I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season and enjoying time with family, friends and loved ones. I can't believe how the time is flying by with maternity leave, I have already finished my 8-week STD leave and am now on my bonding leave and soon will be on my PTO. I have 6 weeks starting today until I go back to work.. Feb 2nd to be exact. But then only 6 weeks until I get my annual bonus (hopefully) and when I can give my boss my 2-week notice and tell her to SUCK IT!! Well... not actually that, but that's what I'll be thinking in my head.

On the baby front, he had his 2 month check up last Friday and is now 12 pounds 3.5 ozs. He has gained half of his birth weight so far, however, he is in very average percentiles (50th and 60th or so) for everything and is evening in the 20th or something for his height/length. It has occurred to me that he might get my stumpy genetics (I'm 5'3) instead of my husband's (he's 6'3"). Hmm.. maybe he can play soccer?

Life at home continues to be a constant adjustment, we started the baby on more of a "schedule" - at least for nighttime. Now we take him upstairs at 9:30, change him, give him a larger feeding, and hope that he sleeps longer. I'm shooting just for 5 hours at a time, that would be great. Hopefully by the time I go back to work he'll be sleeping through most of the night, although I'll take whatever I can get!

The hubby and I spent two hours alone this weekend (the in-laws watched the baby) - and with that exciting free time we went to Menard's to look at sinks and water softeners and then went on a lunch date... to IHOP! How thrilling. I found we had little to say to each other, but I wonder if we were also very tired... also very possible...

I got the huby a few little items, a pair of slippers and the Autobiography of Frederic Douglas. My very thoughtful son has bought me a new frying pan - how did he know that was what I wanted? I got him a little book of shapes - however, there are very limited options for a 2 month old... I think I'll just try and put more money into a savings account for him.

Here are some cute holiday pics of him - happy holidays everyone!

This is the pic my parents used in their holiday newsletter. This makes his thighs look chubby, but they are really not that chubby... but I wish they were!!

Here is popeye laughing - he is in a smiley phase - so nice! (also complimented by a bit of a crying phase though...)

This is LL Cool Santa - he's gonna knock you out!!

This is "flaring nostrils" Santa.

This is his come hither phase!!! What a flirt!

Well, yesterday my plan was to come back from maternity leave, work for a few months, and then begin grad school in either June or September - I've already gotten into a program that begins in September, but I'd like to start (quit my job) sooner.

I got an email from the school that I got into already - and they offer a similar program, but online, and it starts... in January! I spoke to H about it, and this is the new plan. I'm going to start in January, go back to work in February, and at least work until March - March is bonus time. Then, we will re-evaluate how I am able to balance school, work, the baby, etc. Ideally, I will get my bonus in March, and then quit. I'd really like to find a part-time job instead. H wants me to stay part-time at my current job, but everybody who has ever worked part-time has really ended up working full-time but getting paid part-time, not my cup of tea. Plus, I hate hate hate my boss, and every day I look forward to sticking it to her!!!

On another note, when is the best time to hug and squeeze your baby? I want to kiss his round cheeks all the time, but when he is sleeping I don't want to bother him, and when he is awake he'd rather stare at the ceiling fan and poop in my lap.

Well, this is now the second time we have had this "argument" - the argument that usually consists of me being very tired and wanting a break from Popeye, and H either not wanting to help me, or not offering to help me. This is the second time in the last 14 days or so that we have talked about this. I understand that he is very tired from having worked all day and traveling, of course this week was particularly bad since he drove to Milwaukee (2 hours away) from Monday-Friday and came back at night, so he was very tired from all that traveling. At the same time, I am tired too, even though I may sleep more than he does (but I don't), I don't get a good night's sleep like I used to. Even if I do get between 5-8 hours of a sleep a day, I don't get mored than 3-4 hours sleep at a time. I still have not learned how to nap when Popeye is sleeping, it is just hard because then I want to get stuff done! When he is awake, I want to spend time with him, stretching him, keeping him alert, stuff like that.

Lately he has been looking at stuff a lot more, right now he is on the boppy pillow staring at a scroll on the wall. I wonder what he finds so interesting. The other thing he likes to stare at is the ceiling fan - he also likes to stare at the curtain rod in our bedroom. I wonder what he is thinking about when he looks at them. I think he's gonna be a smartie, he always looks like he is in deep concentration.