50 Things to do on maternity leave - the 6 month update

When I first started my maternity leave, I made a list of 50 random things I'd like to do while on maternity leave. I recently stumbled upon those posts again, and well, it's pretty sad how little I've accomplished, and how much I've completely given up on. I've officially been done work for 6 months as of March 2nd, so let's revisit a few, shall we? 

(Original posts part one and part two)

1. Write a post solely about poop

Not yet, but I'm sure I'll get there.

3. Make at least 50 handmade greeting cards (the ones made before September 3rd don't count)

I've made...two. 

4. Get rid of anything and everything that I don't really use

I am trying so hard to sell some stuff and finally get my closet cleaned out. 

6. Teach a baby to walk before she's a year old!

Right now we're working on sitting up. She's doing pretty good. 

7. Think long and hard about going back to school

Thought about it, and the answer is 'no'. Or at least 'not now'. 

8. Take baby girl out for her first Halloween like Mom did with me

Nope. Babygirl was too high maintenance back then, and that night was cold. We gave out treats instead. 

10. Take my grandfather up to stay with us for a few nights after the baby is born

Nope, but we have stayed with him once, and are about to do it a second time this weekend

11. Take really nice photos of baby once a month

Nope, but I take her 'growth photos' each month. I hope to take really nice photos outside once the weather is warm enough for her. 

14. Hit 200 blog followers

Almost to opposite - I've been a slacking blogger lately. 

15. Hit 500 Twitter followers

I've also been slacking at tweeting. 

19. Take a trip to NB with baby

I did this! And I plan to do it at least once more. 

20. Make an effort to dress up a few days a week

I get dressed almost every day. I even put on makeup some days. 

21. (Maybe) host Christmas at our place this year

We went to moms. 

22. Decorate for every holiday

Um.. I put up a Christmas tree for Christmas only. 

23. Celebrate every holiday as if the baby actually knows what's going on

I hope to celebrate a proper Easter, but I skipped Valentine's Day and will skip St. Patrick's day, but next year I will be ready! 

26. Read at least 20 books

So far I've read two (and a half) and I'm in the middle of a third. The 'half' book that I read was a really boring library book that I gave up on. 

28. Get more than 15 comments on a single blog post

My blog is too boring for that. 

30. Make sure all baby photos are organized and dated for easy scrapbooking

They are, thanks to technology saving them to the computer with the proper 'date taken'. 

31. Scrapbook a few baby pages a month to try to keep somewhat on top of it

I scrapbooked an intro page

32. Do Project 365 of just baby (a photo a day for a year)

Big fat fail. 

33. Go blonde

I don't even want to

35. Read all the Harry Potter books

If I ever get them all

36. See all of the Harry Potter movies

I bought movies 1-4 and part 1 of the last one. 

38. Grow my crafting blog

I've half given up

42. Breast feed (pump) for at least three months

I did a month

43. Go to a baby and mommy activity

Maybe someday. 

44. Make a lot of my Christmas gifts instead of buying

I didn't

45. Get Chloe on a bedtime schedule early

She's on a great schedule

46. Buy more second hand than brand new

Definitely doing this! 

47. Work a little bit while on parental leave to make extra $$

I've done it once

50. Soak up every moment

I soak up quite a few. She's an amazing little girl. 

So there you have it. I've done a few things, but given up on so many. But in my opinion, making the list is half the fun anyway.

Oh for it to be Summer

It's that time again. That time of year where I start whining begging wishing for summer. 

I have many daydreams of walking on the beach, fresh green grass, flip flops and shorts, iced coffees, sunburns and playgrounds. This year there are a few new daydreams: pushing a baby in the swings, baby eating sand, baby going swimming, and since I'm not going to be pregnant this summer (*knocks on everything wood*), drinks outside while the sun goes down. I die a little of excitement just thinking of it all.

Although it's not all sunshine and rainbows though. It will be hard to fully enjoy my complete summer off with a baby. I'm sure she wont be down for spending long hours on the beach. She won't always want to go for a walk. And after spending last summer pregnant, I recently tried on a lot of my summer clothes from years before. A few of my favorite things are too small, and some of my favorite things from when I was pregnant are too big. Overall, I have enough to scrape by but I have a nice excuse to buy a few more summer tops and bottoms. 

The biggest disappointment of the summer, though, is the fact that almost as soon as it's over, I have to start preparing to go back to work. Full time. My planned date to start back is October 1st. The thought of leaving my baby girl with strangers for approx. 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, kills me a little. I want so badly to work a little, because I love my job and the adult interaction, but I'd much rather be home with my babygirl all the time. I have a little more than 6 months before this is going to happen, but it's still one reason why I'm not in as much of a hurry for summer. 

But while we're on the summer topic, here are some of my favorite summer photos to maybe get you in the mood too. 

End of summer 2010

Me, brother and sister

Summer 2010

Summer 2009

Nephew - Summer 2011

Me, summer 2011, nice and pregnant

The Change

It happens so quick, that you don't even notice for days or even weeks. 

One day you have this adorable, helpless little newborn. You forget what it's like to eat and sleep, because you're too busy making sure your baby does. You almost miss doing the dishes, because it's been so long since you've had time to do them. You don't remember what it's like to shower and put on decent clothes. You forget you ever had favorite tv shows. 

