To Cut or Not to Cut

Hello All – thought I would send you an update on Molly.

We have been debating if we should cut her hair. Molly was born with a full head of hair and we could have cut it on her second day on this planet but everyone said that it would all fall out. Nope. I think by the time she was five/six months we had to use a barrette on an everyday basis to keep the hair out of her eyes. I kind of don’t want to cut it just to see what happens and at the same time I don’t want my pretty little girl looking like the shaggy DA. So the debate goes on.

This is Molly’s hair when she was a couple weeks old.

This is Molly’s hair today at 10+ months old.

It is hard not to worry about these things and I KNOW that babies do things in their own time but, my girl is not crawling. I seriously think she is just so smart and thinks to herself “…why crawl, when mommy and daddy will pick me up…” She does manage to get around by scooting on her butt and rolling. She recently started grabbing on to things a lifting herself to her knees. She also likes standing and playing with things that are in front of her but has no hurry to learn to crawl. I was worried about her teeth too. Not a tooth to be found until a couple of weeks ago, we were driving back from brunch and I thought she had something in her mouth and yep there was a little white speck of tooth poking out. It is also taking it time in coming out but this is what it looks like right now. Look real close at the bottom and to the left.

I am still working full time and trying my hardest to go back to part time. I am sure some of you will sympathize with me, but I am having a hard time. I have some really strong views when it comes to the work/mom/schedule thing and I will keep them to myself but I don’t understand why our work force can not bend a little. We have a new director and it appears that she is supporting a more flexible work schedule and I think in the next two weeks I will get to go back to part time. I am really not opposed to Molly being in child care, she goes three times a week and stays the other two days with Raymond but it is child care and Raymond that get all the time, I want to some too. I know others have gone through this struggle but at this particular moment, I feel like I am all alone. I do think there is a slight difference that I waited so long in life to have her and knowing this is going to be my only one, maybe if I was younger, knew there was more to come I might feel different? Who knows, I just want to spend more time with her while she is still a baby.

It also seems like she is sick every other week. Last time it was a stomach virus that Raymond and I also picked up. I can not even explain how miserable we all were. None of us could keep any food/liquids down and nothing seemed to make us any more comfortable. I have always been a supporter of living a comfortable distance away from family but when this hit us I would have moved any family member in with us to help.

So lots of changes, lots of adventures and loving every minute of it. I will close off with Molly’s Christmas pictures.

Don’t worry Aunt Nelly already brought up the fact that she needed shoes. Just kind of seems like a waste, who can justify spending $20 for a pair of little slippers, for a baby that is not walking, who takes her socks off just to put them in her mouth? I have a feeling I will do this to Molly throughout her life, “…Molly, can you justify why you need those $75 jeans when you have a perfectly good pair upstairs that I fixed by sewing a patch in the knees? When I was a little girl…..” You get the idea.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Hello All –

I think this is way overdue but life has really gotten in the way of my e-mails (along with other things). Work told me I had to come back full time or quit. It really was a hard decision but in these crazy times I know I should feel lucky to have a job and just did not think I should let it go just yet. So a couple of weeks ago Molly started going to child care. She goes three days a week and spends the other days with Raymond. Of course during week two…….she got sick so she spent the second week at home with myself or Raymond. My goodness I was miserable (I can only imagine how poor Molly felt), this was the second time she has gotten sick but it lasted over a week! I am sure this is just the beginning of sleepless nights during sick times but I don’t recall ever being so tired (yes, I got more sleep in Iraq then I did when she was sick). As of today, she is feeling better and we are just dealing with a runny nose.

My girl is really growing and we are able to do more things with her. I can’t believe she is already 9 months old? Where has the time gone and why is all this weight still on me? IT IS 9 MONTHS ALREADY, can I still use that “I just had a baby” excuse?

We went to go see Santa for the first time and she screamed. Did not want anything to do with him, so she took one picture and we moved on. I wish I could attach the picture here because it really is quite cute, you will just have to trust me. We did not do anything special for Christmas because Raymond had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we plan to celebrate Christmas tomorrow and open presents then. I will take advantage of it this year because I don’t think we will get away with it in the future.

Of course with having Molly, I have had to learn a lot of things and one lesson came a couple weeks ago. You can’t turn your back for even a minute. Everyone knows this but I am hard headed and what can she possibly get into in the time it takes me to use the restroom?

