Where Did September Go??

I know it is cliche, but I honestly feel like I just brought Gavin home from the hospital, and it is already October -- the month when I have to go back to work. I still have 3 weeks of maternity leave remaining, but at this point with Rachel, I was back to work. Twelve weeks just seemed like an eternity when I was anticipating leaving work, and now I am already building up to the dread of going back. :( I always have lofty plans for what I will do while I am off work. This time, I accomplished more of those plans, but definitely not all of them.

So what did I do with my September? I trekked down to Kentucky/Cincinnati on Labor Day weekend to celebrate my friend Lori at a bridal shower and bachelorette party.

Then I rushed back to Columbus to celebrate my brother's-in-law graduation from college. The following weekend, I made my first wedding cake! I normally wouldn't commit to making a cake for such a momentous occasion, but it was for a friend, and the wedding was small enough that I decided I could handle the pressure.

I had a little bit of a health issue this month. It is too personal to detail here, but it was the result of complication from laboring with Gavin, and after repeated trips to the doctor, it was determined I would need surgery to correct the issue. Now let me say, I have gone through childbirth twice now, including the recovery from childbirth. And I was a BIG BABY about the build-up to this surgery. It was outpatient surgery, but the doctor couldn't really predict what it would do to me or how long it would wipe me out. And having two kids around, I was worried about how to care for them. The surgery also required anesthesia, and that meant no nursing Gavin for 24 hours. And as much as I fretted about nursing Gavin in the early weeks of his life, the boy has definitely grown to love the boob. So he wasn't exactly pleased when I came home from the hospital and he didn't get to nurse. I had to pump-and-dump, which stinks -- breastmilk is like GOLD! But the upside of the surgery is that I had a lot of support from family and friends through the whole thing. Duane's job took him out of town all week, but my in-laws came through big time. They took me to and from the hospital and helped a bunch with the kids. My mom came to spend the night with me the night of the surgery, and things went very well. Then my mom and my sister both came over the next day to make sure I was doing okay. I just realized again how lucky I am to have so much support.

I have also been trying to get out of the house more this month. A couple weeks ago, I took Rachel to sign up for her first library card! She didn't understand the library, but she has enjoyed looking at the books. I am planning to take her to storytime one day this week, if I feel up to getting out. Two Wednesdays ago, I took Rachel to see her first movie in a real movie theater. My in-laws came up to sit with Gavin, and Rachel and I went to see an early showing of The Lion King. She was hesitant to go in the theater, but once she sat down and started eating popcorn, she was sold on the experience. I have never seen a kid who loves popcorn like that (my mother would be so proud!). I think she even ate a piece off the floor.

Then two Fridays ago, Mom and I took both kids to the Zoo. It was a bleak and rainy day, but Rachel had been looking forward to the visit all week, so we decided to brave the weather conditions. I am glad we did -- she enjoyed seeing the elephants and other animals. But more than anything, she loves riding the carousel at the Zoo. I hope we can make a trip back up there before I go back to work. Also on the agenda is a trip to the pumpkin patch!

And the kid just has so much personality now. She has figured out how to use the camera on my phone -- here is one of her self-portraits and just another example of her personality:
Gavin has turned on the personality lately too. He has grown like a weed this month. I had to reschedule his 2-month doctors appointment because of my surgery, so I don't know how much he weighs or his stats, but he seems twice the size that he was when he came out. I slightly miss the tiny fingers, hands, feet, etc. But I love all the things that come with his getting a bit older -- like the smiles! He smiles at me ALL THE TIME now. And there is no question that he knows who I am. He is carrying on a love affair with one of the lamps in our family room -- cooing, smiling, laughing at it. Duane was holding him yesterday, and it astounds me how much he has grown to look like his daddy. A lot of the dark hair he had when he was born has fallen out or faded, so he doesn't have much more than Rachel had at this age.

My kids are so wonderful and yet so frustrating all at once. I have days where I want to pull out my hair and days where I can't imagine not being around them like this all the time. They love each other -- that is quite obvious. Rachel always wants her "Baby Gavin" (because she won't call him just Gavin) with her at all times. She is one of the few people he recognizes and he smiles at her too.

And now the weather has turned cold, my football is in full blast (though my Buckeyes are definitely having a down year), and I am looking forward to Halloween for the first time in a long time. I don't think Rachel understands it, so I need to record some of the cartoons about it so she can get the idea a bit better. And I have two weddings to attend in October, one which will require traveling to Florida!

I signed up for Weight Watchers Online the last week of August because I am sick of feeling frumpy. So far, without exercising at all, I have lost 3 pounds. Granted, that is with some health issues, and I intend to start a serious exercise routine tomorrow to try to trim another 7 pounds in the next 2 weeks. But I feel better about what I am eating now. I tend to go crazy with my eating in the first few weeks of nursing, because I am ALWAYS hungry, and I am up all hours of the night. So I got it in check now, and I have a personal goal of getting back to my pre-Gavin weight by Christmas. :)

Sigh...now I am back to my leave. I need to experience every day to the fullest! I have a haircut slated for this week. I was trying to grow it out, but it has become too much of a pain every day. I need something easy!