To my little love Henry...

You are 6 months old today. Half a year old. I just cannot believe you've been in this great big world that long, but at the same time it seems like you've always been here. Getting to know you over the past 6 months has been the absolute most wonderful thing in our lives; you have the most amazing personality in the world. I melt over every single one of your huge gummy smiles, every time you reach out to me, each and every giggle, each sloppy (very, very sloppy) kiss, all the happy squeels, and whenever you look up at me with your big brown eyes. They are getting more and more brown all the time, which I love.
You have a goofy sense of humor like your Daddy and I... grabbing our arms while we try to change your diaper and giggling over it... Spitting and blowing raspberries, bouncing for what feels like hours on end, you truely have the brightest spirit and we love you for it.
To really prove what a big guy you are on your half birthday, you woke up with a little white spot and tiny hole on your bottom gums. How can you already be growing teeth? It seems like you were just born weeks ago.  I'm so proud of how big and healthy you are and how you're growing up... but like most mamas I'm sure, it's hard to see you grow so quickly.  It's the most bittersweet thing.  I want nothing more than for you to grow and change and just be the happiest little boy, but I will miss every passing stage because they just go so quickly. It's hard to fully savor every moment when they fly right by in front of you. But my goodness we sure try!
You're just over 17 pounds, and you're so long and lean.  You learned to sit up 2 weeks ago, and you desperately want to learn to stand  so that it's easier to get into every single thing. You're a curious boy. I feel that after 6 months, you change into a "big baby".  You're starting to eat food and you'll soon be moving around on your own and getting into things that interest you. We'll start to hear you talk in just a matter of months. Your little gums will be replaced with a toothy grin. It's incredible, really, and we're so excited to see all of these big steps you're going to take. No matter how busy you are though, please take time to cuddle your mommy. :)
We love you, sweet baby. It is the most special role in the world, being your Mama.
Love,

The one who first met your sweet self, 6 months ago today...

A little list from A to Z

I found this little list of questions (from A to Z) on the lovely blog Pretty&Fun, and thought why not?! I'm guessing most of you out there know me, but in case you stumbled upon me and wondered who on earth is this lady? Now you know a few very random tidbits. If we don't know each other leave a comment and say hello!

A. Age: 23
B. Bed size: Queen, but switching to a King next month. You'd think this is a good thing, but it's so big it's like we're in separate beds.  
C. Chore that you hate: Loathe folding laundry. Love washing. It's kind of a problem that Eric and I both have. 
D. Dogs: One special mutt, Finn
E. Essential start to your day: a few minutes to smooch and play with Henry, and a shower. After getting up throughout the night, a warm shower refreshes me and I'm crabby without. 
F. Favorite color: Brown, and certain shades of purple. 
G. Gold or Silver: I like both! On my skin silver looks better. I think. Maybe?
H. Height: 5'6"
I. Instruments you play: Well none anymore. But I played string bass. And piano once upon a time. 
J. Job title: At the clinic I don't have much of a title, at the birth center I'm a birth assistant. 
K. Kids: Henry Vincent, 5.5 months. 
L. Live: A bazillion miles away from everything, in Alaska. 
M. Mother’s name: Margaret
N. Nicknames: Toto, To, Vic, V

O. Overnight hospital stays: none so far (knock on wood... please keep it that way...)
P. Pet peeves: Dishes in the sink.
Q. Quote from a movie: 
R. Right or left handed: Right
S. Siblings: Sisters Rachel, Kate, and Wyeth
T. Time you wake up: um, 11:30, 2:30, 4:00, 4:30, 6:30, 7:30?! Not really, but sometimes it's like that. Up for the day by 7
U. Underwear: yes, I wear those. 
V. Vegetable you hate: Peas. I like pea pods but not plain green peas. Ew. Or beans (we'll call those vegetables.) raw onion, ugh. 
W. What makes you run late: I forget something at least 2 times a morning. Usually baby diaper blowouts make me run late. Or leaving late because I think I can make it in record time when I can't. But let's just blame it on traffic. I hate traffic. 
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Jaw, knee, but more ultrasounds than x-rays (head, thyroid, ute)
Y. Yummy food that you make: Crepes, chicken/mushrooms, salmon,  (these are the things my hubby says are yum) surely I've made something else that's yummy. 
Z. Zoo animal: Elephants, otters, and giraffes. I love watching the goofy giraffe tongues take the little biscuits from you.

Hmmm

Two nights ago I crawled into bed at 8:30 pm... and fell asleep well before 9:00. I'm the girl who likes going to bed after midnight, no matter how tired I am.  Last night I was hoping to do the same so I could read my book, and found myself literally running upstairs to bed a little after 9:00 since I was so anxious.  I fell asleep before touching the book... again.  So tonight I'm definitely planning on another try, before 9 o' clock.
Who Am I?! I have never gone to bed so early in my life. I must be turning old quickly, but I don't care because it's 8:09 in the morning and I am already so. excited. for. bed.