It starts slowly. All of a sudden you don't have to rush through making baby bottles while the baby cries. 

You watch a little tv before bed. 

Soon you're struggling through the day without any kind of nap. 

You take the baby out shopping by yourself, and no tears are shed by either of you the entire time. 

Then one day you wake up and she's 5 months old and you finally remember what it feels like to have time to be bored. 

You watch your favorite shows again. You have your breakfasts together. She plays happily in her high chair while you do the dishes. More of the day is spent smiling and playing instead of whining and crying. You sometimes feel a little disappointed when it's already her bedtime. 

Suddenly you can't believe how amazing life is. 

Chloe is 5 months old

Weight: 11 lbs 11oz.

Height: I dont know how long you are. That's something I'll figure out when you get up from your nap. 

Clothing & Diapers: For diapers, you're still in size 1's. They're not as loose as they used to be, so I've stopped stocking up in case someday you just stop fitting. As for clothing 0-3 month shirts are still a little big on you, most 0-3 month pants fit great. You've finally outgrown your 0-3 month sleepers, because of how long you are. You're now in 3-6 month or just 6 month sleepers. Your tiny feet finally look normal in size 1 shoes. I love putting shoes on you. 

Looks: You've still got almost no hair, and your bald spot in the back. Your eyes are still the brightest, prettiest blue. You've got the most evil looking smile, signs of trouble yet to come. 

Feeding: You are incredibly hard to feed during the day. You get distracted by everything, and even when you're not distracted, you kick and move and actually pull the bottle out of your mouth. If I didn't know better, I'd think you didn't want to eat at all, but usually you'll settle down enough to suck back most of the bottle. Through the night (or when you're really tired in the daytime) you eat like a champ. You're still on 5oz bottles, 6oz through the night. You finish your daytime bottles a lot more often now, and almost never leave anything in your nighttime bottles. 

Sleeping: Sometimes you have your bad nights, but usually you sleep from 9 or 10 until sometime between 8 and 9:30. You usually only wake up once through the night. You've been sleeping in your own room for a couple of nights now, which made me sad at first but we've both been sleeping better ever since. Before, anytime you'd move I'd wake up, and if your eyes were open I'd get you up. Now I only wake up when you start making little noises, so sometimes you put yourself back to sleep, letting us both get more sleep. 

I've also got you on a pretty perfect sleeping schedule. You nap around 2 hours after you get up - usually close to 11 or 12, and I get you up by 1:30. You nap again around 4 or 5 and need to be up by 7, then you'll go to sleep easily for the night around 9:30. 

Moving and Talking: Everything goes into your mouth immediately. You'll pull the collar of your clothes into your mouth, any toys, blankets, your feet, anything. You kick and move around like crazy, especially when someone talks to you. You still love playing on your back, but like to have a lot of time in you exersaucer too. You've gotten really good at pushing your legs down and basically standing up in it for a few seconds at a time. You can roll from your belly to your back almost every time now, but you never even try to roll from your back to your belly. You go to your side, but don't care to go any further. All in time, I guess. You're really strong. When you pull your bottle out of your mouth on me I sometimes have a hard time stopping you. 

You talk all the time. A lot of happy screaming, sometimes even at the most random times. You don't growl at all anymore, which you used to do all the time. You still don't laugh much on your own. I can get you to do it, but it takes a lot of work. 

Misc Things: You have pink pig and pink monkey that you love. I just have to hold them in front of your face and you light right up. 

You make the biggest smiles the second I go into your room to get you up in the morning or from a nap. Some mornings we lay in my bed and play for awhile. It my favorite part of the day. You usually stay in a great mood until it's nap time. 

You still love your baths, but we started giving you baths in your inflatable duck tub. It's so much easier because it helps you sit up without me having to support you. You were tired of laying down. You'd always hold your head up and it didn't look comfy at all. 

FINALLY, you don't cry every single time you're in the car. It makes life a million times easier. 

You still drool like crazy, but still no teeth. 

You still sometimes cry for people when they get too close too fast, but usually you just love everyone. I can almost always count on you to give a huge smile anyone talks to you while we're out in public. You're such a flirt. 

This past month has been my absolute favorite. You're so happy, and so much fun. Sometimes I get excited when you wake up from your nap. You're mommy's little angel and I'm loving every minute of it. I can't imagine a full day going by without seeing your pretty smile. 

Fictional Characters I'd Love to Hang Out With

1. Seth Cohen (The OC)
Kind of nerdy and awkward, but oh so funny.

2. Borat.
Also awkward, but can't wait to see what he'd do next.

3. Samantha Jones (Sex and the City)
She's always up for a good time.

4. Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Those kids annoyed me too. MUMBLER!

5. Ted (How I Met Your Mother)
Hot and incredibly sweet. Okay, so I'd only be hanging out with him to try to get in his pants.

6. Alan (The Hangover)
Do I even need to explain?

7. Frank Drebin (The Naked Gun)
He's just so much fun

8. Susan (Desperate Housewives)
All the housewives, really. You know I love gossip and drama, as long as the drama isn't about me.

9. House
I could not keep up with his sarcasm, but I would love to listen in.

10. Eric (Boy Meets World)
Probably my favorite character of all time.



Who are some of your favorites?