Today is resonating with that fall feeling. Cooler, crisper weather. Orientation fair on campus and the buzz of a new semester. The end of my first week of work. Bundling up for a walk in the evening.
Though summer was long-delayed and short, I don’t mind these early fall days. I’m feeling cozy, connected, nested. My husband too was commenting tonight that the weather is putting him in a “gear up for winter” frame of mind.
Last year at this time we were preparing for baby. I had just finished work and was dashing around madly gathering supplies for the birth and beyond, finishing projects, organizing and decluttering. My husband was going full speed ahead on yardwork and a big renovation to our back room. We were also freezing food for winter. And just after baby was born we had friends help us with picking and stacking a big cord of wood. Just thinking about it gets me excited. I love caring for and building family this way. I love the prospect of cozy winter days indoors in our clean, warm home eating yummy food and playing with baby.
This weather also inspires me to go to the Armstrong fair with my family. What could be more fall and fun than that? However, my exhaustion and need for time to collect myself inspires me to not even consider going anywhere requiring driving this 4-day weekend. As work wound down today I was so ready to be done. Tired tired after some physical work today and baby’s late nights. But once I got over that the delight of 4 whole days off caught up with me. I need to be home. To nap every day. To get the house clean and ordered again. To plan out meals for the next few weeks – definitely a joint prospect. Maybe some gardening too … some walks … yes. For sure.
In other news, baby’s eczema is looking not as awful thanks to lots of moisturizing, water, and probably a couple applications of cortisone. We are still not sure what else to do regarding treatment. We have no idea if she might have food allergies, and having her off a long list of foods is challenging. Plus, we don’t know if she needs to; and in fact, those foods might be good for her to have. We are looking into other supplements she may need – Omega 3s, fish oils – that might help the healing process from within. I also realized tonight that she LOVES smoothies. She whined until I let her have some of mine, and drank well over 1 cup in a few minutes. I swear, there was hardly any left for me! This will be a great way to get some more healthy foods into her wee body.
Husband is at a movie with my blessing – time with his brother which is great. Baby went to bed, but only when I let her cuddle on my chest. Because of that, her eczema and her altered eating patterns away from me I definitely feel she’s going through some stress as her routine changes. I know she loves being at my mom’s, but it is still a change from what she’s used to. I’m just starting to process this. No plans to change anything yet.