April 29 -- Family Exhaustion

Evan had a rough night last night and we are all exhausted. I did take a couple of pictures, but poor Evan was just a limp dishrag today after his late-night partying (and I wasn't exactly functioning well either.

Hopefully I'll get some better pictures tomorrow ...

I'm so tired I can't even play with the fun new kick toy Mom and Dad got for me ...



And ... I'm out.

April 28 -- A Little Time Together

Evan and I got a little time together today after running post-work & daycare errands, but Evan got tired quickly, so I didn't get the world's greatest pictures. Seems that this may become a trend, particularly if we have things to do after daycare before going home. Hopefully I will still be able to post every day ...

Evan is getting really good at finding his thumb:



A little quiet time before bed:

April 27 -- What a Welcome

Work went well today. I think I won't have too much trouble easing back in, but that may be a tall statement. I spent the first few hours staring at a file wondering what the hell I was supposed to do with it, but by the afternoon I sort of had myself together. Of course then was when every chromosome in my body started screaming for my baby. It was all I could do to keep from launching myself out of the chair.

It was all worth it though to have this welcome when I picked him up from daycare:













oh how i love that sweet boy ...

April 26 -- Last Day

Well, today was my last day of maternity leave. I haven't really mentally prepared myself for the fact that from now on, I will be going to work and Evan will be going to daycare. Up until now, it's all been academic ... even when we sent him all those days, I still had the option to go and get him whenever I wanted. I have a feeling this is going to be harder than I thought.

Part of me is excited to get back to work, resume some semblance of an adult life, and have some time to myself. I will actually get to go to the bathroom when I actually need to ... that will be nice. I'll also be able to eat breakfast and lunch when I start to feel hungry, and I may even be able to linger over them. I will not have to worry about how to fill my days ... because let's be honest, trying to entertain a 3 month old for an entire day CAN be mind-numbing if you don't get out and do some things.

However, the other part of me is having a very difficult time knowing that this is the last time I will ever be able to spend this kind of time with Evan. Although staying at home and raising a newborn is easily the most challenging thing I have ever done, I would not trade it for anything in this world.

I think that staying at home and going out to work both have their sets of challenges. On one hand, you could conceivably go quietly bonkers staying at home 24-7 with your kid, particularly if that kid is really fussy, which thankfully Evan is not. On the other hand, going out to work means I will miss a lot of really terrific things, like watching his eyes light up when he makes some sort of connection. Oh, I am going to miss that very much.

However, this is the best thing for Evan, as it will allow us to make sure that he can have all that he needs. So ... onward and upward.

We spent our day together with family in Virginia, and we had such a great time!!

Take my bottle and you'll pay!!





I just love my Auntie Lisa!!





And Grandma makes me giggle!!







I'm just too cute ...



OK, so the overalls are too big, but they were just so cute ...



Racked out after a big day ...

April 25 -- Crankerpuss!!

Well Evan went from being such a good boy yesterday to fairly cranky today ... oh well, we're all entitled to our days. Perhaps it was the heat ... it was almost 90 degrees today!! Yikes!! Summer came without warning!!

Sleeping in the stroller on the way to Eastern Market on Capitol Hill (don't worry there was a blanket over his stroller to protect him from the sun):



Today was our first Sox-Yankees game (we killed them!! ha ha)





Shhh, I'm watching the game with Grandma!!





Being soothed to sleep by Grandpa:



So tonight we stay over at Grandma & Grandpa's for the first time in a long time!! Evan seems to be peacefully sleeping now, but keep your fingers crossed he makes it through the night in a bed that isn't his own ...

April 24 -- A Day in Del Ray

Today Evan and I had the morning together just the two of us, and it felt so good!! Then we spent the afternoon in Del Ray, Ryann's neighborhood in Alexandria, with her daughter Sawyer and friend Meredith and her son Andre. It was a beautiful day and so many new parents were out strolling their babies! We met a lot of other January babies, including this little girl who was born on the same day & in the same hospital as Evan!!



Evan insisted on showing off how stinkin cute he is:













After our big day, we picked up Daddy from work who is recovered from his stomach bug and was finally able to hold Evan again!!



Daddy entertaining Evan:









I'm so happy that my Daddy gets to hold me again!

April 23 -- Busy Day!

Well, Evan had to go to daycare for a little bit today because Daddy has been sick, but I just couldn't take the idea of him being cooped up all day so I got him in the early afternoon and we just spent the rest of the day together outside the house. We had a great time together, but I was a BAD MOMMY and didn't get a lot of pictures!! Here are the ones I got after we came home and got Evan ready for bed. Sorry about the shadows ...

April 22 -- Mommy & Me

Evan did go to school again today, but I picked him up early because I really miss our time together. So here are some pictures from our afternoon:











Power to the babies ... and to the babies' toy octopi!!







Little Orphan Evan ...



Evan was playing on his playmat today and ROLLED ONTO HIS SIDE!!! Big stuff!!! Let's go to the videotape ... (by the way, this was not his best rolling, but I had to scramble for the camera)