TMI Tuesday: Attempt Number Two

By the time Thursday rolled around last week we were finally getting our son back to his daily routine. It had taken some effort after our week and a half long trek through Virginia but we were getting things back to the usual daily routine. His sleep schedule was returning to normal, his wasn’t fighting his naps as much, his minor medication has been adjusted to accommodate his recent growth, and his happy demeanor was evident in the smile on his face. Everything was almost back to normal by the time my wife left for the shore on Thursday morning.

Throughout the short time near the Atlantic Ocean, our son took a few steps back. His appetite changed on a nearly hourly basis, he wasn’t sleeping, and his 'movements' were unpredictable. This of course changed his whole demeanor during the day and kept both of us, more so my wife, from getting a good night of sleep… this was on top of the fact that my wife and I are not really beach people to begin with and we were once again looking forward to the comforts of home. After our son’s experience, it is safe to say that none of us are really beach people.

Once we walked through the door on Sunday, we immediately noticed a change in his mood. He was happy to be home… just the three of us… and enjoyed playing with his toys for the better part of an hour before giving us the look that he was getting bored. At that point he was perfectly happy to lay beside mommy and daddy playing with his blanket and clutching or fingers as he yawned. But while some things improved immediately, other things were obviously still a little off. That yawning and eye rubbing was happening around 6:00… he was ready for bed and soon after let us know how much he wanted to be back in his own room and tucked into his own crib.

That first night back he went to bed two hours early, at 6:30pm, and woke up an hour late, at 8:30am, the following morning. Things are obviously off. So now we are having to get our son back to his normal routine… again! We are slowly readjusting his sleep, doing our best to calm him for his naps, and trying to get the eating schedule back to where it once was. It is one of those Groundhog Day moments when you know things are going to get better and move on but, when in the moment, they seem to take forever. Slowly, very slowly, we will return to his normal routine.

An Ornery Little Woodchuck

I went to bed last night with the snow falling probably as hard as it has all year and about two total inches having already accumulated on the ground. By the time I woke up for the third or fourth time during the night, I could hear that the precipitation had changed to a liquid state. It was going to be a messing morning no matter what was falling from the sky. All we could hope was that the ice wouldn’t develop as predicted but I’m not holding my breath either way.  

While still in bed and occasionally smashing the snooze button on my phone the meteorologists were all prognosticating and letting us know that, once again, Armageddon was just around the corner. Of course, a smaller and furrier one was also getting up early today… actually his process is more akin to being abducted from his home. It is that time of year when Sonny and Cher fill the airwaves and we all go out of our way to avoid Ned Ryerson.

That’s right, Phil is back and as ornery as ever predicting another six weeks of winter. However, when you think about it, it makes you wonder just how accurate a prediction he can give as he seems to be a pampered, agoraphobic, temperamental little rodent. It’s safe to say that this woodchuck wouldn’t chuck wood if his life depended on it. I’m pretty sure his handlers wouldn’t let him do any kind of physical labor anyway.  

Just like last year, he emerged from his little hole and glanced at his shadow causing a groan to flow throughout the crowd. This should be no surprise as since 1887 he has only been able to avoid the glance 17 times… maybe Bill Murray didn’t relive the same day over and over. Maybe it just seemed like it as he went through the same routine year after year.

So, if his prediction stands we will be stuck with this mix of snow, ice, and sleet for six more weeks. The worst kind of winter season. Hopefully, there will be a few good deluges here and there so long as they don’t happen at the same time as our son’s arrival. Any other time would be fine especially after we take him home as it would be kind of nice to be stuck in the house with our baby despite the possibility of having a close encounter with a blowout.

Phil doesn't like blowouts either!

No More Energy At the End of the Day

Lately our weekends have been full of check lists, errands, and generally trying to get caught up on all the things that have been pushed back during the week. This translates to Monday morning not being the easiest day to roll out of bed. Today that was particularly true as I was laying there a little longer than usual not looking forward to the day that was spread out before me.

This weekend was so full of activity from lodge and office work to gift registries and simply getting caught up on my email that the list of things that had to get done first thing this week kept growing from the time I walked out of the office on Friday evening. I know that the weekends aren’t always like this and lately they have been a bit crazier than usual but, right now, the beginning of the work week is something that brings a sense of dread to my tired mind as I close my eyes on Sunday night. Right now we push and soon things we even out. That has always been the case it just might take a little longer this time around.

So, right now I am sitting at my desk stealing a mere ten minutes from my chaotic day to write this brief blog. Following a morning commute that took twice as long as it should, I got to the office a little later than expected so I had no other choice than to put my head down and work until my eyes became too heavy to continue. After a quick break, usually to take a call or replenish my coffee, I continued the push to try and pull together all of the final points on projects that have been slowly developing. Now I am taking a few moments to write and relax before returning to the deluge of communications.

Of course, following my unusually full day at the office, there is a networking event which, fortunately, is located half way between the office and the apartment. These are the beginnings of the week that seem to run on for hours long past the time when I usually close up the computer and head home for the day. This week, this is the first of three such nights. That is the current schedule but, as has been the case lately, things could easily change between now and the end of the week because, right now, my energy is low, the nights are falling to fast, and the day is nothing but a brief glimmer during the waking hours.

Punxsutawney Phil Fallout

The day after Groundhog Day and what do we find? Snow. And not the granular white sand like snow that buried the pavement last month. These flakes were big and heavy, sticking to anything that got in their way. I hope this is not what we should expect over the next six weeks.

 

I woke up this morning with every expectation of heading into the office and getting things moving for the week. Twenty minutes into a slow and slippery drive, I had no other choice than to try and made it back to the apartment. While there wasn’t a large amount of snow on the ground, it was just enough that the traction control kept flashing on the dashboard every time I gently presses the accelerator when the light turned green. Thirty minutes after my decision to head back, I finally arrived at the apartment building and pulled into a parking spot.

The snow continued to fall all day as I worked from the dining room table. Occasionally I would stop and clean off the cars trying to stay ahead of the mounting weight pressing down on the suspension. Throughout the day, the view of the parking lot from our window remained fuzzy like a television with misaligned rabbit ears. It wasn’t until about four when the air began to clear and the real clean up began.

It didn’t take long before the low scratchy groan of the plow began echoing off the compacted parking lot and the slow blowers filled the air with the unmistakable sound of a gasoline engine with the arch of snow breaking up in midflight before slamming into the freshly plowed pile on the side of the driveway. The staccato of the chunks of snow hitting trees and fence, combined with the vibrating metal of the plow bouncing off the speed bumps in a dull winter drumroll.

With all of these things happening in the background, the ticking of the computer keys served to keep me focused on the screen and the projects that seem to be backing up by the moment. Throughout that time I kept thinking about that darn groundhog. It seems as though he is mocking all of us just like he did Bill Murray. Some winters are not so bad but then there are ones like this year when six weeks seems like a very long time. Six weeks of this will not be fun but maybe things will turn around. However, look at the forecast for the next ten days all I have to say is… screw you Punxsutawney Phil!