one more day?!

the past two months have flown by. i can't believe i have to go back to work tomorrow and leave my little one home (with daddy-lucky lucky man)! i have mixed feelings about this - i know i want to go back to work and will get stir crazy eventually. but everyone knows how nice it is to wake up (late) and have absolutely nothing you have to do. and i'm not particularly stoked about pumping at work, finding a parking spot, being completely out of my element in a brand new job, leaving my baby! i feel extremely unprepared BUT i'm also excited to start something new.

the past couple of days the baby has been spitting up a little more than normal, so she's not agreeing with something i've been eating. i thought it was shellfish (i made a great paella with mussels). but now i'm thinking its beer. i haven't had beer since i got pregnant and i've been drinking it the past few nites and...BARF. so i guess no more beer for awhile. at least its not wine.

and after months and months of talking - i finally finished her pillow! i didn't use any kind of pattern or instructions, hence the corners are all a little wonky. i tried to do a "quilted"-esq look with the different fabrics i had. i pretty much love it and its soo soft!
and i have some fabric left over to use for something else. i've now decided i want to make her a nice blanket b/c she doesn't have one that is really "HERS" - everything we have are hand-me downs. with the exception of the blanket made by the nuns that we won't talk about here.
did i mention my baby has finger toes?

the mummas and i went to see lady gaga Monday nite - no pictures b/c i rely on Shawn for pics and his camera died. it was at the landmark -general admission, so we were very worried about getting decent seats. we got there relatively early and were able to have fantastic front row upper balcony seats and the show was amazing! short (she was only on for an hour) but seriously entertaining. plus she sang live which is always a plus. and the people there were ridonkulous - no one should wear leotards after age 7. seriously.

and i freaking love this weather! we're already planning apple picking, halloween, one year anniversary! i love fall. i love october. and october means november which means thanksgiving and my birthday (big 3-0!). i want these for my baby for the cold weather: baby leggings

link list

things i am excited about:
-cupcakes in carytown - although they'll only be open as long as they have cupcakes, i won't have to keep trying to make it out to short pumps' two sweet.
-green day the musical
-raspberry ice cream cake
-Halloween around the corner: richmond zombie walk and blood lake!
-chocolate cake recipes
-science and food (explanations) = my heaven
-TMBG Here comes the science - i found this searching for kids music for merit - LOVES!
-who knew? 75 things you can compost

I made a cake for merit's one month birthday/grandparents day and we celebrated last nite - good excuse for that cake! she and i ventured out to the grocery store yesterday and it was certainly not as bad as i imagined, now i feel ready to take her anywhere! she's getting so big i can't believe it - i miss her tiny newborn self but i love how much more interactive she is - eye contact, smiles, cute little dinosaur noises.
i have been completely inspired by shawn to make that pillow (i mean, if he can do it so can i!) and found a couple of quilt/pillow patterns to stitch together (harhar). i realized today, in talking to a friend, that i waste so much of my time, just being lazy. i try to make excuses (the baby won't let me put her down!) but really its just me, so i am determined to get stuff done - i have so many books to read, things to sew, clothes to go through, work/writing to do. and so many things i want to do - no more putting stuff off. but then again, maybe its the coffee talking. i do miss the feeling of accomplishment. so thats my goal for the next two weeks before work starts - and from then on!
and check out the amazingly cute hat helen got my little blueberry:

baby face

i know it gets kind of silly and redundant, but i love that everything we're doing now consists of merit's "firsts" - first soccer game (yea kickers - league champs!!), first mall trip (very important), first bath (yea at three weeks she stunk), first birthday party for her first friend (happy 1 year millie!), first trip to the farmers market...its fun to categorize. and she and mom are getting pretty good at going out. not quite ready to tackle much by ourselves - i'm still very apprehensive about the grocery store. i'm having issues with the slings i have. i feel like they're too small but i think i'm just not wearing them correctly. help? but i have the amazing (and amazingly comfortable) mei tai carrier that jenny made me and i love. i just need to practice getting her in it by myself, b/c so far jack has had to help me.what i've realized is i'll never be able to do anything quickly again. car seat, sling, stroller, back in the car seat - no more "running in" to do anything. it's kind of nice though. she has forced me to slow down.

i also realized now how creative/untalented i am when i finally got her name painted on the birth tub, along with what is supposed to be a poppy. i didn't even bother to take a picture b/c its pretty bad. but at least its done and returned for the next lucky girl.

i feel a little lost and unproductive, but at the same time more relaxed than ever. this was the best way to end grad school, with a nice quiet two months. well, two months filled with nursing and trying to write in between nursing. and lots of buffy. TONS of buffy. already through the fourth season! i've also started reading the sookie books aka the true blood books. easy reading and a good break from all the baby books. i have such nice friends to lend me these things and keep me occupied!

i am starting to get antsy to do something. some sewing, baking, cooking. its hard to get the time in between her naps and i usually waste the precious time she does allow me just sitting, staring at her. or trying to take a shower. so my new to do list includes:
-making personal peach/raspberry cobblers in ramkins so i don't overdo the sweets
-getting that gd pillow made
-going through maternity clothes, putting them away and finding jeans that fit again
-oh and finishing all work for graduation. that should be number one.
but with this fall-like weather that i absolutely love all i want to do is hang out outside, go apple picking, and get ready for halloween.

and the best baby face: