July - Month Three

Dear Luke,

Holy moly.  The month of July went so quickly...it is hard to believe that my time home with you was coming to a close.  I thought about it all the time and did not want to leave you.  In the meantime, we went about our days trying to enjoy every minute and do lots of fun things.

Here are a few pictures from activities during the beginning of the month:

Sleeping at a street festival



Lots of smiles - and your red hair comes out when you wear light colors!

Hanging out at the Farmer's Market on a Sunday morning.

Shopping with mama at Oak Brook mall.

While daddy went back to Michigan to help Nana and Papa in the garden, we went to see Gramma and Grampa in Iowa again.  It was a nice trip but you were showing your true colors....I didn't get much sleep and finally Gramma understood what I meant when I said you need to be entertained....A LOT.  You were really going through a fussy time...needed lots of attention and wanted mama all the time.  It made me a little bit sad because I couldn't just give you to Auntie Amber or Gramma because you weren't a happy camper.  I tried lots of different things to try to get you to sleep...

...in bed with me
...in the pack n play
...with my shirt tucked next to you
...formula
...breast milk in a bottle
...nursing
...laying on your side
...swaddled
...just your diaper
...just your jammies
...music
...no music

So you can see I pulled out all the stops and nothing really helped.  I see now that sometimes the only thing that will help is time.  I made it through but I think it was the first time I really got to a breaking point and cried because I just couldn't figure out how to make you happy.

The pictures from those days in Iowa tell another story - of course you're happy in almost all of them!

Napping outside with Gramma

At the pool watching Maddie and Maci's swim lessons.

Getting lots of attention from Mads.

In the car on the way to meet Daddy.

We also went back to Michigan again to see everyone before I returned to work.  You had such a good time and were starting to come out of your constant fussiness by the end of the month.  Or at least you were having longer intervals of happy-time and we could at least find ways to make you laugh and smile most of the time!

Photo shoot with Auntie Katie

Giggly boy!

Having some tummy time at Nana and Papa's

Nana making you laugh

Stella loves you!

Auntie Katie got you to sleep...

On July 25, I sent you to the nanny for the first time.  It was only for a half day so I could get used to leaving you.  I didn't start work until Wednesday, July 28.  It was so hard for me.  I missed you and cried when we got home and I saw all of your toys...but no baby to play with them.  I'll save all of my memories for another post...but here you are the morning I took you to stay with Adelia for the first time.

Our last month together went by way too fast, Bubba.  Maybe we should have moved to Canada or Australia so I could have an entire year home to love on you.

We're surviving though, and you have all sorts of new adventures ahead of you.

Love,
Mama