T-minus 3 weeks and counting

How time flies when you're home with a baby. Three weeks from today I return to work. Has it really been that long? It seems like only yesterday that we brought her home.

Miss Juliana is growing so fast. At last check she was up to 8 lbs., 9 oz., and had vaulted into the 25th percentile (she was in the 10th previously). Destined, I guess, to be a petite flower, she's just now the size of some newborns! She goes for her next round of vaccinations in October (at her 4 month visit) so I unfortunately have no clue how much she's weighing nowadays. She's finally in N size diapers and out of preemies though but I think it may be a bit before she's into the size 1s.

She's become a very smiley baby and has gotten more vocal. She coos, and gurgles, and I coo and gurgle back to facilitate "conversation." We definitely have a routine--up to eat, play time for an hour or so (face-to-face tickles and love or time on the play mat or in the bouncy, etc.), down to nap...repeat again anywhere from 2 to 4 hours later. It's a lovely little routine that we both enjoy. And I swear she's bigger after every nap :-) or at least it feels like she's growing that fast!

But best of all is that for the past two nights she's slept between 5 and 6 hours. After talking with some friends of mine--one of whom has a pediatrician relative at her disposal--A and I made the decision to introduce cereal into Juliana's nighttime bottle. So for the past two evenings, her final feeding before bedtime has consisted of 4 oz. of formula (her usual) mixed with 2 TB of oatmeal cereal for babies. Voila! Apparently, the stick-to-your-ribs consistency of the oatmeal keeps her full longer, which means more sleepy time for her and for us. I almost felt human when I woke up this morning...and I'm hoping for more of the same tonight.

In the meantime, AF came and went and with it comes the thought that--holy moly--perhaps I could get pregnant again. Now, I'm not thinking this in a 'good' way (I can't even begin to contemplate having another baby anytime soon--my hands are way too full with one!). No, I'm thinking it in an 'oh jeez, does this mean that now I've got to worry about birth control?' kind of way. A weird concept when you previously tried to get pregnant for 4 years with medical assistance. I have to say it was nice not having a period for so long, not-so-nice now having to deal with tampons, pads, and condoms. Can't say I missed any of it. Plus, it's almost like they're all reminders of my former life...LBB (life before baby) which is such an abstract concept to me; so foreign yet so much a part of me. This 'new' life I lead is so weird yet welcome. It's also very welcome for Grrl so please go share your love with her as she embarks at the next station.

As for me, I'm interested to see the changes that will come when I go back to work. It'll be a lot to manage and I hope I can do it. We'll see. Should at least be good for a few laughs...or cries...or both.