PP Hair Loss and Other Glamorous Things

Ah--the joys of new motherhood. From bleeding that lasts a month to newfound bathroom issues (girls, you know what I mean), sobbing over commercials on TV while your boobs leak, and trying to make sense of what is happening with your abs, there are many things no one could adequately prepare you for. Post-partum hair loss is one of those things. Even if someone (or lots of someones) already warned you about this, there is something deeply disturbing about shampooing your hair and having a giant clump of long hair fall out in your hand. 

Let's talk post-partum hair loss for a moment, shall we? 

Most women experience this phenomenon, but it's sneaky. It comes later than all the other weird things, when you're just starting to feel "normal-ish" again. Your boobs are figuring their thing out. Your baby (not mine) might actually be sleeping a little at night. You might be able to poop without crying. Maybe even daily. And just when you thought you were getting your mojo back, BOOM! Your hair starts falling out. Not a little bit. Like half of all of your hair. In clumps. In your brushes. On your floors. In your shower. Your family think it's gross. Everyone complains about the crazy amount of hair that's on every surface of your living space. And there you are crying, while your boobs leak with your weird, half-bald head.

I went through it this time knowing (never underestimate second-time-mom cockiness), and still it was weird and terrible. And just when I started to look like I got a cool side-shave thing on one side (I didn't), my hair decided to stop the mass exodus and grow back. So now I have an all-over layer of 1/4 inch length hairs (primarily visible in the front) that look like spikes to contrast my shoulder length 'do. 

Maybe this is why "mom hair" is a thing? 

Sleep Or Something Like It

I'm going to take a moment here to talk about something I've been fantasizing about something pretty fierce lately-- sleep. In my dream, I'm in a huge bed with the fluffiest white comforter, the softest sheets, and there are French doors leading to a beautiful balcony with sunlight peeking in. I can just lay in the bed and sleep. I can turn on my side if I want. Heck, I can even take up the whole bed. No one is trying to cuddle me or kick me or scratch my face or steal some milk. Are you excited yet? These are my fantasies.

I have somehow created two humans who (at least as babies) hate sleep. I'm not sure sure how this is possible, as I am a sleep-lover from way back. Even in college I was an 8 hour a night kinda gal. And now, sadly, I am a one to three hours at a time adding up to 8 hours of the least fulfilling sleep you've ever had in your life kinda gal. Let's take a moment of silence to mourn what I have lost.

You better have done it :)

Everleigh slept through the night for the first time around 22 months old. 22 months, people. 22. Which means if little Em follows suit (and so far, they're neck and neck), I have about 16 months left to go of feeling like a crazy person.

So if your life seems like a bummer today, remind yourself it could be worse. You could have a baby with a cold who is mad about her stuffy nose trying to suckle you all night long.

Here's What You've Missed

In case you used to read my blog and you're like "where's this chick been for, I don't know--4 years", here's what you've missed in a super abbreviated fast-forward version.

Everleigh is now SIX! 6.5 to be precise. I know. It's crazy. So there it is. Since I last wrote, we have moved twice, she graduated preschool and started kindergarten, and is now in first grade. You've missed birthday parties and lost baby teeth, ballet classes and monkey bar accomplishments. She continues to be one of the coolest people I know.

Scott graduated from art school, retired his SAHD status and is working full time at a prestigious art museum. His new work is so incredible, I wouldn't dare put it here until he has an exhibit.We lost his mother to cancer, which was really difficult--she would have loved to meet her newest grand baby.

I switched companies and am now working somewhere amazing doing therapy with kids, teens, and adults using talk therapy, sand tray therapy, play therapy, hiking/nature therapy, art therapy. It's a great fit for me and I love it.

And now little Emerson is almost 6 months old and growing every day. More on her soon. Feel caught up? Good! Let's jump right in.

So We Had Another Baby

Welp. You might as well know it happened. We--the lovers of free time and sleep, of yoga classes and jam sessions, of concerts and art openings, and (of course) our amazing big kid, Everleigh--went and did a thing. We had another baby. This is not unheard of. In fact, I hear it's done quite often. But for us, the word "surprised" does not cover it.

And so here we are. And we're in love all over again with the second person we created, the person who chose us out of all the moms and dads in the world to be hers.

So I'm back, readers. In part because I dearly miss writing, but mostly because I'm once again a hot mess of sleep deprivation, eyeliner and coffee who is certain I will forget the details of this beautiful experience if I don't record it.

Meet Emerson Rose, born May 24th, 2016.

TODDLER SPEAK

A window into the mind of a two-year old…

Everleigh spotted me getting into the bath the other day and blurted out “Mommy! You have 2 butts!”

After getting over the initial  shock and humiliation of anyone ever saying those words to me, I realized that she was just confused about the anatomy piece of the whole thing. I responded by letting her know that everyone has two butt-cheeks and that with their powers combined, they make one butt. Her mind was sufficiently blown.

 She was patting her own little tush trying to make sense of it all. Amazing. Two butt-cheeks. One butt. There you have it. Although, later that night she still informed Scott, “Mommy has two butts!” so the battle may not be over yet. Maybe she’ll say it in public, in case anyone else wants to know. Oh Ev.

My butt is awesome by the way ;)

DEAR EVERLEIGH, 2.5

Your first flower girl experience in Auntie Heather's New Year's wedding. Posing with cousin Remi.

So...I fell off the blogger map and used the time away to think about why I blog and why I don't sometimes. I've decided that I miss it and I really enjoy capturing Evie's development and our early family years together in such a vivid in-the-now format. I just don't really like when keeping up with the blog starts to feel like an unpaid job, or like I'm frantically taking pictures of a moment instead of being in the moment so I can make it all sync up with a post, etc. In short, I've enjoyed my brief hiatus and I am back.

