie to study philosophy and eventually become a professor. Well, the time has come. Robbie has started to apply for jobs. Our initial hope was that we would move back to KY when he was done with school here. Given the jobs that are available that is unlikely. At this point we are just hoping he gets a job. I will say that I have a good job here and if he gets a crappy job (which is possible but I think unlikely) my vote is to just stay here and try again next year. We will see. I am learning that I don't know much about the philosophy job market. All I need to know is the following:

Did you get a job?
Where is it?
How much does it pay?
How long will it last?

I will play a larger role in this move than I did the last time. As a new nurse, young, and lacking any preference I moved here without really debating it. Now, I am a mother (and yes he is a father) and a woman with somewhat of a career. I have to make sure the move accommodates all of us. We should know by December if he has any job interviews. If interviews result from the applications we should know by April if he has any job offers! This is an exciting time for all of us!! Exciting, challenging, and scary all at once!

So, this update wasn't too funny but I figured we haven't really "updated" folks in a while. This is where we are at right now! This weekend I plan to attend a Jewish food festival to witness the Guinness book of world records attempt at the largest matzo ball. My life is so exciting right now!!