Ce vs. The Family Reunion (Part 2)

Only one booster shot of photo cuteness in September. Totally unacceptable. Here are some more photos from the west coast Donohue visit.

Twins!

When you have a child, you quickly learn that each side of the family is going to see what they want to see or expect to see. One familiar refrain, especially once Ce’s curly mop fully grew in, was that she was the spitting image of my sister. I think Chelle grew a bit weary of hearing about this uncanny resemblance as if the Donohue gene pool ran roughshod over anything her side brought to the table and went digging for evidence that there was plenty of DiLisi/Duffy represented.

To wit, here is a photo of Chelle at about the same age of Cecilia, curls and all.

Jersey Girl

The last batch of pictures from a very fun visit to see the whole family in New Jersey. We didn’t know it at the time, but Ce was getting sick and wasn’t her usual picking machine self out in the cherry orchard. She still managed to put away a good number and this year she understood the whole pit in the middle concept.

Overheard at Bedtime

We are neck deep in daycare cold season and Cece has a doozy right now. It’s chapped her nose, but hasn’t dulled her spirits too much. She’s just leaking all over the house. Mama has taken to mopping with Purell in an effort to contain the plague and keep us parents upright. The verdict is still out on whether it will work.

Otherwise, the whole family is climbing the walls just waiting for spring. Cecilia visited her grandparents last weekend in Philly and was ecstatic to actually be able to see the grass. She went a little nutty and sprinted around the house three times before collapsing in a heap of smiles and curls. Needless to say the return to the frozen, snow crusted wilds of Boston was a bit of a letdown. Sprinting headlong around the dining room table 37 times just isn’t the same outlet.

Living in such close proximity this snowbound winter, we’ve noticed Cecilia is entering that distinct toddler phase known as the mimic. She’s a sponge for facial expressions, daily routines, verbal tics and offhand remarks. Just in the last weeks she’s flaunted her knowledge by prepping my coffee cup, bringing me my slippers, and reminding Mama that Daddy likes two fingers of scotch, neat.

Here was our exchange last night, while prepping for bed. We were reading ‘Eats’, a word association and picture book. Mouse…cheese, Squirrel…acorn, bird…worn. You get the idea. The books build to a rousing conclusion on the last page:

Daddy: “And who eats ice cream?”

Cecilia: “GRANDMOM!”

Now we know who’s been polishing off the sundae’s in the Friendly’s kid’s meal! So beware, you’re secrets are no longer safe with Cecilia.

The Return to Work

How could three months possibly go so quickly? Since Cecilia was born, the days seem to fly by with diaper changes, soothing sessions, feedings, crying, bathing, and bedtime.  Then we wake up and do it all over again.   During it all, my return to work date always seemed to loom over my head.  I have always wanted to be a working mother but there are definite advantages and disadvantages to being one.  Finally at three months, Cecilia has become much more interactive and wants to see everything that is going on around her.  She squeals with delight at our songs and stories, she watches us whenever we come into or leave a room and she yawns with us when its time to go to bed.  So just when she is now becoming the little person, its time for Mike and I to go back to work.  It seems unfair.

Then there is the daycare situation.  Personally, I don’t like the idea of passing my child off to someone else to “educate” them.  Something feels very wrong about it.  This week we had a daycare issue where our original choice fell through and we had to scramble to find a new place.  The new school is down the street and the people there seem very nice.  However, I still don’t feel that any place is good enough for Cecilia.  So now it is time to go back to work.  I am hoping that once I start work again that I will be able to find the balance that so many Moms are forced to seek.  One day at a time is going to be my motto for the next few weeks, but it doesn’t mean that I still won’t cry when I have to drop her off at school on Wednesday.