Another Rainly Fall Day

Juliette sits on my lap and studies my arm. She likes to dig her little nails into my skin until it hurts. I pull her sharp nails away. She waits and strikes again. Dig, dig, scratch.

It is raining buckets today. It is many shades of gray. It is cold. We have been in the apartment all day. We watched a movie about Marie Antoinette. Why do we like reading about Royal Families, past and present? Royal dream-worlds intoxicate us. We like to watch ordinary, flawed people (chosen by the randomness of birth)in opulent dream worlds.

Juliette is bored with me. I try to entertain her. It is 5:15 PM and I am all out of tricks. I can only place soft, sweet kisses on the pillowy cheeks of my dear sweet Juliette. She cradles my chin in return. We are friends.

Seven Loads of Laundry!

Today I ran from my apartment to the laundry room five times. Once to the lobby to add money to my laundry card. Only once with the baby on my hip with a cart in front.

I had lunch. The baby had lunch. Formula and rice cereal for her. Frozen fried shrimp, miniature quiche and spinach and potatoe pancakes for me.

Then the baby slept in her crib from 1:00 PM to 3:52 PM. The first time she has done this in months and months. I was free to run back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth to the washing machines and dryers. Juliette slept this cloudy, gray, cold, fall day away.

In between running, I looked for homes on the real estate websites Anne and Vivi sent yesterday. They called the listings "Houses for Juliette!" On the Rockville, Potomic websites I found 10 goods homes. On the Silver Spring website I found about 20.

Juliette is 8 months and six days today.
She won't eat solid food from a spoon.
She's growing and she's healthy.
She pulls my glasses off.
She grabs everything in sight, within reach.
She often laughs hard.
Her hair is coming in.
She can sit up and shred magazines and catalogs.
She loves her Rainforest Jumparoo.
She is falling out of love with her Rainforest Bouncy chair and Rainforest swing. She moans and groans a great deal.
She likes the sound of her voice, I think.
She likes the computer keyboard. When I pull her hand away she moans and groans.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Mom called this morning and said she was suffering from SAD.
C. called later and said he was suffering from SAD today.

I am sad. I actually cried to the Enchanted April film score. It was sad and fit the mood of this golden, orange, yellow and brown fall day. I cried because today reminded me of the Fall of 2006 when I was pregnant with my sweet girl, and how the seasons changed as I changed. Then, I wondered what she or he would look like, what Motherhood would feel like. Now I know. Today, I am so completely changed, no longer the person who watched the leaves fall, wondered about Motherhood, felt sick every day, and dreamed about the future.

Today, the weather is beautiful. It is still warm.

It is quiet. The baby dressed in royal blue is sleeping.

Today's schedule:

8:00 AM to 9:00 AM: Feeding
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM: Play
10:00 AM to 12:30 AM: Nap
12:30 PM to 3:15 PM: Play / Feeding
3:15 PM to 4:00 PM: Nap
4:00 PM to Play...