Dear Everleigh,

I am late writing this post, but you recently turned two and a half years old. Bonkers, yes, I know. Here's what you're into right now:

Everleigh's Cafe: you got a tea party table and mini china tea set for Christmas, and it's quickly become one of your favorite things. You decided to put the table near your play kitchen, and named it "Everleigh's Cafe". The menu primarily consists of tea, water, and muffins, but it still draws a huge doll crowd :)

Being a Big Girl: you started potty training for real around September '12, and quickly graduated to big girl panties. Since then, you have been 100% about all things Big Girl. If pooping in the potty means you're a big girl, you'll do it. If finishing your carrots is the big girl thing to do, consider it done. You ARE a big girl now!

Eating like a football player: girl, you must be growing because lately you have been putting food away like there's no tomorrow. We try to lean heavily on you to eat healthy foods, especially when you're extra hungry. And you like to eat all kinds of things--blueberries, bananas, chicken, "leafs" (your name for salad), green beans, carrots, chicky nuggies, yogurt,  apples, oatmeal, cereal, etc. You also love all kinds of unhealthy snacks and treats--ice cream, cookies, fruit snacks--and you've pretty much nailed down who you can play exactly the right way to get them to give you treats.

Catch that Naked Baby: CTNB is your absolute favorite game right now. You love to strip down when we're not looking and take off running, calling out "Mommy, Daddy, say 'catch that naked baby' and chase me!". You've even taken to sneaking out of the bath if we step out for a minute and jumping naked on our bed. When you've had enough of being chilly, you deman a "Snuggle Bed", which is Daddy's creation for you that involved piling all the blankets on the bed on top of you and leaving just your face out, Eskimo-style.

Puffy AmiYumi: the apple does not fall far from the tree, my dear. You've decided you really like the strange Japanese cartoon about this 2-piece Japanese girl band called Puffy AmiYumi. It's weird and fun and full of girl rocking out, and I think it's adorable that you won't watch a Disney movie for than 5 minutes but you love this show.

Talking like a Pro: you are talker if I've ever met one. Lately, you've really been into making up words and names. One day you named the act of sliding off the couch belly-first as "Sprouking". You named your Christmas Dream Lights Unicorn "Bucco DiBeppo" (after going to that Italian restaurant once with us) and your puppy (which was given to you by your cousin) "Store Puppy". Why? We will never know. But keep it coming. You've also started using words in interesting ways, like telling me "Stop, stop! my light is red now!" or, in a less proud moment, stating "What the heck?!" when you noticed your bike was in the spare bedroom.

You tough-guy, too-cool-for-Santa pose

School Girl: you started attending a lovely little Montessori school part time in August, and it's been a really healthy transition for you. There are days where you still don't want to go, and wish you were having "a Mommy day" or "a Daddy day", but all in all you like your school. Your teachers are awesome, and every time we drop you off, a small group of kids runs up to hug you (you seem very popular, even though you always play it off and act too cool for school). Pretty soon, you'll be moving up to the Big Kid Class (AKA full-on Montessori curriculum) which I think you will really love--lots of personal freedom and room for exploration.

Healer: you always want to make people feel better when they are sad or hurt or sick. Sometimes the way you go about doing this is strange and/or ineffective, but it's very entertaining. You often say, "I'll make you better" and then pat the other person on the arm or nuzzle them or jump on their belly as hard as you can. But you know what? After having your belly jumped on by a 2 year old, you're rarely still thinking about your cold. So...it works.

Refusing to engage in a normal smiling-type photo

Painter: you got a pimped out art desk for Christmas from Mommy and Daddy, which you aptly named your studio. You love painting and often paint several pictures a day with your watercolor set.

You are, as always, my sweetheart, my lovie, the primary source of my joy and occasional source of my migraine headaches. But you know what? So far so good. The terrible twos have not been so terrible. You have an amazing sensitivity and the heart of a partier, so it's always fun to wake up to you. I love you sooooo much, little one.

Love,

Mommy

HAPPY 4TH!

For the two or three days preceding the 4th of July, Everleigh's been talking about it with comments like "Is it the fourth of July yet Mommy?" or "I want to play at Riverfest".  What can I say? She's a very patriotic girl :)

Well, we are in full-on heat wave mode here in Missouri right now, with heat indexes topping out at 100+ each day. But this did not deter us from celebrating July 4th in the sunshine. Oh no it did not. 

First, we took Everleigh to a local public garden we all love for some pretty scenes of flowers, plants, and fountains. Then we met up with Scott's family and went down to the annual Riverfest KC, where we hung out for about an hour (there was live music, a bouncy house for kids, pony rides, etc.) until we all decided it was a bit too hot and dry. Then we made out way back home for a cookout with family and friends.

After filling our bellies, we hung out for a bit and then ventured back into the night to see the Riverfest's fireworks display--one we've enjoyed for several years running. This year was the best I've ever seen. We laid out blanket near the river and relaxed until the fireworks began. Everleigh was thrilled. At one point, she said "I want to see this myself", and she moved further away from us to sit in her puppy chair. I guess she needed a little personal space to really soak it in. She kept saying "wow! This is NEAT!" and "look at the blue one!". During the grand finale, when it got super loud, she ran over and sat in her Daddy's lap while watching with an ear-to-ear grin.

It was perfect. Just perfect. In fact, SO perfect that I didn't even stop to take pictures. I think it was one of those times you just had to experience without looking through a lens. Hope you all had a nice time with family too!