I so need a mandatory vacation....

I wish I could find time to update the blog every day. I find it very therapeutic. Oh well, such is the life of two working parents of a 6 (almost 7) month old. This week has been particularly stressful for me as I am playing "single parent" for the week. As part of George's program, there is a mandatory retreat that is out of town and is a program enhancement session. From all accounts, I refer to it as Spring Break with a side of team building. They have houses on the beach,  kegs, and the bedtime is somewhere around 3 am (Atleast for George). When and where can I sign up?! For real. I know, I know.... they all definitely work like dogs year-round and the justification for not just taking one day at a local hotel conference room to "enhance the program" is that they actually need a break from their stressful and often unfair working hours. All I know is that I would love to have a mandatory vacation. I would more than love it.  Sadly, as an attorney, this is laughable. Unless I were to make partner and in that case, I would be so stressed that this time is taking away from my billables. Sigh. Reason # 573 that I am not on the Partnership track. Maybe I'm just jealous. Hell, I am DEFINITELY jealous. However, I can say with absolute certainty that if I did take a mandatory vacation- I would SLEEP, and Sleep in. That is all I want. Maybe my request should be for a mandatory sleep in? Surely I can arrange this. Now I'm rambling. See, I need more SLEEP!

Anyway, like all things in  life, the anticipation was much worse than the reality. Mark is such a good boy. The evenings have been a little stressful but not too bad and I so enjoy any bonding time I have with my baby. As I look at his pictures over the past 6 months, I am overwhelmed with how much he has changed. My sweet little boy is inching closer to toddler-dom and away from newborn-ness. Although it is such a thrill to watch him discover new things and become this little person who knows what he likes and doesn't, I'd be lying if I didn't admit my heart aches a little over the speed at which he is growing. I cherish everyday and commit so many moments to memory. He will always be my baby, even when he is grown with little babies of his own. He is, and always will be, my sweet little baby Mark (lyrics to a song I sing to him). I definitely understand the urge to have another baby as the previous one ages.  :::lightbulb momemt::: I get it  Duggars. (kidding, George)

Mark is starting to eat better again. Solids that is...he has always been a champ at nursing. He did really well initially then went several weeks with no interest whatsoever in solids. This week has been better. He still hates green peas. Gags every. single. time. His personal favorites are sweet potatos and apples. I homemake all of his baby food from organic produce (except for a couple of jars for on the go). My reasoning is multi-faceted: first, it's healthiest, 2nd, it's so much cheaper, 3rd, it will make the transition to table food so much easier since it actually tastes like the real thing, and 4th, guilt. I feel guilty I have to send my baby to daycare and can't be with him all day. So, to compensate, I do extra tasks that in my mind are better for him in an effort to even the playing field. Rediculous maybe. But as mothers, we all make sacrifices. This is a sacrifice of my time, something I feel I don't give enough of to my precious boy.

Not much else is going on with us. George is about to enter 2 extremely busy months of wards so I may not be able to post that often. But maybe I will. I have to remember that the anticipation is always worse.

And here is a picture of my angel on dada's first night out of town...

...he is such a happy baby. Love him so much.