Where We've Been

After two weeks away in the dear Midwest, we are finally back from "vacation".  I learned over the past two weeks that it's true what people say, the term vacation really does change a bit as a parent.  I found that to be true, at least. The first week we were in Iowa, and like I wrote about before, we were weighed down a bit by Henry having an ear infection, and then we ended the week with me getting strep throat.  Well actually I felt terrible for most of the week but I couldn't tell if it was just that I hadn't slept in 5 nights or if I was really sick.  We cruised through that week with a total of three trips to urgent care collectively, and then we were on to better things.
We spent the next week in Ellison Bay,  Door County, WI staying in a house with my mom, stepdad, two sisters, two brothers in law, three nieces, and one nephew. Thirteen people total!  I had visions of it being entirely relaxing, with time to myself to lounge on the hammock and read each day.  I touched the hammock twice total, certainly not alone, but wonderful nonetheless.  I didn't get a chance to even look at my book. But in its own way, it really was a relaxing week.  We were busy non stop, shuffling tons of people to lunch and various activities, racing home for naptimes, etc.  But it just felt good to be there. Surrounded by family, busy kiddos, beautiful scenery...  Door County holds a bunch of small, charming little villages with adorable houses, nice cafes, parks, the lake, little shops, orchards, markets, and more things that make my soul feel good.  Things move slower there.  We spent vacation doing our normal routines, but in a place where everything moves at about half the pace.  It's quiet there, you can walk down the side of the road to a coffee shop where local musicians are playing bluegrass together. You can walk to the tiny general store for treats, or walk pretty much all over one town and just enjoy the peace.  So yes, on vacation we did our normal thing, but it felt so good to slow down. I think we all needed that a bit.  I felt like we had just disappeared for a whole week, because it is simply different there.  It was not comparible to any other place, but it was a perfect place to be. Henry was back to his bubbly self and he seemed to love the time there also.  Each babe was exhausted, but they had fun together, and at the end, I don't think any of us were really ready to say goodbye to that week.
We are back in Anchorage, however, and fall is coming quickly.  The trees have started to change, the temperatures have dropped to a constant chill, and the light has definitely tucked itself away for next year.  It's still dark when we wake up now, and certainly when we go to bed.  It will take a bit of getting used to as it usually does, to wake up in the morning without the help of the sun.  Henry and I had gotten quite used to sitting in bed together each morning and just pulling the curtains back to let the daylight in.  This morning I had to get up and turn the light on which left both of us squinting and looking kind of stunned.
Fall has always been my favorite season, and I am always ready to embrace my favorite chilly weather, but this year it seems to be taking me longer.  I think I'm not quite ready for another Alaskan winter already.  They just last so long, and I'll miss getting Henry outside in the sunshine.  That has always been an important part of our day.  Around here Fall and Spring leave just as soon as they get here,  but we will find the fun in winter I'm sure. A lot happens in the winter months here.
While we were gone I tried to reflect on coming back here, and starting fresh.  On breaking the rut I feel I had kind of gotten into.  I want to figure out what it is that I need to feel fulfilled and useful and feel like myself with something new to learn and to contribute to everything around me.  Everyone warns you as a new parent to take time for yourself, to still feel like you and in turn be a better mother.  I don't think I've made that as much of a priority as I perhaps should have, but I am ready to now.  It's been hard for me to claim time to myself when I just want to be with Henry all day long, but I think I've gotten to the point where I realize the importance of keeping up with other things as well so that I'm energetic and refreshed and have more things to teach to my darlin' boy. I plan to watch less tv, read some books I've been itching to read, cook more rather than just collect recipes and wish I had time to cook, start beading again, do something creative with my photos, start really exercising again, be more organized etc. I'm craving creativity again, and I'm hoping mine returns soon, just in time for the cold months ahead.

So we are back... back to the real world, back to the work world, back to the fast world and the world where I can no longer live off of fried cheese curds. I'm a bit excited to be back to the blogging world, though. So hello again, friends.

Managing strep throat

My mom tells me this often, and I needed the reminder at the end of our first week.



This honey is delicious, and was wonderful in tea.



Dipping toes in Lake Michigan







 











The coffee shop down the road from our cottage

   

My hammock company.  Moments before he spit up on my face. How relaxing!





Tradition









Simple but so good. And drenched in melted butter. So I mean SO  good.



Wisconsin cherry pie



  

 



 



 





Vacation is Ending

And so I'll be back to the real world in a few short days. Tomorrow we'll be making the journey back to AK, and then we'll try to settle in a bit after two weeks away. While I'm not at all anxious to get back to all non-vacation things, I'm excited to get back to this little blog and fill you all in on what we've been up to. Check back friends.
-V

If you wouldn't mind,

Feel free to click the top baby blogs button on the right, then the owl on the left to keep our little blog ranked! Thanks so much!

Some of our week (in photos)

It's so nice to be home... Saturday we head to our big family vacation in Wisconsin (!!) but this is how we have spent our week.

Henry meets my Dad and Stepmom (Poolie and Mimi) for the first time

About to lose him to the I-don't-feel-well tears

At the new frozen yogurt shop with Amma and Poppy (Eric's parents) He LOVED throwing cups around.

The baster=the best toy

Feeling Better!

This is a little sad, but so cute.  My little bunny at the apple orchard

At the Java House, where Daddy and I had so many of our dates

How we spent a 100 degree afternoon

Thank goodness for old friends

Playing with my mom (Grandma Maggie)