The picture does not really show the Vaseline on her face and hair. Have you ever washed Vaseline out of hair? It take quite a few washings before the oiliness is totally gone (just FYI).

I know I feel very blessed this year and life is so much better with Molly in it. I hope this year that you have had as many blessing as mine and of course many, many more in 2009!

Nap Time

The other day when Molly got up from her nap, this is what I found.

Doesn’t this look like the kind of nap you want to take?

Guess Who is 6 Months Old?

Hello All –

I do wonder if I have turned into one of those people that force others to look at pictures of my girl? I wonder…but it doesn’t stop me.

So another month has passed. I can’t believe that she is already six months old. Motherhood has definitely exceeded all my expectations. The only thing that has been disappointing or maybe miss-leading is that after six months I am still carrying all of my baby weight. Those who know me, know that I have struggled with my weight all my life the only difference since Molly has come is that I don’t think I have been obsessive about it which, could explain why it is all still there.

Anywho………….the weather is getting nicer here to where you can go out and enjoy the weather. We bought a new kind of carrier that is a little more easier on the back and she loves it! My mom said she used one with my sister and I and after searching the internet, I found a used one and have been trucking around every since. Craigslist has become my new best friend!

Hurricane Ike did not effect us here too much except for family members that lived in the Houston area came and stayed with us for a couple days. They are all gone now with minimal damage. I also learned that Molly loves to have people around, we had a house full and she loved it and was entertained the whole time. Molly is rolling over without any effort, she is sitting up on her own and grabbing at everything and putting it straight in her mouth. It is amazing how a six month old little girl can grab something, put it in her mouth in 1.2 seconds or less. Or how she can out muscle me when it comes to putting on her diaper and she doesn’t want to cooperate. How does a 19# baby win these wars? I have a couple pounds on her and she appears to be stronger. Hmmmm

Hope you and your family is doing well!

Tracy

Molly - Third E-mail

You were probably wondering why you have not seen a picture of Molly in so long...what has it been 3 weeks?

Last weekend Raymond's parents and sister came down to visit Molly and I got some really good pictures. Here are two of my favorite.

Molly is doing good and has learned to use her legs to turn herself in a circle, The other day she rolled herself over onto her belly but it has only happened that one time most of the time it is her half way rolling over. She talks a lot and has a lot of smiles. More recently her talking has turned into a yell/scream and I never know if she is just talking, mad or crying.

ANYWHO...just enjoying my time with her.

Tracy

Molly - Second E-mail

Can you believe it has been two months! Here are some recent pictures of Molly. I have taken a million photos and spent the last thirty minutes narrowing it down to these three. Molly had her two month check up yesterday and of course is gaining weight and inches like a champ. Other than that she is healthy and growing. From what I have read and heard we are very lucky in that Molly sleeps for about six hours straight during the night (knock on wood) and will go back down for another three or so. So I am getting my beauty sleep, in case you were worried.

I am still at home and not looking forward to the day that I have to leave her. Molly is slowly but surely teaching us to be parents!

Hope all is well with you and your families.

Tracy

Molly Comes Home - First E-mail Sent

Howdy All -

This is very overdue but once I explain, I know you will forgive me.

We were due to deliver on March 25th as most of you know. The doctor did not think I would go much past that time but when I went to my weekly doctor's appointment on Monday March 17th, we ran into a few surprises. I will not bore you with all of the details but had gained this unbelievable amount of weight in a short amount of time, blood pressure was sky high and the swelling in my legs was out of control, so the doctor admitted me into the hospital to induce labor. We had no time to think..........as you can imagine.

Molly Fiona was born on Tuesday, March 18th at 6:14pm, weighing 7 lbs, 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long.

Attached is a picture of Raymond and Molly and a picture of Molly on the day we could bring her home (Friday, March 21st).

It was a very crazy delivery and our stay was a little longer than expected. Baby is good, mommy is still recovering and daddy is very happy! Sorry it took so long and if I did not call you I am really, really sorry. Everything happened so fast and recovery is taking longer than expected. Hope everyone is safe and well. Call/E-mail if you like, we are at home now and please pass on if I have left someone out!

Raymond, Tracy and Molly